The Red Tide Rises ( Galactic Alliance Dominion of Keres I )

[LT-137]

Artwork by [member="Lilin Imperieuse"]


Once enthroned within the heart of the Deep Core, Keres I - through the machinations of beings beyond mortal comprehension - had materialized on the fringes of the Sluis Sector, near the Alliance-held world of Praesitlyn. The landscape, according to salvaged records, had at one time been nothing more than a rocky and barren wasteland that held sparse pockets of human life. It was a system fit for mining and contained a ripe bounty of minerals beneath its crust, but after the Netherworld event and the sudden translocation of the planet to the Outer Rim - it's become something else entirely.

Twisted by the residual energies of the Netherworld, the craggy surface of Keres I had been warped into a hellish landscape of nightmarish proportions. Where life had flourished within prefabricated biomes, nothing but ashen revenants and distant echoes remain.

The world was dead...

That was until a distress beacon began pulsating on the surface. Emboldened by the notion of survivors, ones who could perchance describe the cataclysmic events that had wrenched this world out of time and space, the Galactic Alliance mobilized several vessels to aid those people that had activated the signal. However, as the relief convoy had orbited the world - things took a turn for the worse as their savior mission quickly became a desperate fight for survival.

Contact was lost mere hours after the Flotilla's arrival, leaving High Command without answers - but wary of sending more men to their alleged deaths. Was this a deadly Vanguard trap, disguised as a Temporal Anomaly?

Or, was something more sinister at play...

-- Enter the Brave Alliance Heroes. --​

Dominion Objectives:

Seek the Truth: This world was once teeming with life, though sparse as it was, but has now gone silent. Proceed planetside and discover the fate of those that once lived upon the surface - but be warned - the world had passed through the depths of the Netherworld, and it's possible more than just the planet was twisted into an unrecognizable form.

Reclaim the Flotilla: Adrift upon the solar tides, a flotilla of Relief Vessels bearing the signal pennants of the Galactic Alliance resides in Orbit of the corrupted world - doomed to die an agonizing death as the titanic forces of gravity worm its way through each transport's fluted corridors. Board the Flotilla, Reignite the frigid embers of their engines and Recover the crucial Supplies within.

Bring Your Own Objective.

 

[Liliane]

[ 01 ]
Objective 1

Lilin, once again, found herself heading for a planet full of mysteries and perhaps some fighting. Handed a vessel once again, Lilin was on her way to see what exactly was going on at the planet Keres I. It was right between the Galactic Alliance and Kathol Outback space, floating around and just chilling there. How had it not been explored before, the girl didn't know. But she would definitely find out soon.

She was not the one guiding the ship to the planet -- it had a few pilots there, as well as a group of Jedi and soldiers ready to find out the truth of what was happening on that barren world. Whispers spoke of the Nether and dark side auras, but Lilin had not yet been to the planet, which meant she had no idea what truly were lurking in the shadows of this wretched place.

The ship was landing, not quite on the planet yet, but also no longer in the atmosphere. The high commanders had been very cautious of the planet and sending any more troops in, but they also had to know the truth.

And Jedi were the seekers of truth, so Lilin thought she would do fine if she was granted some people to go with her. Not even her stubborn and foolish thinking would have ended up with her going there alone, not even speaking of such a strange command coming from a commander. Of course she had some people with her.

This vessel soon touched the soil of the world and the Jedi Master was ready for anything.

"Ready?" she asked from the few people who were in her ship.

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

{Objective 1}
{Post 1}

Keres I. There wasn't a planet, he knew of, that more closely resembled the hellscape of Sullust. Having been with the Alliance for some time, he had once questioned the need to initially locate the faction and academy in such an environment. Brutal, unforgiving. But with time spent meditating within the cells of the prison, he found value in such a thing. Because it reflected the nature of the universe with a grandiose posture. There was a clarity in such places, as one knew what they were getting. And it was in that revelation that Gabe came to appreciate the Alliance for what it was. The faction that took on the harsh truths of the universe, much like a responsibility or burden. Evil existed and it demanded a response.

He had often traveled in this domain, long before he could speak his own name with pride. On trips to Dagobah, he could almost reach out and touch it. With the oddities of the netherworld still encompassing the planet, the place had only become more twisted and mysterious with time. He could feel the pressure as they came into reach of the planet, the feeling of turmoil born from the ambiance of the feint distress beacon, echoing with a dull hum. A request for assistance, a chance at discovery, it was only natural that the Alliance would stretch outwards. And aid where they could.

