Faction The Dawnite Uprising (Risen Empire)

[Gabriela Siegfried]

Oaken Dawn

The world barely knew a time it wasn't under Imperial rule. Some resented the Empire for controlling them. Some resented them for stealing their women in order to marry them off. Some didn't care. And then there was Gabriela. She was the head of the house of Siegfried, and leader of the ruling council. Everyone looked to her for guidance and leadership. They looked to her to solve their problems because they were unable to do so themselves. She resented them for their weakness. They would stand up to each other, some of them, but not a one had the backbone to stand up to the Empire. At least, she hadn't thought so.

In her case, she tolerated the Empire. She didn't like them, not by any means, but they were technologically superior and had a greater fighting force than Oaken Dawn could muster even if they tried. Fighting them was suicidal and she preferred to live.

There had been a few that tried to stand up to them. One of the lesser houses, Elariel, had gotten a little bit cheeky and plotted against ther Empire. Of course word got out and people were killed for it. For such a house to have thought of such a thing was foolish. Bringing others into it was selfish and stupid. They'd all paid the price for it and the end result was her own rise to power despite not having anticipated such for several years. Of course she made changes really quick and was determined not to upset the apple cart. Life wasn't that hard with the Empire if trouble wasn't made. She would make sure that remained the case.

So, when she heard that one of the other, larger, houses had managed to get their hands on Imperial weaponry, had fortified their compound, and were prepared to attack the planetary garrison, she decided to do something about it. She, as the local leader, had been gifted with what the Imperials called a comlink. It was a small tube that transmitted voices across large distances. She found it strange, but she did like the ease with which she could communicate.

"Hello," she said into the device. "I have information for you."

She waited for a moment to see if someone would respond and then, "Go ahead, Ms. Siegfried."

"House Cordova has captured some of your weapons and intends to attack the planetary garrison in the next few days. Their home has been fortified as well. I would appreciate it if you minimized the loss of life when you deal with them, but you have my blessing to kill them off."

Yes. The whole family. Even the children. Examples had to be made and she had no problem making them. Revolts needed to be put down hard.

 

[Kreslin Westwind]

Kreslin walked along the outskirts of the garrison walls, his trusted and heavily modernized ARC-9965 held loosely against his shoulder. The weapon had served Kreslin well over the years, and despite the wide variety of modern blasters used across the galaxy, he had always come back to it. The sheer fact that a blaster rifle could come close to the same accuracy as some sniper rifles and still be used in close quarters if needed pleased Kreslin, and he had plans to start a new project of providing the soldiers of the Risen Empire with a modern version.

That plan however would have to wait. Tonight was a time of action, and Kreslin was looking forward to getting started as the sun set a short time ago. When the Risen Empire had contracted his services a few months before, he had been hesitant. They had desired to bring the views of the modern galaxy into their burgeoning military, so that their own forces would not be caught unaware by what they faced at large. In the end, Kreslin and a few dozen others had been brought in, and the soldiers of the Risen Empire had been whipped into something resembling shape in only a few months time. They weren't quite ready for the biggest bruisers in the galaxy to take a swing at them, but for the foes they faced today, they would be more than prepared.

Growling beneath his breath, Kreslin passed two Stormtroopers setting up a heavy weapons position behind some hastily stacked crates. One of the leg joints to support the weapon had been loosened during the hasty set up, and any prolonged fire from the team would see it collapse, potentially even firing into the soldiers to either side of the weapon in the instant before the operators released the trigger. "Fix that bloody support joint, or I will make sure we use your body as a replacement!" The words did not entirely make sense, and even Kreslin knew that, but the swift kick to the back of the Stormtroopers head, light as it was, ensured that the message came across.

Just as he was finishing his final survey of the defenses, his eyes calculating in his mind the coming possibilities when the lights in the surrounding few blocks of the city cut off. The low chatter among the soldiers on the walls and the barricades below fell silent at almost the same time, and Kreslin could feel the tension radiating off them as they stared into the darkness. The planetary garrison, a rather large compound located near the cities political district, was surrounded on all sides be buildings and apartments, many of which the non-military working personnel lived in. By Imperial order, none of the buildings were taller than the walls of the garrison, preventing the prospect of snipers firing down into the complex, or using grapple units to fly in. It was a small comfort, but today it would be a good start.

