Junction The Spoils | Sith Order/Mandalorian Empire Junction for Apoptosia and Empty Hex

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Voss

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

The doors didn't open for him right away, no one had been expecting him. Not even his siblings Aether Verd and Avast Verd - who he could feel... somewhere out there.​

​

For a moment, Ace stood outside the threshold of the banquet hall, the low hum of conversation bleeding through polished stone and layered glass. His jaw shifted slightly as his gaze flicked to the reflection in the door's surface. Habit and positioning. The angles of his shoulders, the set of his stance, it was nothing aggressive or that would draw attention too early. He adjusted once, barely noticeable, then stepped forward.​

​

The doors parted and warm light spilled over him first. Then eyes. Not all of them... but enough, he wasn't really dressed the part. His presence didn't flare like the others. No dramatic swell in the Force, no overt display of power. Just weight. Contained. Pressurized. Like something held back on purpose.​

​

His gaze moved once across the room. Mapping. Mandalorians. Sith. Lines of influence, clusters of conversation, subtle shifts in posture and proximity. Who deferred. Who didn't. Who was pretending.​

​

Then he found him. Lysander. Of course he was already settled in. Comfortable, even here. Ace exhaled quietly through his nose. He didn't approach immediately.​

​

Instead, he angled off to the side just enough to avoid stepping directly into the conversation circle. A shadow at the edge of something more important. Observing first like always.​

​

His eyes flicked briefly across the others near Lysander. Quinn Varanin, Aerik Lechner, the Echani kid, the witch, and the woman stepping in beside Lysander.​

​

Quinn's presence stood out. Same way it always did. Not because it demanded attention, but because it didn't. Ace's expression didn't change, but something in his focus sharpened slightly.​

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His gaze shifted again, toward the Voss moving through the hall. Smiling. Welcoming. Unafraid. Or convincing themselves they were.​

​

They saw what was coming and decided they'd rather survive it than fight it. Smart. He didn't approve it, nor condemn.​

​

Ace stepped forward then, closing the last bit of distance - not into the center trying to take it, but near enough to Lysander that the alignment was clear without being stated. Not quite beside him, but behind and off to the side. Close enough to act.​

​

His gaze drifted briefly across the room again, then back, settling into stillness. He didn't introduce himself, if Lysander wanted him named, he would. If not? Even better.​

​

Lysander von Ascania | Quinn Varanin | Aerik Lechner | Kaelen Voss | Irina Jesart | Vytal Noctura​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Voss
Tags: Aselia Verd | Quinn Varanin | Vytal Noctura | Lysander von Ascania | Aerik Lechner | Irina Jesart | Kaelen Voss | Acier Moonbound

She hadn’t realized how comforting the hand at her back had been until Aselia removed it. It made her wish they were back in Sundari on Mandalore. But there was nothing for it now. Adelle tilted her head to one side then the other, cracking her neck.

“There’s at least one very bright silver lining to all this,” she said quietly to Aselia. Her eyes darted down to take in the outfit Aselia had chosen to wear, a spark of mischief entering them. “I get to see you in that.”

One of the Sith, the vaguely noble one with long hair, called them over. However, it was Quinn that made Adelle’s decision. Something tight had been in the Echani’s eyes, and something strained beneath the smile. Varanin might have been her last name but she was a Talon for all intents and purposes. Adelle gave Aselia a sideways look before crossing the space to join the cluster, Vytal having already slid into the conversation at hand.

Sith academies. Something she had no experience with and a topic that could very easily slide into the philosophical. Adelle very carefully kept the grimace off her face, her own presence in the Force no larger than a non-Force user. Another face joined the edge of the group, standing behind the aristocratic Sith—why did the blonde bring the nobility to mind?—but still on the periphery. His face, too, seemed familiar. A memory of jasmine, petrichor, and ozone brushed against her mind—but the Empress wasn’t here on Voss.

At a suitable pause in the conversation, Adelle inclined her head to Quinn.