He came down in his own ship, a police vessel marked by the initials S.L.E.E.G. Sulon Law Enforcement Expeditionary Group. He was given free run to extend the efforts of the Sulon law enforcement as he saw fit. It gave credence to his position as unofficial Sheriff, though he had doubts about tooting that horn. For those he might find on the planet, he wasn't sure they would even know what Sulon was. Let alone the importance of an expeditionary group.

In earnest, he wasn't sure why he was coming to this planet beyond the call of the force. And his responsibilities to the Alliance and to his family, to make the universe a better place. As long as that was his goal, he would continue to strive forward. Even if that meant reconnaissance missions to forsaken planets.

He never did like Sullust all that much. Too many bad memories. He hoped this would be different, as it couldn't possibly be the same. But in the end, a responsibility was a responsibility.

 

[Varien Moxla]

[01]
Objective 1

Varien stood taller than most people, a borderline between muscular and lean, but leaning more to the former side of the scale. He didn't have a lightsaber, didn't want one. Not until he thought himself worthy of one. So he kept to using that trusty blaster pistol strapped around his upper thigh. He slipped his fingers around the handle and strode back and forth in the ship with [member="Lilin Imperieuse"].

Needless to say, he was impatient, arrogant and cocky, rebellious and talkative at the worst of times.

Not that he flied often, he was quite good at it, but some ships weren't as receptive as others. They took longer to maneuver. Then there were those that were too receptive, and he was likely to flip upside and crash into the ground if he wanted to show off. Rolling his shoulders when the vessel touched down to the ground, he rocked on and off of his heels, a little bounce in his movements as he answered in his rough and deep voice.

"Nothing worse than the Sith out there I bet."

 

[Ugohr Poof]

Post: 1/20
Objective: 2

"General Poof, we cannot afford to deploy the Army of Malastare on Keres I, it will have to remain on Dahomey for the time being. We have received reports that a convoy of relief supplies has disappeared over Keres I and is in a critical condition. The advance force has been deployed, comprising several Jedi, SpecOps and other volunteers, on the planet to find out the truth. Depart immediately for Keres I"

"Roger, High Command" Ugohr told over comm with High Command on Coruscant. He then turned to Korand, the Jawa XO of the Army. "While mesa away on Keres I, yousa have da provisional command of da Army of Malastare"

"Why? Why send you on alone? Your loss would deal a big blow to the morale of the Army, and certainly the minesweepers: without us the Alliance would have no minesweepers"

"Alliance High Command issa wary of sending too many troops just yet. Theysa not want to send men to theirsa deaths uselessly"

With his N-2 starfighter duly refueled in the capital's spaceport, and loaded with its full complement of eight concussion missiles, Ugohr waves goodbye to his men left behind on Dahomey. He thought that the command of some legion, most likely the 1st or the 7th Legion, would be his at some point in the future, if only he could become a Knight... he knew that the process for choosing commanding officers for legions and corps after their former commanders go on to bigger and better things can be rather... protracted. But Jedi had to be knighted for them to command legions, corps and whatnot, much like Sith acolytes had to be knighted to command divisions or larger units. Would Ugohr become the Alliance's counter to a [member="Darth Centax"], that is, to become one of the most feared generals of the Alliance? But even Generals with their own command sometimes had to accomplish special missions, Force-user or not, if the circumstances call for it. As he makes the jump to hyperspace to Keres I...

 

[Tobias Wrynn]

Objective 1

[01]

Dead world.

The notion of death was itself terrifying, but to think of it on such a massive scale defied understanding. Wrynn had ended his share of lives, but the idea of nothing that stretched out forever sounded like hell to the Merc. The world had passed through some anomaly in the past- all sorts of magnificent mumbo jumbo that meant nothing to him, but likely struck heartstrings with the Jedi in the Op. The briefing mentioned the likelihood of terraforming and warnings to be extremely cautious. That was all that he needed to glean from it.

He sat with his helmet in his lap and rifle splayed across his thighs, head bowed. "Five, six, seven, eight..." he counted quietly as he pressed rounds into a magazine and listened intently for the click. Once it was prepared, he slid the ammunition into his pistol and holstered the weapon. The Jedi were an occult and enigmatic bunch with a vested interest in truth, but people bereft of the Force like Tobias could only grasp at the less subtle meanings behind things. If this world was still livable and could be brought into the fold of the Galactic Alliance, one day life would flourish across it again. That was what the Politicians said, and it made more sense than "Netherworld" and "worldwide death."

