Skirmish Don't Flinch | TSC Assault on TIC New Alderaan

[Arris Windrun]

HYPERLANE MONITOR X-YN773-3-D
Mass hyperspace detection...
​

Readouts all confirmed the same information: a mass of artificial bodies on the edge of Confederation space; by all accounts, it was aimed at the Republic. Whether it was a buildup or the beginning of an invasion, the impressive detection complexes that had been claimed from the Galactic Empire offered the Covenant a compelling insight. It was what they hoped for when their Senate plant informed them of the uptick in aggression between the nations.

PRESENT
NEW ALDERAAN
​

Realspace tore open from the Netherworld. Darkness, horror, and damnation manifested in ripples across the Force as the Hellmouth ferried star destroyers, frigates, and raiders from the afterlife to the edge of New Alderaan. With the Confederation's fleets amassing against the High Republic, the Sith Covenant arrived to raid the seat of what they saw as a collapsing Imperial power.

Aboard the command ship, Arris Windrun approached Star-Arm. They were the ones spearheading this attack, joined by whoever else was reckless enough.

"You think they expected this?"

Mercy | Marlon Sularen

 

[Mercy]

Arris Windrun | Marlon Sularen

Mercy stood in front of the viewport and watched calmly as ships reversed out of the grotesque horror of the Netherworld.

Most people looked away from it, but Mercy saw it as a promise. A standing invitation for her to join the eternal war in the Field of Blades. One day that invitation would be taken and the mountain would know only of glorious battle. Blood-soaked and hungry for it.

"You think they expected this?"

"I think they will claim they did." Mercy said over her shoulder as New Alderaan came into view. "But Brosi, Corellia, now moving their fleets to the High Republic..."

There was no nation that could sustain that much defeat and commitments before they were stretched thin.

Whatever they faced here, could not be more than what the Sith faced at Brosi, and they defeated them there soundly.

"We do not want to be bogged down in a fleet battle, Windrun. Tell your naval officers to punch their way through, I want to be on the ground and ripping through their fortifications yesterday."

 

[Defender of Order]

Imperial Naval Flotilla Eins - New Alderaan

Klaxons blared at full volume across the Avril Defense Platform, the sound reverberating through durasteel corridors and rattling bulkheads. Red lumen-strips strobed along the walls as armored boots pounded toward battlestations. Senior Commander CG-10044, "Valius," did not wait for ceremony. He was fastening the seals on his chest-plate as he stormed into the command centre, helmet tucked beneath one arm, jaw set like iron.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

The main holotable flickered violently. A moment ago, it had been clear, the space above New Alderaan calm and sovereign. Now it burned with crimson returns: contacts, layered in formation, warships stacked in assault vectors.

"I don't know, sir," a clone technician replied, fingers flying across the console. "One second, the scanners were empty. The next..." He swallowed. "An entire fleet translated in-system. No warning, no traceable hyperspace wake. Their transponders aren't registered to any known power."

Valius stepped forward, eyes narrowing at the projection. The formation was disciplined. Intentional. This was not a raid. "Register them as hostile," he snapped. "Deploy all squadrons. Full combat spread. Begin Avril and Hawk rotations immediately. I want platforms Three through Six in defensive alignment within five minutes. Have platform Two close ranks with us."

"Aye, sir."

"Clear weapons hot. Fire the instant they're in range. No warning shots." The deck vibrated faintly, distant turbolasers spooling to life, reactor output climbing toward redline.

"Signal Alfheim," Valius continued. "Shut the gate. Hard seal. No one in, no one out. I want the aperture collapsed and locked on my authority."

"Confirmed, sir. Alfheim acknowledges. The Eye is closing."

Behind the station, space itself seemed to bend as the vast Yggdrasil planetary shield surrounding New Alderaan shimmered into brilliance. The shield gate station, Alfheim, began collapsing the controlled aperture, the last sliver of open sky narrowing like a blinking eye. What had been an open artery for trade and travel would become an armored vault.

Across the surface below, the spires of the capital glowed beneath the protective dome. Civil defense sirens wailed through the city's districts. Atmospheric defense cannons rotated skyward. Civilian traffic fled toward hardened shelters as orbital platforms maneuvered into overlapping fields of fire.

"Contact in three minutes," the sensor officer called out. "Enemy vanguard consists of multiple heavy signatures. This is a strike formation."

Valius placed his helmet on, seals locking with a hiss. His voice came colder through the vocoder. "Then we give them a wall."

He opened a secure channel, broadcasting to every defense platform, every fighter wing, every ship still within the shield's perimeter.

"This is Senior Commander Valius of the Avril Defense Grid. An unidentified hostile fleet has entered the system. All forces are to Condition Aurelius. Defend the capital at all costs."

The holotable shifted as friendly squadrons launched, streaks of blue and gold racing outward to meet the encroaching red.

"They came without warning," Valius said quietly, almost to himself.

Then, louder: "They will not leave without consequence. For the Confederation. For the capital. Hold the line."

Above New Alderaan, the shield blazed like a newborn star, as the first enemy ships crossed into weapons range.

Note: I threw this together 40 minutes before work. I'm using the Large formation of the Naval Defense Flotillas. So, 6 Avril platforms, and 48 Hawk satellites. Sorry if it's a bit of a mess.

Tags: Marlon Sularen | Mercy | Arris Windrun​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Defender of Order Marlon Sularen Mercy Arris Windrun Naniti | Open​

The viewport fractured Lysander's reflection; a myriad of shards captured pieces of him, the dark silhouette of his face and the scar along his cheekbone like a scarlet memoir. He was unfazed as the Nether tore open, witness to the Hellmouth's rebirth. The scream of the veil echoed in his mind, stars recoiling in fear as the Covenant prepared to carve another wound into existence.

He remained rooted in place as he listened to the Triumvirate's words; not out of fear, but because the thought of challenging them had never once occurred to him. Even as numbness crept through his body like frost, there was no concept of defiance within.

