Malice And Mayhem: A New Era Of Naval

[Hansen]

Agent Totallex
Mining Camp.

Jaina follows down the path, shadowing the group of Ren, Stormtroopers and other dignitaries. Splinter-Six; Jaina's team of crack Shadowtroopers patrol the premises attentively, most are cloaked by stealth fields but a few are uncloaked to provide a deceptive facade for their numbers. Such Troops were a rare sight for the rank and file little alone Civilians. Truth is this was their first public appearance at this facility, ostensibly protecting the Admiral and his guests. Although the Truth is far more convoluted than that; The First Order Security Bureau had been keeping an eye on this projects security for a long time, they would trust these resources to the care of none if they had their say. For this, Jaina often appeared as paranoid or clannish with the level of security she insists on, although. None to date could argue the efficacy of her methods. "Hrm." Jaina is amused by the Admiral's quip. Though if Jaina's security were stockings, the dancer's legs would turn gangrenous. Dust rises from beneath Jaina's boots, creating a modest trail of steel puffs through the refuse and debris littered around the mining facility.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

"Now, we enter." Carlyle said, walking towards the entrance to the kyber refinery. Two FOSB agents, attired in officers uniforms flagged them through. The entrance was spartan, it was two durasteel doors, heavily reinforced, and half a meter thick, designed to stop blasts from in and out. "Morning gents," Carlyle added pleasently, as they walked through. Immediate inside was a security desk, with two autoblasters hanging ominously behind it. At the desk, two officers sat, eyes glued on the guests, before scanning through their data feeds. Gathering telemetry, and reports from the perimeter security units. "We're allowed through?" Carlyle asked, "I want to make sure our guest understand that tax payer funds are being used fairly."

"Yes sir," One of the officers replied, before activating a comms unit, "Omega Actual, this is Central Two, Admiral Rausgeber along with a small party are wanting to see convener one, belt two, big burner and storage." The officer then paused, and there were three sharp beeps, "Alright," The officer said, "You can pass."

Carlyle nodded, and walked through the entrance to the first room. Inside of it sat a large conveyor belt. At one end was a large bulbous, metallic storage tank with a funnel at its end. Large, varied shaped lumps of kyber were then dumped onto the the belt, which dragged them along to a secure, fenced off part of the factory, "This, is where it all begins. This is the future of naval warfare."

[member="Jaina Ventor"] | [member="Ara Ren"] | [member="Halle Ren"]

 

[Pharazon Draken]

[SIZE=11pt]Pharazon continued to accompany the party even though they had now ventured into the security area for which he was not in command of or responsible for. The full scale of the operation was becoming ever more evident to Pharazon, this kyber facility revealing some extent of the Admiral’s ambition. If his words about revolutionising naval warfare were not sufficiently to Pharazon already. As Pharazon passed in with the Admiral he nodded respectfully to the officer in charge of this area. The true value of the facility was revealed, not only Phrik but kyber, the secrecy was well worth it. Pharazon suspected he was learning more than his security clearance would normally allow but he drank it in silently, giving no outward indication of the realisations that had overcome him.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]He was not sure about how he felt about sourcing these crystals from the Galactic Alliance. If they learned of even a hint of what we are doing here… [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Pharazon mused, concerned. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]They would react harshly[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]… however, Pharazon supposed that was the reason behind the extensive military, intelligence, and loyalty security incorporated into the base and its procedures. Moving his head around, not able to suppress his curiosity entirely, he was left only with wondering what exactly the Admiral had planned for large Phrik resources and a kyber processing facility. Pharazon did not care how Imperial tax funds were spent, especially if they were being spent on ambitious military projects. He just wanted to know what the grand design was, and the true purpose of this facility.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]He was less than enthused about the eventual arrival of more FOSB security forces. He respected their capabilities and their role in the First Order and the military, but Pharazon had secrets that he did not want to become common knowledge. Neither would he rely on them in a combat situation over his own stormtroopers, but about all Pharazon was a cunning pragmatist. If this facility could have both fully armed stormtroopers as well as stealthed expert forces defending it, he knew that anyone trying to steal the Phrik, kyber, or destroy the facility would not survive long.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Refocusing his attention back on the Admiral as he suspected he was about to launch into revealing the full extent of his vision, and making sure no one got too close to him at least other than their new shadowy protectors and, Pharazon suspected, watchers. I could use some Phrik armour though... damn space rats and their insatiable lust for more and more efficient armour plating…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt][member="Carlyle Rausgeber"] | [member="Halle Ren"] | [member="Jarven Zexxel"] | [member="Ara Ren"] | [member="Zmej Ren"] | [member="Jaina Ventor"][/SIZE]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle continued to show off the facility, walking at a leisurely pace. From behind the fenced off area, the whirring of power tools could be heard, cutting into the kyber crystals. "Ladies and gentlemen," Carlyle slowly began, "I will be honest, the FIV Malice, it is but a prototype for something much bigger, and much better than us all." Carlyle said, "When I expressed that this was the future of naval warfare, there was no hyperbole or mincing of words." Carlyle said, "This truly is the future." He stood tall now. The confidence, and almost, charisma flowed through him. This was where he was proudest. Where he felt in his element. He was about to drop some mad knowledge and a new thesis on these spies, sociopaths and stormtroopers.

