The Colony: First Landfall

[Ashin Varanin]

RNS Jamillia exited hyperspace over a green planet in an unremarkable, barely-charted system, deep in the Outer Rim. Scouts and probes fountained out from the Naboo cruiser, some to orbit the planet, others to examine the rest of the system, and a few to take stock of nearby systems and hyperroutes. The Jamillia-class specialized in sector-level situational awareness: nothing would be coming this way.

So far as the expedition was aware, the system was uninhabited, or home to only the occasional drifter base. Over the past two years, previous scouts and probes had ranged throughout this area, sampled the planet's ecosystem, and evaluated its tectonics. Still, though, there was no real way to know for sure what the new colony would encounter, not until the colony had already put down roots. They'd dubbed the planet Versai, in memory of the last queen.

In the Jamillia's wake, the rest of the convoy decanted to realspace: transports, colony ships, lethal Handmaiden escorts, science vessels, a couple of light carriers, and a massive, scarred Star Destroyer whose IFF read RNS Naberrie. The fleet settled into a watchful geosynchronous orbit above the selected site. Heavy dropships, bulk freighters, and starfighter escorts broke away and descended into the gravity well.

Two hundred thousand colonists, including the foundations of a comprehensive small university and technical school. Prefabricated defensive bases and durable residential units. Industrial water purifiers and fuel/ration converters. Scanners of every size and description. Vehicles both aerial and grounded. Theatre shield generators. Seeds, agricultural gear, livestock, zygotes. Security contractors, here to tackle the occasional predator nest or raider hideout.

OOC/ Figured this might be a fun thing. Feel free to be here as a security contractor, a colonist, an explorer, a prospector, a corporate sponsor, etc. Maybe you're looking to establish a corporate presence of some kind, help set things up, stir up trouble, or just pass through through the area. I'm down with whatever.

OOC thread here.

 

[Red Cloud]

Red Cloud signed onto this gig as part of security for the colony. The large alien gazed out the window as the drop ship as they started descending towards the surface of the planet. He sighed, this may not be as action packed as he would normally like, but at least it would pay the bills. Besides, this is why he left Van. Red Cloud wanted to go out and see more of the Universe and that’s what he was doing. When the drop ship halted on the surface, Red Cloud was the first to hop out. Part of the security crew, he had his gigantic blaster raised, securing the perimeter for the civilians and other personnel to disembark.

It was certainly a sight to see, such an incredibly large operation in motion. After escorting his group of civilians, he would loft his large blaster up on his shoulder and rendezvous with the rest of security. There were reports of the possibility of nearby Predators and Raiders that he planned on looking into. Maybe he would see some decent action after all. He would gather whoever was brave enough to venture out to investigate. But he was not afraid to go off on his own if need be.

 

[Darth Metus]

V E R S A I​

A job is a job.

No. That wasn't true...not today, at least. In the past, the Ma'alkerrite had believed in the mantra - that a job was just that: a job. It did not matter who had hired him. It did not matter how dangerous the task was. All that mattered was how many zeroes lined the paycheck. For years, that mantra had carried Malok and his comrades throughout the stars...yet today was different. Today, the Behemoth gave a damn. It wasn't just because the Naboo congregation was paying excessively well. It wasn't because he was going into, literally, uncharted territory. No. Malok cared solely because of the standard branded into his shoulder plate. A Skull. The Mythosaur.

Since the day of his birth, Malok had lived adjacent to the Mandalorians. His homeworld had been within its territory for decades - its people protected and aligned with the sons of Manda'yaim. However, the Behemoth never stepped closer to the culture. He never attempted to learn their ways nor fight beside them...they were just men in metal, wandering about his palace. Yet, on Concord Dawn, he felt something. He felt the same tug upon his soul that only Korriban had provided. There was something to being apart of that collective, something that could fill the void in him. Something beyond vengeance...something beyond smashing his sibling's head into the dirt.

Purpose.