Today, a sweet sensation was invoked in his mind. As Chandrila and Coruscant did before it, New Alederaan echoed with promises of retribution. The Order. The Covenant. This raid would pay tribute to every Sith he had ever known.

Tapani flickered across his thoughts like a flame, conjuring visions of countless faces and the desperate screams that followed. Each was a wound that never healed, but also a reminder of too many liabilities.

The ice in his gaze spread like glass behind the emerald hue, eventually settling on Mercy. Once his Master, now an ally. Behind every shred of reason, his loyalty to this Sith Lord remained unbroken.

"Let us outperform what we did with Pelagon and the others," he stated, inhaling the cold from the walls around them. "No survivors, no future refugees growing up to one day hate us."

 

[Priesse Namada]

Location: New Alderaan High Orbit - New Alderaan System
Thread Objective: The Battle in the Belt
Mission Objective: Defend New Alderaan
Call Sign: Titan Ten
TIC: Defender of Order Marlon Sularen
TSC: Ufsa'zekhn'narun

A diminutive TIE Sprite reverted from hyperspace in a tiny flash of light and warped gravity. Inside the cockpit, Priesse stretched her legs (an allowance afforded by her small stature) and studied the various readouts and feeds flooding her HUD. An unknown, presumably hostile fleet had arrived in the system, and was moving on a rapid course toward New Alderaan.

The information presented to her would have been unbelievable, were it not laid directly in front of her eyes.

New Alderaan. The capital world of the Imperial Confederation. Under direct attack.

Priesse shook her head then, steeling herself for what was to come. Presumably, whoever was at the head of the hostile fleet would have believed that the Confederation was weak and overextended. Whether or not that was true remained to be seen. However, in her mind, the fact that they had been able to strike Corellia so soon after the defeat at Brosi and the raid on Mon Cala's shipyards was testament to their resilience.

For her part, Priesse had been flying sorties almost every day for the last few weeks. She was due to return to Imperial academy on Mahporeem for graduation, and to receive her officer commission. However, Titan Squadron needed her now.

The Confederation needed her.

And so, here she was.

Priesse vectored towards one of the Avril defense platforms, before establishing orbit around it in a screening pattern. The hostile fleet would first need to neutralize the Naval Defense Flotillas before moving onto the planet. If she could help defend them, she would buy valuable time for the main Imperial fleets to arrive!

Spoiler: Loadout

Craft: TIE Sprite TN-29-6

• Status
  
  • Shields: 100%
  • Hull: 100%
  • Structure: 100%
• Armament
  
  • FAE/SW-15 Light Transcendent Disruptor Cannon (2)
• Pilot Equipment
  
  • FAE/A-09 Anti-G Suit
  • BG-D 6 “Outlaw”
    
    • Attachments
      
      • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
    • Ammunition
      
      • Metallic Slug Magazine (4)
      • Battery

 

[Arris Windrun]

Mercy | Defender of Order | OPEN

Arris frowned. Was this what command entailed?

She flicked her gaze towards the admiral in the center. Formerly of the Alliance, discharged for skimming payroll and turning procurement into a black market. Would've been a prison sentence if he hadn't friends in the Senate. Now, he served the Covenant with a hefty check and the threat of being shot in the knees to motivate him.

"Well, you heard her. Move!"

The admiral nodded and barked orders across the fleet. Star destroyers took up coverage on the flanks while frigates escorted the raid ships and their battlecruiser towards the shielded world.

She looked back at Mercy. "We'll play this like Corusc--"

Her attention flicked back to Lysander von Ascania with a measure of surprise, followed by an ascending brow. Was it just her, or had his resolve grown darker since they last crossed paths? She looked to Mercy, as if expecting her to say something. That was until the screens lit up with activity as Imperial defenses calibrated against the Covenant's strike fleet.

Their plan was a reckless one, driven by the unwavering minds of Mercy's graspborn who commanded the forward ships.

 

[Marlon Sularen]

D O N' T_F L I N C H

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

​

Sularen stood onboard the bridge of his Flagship, watching over the large Imperial fleet assembling over the Orbital Drive Yards as he prepared to move against the High Republic. He had grown tired of how the galaxy continually dismissed the Imperial Confederation as a weak incapable government openly challenging it whenever they pleased. It didn't help that they had suffered two consecutive defeats in the Thandon Star Cluster trying to push out the Sith Order which only reinforced the idea of weakness that was associated with the Confederation.

This Corellian Crisis, was the Confederation's last chance to prove them otherwise, to prove the galaxy once and for all that the Confederation was still a galactic power worth respecting especially when the galaxy was starting to pivot towards the Republic, the Mandalorians and the Sith. If they backed own now, if they failed to assert themselves, then they would only be capitulating to a new galactic order that would only move quickly push them aside rather then include them in it. Unbeknownst to the Supreme Commander, it appeared that the enemies of Order were already on the move capitalizing on the Confederation's distraction with the High Republic to further weaken them.

"Supreme Commander, sir!" one of the bridge communications officers cried out, catching Sularen's attention. "We're getting reports of an attack on New Alderaan." he said. "An attack on New Alderaan?" Sularen responded, both confused as to how an enemy could strike deeply inside Imperial territory without getting detected. "Do we know who the enemy is?" the Supreme Commander further inquired. "No sir. From what we can gather, their transponders aren't registered to any known power." the officer replied.

Sularen sighed. An attack on the capital of the Confederation would significantly delay his plans to strike at the High Republic forcing him to divert the fleet he sought to wield against the Republic to the defense of the Imperial capital instead. Still, this confrontation would only serve to test the resilience of the Imperial Confederation and perhaps even demonstrate that the dream of an Imperial resurgence was not as dead as the galaxy believed it to be.

