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Silhana Lolaes'ra Lynne Tal’kira aka Lady Orchid; The Angel-faced killer
Bounty Hunter, Verd'ika, member of the Clan Cadera; Headmistress of the House Orchid and The Hounty Hunters' Guild
[ Mando music ] "Galactic Basic" | <"Mandalorian"> | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >>
Well, if anyone thought I left the company there because I was offended, that would only be half true. I was really here to work. And for me, the job wasn’t about talking to others. That’s what happens when I get a job. I talk to others or I inform the client about the status of the investigation, the hunt. Anyway, this is not part of my job description. At least not when I'm present as a bodyguard.
If I were a bodyguard at a ball, in evening dress, yes. But not from head to toe in a battle armour. So I kept working. I directed one of the tiny droids over the company to watch them. I didn't pay much attention to the conversation anyway; maybe you better not know what the discussion is about. One can't get in trouble for it later. Anyway, I have always been very discreet during my work. It was associated with this profession, otherwise I wouldn’t have had any clients.
So the droids flew everywhere, but for now, everything was still calm. I would actually say that he is too calm. I wasn't used to it. Yes, maybe it can be really ironic that I feel suspicious if there is no suspicious movement in the area. I was hoping I wouldn’t be right and this day is really going to be a quiet day. It's never better than getting paid without you having to do anything…
Wait a moment. I don’t get paid because I help my boyfriend. And then especially that it would have been best if nothing had happened. I think I'm giving up. But I would love to eat a big ice cream if the discussion is over.
Yes, the ice cream cup is perfect and I don't even mind if I have to pay for it…
Political divides; Ingrid knew this very well. She had ruled for more than ten years, but there were still those who would have seen Tacitus on the throne instead. For them, she would have loved to say that they wanted a traitor to the throne. Not because of the Sith, but because he never came back, even though he’s been here at Realspace for years, and he was alive, but abandoned them.
"Yes, I talked to him too, and he seemed to want to get further and further away from politics. Honestly, I understand him." she replied honestly to the man.
Sometimes she wished she could do the same thing Cedric did. But the Eternal Empire was different from the Ashlan Crusade. She nodded, thinking the man would choose NIO. At least most soldiers did so, Force users were more likely to have chosen GA. At least that's how she saw it so far. Let’s say she didn’t do any research, she could only base this on who she talked to about this topic.
"Most of Ashlan Crusade’s members are from the NIO area, aren’t they? And so about the Sith's. It is understandable why so many would choose them. They were the first ones who rebelled successfully against the Zambrano rule." she told him. "Did you know that even the foundations of the Eternal Empire come from Ession?"
She finally asked; it was not absolutely true, for it was only the Eye, which later became the Shrouded Republic and later the Eternal Empire. Ironically, the way Tacitus wanted more and more power and more control over others.
"I agree, but it is not a solution to put their heads in the sand as if the real problems did not exist.." answered the SJC's problem.
The next question was not unexpected. In fact, it was surprising that the Magister asked first and not someone else who is in higher circles. She smiled for a moment, then the smile disappeared.
"Hopefully in a Sith free world. But seriously, I don’t intend to make the same mistake I did when I rejected the NIO alliance and chose the Sith. I followed my orders because I trusted that the ruler would return. Today, I would break the command and I would not risk the reputation and credibility of the Empire. After the Maw? To liberate the worlds, to bring peace and order there and to stabilise the conditions. This is also true of the southern former First Order's area and the former territory of the CIS. To develop, prosper, and erase all traces of the Sith from the region. And you?" she asked him.
Then suddenly new data was incoming, about the Iol sent by the infiltrating team. MANIAC immediately highlighted two targets as locations for the following attacks:
The Ashlan fighters were fast and well shielded so as fearsome as the flak was, there was an option to push though, but Isla was not about to throw a massive swathe to the winds, so that order was not given, instead they went above the flak clouds and the majority of them began to engage Imperial fighters, the Ashlan interceptors were superior machines to the lancer interceptors one on one, but the lancers had numeric superiority so it was currently anyone's game, but as a hundred or so interceptors began spewing miniature concussion missile simulators, three per fighter per volley, it was now the Imperial pilots who faced a wall of overwhelming ordinance in their relatively fragile fighters. Two squadrons however, did drop back and rolled over to head back to the multirole fighters, that were now vulnerable and would be preyed upon by another wing of lancers from below. The Ashlan pilots individually pleased that their Admiral valued durability so highly. As the Imperial pilots began their approach, and the Ashlan multiroles also needed to leapfrog the flak, the wings of bombers began littering the space behind and now beneath them with proton bomblets to restrict the enemy attack vector. The maneuver would delay the attack run, but the first few waves had made it into proton torpedo range and had launched towards the light ships in the picket lines.
