Once I Was But The Master (Raid on Styx)

[Ashin Varanin]

STYX SYSTEM
TOP SECRET FORMER SITH EMPIRE UBER UNKNOWN SANTHE-AFFILIATED RESEARCH BASE
ASA/ACA TERRITORY
WILD SPACE

Two Star Destroyers -- both heavily modified old Sith Empire ships without telesponder data -- could make it across the galaxy if they tried really fething hard to stay off the main roads and skip the toll booths. Took a while, don't get me wrong, but totally doable. Maybe they got noticed along the way, but pretty much everyone along the way had other things on their minds. Like losing wars.

Regardless, the Styx system was pretty much unknown to ASA leadership. It had been, anyways, recently enough. Maybe they'd finally clued in to the secret base, maybe it had gotten lost in the administration shuffle, maybe they'd hear about it a little too late but get all kinds of cool sensor intercepts.

The Chimaera and the Grave Wind exited hyperspace above the gas giant and opened fire on the thirty-nine heavily armed moons with uncanny accuracy, at very long range. It was almost as if the ships' commander knew exactly what defenses the system had, exactly which moons would have valid firing arcs, and exactly where to come out of hyperspace at this time of year.

Spoiler

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Marek Starchaser"] [member="Raziel"]
Thread's open; I'd imagine [member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"] and the Red Ravens might have nearby interests, and maybe [member="Seydon of Arda"] and the Levantines, or maybe [member="Mr. Ash"] and the Black Suns - heck, maybe even the SJO. Don't really care who shows up.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The primary armament of the Grave Wind was comprised of Hellbore cannons and energy torpedo projectors -- weapons that eclipsed long-range turbolasers and hypervelocity guns in terms of effective range and shot velocity. Augmented by a DER sniper scope array, the smaller Star Destroyer occupied itself with the farther moons, while the Chimaera's heavy turbolasers and ion cannons tore into the closer ones. Hammer-B LACs deployed, but kept to the shelter of the Star Destroyers, less an escort than a counterpunch held in reserve.

The Chimaera's heavy ion cannons began to lance down into the atmosphere of the Styx gas giant, stirring up storms the size of continents as their energy splashed against the powerful shield that defended Research Station Thanatos. The shield's power, and the volume of fire necessary to bring it down, had been calibrated precisely. The station could not be fully disabled before a dozen descending Pyrrhus-class dropships, under gunship escort, got close enough to catch it with tractor beams.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Long-range sensors began to detect anomalies -- someone, it seemed, had noticed their presence in this system. As yet, however, nothing and nobody had moved to oppose the two Star Destroyers. No matter how far away from home they might be, no matter how devoid of escorts, a Star Destroyer was a Star Destroyer.

A handful of precise volleys from the Chimaera's turreted dual projectors put enough energy torpedoes into the shield to bring it down and leave Thanatos Station unprotected in the gas giant's upper atmosphere. Ion fire crippled the little research station's defenses; it listed and began to skid into the depths of Styx.

At which point the heavy dropships, with Malos gunships flying escort, latched onto the station with tractor beams and began to haul it out of the planet's gravity well.

 

[Arage Bao]

One of the engineers rushed out into the reactor room and started ticking in codes, multiple codes and finished off with a single, well executed command. A single line was returned to him on the screen.

[ No self-destruct mechanisms exist on this mainframe. Who do you think we are, Subach? Good day. ]

 

[Corey's OOC]

Starchaser got word that things were happening in the recently declared Black Sun space. However, it was coming from a world where there was a Santhe facility. Or used to be. That was a company he cared about, because, well, he made a deal which bought out Haor Chall and added it to that Santhe Empire Corp family of businesses. He was okay with that.

So, the first thing he was doing, was sending off a message to the one and only [member="Jared Ovmar"], his sometimes partner in crime.

"Ovmar, anything I need to know about the situation on Styx? One of your pots, isn't it?" And who was even making the attack? He hadn't gotten that data yet. But then again, he was working on his darts game.