It was all Wrynn needed to know. If there were hostile entities on the surface of Keres I, they would have to fall so that civilization could rise again. While he was not a magnanimous man and he held no delusions of grandeur, the mercenary knew that if he could do something, even something small, it would be enough. "Brace for landing," came the command from somewhere on the dropship, and he rose to his feet, shouldered his rifle, and grabbed hold of the landing strap. He pulled the helmet over his dirty blonde hair, and the group of Alliance Commandos signaled that they were all at ready.

"I'll be brief," the handler glanced back at the small group with a smile on her face. "as you know, a distress signal was detected 72 hours ago by Command. We have to identify the source and lift out any survivors by medevac. If you come across hostiles, eliminate them. Prioritize defending the Jedi while they conduct their investigation." Wrynn turned to look directly at her, and her gaze moved over him thoughtfully. "Are there any questions?"

"What are the Jedi looking for?" he asked.

"We don't know, yet," came the honest answer. "Until yesterday, we thought that Keres I was a lost cause and had no reason to colonize it, let alone fund a relief effort. If there's even the slightest chance that someone survived..." her voice trailed off as she glanced toward the pilot and her lips set in a flat line. "...Wrynn, your group has Recon duty. Gather what you can on the immediate area before the Jedi get too far from the LZ. Scanners have detected minor heat signatures in the area."

"Copy that," came the automated response as their ship rocked and settled. "Draco. Eddie. On me."

Both men responded in the affirmative as the doors slid open and they filed out of the ship. Wrynn took a moment to glance around as the world materialized in his HUD. Ashes kicked up by hot wind blew across his line of sight, and crags that jutted skyward fanned out like demonic claws grasping toward a sullen red sky. "Welcome to hell, boys," he muttered across the comm feed. "Comm the group channel if you spot anything out of the ordinary."

"You mean like the planet itself?" Draco sneered.

Wrynn shot a glance back over his shoulder. "Keep the channel clear of idle chatter if you can help it. You never know who's listening on the open frequency." As he turned his gaze back toward the horizon, he briefly caught the obscene gesture that the other man made in his direction.

"These are the kind of things," Eddie marveled, "that make me glad I wasn't born special." He looked over at Tobias and pointed toward the mountains in the distance. "Should we make for the peaks to see if we can't find a vantage point?" he suggested.

"Negative," Wrynn shook his head. "Stick to the low ground for now, we'll go high once we know the path forward is secure. Be on your guard. I'm picking up the same strange readings we were briefed on. There's no telling what's out there."

Eddie and Draco both nodded.

 

[Liliane]

[ 02 ]
Objective 1

Lilin smirked at the comment one Padawan made, but didn't reply. She had not turned into the arrogant Jedi Master who didn't talk to Padawans, but she was no longer the one to talk to everybody, either. The mission waited and the girl was not going to waste any time on talking.

Wearing her Jedi robe, two lightsabers and her typical clothing under the robe, she was not the most protected. Whatever was out there on the planet, there was no way it would be any more dangerous than the Sith she usually fought with. And the planet wasn't highly toxic, either, so there was also no need for extreme armours and suits to keep them protected.

"Now listen up, everybody," the girl said. "Don't venture off alone. Whatever happens, stay in pairs of two. I recommend making pairs of one Jedi and one soldier, but that's not mandatory."

Ugh, why was she going to be the commander on this mission? She didn't know how Jedi Marshalls could deploy the whole Jedi forces if she had a hard time controlling even one little squad of people? Maybe it was a thing that they learned during their time as commanders. However, Lilin didn't have the time at this mission.

"Let me know if something happens," she said as she stepped outside the ship.

She wanted to see what the planet was all about before she would team up with somebody. Oddly, she didn't have a single person on the ship whom she personally knew. Not her Padawan, not a single one of her friends. It made commanding them both easier and more difficult at the same time.

[ [member="Varien Moxla"] ]

 

[Varien Moxla]

[02]
Objective 1.

He wasn't excited perse to go onto the planet, but when [member="Lilin Imperieuse"] had apparently taken command of her little squad that he happened to have found himself in, he was surprised to hear that they weren't going to be staying together as a group. But if they were being deployed to find out what happened, smaller groups was certainly the smarter idea...

Suddenly seeming drained of energy, he slowed as he twisted his hand to and fro looking for someone to partner with. As a relatively new Padawan to the Galactic Alliance, before being captured by the One Sith on his visit to Togoria, he had been training with his parents to join the ranks of the Kiffu Guardians. The jailers on Kiffex, but he had changed his mind as a spur of the moment. Shaking his head, all he could do was look the Jedi Master up and down.

