Skirmish The Kal'shebbol Run (Rimward Trade League vs Sith Order)

[Tales of the Outer Rim]

​

"The newest reports are in," the ORION analyst, a stocky Sullustan, said as she approached the center of the room, surrounded by Council members and Defense Advisory Board members. "Tsis'kaar forces appear to have attempted a coup."

"Unsuccessfully, I take it?" Mya asked, frowning at the news.

"Unfortunately," the analyst agreed, "But our informants are reporting significant numbers of assassinations, bombings, and ambushes." That raised Mya's eyebrows in surprise. Quite a drastic escalation, even compared to the typical political jockeying normal for imperialist regimes.

"What are the official responses from the Sith Order?" One of the Board members asked.

"Retaliation, we think- Subterrel appears to be blockaded." Mya straightened at the word, guessing where this was going.

"And Kal'shebbol?" She asked.

"Reports are unconfirmed, but resistance movements are reporting the governor and leaders of the Sith regime were killed in the first assassination round."

"Can ORION confirm that intel?" That was the critical element.

"We can't, no," the analyst admitted after a moment. "We have no reliable, fast communications that deep in Sith territory yet. Subterrel and close to the border, we can get q-ships in along the system fringes to keep an eye out, but we don't have the ships yet for deep intelligence gathering yet." The analyst's eyes had a yearning look, and Mya stifled a laugh. "And resistance groups aren't exactly the most reliable at intel."

"I'm sure the Defense Advisory Board will take the expansion of the Naval Logistics Auxiliary into consideration," Mya replied, giving a pointed look at the Board members. "But are these reports within the appropriate margin of reliability?"

"We... believe so," the analyst replied, "But in reality, ORION Actual has pointed out that this is our best opportunity- with both targets weakened or in otherwise weakened defensive condition."

Mya shared a look with the rest of the members. One by one, they nodded slowly. At last, Mya nodded with a slow breath. "Commence Operation Solo."

Goal 1: Engage the Sith blockade fleet to draw them away from the Rimma Trade Route by striking at the mining and industrial complexes of Subterrel to damage the Sith Order’s military production capacities. Intel suggests Ash Dragon pirates may work in the Subterrel system. Perhaps they can be reasoned with and bought off. If not, consider them hostile. Land assault troops near the mega foundry- seize as many resources as possible and destroy what's left.
​

Tension hung in the air aboard the small fleet of vessels as they jumped from system to system, skimming along the border of Sith-occupied space. Far enough away that they could see an attempt to intercept them and break away, but close enough to be seen. Not a battlegroup like had been summoned to secure Seswenna, but a dedicated task force escorting collections of transports carrying the Special Reconnaissance Regiment and volunteers from the Mobile Infantry Corps. Officially, and as an open secret, it was a retaliatory strike for the raid against Tantra and Denab.

They knew there was only a slight chance of getting home for many of them. But that was the nature of raids like these and why everyone involved was a volunteer- many from Terminus, Demonsgate, and Kal’shebbol. Partisan veterans who had fought for the Outer Planets Alliance knew that while they were a sacrifice, but it was one to give their homeworlds a chance to continue the war. ORION had identified a megafoundry on Subterrel- dedicated to refining and processing the ores necessary to fuel the Sith war machine.

A target of enough strategic value to be significant enough to defend- but the world itself was not worth the effort of a full invasion. And suppose they managed to cripple the foundry. That would draw in resources from across the occupied territories to restore its production capabilities, meaning that would be taken away from the war efforts-- and just as importantly, it should mean shifting resources to a known system that the privateers could concentrate their raiding efforts on. But if not, it would still draw attention and troops away from the true target…

Goal 2: A convoy of smugglers, Undergrounders, and other irregulars work to run the gauntlet of the Sith boundaries, carrying critical humanitarian and military supplies to the world of Kal’shebbol to equip and train resistance cells. Increase the effectiveness of the riots and resistance strikes.
​

Aeshi brushed a bead of sweat off her forehead with the back of her gloved hand. The tension was notable in every muscle. But this was something worth doing. A way to punch back at those who felt they were entitled to punch down just because they could.

The Requiem was at the front of a convoy, tracing its way through the Kathol Rift toward Kal’shebbol, one of the main worlds of the Kathol Republic, whose League-recognized government and forces, currently in exile, were preparing to adapt their homeworld under occupation. She had gotten a hint through her family contacts to the Jensaarai, and thus to ORION, to get all of the trustworthy free traders, idealists, and Underground volunteers ready to move on a specific location within twelve hours of the go-signal. The signal had come and she reached out. The volunteers had mustered at Exocron, hidden within the nebula before launching on the fastest possible route to reach Kal'shebbol. Aeshi had heard the rumors about the possible civil war in the Sith Order as much as the rest of the galaxy. And that was good enough of a reason to try and take advantage of the uncertainty and chaos.

But this mission's goal was to make it difficult for the Sith to effectively occupy Kal’shebbol and the other worlds of the Republic at the end of the hyperlane. The counter-attack from the League would come, but not yet. This would lay the foundation. They didn’t even all need to get through. Just enough of it to spread out and disperse across the planet. Cache, distribute it, whichever worked best, but it would be ready to rise up and start draining the occupation forces of resources, hopefully weakening the border defenses for the future...

​

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

The Requiem
Cargo: Liberty's Flame whiskey bulk crates, They Shall Not Pass pamphlets, bulk Red Bacta, AXC canisters, M.I. Electrostaves, M.I. Model 38 Blaster Rifle
, M.I Model 5 Compact Blaster Carbine, M.I. Model 6M Blaster Pistol, M.I. Model 13 Anti-Material Rifle, M.I. Model 7 Shotgun

Now this was podracing. Aeshi could feel the tingle of excitement running down her spine as she watched the coordinates flash by. "Thirty seconds to the border crossing," she said over the convoy's channel. Not that really was much of a border out in space. Frontiers were better descriptors. Vast swathes of space without anything in it to be worth occupying or guarding whose ownership sort of blended together between rival powers depending on who could get ships there the quickest and in the most numbers. "Anything can happen- we'll be charting our own microjump course between Eliad and Demonsgate."

Her first mate shifted uncomfortably at that, remembering the last time she'd used uncharted microjumps and they ended up in an entirely undiscovered system. "Keep your shields primed and weapons loaded- nobody can search out the entirety of the Outer Rim, especially not here in the Kathol Rift."

It was one of the galaxy's more chaotic and unpredictable regions, but one she was deeply familiar with after living out here for the past few decades. "Could run into AangiTii, weird space monsters, or a secret Sith laboratory- there could literally be anything."

 

[Cryx Tillian]

MOBILE INFANTRY
3RD DIVISION/1ST INTRECON COMPANY/12TH PlATOON

They had called for volunteers and many had answered. Newly commissioned Lieutenant Cryx Tillian, formerly of the Terminus Free Republic Intelligence Service, ORION, and the Jensaarai, had been among them. Between his training and experience as an intelligence operative and then further training of the Mobile Infantry Assault Survival School, he felt ready. That didn't mean he wasn't nervous. His platoon had been tasked with working with a team from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment to go in first and map the target. He had some recon images of it on a holodisplay, circling slowly in the transport.

Several square kilometers of high-strength durasteel, machinery, and twisting networks of metal processing, with estimates that it probably ran between a kilometer and a kilometer beneath the surface. It was a monstrosity of engineering.

"Yeah, it's a tough nut to crack," the SRR officer grinned as he spoke. "But can't be too bad. We just go in- run the sensors to pick up critical energy elements, mark them with beacons, and let the rest of you droptroopers come in behind, grab as much as they can, and blow up what they can't, and then let the fleet handle the rest."

"It's what's under the surface that concerns me," Cryx replied, rubbing his chin. "The foundry has too much metal causing interference with the sensors. Force only knows what's down there."