Several minutes passed in silence as the Risen Empire garrison waited, staring into the darkened streets and alleys around the garrison, and waiting for the inevitable attack they had been warned about. Their opponents were sloppy, that much was clear. Any force hoping to use the darkness to their advantage should have attacked the moment the lights were cut off, capitalizing on the momentary shift and confusion it would have brought. As it was, when the first rebels began advancing down the streets of the city, the soldiers of the Risen Empire were ready.

"Now!" The single shouted order from Kreslin sent over the Risen Empire comm-line suddenly activated all of the exterior lights of the garrison. They had gone dark at first like the rest of the city, and Kreslin expected that the enemies, when they had cut power, had hoped they would be cutting it off to the garrison as well. However, Kreslin had spent what time he had in preparation to have the engineers switched the garrisons power from the city circuits to a back up generator located beneath the garrison itself. It would not last nearly as long as the cities power supply, but it would do well enough for the time being.

As the blinding lights arced out into the city, the advancing rebels were blinded by the sudden shift, and those who had been outfitted with night vision equipment were in a much worse position. Before they could recover, the garrison soldiers, who up until then had held their fire, opened up into the front ranks of rebel soldiers, tearing them apart in a salvo of red and green plasma fire. When finally the rebels regrouped and launched their next attack, they came in much greater numbers. Return fire began to pound into the defenders positions, and as Kreslin crouched behind one of the barricades, placing individual bolts into rebels as they tried to push forward, he began to see the causality reports filing across the corner of his visor.

It was going to be a long night...

 

[Cris Verdine]

Location: Oaken Dawn Garrison
Objective: Defend the Garrison
Tags: Kreslin Westwind

Spoiler: Section

Sergeant Drel [ST - 7051] - Section Commander
Corporal Arzure [ST - 8310] - 2IC
Corporal Verdine [ST - 4065] - Section Medic
Lance Corporal Meeko [ST - 8427] - Heavy Weapons Specialist
Lance Corporal Xand [ST - 6423] - Rifleman
Private Biz'nala [ST - 9458] Rifleman
Private Korr [ST - 8990] Ammunition Bearer
Private Mindy [ST - 9839] Rifleman
Private Gisterr [ST - 8742] Rifleman
Private Ninda [ST - 9100] Rifleman
Private Harbon [ST - 8745] Rifleman
Private Vinn [ST - 9874] Sharpshooter

As soon as the lights were activated they started firing. Cutting down the rebels like a farmer with scythe. The backward people of Oaken Dawn had naught the training or experience for modern warfare, something they were about to experience first hand. Cris felt the recoil of the blaster as he wasted another rebel, 2 clean shots to the head. Next to him was his sergeant, barking orders through squad comms. "8427, 8990! Move to my position and begin laying down suppressing fire! 8310, grab 6423 and his fire team and move to Besh Section's position! 4065 you head with them, they've taken casualties." and in an instant the enitre squad moved to action, Meeko and Korr laying down supressing fire while Arzure, Verdine, Xand, Ninda and Harbon moved over to Section 4s position.

Cris felt the thud of his boots as he moved across the defence line, the sound of blaster bolts wizzing overhead was an uncomfortable sound. As the fireteam reached Besh Section's position Verdine saw the damage that had been done, some lucky rebel managed to get a detonater into their bunker. The cries and screams of injured troopers could be heard as they made their final approach. Cris burst through the battered doors and before him stood 10 troopers, half of them were dead or beyond saving, Cris had no doubt about that. Torn limbs, mangled bodies and blood everywhere. Seemed as if the blast landed on their ammo dump. Three troopers still stood, firing out of the bunker and 8310 and 6423 rushed to join them while Verdine ran to the 2 wounded soldiers who lay before him.

Verdine got to the first man and grabbed his Medical datapad, scanning the man. Lacerations across the body, minor concussion, fractured arm. Seemed he was lucky. Verdine set his backpack aside and got to work, deploying his mobile Autodoc to treat the injured trooper. Cris moved to the next man, far worse condition. Lost both legs below the knee, quick scans show his left arm had been broken and he suffered shrapnel wounds in the shoulder. Verdine grabbed his comms unit and spoke. "ST-4065. Need stretcher bearers at my position. Severly injured trooper at Bunker 6, lost both legs, bone fractures, numerous other minor injures." he said before putting his comms unit done and grabbing two tourniquets and putting them on both legs before stabbing him with a shot of morphine. Around him the screams of the dying troopers began to fade away, their injuries had been too severe to treat and it was better to let them die in order to save another.