He paused, collecting his thoughts, "Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, a Galaxy, a Galaxy in which the First Order holds the upperhand. A Galaxy where, unlike many others, who have refused or seem unable to, we manage to harness the power of kyber crystals, to advance and destroy our enemies." Carlyle said, looking each and every one of his compatriots in the eye, "What we hold here, is the key to greatness, and advancing our military beyond the Alliance, and it's cold, calculated violence. No, what we could hold, with the development of kyber and phrik armoured star ships, is the cutting edge in naval technology." He said, "In the coming years, I envisage a navy, filled with all types, and all models of new starships, armoured and armed with kyber endowed weaponry. Able to advance and upgrade our already devestating armaments." Carlyle said, "If more projects like the Malice become mainstream, then the future is ours."

[member="Ara Ren"] | [member="Halle Ren"] | [member="Pharazon Draken"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

The addition of more FOSB forces raised her eyebrows even as the group was waved into the facility. Eyeing the machines and tanks surrounding their small group, she had to admit to herself that she recognized none of the technology nor their purposes.

Ara chuckled as the Admiral's stance changed. She recognized the confidence that came with a superiority complex, she hand first hand experience with similar after all. She cast a quick glance at [member="Zmej Ren"] and [member="Halle Ren"], wondering how her fellow Ren would take the information and change in attitude. She honestly could care little about the factory around them. She knew next to nothing about the mining of phrik or the cultivation of Kyber Crystals, but found that as they progressed, she agreed with her compatriots, it seemed excessively and a expensive waste of materials.

Perhaps a fleet of ships with superior armaments and shielding would give the First Order the upper in hand in Naval Warfare, but the same materials could be used to armor their troops a hundred times over. She raised an eyebrow at the Admiral and glanced at a nearby Captain, eyeing the armor he or she currently sported. Surely a balance of the two would be of greater benefit to the Order, well armored soldiers as well as improved ship defenses. She shook her head, unwilling to add her woefully undereducated opinion. She was here to watch and learn, not to critique.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"] | [member="Pharazon Draken"] | [member="Jaina Ventor"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle's head turned to the stormtrooper captain, "That isn't to neccessitate that the upgrading of stormtroopers and land assets isn't important." Carlyle said, "No, not at all." He felt the need to apologies to the trooper, surely he felt that he was being left out, "But the fact is, is an army, without a navy is useless." Carlyle said, "I am a firm believer in this simple maxim, that the First Imperial Army is a projectile to be fired from the First Imperial Navy." Carlyle said, "While there of course is an important place for our land based military units, space superiority is simply the most efficient and most capable way of managing to secure a planet." Carlyle said, "If we were to have just deployed stormtrooper legions with a few scattered Ren to Kaeshana, the Alliance and their cultists would have destroyed us, bombarding the whole planet to eradicate our hold." However, now was the time to stop his innane ramblings on diplomatic and military doctrine, that could wait for a different time.