The SRR troopers just chuckled. "See, if we know- it would be boring. That's why we're special recon and that's why you're intel and recon." Cryx grinned back, not quite feeling it. He'd heard that Rhiza Dural had been appointed by the Defense Advisory Board as the overall Captain-General for this op. From what he'd heard, she was experienced with the Ashlans, but he wasn't sure how well that would hold with a new military force and one not reliant on Jedi for leadership or expertise. While mental games would always be a problem, if any Sith got within lightsaber range, they could hit them with the AXC. Give them some hallucinations, weaken their Force connection, maybe even send them into an overdose coma. It wasn't exactly a reliable tool, but it was cheap and easily produced and issued to the Joint Strategic Command forces.

 

[Rhiza Dural]

Location: Subterrel
Objective: Assault and sabotage
Tags: Cryx Tillian - open to engagement

Spoiler: Equipment and links

Personal Equipment

• White bladed dual phase light saber
• Electro-whip
• Riftblade
• Viper mk1 skinsuit
• Ashlan Rosary
• Energy Bolas
• throwing shuriken
• Sairenro Shuriken pistol
• Empyrean Gland
• Morðingja-class Personal Cloaking Device

Starships

• Oubliette class transport
• Sciss class stealth fighter using this ship for thread
• Ballerina Interceptor mk ii

Rhiza's cloaked heavy fighter skimmed low across the roofs of the huge factory sector as she looked for insertion point. She was running delivery right now and would rendezvous with the main assault shortly. In the passenger compartment of her craft were four jedi, two spectre Knights and two padawans. Their objective was to be a distraction the would pull focus from the main assault. They were not here to capture territory, they were not here to hunt Sith, this gave them the flexibility to assault and fade as they wished. The mobile jedi had the capability to cause as much nusciance as a much larger force if they did not have the requirements of fixed objectives. She pulled her ship into a close hover above one of the buildings and opened the door. "Enjoy yourselves, rendezvous as point kappa on my signal. May the force be with you." from the back of the invisible ship dropped the three figures and into the megastructure they vanished.

She brought up the Holo communication to joint strike command. Before speaking she quickly looked at the readings from a pair of drones she had deployed in order to try and breach the surface and scan the unknown areas below. No luck yet. <<Insertion made at point B. Still no readings from deep insertion drones. The deadline for the assault is approaching so I will provide support for the mobile infantry and insert where I can be of assistance.

I am not detecting any large preparatory build up, I believe we have the element of suprise still. Green like for the assault once the remaining pieces are in position>> There was a nod and a smile from the man at the other end of the holo as she ended the connection and accelerated across the city towards the position currently being orbited by Cryx Tillian and the mobile infantry. She sent a message to the lead vessel. <<1st Intercon, this is Spectre One, I am in your vicinity in a cloaked vessel. Green light is given for assault. I will provide air support and situational awareness until such time as I am needed on the ground.>> Jedi masters such as her were a great force multiplier, but only if applied in the right spot. For the moment she was more useful up here.

 

[Primarion Hiperius]

​

Three Months Ago
There needed to be a fallout, a confrontation, a fight. And they needed to win it, both by arms and minds. But it couldn't be easy. The Progenitor had to suffer so that his sons could be unleashed onto the true target, that they could achieve the truest of goals and eliminate the primordial threat. It was not meant to be pretty or soft, it needed to be believeable and for that, it needed casualties. Casualties among brothers for a greater good. Would they eventually see it as a crime? As the great wrong it seemed to be? Or would it be the finest hour, the most noble of sacrifices in a Galaxy of death, terror and injustice?

When he executed the last guard of his genefather, Primarion was still conflicted about it. It felt strange to kill someone who grew up as he did, who had the same ideals which he did, who had similar equipment as he did. And yet, it was his duty, it was his purpose and if the way led here, it was still the way to go. He felt no remorse or sadness, neither anger or disappointment, it was merely a sense of waste. He was not raised to feel or show anything else, to stand above what drove half the Galaxy mad, to ignore what made the other half dangerous. The Jedi would probably bow their heads to this idiom of selflessness and lack of pride. A perfect pose for them to be decapitated. That's what he saw. Opportunities, chances, openings for the final goal. Even the imperial knight, Aoki Mira, did not understand or comprehend the level of commitment. He saw in her eyes that she believed him evil and wrong, but he simply was necessary.

So was this battle. He had led the First Legion against the Skytroopers and Agema of his father, he convinced the other Legions to stay back and watch how he deposed the Force User which led them. A more than formidable warrior and duelist, Aurelian Sigismund was more than a match for Primarion, but he had trained him, and had trained him well. The Agema was of little concern, they were still the bio-engineered individuals which preceded the clones, therefore the Imperator and his retinue quickly cut them down. An honourable end to their service.

The Hegemon on the other side was an extreme of experience and prowess. Millennia of training and warfare, the finest equipment any warrior could dream of and he was truly a genetic and physical marvel. But nevertheless, the fight was relatively short. The Force Dead aura was, despite being used to it, an impairment and while Primarion was free of conscience, pride and morals, Aurelian was not. He was fighting his firstborn son and was more than unwilling to destroy him. So the titanic clash was short and intense and ended with Aurelian and a portion of the fleet jumping into hyperspace while Primarion and the majority of the Legions and fleet, were now in control of the Invictus Antagonistis, ready to follow the plan.

Ready to join the Sith.

​

The Imperator of the renamed First Praetorian Legion was sitting on the command throne of his patrol ship, two more flanking it. It was the new template for patrolling Sith space, by orders of Primarion, only a handful of Legionnaires were to be deployed unless there was actual need of them and during deployment, they were meant to send the best. It was not a show of force, but of commitment and skill they wanted to give to their new 'overlords' who they had so passionately hunted before.

So on this patrol there were only three Legionnaires, Primarion, Karaddon and Demetrius, each on their ship, each a veteran but only Primarion being a Maiores, the other being normal clones of their genefather. They were more than capable on taking on pirates and small organised task forces. They each had dozens of boarding pods with Skytroopers on board and could also deploy them to the surface, supporting against insurgencies or similar.

As usual, Primarion was alone with his thoughts. He sat on the command throne of the absolutely empty 'bridge'. The GEMINI unit was in the room behind and it was doing 100% of the operations on the ship with the Imperator observing sensors and watching traffic, both ship and coms of the region and realm at large. There were several of these patrols forces deployed around the Sith Order's realm to counter attacks, pirates, protect trade routes, typical patrols.

They were on their way from Polis Massa to Rutan, stopping in important systems along the way and doing routine checks. It was both to offer a insight to how they were working as well as showing they were willing to work, basic duties fulfilled with excellence.

Ready to jump on an incident in an instant.
​

 

[Darth Strosius]

​

Objective: Secure the Industry
Equipment: Lightsaber, Sword, Dagger, Armor
Tags: Cryx Tillian / Rhiza Dural / Primarion Hiperius

​

Subterrel, one of the few worlds under the total and blatant sway of the Tsis'Kaar, had become quite the target as of late. The moment that the Ouroboros Crisis began it would only be a matter of time before the resource rich world would be subjected to a siege by the rest of the Sith Order to reclaim the industry and rob the Tsis'Kaar of one of their valuable bases. And Alisteri was well aware of that.

"The perimeter sensors are already picking up signs of traffic coming into the system, we don't have long before the first of their fleets arrive! We should be shoring up our defenses!" The overseer of the mega-foundry had a rather annoying voice, Alisteri noted as he attempted to ignore the yelling by reading over the datapad in his hand. It was simply a ledger of the various materials and tools as well as the more sophisticated machinery littered across the complex but it seemed like the most interesting thing in the galaxy at the moment.

"Evacuation is-" "Necessary." The masked man finally looked at the flustered overseer, their walk across one of the main factory floors paused as he turned to face him. "Subterrel is too valuable to bombard into ruin. They won't destroy this place, Empyrean may be a fool but even he's smart enough to know that relying on Carnifex's Malsheem to produce weapons of war is too much of a risk to take. They'll capture this foundry because losing it would mean a shift in the status quo, meaning we have time to evacuate what we can for our own uses."