Land deals were nice.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Marek Starchaser"] [member="Ashin Varanin"]

A beep buzzed through the bridge of the Star Destroyer, it buzzed furiously, unrelenting in its audacity to get noticed by the slightly irked Sith Lord standing next to Fringe Actual. Eyes removed from the scene in front of ‘em Jared Ovmar took a look at his message and with one of his lazy grins started typing even more furiously.

[ Nothing to worry ‘bout, Starchaser. Just a few folks picking up the trash- will be done in a sec. ]

Ovmar turned to look at Varanin.

‘ACA have noticed us, but they don’t care anymore. Not sure if the Suns will decide to jump up and defend their new territory though.’

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer leaned against one of the consoles filing her nails. Looking up she watched Ashin and waited for an order.

 

[Ordan Vosk]

...diplomatic negotiations had seen the Styx system transfer from the Albrion System Authorities control to the Black Suns territory. The transfer of territory was still underway which meant things were somewhat stifled due to diplomatic proceedings and the need to move adequate vessels into the new regions however the process had begun in earnest and was moving along adequately. Due to the distance involved as well as some confusion on the part of officials unsure as to whom they were aligned with now sensor readings, distress calls, reports and any other paperwork or observations were all received late as could be expected and this is what happened next...

-----------------

...a Dirge Class Assault Star Destoyer would come out of hyperspace alongside a handful of smaller capital ships number one Karakter Class Pocket Carrier and two Oscuras Class Corvette's above the gas giant apparently after the battle had already begun. At the moment they had not opened fire nor had any transmissions been sent indicating it was just as likely they were attempting to get a handle on the situation. Like the Albrion Systems Authority the Black Suns knew little about the system, at least at the moment besides the information provided in the land exchange...

...what was known is that the moons, numbering thirty-nine in total, housed heavy defenses which had apparently been attacked and crippled by the two Star Destroyer Class vessels that had entered the system. As for the research station itself...who knows...

-----------------------

...a transmission would be sent from the Dirge Class Star Destroyer calling for..."Unidentified vessels you have entered Black Suns space. You are called on to identify yourselves and your purpose for this intrusion immediately and desist in your current activities."...before the message ended and silence was all that was left. Onboard the Dirge Class Star Destroyer Ordan Vosk stood on the bridge, examining the scene the was playing out before him and unsure if other Black Sun vessels were also responding to the reports of these ships entering the newly acquired territory of the faction....

...truth be told Ordan was not much of a naval commander however he had been the only one available and immediately willing to investigate this incursion and thus he'd commandeered several capital ships to do exactly that. Due to the current dishevel this hadn't been much of an issue for him...​

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Airal Thamne]

Airal stood upon the board of the Reason She waited for back up as she closed in on the enemy warships, not wanting to engage them alone, she might be a fearsome ship but she didn't want to test her luck. The reason lurked at the planned entry point for the rest of the Black Sun Fleet. This was Airal's first time doing something remotely interesting for the suns, but with Domino's disappearance, someone had to step up and her and the strange lawyer had. The orders were out, and everything was prepped to switch over the moment the cloak dropped but Airal didn't have a death wish so instead she watched with interest and wondered when that communication was going to arrive. There they were she thought as she watched the fleet appear on her sensors. Time to start getting in position, The Reason started moving slowly into optimal position to fire upon the enemy should it come to it.

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Jared Ovmar"] [member="Marek Starchaser"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] @Ordan Vosk

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ordan Vosk"] [member="Airal Thamne"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Jared Ovmar"]

So the system had changed hands, or was in the process of changing hands, for the half-a-dozenth time. So many parties and interests had claimed the Styx facility that her current guess as to its ownership was Confederate, or whatever they were calling themselves this week. But Black Sun -- she wouldn't willingly cross Black Sun. She'd done her best to save them at Barab, even taken guardianship of their fleet for a while, then given it back. Their stewardship had to be recent, if it existed at all.