“Your majesty,” she said by way of greeting. “Good to see you doing well.”

 

[Eira Dyn]

Objective: 1
Armour: Marwolaeth Ddu
Armour Mode: Hunter
Equipment: Lethal Pursuers, Vibrosword, Blaster Pistol
Tags: CT-312 | Daella | Scherezade deWinter
Opposition: Barragh Nenn

Another chance to work on a Death Drop mission. This time wearing the armour that she had forged for herself. Giving herself that mercenary look and the strong dark warrior. Her presence in the Force hidden by the Taozin amulet. The only thing that truly identified Eira as herself was the Lethal Pursuers, the daggers that Eira carried with her no matter what. They were her staple weapons, even after she got around to constructing her own Lightsabers, the daggers were going to be the main weapons that she used.

Eira noted that there was a third person she did not recognise for the mission, it was good to see that 312 was able to grow the DeathDrop numbers, finding more people to bring into their circle. Meant that it was someone that Eira could observe and learn from in some form, she was constantly trying to see what she could gain from being surrounded by people. How to grow stronger for Quinn, demonstrate that Eira would be a force to reckon with.

"Good way to ensure that they remember why messing with the Sith and the Mandalorians is a bad idea." Eira stated as she gripped a handle in the transport. "Though I am guessing things are about to get very bumpy for us. So probably need to strap in and keep safe." Looking over to Scherezade and 312, "mission should be a lot of fun. Plenty of explosions, death and cathartic retribution to these imperials." Behind her mask, Eira grinned widely since she was thrilled to cause some damage.

She was ready, she was always ready to join into action and get the work done. 312 had a solid plan and she was sure they would get to have plenty of fun ruining the flagship and possibly breaking the imperial spirit even more than it already was.

 

[Rowyna Galeway]

Domar | Cyrine Zereth | Kurayami Bloodborn | Bella

Ship Name​	Class + Tonnage​	Shields + Hull Status​
DCV Valiant​	Cimmerian 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Veracity​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Kingsword​	Kimbrell 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Knight​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Ardent​	Sondheimer 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Acheron​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Centurion​	Vindicator 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Blackfin​	Seawolf 440m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Bashaw​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dreadfast​	Dagger 260m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Draugr​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diligent​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dauntless​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Drake​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diomedea​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Direwolf​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dryad​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Decisive​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Myrmidon​	Mukhtiar 190m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Meteor​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Maverick​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Minokawa​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Cassandra​	Bercey 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Couatl​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Fearless​	Fortan 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Formidable​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
DESIGNATIONS​	WOLFPACK RED​	​
B1 - B4​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K1 - K8​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK GOLD​	​
B5 - B8​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K9 - K16​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK BLUE​	​
B9 - B12​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K17 - K24​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​

​

The Tion Expedition
Task Force Valiant
ICV Valiant

The blackened void surrounding Tion had made itself real, the faded hues of hyperspace blue now gone, trading the cold luminescence of transit for the harder cold of realspace. Task Force Valiant had been given a task. Dismantle the shipyards in orbit of Tion by any means necessary.

The I.C.V. Valiant's bow was among the first of the Commonwealth's vessels to breach the dark around Tion. The rest of the fleet followed, one by one, ping after ping resolving on the monitor until the full weight of the task force had settled into realspace behind her.

The scene before them was not subtle. Sith and Mandalorian forces had apparently been busy. Boarding craft streaked toward the shipyard superstructure in dozens. Imperial hulks drifted and burned. Whatever defense had been mounted here had already been broken, the dying just hadn't finished yet.

Captain Galeway studied the tactical display for a moment.

The shipyards were still standing.

"Signal Intelligence, full acquisition. I want targeting solutions on the shipyard superstructure, the orbital infrastructure, the gantries, the drydocks. All of it." A moment lingered as she surveyed what was before her, the chaos of the viewscreen's display might've been more than discerning for anyone else... "Fearless, Formidable, encrypted channels secured, begin transfer of data once you've acquired it." Not long after, she gave out another order, "Cassandra, Couatl, move into position."