The overseer began to sputter out another argument but his words were cut short as he suddenly grasped at his throat, choking and falling to his knees as the Sith loomed over him. "This is not a debate. I am ordering you to begin dismantling and evacuating machinery immediately. Or else I'll find someone that can." It wasn't like he couldn't find some other high ranking factory worker after all.

He dropped the datapad on the ground before the choking man, having made a list of the key machines that he wanted moved on it. "My forces and myself will buy you all the time you need. Now get your workers and begin the dismantling, we don't have much time after all."

 

[Leddie Gred]

Ship: Kessel-class Armed Courier

Leddie was sure her parents would kill her when they found out, but Leddie wasn't a little kid anymore, and she wasn't gonna sit by while other Gred runners went out to break a blockade. She looked at V-3, who whistled a bit as the transmission from Aeshi Tillian about them crossing into Sith space. Leddie took a deep breath.

"I'll be ok bud. All we need to do is get to the planet. Easy right?" Honestly Leddie had never seen a more "Are you crazy" look from an astromech in her life, but she could handle this. Her aunt had taught her flying after all, and she was one of the best pilots around. She could handle this. And the cargo full of weapons would be fine. Totally fine.... Hopefully fine.

 

[Khamesi Aivar]

​

Objective: Stall for Time
Equipment: 1 Vodal Class Strike Frigate, 3 Agrias Class Rapid Frigates, 3 Shikkar Class Assault Corvettes, 12 Thanaton Class Corvettes, 6 Ichthon Class SpecOps Corvettes, 3 Muur Class Transports, Kuartzoa Raptor B7 Interceptors, Errubi Z5 Assault Fighters, Zafiroa K1 Bombers, Reaver Class Boarding Pods, GS-77 'Tsrotzhu' Gunships
Tags: Cryx Tillian Rhiza Dural Primarion Hiperius Darth Strosius

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Captain Zhardev the Hutt was a minority among his kind. Intelligent, brave, clean, and most noticably, built to fight with a gift for command. It was these aspects that had landed him as Khamesi Aivar's second in command despite her, understandable, hatred of Hutts. He owed her his life, his neck had been the next on the chopping block for his sabatoge of a rivals slaving operation. Now he found himself a renegade, employed by a Sith and the order she was currently loyal to. A commander of pirates, and at the moment, the appearance of mercenaries. His fleet and the troops within it were respectable by the standards of any pirate force, fast and well disciplined, but against a professional military, they found themselves lacking the firepower needed for stand up brawls. Which was why Ash Dragon Flight 3 was currently in a holding pattern above Subterral, just outside of engagement range and not moving to begin fighting. Not out of any intent to betray the Sith, but because they'd recieved coded orders to stand down until reinforcements arrived, and to stall for time. So that was what Zhardev was doing. He broadcast on an open line.

"Attention hostile forces, this is Zhardev the Hutt of the Ash Dragons. For the moment, I have orders to hold position, and not engage unless engaged, regardless of orders from the Sith that control this world. My commander is currently examining whether our contract was intended for such a high risk battle. If you do not engage my forces, we will remain in position till we have orders otherwise. If you wish to make any statements on how we should rule, now is the time."

In reality, his commander was on her way with reinforcements under the hope of repelling the enemy force before to much damage was done, though the veneer of mercernaries and pirates, rarely cosidered honorable sorts, did give his message an air of legitmacy. Especially given the reputation of the Ash Dragons for accepting surrenders and treating captured forces well, barring slavers.

"I repeat-"

The broadcast began again after a three second delay for any incoming response. In reality, those three seconds were to send a simple encoded message to the forces on the planet below.

[Encoded Transmission]

"Reinforcements in route, hold firm till new troops can be deployed."

[End Transmission]

It felt somewhat rude given Alisteri Haxim was below, but Zhardev didn't have much time, and only sent a single encoded pulse before cutting that line. The risk of interception and de-encrpytion was to high for his tastes, but he couldn't let the Sith think Khamesi and her forces had abandoned them. After all, she was quite firm in her continued support of the Tsis'kaar cause. Now he could only hope that the enemy forces took the bait. If they didn't, his forces were fast enough to kite and harass them for some time, but eventually he would have to flee or surrender if Khamesi took to long to arrive.

For his part his forces were arrayed to maximize the coverage of their Point Defenses, with their fighters and interceptors operating as an extension of that, and the rerst of their support craft and bombers remaining inside their parent vessels. This was clearly a defensive posture, a message that they had no intent to engage the enemy fleet. The only catch? The gravity wells that could be projected by their Ichton corvettes were active, and carefully measured to match the range of the fleets weapons. The message was clear, cross the threshold and there would be no easy retreat, a sort of line in the sand that crossing would begin the space battle. Zhardev hated this, he preferred to plant his axe in the enemy and let their weapons bounce off his own armor, but he was a commander first, and he had to do what was best for his forces, and for now, this was it.

 

[Atlas Drake]

SURVEY SHIP CONSTELLATION
Aeshi Tillian Leddie Gred
​

Captain Drake kicked a flickering starchart back to life. In brighter days he kept his ship operating at peak condition, but resources were dwindling for Kathol holdouts still bold enough to resist Sith occupation. His republic navy field jacket looked threadbare and he nursed a stimcaf in hands trembling from exhaustion.

"Captain Tillian," Drake sent a transmission to the convoy, "Fastest course through the Rift is to cross the Horns of Waryl. It's a risk but might be worth taking."

The Horns were a trinary star cluster with mass shadows dense enough to force sublight travel. Turbulent solar winds threatened to burn inexperienced pilots up on their cosmic shoals. BD-7 scanned the map and beeped in alarm.

"I know, BD. Kal'Shebbol needs these supplies, so I need you to be brave for us both."

 

[Kimora Min]

​

Deep within the bowels of a residential building, a single room lied with 5 occupants. A single light hung from the ceiling, dimly lighting the room fully. Only one occupant could be fully seen as the light rested directly above them. They appeared beaten and battered. Restrained to the chair to restrict any movement. Three stood around him, standing as they look down upon their prisoner. Across from the prisoner, Agent Kimora Min sat there, eyeing him down with her right leg crossed over her left knee and her arms folded across her chest. The room's silence was broken by the heavy breaths of the prisoner on occasion.

"You can end this. Right now. You just have to tell me what I want to know, Otto." Kimora explained. "Who's supplying the rebels?"

With no response from Otto, Kimora sighed and looked at one of her agents. He then took his stun baton and jabbed it into Otto's abdomen, delivering a heavy jolt of electricity through his body. After a few seconds the agent relented and pulled the baton off of Otto. Kimora stood up and walked over to him. She bent over and placed her hand under his chin, lifting his face up to hers.

"This is your last chance Otto. Tell me what I want to know and you'll go free. Keep your secrets and I can't protect you." Otto responded with only a snaggletooth grin. Kim quickly let his face go and stormed out of the basement, ascending the stairs and walks outside the building, leaving Otto to what fate he decided for himself.

Kim sighed as she stuck a cigarra in between her lips before lighting the end of i. She breathed in smoke deeply before exhaling. She was starting to grow tired of the lack of progress she was making. Kal'Shebbol was growing closer to ignition, burning away what the Sith had built there. Only if she failed. She knew that. She wouldn't let that happen. Not without a fight.

