Dallen Thayne
The 102nd Task Force
[member="Agent Darkstar"] [member="Erran Lanith"] [member="Symara Tarriq"] [member="Nom Gunnar"] [member="Caelag Vass"]
The stars blurring past the viewport slowly faded away as the Republic Frigate gradually dropped from Hyperspace over a seemingly serene looking world. However, in reality the planet was a clever staging ground for a pirate operation. Their base built into a rocky landmass nestled in the middle of the world's expansive ocean. Built upon craiggs and buried beneath the surface to a degree it was a rather intimidating fortress and to justify such a monstrous sanctuary the pirates had been thorough in its construction.
Though it appeared as nothing more than a industrial complex rig to likely mine for resources, forward recon squads had determined that the location was indeed the home of the recent raiders of the hyperlanes. Believing themselves secure from retaliation by being beyond Republic space and thus thinking they were unable to be tracked. For the most part they had been right, tracking where a pirate battlegroup had fled to after ransacking transports was a difficult task. The operation had been in the works for some time now, infiltration agents and intelligence operatives had worked to determine active pirate organizations that operated out of systems near the lanes under frequent attack.
Once they had pinned several down the Republic military had reconnaissance teams sent out to get themselves into the pirates ranks. In time the Republic would work to eliminate the threats they had uncovered to civilians and commerce, but the largest and most dangerous would be the first to go. It was safe to call the group in question dangerous even to an entire battlegroup, considering they were utilizing over two dozen recorded starfighters, with another squadron being discovered by the recon team, along with a modified corvette more than capable of overwhelming legally outfitted cargo transports and passenger liners.
In addition the base itself held over a hundred droids and several hundred criminal residents ranging from the main pirate organization's crews and base personnel to affiliated criminals and underground faces. Not all of whom would be combatants, but likely many would fight to flee or resist rather than simply be caught. Which would be a chore to accomplish given that the base was armed with three turbolaser batteries and eight laser cannons to combat them.
Yet none of this mattered as the Hammerhead Cruiser, Testament, began powering its thrusters to enter atmosphere, undaunted by the challenge. "Helm bring us into low orbit above the coordinates for the pirate's stronghold. Lieutenant Ree ping the recon team. Let the Corporal in command down there know we're beginning operation. Open shipwide communications once we receive confirmation the teams below are in place" Republic Commander Dallen Thayne stood to look at the looming world ahead of the ship, silently taking the view in until the ping on the Recon Team's frequency was answered.
Once it was and the channel to the entire ship was opened, the officer pushed his glasses back up his face as he addressed the soldiers of the 102nd aboard the vessel. "Attention, this is Commander Thayne. All hands are to man their battlestations. Troopers are to climb aboard their assigned dropships now, all pilots prepare for launch once we're in position or the enemy deploys their squadrons. Our opposition today is a rather bold group of pirates. Once we are in position over their stronghold, Rocket Jumpers are to drop from the hangar bay and make their way to two of the enemy's twelve landing pads. Once they secure a foothold our dropships will deploy and bring the rest of the attack group to begin taking control of the base. Our fighters will be outnumbered three to one in this engagement and will primarily attempt to clear a path for those of you in the RAETs. The Testament will provide support by occupying the pirate's corvette and their fortress' assortment of turbolaser batteries. So it would be greatly appreciated if you fine men and women getting your boots dirty could make haste in eliminating your opposition and taking control of the stronghold's defenses for us flyboys up here once the flak gets going. Our recon teams on the inside will hopefully have given us better odds in this operation with any sabotage they've done ahead of time."
Turning to see Lieutenant Vanquo at the sensor station signal that the pirates were beginning to move, Dallen would nod to his bridge crew as he gave his final words to the operation's participants. "May the force be with you all. Rocket Jumpers make your jump now and fighter jockeys get your birds in the air and engage the enemy squadrons! Dropships follow out in fifteen seconds. Lieutenant Sella bring the main guns online and turn the cannons on the approaching corvette." The space around their location would soon be filled with fire and smoke as lasers arced through the air to meet their targets.
