Darkness Ascending

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

​

The Jedi incursion at Ossus had demonstrated that the Sith need be ever vigilant in their defense of the Empire.

The Defiant had been dispatched on an exercise near Nathema, voyaging across the gulf of vacuum that existing between the stars of the Chorlian Sector. Captain Ghazikhanian ran a disciplined crew. An aspect that the young Cathar had come to expect from his time under the Sith Imperial officer's tutelage.

In this, Micah's role was largely just to observe and learn how fleets operated. Security of Sith space was an important aspect of imperial bureaucracy. It was not enough to wage war in the name of the Sith Emperor, the Sith had to be capable of holding the territories that they claimed. In this, Ossus was an obvious error.

Which didn't necessarily make it a bad thing. Failure was a great teacher. The question was, what lessons could the Sith learn from the example of the Jedi managing to strike at the library on Ossus?

Without knowing more of the details of just how the Jedi had managed to find their way onto Ossus, that was a complicated question to address. For his part, the young Cathar was here to learn.

Nathema was safely inside the Empire's home space security. A good location in which to explore the capabilities of the Sith Armada.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]​

 

[Onrai]

[member="Micah"]

It was Vanessa Vantai who went through the trouble of preparing a pretty basic exercise for the young Sith to participate in. Fresh from the academy - fresh enough at least - Vanessa had chosen to use the resources available to her to simulate a conflict, her ship floating some distance away.

“Ah... well if it isn’t the young apprentice. The exercise is prepared as it currently stands.” She smiled for a bit. “Your fleet will be facing off against an automated fleet comprised of the most common Galactic Alliance fleet designs. The ships have had their weapons set to low power - I request that you do the same. These training tools aren’t exactly easy to acquire.”

Vanessa thought for a moment. “Move your fleet into position and I will give the details regarding this exercise.”

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

The kitten's right ear twitched.

His tail flicked with apparent curiosity, as the boy mulled over the instructions that were provided him. It was a rather intriguing proposal, as far as school projects went. A learning activity styled into a game of cat and mouse.

The question was: which was he? The cat? or the mouse?

It seemed that they would have to play the game before those details would be known. "Defiant at point, with Malificent and Tenebrae providing escort. Avenger, Vengeance, and Victorious will bring up the rear." the boy instructed simply, as he stood at the forward part of the star destroyer's bridge. A holographic HUD supplied by the boy's cadet uniform displayed the lay down of forces, as the assortment of ships was organized into a more efficient flotilla.

"Ahead, one-half sublight," the boy noted aloud.

"Proceed to the coordinates."


Xo'Xaan II Star Destroyer†
Defiant 1000/1000
Eradicator Heavy Cruiser†
Malificent 600/600
Terminus Assault Cruiser†
Tenebrae 500/500
Vigil II Corvette
Avenger 300/300
Vengeance 300/300
Victorious 300/300
Total Fleet Length = 3,000m
+ 4 squadrons SI-TIE/D Automated Droid Starfighters
†denotes carrier

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]​

 

[Onrai]

[member="Micah"]

"Well... it looks like the game's afoot." Vanessa said, watching from the Ablution as the opposition jumped in - a single Viscount Mk II class Star Defender. The ship would appear on Micah's sensors as the Galactic Alliance Star Defender Strident - the vessel had at one point been intended for use as an infiltration vessel, intended for use in infiltrating Alliance-in-exile formations so they could be destroyed by the battlecruiser's firepower, but the mission had been aborted and the Viscount heavily automated in order to serve as a part of the pending 1st Aggressor Fleet.

The Strident began to launch its complements of fighters - three squadrons of Scrapmetal-class Target Drones exited the ship's hangar, holding tight and forming a basic defensive screen. The number of Alliance craft left over from the seizure of equipment were minimal after all, and Vanessa didn't want to waste it in the event that something went wrong.