"Assemble all available warships and set course for New Alderaan." Sularen instructed. He was going to make sure that this would be the very last time anyone struck against the Confederation ever again. After today, the galaxy would learn to recognize the might of the Imperial Confederation. That being said, the INV Sularen's Revenge would soon proceed to jump into hyperspace followed by roughly over a dozen Imperial warships as they made their way towards the Imperial Capital ready to unleash hell upon the fools that had dared to strike at the heart of the Confederation.

Tags [Friendlies] | Defender of Order | Priesse Namada | OPEN
Tags [Hostiles] | Arris Windrun | Mercy | Lysander von Ascania ​

 

[Naniti]

The violet Togruta strode down the corridor with a pad in one hand. Ship, personnel, and material disbursement records. Surprisingly, when it came to war, the Covenant was actually well prepared. Ruling over the common folk wasn't their strong suit, but butchering people was a specialty. Now, long as certain people like herself could keep the sycophants from filling up the ranks, their little chaotic roving band of monsters might be able to hold the space they'd taken. Easy as it might be to kill millions, orbital bombardments would eventually take their toll. Factories were needed to make weapons. Fields needed to produce food. Wipe all of them out and the roaming became less a romantic interest in freedom, and more a stark necessity of life that could leave them starving to death if not careful.

A soft hiss preceded a rapid wave of her hand. "Begone!" she snapped.

Abruptly, a translucent, ghastly thing had begun to float nearby while they were in the Nether. Unlike most, Naniti could actually see them. A 'blessing' of her unique form of vision. And a hell of a headache. She hated when they used the undying lands for travel.

Fortunately, the ship would emerge back into 'normal' space soon enough. Naniti stopped and looked around to make sure the ghosts hadn't lingered. Damned things. Truly, they were damned. Perhaps after looking into the Cosmic Engine she'd figure out if everything became something like that and refocus on the impossible task of immortality... or at least the reassurance when you died becoming a silent, floating apparition wasn't your fate.

Naniti strode onto the command deck and let the pad fall to her side. She stopped further back and surveyed the interior for a moment. Lysander seemed to be up there beside Mercy. Talk about chaotic. Well, Naniti was fine with it. Long as Mercy recognized the talents of people like Lysander they'd be fine. If the woman started mindlessly treating everyone like punching bags then they'd have a serious problem. Twice over.

Meanwhile, there was Arris. Bit of a short temper, but all around strong woman. Naniti had enjoyed their time together. Especially the whole "I don't ask, you don't tell" policy. Maybe she'd forgotten and written it off to the artifact. Well, it had been the artifact. Mostly. Stupid thing had to be kept in a lock box; wearing it invited a lot more trouble then it solved.

Lysander von Ascania | Mercy | Arris Windrun
Marlon Sularen | Defender of Order | Priesse Namada | OPEN

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

TAG TIC: Marlon Sularen | Priesse Namada | Defender of Order
TAG TSC: Arris Windrun | Mercy

It was perhaps a blessing, perhaps a curse that Governor Visconti hadn't partaken in both the attack on Corellia nor the sudden call for defense against the republic as a response to the actions of the Supreme Commander. The Crow Fleet had taken the assignment to patrol the overlap between the oversectors of Corvus and New Alderaan as part of the recent reshuffling of the internal mandates. Though she was already on course to Corvus in order to contact her master and to take a breather of the more tedious tasks which came with being one of the few planetary rulers who incidentally had also become a key figure in the Imperial Confederation's military affairs, the sudden influx of recalls for the Crow Fleet were staggering.

As she stood on the bridge, her eyes darted towards the large holographic display at the center of the large room, where the messages rolled across the holowall like a waterfall of letters, each message bearing more troubling news. Out of nowhere, a sudden appearance of unknown vessels had been seen surging into realspace above New Alderaan. this in fact wasn't just troubling, it was mortifying, not just because this was a direct attack on the capital, but because of the fact that this had to happen just hours after the Crow Fleet had already turned to set course to Corvus.

"Do we have any idea who these...intruders of Imperial space are?" Amalia's eyes blinked for a moment, letting out a sigh as she tilted her head slightly backwards, leaning with both hands on the dashboard of the holographic display. To her dismay, neither the chief communications officer nor the chief navigator could answer this. And since her master was currently utilizing KRONOS, the divided attention of the AI wasn't in her advantage either. "Every day that passes, every fraggin cycle we are met with the repercussions of the top brass' incompetence and impulsivity..."

The officers at the bridge frowned and seemed slightly shocked by these words, but didn't seem to react beyond that towards the governor's rather harsh critique. Still, they knew that even if she had said this in the open, right in front of said top brass, their reaction would've probably been minimal too. After all, not even Marlon Sularen could afford to make an enemy out of not just Amalia, but the very power behind the ruling council she represented.

"Set course back to New Alderaan, send a message to the Supreme Commander and the Admiralty," A glint of red seemed to flash across the governor's dull gray eyes, a glimpse of a wicked grin forming and disappearing in but a fleeting moment. though it may not have been all that obvious, it was clear that the woman was in fact livid. How many fires did they have to put out? How many actions did they have to reprimand and set straight before peace and tranquility would finally return?

"Tell them that the Crow fleet will take the fight to New Alderaan, to be hopeful, for the pride of the Imperial Confederation will be coming and it is hungry for death," With those words uttered and relayed across the secure channels, Amalia turned towards the crew on the bridge, nodding towards the chief communications officer to relay the order to the entire fleet and to have the navigator set the course proper. "Activate the stygian crystals, we'll fall upon this new threat without warning and without mercy."

EDIT: sorry this should've been with the Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory account, just ping THAT account, not this one ​

 

[Srina Talon]

TAG: Arris Windrun | Mercy | Naniti | Lysander von Ascania | Marlon Sularen
LOCATION: Command Ship [New Alderaan]

____________________________________________________

The door to the cabin reserved for Mercy opened without a sound. She had not dressed for battle, not yet, but that hardly mattered. She hadn’t wanted to make waves by requesting her own space on the ship and instead stayed with her newfound battle-sister. She strode through the doorway in a dress that was a deep and unbroken crimson, long-sleeved, with a high collar and a low back that flowed around her ankles. She looked nothing like a warrior prepared to burn a world.