And something felt off. It took her a long moment, watching the Pyrrhus flight drag the disabled research station up out of the gravity well, to place the feeling. It was brought to her by the fundamental psychic shift that characterized Sith battle coordination -- the shift that came after the sacrifice was made, the mark of what some considered genuine Sith mastery. How it happened, why it happened, not something that she cared about. She merely understood the gameboard.

"Check the CGT again."

"Clear, ma'am."

She grimaced. She'd been the Black Suns' closest ally once upon a time; she'd read every after-action report about Contruum; she'd employed the bulk of their navy. They had few stealth ships, really only one of note...and that one had a gravitic modulator. If the Reason-class was out there, her flotilla was outgunned two and a half to one, counting the flotilla she could see.

"Spencer, Jared, you two are the best mentalists I know. Do me a favor and see if you can feel anything...else out there." She toggled the comm to address [member="Ordan Vosk"].

"Black Sun forces, this is Grand Admiral Ashin Varanin of the Chimaera. I'm reclaiming my property, Thanatos Station. Please detail the circumstances of this system passing from Confederate control."

The small moons had been beaten into submission; the Star Destroyers turned to face the oncoming flotilla, their Hammer-B LACs under cover.

 

[Ordan Vosk]

...onboard the Dirge Class Star Destroyer the message would come through loud and clear however there was no response straight away as Ordan turned to his communications officer and informed him to..."Relay an encrypted message to the Pocket Carrier for me."...while he did this he would also turn to the other officers on the bridge and..."Let me have a scan of the area. Locate Thanatos Station for me.."...a large station like that would likely be difficult to conceal after all and Ordan wanted to know where it was...

...as for the rest Ordan would have finally opened comms with Grand Admiral Ashin Varanin again so that he could state..."Territory was annexed after a formal agreement between ASA and Black Sun leadership."...former leadership anyways however the factions had since honored the agreement..."Grand Admiral Varanin I have no quarrel with you however as Thanatos Station is not in your territory it is not your property. The station now belongs to the Black Sun."...truth be told this was verbal posturing from Ordan however he wasn't going to allow Ashin to come into Black Sun territory and take what she wanted regardless of the circumstances. If the Black Sun rolls over now what is to stop anyone else from coming in and claiming that other facilities or places of interest are their property after all...

--------------------

...the Dirge Class Star Destroyer would face bow forward to meet the Star Destroyers under Ashin Varanin's command as they turned to meet it. A bld move but with the amount of firepower the Dirge Class had this was what it was made to do in a manner of speaking with regards to capital combat...

...as for the rest. The (2) Oscuras Class Corvette's would position themselves to either side of the Dirge Class Star Destroyer where they could support it in combat. While they would, theoretically, pose only a miniscule threat against the two Star Destroyers opposing them they would be able to support the Dirge Class against incoming fire and fighters if necessary...

...the Karakter Class Pocket Carrier was another matter entirely. The Carrier had positioned itself to the rear of the Dirge Class and beneath it ensuring that it remained a small target while still being able to offer its own brand of support in this engagement. Behind the Dirge Class Ashin, her officers, may not have been able to notice as it responded to the communications that Ordan had sent and launched its compliment of fighters and gunships. Twenty-four Reaper Class starfighters and two Revelation Class Gunships would come off the exterior racks of the Karakter to lay in wait in the shadow of the Dirge Class Star Destroyer...

...no one made a move to attack yet...​

​

...no contact had been made by the Black Suns flotilla to contact the Reason either. Better to let surprises remain that way...​

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Airal Thamne"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Irys Arist'lar]

A burst of Cronau radiation would ripple across the system from the far side. Amongst all the electromagnetic noise being produced by the ships already in the system, it might even have been missed. What wouldn’t be missed was the stream of active scanning pulses that would follow. Intermittent at first, but increasing intensity as the pair of Monitor-class Corvettes locked onto their targets and started generating exabytes of data to be processed and stored.

Three pairs of TIE hounds hit realspace at very specific vectors, barely warming their engines as they entered into three separate orbital paths. They kept a quiet and distant course, waiting for the Monitor-class vessels to provide reports and suggested courses.