He may have been cocky and arrogant, but she was a Jedi Master, and the leader here.

And yet...

"We're partners." He said in his deep voice, likely too boldly as he stepped up to the woman.

 

[Liliane]

[ 03 ]
Objective 1

A single glance at the landscape of the planet gave Lilin enough to think about. It was a dark wrecked place, a dead planet. It seemed to have breathable air, but she didn't know if there was anything toxic there. Or if they would manage to stay on the planet for a while.

"Take some breathing masks with you, just to be sure," she said to the crew behind her back, in the ship, seemingly ignoring the Padawan. She didn't want any of these people to get hurt. Whatever was out there, it was not worth dying for. Most of the people who'd joined her were able to defend themselves against the majority of enemies. If it was a Sith behind this, however, things wouldn't be that easy.

Splitting people up was not what the Master would have wanted to do, but she had to. There was no point in moving together with the whole group if they were searching for something.

"Yes, you come with me," she finally replied to the Padawan, looking at him. A very bold, slightly cocky man. That didn't matter, though. She needed a teammate and this one had wanted to be with her, so everything was fine.

The air was not the most pleasant, she had to note. While it was temperately warm, it had a very specific smell to it, not even speaking of the taste. She didn't think it was anything toxic, but it most certainly was not something enjoyable. It was not a smell she'd experienced elsewhere, leaving her slightly clueless.

"Whatever is out there, we have to be ready," she said, taking her lightsaber off her belt.

[ [member="Varien Moxla"] ]

 

[Varien Moxla]

[03]
Objective 1.

Following the orders as soon as they came, she said to bring masks, so he quickly hopped back onto the ship to get a mask after she had agreed to be his partner. He may have said it forcefully then, but it had very much been a request... Even if it wasn't spoken in such a way. He meant well. Anyway.

His gaze dropping to [member="Lilin Imperieuse"]'s hand dropping to her lightsabre and unclipping it, he looked about the area as if expecting hostiles to suddenly be upon them, but when he saw nothing, he didn't draw his blaster out. Instead, he just remained as aware as he could with his limited training in the Force. There was much he had learned in the Togoria labour camps. Mostly to use the Force to make his tasks easier, but even then it felt difficult with all the heavy lifting.

At least he was alive.

Placing the mask on his face, he said, "A good shot between the eyes can put most anything out of a life." All he knew was from experience. He was a man that believed in what he saw, he didn't put faith in things he couldn't imagine, things he couldn't understand. Even the Force was a strange subject in a way. "Expect trouble?"

 

[Liliane]

[ 04 ]
Objective 1

"That is the point. I don't expect anything," Lilin said. She was not the best at Force Sense, so she had a really hard time sensing anything on the planet. Especially when she had the whole squad to keep an eye on. She just had to be ready for anything. And when she couldn't sense if there was danger or not, she wouldn't lower her weapon.

There could have been a danger just around the corner.

Taking a glance at the Padawan's blaster, she chuckled. "A good shot can do miracles when it's a civilian. If we have anybody fully trained against us, it may be more difficult. If something darker than that, it'll be even crazier."

The woman was troubled with the thoughts of failure. That, of course, is not the way Jedi should be thinking, but she just couldn't wave it off. She had to embrace it until she was numb to it. Until she was able to shut it down and become a better Jedi.

"Behind the dunes is something darker. Nothing major, I fear. But it may give us valuable information," the Master spoke about what she could sense. The dunes were about half a kilometre away from them, so it was a short walk.

"I am Lilin," she decided it was the time to introduce herself.

[ [member="Varien Moxla"] ]

 

[Varien Moxla]

[04]
Objective 1.

The Kiffar blinked at her, perhaps being at a loss for words for the first time in a very long time. "You don't expect anything?" Well, that wasn't very good. He was following the leader who barely knew more than he did! But he couldn't fault her for that, especially since... He didn't know much else. Huffing through the mask they had begun marching out and he followed closely, only a few meters to her side while he kept an eye out for anything... Strange.

But the whole planet looked strange, Varien!

"Guess I just have to be a better shot," he said a few moments after. He may boast of being an extremely good shot, but he figured he was that good if he was still alive. After all, he did have to kill bad guys to get himself on Keres I on this day. "What could be darker than this planet? It's horrid," he lamented perhaps too loudly.

Wrapping his other hand around the handle of the blaster pistol, he held it tightly as he confidently strode forwards to what she described, but no faster than they were already going. Remaining silent as he was suddenly consumed by his own thoughts, he finally spoke.