 

[Nyles Kote]

Friendly Units:

• 5x HSD-01M Beviin-class Heavy Star Destroyer
• 10x HF-03 Gar'buurenaar-class Heavy Frigate
• 5x HC-01 Tra'phatir-class Heavy Cruiser

Ally Tag(s): Cryx Tillian | Rhiza Dural | Rimward Trade League
Enemy Tag(s): Khamesi Aivar | Primarion Hiperius | Darth Strosius | Sith Order

Equipment​

• Armor:
  • Verd'jurkad'gam
  • 'Ysalamiri Birikad' Nutrient Frame
  • Vambrace Weapons:
    • TBP-01V Tractor-Pressor Beam Projector
    • PC-05V Plasma Caster
      • Plasma Gas Medium Cannister (1)
    • MML-01V Miniaturized Missile Launcher
      • Cretanr'ika-class Guided Plasma Micro-missile (4)
      • Striilir'ika-class Brilliant Micro-missile (4)
    • CP-03V CryoBan Projector
  • Back-mounted:
    
    • A-03S Verpine Shatter Autocannon
• Implant(s):​
  • 'Alr' Pilot Enhancement Package
  • 'Gar Tkiriyr' Neural Interface
• Melee:
  • B-01M Beskad
  • K-02M Kal (2)
• Sidearm(s)
  • LRH-5A Verpine Shatter Pistol w/ 'Kyrayc Sur'haai' 1-4x Short Range Optic
• Rifle(s):
  • RR-04B Ripper Rifle w/ 1-12x Medium Range Optic and UGL-02 Underbarrel Grenade Launcher
• Explosives:
  • Flex-5 Detonite Tape (1 roll)
  • Smoke Grenades (3)
  • Flash-Bang Grenades (3)
  • Class-A Thermal Detonator (2)

Fleets were expensive. There were many officers that he'd met in his time that questioned how a naval force as sizable as the company's could be run for profit. The answer wasn't nearly as complicated as many would initially be led to assume; it was through the precise application of force. Well, and a healthy appetite for getting one's own hands dirty as often as called for it.

Strill's capital ship assets had for the longest time since the CIS contract been doing nothing much more than swatting the odd pirate and of course racking albeit very low for their class maintenance costs. Sure Isotope-5 was exponentially more efficient than many other traditional fuel sources and the aquaponics bays kept the crew fed, the costs accrued were never zero. In corporate terms, his ships were underperforming assets that weren't pulling their weight. That changed today.

The League's letter of marque wasn't exactly the company's next big financial breakthrough, but it was certainly credits that they could use. Credits that his ships were now pulling into company coffers. Most importantly however, it was something to do that wasn't chasing down the odd pirate or self-styled warlord. It was a real fight. A real fight that carried with it the great risks of bringing much of the Sith warfleet down on their heads.

Deployment of the Morut or any of the company's other flagship or command level assets here was a waste, a tempting waste, but a waste nonetheless. This was, after all, a distraction. Nyles was not the kind of commander, like most Mandalorians, to order his men into a potentially lethal distraction without flying straight into haran with them.

Kal Netra was Nyles' former commander's ad'ika, and so far he was shaping up to be every bit the canny naval commander that Nyles knew his retired buir to be. It wasn't despite this that he'd chosen Kal's ship as the taskforce flagship, but because of it. Nyles glanced at Kal as the ship began to drop out of hyperspace. "Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur," he said softly.

"Shab 'lek," intoned Kal in emphatic agreement before going back to impatiently watching the display. The Manda battlenet's main tactical display came to life, five Beviin-class Heavy Stardestroyers. ten Tra'phatir-class Heavy Cruisers and five Gar'buurenaar-class Heavy Frigates flickered onto view on the display, followed by the League's ships, finally followed by the enemy ships, two or three at a time as their sensors warmed and registered them.

All of the company ships already had a far smaller sensor signature than ships of their class should have. Energy baffled sensor blinds and emissions disguisers made identification of their ships notably difficult while sensor dampeners piggybacked the jamming signal off of incoming sensor pings. As the active jamming systems went warm, as was part of combat readiness protocol, things got a lot less clear for enemy sensor operators. Their ships were definitely out there, but their EWAR suite's dedicated energy receptor projector significantly reduced long-range sensor resolution and severely degraded long-range communications.

"Me'sene Tra'alor'an, transmission detected!" called the comms officer. Nyles nodded at him, and taking his cue, he played the message.

"Attention hostile forces, this is Zhardev the Hutt of the Ash Dragons. For the moment, I have orders to hold position, and not engage unless engaged, regardless of orders from the Sith that control this world. My commander is currently examining whether our contract was intended for such a high risk battle. If you do not engage my forces, we will remain in position till we have orders otherwise. If you wish to make any statements on how we should rule, now is the time."

"Jareor'la, or di'kutla," sighed Nyles. "We'll see which soon enough. Patch me through." As he waited for the icon in his HUD to inform him that he was connected and transmitting, he quickly gave orders over the Manda battlenet for all ships to charge their UAC-01S ultra-heavy accelerator cannons, set ion sheathe and load HEIAP rounds. That was not to be his opening punch, additional orders went out to launch 'Ver'gebuir' Drone Sentries along with their fighter complements and to prepare to launch nagnol gas countermeasure rockets. Ideally, that was going to buy him some time, or rather, buy him the distraction he needed.

The connection icon in his HUD flashed, signifying that he was connected, "This is Fleet Admiral Kote, Strill Securities, on contract with the League. You're outgunned and in no position to make demands. This is how this is going to work, you're going to power down your weapons, shields, targeting, sensors, scanners and drives. You'll stand aside as we land transports. Failure to comply or attempt to stall and we'll open fire. Comply, and let's talk about you and yours walking away from here."

Nyles turned to Kal and sighed, "Tell Ruus to get ready to get his shebs off this ship in a hurry." Kal let out an amused snort before nodding, a very subtle gesture in full beskar'gam with one's buy'ce on, and then turned to do as he was told. Nyles watched as fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons launched from their carriers as he watched the situation carefully on the tactical map. As much as he loathed it, it wasn't his move any longer.

 

[Primarion Hiperius]

Objective: I - KICKING THE NEST
Allied Tags: N/A
Enemy Tags: Nyles Kote , Darth Strosius , Cryx Tillian , Rhiza Dural [Rimward Trade League | Tsis'kaar]
Neutral Tags: Khamesi Aivar [Unknown]

Patrol Dorn-1-1

• 3x Raptor-Imperialis-class Cruiser

He blinked the data away as a stream of information started to come up on his HUD and also through the ships systems. Both his uplink and the GEMINI fed him with new data about unusual coms activities as well as ship traffic in the Subterrel-System. A tenth of a second long cross-checking on the status of the planet and its installations showed that there were Tsis'kaar installations there and no report so far of them being fed back to the Order nor claimed by the Eternalists or Kainates.

Yet the rudimentary pings and information they got from the system showed massive sensor feedback before it more or less got decreased drastically. Either a system error or a fleet entered and followed procedures of narrowing its signature through whatever means. Primarion did not believe in errors as much as he trusted in his guts to tell him that something major was occuring in the system.

With another blink he opened the data on his ships and patrols. Who was in range to be assembled quick enough to assist and support him to rush to the system? He was doing the calculations while also formulating a message to Sith Fleet Command and Jutrand Headquarters, expecting that someone would at least be interested in the mining world, if not in potentially hostile forces, internal or external, in the region.

"This is Dorn-1-1, Imperator Hyperius speaking, detected potentially hostile forces in Subterrel System. Investigating and engaging if necessary. Dorn-1-1 out." It was short and direct and whoever heard it could do with it as they pleased.

Meanwhile he had accounted for five patrols being in proximity to converge into the system, including his own. Dorn-1-1, Dorn-1-3, Esk-2-1, Onith-12-1, Resh-5-8. All with the same composition, all with the same amount of troops on board. But only his and Esk-2-1 could make it there at the same time, the others would come in afterwards. He sent a command to all of them through the GEMINI network to rally at a point outside the system and move on from there, that way they wouldn't split up and could fight together. They had the speed to engage if the enemy would run, but needed to see first what exactly was going on.

Primarion transmitted the command to immediately turn the ship and patrol non-verbally before it dived into hyperspace and rushed towards the system. The entire decision making, message sending and giving of commands had taken less than a minute, the automation and uplink with the forces as well as neural enhancements gave him the possibility to work on multiple tasks at once with intense focus. Plus it was a military operation and he was made for them.

