In the Name of Justice... [Lords of the Fringe Dominion of Riflor]

[Lucianus Adair]

Location
Riflor
Riflorii System
Narrant Sector
Mid Rim

Date
Taungsday, approximately one week after Chalcedon...

Reports of slaver activity on the doorstep of the Fringe Confederation - a galactic entity whose laws included strong words against slavery - had brought a fierce yet largely hushed hand down on the world of Chalcedon, a volcanic and hardly hospitable world; kin in this respect to the tectonically-active, equally volcanic Riflor, to which the leaders of the Fringe had been pointed courtesy of the words thoroughly teased out of slavers captured at what was now the first stop in a slowly unfurling plot, a rabbit hole getting deeper with each step. From Chalcedon, slaves were freed and given adequate care, that corner of an apparently larger network shut down, but Riflor would need more. Conditions planetside were worse.

And so the judgement of Riflor was planned out and prepared for. Every ounce of information gained by what might be called uncivilized methods was put to use, the planet furtively checked out in preparation for the Confederation's next move...

Team One​

[member="Dissero"] | [member="Phedre Parenthis"] | [member="Anders Sivas"] | [member="Token Waters"] | [member="Marselia Urstalis"] | [member="Verie Lacroix"] | [member="Fenri"]​

[Note: This Team One intro is in the voice of Anders Sivas.]​

Riflor.

Not the kind of place one wants to go to get a tan. Hot, volcanic and dour, the entire planet stinks with the strangled necrotic dreams and delights of the slaves living horrifically short lives in the mines. In my bid to secure the populace of the overburdened and undervalued slaves, I’ve given orders to three units of the Fringe’s best Search and Rescue squads to aide those headlining our endeavours.

“Hei guys, huddle up.” I call them all over, watching their fresh-washed faces and sniffing the air of my ship the Sumatiyara. “Down on the surface, we’re going to be dealing with a lot of scared, distrustful people who’ve spent months, heck years underground. The planet’s a volcanic hot bed of eruptions and sulphuric gases. Don’t go far from oxygen. We’re going in to pacify the slaves and bring them to freedom. Yet, expect some of the slaves to be distrustful, confused. Vulnerability breeds dissent faster than a blaster pistol in the face and even a slave can do damage to a healer out of fear. Keep the guards close. Use the droids where you can and if it’s too dangerous? Grab whomever you can and pull out.

I’ll be in base camp setting up the med stations on the way to the ferry ships. Half of you, run protection, the other half? Get your med gloves on. There’s wounded by the bushel down there. Feel free to make use of my personal droids as well. Just treat them with respect, ‘kay? I’ve put a lot of work into developing their individual AI’s. They’re all good bots, right Bucket?”

Bucket’s the SC1 Battle Droid wearing the fedora. He nods and unfolds his arms. “Yeah, they’re alright. If they get mouthy though. . . smack ‘em with a wrench!”

“Bucket! Be civil.”

“That was civil.”

“Right. So! Who’s who?”

Team Two​

​

[member="Inger Strömfire"] | [member="Lucien Cordel"] | [member="Nickolas Imura"] | [member="Elias Truden"]​

​

This time the goods were different; here, the slaves were not for purchase. Instead, the slaves were cogs in the machine that mined ore and heavy metals for processing and export - only a portion of the world’s total exports, which included heavy construction supplies, repulsorlift engineers and tech, and more besides.

As before, Team Two was already in place as buyers, seeking to set up contracts for some of the world’s outputs to be exported to facilities in Fringe space. Once again, they had ulterior motives - lower defenses from within, and take VIPs connected with the mining operation (and therefore, the slaves) into custody. Of the three teams planetside, they were the only ones not in immediate danger from the planet itself. They were above ground in the capital of Advora, to complete their tasks.