Invictus and Xo'Xaan-class Star Destroyers firing on research facilities. Black Sun relief task force arrived. Information streaming begins.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ordan Vosk"]

"By that argument," she said into the comm, watching the formation take shape, "all the private property in Black Sun territory belongs to the Suns. Is that the claim you're making?"

The conversation was, in its way, necessary, but it also gave the dropships more time to haul Thanatos Station up out of the gas giant's gravity well.

 

[Airal Thamne]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Airal was monitoring the comm lines and cringing as she heard what was said. She let her ship uncloak, knowing she would lose her surprise but it would save lives and money.


" Greetings, this is Airal Thamne, commanding officer of the Reason. What is meant by my officer is that we do not support Actions such as what appears to be a smash and grab. Should you provide proof you own the station and the defenses that were destroyed, We shall withdraw. However should this not be the case we will have to ask you to surrender to our forces and be detained for questioning. "


After all that is what legitimate governments were suppose to do right? She shrugged that was when her officer came. "Miss... I can't be positive but there appears to be something on the other side of our sensors." Arial sighed " Are you sure? I don't want to send waves at air, it will make us look bad. " the officer nodded and She figured she should.

. [member="Irys Arist'lar"]

"Please leave at once, this is a potential combat zone and not safe, failure to leave will result in your arrest."

It seemed today was just not going to quit. Hopefully she could resolve this peacefully.

[member="Ordan Vosk"]

" I am taking command of the situation, please link up with standard frequencies for further instructions. "

Oh yes Airal thought, this was going to be fun. At least she got to use the big ship , she thought knowing that at least she had the biggest space guns around. Well she was pretty sure she did. Now it was time to wait for a response.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Airal Thamne"]

The Chimaera reoriented to face the Reason, as did the Grave Wind, putting both ships broadside to [member="Ordan Vosk"]'s flotilla. Ashin's knuckles turned white on the arms of the thronelike command chair that dominated the Chimaera's bridge. They remained white -- a fairly substantial achievement -- as Thamne finished speaking to her and went to use the comm in other directions. But as she finally got Thamne's attention back, tension vanished from her hands, her face and her voice.

"Captain Thamne, this is Grand Admiral Ashin Cardé Varanin. I'm here by right of conquest and right of possession taken long before you'd ever commanded a starship. I'm here on behalf of the hundred thousand men and women who died to pacify this sector and drag it kicking and screaming out of the Dark Age. So no, I will not provide proof. If you want me to surrender myself and my forty-five thousand crew, compel that surrender. But I'll warn you once: don't test me unless you're prepared for the consequences. I know your ships, I know your cause, I know your weakness and I've held you under my wing. You have no idea what we are capable of. Don't let today be the day you find out."

 

[Irys Arist'lar]

No response was forthcoming from the vessels parked at the edge of the system. The Hounds accelerated, one pair skirting around the field to come around the uncloaked vessel. All kept well away from defensive firing solutions.

"Monitored clear channel communications being streamed now. Conflict possible. Suggest 4th fleet mobilises on border over next week incase conflict intensifies. Grave Wind apparently refers to the gas bag at the helm."

 

[Amarant]

~Meanwhile, back at the ranch~



A holocomm appeared throughout the region, on all channels. The source was untrackable through normal means, but a skilled slicer could figure out that at least two of the local repeaters were on the moons of Cignus Alpha and Delta. The figure of Mr. Ash, attired in smoking jacket and slacks, with no shoes or shirt, was to be seen. Multiple prosthetics jutted out form the his synthskin, making the droid look like a roughly done and hung-over cyborg. Thankfully, he was immune to hangovers and sleep, but he had actually been keeping up appearances with a young woman from Oiran tonight. He sighed.