"Varien of Clan Moxla." As most Kiffar, he had the tattoos of his Clan on his face, but with the mask on it covered the ebony designs on his already darker features.

"Seen a lot of stuff in your time?" He was going to assume she was old. Safest bet with Masters he figured.

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Tobias Wrynn]

[02]

"What the feth was that?" Draco pointed to the northeast and Wrynn twisted round as his HUD blared a warning in his ears. Proximity alert. "Whatever it was, scans aren't picking it up. It's not hot." The mercenary nodded slowly in agreement with that assessment as the dark haired Commando lowered his sidearm. "I don't like this place."

Wrynn snorted. "None of us like this place," he replied curtly. "Take point, and keep your guard up. I have a feeling whatever it was is still close by." He drew his pistol and took it in both hands, finger off the trigger and mouth pointed toward the dirt. "Eddie, fan out to the right and take stock of our immediate surroundings. This rock is supposed to be volcanic, the HoloNet says, so we should take that into consideration. If we can find a position to fortify, we can use that as an extraction point for any civilians."

"On it," the taller man replied quickly. He armed himself with two repeaters that Wrynn quickly identified as weapons that were definitely not Alliance standard issue. His gaze held there for only a moment as he pressed forward and took a deep breath. Lines of text raced across his line of sight as his eyes moved erratically from right to left and searched for any sign of movement. "Wrynn, do you copy?"

"Hard copy, Eddie. What is it?" He turned to his left and looked out across the barren surface thoughtfully as the wasteland only made him more nervous.

"I found some kind of strange remains," the Commando replied. "Whatever it is looks like some kind of humanoid, but there are some extreme inconsistencies."
"Inconsistencies?" he repeated, and quickly wheeled to zoom in on Eddie. "What the hell does th-"

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

"Kark!" Tobias saw the strange beast leap toward Eddie and reacted on instinct. His pistol rose and three shots fired in rapid succession, the first taking the creature in the midsection. The other shots grazed their target, but it seemed to disregard the pain. Its howl rose as tusk-like protrusions raked toward Eddie, who barely managed to weasel out of the way in time. "It's got thick hide," he informed the others quickly, "that shot was stopped short of anything vital."

"It looks like some kind of boar," Draco observed as he raised his auto-rifle and unloaded into the fiend. "That don't look like nothing back home, though!"

It was a dark pelted beast with deep crimson eyes that burned like hellfire, and it wanted to tear Eddie apart. His arm came away slick with blood as he gave ground to his assailant, and the Commando gripped his wound with a hiss. "It got me," he cursed over the comm. "fething thing got me!"

"Stay calm," Wrynn snapped. "there may be more of them. Find a weak spot and put it down fast. We need to report back and get that wound treated." He rushed forward while the creature still had its back to him and leaped to mount it. His feet landed on its back gracelessly and it bucked in attempt to dislodge him, but he already had a firm grip on a tuft of its hair. The Commando pressed his weapon firmly between the hellboar's eyes...

Crack!

The report and the accompaniment of skull caving beneath impact came all at once. It deflated beneath him like a popped balloon and collapsed. Wrynn lowered his weapon and took a look around. Draco stood in place, rooted in disbelief. "What would you have done if that hadn't killed it?" the youth asked skeptically. "We don't know anything about this enemy. That was reckless."

"It could have killed one of ours," he replied. "Not a risk I'm willing to take. Now, tell me if you catch any motion readings. I'm going to have a look at this gash." He moved to Eddie who was folded over in pain, and knelt next to him. "Let's see it," he prompted.

"Force, it hurts Wrynn. I've never felt anything like it." When the veteran relinquished his grip on the wound, Tobias looked over it and his sensors probed for any foreign particles. There were dust molecules and...

"What in the name of..." Wrynn seized Eddie by the wrist and pulled the arm taut. "It looks infected, but the wound is fresh." The area around the wound already looked rotted and gangrenous, true to his word. Eddie cried out in terror. "Woah," Wrynn reached up and pulled off his helmet. "Keep it together," he said as he locked eyes with his comrade. "We need to get you back to the others-"

"Argh," Eddie, doubled over and clutched his arm tightly. "We need to cut it off, Tob," he hissed, "it's spreading like toxin. I can feel it burning through my veins."

Wrynn wasted no time. He switched the comm channel over and called out. "I need a medic, stat."