The bracelet on her wrist gleamed softly. Innocent…Delicate. Beneath the surface, nanotech armor slept, ready to be applied at a moment’s notice. Long white hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that was braided back to keep her hair out of her face. Several rings adorned her fingers, each more than an ornament. She rarely wore anything that had no value. Even the phylactery around her neck had power and purpose, despite the decorative nature. A firearm was secured along her thigh beneath a sweep of crimson silk, while a saber hilt was hidden neatly along her spine.

She looked like a painting.

Silently, she crossed the command deck…Eyes glued to the viewport. As she passed Lysander von Ascania she let her fingers brush once against his shoulder. It was light, grounding, in the wake of his words to the others. Neither a distraction nor a comfort. It was a quiet statement of presence, that she was there, regardless of the enemy. They had spent enough time near one another…

He would understand.

She also noticed his near-constant companion, Naniti , standing not far away, but they were not so familiar. The Togruta had been in proximity, but they’d never spoken. Metallic eyes swept over the young acolyte, but she kept her distance, unwilling to startle her before the battle.

Regardless…The Netherworld yawned behind them, and she thought perhaps their near-emergence to realspace was what had woken her. The Hellmouth was a ship that reminded her strongly of the vessels that she had created for the Mandalorian Empire. It worked the same way, traversing the glom, to bypass all that might stand in their way—Merely by different means. She didn’t bother looking too long at the remains of the Nether…There was history there. She could feel it like an old scar.

Her gaze moved instead to New Alderaan.

"You think they expected this?"

How could they?

Their interactions with the Covenant were minimal at best, considering they’d spent all their resources attempting to secure Brosi. Well…That…And apparently pulling strings in the background between the Diarchy and the Mandalorians. And pissing off the High Republic. And everyone else. Their Her had been a very, very busy pest. Srina joined Mercy at the viewport and paused at her side, small and unassuming. From a distance, she could have been mistaken for attending an opera. “You let me oversleep.”

Her head inclined softly to Arris Windrun in greeting, not certain if the synthetic realized she was on board. She always kept her signature suppressed when she was far from home, with the use of runes to keep her enemies from realizing that she was inbound.

“Where would you like me?”

She assumed that she would be with Mercy , but she also wanted to hear what Arris might require. This was not her operation, but she owed the Imperial Confederation more pain than they could handle. Twice…They had thought to touch what belonged to her. Twice they had been repelled, and this last time there had been some sort of an attempt at either assassinating or kidnapping her.

Srina would like to see the light die in the eyes of her stalker.

Today.

Spoiler: Equpiment

Armour (Echani Shield) Saber Ring Ring HG-54 "The Vora" Class Hand Cannon Holding Aces

 

[Mercy]

Allies: Srina Talon | Arris Windrun | Lysander von Ascania | Naniti
Opp: Marlon Sularen | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

"Let us outperform what we did with Pelagon and the others," he stated, inhaling the cold from the walls around them. "No survivors, no future refugees growing up to one day hate us."

"We'll play this like Corusc--"

Mercy grinned at Arris before inclining her head towards Lysander.

"Every day this boy makes me more proud, Windrun. As you wish, so it shall be, Knight of the Covenant. You will lead the first strike once we have... landed, so to speak." Landed was almost put between parenthesis, because Mercy was picking up what Arris was putting down. Back on Coruscant the Imperials there had wanted to stymie their approach with a planetary shield as well.

They had broken through it and sacrificed her flagship, the Siegemother, near the Imperial Palace. Even now it was becoming a site for their followers to approach and give their respects.

The First Landing of the Covenant - they called it, even if it wasn't accurate, it felt good and that was all that mattered.

Her eyes met Srina as she joined them at the bridge. The moment between the Empress of the Rim and her former Apprentice was not missed. It pleased Mercy greatly. It meant that what they were building here was build to last. With relationships that would grow beyond her. One day Mercy wouldn't have to be here at all for it all to function properly.

Perhaps that would be the day the Netherworld takes her in like family. Allowing her to wage battle on the Field of Blades for eternity.

Srina joined @Mercy at the viewport and paused at her side, small and unassuming. From a distance, she could have been mistaken for attending an opera. “You let me oversleep.”

Mercy's hand settled lightly on Srina's back and she leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You slept so sweetly, darling, I did not have the heart to wake you yet." If anyone knew how hard Srina had been working, it was her. Since Firefist the two had worked closely together, stepping into the breach in major altercations time and time again. Firefist itself, Coruscant, Brosi, Tython, Ast Kikorie and now New Alderaan.

Even after Srina had died on Coruscant. No, she deserved her rest, if only to ensure her blade was sharp and bloody by the time the battle came.

“Where would you like me?”

She assumed that she would be with Mercy, but she also wanted to hear what Arris might require.

"I do not think Windrun had the pleasure of seeing you fight up close yet." She glanced towards the cyborg with a smile, but Arris would see something in it. Perhaps it was the reason why the cyborg had come to her with this opportunity. A certain weariness. Mercy was the Akk dog that caught the shuttle, she had won the Kaggath and with the Covenant conquered her Empire.

Empress of the Core.

But now the Throne was like an anchor around her neck.

An honor guard... how disgusting.

"The three of us will go where the fight is thickest. I want to feel their blood on my teeth and underneath my nails today. Lysander and Naniti will lead the first charge, but will break off when we take to the field, creating confusion in the ranks of the Imperials."

A glance back to her former Apprentice.

"The largest share of the spoils shall be for you today, Knight Von Ascania." Then back to Arris and Srina. "They are young still, they need opportunities to build up their base."

Now Mercy felt in her element. She had missed this, her blood was pumping again, the fire running through her body.

Amber bleeding into her eyes.

She couldn't wait to tear the first Imperial throat out.