While the blue optical sensations of hyperspace rushed across his face, he was looking into the disposition of his troops and ships. The majority of ships and Legionaries were at and on the Antagonistes in deep space, awaiting a deployment or rotation. By checking the data from Subterrel again, he came to the conclusion that three-ship patrols were not sufficient. It would not allow for the Phalanx-Protocol to be activated and take a lot of strength from the ships. He was already re-organizing the patrols and sending newly evaluated data to the Antagonistes to take care of the deployment while he was engaged, they should not encounter this problem again.

War was always on the doorstep and they should treat it exactly like that. War.

​

 

[Lossa Darcuhl]

Location: Subterrel System
Equipment: Skinsuit, Jacket, Rusty Green Jumpsuit, Left Bracer, Plastoid Shingaurds, Mix and Match Harness
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber, Concealed Blaster, Nasty-Stabby
Tools: Fusioncutter
Personal Ships: Skiptown, The Buzzard, with V-2 Minimech 'Skid'
Tags: Khamesi Aivar Primarion Hiperius Nyles Kote

Hours Prior
"You want me to what!?" The Zeltron nearly screamed into the communication system. The fizzle of static across the relay making her wince at the what she'd just been told.

"We are entrusting you with backing up Strill Security with a smaller assembly of vessels to aid in distracting the Sith while-"

"Oh sith-spit and fethin chit. You realize I've-"

"Miss Darcuhl. We know this is well outside the usual tasks we have provided. But we are shorthanded with multiple goals and are diverting what we believe to be capable assets as needed." The naval officer cut her off before she could deny them. Her thumb rising to her mouth as she chewed the nail and wrapped an arm around herself.

This was completely out of her wheelhouse. They expected her to help someone like Strill? The guys who knew what they were doing on a given day even dropped randomly into hell at a moments notice?

This had to be a sick joke.

"What-Are. Chit. Are the ships already assembled?" She finally relented to the task. Her shoulders sagging in the seat as she pulled down the navigation systems and snapped her fingers at Skid.

The little droid was already working however, and she spared him a scowl as the comm fizzled once more.

"They are assembled and waiting. Though Strill has already moved forward." She grimaced at the news, a small whine of aggravation paired with freeing her hands and rubbing her face followed. A drawn out grumble pushed through the harsh rub of her face, irritation taking hold as she tapped the line.

"Have them meet me enroute. No sense in taking the long way. Darcuhl out." The snappish reply the only thing further sent along the encrypted channel as she forcibly punched the comm system.

Skid warbled at her, disappointment heavy as she rubbed her aching hand with a growing ire. She'd done it to herself, but that didn't keep her from being irritable.

"We were going to do the easy stuff. Fly in some supplies. High tail it out of there. And now," Words shot over her shoulder at the droid as she adjusted the engines to maneuver the cargo vessel around. Setting the engines at idle before opening up the hyperdrive systems to spool up. "Now we get to sucker punch sith and hope we get away with it."

The slow whine of power drawing to the system prompted her to complain more as she whirled in the seat to stare at the droid.

"And I get to tell people what to do. I don't even like telling myself what to do! And now I have to tell other people what to do!" Words spat as she threw her arms up and slouched in the pilots seat. The Buzzard was magnetized to the hull of the Skiptown, and the thought of how it would work alongside joining a larger group.

A worry she'd save for when she arrived as the rendezvous coordinates were received. Spinning back around, she punched in the coordinates with a shake of her head paired with an aggravated sigh. The effort rewarding her with a scratchy throat.

"Fethinchitfethinchitfethinchit." She grumbled as she engaged the jump and watched for her signal to drop from hyperspace.

Subterrel System - Current Time
-x2 Bellicose Class Frigate - Affinity, Indignation
x4 Combined Squadrons of Multi-role Droid Starships (160)
-x3 ES92 Nebulon Cruiser - Divinity, Dignity, Destiny
x6 Combined Squadrons of Multi-role Droid Starships (240)
-x4 CR90 MKVIII Corvette - Fractal, Forager, Fidget, Finder
-x2 Foray-class Corvette - Cutter & Clipper

The only solution for her vessel had been to slave the systems to the Indignation. The vessel that had been the assignment for the commanding officer that had failed to arrive. In their place, Lossa sat reading over the materials pertaining to the assembled vessels as they made their final jump to the Subterrel System.

Their arrival just inside the edge of the operations area but well behind the Strill group.

Her eyes wandering over the assembled vessels in wonder about how she would arrange the pieces when she barely knew anything about commanding a crew.

Never mind a small battle group.

"Get me the name of the one who was supposed to be leading this group." Waving her hand around to catch someone's attention as she clicked over to the next screen and skimmed the contents.

This was seeming more like a throwaway group than a daring raid party. And it was hard to ignore the insignia that adorned the top of each page with her own knowledge of the manufacturer for her private ships.

"We've dropped from hyperspace Ma'am."

"Alright." She nodded quietly, a deep breath taken as she paused her scrolling to look up. The signs of conflict yet to happen as she let the datapad settle in her lap. "Oh. Oh Chit!"

She stood, glancing over everyone as air gathered in her cheeks, puffing them out before the breath was released.

"Uh. Figure out, uh. Who's who. Like. Friend and enemy. And uh, get me a secure comm to friendlies. And get weapons ready?" She stumbled through what she'd seen on old war holo's. The only bits of experience she'd had with naval operations. Nothing she'd brag about given she'd barely paid attention to even those as she looked over the viewport to the assembled ships around them.

"Get the Nebulons around the Affinity. Two on each side. Put the Indignation behind the Affinity with the Cutter and Clipper on either side between us." She pointed as if it would happen that instant, catching the operations and communications officer with her orders. "The smaller ships take a spot between the Cutter and Clipper and the Nebulons."

She frowned, looking over the vessels well ahead of them at a standstill for the moment.

"So much for a sudden sucker punch." Came the musing bite at their operation.

 

[Strill Securities]

Friendly Units:

• 2x HC-03M Kyramud-class Heavy Multi-role Corvette (both escort corvettes deployed)
  
  • Uliin'ver'gebuir Solus
  • Uliin'ver'gebuir T'ad

Ally Tag(s): Aeshi Tillian | Atlas Drake | Rimward Trade League
Enemy Tag(s): Kimora Min | Sith Order

Captain Arla Kyrr was not one to normally pass down an opportunity to spit in the face of the dar'jetii, and she sure as haran wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. The Uliin'ver'gebuir was not at all like her last command in more ways than one. Sure she wasn't going to be striding in taking the fight to the Sith fleet herself, but what she was carrying was going to be a thorn in their side, and she wasn't just carrying cargo. One of the company's elite rammikad units was aboard. They were going to be teaching the good people of Kal'shebbol just how to hit the dar'jetii where it hurts and live to tell the tale.

If any of those dar'jetii came looking, she could certainly give them something to think about. The Uliin'ver'gebuir could easily punch at and even above her weight if it came to it. Arla got the feeling that it probably wasn't though. Convoy lead Aeshi Tillian 's reputation preceded her, and though the a'verde of those rammikade, Saram Kote couldn't personally vouch for her skills as a navigator and pilot, she only had good things for how well she could carry herself in a firefight. That was good enough for Arla.

"Thirty seconds to the border crossing," she said over the convoy's channel. Not that really was much of a border out in space. Frontiers were better descriptors. Vast swathes of space without anything in it to be worth occupying or guarding whose ownership sort of blended together between rival powers depending on who could get ships there the quickest and in the most numbers. "Anything can happen- we'll be charting our own microjump course between Eliad and Demonsgate."

"Captain Tillian," Drake sent a transmission to the convoy, "Fastest course through the Rift is to cross the Horns of Waryl. It's a risk but might be worth taking."

