The Second-Day War (Orto Plutonia)

[Zak Amroth]

​

Orto Plutonia is a system in crisis.​

Caught between First Order space and the Outer Rim, the Pantoran Assembly has once again broken down into factions. The Appeasers are sympathetic to a newly dominant First Order, while the Republicans remain staunchly opposed to Imperial ideology as anathema to the Pantoran way of life. And then there are the Expansionists, a minority bloc that believes renewing trade ties with nearby Outer Rim worlds will strengthen its position against the Empire.​

​

To make matters worse, civic upheaval in the form of a rogue house threatens to plummet the entire planet back into the old ways of feudal infighting. Believing the key to their security lies on the resource rich, sovereign Talz world of Orto Plutonia which Pantora orbits, senior members of the militant House Cho have launched an unsanctioned incursion onto the frozen surface and are threatening to reignite the One-Day War.​

​

Out in the void of space, an ancient evil resurfaced threatens to overwhelm all other considerations. The Scourge were men once, a bloodthirsty splinter crew of White Maw pirates. Legend has it, they reached the edge of the galaxy and went mad, somewhere on the fringes of the Kathol Rift. More than mere pirates, the Scourge's savage brutality knows no equal, they have been known to leave entire populated systems devoid of intelligent life.​

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"The Empire?!" Zak exclaimed, far too loudly for what until now had been a hushed conversation, "Let me tell you somethin about the Empire..."

The outer rim deputy took another swig of his pan galactic gargle blaster, sucking in through his teeth and letting out a cry of pain as the mixed drink's effects were not unlike having his brain smashed in by a brick wrapped in lemon.

"They're just...they're just..." he snapped his fingers repeatedly, as if looking for the perfect words, "They're just no good, you know? They're bad guys. Bad, bad hombres."

An uncomfortable cough drew his wandering attention back to the gaze of the Pantoran assemblywoman.

"And you are...the Coalition representative?" she asked, raising her brow uncertainly.

"Well...I'm a Coalition representative!" Amroth slurred, sloshing his nearly empty drink as he did so, "Barkeep, another round for me and me friends here!"


[SIZE=13.5pt]Objectives[/SIZE]

• 
  The Bar Where It Happens (Pantora): Pantoran officials have agreed to meet with Coalition representatives, but only off the record. A bustling cantina within the capital, the Constitution, has been selected as an inconspicuous gathering location. Attempt to negotiate an alliance between the Republicans and Expansionists, make trouble for any known Appeasers or other First Order sympathists in the area.
  
• 
  Glid Station (Orto Plutonia): Assist the Underground and Peacekeeper Corps in reoccupying this Ancient Republic base built within a massive ice spire. Coordinate the delivery of humanitarian relief in the area, or venture out into the wastes to take a side either in support of the local Talz village or the rogue Pantorans occupying nearby Separatist base ruins. Beware the deadly narglatch.
  
• 
  Ore Rush (Orto Plutonia): House Cho isn’t envious of Orto Plutonia’s natural resources for no reason. Take advantage of all the commotion to do some unauthorized prospecting. Hold out against the fiercely territorial Talz warriors, predatory local wildlife, and Pantoran authorities long enough to make payday.
  
• 
  The Eye of Terror (Space): A small armada of pirate ships cobbled together as uglies out of old starship components, the Scourge are a feral band of marauders who run their ships without even reactor containment. Driven mad by the edge of space, they are impossible to negotiate with and only understand violence. And they're here.
  
• 
  BYOO
  

 

[Vela Alya T'Ser Sipal]

Objective 1

The young Pantoran wasted no time arriving at the bar... where it happens. Finally, a chance to aid her planet -- her people, her supporters. There were, of course, those who would not like a prominent ORC and Expansionist supporter to arrive in Pantora's time of strife. That was why she brought along a small entourage.

The six men loosely followed or led Alya, a mix of cloaked humans and Pantorans. She, too, hid her features under a simple beige cloak, underneath which was a simple but elegant Pantoran traveling garb. It was good to be home, but she could feel the tension in the air. It caused her to wonder why she left. Perhaps it had been the string-pulling of that Imperialist Arisa Korp. How she would like to see her face when Alya won the day and brought Pantora into the Outer Rim Coalition -- a big first step. Perhaps she could pull a few strings herself...