Task Force Valiant dressed its lines with the quiet efficiency of a fleet that had drilled this many times. The wolfpacks, Red, Gold, and Blue, fanned into the outer screen ahead of the formation. The Dagger line escorts settled into their positions around the carrier battle core, the Centurion, Valiant and Veracity drawing into close formation behind them. The Seawolfs and Mukhtiars drew tight around the carriers, shields already raised. The Kimbrells fell into pace flanking the Sondheimers on the inner screen, the interdiction fields of the Ardent and Acheron dormant for the moment but ready. At the rear, the Fearless and Formidable were already working, their sensor arrays sweeping the orbital space while the Berceys settled into position alongside them.

Targeting solutions began resolving across the tactical display. It seemed one ensemble of ships was already rounding the industrial moon to the port side, while the Mahporeenians were doing whatever it was that Mahporeenians do.

"We are here to ensure nothing in that shipyard ever builds another vessel. Weapons free on my order." Captain Galeway continued, "Archeon, Ardent." The very ships that had been dormant until now, "spool interdictors."

The task was simple, destroy the shipyards.

"Comms, alert suzerain forces," she commanded tone steady and even, as the Sith Order's forces were alerted to the Imperial Commonwealth of Dosuun's arrival. "All hands," the encrypted fleet-wide comms began, "engage shipyard targets, weapons free. I repeat, weapons free."

The ICV Kingsword and ICV Knight had been given their heading and their target long before the fleet finished dressing its lines. There was no ceremony to it. Captain Galeway had simply said the shipyards and her crews had gone to work.

Both Kimbrells brought their bows to bear on the orbital infrastructure ahead, the gantries, the drydocks, the superstructure that had once represented Tion's economic ambitions. The Demeters ran their automated pre-fire checks in silence. Eight forward-fixed barrels, already loaded, already locked. Targeting solutions fed from the Fearless and Formidable had been refined twice over by the time the order came.

It came without fanfare.

The Kingsword's Demeters discharged in sequence, eight 36-inch depleted baradium shells accelerating down their electromagnetic rails and into the void, each one locked onto the primary drydock framework and its associated superstructure. The electromagnetic exciter disks in each shell's rear were already armed. The thermite payload waited. The shells traveled the distance between the Kingsword and the shipyard at a fraction of the speed of light, leaving nothing between them and their designated coordinates but time.

The Knight's complement followed a breath behind, gravity shells this time, their interdiction components configured and their targeting solutions walked deliberately across the gantry lines in sequence, each one assigned a section, each section chosen to compound whatever the one before it might have done.

Then the Persephones opened up across both ships.

Twelve triple-barrelled cannons per hull, fast-track mounted, fire-linked, proton loadout cycling with the methodical rhythm of weapons designed for sustained work. The conical warheads traced their trajectories toward the shipyard's exposed infrastructure, the prefabricated sections, the port housings, the structural connectors between the larger drydock arms. They did not stop firing. The rate of fire the Persephones were capable of meant that whatever the first shells found at their destination, more were already behind them.

While the Kimbrells' weapons soared with an aim on their targets.

The ICV Valiant and ICV Veracity were not built for subtlety.

What they were built for was this.

Both Cimmerians brought their weapon arrays to bear on the shipyard infrastructure as targeting solutions finalized across their respective tactical displays, fed from the Fearless and Formidable, refined by the Bercey's elements forward, locked and distributed to their gun crews with the quiet efficiency of ships that had drilled this many times before.

The Nerys IIs discharged first.

Four nose cluster arrays, dorsal-mounted, their harmonic beams lancing across the void toward the shipyard's shielded superstructure. The directed harmonic disruption was engineered precisely for this: to find the architecture of a shield matrix and unbalance it, to introduce cascading misalignments that forced even adaptive systems to stutter and drift. The beams were highly visible on any sensor suite in the engagement zone, their signature unmistakable. The Valiant and Veracity were not hiding what they were doing. They were announcing it.