Team Three​

​

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Kesare Salazar"] | [member="Carré Inirial"] | [member="Apos"] | [member="Tylan Toarinar"] | [member="K'Dan La'Roi"] | [member="Togashi Yokuni"]​

​

Team Three was poised to clear out the main mining operation on the volatile planet, moments away from dropping in and storming the slope-shaft systems – a huge, unstable passageway yawning downwards into the planet and eventually splitting in two towards the largest of the ore deposits in Riflor’s deeper layers. Once inside, the team would need to clear the main entrance tunnel before separating to save time in clearing each branched section of the tunnel system. It would take hard, targeted action and excellent communication to achieve success – the tunnels themselves could collapse without a moment’s notice, caving under the volcanic planet’s tectonic anomalies, so there was no time to waste. Their objective was simple: kill anything that wasn’t a slave and clear the way for the search and rescue team to liberate any slaves – and all in time to keep their skins.

Team Four​

​

[member="Carlos Castillo"] | [member="Jared Starchaser"]​

​

[Note: This Team Four intro is in the voice of Carlos Castillo.]​

Riflor was what this place was called. Didn't look like much besides a smudge on the galaxy itself. Hell, you could practically see the volcanoes and their eruptions from orbit! Yeah, Carlos and his comrades were high in orbit with only limited naval assets. He wasn't exactly the best commander in space, or at all for that matter. Leading men came naturally to him and his political deviations in that aspects were renowned for efficiency, but he had absolutely no knowledge of the proper way to flank someone.

And he was in space. You could literally flank them from any direction.

This. Sucks, he thought.

Little did he or his comrades-in-arms know, that there were more than just a handful of foes awaiting their arrival...

 

[Fenri]

I'd never thought I'd find myself being called to do something like this. Going to a dangerous planet in order to play hero while helping to take set planet over. Seemed like so much and yet so little to do. What made it worse for me was this was my first time. I wasn't %100 sure of the procedures or protocol and the like that was invovled with a misson like this. Still, I'd been given this task for a reason, and with the lives of slaves involved it gave me even more reason for wanting to be here.

Because Master Kezeroth had affiliations with the Lords of the Fringe I'd offically become part of their cause as well. After comparing them to other factions like the Republic, who more and more were falling into the control of the Jedi in my opinion, and the Sith, who were not but self-proclaimed rulers of all, the Fringers were more to my linking. At least he'd given me the oppertunity to prove myself within the faction by helping with this takeover.

I stood among the others with my shorter robes tied around me, hiding the rest of my outfit underneath. (Just an idea http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/Shopbop/p/pcs/products/onlyh/onlyh4021912867/onlyh4021912867_q1_1-0_336x596.jpg ) On my back I had my double-sided vibro blade holstered and ready for any conflict that might come from what we might find below. I looked around at the others while hearing the layout of everything we would need to deal with from the one man called Sivas.

When he'd asked I stepped foward and said "I'll run protection. I might be able to appeal to the slaves. I've....had experience." I finished, looking to the others to hope I didn't overstep myself at all.

Dissero | Phedre Parenthis | Anders Sivas | Token Waters | Marselia Urstalis | Verie Lacroix |​

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Team Unassigned
Riflor High Orbit

The Chimaera and its escort, nine ships counting the flag, exited hyperspace around Riflor, and comms intercepts went ballistic. Maybe some of these slavers had heard of this tactic from witnesses to Serpena. Maybe the Grave Wind and seven Hood-class ships - six-hundred-meter sniper rifles - made them think unhappy thoughts about containment and the chance of escape. The entire four pronged plan was encapsulated, spatially, within an immense cube made of vessels with a longer effective range than anything in the galaxy. Getting out was not an option, and there would be no unanswered interruptions to Adair's plan.

 

[Dissero]

Team One

Say what you will about a man of Dissero's accomplishments, the fact that the man could stand behind a crusade against Slavery simply wasn't the oddest thing going on here. The Archivst stood quietly towards the back of the group listening in to the introduction and briefing from [member="Anders Sivas"]. He'd chosen Group One for several reasons, one of which was standing at his side in the form of [member="Verie Lacroix"]. This would be the young woman's introduction to the Fringe, and he likened to not ... overwhelm her in a fireteam if he could avoid it.