Carlyle led the group past the small fenced off area. Kyber crystals moved out of it, in small boxes, and tiny shards. "The first step of production is the crushing of the kyber crystals." Carlyle asserted, "We crush them into small, malleable shards for the next phase." Carlyle added, "The crystals retain their properties," he admitted, "It is just that because of their different shapes, and sizes, we need to, well, cut them down a bit." He said with a small smile, "Each crystal is changed up, and melted into a component for our turbolaser and shield generator batteries."

[member="Ara Ren"] | [member="Zmej Ren"] | [member="Halle Ren"] | @Phrarzon Draken

 

[Hansen]

Agent Totallex
Mining Camp.

Jaina nods even though she is beyond the sight for the dignitaries; The Admiral is right of course, that the Stormtroopers lived to be 'fired' by the First Imperial Navy. This is their purpose, they are an expeditionary force for the most part and did their job well. But as Jaina agrees with the Admiral their effectiveness is directly proportional to the Navy's size and effectiveness. Jaina keys her comm. "Unseen One this is Unseen Actual, shift to position two, over." Jaina's voice speaks over the Shadowtrooper's TEAMCOM and beyond the sight of their guests above the factory floor, a Sniper-Rifle armed trooper skids into position and puts the surrounding workers into his sights, inspecting each of them. Jaina keys the commlink with Admiral Rausgeber again, obliged to provide him with an alert being in charge of his close personal security detail. "Admiral, I am responsible for reminding you that Captain Cutter has an appointment to see you in one hour from now. Security arrangements have been finalised." Jaina seldom appeared visibly to the Admiral's appointments, not wanting to become an unwanted distraction for Carlyle's guest; The silent presence of an ominous shadow is something few welcomed or could bring themselves to ignore. Though, sometimes she does appear anonymously in his company as a Navy-Blue Uniform Clad Officer, wearing her Navy rank and code cylinders as opposed to FOSB identifiers. Such is the shadowy nature of her organisation.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle was leading the group to the next stage of the refinery when the FOSB agent interjected. He turned, "Send apologies to the Captain." Carlyle said, "I may be on time, and I may not be." He said, "My guests demand the best treatment, and we shall give it to them." Carlyle added, he didn't want to inconvenience Cutter, a man whom Carlyle tried to keep on his good side with. It was always a good policy never to sideline those who may in the future command you, or be under you command, "However, add the caveat that the meeting may be kept." Carlyle continued, "It just depends on how long I ramble." The officer added with an amused smirk.

Carlyle entered the next room for the kyber refinery, and had to initially cover his eyes. The room was extremely bright. At the end of the belt, was a large cavernous hole, sitting in the centre of a bulbous contraption. Wires and cable strung out across the room. The temperature of it all became noticeably hotter. "This, is the smelter." Carlyle said, turning towards the group, "Powered by a hypermatter reactor, it superheats the kyber crystals, and melts them into moulds." The officer said. Behind him, two moulds, filled with kyber crystals fell into the reactor, "It's costly, but it works."

[member="Jaina Ventor"]

 

[Hansen]

Agent Totallex
Kyber Factory, Smelter Room.

Jaina looks over the smelter's cast features with emerald green spheres from within her environment controlled suit of armour; Constantly kept at a cool eighteen degrees celsius. A brisk morning back at her home of Gutshaus des Venatori. Hence why it is set so low, even Security Bureau agents could become homesick given enough time or flaw in personal characteristics or personal attachments. Jaina is weighed down not by Family dwindling as it is, Husband or Boyfriend. Jaina would not trade the adventure and adrenaline her job provided for some boring civilian existence or the cold monotony of a Director's desk in New Avalonia. Hearing the Admiral's reply, Jaina activates the comlink and provides a brief response. "Understood, I'll have your staff see to it." Jaina types a few keys at right vambrace, sending off a prepared and encrypted message to Carlyle's Yeoman. Jaina is taken in with interest for a moment, losing herself in the process of the Kyber crystals melting down, she turns to want for a necklace with the precious jewels encrusted into its' construction.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle watched as the light illuminating the smelting room flashed brilliant turqoise and then green as the energy stored within the crystals escaped. "This is perhaps the most impressive part of the whole thing." Carlyle mused to the group of esteemed guests. There was something brilliant about it all, the beauty of it. However, once the flashing stopped, the lighting died down. The light sensors on the roof flashed an artificial white, and for a second, Carlyle had to pause to rub his eyes. Eyes adjusting. From the cavernous hole, two black cylinders floated out. The cylinders were charred a crisp black. The two floated left, suspended by a tractor beam on the internet. They then seized, before dropping down on the ground, to a large, water basin. Steam proceeded to flood the whole room.