"Landfall in thirty seconds. Check arms."

His voice boomed like thunder, meeting the waiting ears of his fellow Ma'alkerrites. The stood tall, crowded together into a dropship with no concept of elbow room. Yet despite the tightness, Malok and his men readied their weapons. The sweet symphony of ammunition being loaded filled the ship...only to be dwarfed by the final thud of the vessel touching down. A hiss! The dropship's doors slid open and the light of day met Malok's eyes. He wasted not a second in disembarking, taking only a moment to look at the bustling scene. Two hundred thousand souls began to take their first steps upon the world. Two hundred thousand lives now rested in his hands...and the hands of the Aka'liit.

"Set comms to channel four." he growled, taking his own command with a tap of his finger. Immediately, he and his men synced with the Aka'liit channel - an encrypted line of communication between the vode. Malok cleared his throat...collected his thoughts...and proceeded to speak in the most butchered Mando'a the Galaxy had ever heard. "Present Malok. Landed, men, together. Scouting forest. Are we." were his words. It was bad to say, it would be worse to hear...but the Resol'nare had tenets. The life Malok craved demanded that he step outside his comfort zone, one butchered syllable at a time. Having said thus, the Behemoth signaled his men to follow his lead forward. Their heading was west - into the native greenery. Malok had no clue what awaited him within the trees of Versai, but he was certain to find out.

Spoiler

[member="Aden Dral"], [member="Agenor Dyre"], [member="Amaya Verd"], [member="Anika Nygaard"], [member="Arceneaux Priest"], [member="Artemis Lux"], [member="Briika Tor"], [member="Butterfly"], [member="Cabur Aranar"], [member="Deneve Verd"], [member="Diana Veneris"], [member="Hayato"], [member="Herodias Ren"], [member="Isamu Baelor"], [member="Jagen Wren"], [member="James Solaris"], [member="Kad Tor"], [member="Keira Ticon"], [member="Keric Dynt"], [member="Lok Munin"], [member="Mór-rioghain"], [member="Mesh'la Dral"], [member="Odion Kryze"], @Saaren Lok, [member="Saverok"], [member="Scáthach"], [member="Shia LeFett"], [member="Shiro the Deceiver"], [member="Strider Garon"], [member="Suravi Teigra"], [member="Tyra Gozen"], [member="Vilaz Munin"], [member="Xander Carrick"], [member="Zeradias Mant"]

 

[Travis Caalgen]

https://youtu.be/ZM-XAtAeYBY​

The proximity scanners went off in an instant, causing the base to go into full alert mode. Director Caalgen of Advanced Weapons Research has been working at a secret base on a relatively unknown world in the Outer Rim when a cruiser had jumped into the system and released smaller objects, most likely starfighters or probes. Red lights flashed throughout the base as the white-uniformed man swept into the command center of the complex. "Situation report?" The director requested, anxiously.

"Several minutes ago; A star cruiser, Naboo given by the technical specifications, entered the planets' gravity well and began dispersing probe ships to most likely scan the surface." Lieutenant Graves reported, looking up at the man. 'Naboo was an Alliance-controlled world, why would it come to this back-water not to mention near-uncharted system?' Travis pondered to himself while he stared at the various readouts. "Begin the evacuation of the base and initiate scorched-earth protocol. Divert all power to the cloaking field and jam their scanners, now!" Caalgen spat.

He would sooner die than let the insufferable Galactic Alliance learn of Imperial projects, especially the recently revived Project Blackwing and its involvement on the sullustian starport attack. He had to make sure that everything was either packed up or destroyed.

Even the personnel.

[member="Ajira Cardei"] | [member="Red Cloud"] | [member="Malok"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Travis Caalgen"] [member="Malok"] [member="Red Cloud"]

"This is Lady Cardei to the groundside security contractors. Three minutes ago, a jamming signal began transmitting from a region roughly two to three hundred kilometres east of your position. The signal represents serious technology: even the Jamillia's scanners can't identify its point of origin with any precision.

