In A World Where the Kings Are Employers (First Order Dominion of Thakwaa Hex)

[Isla Ashen]

Location: Keskin
Allies: [member="Itaska Relens"]
Post: 13

Isla continued to walk a few paces behind Relens and slightly to his left, her arms swinging easily at her sides. Her brows rose as the Mandalorian woman spoke, her words made it seem as though she had been wading through Isla’s thoughts. Well, that was quite curious. Perhaps there was more to this woman than fancy armor. She listened as the woman explained their mental abilities, and their immense strength. Isla narrowed her eyes slightly; she was picking up what this Mandalorian was putting down.

“Weapons.” Her voice spoke softly, but clearly, loud enough for the two ahead of her to hear.

Could they truly tame the wild sprit in the Thakwaash? She knew that there had been teams roaming about on their planet collecting DNA samples to use to make a drug, one that would hopefully temper their unstable ways. Isla had little idea whether or not such a thing would work. She imagined that a drug might make the beings docile, but it could also make them lose most of the qualities that made them valuable – such as their multiple minds. Would it result in an army of strong creatures that remained in a drug induced stupor?

Well, it was not Isla’s place to question these things. She would leave all of that to the people capable of making the important decisions.

“We are getting close, aren’t we?”

She drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, taking a moment to focus her thoughts. Isla began to draw the force around her; it was always good to be prepared.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Post 18
Allies: [member="Ludolf Vaas"] | [member="Amin Garith"]

Natasi leaned over the command center display and traced the goings on. There was a disturbing report that intelligence had been completely wrong about the resistance of the natives. Normally she wouldn't have believed it, but this report came from the lips of [member="Ludolf Vaas"] himself, so as far as Natasi concerned it was gospel. Perhaps it was good that the Supreme Leader was considering another purge and reorganization. In the new scheme, Intelligence would be a sub-sect of the First Order government. Perhaps Natasi would rub off on them, but that was a hyperlane for another day. Now, they had to figure out the Thakwaa situation.

"Command, this is Moff Fortan. I will be relocating to the forward encampment aboard Frontrunner with a contingent of stormtroopers and TIE fighters to shore up our defenses." Moments later, the ship rose into the air, and shuttled through the atmosphere across the continent, arriving some fifteen minutes later. They landed on the edge of the landing pad; from her spot in the observation center, Natasi could see Vaas' men loading up to move out. The General, she couldn't see. Thank the Balance for small miracles, perhaps.

"Ma'am," the Ensign said. "The command building is the one over there with the defense batteries."

"I know where it is," Natasi said waspishly, her eyes still searching out the window, but not for the building. She paused. "That is -- thank you, Ensign. I'll take my personal detail there." She departed the ship, pulling her cloak over her shoulders to protect against the wind as her guardsmen surrounded her. They passed the staging area for General Vaas' expedition, and Natasi couldn't resist looking over, slowing, and stopping beyond the troopers who were collecting their weapons. Now is not the time, she admonished herself, and so she said nothing, only watching from the sidelines as they went about their preparations. By the Balance, protect them all, she prayed silently. One never knew what they were about to face.

 

[TB-705]

TB-705 lay in the grass, staring through the scope of his E-11s rifle. His spotter lay next to him, TB-683. She'd joined the Scouts on a dare. He'd joined because the First Order had given him a purpose in life.

It was time to put the kriffing Xenos where they belonged: in the ground. So far as he was concerned, humanity came first, all other species second. Too long they'd let aliens like Hutts run slaver rings, Rodians and Weequays run drug cartels. Who did they sell those drugs to, well to humans of course. Trying to undermine human society and erode the culture that made them so unique in the galaxy.

Just like these rebel scum. They called themselves Thakwaans. TB-705 called them Nags, because that's what they were: annoying horse faced insurrectionists. And right now he had one square in his sights. He watched as the kriffing piece of garbage lay mines. Mines that were meant for the Corps.

"TB-705 to Command Actual, do you read?"

"This is Command Actual, we read you TB-705."

"Three tangoes in my sights, Command Actual. They are one hundred and fifty meters out and look to be laying IEDs. Requesting permission to engage, over."

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]

 

[Valessia Brentioch]

Post: 3 / 10

Somewhere on Ryoone...