The hologram flickered, a cool shade of blue to all observers. "I am Mr. Ash. As standing commander of the Black Sun Forces, I wish to avoid any engagements. However, that may change, depending on what occurs next. All forces are to stand down and retreat from their vessels. Admiral Ashin, you come with large words, and no claim of ownership. You come armed to the teeth to grab things you've no proof of owning. Spare me both your righteous indignation and egomania, and tell me why I shouldn't order every moon on this side of the planet to blow you to kingdom come. And while we are discussing affairs, please tell me why you couldn't act like a grown adult and discuss this before parking two overpriced star destroyers on our lawn? We have a embassy and delegation on Ithor for a reason, after all...or is that treaty which your own people have signed of no worth?" he said calmly.



He waited coolly. He wasn't in a mood to let the children argue. He wasn't in a mood to not kill people, either. Something about running the Black Suns made him extra inclined to kill people lately, he wondered about that. "Oh, and do spare me the righteous indignation. Trust me, you don't want to compare that list of offenses against mine without a lot of alcohol. All I want is your documentation on what your'e taking and why. Is that too much to ask?"

 

[Arage Bao]

Ovmar wanted to trace that call, wanted it with all his might.

But sadly Varanin had asked him to do something else, namely to pin-point the location of the cloaked ship that was running ‘round here somewhere. It would have been somewhat of a challenge, if its Captain, commander or whatever her rank was didn’t decide to butt in, uncloak and sent a message to the Empress, the Sith Lord and Superweapon in a dress.

Deadpan voice aside, Ovmar pointed to the map.

‘Captain Obvious aside, it's there.’

Hmm… that was a pretty ship.

Hmm.

The Sith Lord shrugged and started to immerse himself into the Force, his eyes closed as he visualized the electronic spectrum that danced ‘round Space, with some difficulty he managed ignore all but the relevant signals, gliding through the current towards 'em.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Mr. Ash"] [member="Airal Thamne"] [member="Ordan Vosk"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Irys Arist'lar]

Whilst the recon task force in this system would not respond to the hails - they had no authority to do so - a series of messages would come from the ACA command post that still existed in the arm being transitioned to Sun control. They were lengthy and numerous, but amounted to the following:

-There is a phased plan to withdraw from this space over several months.
-The ACA has numerous assets still in the region
-We will continue to monitor the situation
-We are mobilising additional forces in case the situation escalates.
-We are willing to collaborate on defence of the region should hostilities continue.

The ACN Unhealthy Curiosity and her sister ship continued to monitor the system.

In dark space, a few vessels the Sun were not aware of, called for all hands and readied weapons. Irys would not order any action if possible, the ships on hand were there to ensure the safety of ACA citizens and materiel during the pull out, not start a diplomatic incident.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

"You mean the moonlets I just turned to charcoal? I'll be sure to keep them in mind." An ugly light glinted in her eyes. "Don't you invoke Ithor to me. I gave you everything. I gave you allies, shelter, I shed my own family's blood at Barab for Black Sun to help guarantee you a position that would let you cripple the Confederacy in eighteen different ways. And with those opportunities, over the course of multiple administrations, the Black Suns have done nothing. I am many things, [member="Mr. Ash"], but tolerant of laziness is not often one of them."

Her eyes flicked sideways, then settled back on the comm. "Mr. Ash, I have been bloviating; thank you for bloviating in return. Your contribution has been invaluable."


Thanatos Station, disabled and contained by crews who knew exactly what nasty surprise had been constructed where, settled into the hangar of the Grave Wind. The Hammer-B LACs pertaining to the Chimaera returned to their own berths. That left the Pyrrhus dropships and the Malos gunships, both of which were hypercapable, all of which were closer to the Grave Wind and its limited hangar facilities. In the interests of saving time, the smaller Star Destroyer's contingent of a dozen LACs slipped into the places of the dropships and gunships aboard the Chimaera.

"I'm taking what is mine. I do not recognize your claim on Thanatos. I'll be jumping to hyperspace now, and none of your vessels are equipped with interdiction. If for the first time in the history of your faction you intend to do something, feel free to give chase."

The flotilla vanished, bound for Odacer-Faustin in Republic space.
[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Jared Ovmar"] [member="Irys Arist'lar"]