"What I need from some of you is to take airspeeders or bikes, and sweep a large area of jungle that probably contains the source of the signal. Don't engage unless fired upon; don't respond disproportionately. For all we know, these could just be wary, even paranoid civilians. However, we already know that this star system has a handful of small bases belonging to drifters, smugglers, and pirates. Use extreme caution, especially because the sensor jamming signal may interfere with your communications. Cardei out."

 

[Red Cloud]

[member='Ajira Cardei'] [member='Malok'] [member='Travis Caalgen']

Red Cloud raised his hand to place a finger on his ear piece as Lady Cardei spoke. It seemed like someone with some serious tech had a jamming signal set up. Lady Cardei noted that it could be civilians, but Red Cloud seriously doubted that. More likely it was criminals of some kind with tech like that. People who didn’t want to be found, pirates, outlaws, raiders, he would soon find out. The command was all Red Cloud needed to break off from his group and out on his own. "Heading out" he conveyed over the comm channel in his deep and booming voice.

The Jungle… all too familiar to Red Cloud. His tribe back on Van lived in the jungle. A particularly deadly jungle, where even the flora was liable to devour you. This jungle probably wouldn’t supply the same kind of adversity. Cardei mentioned speeders, but Red Cloud could move faster without one. There were places where you could fit a body, even one as large as his, that you just couldn’t drive a speeder through. However, he would leave his massive blaster behind and make the trek with only the two blades on his back and the two blaster pistols on his hips. Without a second though, he would take off into the jungle to investigate.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

As long as the credits are good.

That was his philosophy whenever hunting a bounty or doing some mercenary work for a client. Vilaz always gave his best whenever doing a high tiered job for a high profile client such as [member="Ajira Cardei"]. He had no interaction with the Naboo Royal, but when the noble had contacted the Aka'liit - or the Mandalorian Faitful when translated in Galactic Basic - it was a must accept opportunity for the Munin and his splinter cell Mandalorian followers. Opportunities like these were what the Faithfuls needed in order to accomplish their quest.

Did Vilaz feel...embarrassed as Mand'alor to be doing mercenary work? Absolutely not. He was not the only Sole Ruler that did work like this. Jaster Mereel, Jango Fett, Boba Fett, and a few others used to do this. He had no shame of doing this because he knew at the end of the day it was for the benefit for his brothers and sisters in arms.

"Let's get 'er done, vode. And set switch to channel four," the Mand'alor in Exile said to his warriors that accompanied him on the dropship which landed a few meters away from Malok's own dropship which was full of Ma'alkerrite. The intelligent ape had the most rusty Mando'a the Munin ever heard, but it was a start. Ever since the behemoth picked up the Mandalorian mantle he started to speak the language and was never mocked at. Not only was it because the ape would badly injure someone, but it was also dishonorable. Some gave helpful comments and advice for the fresh blood to improve his Mando'a.

"Copy that," the warrior replied back to Lady Ajira as she gave out instructions for the security personnel to complete.

"Let's sweep the area, warriors, and be vigilant. Don't depend on your sensors too much."

With the repulsor vehicles provided for them they saddled up and made way for the location of the jamming signal.

[member="Red Cloud"] [member="Ajira Cardei"] [member="Travis Caalgen"] @Malok

 

[Rekha Kaarde]

Speechless, Rekha was looking up at the dome of the first bio dome on board the colony ship. It was an oasis in the middle of the black this one carried trees, and fruits to be transplanted to a new world or left in here would grow to support the travelers.

She was a passenger and part of the crew. Her talent? Pilot. Social Director. Busy Body. Chalk it up to her years as a bartender. Nothing had truly prepared her for this though amazed she was amazed. She wanted to know how this worked, hydroponics? Irrigation? Misting?

She wound her way taking the paths that were obvious well worn. She could feel the cold mist lightly on her arms so moisture was present. She laughed as she felt the excitement pool in her belly, as her arms tingled.