This was still dangerous, this was still probably beyond her scope, but he had faith and he intended to be there guiding her and everyone else in the group along the way.

"Protection," he spoke up, his voice deep and rasp, "I'll run lead in the tunnels, Sivas, if you're going to stay stationed here, and keep everyone in one piece best I can."

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Team Three


“30 seconds.”

The faces of every single member of their team were bathed in red, the running lights of their dropship casting determined expressions in a hellish glow.

“15 seconds.”

None of them had to say a word – they’d all discussed the dangers of what they were about to do at length, made clear that agreeing to participate in this mission meant the possibility of death, tested their comms again and then again before dropping from the ship that had brought them over the planet. Riflor was a volatile place on the best day and the chance of the entire system collapsing on them at any moment was high considering the amount of fight they were about to bring down in to the tunnels. But Matsu, feet planted with one hand on a hanging strap as they leveled over the planet’s surface, had a personal affinity for eradicating slavery from the space she found herself loyal to.

Fast.
Fierce.
Their silence served to lace the tension, make them all jittery with anticipation.

“5 seconds.”

She had two of her apprentices with her – Kesare & Apos – and although she wasn’t familiar with any of the others yet, they would all know each other by the end of today.

“Dropping.”

The hatches on either side yawned open to let them spill out right at the mouth of the tunnel system, a crew of seven armed to the teeth flooding in to the near-darkness. "Keep in touch - visibility is almost none, try to keep it together until we reach the split."

[member="Kesare Salazar"] | [member="Carré Inirial"] | [member="Apos"] | [member="Tylan Toarinar"] | @K'Dan La'Roi | [member="Togashi Yokuni"]​

 

[Lucien Cordel]

TEAM TWO

Lucien was stood in his hotel room. Although it resembled somthing of a war room at the present time. Lucien lifted up a file from the bed thumbing the edge of the file as he pulled it open , 14 separate photos were contained within each depicting one of the senior individuals in this whole soried operation.

Lucien closed the file. He had dispatched this file to all the members of his team along with an ear peice that was easy to wear discreetly. It would allow them to communicate with others. Lucien put his own ear peice in. And tied his tie, it was time to go.

Lucien walked out of his room "fetch [member="Inger Strömfire"] we're leaving" he remarked to his secretary as he lifted his coat of the rack "I'll be in the car "

[member="Nickolas Imura"] [member="Elias Truden"]

 

[Asher]

TEAM 2
I stared out the window to calm my nerves. Violence hadn’t really been a stranger to me. Maybe if you’d asked me a few years ago I’d have given you another answer, but at this point? No, now it had just become another part of life - a means to an end. So why was I nervous? Was it the bad feeling? The subtle whisper that lingered in the air telling me that I was in over my head? Perhaps, the mission certainly called for a hint of subtlety that I wasn't sure I even had in me.

I shook the doubts aside as I received the photos. All fourteen photos of individuals I had never seen before and come the end of this day I’d most likely never see them again. They’d just be another spot of bother on an already damaged conscience. I had to admit my grip on the details of the situation was a bit fuzzy but hopefully the others could fill me in.

This was for the slaves. For the mothers and fathers who had lost their children to one of the brutal realities of this galaxy and for the siblings who had lost each other. At least that’s why I was doing it. Maybe I was over-romanticizing my involvement but could you really blame a man for trying to give himself a greater sense of purpose?

Without uttering a word I too made my way for the task at hand. Earpiece in place and a mind set on getting out of this alive. It was go time.