Before the Nerys arrays had completed their discharge cycle, the Ikaros IIs opened up along the flanks.

Eight solarized plasma disruptors, four to starboard, four to port, dorsal hardpoints tracking across their assigned sectors, pulsed their photonic plasma toward the same target coordinates. Where the Nerys attacked shield architecture, the Ikaros attacked shield cohesion, its solarized bolts engineered to mimic solar flare behavior and destabilize the energy-matter bonds that held a shield matrix together. The radiant overload reservoir in each unit had been cycling since the fleet dropped out of hyperspace. Each successive pulse would be stronger than the last.

The Vilestar IIs came next, cycling through their midline and prow fast-tracked VLS mounts with the low deliberate cadence of weapons that did not need to be fast. Six corrosive cascade cannons per hull, twelve total, their plasma bolts engineered not for immediate impact but for what they left behind, crystalline corrosion matrices that shifted their pattern with each salvo, delayed-burst cores that would adhere and burn for dozens of seconds per strike if they found purchase, nano-fiber destabilizer residue that would begin interfering with mechanical repair systems and sensor clarity the moment it settled. The Vilestar IIs were patient weapons. They were already beginning to be patient now, their trajectories arcing toward the shipyard's exposed structural connectors and drydock frameworks.

And then the Keres opened up.

Ten 102mm mass driver cannons per hull, recessed starboard and port mounts, 160-degree horizontal arcs sweeping across their assigned target sectors, fire-linked and cycling at a very high rate of fire that filled the space between the carriers and the shipyard with a sustained stream of depleted baradium shells. High explosive loadout, impervium-durasteel-tungsten fragmentation caps, thorium charges, nergon-14 and rhydonium plasmatic gel, walking their trajectories methodically across the target coordinates that the Fearless had been refining since the moment the task force arrived.

The Valiant and Veracity did not slow their approach.

Beneath the Centurion's hull, in the long corridors of her hangar decks, the launch cycle had already begun.

The Thunderbolts went first, two squadrons of superiority fighters spooling out through the launch tubes in sequence, their pilots already receiving updated threat coordinates from the Fearless and Formidable's composite picture. Whatever contested space existed between Task Force Valiant and the shipyard, the Thunderbolts were being sent to own it. Behind them, the Prowlers followed, a single squadron of EWA fighters whose job was not to kill but to blind, to degrade targeting solutions and scramble coordination signals across the engagement zone so that anything still operational in or around the shipyard had a harder time seeing what was coming.

The Whirlwinds launched third, heavy fighters cycling out into the void in the wake of the picture the Prowlers would begin painting, their ordnance loadout matched to whatever hardened targets the Thunderbolts and the capital ship barrage had not yet reduced.

The Firestrike interceptors remained aboard. Close defense. Last line. They would launch if and when something came for the carriers, not before.

On the Valiant's spinal mount, the single Kyronis II had finished its charge cycle. The AI-assisted heuristic tracking matrix had been refining its solution since the fleet dropped out of hyperspace, learning the geometry of the shipyard's exposed infrastructure, selecting its target with the kind of patience that came from not needing to hurry. The plasma-kinetic hybrid was not for area work, the Keres and the Vilestar were handling that. The Kyronis was for one specific thing, selected from the targeting data and designated by the gunnery officer three minutes prior.

Veracity wasn't far behind, as Galeway analyzed the battlefield. She watched as the squadrons moved toward their target, acknowledged as the Task Force itself got closer and closer, well into long firing range. The Veracity and Valiant's Thunderbolts and Prowlers joined the Centurion's squadron into the fray. Captain Galeway monitored the fleet from the tactical screens, her focus for the moment lay with the forward screens.

The order to the wolfpacks had been simple, delivered through the Fearless' encrypted burst before the fleet had finished dressing its lines.

Move out. Forward screen. Standard dispersal.