"When the crystals are successfully fused, they are then sealed, and then cooled in a tank of water." Carlyle said, enjoying the feeling of steam on his skin. There was something theraputic about it. It almost felt like a nice warm sauna. "With this all done, we now wait for an hour, until it is successfully cooled." Carlyle informed the group, "And then, what we do, is we hold them, before the next phase, phase two." Carlyle said, beckoning towards a nearby ramp, "But we'll get to that bridge when we cross it." Carlyle added with a bemused smile, he lead the way, damp white cape flowing majestically behind him.

[member="Halle Ren"]

 

[Hansen]

Halle Ren,
Kyber Refinery, Smelting Room.

Halle heaves out a yawn from her lungs at the Admiral's explanation of the facility; In short she didn't care for a lecture on the metallurgic properties of Kyber Crystals or the process in which they are shaped and forged. Only the result, What is the purpose of this tour? It all bores Halle immensely. With her account with Admiral Rausgeber in the red, Halle decides to give Carlyle a fright, attempting to ignore the beads of sweat rolling down into her own brow from the suffocating amount of steam contained within the smelting room. Halle's sleeve finds itself being used as a rag before hand curls into a fist, Sulfuric yellow eyes focus on the glowing kyber crystals, Halle manages to suspend one before it drops into the heavy water quencher tank and Drops it towards Carlyle's feet straight into his path. Halle suppresses a chuckle in anticipation of the Admiral flailing in front of all his guests and the esteemed dignitaries here. Completely plausible from a witness could be a rogue Kyber Crystal, only Halle and Carlyle might fully know the truth of the matter.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

The kyber crystal shattered with a defeaning bang, and a blast of turqouise energy that knocked Carlyle over. The explosion rocked the whole room. Wires were dislodged from the ceiling, and the walkway Carlyle had been planning to take the group was now cracked beyond belief. "What in blazes was that?!" Carlyle thundered, as technicians and FOSB workers ran to the site, "Whose in charge of the tractor beam?!" He barked, "I want them dead, I want them karking dead!" Carlyle roared at the top of his lungs.

The worker in charge of the tractor beam ran from his console, "Sir, I can explain!" The technician stammered, "We, there was something wrong, the crystal, it flew out!"

"Crystals don't just fly out!" Carlyle snarled, "There is no conceivable way that could have happened, no one but the-!" Carlyle stood tall, his peviously learing figure transformed into a soldier standing tall. He turned slowly, and looked at Halle Ren. He tried to hide his palpable rage. That's what she would have wanted. Him to lose it all at her. But he didn't. Carlyle remained calm, cool and collected. The Ren would get hers. Oh yes, she would. If Carlyle should survive to Grand Admiral, or some other position of authority, he was sure he would have revenge. Images of Halle being maimed with burning hot kyber were all that kept the man sane. "Let's move on." He said coolly.

[member="Halle Ren"]

 

[Hansen]

Agent Totallex
Kyber Factory, Smelter Room.