Now was not the time, though. Two men stepped inside the bar and flanked the entrance, pausing for a moment as Alya went in. Then they followed her as she skirted around the room. "Toro, tell the others to keep their eyes open," she whispered to her nearest guard. The male Pantoran nodded and whispered something into his commlink as the other four men stepped inside the bar as well and began to spread throughout the room, keeping their eyes on the table and on the entrance.

Finally she arrived at the table, catching the last of [member="Zak Amroth"] 's little comment. She did not recognize this drunk one, but she did not want him disrupting the negotiations. A woman's touch was needed... though perhaps a man's as well to remove the alcoholic from the minds of the Pantorans.

"That will be quite enough drinking," Alya said smoothly, moving around the table towards the Assemblywoman. She gave a respectful half-bow to the woman, then a bright smile, moving to embrace the woman. "It is good to see you again, Assemblywoman Venala."

She went about greeting the other representatives there, clearly easing much of the tensions and nerves that the various Pantorans held. Having a diplomat who was one of them was most definitely a good thing. Eventually she stopped, sitting to one side of the table nearer to the other ORC representative. "Enough with the formalities. Shall we begin?"

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Objective 2

The Silvertongue glided neatly over the icy surface of Orto Plutonia. Fourteen hundred klicks away sat their objective: Glid station. Dante was bored.

He knew there would be few, if any, enemy starfighters, and picking off ground targets was rarely the same. No big deal, though, he was getting paid anyways.

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Captain Dushane's voice soon came over the ORC comms.

"Alright ladies, this is Dushane of the Silvertongue. Role call, we're planning to move in within the next two hours. Who's with us?"

 

[Joza Perl]

Approaching Talz Village

Life never slowed down for Joza Perl and she didn’t want it to. The Zeltron had been scarce enough in the Outer Rim for the past decade or so, focusing on her work in the core and raising a family. Her attention shifted towards the Coalition every now and again, mostly sending aid and popping up on protected worlds when they were in danger to lend a hand. But now that Alan was older, she could leave more of Heartbeat’s responsibilities in his hands.

Rumor had it that the wildest of her children, Yula, had made her way to the Outer Rim and was taking after her mother in certain aspects. She hoped it didn’t mean what she thought it meant.

Orto Plutonia was a cold place, but that was all the more excuse to wear leather.

“I see something up ahead.”

One of the three combat medics broke the rather pleasant silence, her voice slightly distorted through the comm but ringing clear enough through Joza’s helmet.

“The village we’re looking for. Hasn’t been anything else around for miles.” Four speeder bikes continued along the frigid landscape, carefully closing in on the village. Between the Sith, the First Order and Alliance, the Healers had plenty of experience dealing with tedious diplomacy and distributing aid in war zones. While this wasn’t exactly a war zone, they were well aware of the hostilities between the Talz and rebel Pantorans.

 

[Veino Garn]

Veino sat quietly next to [member="Zak Amroth"], a bottle of whiskey in front of him, and some hand-print smeared glasses set along the table as the Pantoran representatives slipped into the bar. He raised a glass, still mostly full to them both. "Have plenty for the two of you and your friends." As he spoke, his eyes darted around through cantina, taking stock of the other patrons.

The guards were easy enough to recognize, for someone who knew what to look for. They were too alert, too focused for most of the rest of the bar patrons. That was good. It never hurt to have extra hands on your side. His eyes settled back on the young woman who spoke for the Pantorans. She had courage and resolve, that was clear enough. Even better. That could be enough to make all the difference. Only the Force really knew.

"And you better start drinking," he added, "Or at least look like you are. Going to be suspicious otherwise."

He flicked his gaze past their shoulders to a surly looking Devaronian in the corner. "Wouldn't want him to think we're out of place, would we?" He scribbled something brief on a napkin and slid it across the table, making it look like he was wiping up a splash of alchohol. It was an easy enough message. He's Imperial informant. Looking for casus belli.

Once it was there long enough to read, he did wipe up some spilled alcohol, watching as the ink dissolved into the strong liquid, leaving no trace of what had been on the napkin.


[member="Vela Alya T'Ser Sipal"]

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Objective 2: Glid Station
Allies: ORC
Enemies: Scourge

"Here's a holomail from the Talz Revenue Agency on Orto Plutonia, boss" Griet's group secretary announced.

"The TRA? What client is that for?"