"I did want something from the First Order, you're right." Valessia addresses a member of the delegation. "Mr. Niddin, is it?" She clarifies his name and explains. "I put on a fashion show, on Bespin. In the hopes that the First Order would become a major investor in my textile company." She had been bleeding credits but from there she had gone home and restored a few things, she was no longer bleeding credits. Valessia was now breaking even and that would do, for now. "Now, I simply want them to invest with me, but you."

There's a curl of her upper lips. "You just put your mind at ease Mr. Niddin," she looks to the two other Lyunesi at Mr. Niddin's side, "the First Order can invest in you, and your planet, and your people. No longer would you and yours just be the simple call centers of the galaxy, you can be more, you are worth more than that aren't you?"

"I- I-" He struggled to say, it was said that Lyunesi were quite passionate, lethally so. In fact, one of their own had allowed his all-consuming passion to do him in the name slips her mind but the famed Boba Fett had hunted that poor lot down. Ever since the Lyunesi have tried to be a little more careful, try being the key word, "of course."

"Now then," She looked around the table, "we can come to your planet, we can defend it, and you can work for us with our communications, our intelligence and be part of this, but I digress. I can talk until I'm blue in the face, but it's clear from your expressions that I'll have to do more than just talk."

"Yes you will, you say you have these associates." Mr. Niddin remarked, "just who are they."

Valessia's smile curled up further, "who are they indeed, well, Mr. Niddin just know I happen to have the name of a Moff on my lips and a General's name on my tongue, but first your colleague, Mr. Phar was just mentioning something of mining?"

"Y-yes I was, we have mines but our," Mr. Phar cleared his throats, "brethren here on Ryoone will not budge, no matter how many talks we have with them, and we are not strong enough to fight them on our own." He then listed a few of them, granted these minerals and ores were found throughout the galaxy, but the fact that they could be within the First Order's own backyard, well. "Neuranium, neutronium, tydirium, and d-desh."

"Phar!" Niddin exclaimed, "that's quite enough!"

"Granite, and some bronzium, but it's either far beyond where we can reach or in the territories of those brutes, and no Niddin! No! We could be kings, and not living in mediocrity, Lady Brentioch is from Brentaal! Does that mean nothing to you?" Mr. Phar exclaimed quite excitedly, and Valessia took all her power not to burst into little fits of laughter right here and right now.

Lady Brentioch, Valessia cleared her throat. "Please, please Mr. Phar, Mr. Niddin. As plentiful as your planet may be in minerals, we shan't mine here without your explicit consent, it would be rude to show up uninvited." She shifted her weight in her chair. "So why don't we start with the basics? Mhmm, perhaps we could come to an arrangement, we can protect you in return for say mining rights?"

​

 

[Saffron]

Sump
Arceneau Trade Company - PharmaTech

---

It wouldn't be a process that would allow them to do things over night.

Soil acidity could be ameliorated and the pH of the soil increased by the addition of calcium carbonate and any other similar compounds that have been ground fine for use. Each lime-like amendment had its benefits and drawbacks, such as effectiveness, price, and purity. Lime by all accounts was the most effective at neutralizing acidity when it is incorporated/tilled into the soil to the full depth of the plow layer or root zone.

Lime treats acidity by combining with carbon dioxide gas, water, and hydrogen ions to form free calcium ions and carbonic acid. The carbonic acid then dissociates to form carbon dioxide gas and water, ridding the soil of hydrogen ions. This addition of the calcium addition by the lime displaces aluminum and hydrogen off the soil particle surfaces and replaces calcium in the soil. It also helps out because as the pH of the soil increases, the excess metals, such as aluminum, iron, manganese, and zinc, precipitate out of the soil solution and are no longer plant-available. Phosphorus solubilizes and become plant-available and molybdenum solubility increases and healthy microbial activity resumes.

But how well would this work with the toxic marshes? That was the question.

 

[Choli Vyn]

OUTER RIM
Tunka Sector
Thakwaa System

@ Any first order people if they want. All I am doing is just gathering information on naval or ground movement. Not looking to escalate things xD

---

---

Choli knew what she had to do.

They would maintain visual and comm darkness. All the while, they would attempt to gather any information they could. If this was the First Order, they were uncomfortably close to Lothal. Could this be an attempt at setting up a forward operating base? It would be wise to take back whatever information the forward Alliance scouts could find and bring it back to the Alliance.