As she stood at the main tactical display, comms traffic from the convoy lead and local Captain Atlas Drake caught her attention. Arla personally had nothing to add to this discussion, she was unfamiliar with this part of space. Most of her former cargo runs had been mid rim focused, as had the majority of the company's business for as long as she'd been employed. Her helmsman gave her a tilted buy'ce look that she'd come to understand as one of concern, but she gave him a reassuring nod that seemed to assuage him.

"While we wait for our burc'ya to figure out what route to take, keep yours eyes peeled. I don't trust those dar'jetii shabuire not to run into us somehow," said Arla, breaking the silence that had set in on the bridge once more. A chorus of "Elek, Alor'ad" answered her. Whether that actually ended up being the case or not, one thing was for sure, things were definitely about to get interesting.

 

[Khamesi Aivar]

Objective: Stall for Time
Equipment: 1 Vodal Class Strike Frigate, 3 Agrias Class Rapid Frigates, 3 Shikkar Class Assault Corvettes, 12 Thanaton Class Corvettes, 6 Ichthon Class SpecOps Corvettes, 3 Muur Class Transports, Kuartzoa Raptor B7 Interceptors, Errubi Z5 Assault Fighters, Zafiroa K1 Bombers, Reaver Class Boarding Pods, GS-77 'Tsrotzhu' Gunships
Enemy Tags: Lossa Darcuhl Rhiza Dural Nyles Kote Cryx Tillian
Allied Tags: Darth Strosius
Unknown Tags: Primarion Hiperius

_____________________________________________________

"This is Fleet Admiral Kote, Strill Securities, on contract with the League. You're outgunned and in no position to make demands. This is how this is going to work, you're going to power down your weapons, shields, targeting, sensors, scanners and drives. You'll stand aside as we land transports. Failure to comply or attempt to stall and we'll open fire. Comply, and let's talk about you and yours walking away from here."

Zhardev listened to the message silently and sighed. Of course Mandalorians had to be involved, he barked orders within his ship as he had little choice but to refuse. He did not fear death, he would comply with the wishes of his Commander, and her wishes were to survive till reinforcements could arrive.

"Tactical analysis?"

He turned to his bridge crew, each hand picked for their competency as the tactical map at the heart of the bridge focused solely on the engagment before him. The balance of power was sorely against his side, but he would wait for the analysis of his officers before making a decision.

"Sir! Outgunned and outarmored, but with the squadrons not assigned to any ships and those still prepping for launch from the surface, we have an advantadge in starfighter numbers. Their weapon coverage is broad, and the ship class is unknown. Best estimation? Assume high flexibility in the roles the ships can peform. Firepower is focused forward, and data on coverage is currently spotty, assume weaker aft or belly defenses, but still potent. Boarding would be risky but not impossible, our troops are well trained for it and while Mandalorian armor is superior to our own, we have a great deal of experience against entrenched armored positions in boarding scenarios. Between our droids and that experience, we may be able to hijack or cripple some of their ships, but expect high losses even with success."

His second in commnad preesented the information quickly after getting individual assetments from his lesser oficers. So they only advantadges they had was speed, and an overall greater number of starfighters. The extend of the enemies weaponry and defenses were unknown, and being Mandalorian ships, boarding would be far from easy. He couldn't just stand down, he refused to. So with a heavy sigh he ordered his ships into motion. His ships began spreading out, maximizing defensive screening and using their speed and manueverability to keep some distance from the enemy ships as the bombers waiting in the wings began to deploy or arrive. The majority of his attached gunships he ordered to remain planetside and provide fire support for Alisteri's forces, and his interceptors moved to provide the gunships with anti-starfighter support. That left him with his fighters, his bombers, shuttles, and boarding pods. The boarding pods were to vulnerable to launch from this distance, and he refused to close till he had better data on the enemy ships. If they wanted to engage him properly, they'd have to give chase to keep their weapons in range, otherwise this would be a parasite-craft battle. Still, few of his ships had assigned craft, almost all of them were based out of planetary hangars, he could only rearm and refit a small amount, the rest would have to make do with depleting weapons or try to return to the planet.

Still, he was forcing a tactical choice on his opponent. Maintain orbit and be harassed but able to deploy soldiers and orbital fire, or give chase to his ships and limit the options of the Leage's planetary assets in this battle. Either way, he could work with it. If they gave chase he could move them out of position so Khamesi's incoming fleet could flank behind them, exposing their rear to whatever firepower she was bringing. If they didn't, they were stationary targets against a larger, though admittedly not signiciantly so, starfighter force, allowing his ships to either swing wide and assist the ground forces with a time delay, or wear through Fleet Admiral Kote's supporting forces, and leave them more vulnerable to boarding actions or strikes from his own bombers. It wasn't a strategy that would win the battle, but Zhardev could buy himself and the other Sith here time to limit damage or open a chance to actual cripple the enemy. About five seconds after his ships started moving from his orders, he transmitted over an open line.

"I'm afraid Fleet Admiral Kote that your demands are untennable, I will no sooner break a contract to save my own neck than you would purposely disgrace your Clan or House. I do regret having to engage with Mandalorian forces, even mercenary ones, Admiral Aivar counts members of House Vizsla as friends and allies, when possible we are to avoid Mandalorian engagements to avoid damage to these ties, even on accident. However, our word is our bond, and our standing orders are that when given commands that would gurantee a breaking of that word, we are to refuse. As Ash Dragons, we would rather die fighting and free, than dishonored or in chains. Mayhaps if we both survive this we will find ourselves allies in the future, but as it stands, your demands have forced my hand to engage. I am sorry. Kote at gar Me'sene Tra'alor'an Kote, o'r parjai ra kyr'am.


He sighed as he muted the line. He left it open, it was often useful to communicate with the enemy in battle, but he could not allow his orders to leak as he waited for the chaos to truly begin. Many of his troops would die today, for if he betrayed Khamesi or the Sith, his fleet would be forever hunted, and all of them owed her their freedom and lives. Well, all the important members anyway. The Ash Dragons had grown to big to be purely freed slaves or covertees anymore, but even the new recruits had loyalty drilled into them. They may survive without their leader, but she had lead them to thrive, and in war, someone always dies. There was no changing that, even for her. Zhardev could oly hope more survived than not, and Khamesi arrived with reinforcements enough to force a stalemate or even turn the tide.

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

The Requiem
Cargo: Liberty's Flame whiskey bulk crates, They Shall Not Pass pamphlets, bulk Red Bacta, AXC canisters, M.I. Electrostaves, M.I. Model 38 Blaster Rifle
, M.I Model 5 Compact Blaster Carbine, M.I. Model 6M Blaster Pistol, M.I. Model 13 Anti-Material Rifle, M.I. Model 7 Shotgun

Leddie Gred Atlas Drake Strill Securities
Kimora Min
=================================================================

The Horns of Waryl. A trinary star system in an inverted pyramid, unless you flipped your ship one hundred and eight degrees, at which point it became a typical pyramid. Sublight travel through the system- intense solar winds. Not the easiest place to fly- let alone if they ran into a Sith force or station there. She had to admit it would be the perfect place for a research station or black site.

"Appreciate that, Captain Drake," Aeshi said at last, considering, studying the starchart in front of her. "You're right- it is the fastest and most dangerous, which could mean the safest."

A moment's pause as she closed her eyes and considered for several long moments. Were she alone, she would have just done it, no problem. It felt right to her. But that didn't mean it was perfect for everyone.

"Captain Gred, Captain Kyrr," Aeshi said at last, "Let's put it to a vote- yes or no. Traveling the Horns means cruising at sublight through very hazardous and chaotic space. I'm confident I can fly it solo, but I'm not leaving anyone behind on this run."

There was too much at stake. Too much risk. Splitting up increased the odds of a chance encounter and if they were discovered too early, they would be the bait in this operation. Not that she knew what the actual distraction was, but she didn't want to be the distraction accidentally. Running as a single ship was easy- running with more than that was a gamble at best. And with warships, they generally had the survivability. But most of the vessels on this run did not.