Now it was time to see how he would react to the Strident. "The Strident's weapons are set at low-power. For the purpose of this exercise, when a ship has lost its shields, it is considered 'dead.' Does that make sense?"

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

So shields were the proverbial health bars for this game.

"Very well," the boy affirmed brightly, even as the target ship came up on the sensors. A Mon Calamari design, by the looks of it. Not that there really was much to say about the aesthetics. It was pretty much like a floating turd in space -- at least through the eyes of a youngling. Who was now giggling at the thought, while no one else around him got the joke.

"Have we identified the ship?"

"Alliance. Viscount-class," Captain Ghazikhanian supplied from one side of the bridge.

The kitten gave a nod. His ears twitched, as his tail flicked eagerly. "Transfer available data to my datacron," the boy purred, as the personal datapad assistant energized a holo-generated info-graphic in an arc before the child.

"Com-Scan has detected multiple contacts," the captain noted aloud, before tacking on, "Fighters approaching."

"Launch fighters," the kitten noted aloud, even as he sorted through the available notations about the Alliance Mon Calamari ship designs. Heavy shielding.

But, he might have a means for that.

"Hold position. Let them come to us," the boy noted simply, dismissing the info-graphic with a wave of his hand. "Malificent and Tenebrae should come up the sides into flanking position with their turbolasers. Have the corvettes accelerate to attack speed and engage the target with their shield-leech weapons."

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]​

Xo'Xaan II Star Destroyer†
Defiant 1000/1000
Eradicator Heavy Cruiser†
Malificent 600/600
Terminus Assault Cruiser†
Tenebrae 500/500
Vigil II Corvette
Avenger 300/300
Vengeance 300/300
Victorious 300/300
Total Fleet Length = 3,000m
+ 4 squadrons SI-TIE/D Automated Droid Starfighters
†denotes carrier

 

[Onrai]

[member="Micah"]

The fighters would remain close to the Strident as it slowly began to move towards the XoXaan II. The orientation it took was deliberate in heading - it allowed for both a broadside and a good portion of the forward guns to fire on the Defiant. Once they were within optimal firing range, the battlecruiser would begin to unload its firepower, the Scrapmetals staying close to the Strident and readying themselves to engage the droid TIEs, were they to make an offensive move. The Scrapmetal's offensive firepower had not been diminished - all it had were light laser cannons. While its hull was paper-thin and exceptionally fragile, it had the shielding of a heavy bomber. At least they could be destroyed.

Vanessa continued to watch the conflict go - this was quite interesting to say the least.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

The Alliance ship turned, focusing its attack on the star destroyer.

The boy paused a moment to consider his options. "Let's triangulate our attack," the kitten mused aloud. "Have the Malificent and Tenebrae coordinate turbolaser fire," the boy opined. That ought to concentrate a barrage on the side of the Alliance ship, while creating a clear lane for their corvettes to avoid.

"The starfighters will engage their fighter escort, which should clear the way for our corvettes to make a pass with their shield-drain weaponry."

It was a theory, anyway.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]​

​

Xo'Xaan II Star Destroyer†
Defiant 900/1000
Eradicator Heavy Cruiser†
Malificent 600/600
Terminus Assault Cruiser†
Tenebrae 500/500
Vigil II Corvette
Avenger 300/300
Vengeance 300/300
Victorious 300/300
Total Fleet Length = 3,000m
+ 4 squadrons SI-TIE/D Automated Droid Starfighters
†denotes carrier

 

[Onrai]

[member="Micah"]

Vanessa wold continue to move the Strident into range, firing at medium range as the Scrapmetals stayed close. The slanted broadside would continue to impact on the Defiant, deliberate in action given the ship's potency. With three ships firing on it, the shield strength had dropped a bit, but it was still attempting to focus on removing the biggest fish from play first.

"Get some of our automated vessels ready for launch. They're useless, after all." She said. "Protectorate."

Class | Name | Length | Shields | Hull
Viscount Mk II-class Star Defender | Strident | 5000m | 96 | 100