"Feth who would have thought I would be on a colony ship." Rekha followed the path.

 

[Travis Caalgen]

Imperial technicians, stormtroopers, officers, and researchers rushed through corridors carrying multitudes of different equipment. Around two hundred beings made up the population of the secret Imperial research complex; it was no easy task to divert all of them to the escape ship in time before the Alliance came to 'investigate' by sticking their bureaucracy-choked nose into business on planets that were neither their own.

Caalgen was in the process of securing experimental Imperial starship plans, including his very own Conqueror-class Star Destroyer because an alert ensign perked up. "Sir! Perimeter sensors were just tripped, visual scanning shows foot-soldiers." He relayed, pressing down on multiple switches. Director Caalgen thought to himself as he transferred data-files from the main computer to tapes and lightly placed them in a container, "Activate the automated defenses. Turbolasers, laser cannons, point defence; I want this station defended well after the cloaking field goes down, at least until we can make our escape and everything is destroyed. After that, beam transmissions to nowhere in particular just to pique our guests' curiosity; disguise us as the bloody First Order if you have too, just make sure the idiots listening can't trace us back to the Remnant!" The Director barked irritably, grabbing his case and leaving the command center.

Laser turret emplacements would begin sprouting up between the interlopers and the base, while usually used to keep predators out they would make a nasty surprise for anyone caught by its scanners which would fire on anything that moved. Turbolasers and point defense guns would peak out from rock formations and such, scanning the sky for transports or fighters and firing on any that came into range. It was not ment to fend off an invasion, but it would buy the Imperials crucial time.

[member="Ajira Cardei"] | [member="Malok"] | [member="Red Cloud"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Rekha Kaarde"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Travis Caalgen"][member="Rekha Kaarde"][member="Vilaz Munin"][member="Red Cloud"]

From orbit, the sudden burst of perimeter weapons fire looked like a small, diffuse ring of light. Brighter sparks flared as turbolasers took down recon probes and the occasional Mandalorian airspeeder that had flown too high.

The jamming field remained operational, but optics identified a large, complex patch of bare or flattened ground at the centre of the weapons fire. Perhaps that was the top of a subterranean facility; perhaps it was the earth under a cloaked mass.

Visible on Ajira's holomonitors, Mandalorians on foot approached that area and its perimeter. They would still need to negotiate the guns to get closer, and with the jamming field still up, Ajira couldn't send them precise mapping data. The possibility existed, though, that while the Mandalorians were still some distance from the potential facility, the Naboo forces could reach down from orbit and make a dent.

Launchers disgorged a dozen INCIS probes, which accelerated down toward the surface. Intended for short-range high-tension customs scans, the INCIS probes ought to give the mission a better idea of their enemy. Their line-of-sight tightbeam comms would let them report their data in real time. With luck, one or two would get through those guns and take a proper scan.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

It didn't require sensors or a rangefinder to know that laser turrets surfaced from the earth and begun shooting out rounds of lethal blaster bolts at the approaching Mandalorians.

"Cover, now," he ordered to his warriors, everyone dividing off into groups or individually to find some sturdy structure that could give them some decent temporary protection. Unfortunately, there were some casualties as the trap sprung out leading to wounded Mandalorians from their speeders and several dead ones. This was just like any field of battle Vilaz had been through in his entire life. Nothing new or unique, but familiar and old. There would be time to retrieve the wounded and the fallen, but now the Mand'alor and his forces would be more determined than they were before whatever unknown force engaged with them.

"Blast it, we need some kind of visual," that was the first thing they truly needed. They were navigating through foreign waters with no guidance or anything. It'd be foolish to try to advance on without any sense of direction. All they could do was return fire on their aggressors and try to get some idea of the landscape of the playing field.

[member="Ashin Karrde"] [member="Travis Caalgen"] [member="Rekha Kaarde"] [member="Red Cloud"] [member="Malok"]