[member="Lucien Cordel"] | [member="Nickolas Imura"] | [member="Inger Strömfire"]​

 

[Verie Lacroix]

Team One

Verie Lacroix was nervous, although just looking at her wouldn't reveal this fact. Even someone sensing her in the Force would sense an aura of uncertainty and underlying anxiety rather than outright panic. She stood still, left hand clasping her right wrist behind her back, barely fidgeting except for the slow and rhythmic flexing of her right hand. Her glove stretched with a satisfying give and guided her fingers back into place, again and again as she digested what she was hearing. The mission seemed simple enough on paper, but Verie knew as well as anyone what could happen to a plan that was simple on paper.

[member="Dissero"] stood to her left, and she glanced at him briefly as the briefing concluded and the volunteering for roles began. She had no intention to be separated from the Prince, more out of a desire to be useful than out of fear. Besides, with him nearby she would have someone to show off for.

The flexing ceased, and she brushed the wrinkles out of her slacks. Her leggings contained lightweight armor plates, and her knee-high boots were similarly decked with subtle plating at the front, as was the belted tunic she wore. A blaster was strapped at the small of her back, unobtrusive but easily accessible as required, and she had a datapad tucked into her pocket. As far as kit, she was ready. Now all she had to do was not make a complete ass of herself, not embarrass Dissero, and not get killed.

Fake it til you make it.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Team Zero - Around Riflor

On the Chimaera's bridge, nestled into her throne, Ashin watched the formation take shape around the planet. The Hood-class fire support cruiser was, in its way, an elegant weapon. She appreciated a good sniper rifle, the standard comparison, but the ships tended towards something like a rapier in her mind.

Odd feeling, she said to [member="Spencer Jacobs"], soul to soul, knowing I could wipe the High Council off the map in seconds from this position, with these assets. But they've served well in their way.

 

[Velok the Younger]

Team Zero - Around Riflor

A flotilla of Iron Crown/Akure capital ships was already in position; Iron Crown had facilities on Riflor, assets and interests. They moved to assist the Fringe vessels, forming a defensive line, insulation against potential attacks from the planet.

From the planet, and from surrounding space. Riflor was deep in the Neutral Zone, which maintained the name without the meaning. Hazardous territory, this. The Rebel Alliance had operated out of here for ages. The Hood-class had seen action; word might have spread of the nasty little cruisers that could fire forward and only forward.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Team Zero - [member="Ashin Varanin"]

Pulling on her cloak, Spencer felt Ashin’s presence within her. The woman had become stronger than she ever had been when they first met. The new strength put to rest some of Spencer’s anxieties. Listening to her wife, she moved over towards one of the screens. Pressing a few buttons she got a view of what the bridge was looking at. Nodding, she agreed with what Ashin had said. Some of the leadership was lacking, but the Fringe had remained together which was something she was pleased with.

They have, but besides remaining together – what have they done? We’ve taken territory yes – but are we ready for an attack? Right now we’re protected by the Republic’s big head – once the One Sith is done with them – who’s next? She finished getting ready after finishing her response to her wife. Buckling her pants she made her way towards the bridge.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

We could survive against anyone but the One Sith. We couldn't win, not in our current form. She turned the throne to face the turbolift as Spencer entered the bridge. We may have lost what it takes to succeed. Riflor is either a drop on the bucket, or a catalyst for life. We've led a horse to water, over and over. Maybe it's ready to drink again.

Remind me, do you still have the rank of Arbiter?

 

[Allyson Locke]

Team Zero - [member="Ashin Varanin"]

In an over worn spacer’s outfit, Spencer made her way towards the woman in the throne like command chair. The sound of bare feet padded against the ground until she stopped just before the commander of the ship.

A smile curled at the edge of her lips as she moved closer. As of now yes, I haven’t received any notice of not having the title anymore – even if I’ve been removed I have my ways of getting what I need and want. The woman was a master of mental abilities, it was a rare occasion that she ran into another that could rival that. Either way, they both knew Spencer could get done what needed to be done. Why do you ask lover?