Poodoo. When the TRA mails an accountant, it's typically because one of the clients is undergoing an audit, and also they specify which client is in the claim, Griet thought, upon hearing this announcement. But, upon reading the holomessage, it seemed the TRA instead posted a bounty on the Scourge since several auditors were killed by the Scourge. Probably the Scourge tried to exploit this sad state of affairs and this standoff betweem Pantoran subfactions. In her mind, this was just delaying the inevitable for Talz tax evaders or tax fraudsters. <Wanted: Dead, Scourge members, for repeated attacks on TRA audit personnel. 500 per gangster. Deliver proof of their deaths to the nearest TRA office>, the message said in Talzzi. Presumably the Talz tribes was busy dealing with the Scourge elsewhere, not to mention Pantoran subfactions fighting each other. But she didn't hesitate one second: however, she needed to notify the people at her office first. As the Jedi headed towards the dressing room, which also contained a weapons locker for all the firm's personnel with weapons on hand...

"Actually, the TRA posted bounties on the Scourge because their auditors keep getting attacked. It would be wise for me to attempt claiming at least a few bodies if we want to remain on the TRA's good side since many of our clients operate in Talz-land. In fact, I'm one of the few here that can reasonably claim it"

"It's likely that the Scourge is also attacking our clients, too, but from the looks of it, Talz seem to have to deal with multiple external threats at once"

 

[Zak Amroth]

"Enough drinking?" Zak echoed in confusion, as if trying to work out the meaning of the term, "What's up, now? Oh!"

His wandering eyes eventually drifted over to make eye contact with [member="Vela Alya T'Ser Sipal"]. The Expansionist advocate was giving him a pointed expression, all three of her, and dimly the half-Kiffar remembered something they had discussed before the meeting about speaking and how he maybe shouldn't do so much of it. Zak was here for protection, this close to the border it was all too reasonable to fear First Order Security Bureau interference, and then there were the native imperialists to worry about.

"I wuz just answerin queshtions bout the Empire, ma'am," he at least had the decency to look apologetic, "Wuz at Terminus, y'know. Got burnt by a buckethead."

Zak nodded vigorously when [member="Veino Garn"] stepped in to mediate, slapping his hand on the table just a little too loudly in support of the point the Saarai-kaar was making about blending in with the crowd. He glanced down at the napkin Veino had slid across to the Pantorans, blinking at it without comprehension for several long seconds before slow comprehension dawned.

"Don't worry eshteemed official persons," Amroth rose from his seat, "I got thish under control. Itsh all...itsh all part of the 'package', you know? The Coalition package."

He stumbled away from the table and across the cantina, weaving circuitously as only the intoxicated are capable of until he passed by the Devaronian's booth. Executing a perfectly time double take, Zak let out an unintelligible joyous holler before sliding across from the Imperial eavesdropper.

"Tony?! Tonaaaay!" he shouted at the confused alien, completely ignoring the Devaronian's protests that he wasn't Tony and they had never met before, "Barkeep, another round for me and me main man Tony! Tony Two Horns! Oh man, Tony. Do you remember? Remember Two Horns? Of course you do."

Stretching his hands behind his back, Zak flashed Veino an okay signal before promptly crashing into a passing server, spilling a round of Corellian ales all over Tony the Devaronian in the process.

"Oh no Tony, look what you did! We gotta go get yous cleaned up, pal."

 

[Gray Venasir]

Objective 2: Glid Station
Post 1

Gray was nearing Orto Plutonia in his ship, The Noble Nightingale. He had heard the ORC and Underground were going to try to reoccupy an old base on that world, and he was now on his way to support them. With him on his ship was supplies and Medical supplies. Including some warm suits for this Cold world. He was a little late out, but was now nearing the planet in hyperspace.

There was also supposed to be a clash between the Talz and a Group of rogue Pantorans in that area. There was a good chance he and his allies would be dragged into this. The question was, which side would Gray support. He hadn't been in this system before, and hadn't met meny Pantorans before, so he didn't know how they could be. On the other hand, he had heard that the Talz were brutal Warriors. Though this he had heard as stories in cantinas, and were probably not true.

Gray came out of hyperspace, and put in the coordinates for the base. But before he could breach the atmosphere, a few ships approached and shot at him. Probably the Scourge I was warned about, he thought while getting his ship to persue his attackers. There were only two of them, and they were not very good pilots, and were taken Down fast. Gray began his flight towards the base again.