 

[Ronhar Tane]

FLEET ADMIRAL VORIN ZONILL
MIN COLLATERAL STAR
ORBIT ABOVE NEW ALDERAAN

There were many ways which one might describe a ship like the MIN Collateral Star.

Some might call it a "marvel of engineering". Others might refer to it as "piece of junk". Still others might even refuse to comprehend the fact that such a...unique ship existed at all in the first place. Regardless of other's opinions on it, one thing about the Collateral Star was abundantly clear: the fact that it required constant maintenance just to keep up and running after ever battle that it participated in.

Upon the conclusion of the Second Battle of Brosi, the Collateral Star immediately returned straight to Mahporeem for repair and maintenance, though in truth, the ship hadn't sustained much in the name of damage. In fact, it had come out of the battle relatively unscathed, allowing it to finish its repairs and maintenance surprisingly quickly. This, coupled with Mahporeem's close proximity to New Alderaan, allowed the Imperial Remnant to respond to the Sith's attack on the planet in a timely manner. Fleet Admiral Vorin Zonill and his ships were soon underway to reinforcement Imperial positions, and the Collateral Star exited hyperspace just outside of New Alderaan's orbit.

Besides the Star itself, Zonill had brought with him a rather eclectic and random assortment of naval assets: Mon Calamari Destroyers, Pyre-class Cruisers, Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers, Impressor-class Acclamators, Nebulon Fire-class Light Carriers and even some CR125U Corvettes. Whatever the Imperial Remnant could scrounge up to support the defense of New Alderaan they had taken with them, even if their formation and total fleet composition was less than desirable. Nonetheless, they were HERE, and that was the most important thing.

Zonill ordered an immediate scan of his surroundings with his ship's NZ MTS "Bloodhound" [Magnetic Targeting Sensor], finding himself in an extraordinarily high "target rich environment". How the hell could this have happened? How did the Sith manage to surprise one of the most heavily defended planets in the galaxy, completing fooling any Imperial attempts to track their pre-attack movements? What foul sorcery had the Sith used this time to get the drop on the Imperials? Zonill could only speculate, but however they had done it, it greatly worried Zonill.

No matter. Zonill and his ships would crush them right here and now, way before they even had a chance to land planetside. But perhaps fighting could be avoided? This was as much a "show of force" as it was an attack on the capital, and perhaps that had been the Sith's plan all along: to showcase their strength, power, and ability to strike deep into Imperial space completely unexpectedly. If there was any chance that Zonill could convince the Sith Fleet to leave, than he would take it. If not...he would simply destroy them all!

Zonill opened a direct communication line to Arris Windrun , the leader of the Sith Fleet, and addressed her in his capacity of a Fleet Admiral.

"This is Fleet Admiral Vorin Zonill of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant and the Imperial Confederation. Your fleet is trespassing upon Imperial territory! I demand you take your fleet and turn back to which you came from! You have my assurance that all of your forces will be allowed to leave peaceably. Should you decide to reject my generous offer, it will result in your complete and total destruction. You have five standard minutes to make your decision...I trust you'll chose to make the right one!"

The message had been sent...now all that remained was to see how the Sith reacted...
​

---

---

---

Spoiler: Fleet Composition

• To be determined! If our Sith friends have any suggestions for meterage, I'd be happy to listen!​

Spoiler: Summary

• Zonill tells Arris Windrun and her squad to "get off his lawn"

Spoiler: Casualties

• To be determined...

TAGS:
Arris Windrun
Srina Talon
Tertius C. Nargath
Naniti
Priesse Namada
Marlon Sularen
Mercy
OPEN

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace

Varin had taken space in some near empty chamber where the heat would only reflect from and be absorbed by him. He would meditate and pray as the room temperature rose, the beads of bones in his fingers running one by one in his hand.

Those who passed by the door would feel the remnants of heat from the other side.

Then Varin felt it. The shift, like the ship had torn its way through space.

His eyes opened as he stood up and walked to his armor. CC accompanied him, helping him place the plates and coverings where they needed and to strap down the belts that he could not reach easily.

Finally, the helm. The Mantle. He stared into the visor so many times all he saw was his own gaze staring back from behind the glass. It was something to remind him of how far he had come.

He placed the helm over his head, the interlocks locking in place, securing it to his person. The visor lit ablaze like a furnace itself, glowing off with a menacing red hue.

The door finally opened as he stepped closer to it. His sword at his hip and mace holstered upon his back. He made his way over to the bridge.

Security and officers seemed to just move out of his way as he walked past them like they were nothing but stones dug into the ground, forgotten to time.

The doors to the bridge opened as Mercy stated the plan. Varin walked up, the plates of his armor tapping over each other gently enough that it was barely audible. The lines of the plates flared like a hellpit as the smoldering cloak upon his back billowed from behind.

His hands slowly crossed over one another at his lower back and he gave a slow nod to Lysander and Naniti.

Then his gaze fell upon Mercy, Arris and The Empress. His head dipped slowly.

“Empress, a pleasure to finally meet you.”

He had never met her before, but had seen her from a distance. He did not know she was also on this little excursion.

He then looked over to Mercy.

“You can add a fourth to your crew. I wish to join.”

The eye flared from behind his visor as he looked towards the viewport.

Arris Windrun | Mercy | Srina Talon | Lysander von Ascania | Naniti | Tertius C. Nargath | Priesse Namada | Marlon Sularen​

 

[Arris Windrun]

ABOARD THE COMMAND SHIP
DEEP ORBIT - NEW ALDERAAN

Tags: Mercy | Srina Talon | Lysander von Ascania | Naniti | Varin Mortifer | Ronhar Tane | Defender of Order | Marlon Sularen | Priesse Namada | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

If the Sith Covenant was to leave a single, lasting impression on this galaxy, it would (hopefully) be the widespread development and adoption of nether-travel countermeasures. Leave it to the Sith to shatter the dreams of honest fleeters.