From the abridge of the Might Isla watched as SAINT simulated battle telemetry. The Imperials were focusing hard on her flag ship and were scoring plenty of hits beginning to say strength from her shields. The molecular shields siphoned as much as they can and refocused it into the shield systems, hardening them, but there was only so much they could do as volley after volley came in. Isla was not thinking about how Tu'chegga had felt as the Ashlans focused heavily on the Fatalis, but at the expense of other ships in the line, the Might was a fortress and could withstand one hell of a beating, on behalf of its smaller allies, but not forever. The lines were beginning to engage fully now, but the enemy were not moving around the moon as much as Isla had hoped. It was a double edged sword, the tighter formation of the Imperials would make it harder for them to react to her flanking force, but would also make the arrival window narrower and less forgiving if things went awry.
"Flanking force engage now"
They were jumping from not far away, a nearby solar system, so it was only moments before they arrived. The flanking force consisting of a battlecruiser, battle carrier, two more star destroyers and eight lighter vessel thumped into the moon's gravitational well and maintained momentum, slingshotting them at high speed around the moon and into the rear arc of the enemies using the moon to anchor their flank. One of the Dominions reported issues with its targeting due to hitting the outer atmosphere of the moon, would be of limited use. As one, the flanking force opened fire into the rear of Aximand Sicarus
forces, the heaviest weapons targeting the engines and power plants of the Imperial flagship, with lighter weapons adding the volleys of fire against the ships flanking it. The battlecarrier scrambled to launch its fighter complements of 112 of each of the interceptors and multiroles, the first squadrons were ready to go as soon as the slingshot happened, but it would take a few minutes to get the rest out and ready due to the harsh maneuver, it was just lucky the ashlan warship was equipped with so many Hangar bays. The other ships in the flanking force also released whatever fighter complements they had, prioritising interceptors in case the enemy tried to rush bombers at them rather than turning the fleet.
Things looked good on that side of the Imperial line with the Ahlans now in a position the wreak massive damage on the rear of the enemy, but on the other side, the Ashlan skirmishing force hiding behind the moon was facing a similar threat, albeit from an entirely different style of attacker. Waves of Imperial fighters and bombers came around the moon and opened up on them, causing damage across the group. The Ashlans were not sitting ducks though, the warden anti-starfighter frigate was capable of swatting away a disproportionate volume of enemy fighters, but as it was likely the primary target, its shields would have their work cut out. The captain of the frigate put it into a roll maneuver, as was defensive protocol with that ship, it having feroscious anti-starfighter weapons pointing fairly evenly in most directions. Missile simulators peppered it and other members of the flotilla, doing significant amounts of damage. Luckily Ashlan ships are tough and this would not be a free lunch for the hungry enemy pilots.
Across the rest of the fleet, there was a fairly even exchange of firepower between the two sides. The
SSD taking most of the punishment, its shields holding well but draining and bleedthrough hits taking their toll
Return fire still mostly focused on the ships nearby the Imperial flagship
Large flanking force successfully hyperspace dropped and slingshot into ambush positon behind enemy flagship. Firing primary weapons into into its power plant and most secondary weapons (hundreds of heavy and below turbloasers etc.) into rears of supporting ships already targeted by front lines. - lack of space from stationary Imperial fleet means one Dominion out of action temporarily and big delays in launching fighters squadrons, however Imperials also have less room to maneuver.
Fighters have jumped the flak into the imperial fighters and are engaging, 2 squadrons have dropped back to support multi roles that are climbing and leaving bomblets in their wake to try and catch pursuing Imperial attack. Initial attack run has been delayed.
"I too understand such a position. Personally, I often find politics to be more dangerous than battle itself," he said with a chuckle. The Magister was capable of diplomacy, but the nature of political discussion was often less honest than battle. At least, that's how he saw it. When dealing with the treacherous waters of politics, Scipio often found himself wishing he was fighting an enemy. There was always something honest in a battle. Lines were clear, as were one's intentions. In a political assembly, those lines and intentions were much more blurred.
"Many of our citizens have history with the New Imperial Order. When they stood against the Sith, many took up arms in the name of liberation. The Imperials were our best hope, at least, at the time."
The New Imperial Order had indeed been a bastion of hope against the darkness of the former Sith overlords of the Tingel Arm, and had been instrumental in their eventual downfall. Scipio couldn't imagine a galaxy without them, and though he was loyal to the Crusade, the NIO would always hold a special place in his heart.
"Indeed, the SJC's numbers would be a great help against the Maw threat. Perhaps we'll have the opportunity to show them the path."
The Magister was one of many within the Crusade that wished to see the Jedi united once again, a single army of the Light. To him, only through such unity could they hope to truly end the darkness of the Bogan once and for all.
"I see. A Sith-free galaxy is certainly an ideal outcome. One worth fighting for."
The Magister was still on the fence when it came to the Eternal Empire, but he certainly hoped that the Empress would stick to her word.
"As for the Crusade, I hope to see our reach eventually expand. If we could one day unite the forces of the Light, I will consider that a victory. One day, we must bring the other Jedi into the fold. Only together will we be able to truly put an end to the darkness."
His voice trailed off as the information came through. His expression grew grim as the words flashed across the holoprojector.
Arturo Braga
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Tovald Kahmen’’a
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Cass Gemini
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Daozu Pyke
| Open