 

[Liliane]

[ 05 ]

"Uh, no, actually." Did the Padawan think Lilin was old? Well, maybe some people considered the twenties to be extremely old, but she definitely didn't feel so. "I saw the Alliance's beginning, though."

The change of going from a small Covenant to the Galactic Alliance was huge, but now she had no troubles managing in the huge faction. It had turned into her home and her life mission. Besides the destruction of the Dark, that is.

"Been to several huge fights," she thought it would be a nice addition to what she had experienced in her life. The life of a Guardian mainly consisted of such fights. They were no pacifists who stayed inside the Temple, pondering on what the Force was and what it had to offer. That may have also been the reason why most of the people who turned to the Dark Side were Guardians. The aggressive way of life sometimes managed to break a person.

That is why they needed to take occasional breaks. And that is why Lilin was also a librarian and a tutor in the Sullust Jedi Temples.

"There are creatures there. Not people, though," the girl said, pointing at the dunes. They were now quite close to that place, so the girl was ready to ignite her blade. She didn't want to do that just yet, mainly because it could have gained too much attention.

"Who do you suppose are there?" the Jedi Master asked, not because she didn't know who were hiding there, but because she wanted to see how good Varien was.

[ [member="Varien Moxla"] ]

 

[Varien Moxla]

[05]
Objective 1.

They were quite a ways away from the dropship that had brought them down to the planet.

Based off of her reaction after he had asked her his query, he figured that she wasn't that old. Let's just say it was the mask distorting his vision a little... Yes, that was it. Definitely the mask. "It started out on Sullust right? What was it like then, a lot smaller, right?" He shot a small glance her way. If she had been there since the beginning, suppose he should give her a little bit more respect than people he had encountered in the past... Fat chance.

"Who do I think?" She asked him a question... Likely a mistake if she expected him to make it quiet... Or thoughtful.

"Something that can die." Most things could die in his experience, so that narrowed it down to about... Nothing. Deciding to not be as much as a karker as that, he continued and ended with, "Dangerous too."

The thought of using the Force most definitely hadn't crossed his mind.

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Noah Corek]

Post: 1
Objective: 2

Keres I
Omega Pyre FLEETCOM Task Force Home
Approaching the derelict Alliance Relief Flotilla

"Alliance Relief Flotilla this is the PNS Fondor hailing you for your status report....for the sixth time." The comm officer aboard the bridge of the Eridau sighed as he tried for the sixth time to raise a comm channel to the relief flotilla. The relief flotilla was relatively small consisting of a Alliance Acclamator-class Assault Ship that had been reported to be loaded with relief supplies and was escorted by five Thranta Mk II-class Patrol Frigates and a Metellos-class Carrier Frigate. In total it was about 3,100 meters making it dwarfed by Task Force Rancor.

The Flagship of Task Force Rancor was the PNS Fondor a Kerrigan-class Star Defender, a power house designed for heavy assault. The rest of the fleet was pretty standard in comparison being made up of a Stalwart-class Heavy Cruiser, a Cardea-class Medical Cruiser, a Unyielding-class Command Cruiser, a Sentinel-class Cruiser, two Excubitor-class Cruisers, two Saint-class Frigates, two Telum-class Frigates, two Nebulon B7's, four Myriad-class Corvettes, four Watcher-class Corvettes and two Pyre Blockade Runners. In all Task Force Rancor was almost three times the size of the Relief Flotilla at 8,100 Meters. Say what you wanted about the Protectorate, it sure as hell had the best navy in the galaxy in its prime.

Noah sighed as he stood aboard the bridge of the Fondor, many of the personnel having given him salutes on the way in. While technically Noah was the Colonel of the Pyre and the ground field commander for the entirety of the Pyre he was seen as just a field commander in general and was treated as such. "Colonel. That's the sixth time we've tried to raise the flotilla without a response. Sensors indicate they are capable of receiving but are either ignoring our signals or are unable to respond. Both of which are not favorable." That was Commodore MacAllen, a senior highly decorated Pyre FLEETCOM officer, having had served in the Omega Defense Force Navy for years and been unwilling to transfer over to the Alliance Navy he had instead choose to transfer over to Pyre FLEETCOM to serve as a Task Force commander. He was respected by man of his men because of this, many of them being of the same mind as him and knowing that if he had transferred he could have been a fleet admiral with his naval tactical skill and his quick thinking.

"Perhaps we should deploy our infantry complements to the ships and see what the problem is Colonel?" That was Captain Graves a relatively new FLEETCOM officer who had been put on a fast track to promotion after he had single handedly used a Nebulon B7 and two Pyre Blockade Runners to take out a old Victory II-class Star Destroyer that had been used by Pirates to hassle Pyre shipping between Fondor and Thyferra.