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

The throne rotated back toward the viewport. Just taking stock of our legal foundation. I haven't been an Arbiter since my severing, of course. Grand Admiral is what I have to work with. Some executive functions, a lot of autonomy, and some legislative and judicial functions as well, within the purview of the military. Stretch it too far and it's the junta all over again, of course. The fundamental problem of getting unstable nations to embrace reform is that they're all trying to sort out the rules of three-dimensional chess, and the military starts thinking pretty seriously about clearing the table and playing solitaire. I am the danger. I'm just trying to decide how useful that is, and in what scenario.

 

[Allyson Locke]

The chair spun back around and Spencer frowned, it seemed that this wasn’t a time for teasing and games. Adjusting her jacket she listened to Ashin as she spoke about the military, her connections and the legal stuff. Remaining here she stood Spencer put her hands in the jacket pocket and thought about what Ashin had spoke of. There was something working in her head, which always meant fun for Spencer. You have weight within the military along with other aspects of the Fringe, you’re one of her founders. People know this and respect you for it.

You are the danger, you’ve always been the danger – even when you were severed. The question is, do they realize the danger they have potentially awakened?

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

I wasn't exactly subtle just now on Chalcedon, when everything fell apart. I took the callsign Fringe Actual, took control of the entire system's operation, gave orders to High Councilors and requested updates from them. It was about as blatant a move as when we took Moridin's throne. But in the context, it made sense, and they either accepted that or decided to bide their time. I have no desire or need to see the High Council as the enemy. They do their job; their job simply isn't the only job that needs doing. I wish I'd seen that sooner.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer bit the knuckle of her index finger. Remembering the reports she had read from that mission she nodded. Ashin had to take over, she had to give the orders that weren't being given. A soft sigh escaped the woman as her hand returned to her pocket, she looked out at the form of the planet from the bridge. In so many words you had to take over and give them the orders they should have been giving in the first place. The Fringe has been lacking leadership for some time. Are we to blame? [member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

They have leadership, but they need more leaders. A few won't cut it. We walked away; sure, we did it to let others step up, but we did walk away. And yes, we carry the weight of that. We were wrong to think we knew what they needed to get by. Not the first time hubris has gotten the best of us -- which is one reason this newest decision has been incremental. I've been slow to see the need. Benefit of the doubt.

 

[Brooke Waters]

Team One

This was not Token's kind of world. The blonde enjoyed tropical worlds, and deserts, and jungles and swamps. Hell, she would take colder temperate worlds. But this? Not quite her cup of tea. The heat and just blah of the world. Not to mention the slaves. That was why she came here. She could help, right? Of course she could! She was working with Manu to learn the Force.

And she was working on healing, and not on killing things. That was something, right? She had invested in some AEI gear, and was regretting not bringing it here. Maybe her employer could send her new stuff? Right, for now she was dressed mostly utilitarian, and hopefully the bodyglove would keep her temperature regulated. And denim. Token was a fan of Denim.

Nodding to Anders, she bit her lip and grabbed the gloves. This was going to be something, wasn't it?

She wished Sindy was there.

@Dissero | @Phedre Parenthis | @Anders Sivas | @Token Waters | @Marselia Urstalis | @Verie Lacroix | @Fenri

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Team Four - Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the starship "Jared's Exalt" Her mission, to blow up slavers.

Jared didn't intend on spending any time on Riflor. Nope, he was a Zero-G pilot. Sure, if something happened to [member="Marselia Urstalis"], he'd be down there in a moment strafing whatever hopeless being was after his partner, but mostly? No. He was going to stay up here, and watch. And shoot. And fly. Maybe he was the top gun for the Empire of the Hand, but here? He was taking orders. Keep the slavers busy, don't let any leave.

He could do that. A last check on the Exalt's systems and he nodded. Waiting for the order, he launched his fighter and the squadron that followed him into the fray. When the Peregrine squadron launched, he checked the radar. “OK, birds, keep your ships live and power up weapons. I'm sure we're in for a bit of a haul here. Keep to your wingmen. You know the drill.”

Hopefully they would keep that way.

[member="Carlos Castillo"]