Jaina hauls up her rifle and shoulders it tightly, barging through the crowd of dignitaries and civilians. Jaina leaps forward Carlyle with the objective of knocking him down onto the ground. Shielding the Admiral with her armoured body. "Get down!" The only warning she offers before smacking her weight against Carlyle. Jaina's left arm goes to shield the back of Carlyle's neck and head, with her Emerald Green eyes peering around for the sabotuer, the Technician operating the Tractor beam earns Jaina's attention, the Shadowtrooper's cloaking device peels its veil away over a glossy black surface, and he will find Jaina aiming a DC-15A straight at his chest. "You! Don't move!" Jaina threatens the man, believing like Carlyle him to be the culprit. Jaina steadily peels off of Admiral Rausgeber after being satisfied he is safe. Jaina's weapon only lowers with Carlyle's gaze shifting responsibility away from the Technician as he stares at a certain guest. Jaina's glossy armoured body has a blueish white web peel over it before disappearing again into thin air. Jaina moves from the path of the Dignataries; Intending to fall in behind them and follow.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle grunted at the tackle, "Get off!" He barked, "I'm fine, I'm fine!" He repeated, as the shadowtrooper jumped on him. He was somewhat impressed by her reaction time. That was rather impressive. Within seconds of being hit by the blast, she was on him. Fantastic. However, the show had to go on. Carlyle didn't know if she could hear him, but he didn't care, "Thank you!" He called out to her, he then turned to his guests. Time to assure them he was alright, "Bit of a surprise, eh folks?" Carlyle asked with a shaky grin. Beneath it all, he was still one end, "FOSB, they really are the best, aren't they?" Carlyle asked, before moving on to the next chamber.

Technicians, and security flocked to where the group had just come from. Examining the tractor beam to see what had gone wrong. Why it had gone wrong. And what could have been changed. Carlyle dismissively waved away gestures from soldiers and workers alike to seek medical help. The show had to go on. The next antechamber was a large foundry. The kyber crystals were freed from their metallic prisons, now crystalline ingots. From there, they were installed inside of test turbolaser modules, seeing if they were compatible with the weapons energy systems, and if not, they were stored. "We have approximately three hundred crystals unable to work on our weapons systems." Carlyle announced, "So, we store them here, in a secure storage vault."

[member="Halle Ren"]

 

[Hansen]

Agent Totallex
Kyber Factory, Smelter Room.

Jaina crawls off of Carlyle and disappears back into obscurity, she admires the Admiral's persistence though stands amongst those who believe he should seek medical attention. She accepts the flattery of the FOSB reluctantly, being an officer is largely political and you were a fool to trust any politician. Jaina inwardly wonders whether or not the faulty crystals could be repurposed for other projects such as normal power generators or the focusing crystals in Lightsabres. Jaina would be sure to press that question to the Admiral at another time. Jaina's hands tighten around the DC-15A Blaster Rifle held in armour weave sheathed hands. Jaina glances up at the gangways hanging from the Factory ceiling and spots the IFF tag for one of her cloaked Shadowtroopers; Good, they'd been providing overwatch all throughout the Factory tour. Jaina guesses with this level of overwatch even if that one worker had been responsible for the tractor beam malfunction, he would have been gunned down by one of her snipers before being able to dispatch him. Though Jaina had instructed them to exhibit restraint in the presence of Civilians and only open fire on saboteurs when their behaviour was consistent with that of a compromised spy.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Several cranes ran through the series of this storage house. On the western side, stood kyber crystals, ready for deployment, on the east, shelves held the crystals unable to be used. Carlyle watched them, as four cranes began to gently place crates of kyber crystals on one of the transport speeders. A dozen FOSB agents stood guard as the transports were loaded. The explosions in the smelter had ground production to a halt, and that was all Carlyle needed. Now the Malice wasn't going to be delivered on time, unless the refinery began to work double time. However, Carlyle put on a brave face.

"This is where we move the kyber crystals, and load them on these transport speeders." The admiral informed the tour, "The crystals here, will be loaded aboard the Malice, and put into the turbolasers, shield generator and other defences, greatly increasing its effectiveness." Carlyle said, "The Battle of Kaeshana saw the average, unmodified resurgent demolish a massive portion of the Alliance fleet. With the increased shields, and more effective turrets, I see the Malice, and the models that may follow it, dominating the Galactic Alliance in space for the the next decade." Carlyle said, "This, is the future."