"Try to contact them one last time, run a full sensor scan and then we'll see about deploying boarding teams." Noah informed them to which he got a 'Aye,sir.' and the bridge crew doing just as such. Very few things could do this and Noah didn't want to send in boarding teams unless he was sure there wasn't a threat.

 

[Liliane]

[ 06 ]
Option 1

"Smaller? Definitely. But not a lot more peaceful. We started with quite an explosion," Lilin said. He remembered the easier times. She was still young and didn't worry about much. The old Lilin wouldn't have felt so insecure leading such a mission. But ever since the girl experienced depression, she had changed greatly. She was now more conserved and closed, surely.

She could see the Padawan wasn't quite trying to use the Force. That didn't matter much, because she knew exactly that the darkness radiating from behind the dunes was something worrisome.

"They may die. They may as well not."

The two were now so close to that, Lilin could feel the disturbance. She took a look behind to see the rest of the team. The ship was there, as well as the pilots who were ready for when things turned really bad. All others were gone, though, probably looking around. Hopefully looking around.

The woman took a deep breath before moving over to the other side of the dunes.

Creatures. Many of them. Some Sithspawn.

[ [member="Varien Moxla"] ]

 

[Ugohr Poof]

Post: 2/20
Objective: 2

Ugohr also tried to hail the various ships in the relief flotilla, to no avail. He knew that whatever the problems were, it also caused communications problems. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that the dark side was afoot. But to confirm whether that something was Force-induced in nature or not, Ugohr had to run his own full-scan of the ships, especially the ANS Bestine, which contained much of the supplies to be delivered on the surface. Also, the Force screamed at Ugohr when he realized that, whatever caused the... power conduit failures will have to be inspected from the inside at a later point. That was no good at all. At a minimum power conduits had to be repaired, but something much more dark was afoot. He had to contact over all channels that could possibly be used by the relief force Ugohr had on his sensor display, Task Force Rancor.

"To all units in range, disen General Poof of da Army of Malastare. Mesa suspect power conduit failures"

In other words, what power they had left had to power the life support systems first and foremost: they had very little left for even low-speed sublight propulsion. But before he could even enter the Bestine's hangar, Ugohr had to scan for threats around the diminutive hangar bay. He had his two lightsabers ready for any kind of internal trouble - provided said trouble didn't have phrik, beskar or cortosis on it.

 

[LT-137]

https://youtu.be/ON8to5WrdcA​

Wild speculations and unbelievable theories came with the sudden appearance of Keres I on the fringes of Alliance-held space. Many had thought that this world was moved by the powers of some unknowable god, the Celestials perhaps, while others believed in their own conjectures. Gideon couldn't find enough reason to care for the reason as to why - that was someone else's job. He was here, should the worse come to pass. That was all that mattered to him. And as the implanted silvered lattices within his eyes began to cycle with vitality, the man knew something had gone wrong. Crimson worded reports scrolled down the length of the crystalline tactical display, filling the soldier's mind with every transmitted detail. They made contact with something below, and some of the reports had mentioned Sithspawn. Wonderful. Pushing an exasperated sigh through his thinly pressed lips, the former Stormtrooper snatched his combat helm from the nearby terminal and crowned himself in its protective embrace.

As the seals engaged and his body became one with his powered armor, the hulking warrior stalked from the bridge of the Orbiting Command Vessel and thundered his way towards the deployment hangar. Once within, he could see Gunship's making ready for battle; however the Major knew they wouldn't be fast enough to reach the surface. There were men down there, friends and strangers alike, putting their lives on the line. He had to be quick. Tearing his gave from the raptor-nosed craft, the man's silvery-blue eyes befell a row of racked Drop Pods. Perfect, Gideon thought as he marched towards the modular launch tubes. Arming himself with a discarded heavy repeater, and already having his precious sidearm magnetically attached to his hip, the former Stormtrooper slipped into his metallic coffin and punched the internal release.

Restraints slammed home, pulling him deeper into the pod's embrace, and the door before him sealed shut with a muted whisper. Gideon exhaled and closed his eyes. He always hated this part. A countdown materialized on his visor, signaling when the pod would be released and subsequently fall to the planet below. The Major refused to look. It was always the calm before the storm that unnerved him, so why would he knowingly fuel his already agitated mind? When the count had reached its apex, the soldier's stomach became weightless. Beyond his folded eyes, the Drop Pod was catapulted towards the cinnamon dusted surface, with a shower of sparks heralding his rapid departure. His comm feed came alive with the sounds of authority and command inquiries, and the former Stormtrooper dismissed them all.