She studied the starchart for several more moments, closing her eyes and tracing courses with her hand, letting instinct and feel guide her or what felt off. This wasn't the best way to astrogate instinctively, but she had the time for the moment and the chance to maybe get a headstart on where she was planning on flying. Comms off, she glanced to her Imyni first mate:

"Run as many simulations and records on cutting through the Horns as you can and see if there's any recent records of gravitic and solar flares." The avian just raised a wing and turned to the navcomputer.

By the Force, this was why she liked working independently. Nobody was relying on her.

 

[Lucia Naberrie]

Location: Subterrel Megafoundry - Subterrel
Objective: I: Kicking the Nest - Blow up the Megafoundry
Dialogue Legend: <<Ghoul-Speak>> │ “Galactic Basic”
Tag: Cryx Tillian Rhiza Dural Darth Strosius

KHRD Type 2, Unit 410: Report Status.

KHRD Type 2, Unit 410: Active - All Systems Nominal. Combat Effectiveness Rating: 100%.

New Directive: Destroy the Designated Targets at the Subterrel Megafoundry. Mission Priority: [High]. Warning: RTL and Tsis’Kaar Assets in AO. Approach with Caution. Confirm Directives.

New Directives: Received and Confirmed. Present Status: Arriving at Target Area.

The mission profile was simple and direct: terrorism and asset denial.

As it stood, the Kainate had very few material interests in Subterrel, as most of their power was concentrated in the Stygian Caldera, with the notable exceptions of Eliad and Terminus (the former of which was directly controlled by Lucia’s master). And yet, with little for the Kainate to gain, there was much on Subterrel that the Eternalists and the Tsis’Kaar could lose.

The likes of which included a nigh-irreplacable megafoundry.

Having arrived on foot, Lucia had spent more than half a day approaching the facility, carefully evading patrols and surveillance systems as she did. Once she was inside, she began to stealthily make her way to the first target given in her briefing: the primary molecular furnace in the heart of the facility.

In a few minutes time, she hoped to render it into little more than a charred ruin.

Spoiler: Loadout

• Bloodflower Sapphire
  
  • Gauntlets
    
    • FAE/M-02 Energized Gauntlet Vibroblade - L
    • FAE/M-02 Energized Gauntlet Vibroblade - R
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
  • Utility
    
    • Synthspray
  • Droid
    
    • IBIS Drone
• Hekler'Kok CS-01
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • 10 Gauge Slug (40)
    • 10 Gauge Explosive (16)
  • Attachments
    
    • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
• 93-R FAS “Dragon’s Breath” Slugthrower Pistol (2)
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • 20 Round Magazine - Incendiary (5)
    • 20 Round Magazine - Thumper (5)
  • Attachments
    
    • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
    • Whisper-class Suppressor
• General Purpose Explosive - Placed Charge (4)
• Detonator

 

[Vera Tillian]

RIMWARD STRATEGIC COMMAND
23RD CRUISING SQUADRON
COMMODORE-GENERAL: Admiral Huil
Khamesi Aivar Primarion Hiperius
Nyles Kote ​

Ships	Shields	Hull
SDFS Fearless	100	100
DNS Kerch Kushi, DNS Mina Bonteri	100/100	100/100
DDF Herald, DDF Phalanx, DDF Pilgrim, DDF Pathfinder	100/100/100/100/	100/100/100/100
SNF Prospector, SNF Rockrender	100/100	100/100
SNF Stazi, SNF Nien, SNF Ackbar	100/100/100	100/100/100
PNF Bastion, PNF Indomitable, PNF Fury, PNF Praesitlyn, PNF Terminus, PNF Kal'Shebbol	100/100/100/100/100/100	100/100/100/100/100/100
KNF Chimera, KNF Cyclops, KNF Krayt Dragon,	100/100/100	100/100/100
RRS Endurance, RRS Enterprise, RRS Constellation, RRS Endeavour, RRS League, RRS Outer Rim,	100/100/100/100/100/100	100/100/100/100/100/100

​

The bridge of the Fearless vibrated with excitement as the swirlds of hyperspace turned to streaks and then stars. Subterrel's star shone faint and small in the far distance, just barely visible in the vastness of a star system.

The diminutive Ugnaught Commodore-General stood from his chair and paced back and forth, adjusting the plain tunic he wore beneath his vac suit.

"Reversion, complete, Commodore-General," one of the navigators said, glancing up from the bridge. The Ugnaught stroked his white hair and nodded sagely.

"Remarkably done," Huil said with a fierce nod. "I have spoken." He strode to the bridge's center and stared out the front viewport.

"Strill Securities privateer fleet has already arrived and made initial contact with the force in orbit- intel suspects it to be Ash Dragons."

"Relay me forward to the lead ship of the local force," Huil said, striding back to his chair and settling into position, interlacing his fingers. There was a moment's pause as the holotransmitter sprung to life and the communications officer searched through the channel until finding the open channel. She pressed a finger to her ear, listening for a moment and then nodded.

The transmitter flickered to life and Huil clasped his hands behind his back, clearing his throat.

"I am Commodore-General Huil of the 23rd Cruising Squadron of the Joint Strategic Command." He paused for a moment, watching the communication officer nod after ensuring the transmissions' strength. "My best estimate is that you are the commander of the Ash Dragons, and I am authorized to offer you a contract: twenty thousand thousand credits in mixed currencies of your choice and safe passage for your ships and any passengers you wish to take aboard within the next hour, in exchange in not getting involved. A secondary, larger contract is also on the table should you be willing to join us against the expected Sith Order blockade. I have spoken." He finished with a nod as the transmission deactivated.

After a moment he flicked a switch and the lights switched to red, sounding the alarm through the ship and the rest of the fleet.

GENERAL QUARTERS- ALL HANDS TO GENERAL QUARTERS.

Huil waited a moment and then activated his vacsuit. "Deploy the fleet- divisions one, two, and three." At the order, the squadron began to split apart, with the third division hanging back at the reversion zone and slowly rotating around to secure the main reversion point- with the Kerch Kusi, Herald, Prospector, and a third of the smaller vessels peeling around with them. The Kerch Kusi and Herald adjusted their relative altitude as well, with the Kusi moving in a relative downwards position a few thousand meters before angling the bow upwards toward the galactic plane while the Herald mirrored it several thousand meters above the relative plane, with the Prospector, Stazi, Bastion, Indomitable, Fury, Constellation, and Endeavour spreading out in a semi-circle along the middle plane.

The rest of the ships split into two even divisions, with the Fearless at the center of the first division, escorted by the Pilgrim, Rockrender, Nien, Praesitlyin, Terminus, Chimera, Endurance and Enterprise. The remaining ships split off into the second division, forming a rough semicircle around the largest ships in their division.

"Begin launching fighters," Huil said, "And send the pickets ahead while we await the response from the Ash Dragons."

​

RRS Endurance
Jessica Bowers NE-1 Nej Tane Gambit TE-236

Commander Vera Tillian curled and uncurled her fists on the edge of her command chair aboard the bridge. There was a tenseness in the air as they deployed from hyperspace and shot ahead of the rest of the fleet.

In the tactical display, the golden colors of the League fleet flashed into behind while the green colors of Strill securities populated as well.

"Patch us through to the privateers," Vera said before waiting for a moment. "Strill Ships- this is Commander Vera Tillian of the Rimward Ranger Service, currently leading the vanguard of the first division of the twenty-third cruising squadron."

It felt strange to say since the 23rd cruising squadron was an administrative fiction explicitly created for this operation. Not that there weren't actual cruising squadrons, but this wasn't one of them. It was summoned from the various defense forces from systems such as Suarbi, Kerest, Praesitlyn, and Sullust, but without weakening the primary defense positions.

"We'll rendezvous with you shortly, moving to secure the center while the second division moves to our left flank. Do you feel confident on holding the right flank?"