Perhaps with this information, they would take discuss with the New Jedi Order and the Outer Rim Defense Force on what to do. Increasing defenses and perhaps providing more scouting parties to determine the full extent of First Order movement was key. For now, this will only be used to perhaps deploy Alliance operatives in the future to sneak into First Order territory.

They had to know what they were up to and just what was the Alliance likely to face.

 

[OK-3103]

Meneer waited until darkness. The terrain was open and given how even basic security measures could identify intruders without too much problem, the troopers needed every edge they could find.

Their armour was treated to absorb their heat signature, and they made the journey to the point on the hill they expected to find clues by crawling on all fours. It took longer than walking of course, but they were trained soldiers and so were quicker than the average civilian by a considerable margin. They also maintained radio silence during the journey.

Finally they reached the spot undetected and found, a hundred metres ahead of them, a sentry.

Meneer signalled to the others to spread out and for the NCO to take out the armoured guard ahead of them.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Post 18
Allies: First Order

The moment passed; Natasi never saw Vaas or Garith, only caught the eye of one or two nearby who turned to see what she had stopped for. "Good luck," she told them pleasantly. "We're all pulling for you." And that was it; she was on her way, striding off the landing pad and stepping into the grassy field upon which the prefabricated buildings were still being erected. A medical center there, an armory here. The two most important structures, the command center and science building, had already been erected, and Natasi headed for the former, where she received a status report from the ranking officer.

"We hold the planet, ma'am," he said. "Our forces are still gathering samples, and General Vaas' men are doing some reconnaissance in the surrounding areas. We'll move on to the next phase once we have all the samples we need, and when our men are out of the area of impact. We don't yet know how this sedative of ours would impact humans -- if at all."

"Very good, Captain," Natasi said. "Thank you for your report. I'll remain here until -- " She fell silent for a moment, then decided. " -- until we have additional reinforcements on hand."

 

[Saffron]

Sump
Arceneau Trade Company - PharmaTech

---

It wasn’t just a chemical method.

There was also the use of specific plants that could neutralize the toxicity in the water. These marshes act as filters, cleaning pollutants and sediments out of the water to improve water quality. The concern came when considering if the addition of a new species into the ecosystem would benefit Sump as a whole.

A careful study of the current native species is important then, to be able to understand if there was perhaps a way of gathering local flora, growing them in the biodome, and perhaps enhancing them through a biochemical process much like what the Morodin utilized. Or perhaps, an Ithorian method would be best? Ho’din horticulturalists also had a part to play.

This all depended on the needs of Sump, the amount of toxicity, the microbial population, and of course, to leverage what would be the best route without completely introducing foreign species. While this study and research for restoration will certainly take months or years, it was the starting point.

 

[Darth Veles]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

“Fair answer.” Veles replies with a nod. Another amused expression forms on his face, a reaction to Enyo’s accurate description of the Galactic Alliance. It barely differed from the One Sith, swapping phrases of security with those claiming freedom, changing pathetic Sith for pathetic Jedi. Two different sides of the same coin, really, automatically making the self-proclaimed New Jedi Order an enemy to the amphibious Sith Lord. The Mon Cal thought back, memories of the past whirling through his mind. Where was Corvus when her order needed her the most? Such a shame, such a shame. Of all losses the Jedi have suffered, hers was the most tragic by far, making Veles genuinely mournful.

“Isn’t it risky for Archangel to be working alongside Dark Side practitioners? You do know members of the New Jedi Order, always right and just, do not suffer such crimes lightly,” states the Sith wryly, miraculously managing to say that with straight face.

Their arrogance and zeal did have a bright side though; destroying the One Sith’s turf and hunting its members down – albeit failing miserably in that particular aspect – did benefit the amphibious man. When two are fighting…

 

[Saffron]

Sump
Arceneau Trade Company - PharmaTech

---

The research on soil acidity and the toxic levels on Sump were more than enough to jumpstart PharmaTech and MaraTibx's research. It had proven to be invaluable information in reconstructing toxic worlds as well as for terraforming. The combined use of lime as well as acid and toxic material eating single-celled organisms allowed the Sump wastelands to start to heal slowly.