The only question was whose cannons would stop firing first as the wrecks fell toward the water below.
The stars blurring past the viewport slowly faded away as the Republic Frigate gradually dropped from Hyperspace over a seemingly serene looking world. However, in reality the planet was a clever staging ground for a pirate operation. Their base built into a rocky landmass nestled in the middle of the world's expansive ocean. Built upon craiggs and buried beneath the surface to a degree it was a rather intimidating fortress and to justify such a monstrous sanctuary the pirates had been thorough in its construction.
Though it appeared as nothing more than a industrial complex rig to likely mine for resources, forward recon squads had determined that the location was indeed the home of the recent raiders of the hyperlanes. Believing themselves secure from retaliation by being beyond Republic space and thus thinking they were unable to be tracked. For the most part they had been right, tracking where a pirate battlegroup had fled to after ransacking transports was a difficult task. The operation had been in the works for some time now, infiltration agents and intelligence operatives had worked to determine active pirate organizations that operated out of systems near the lanes under frequent attack.
Once they had pinned several down the Republic military had reconnaissance teams sent out to get themselves into the pirates ranks. In time the Republic would work to eliminate the threats they had uncovered to civilians and commerce, but the largest and most dangerous would be the first to go. It was safe to call the group in question dangerous even to an entire battlegroup, considering they were utilizing over two dozen recorded starfighters, with another squadron being discovered by the recon team, along with a modified corvette more than capable of overwhelming legally outfitted cargo transports and passenger liners.
In addition the base itself held over a hundred droids and several hundred criminal residents ranging from the main pirate organization's crews and base personnel to affiliated criminals and underground faces. Not all of whom would be combatants, but likely many would fight to flee or resist rather than simply be caught. Which would be a chore to accomplish given that the base was armed with three turbolaser batteries and eight laser cannons to combat them.
Yet none of this mattered as the Hammerhead Cruiser, Testament, began powering its thrusters to enter atmosphere, undaunted by the challenge. "Helm bring us into low orbit above the coordinates for the pirate's stronghold. Lieutenant Ree ping the recon team. Let the Corporal in command down there know we're beginning operation. Open shipwide communications once we receive confirmation the teams below are in place" Republic Commander Dallen Thayne stood to look at the looming world ahead of the ship, silently taking the view in until the ping on the Recon Team's frequency was answered.
Once it was and the channel to the entire ship was opened, the officer pushed his glasses back up his face as he addressed the soldiers of the 102nd aboard the vessel. "Attention, this is Commander Thayne. All hands are to man their battlestations. Troopers are to climb aboard their assigned dropships now, all pilots prepare for launch once we're in position or the enemy deploys their squadrons. Our opposition today is a rather bold group of pirates. Once we are in position over their stronghold, Rocket Jumpers are to drop from the hangar bay and make their way to two of the enemy's twelve landing pads. Once they secure a foothold our dropships will deploy and bring the rest of the attack group to begin taking control of the base. Our fighters will be outnumbered three to one in this engagement and will primarily attempt to clear a path for those of you in the RAETs. The Testament will provide support by occupying the pirate's corvette and their fortress' assortment of turbolaser batteries. So it would be greatly appreciated if you fine men and women getting your boots dirty could make haste in eliminating your opposition and taking control of the stronghold's defenses for us flyboys up here once the flak gets going. Our recon teams on the inside will hopefully have given us better odds in this operation with any sabotage they've done ahead of time."
Turning to see Lieutenant Vanquo at the sensor station signal that the pirates were beginning to move, Dallen would nod to his bridge crew as he gave his final words to the operation's participants. "May the force be with you all. Rocket Jumpers make your jump now and fighter jockeys get your birds in the air and engage the enemy squadrons! Dropships follow out in fifteen seconds. Lieutenant Sella bring the main guns online and turn the cannons on the approaching corvette." The space around their location would soon be filled with fire and smoke as lasers arced through the air to meet their targets.
The only question was whose cannons would stop firing first as the wrecks fell toward the water below.