 

[Cryx Tillian]

JOINT MOBILE INFANTRY CORPS/SPECIAL RECON REGIMENT
3RD DIVISION/1ST INTRECON COMPANY/12TH PlATOON
OPERATION SOLO
INTRECON/SRR TRANSPORTS AUREK AND BESH
PERSONAL LOADOUT: All personal gear/armor listed in mobile infantry, M.I. Electrostaff, AXC Canisters (8), MI 6M Pistol, MI 5 Compact Blaster Carbine, PS 118 Blaster Shotgun
SRR TEAM: 12 special recon troopers-mix of weaponry listed- including MGLs, BR-1s, electrostaves, anti-material rifles, AXC canisters
12TH PLATOON: 4 Squads of 16: mix of weaponry listed- including MGLs, BR-1s, electrostaves, anti-material rifles, AXC canisters

Rhiza Dural Lossa Darcuhl Nyles Kote
Darth Strosius Primarion Hiperius Lucia Naberrie Khamesi Aivar

​

Cryx stared at his chrono as the last seconds counted down. It buzzed softly in the palm of his hand and he looked up.

"Fleet should have just reverted to realspace." A few long steps brought him to the pilot's cabin, where he leaned against the bulkhead, balanced precariously with the weight of his gear. "Bring us out as close to the planet as possible."

"Damned tricky flying," the Ishi Tib pilot grunted, but shrugged. "But not the worst I've seen." Cryx doubted it, but he was a Tillian, and rough flying ran in their blood. He moved back to the cargo bay where half of the initial INTRECON team were strapped in. Cryx dropped into the bucket seat assigned to him and fastened the safety harness.

"Secure harnesses, prepare breathers," Cryx called over the sound of the engine and the rumble of machinery echoing around them. "Team Aurek with me will be landing on the localized north sector of the facility, ID'd as point one. Team Besh will be landing on the localized west side of the facility, ID'd as point two. Spectre team has inserted at point B- and Spectre 1 is in a holding pattern. We'll try and rendezvous ASAP once we land. Aurek will move south-south-east while Besh will move east through the surface portions of the facility until we rendezvous at the center and regroup with the Spectres for exfil."

A pause as he adjusted the channels on the Temiye ansible, "Spectre One, INTRECON reads- green light acknowledged and assault inbound." He switched it off and tightened the harness. "Green light, green light. We are a go."

The engines of the hauler grumbled and grunted as the pilots overrode the security to jump through the mass shadow of the system and the planet before forcing the hyperdrive to cut out. His stomach lurched and twisted at the sudden reversion, and his face went green. But after a moment, it passed as his inner ears settled back to normal.

Not that it felt much better, hurtling towards the planet just below the speed of light. The transports slammed into the atmosphere's edge with a jolt that Cryx felt in his bones and rattled his teeth, despite the mouthguard. Gravity hit him like a Force push, and the shields' edge burned hot from friction before the thrusters kicked in. He slammed forward into the safety harnesses as the ship decelerated at uncomfortably high speed.

"Hot landing," the pilot called over the intercom. "Departure time in three minutes."

It was a long three minutes as the two ships hurtled downward, splitting gradually apart at the different approach vectors to bring them closer to their landing zones.

Cryx counted the time in heartbeats before the ship slammed to a halt and the passenger bay door began to retract.

"Move your asses!" Platoon Sergeant Mylnar roared over the sudden rush of the thin, toxic atmosphere into the vessel. "Straps, ropes, out! Straps, ropes, out!"

The words drilled into Cryx's mind as he went through the motions automatically, disconnecting the safety harness and kicking a rope bolted to the floor out the door before wrapping himself around the cord and stepping out of the door, sliding down onto the surface. The carbine was in his hand instantly. He moved away from the deployment zone as a series of other ropes hit the ground around him, accompanied by the two squads and half the Special Recon team. Each moved out deliberately, pushing the perimeter further and further out. After less than a minute, the transport was hurtling away, just above the planetary's surface.

"Packs on!" Cryx called, "We hike the rest of the way: five klicks out."

There was a muffled grunt of excitement as the squads split into staggered columns with fields of fire to provide cover for the others, where they moved smoothly, but not at a run, zigzagging up and down across the slope of a pile of mining spoils. Rochs and debris shifted and slid beneath them, but the troopers moved carefully until they could get a view of the facility.

"Feth," one of the mobile infantry troopers grunted. "That's a Force-damned city- not a foundry."

"Cut the chatter," Cryx grunted, taking a knee and adjusting a pair of electrobinoculars. "Sniper teams, spread out across the spoilers and hunker down- focus fields of fire to parallel our approach- relocate to cover our move through the facility once we reach the perimeter."

JOINT STRATEGIC COMMAND
1ST VOLUNTEER RAIDERS
MIF BRAWLER, MIF PATHFINDER, MIF LIBERATOR

An ad hoc volunteer regiment, albeit not full strength. Something that had been nearly unheard of in the past. But this was probably a suicide mission. So only volunteers were accepted for this mission, but many had offered. After going through the files, command had settled on the expatriates from across the League- mostly from Termins, Kal'shennol, Elrood, and other worlds under occupation.

They knew what was being asked of them and, more importantly, why it was being asked of them. They didn't know what made up the other half of Operation Solo, except that in the vaguest sense, it would have something to do with helping their homeworlds launch a full uprising.

"Admiral," the assault frigate commander said to the fleet. "Raiding fleet is present- can we begin the assault?"

They were behind the third division that was holding the reversion point, settled safely between the different divisions. "What defenses are breaking through?"

The intel filtered back, and the frigate commodore frowned in thought. The current planetary orbital defenses were small and primarily privateers, and the frigates could likely survive a direct run through the ships, but the risk of casualties was too much. They would have to wait momentarily or begin a long, drawn out approach in an attempt to outflank them.

 

[Darth Vriya]

At the outskirts of the expansive megafoundry, at the top of a comparatively unassuming guard tower, a woman sat meditating, her eyes closed and breathing slow. Slowly, eyes still shut, she adjusted her long white hair which flowed over her pure black robes, putting it into an orderly bun with a hairpin. A faint smile crossed her lips soon after as she delved into the cool, refreshing presence of the Dark Side of the Force, invisible lines of dark power being centered on and drawn into her.

Ah, so it begins. I had feared this stint of duty would be dreadfully boring, simply keeping the workers in line and dealing with the errant rebel or two. It looks like we have stirred up real opposition instead…how fun!

She could already tell that some had made it past their defenses in orbit coming down to the planet, but who and how many of them she was not quite certain of yet. She reached out with the Force to try to ascertain what kind of prey she might be feasting upon today-would she be lucky enough to run into a Jedi? Some real tough soldiers? Enemy armor? Dark tendrils of power sprung forth from her, speeding out over the bleak terrain of Subterrel to try to ascertain her curiosity.

Force Sense: 16.25 average with modifiers (Expert, near Masterful)

Ah...infantry...trained, it seems...commandos I would wager...and...someone else...A Jedi? No, not quite. He's hard to make out exactly, I was lucky I sensed him to begin with, he's shifty in the Force. I can't pinpoint him at this range...but no matter...I discovered his men and their disposition. If he's anything like most Jedi, that will draw him out. How fun! It's been a while since I had to actually hunt someone...
​

Vriya smiled as she rose from her meditative pose, drawing one of her Phrik lightsabers and holding it in her right hand: it would spill much blood this day. Then, she moved quickly down from the guard tower, out into the rocky perimeter of the foundry, careful to keep low and to move cautiously, so that she would get into a good ambush position against the first element of enemy forces that had the misfortune to cross her path, the poor souls not knowing that she was carefully tracking their every move and the storm that was about to hit them.

Cryx Tillian Darth Strosius Primarion Hiperius Lucia Naberrie Khamesi Aivar Rhiza Dural Lossa Darcuhl Nyles Kote​