A biodome was built on Sump to continue toxic marshland research. The focus of this biodome was to discover and experiment just what would be the best set up to clean such areas as well as what could potentially grow from it.

 

[Davin Jusik]

Objective: https://youtu.be/EbI0cMyyw_M

Allies: [member="TB-705"] FO On Ground

Enemies: Natives

Post 8/200000000

Amin gave an affirmation to [member="Ludolf Vaas"] as the group began to move towards the forest, with their rifles raised towards the oppressive looking treeline as they crossed. The Lieutenant hated it, crossing the open scorched earth. They wouldn't have any real viable cover until they entered the treeline. Stench found it's way through his filters as he passed over the chard corpses of dead aliens. No one in the squad reacted as they gave short jumps to clear the bodies. These were all harder men. Folk who'd watched their own die enough to be shaped by it into a weapon of hate that could stab into the heart of enemies of the Order.

Amin gave a slight double take as he ran. Thinking he caught a glimpse of [member="Natasi Fortan"] but not able to confirm it with the quickness of their movements. What a strange place for a Moff.

The ground changed from a soft crunch to the lite thumping of boots on grass, before turning to the sound of crackling brush. They entered the treeline violently before settling for a moment to observe their immediate surroundings. A few animals clattered about. Wind. Not a thinking soul far as they could tell.

They advanced slowly onward, keeping to their appropriate spacing. The forest offered a stark contrast to the intense bustle of military movement that was taking place only a hundred meters to their rear. A calm seemed to radiate, creating a dramatic tonal shift that made a few of the men laugh internally. Violence created such a hilarious irony when one performed it, only to be immediately confronted with a serene vision. Light found it's way through the tree tops and plastered itself on the forest floor like a painting.

The soft crunch of their boots was all that was heard as they moved.

 

[TB-705]

TB-705 never missed.

The lancet of plasma hit the Nag square in the side of the head and took the whole thing clean off in a spray of fine, pink mist. TB-705 didn't take time to admire his handiwork as the shower of blood dewed the grass red.

He listened to his spotter as she chirped out the location of the next target. The scout trooper brought his rifle to bear, sighted in through the scope, then pulled the trigger. The second Nag went down with a fist sized hole scorched through its chest. It was almost certainly either dead or incapacitated. TB-705 would take either result. If it was still breathing he might get to add its pelt to his collection. Send a message to the other terrorists about what happens when you try to disrupt law and order in the name of some stupid ideal.

By the time the third Nag realized what had happened started moving for cover, 705 was already drawing a bead. The superheated bolt tore through the side of the Nag's ribcage and out the other. It took a few more steps before stumbling to the ground. It didn't get back up.

TB took a moment to survey the smoking corpses. They could talk all they wanted about freedom, but it was just a word. Unquantifiable, without any common agreement on how much good freedom one should have before it became bad freedom. It didn't mean anything. Civilization. Law. Order. Those were tangible. The Nags? They could keep their freedom.

 

[Davin Jusik]

Allies: [member="Ludolf Vaas"] [member="TB-705"] Other ground FO
Enemies:Natives
Objective: Peace Corp Stuff
Post: 9/20

Sporadic blaster fire became more distant through the audio filters of the troopers helmets as they continued their advance. Per the General's orders Amin periodically checked his HUD for the position of his subordinates, though he had faith in their competence. A hand went up from the pointman and the entire group halted and crouched behind the limited cover available to them, mostly the corpses of large trees. The air grew dense with anticipation as the trained killers scanned the thick foliage before them. A slight movement caught the attention of the pointman. He centered his sites on the anonymous shape roughly fifty meters to his forefront.

The glint of metal and the face of a savage looking native pushed through a patch of leaves.

A slight squeeze sent plasma screeching through the creature's skull.

"CONTACT FRONT." Squaked over the collective link between the squad as bolts began flying towards them from the area where the native got dropped. The zing of ill aimed bolts buzzed about them as the scouts and operators returned fire into the brush.

They couldn't even see the figures they were firing at. The adrenaline and frenzy of the whole thing lit a fire in Amin. He plugged bolt after bolt at the sources of the enemy projectiles with the rest of the squad until the return fire ended.

The air grew silent yet again.

The smell of ozone and burnt flesh dominated the landscape.

The Troop reloaded their power packs and kept a watch on their sectors, awaiting orders.