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Objective 4: The Eye of Terror
Allies: ORC
Enemies: Scourge

These days, Janick flew more than she used to. Although, on Terminus, she didn't make any use of the cluster missiles she called MIRVs, here considering these uglies all over the place, kitbashes from various crafts and ships salvaged from older battlefields and scrapyards, it was going to be a fight that may as well differ from the fight over Terminus. If only because there was no debris field to prevent them from taking careful aim this time around. No Squibs to cause large-scale mayhem, nor large capital ships waiting to be blown up. And hopefully some of them will be hit in the first volley of MIRVs. Once they came within firing range of MIRVs, the head-on range (because even in space, a missile's range in a dogfight depended on the relative orientation of the defender and the attacker) there were two of them that were available to them before they needed to rearm the ordnance bay. The witch would need to know whether there were any resupply bases on Pantora or Orto Plutonia... that said, the engagement already started in space, and the ORC drew the first blood.

"Wololo, wololo, aieololo, wololo..." Wololo chanted.

"Cut the chanting, Wololo, we aren't celebrating religious rites. All craft, prepare targeting solutions for MIRVs"

 

[Vela Alya T'Ser Sipal]

Objective 1

"Fair enough," the Pantoran said with a little nod to the other ORC representative. She didn't recognize him, but knew now wasn't the time to be asking names. They needed to present a united front to keep Pantora in the Coalition... though she'd be sure to get acquainted with him afterwards. Friends in high places, well, she valued that.

At least the drunkard was making himself useful, and she cast an amused glance in his direction as he sat down with the Devaronian. She glanced at her guard, Toro, who promptly headed to the bar. The other guard moved to lean casually against the wall nearby. Alya rather enjoyed having a prepared entourage, it made her feel -- and more importantly, look -- that much more prepared and important herself.

Turning back to the gathered representatives she reviewed what she knew about them. There were really only two she knew that would make their voices heard. First, Assemblywoman Velana, the Republican was one of her good friends from her days in the Pantoran Assembly. Despite their differing ideologies they were often able to find common ground. Alya was a believer in the democratic process -- at least, a believer that such a system could work in her favor. Next, Assemblyman Siron, one of the most aggressive Expansionists. And despite their supposedly similar beliefs they often butted heads. He lacked a certain finesse that she found desirable in political situations, but still he was a rousing orator. She could play to both them, the first of her opening words sprouting into her mind as Toro once more arrived with her drink. Just a little water.

"I don't believe there's much to talk about my friends. Simply put, we cannot allow such Imperialists to undermine our democracy and our future. The Appeasers wish to put us under an autocracy that will rout our growth to planets we have never been to and never asked to help." The blue-skinned woman took a sip from her glass. She spoke with a smooth and measured tone, clearly able to prop up the ideas of the two sides. Soon to be one side, she hoped.

The leaders of their respective parties leaned forward, but Velana beat Siron to the first word. "You are correct. We've kept our society safe from the empires past by keeping our democracy strong and out of reach from said states. But the Republican party still holds a majority in the Assembly. I do not see any benefit from cooperation."

"Democracy clearly isn't stopping anyone. Haven't you heard? House Cho has moved to begin to reclaim Orto Plutonia. And if my sources are correct they'll likely begin to clash with the Talz soon."

"And thus it is imperative that we resolve this matter quickly to move on to the next," Alya interjected. "Such actions based off ancient feudal tradition threaten both democracy and the possibility of future negotiations with the Talz on the matter of their resource-rich planet."

She paused, once more allowing her point to settle with those gathered. "Assemblyman Siron, do you believe an alliance would be beneficial?"

The white-bearded Pantoran grunted and leaned back in his seat. "There are always things to be gained, but I would like to hear what Ms. Velana is willing to offer."

"I can't say I'm willing to offer much, considering there is little you can give in return considering the state of your party. This period of... unrest, is not too rare an occurrence. Now it is simply a little more prominent, but with time it will wash over. The Republicans are seated well in the Assembly and I do not doubt that we will still hold the majority once this is over."

[member="Veino Garn"] [member="Zak Amroth"]

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Objective 2

Orynn let out a small sigh. Seemed like no one was going to respond, but he supposed they had a fair amount of time. Twelve hundred klicks, the Silvertongue was making good time. She always did.

Once more he reached down and tapped the open comms channel, letting everyone with access to secure ORC frequencies hear his voice.

"C'mon, we've gotta have a few friends around. We're gonna be in range of Glid Station within the hour. Report in and we can have a little tea party to plan."