Still - so far, so good. The star destroyers moved into position, the giant weapon platforms that they were. Their heavy hulls and comparable firepower would allow them to soak up the brunt of the defense flotilla's retaliation.

Arris looked back over her shoulder and blinked at the Empress.

Wait -- had she been here? The cyborg gave Mercy an incredulous look. Then, the alarms blared, drawing her attention back to the helm.

A message came through.

This is Fleet Admiral Vorin Zonill of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant and the Imperial Confederation. Your fleet is trespassing upon Imperial territory! I demand you take your fleet and turn back to which you came from! You have my assurance that all of your forces will be allowed to leave peaceably. Should you decide to reject my generous offer, it will result in your complete and total destruction. You have five standard minutes to make your decision...I trust you'll chose to make the right one!"

Arris shrugged at Mercy. It was nice of the enemy to offer, but in those five minutes, only one adjustment was made: the Sith fleet pressed on, deflectors angled towards the enemy, and thrusters full ahead.

"I do not think Windrun had the pleasure of seeing you fight up close yet." She glanced towards the cyborg with a smile, but Arris would see something in it.

She turned back to the conversation. "Well, I--"

Another interruption.

“Empress, a pleasure to finally meet you.”

The cyborg grinned. "Well, well, well! Welcome to the party, Fire Boy."

She looked back at Mercy with crossed arms. "Lysander and Naniti are paired off, so we're already operating in twos. I say the Empress and I will go one way, and you and Varin head another way, how about that?"

Alarms fired again. This time, a warning: a mass of ships was on fast approach.

 

[Priesse Namada]

Location: New Alderaan High Orbit - New Alderaan System
Thread Objective: The Battle in the Belt
Mission Objective: Defend New Alderaan
Call Sign: Titan Ten
TIC: Marlon Sularen Ronhar Tane Tertius C. Nargath
TSC: Ufsa'zekhn'narun Arris Windrun Varin Mortifer Mercy Srina Talon Naniti Lysander von Ascania
ATT: Defender of Order

​

Priesse opened her eyes and suddenly found herself with a pounding headache.

The precognitive shimmer-vision had been intense and all-consuming, so much so that she had been momentarily lost to reality. Sweat poured from the seer’s brow in rivulets as her twin hearts hammered against her ribs in a frantic rhythm. She was lucky that her TIE had a droid brain-controlled autopilot system, which had taken control of the craft upon sensing that she was incapacitated. However, luck went both ways. It was unlucky that she might still be too late for the events she had just witnessed in her vision to be meaningfully obstructed, even if she somehow got her message to the right people within the next five or so minutes.

Still, she reminded herself that what she had witnessed was a possibility, rather than a guarantee. If luck came with her once more, it might not even transpire at all.

Nevertheless, Priesse opened her comm and made an attempt to open a direct line to Yggdrasil command ( Defender of Order ).

“This is Titan Ten,” She gasped, her voice weak, but urgent. “I need a direct line to Yggdrasil command...right now!”

Spoiler: Loadout

Craft: TIE Sprite TN-29-6

• Status
  
  • Shields: 100%
  • Hull: 100%
  • Structure: 100%
• Armament
  
  • FAE/SW-15 Light Transcendent Disruptor Cannon (2)
• Pilot Equipment
  
  • FAE/A-09 Anti-G Suit
  • BG-D 6 “Outlaw”
    
    • Attachments
      
      • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
    • Ammunition
      
      • Metallic Slug Magazine (4)
      • Battery

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Arris Windrun Srina Talon Mercy Naniti Varin Mortifer Madrona A’Mia
Marlon Sularen Ronhar Tane Tertius C. Nargath Defender of Order

Lysander held his ground, chiseled from the very essence of the void that loomed outside the viewport. But as the Nether's presence passed by, something brushed against his own mind. A note out of tune. The force behind it was something he couldn't fully express.. something tied to the Togruta. Was it pain, fear, or interference? Unfortunately, for now, the answer remained elusive. Not the best time to slip, as unsettling as it was, especially under the eyes of his betters.

Srina passed behind him like a winter omen, with a touch akin to moonlight on a blade. Pale and cold. She was one of the few he looked up to. So, to stand in her shadow again, surrounded by the others held in brutal esteem, was perhaps its own kind of intoxication. A deadly mixture of reverence and bloodlust.. a poison he welcomed.

Strange, really, as though it were a natural occurrence, the Silver Dragon appeared as desires for New Alderaan slipped into the air. A solidification of belief, a call of truth, for he believed the galaxy was overflowing with the faithless. And.. there was only one answer to that.

His chin dipped in a respectful tilt. “Lady Talon.”

Mercy’s words struck like a hammer meeting steel. Praise from her was never gentle, not even now. If anything, a reminder of what she had carved out of him. And what she expected that carving to.. become. Sith spoke of passion and fire, but it was only the colder currents that flowed through the blonde.

“We’ll move on the first shield anomaly. Entry, disruption, and relay denial. Once their coordination breaks, then the field shall be yours, Mercy.”

From the edge of his vision arrived another. Visor to eyes, their gazes met. Another warrior carved for war. Battle brother. The nod was returned. It was almost strange to see him without the familiar rosary.

“All that I require,” he continued, shifting briefly to Srina, then back to Mercy, “is that when New Alderaan has burned and we walk through the ashes.. the truth remains. Let the galaxy know what it means to stand against us."

There were deeper reasons, but he saw no need to drag them into the open.

His steps were slow, but the distance between him and Naniti lessened. The alarms barely registered; after so many campaigns recently.. it was just a recurring note in the background.

A planetary shield was only impressive to those who'd never seen one fail..

“We won’t be there to win the center. We’ll be there to convince them it matters. I’m going to push just far enough to nudge a reaction from them.. enough that they can’t ignore it. Tell me the moment their line stops moving like a disciplined front and starts moving like some wounded animal.”