Verdine began removing the troopers armour, and his HUD revealed more info about him. "ST - 9083 | Private Jindra Kazan| Tours: 0 | Length of Service: 0.0246575/10 years" Cris did the math in his head. The poor soul had been active duty for 9 days. Verdine quickly dismissed the message from his HUD and got back to treating the man. As the bleeding from his legs slowed down Verdine got a closer look. Legs were mangled pretty bad, treating them here didn't exactly look viable. He grabbed his laser cauterizer and got to work, sealing the wound shut. A temporary fix, a more permanent one would need to be applied in the field hospital, behind the frontline. Verdine checked his datapad, vitals stabilizing, blood loss slowing down. He moved on to the broken arm. Multiple fractures, the bones looked shattered, something he couldn't treat here. He grabbed 4 portable splints, extending them out and placing them on the trooper's arm, keeping it in place. Just as he finished the stretcher bearer's came in, two army troopers with white helmets and a medical insignia on their arm.

Verdine helped them load the trooper onto the stretcher and talked to them as they transported him. "Two missing legs, both lazer cauterized, morphine has already been applied, arm has splint attatched to it. There wasn't much else I could do for him." The two troopers nodded and Cris returned to the bunker and packed up the autodoc. The other trooper fared a lot better, he'd need time to rest and recover though. Cris grabbed one of his squadmates. "Private. Get this man to the field hospital." he said handing him a datapad with a list of injuries and treatments applied. "Give this to the medic there and then head back here." the trooper nodded. "Yes Corporal" he said before picking up his squad mate. "Come on Janks, you're gonna be alright." Cris heard him say before taking up his position in the bunker and firing off at the rebel forces. It was indeed going to be a long night.

 

[Quaela]

Location: Oaken Dawn Planetary Garrison, Oaken Dawn
Objective: Defend the Garrison, Freeze the Cordova Rebels

Spoiler: Gear and Equipment

• ISB Asset Outfit
  • MV-18 “Force” Class Vambraces
  • Energy Projected Helmet
  • SG-1001 “Vishnu” Military Shield
  • B-11 “Gretis” Class Combat Boots
    • CMP Doctor Holdout Disruptor Pistol

Accompanied by a an elite squad of ISB Handlers, each clad in the distinct armored uniform and helmet of the Risen Empire’s secretive intelligence organization, Quaela had been deployed within the streets of the city itself rather than the walls, in an offensive maneuver intended to break the morale of the House Cordova rebels with a violent display of preternatural Force. Unlike the Inquisitors of the ancient Galactic Empire of which the Risen Empire was born from 800 years later, Quaela did not command any troops, nor did she have any authority within the military. Even the lowliest Risen-Imperial Army private was afforded more freedom than her.

In essence, she was an asset.

That made her more valuable than any private, but she was also considered to be a risk due to her Force-sensitivity, a far more dangerous one than an Imperial Army conscript with a fresh-from-the-factory blaster rifle and a standard-issue BDU. Unlike most Force-sensitives in the galaxy, who enjoyed power beyond measure due to the extreme potency of their “gifts”, Quaela was in effect, a slave. The implant would ensure absolute loyalty from her where her handlers could not, guaranteeing that she would either submit or die.

With House Cordova’s attack on Oaken Dawn’s planetary garrison, submission now meant killing as many of the rebels as possible, while breaking their morale by leaving a trail of frozen corpses.

And so, the moment lights when out across the city, her handlers gave her signal for the beginning of the attack.

Calling the Force within herself, Quaela extended her hands towards a nearby rebel soldier and within moments, a cold-blue discharge emanated from her hands before violently drawing the heat directly from the man’s body. The soldier let out a sudden scream which was frozen across his features for eternity, suffering a far more severe case of frostburn than even the cold winds of Hoth could inflict upon an unprotected body. His cry quickly drew attention from his comrades, but in the next second, Quaela caught two more in her frozen grasp, flash-freezing them within moments and rendering their bodies into frozen husks.

The ISB handlers took care of the remaining few, and from there, the small squad moved to engage the incoming rebels...