Let them reprimand him after the deed was done - they would know that the Major risked everything to save those below this day, rather than waste precious time in preparation. They would understand, and if not? To hell with them.

Bathed in atmospheric fire, the Drop Pod rocketed through the cloud-choked stratosphere, breaking the sound barrier as it made it's furious descent. Like a comet, the metallic coffin thundered into the rusted wasteland; tossing disgorged earth and dust into the air. The impact had rattled his teeth, but after it was all said and done, Gideon's eyes snapped open. It was time. Tearing off the restraints that bound him to his earthly prison, the Major punched the emergency release, nearly coring through the metal with his augmented strength. In response to such unwarranted violence, the sealed door exploded outwards and was launched into the lip of his impact crater. Withdrawing both himself and his heavy repeater, the mechanized warrior stepped onto the hellish surface of Keres I - and found himself unimpressed.

Glass shattered underneath his heavy tread as the former Stormtrooper made his ascent. Breathing slowly and moving with purpose, the hulking warrior eclipsed the rise - only to slide down the sloping mound of piled earth as gravity took hold. Once the balance was restored, Gideon activated his short-range comms and cycled through the nearby channels. When he had found the one he was looking for, the Major utilized the gathered orbital telemetry to pinpoint the source of the signal. Medic, was the keyword, and within seconds - far slower than it should've been due to the atmospheric interference - a waypoint had been affixed to the digital compass near the top of his visor. With the NavPoint set, the Soldier gripped his weapon and set off in that direction at a brisk pace.

Everything was going just as planned - until a thunderous report shattered the howling silence. More gunshots. They were close. Pushing himself and the suit to the limit, Gideon surged through the tidal dunes with his rifle shouldered. His movements were deliberate, scanning his surroundings through both visual and technological means. Having fallen back on his battlefield training, the Soldier swung his heavy repeater in every conceivable direction, tracking and tracing every sign of movement that his sensors could read. Multiple target locks began to materialize, but nothing sang true. His instincts made it incredibly clear that he wasn't alone, out amongst the dunes, and not far from the transmission's point of origin. Exposed, Gideon did what he could to minimize his flanks, swinging with as much alacrity as he could muster and moving from dune to dune.

He was coming closer and closer to the signal's source, and with a casual blink of his eyes - saw two shrouded figures in the distance. Enhancing the image, and seeing a small flash of silver mixed in with the upturned earth, the former Stormtrooper felt something was off. In most cases, the man trusted his gut more than he trusted what his eyes perceived, however, this wasn't right. If the man was injured and required a medic, they should've moved to cover - someplace they could find shelter out of the encroaching duststorm. The fact that they hadn't made the Major think it was a trap. Activating his comms with a blink, the hulking soldier cast his voice out into the electronic winds, hoping that it found purchase in their short-range unit.

:: This is Major Ra- ::

Interrupted by the sudden appearance of a meaty, taloned claw, Gideon was torn from his feet and thrown into the ashen dunes below.

| [member="Tobias Wrynn"] |

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"][member="Varien Moxla"]

The CAG had grudgingly agreed that his TX-110 was better suited to provided Close Air Support than the T-70. The tight maneuverability and main cannon gave it an edge in close support of ground troops.

"Alright, let's keep the altitude steady there," he quipped as the shuttle he was escorting dropped a few metres. The shuttle pilot responded with some choice words about fighter pilots. Some of them weren't even swear words.

He lingered at a distance as the shuttle's troops and science teams dismounted. He returned to a kilometer up and circled slowly, relying on repulsors to keep him quiet and steady.

"Rogue Nine."

"Got ahead command, over," Asmus replied.

"We have enemy forces on the ground near your position. You're to provide support."

"Copy that, but unable to move on without leaving Thirteen Group unsupported."

"Roger that, but proceed to as instructed. Directions being transmitted."

"Willco, I have directions on my HUD. Five minutes."

"Roger that Rogue Nine. Giving you a direct link to ground commander. Thirteen Group is informed."

Asmus brought his nose around to follow the heading provided. He dropped in low and called for his wingman to do the same. If there were enemy troops involved he liked to come in low and shock them with a strafing run from his canon.

"Close Air Support with you in five minutes, can you give me a report on enemy forces?" Asmus called into his comm, now tied in to Lilin and her force.