The next words dropped into a lower octave as the wails continued. “If they believe they’ve forced us back, they’ll reach too far. If they think we slipped away on purpose, hesitation could follow. Either way.. there’s an opening." Lysander let a slow breath unwind. "Which opening would you rather strike? And when you sense that change, even if it’s barely there.. say it. Trust your instinct." More than his own, at times.

One presence had yet to join them: the Neti. He had no doubt she was near.

<<And where does my sister linger on the eve of battle? Never have you strayed far before a strike, and I would value your perspective with the others on the bridge.>>

That undoubtedly meant the ship was infested with Sithspawn, if he had to guess. Somehow, something always slithered in behind A'Mia..

 

[Defender of Order]

Imperial Naval Flotilla Eins - New Alderaan

The void above New Alderaan had become a furnace. Sith destroyers advanced in grim symmetry, their massive hulls angled to absorb the brunt of the Avril platforms' bombardment. Turbolaser fire splashed across layered shields in blinding sheets of white and violet.

"Enemy screen holding," Tactical called. "They're redistributing shield output across the forward arcs. Platforms Three and Four report minimal penetration."

Valius didn't look away from the holotable. He was leaning against the display, looking at it and the rest of the flotilla moving into position.

"Keep them uncomfortable," he said evenly. "Stagger the Hawks. I want rapid-fire enabled on their ifrits, don't let the Sith's shield harmonics settle."

"Aye, sir. Hawk satellites adjusting cadence."

A ripple of blue icons shifted across the display as Platforms Five and Six completed their burn into position, thrusters flaring bright against the planetary glow.

"Platform Five aligned over the northern grid. Six entering final rotation now."

"And Alfheim?" Valius asked.

The planetary overlay expanded. The Yggdrasil shield shimmered in layered brilliance around the world below. At its edge, the once-open aperture narrowed to a razor-thin crescent of light.

"Gate closure at ninety-nine percent," Operations replied. "Aperture collapsing."

As if in answer, the final sliver vanished. "The Eye is closed."

A quiet breath slipped from the Commander as a subtle vibration rolled through the station, the unmistakable tremor of power being rerouted at scale. Deep within the grid, Alfheim's reclaimed output surged into the planetary lattice.

Beyond the viewport, the Yggdrasil shield responded. Its surface intensified from a steady shimmer into a radiant blaze, light cascading across its curvature in layered bands. What had been a protective veil hardened into something formidable, no longer merely a passive barrier, but a luminous bastion encasing the capital and its spires in defiant brilliance.

Valius gave a single nod. "Have Alfheim divert residual gate output into dorsal reinforcement. Concentrate density above the capital hemisphere. And get me a status update from the commanders of Jotunheim and Nilfheim; I need to know the status of the Old Guard."

"Sir, additional Confederation fleet elements have translated in-system." A new cluster of friendly signatures flared at the edge of the battlespace. "IFF confirms it as Fleet Admiral Zonill."

On the holotable, ordered blue formations resolved into a disciplined line beyond the immediate engagement range. They held position, not yet committing, but unmistakably present.

"Mark their vector and deconflict firing lanes," Valius ordered. "Transmit updated battlespace telemetry. They'll see what we see. Also, please let the Admiral know that we've already begun to engage."

The Avril grid adjusted subtly, its firing solutions recalculating to account for the new arrivals. The net tightened. Then another alert chimed. Sharper, more focused.

"Priority intercept request," Comms announced. "Callsign Titan Ten. She's requesting direct contact with station command."

Valius' helmet tilted a fraction. A pilot? "Open a secure channel. Direct line."

A brief burst of static, then the faint background hum of a TIE cockpit.

"This is Senior Commander Valius," he said. "I am in charge of this defensive operation; Titan Ten, state your intent."

Outside, the battle intensified. Platform Six locked fully into alignment and unleashed a concentrated barrage into one of the Sith destroyers. The Hawk satellites shifted again, probing for weakness.

TAGS:
Marlon Sularen | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Ronhar Tane | Priesse Namada

Mercy | Lysander von Ascania | Srina Talon | Arris Windrun | Varin Mortifer | Naniti​

 

[Priesse Namada]

Location: New Alderaan High Orbit - New Alderaan System
Thread Objective: The Battle in the Belt
Mission Objective: Defend New Alderaan
Call Sign: Titan Ten
TIC: Marlon Sularen Ronhar Tane Tertius C. Nargath
TSC: Ufsa'zekhn'narun Arris Windrun Varin Mortifer Mercy Srina Talon Naniti Lysander von Ascania
ATT: Defender of Order

Priesse nearly flinched at the authoritative register of the masculine voice at the other end. It was Commander Valius. Just like that, she had him on the line.

What was she going to tell him? That she was a Sithspawn seer who had just witnessed a vision of the hostile fleet at the doorstep of the Imperial capital world jumping through a portal and bypassing the planetary shield outright, before sacking the heart of the Confederation?

Her twin hearts raced. She swallowed the anxiety clawing at her throat, then forced herself to speak.

“This is Titan Ten, umm…certain anomalous energy readings suggest that the enemy fleet intends to teleport past the shield gate, directly to the capital city.”

Spoiler: Loadout

Craft: TIE Sprite TN-29-6

• Status
  
  • Shields: 100%
  • Hull: 100%
  • Structure: 100%
• Armament
  
  • FAE/SW-15 Light Transcendent Disruptor Cannon (2)
• Pilot Equipment
  
  • FAE/A-09 Anti-G Suit
  • BG-D 6 “Outlaw”
    
    • Attachments
      
      • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
    • Ammunition
      
      • Metallic Slug Magazine (4)
      • Battery

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

TAG TIC: Marlon Sularen | Priesse Namada | Defender of Order | Ronhar Tane
TAG TSC: Arris Windrun | Mercy

With a loud boom, Crow fleet managed to appear into the planetary system of New Alderaan, alas due to the usual heavy traffic, this didn't mean like they were right on top of the suddenly appearing sith strike force, but at the very least they were close enough to have the sith realize they had arrived and more importantly, the distance would allow for better communications.

The Gluttoneria, the pride of the Crow Fleet and one of the more notorious battleships in the Imperial navy however, remained cloaked...a strategy devised by it's current operator; the governor of Corvus: Amalia Visconti. it was in her opinion always best to hide one's trump cards rather than throwing them into the mix from the beginning, a strategy which had lead to a devastating, if not dominating victory over the Galactic Imperial fleet at Attrisia.

The Crow fleet itself, without the immediate appearance of its flagship, was still a good medium sized fleet in its own right, with two Claymore class, heavy carriers and a triplet of Tyrant-IV class suppression cruisers, topped off with a handful of small, speed javelin strike corvettes and would as such still pose a viable threat to any attacking entity or faction. From the distance they were on though, they would yet see any fighting, but they were closing in and fast... with a cloaked Gluttoneria close behind them.

As soon as they had managed to pinpoint the point of insurgence, the ships began to move, taking on a straight arrowhead formation, with the three tyrant cruisers positioning themselves in a vertical line, with the centrally position cruiser taking point, while the two claymores lined up behind the cruisers, all of them cycling up their shield systems and priming their weapons.

It was all hands on deck, with TIE vultures being activated, while the organic pilots suited up and began to prep their own starfighters. The Crow Fleet had to safeguard the tradelines between corvus, New Alderaan and Mahporeem at all costs, considering the central point of the capital in between the two industrial lungs of the Confederation, this was a vital task and the invaders were a vital threat who could not be easily disregarded.

"Fleet Admiral Zonnill," Amalia's voice boomed over the secure lines of the Confederation, on a channel which could easily be picked up by any of the local Imperial forces. "The Crow Fleet has arrived in the system, please relay us your orders."

​

 

[Ronhar Tane]

FLEET ADMIRAL VORIN ZONILL
MIN COLLATERAL STAR
ORBIT ABOVE NEW ALDERAAN

The five minutes came and went without a response, which was just about what Zonill had expected to happen. Still, how rude could these Sith possibly get? Couldn't they at least bother to answer his demands with some sort of refusal? That being said, it was also quite possible that Zonill's message never actually reached Arris Windrun , and he couldn't discount the possibility that he might not be able to communicate with the Sith for the entirety of the battle. He would try to make at least a couple more attempts to reach Arris Windrun and the Sith, but if Zonill couldn't get into contact with them, it would actually simplify things for him. After all, if they couldn't do any talking, all that would be left for him would be to fight!

"No response from the Sith or any of their ships, sir", Captain Sellferr confirmed to Zonill as the Sith fleet continued to advanced toward the Mahporeenian's position.

"So be it, Captain. All hands are to report to battle stations, and I want all ships put on the highest alert possible. How are our anti-Sith measures looking?"

"Sir", Captain Sellferr responded, "all ship captains have activated the HNDA-Mk III/Ts throughout their respective vessels, and will have them running for the duration of our engagement. The Lightning Collectors that were installed onto the outer hull of the MIN Collateral Star are fully operational and ready to absorb any Sith Lightning that may be directed at us. All ships have been given additional rations of Caf to be distributed amongst crew to help counter any effects of Battle Meditation should the Sith engage in that force ability. Our countermeasures are ready for whatever the Sith can throw at us.'

"I certainly hope so", Zonill responded dryly, not entirely convinced their preparations would be enough to counter whatever fowl sorcery the Sith might throw at them. "Since the enemy has elected to move towards us, we'll use that to our advantage. The Collateral Star and the Mon Calamari Destroyers will form the core of our defensive line, anchoring into place to prevent the Sith from reaching New Alderaan and the planetary shield. The Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers will begin to engage the Sith with their V-150 Planet Defenders. We'll want to slow them down as much as possible, I can't say I like the look of that naval ram", Zonill remarked with an air of nervousness. He was positive that the Sith would try to ram through his lines, and was determined to leave them dead in the water before that could happen. "I want the Disruptors laying mines as they go. The Impressor-class Acclamators, Pyre-class Cruisers and CR125U Corvettes will move in from either side to hit the flanks of the advancing Sith ships, as the Nebulon Fire-class Light Carriers maintain our back line. If we hit the Sith simultaneously from multiple sides, we can force them to retreat. I want our fighter reserves held back for now. Any questions?"

Before Zonill could get a response, the comms along the bridge of the Collateral Star picked up a transmission from friendly forces belonging to Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory :

"Fleet Admiral Zonill, the Crow Fleet has arrived in the system, please relay us your orders."

"Always a pleasure, Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory . I'm sending you my battle orders, feel free to supplement them as you see fit. I would take precaution when engaging the Sith Ramming Ship, it looks capable of tearing even our largest battlecruisers into two pieces. Best of luck, and may the galaxy be with us all".

Ending his conversation, Zonill's ships began moving into their respective positions as the Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers began firing their V-150 Planet Defenders at the Hellmouth, aiming to slow it down as much as possible. At the same time, they began laying Concussion Mines behind them, which would permit traversal by friendly forces but detonate in the proximity of enemy starfighters...​

---

---

---

Spoiler: Fleet Composition

• To be determined! If our Sith friends have any suggestions for meterage, I'd be happy to listen!​

Spoiler: Summary

• The Collateral Star and the Mon Calamari Destroyers form a front line to block the Sith from reaching New Alderaan
• The Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers begin firing their planetary ion cannons at the Hellmouth while laying a minefield
• The Impressor-class Acclamators, Pyre-class Cruisers and CR125U Corvettes began moving to the flanks of the Sith Fleet on either side, trying to envelope the enemy ships in a double envelopment
• The Nebulon Fire-class Light Carriers form a back line behind the main Mahporeenian front line
• All starfighters are being held within their respective carriers and ships
• Zonill gives his battle plans to Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

Spoiler: Casualties

• To be determined...

TAGS:
Arris Windrun
Srina Talon
Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory
Naniti
Priesse Namada
Marlon Sularen
Mercy
OPEN