Wolfpack Red was already pushing ahead off the port flank, its four Bolt VIs accelerating into point formation with eight Kellys fanning into their assigned arcs behind them. Wolfpack Blue mirrored them to starboard, spreading wide into the void between Task Force Valiant and whatever else was operating in the engagement zone, Sith, Mandalorian, Mahporeenian, remnant. The wolfpacks did not distinguish between allied chaos and hostile threat. Their job was to own the space between the task force and everything else, and to make that space as difficult to operate in as possible.

Wolfpack Gold went straight ahead, pressing toward the shipyard's orbital perimeter along the direct axis.

At sixty meters, the Bolt VIs were the pack leaders, each one running its Ariadne ECM suite hot, jamming rolling across the broadband frequencies as their Nagata-II HVCs came to ready and their Manogel torpedo launchers warmed their targeting locks. Their Vanguard targeting systems were already cataloguing what the Fearless and Formidable's picture had built, wrecks, active contacts, boarding trajectories, the geometry of the engagement zone.

The Kellys needed no instruction. At thirty meters and very high maneuverability, they did what they were designed to do, spread into their patrol patterns ahead of and around the Bolts, Vulcan autocannons tracking, Hwacha rocket systems primed, torpedo tubes loaded. Eight Kellys per pack, each one a signal-disrupting, torpedo-armed, extremely fast problem for anything that tried to approach the task force without authorization. Their own jammers and IFF confusers added to the rolling interference the Bolts were already generating, thirty-six hulls' worth of countermeasure noise spreading outward across the engagement zone like a fog bank.

The Commonwealth had not been present at the Second Battle of Brosi, Galeway considered it more of buearucratic nonsense than anything else as to why she had been hamstrung. She had recruited captains, and had trained them, only to be dispatched to run operations north of the Commonwealth's frontier.

"Sondheimers report ready on the interdictors," the report from an ensign manning the operations console.

"Acknowledged, standby." Captain Galeway ordered, she knew not if Task Force Heramses or Task Force Highmarch would join them on the expedition. Or, if like before, they'd been dispatched to patrol the borders. The tactical map lit up, as Task Force Valiant's weapons ran hot.

The Dagger line escorts brought their batteries to bear on the shipyard's infrastructure, adding their weight to the barrage already underway from the Kimbrells. The Mukhtiars swept their anti-air grids across the engagement zone, tracking anything that moved between the task force and the orbital platforms. The Seawolfs held tight around the carriers, their defensive envelopes extended and shields raised. The wolfpacks pressed their vectors, thirty-six hulls moving fast across the outer screen, torpedo locks cycling, jammers running hot, every Bolt and Kelly in all three packs given the same latitude the capital ships had been given. The Fortans feeding the fleet information, the Vindicator's own Longbow began to spool. It's weapons following in order as the Cimmerian-class, Valiant and Veracity had been dispatched.

The Commonwealth had arrived with a task, a goal, and the means in which to achieve it.

Ronhar Tane | Barragh Nenn | CT-312 | Gerwald Lechner | Daella | Srina Talon​

Spoiler

Task Force Valiant has arrived, sitting at long range.
Signal Intelligence vessels have begun data collecting.
Shipyard being targeted and fired upon by the Kimbrells, Cimmerians, forward screens by the wolfpacks
All ships in the fleet are firing targets locked onto the shipyards themselves

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Domar | Cyrine Zereth | Rowyna Galeway | Bella

Two bright flashes in perfect synch, two new ships joined the fray. Strikingly painted in yellow splinter camouflage, one bearing the number 13 and the other a 04, on the tail was the squadron insignia of a long storied, but long quiet mercenary squadron, 'Aquila.' Even the ships were simply newer versions of the one's from before, RZ-2 A-Wings instead of the ole RZ-1's. "Aquila 13 to Aquila 4, power up weapons and prepare to engage." "Roger that 13. All systems green, following your vector, sir."

Inside the lead craft, Kurayami flipped the switch to arm the newly installed 'Ghost Fang' weapons systems. A development from his company, that utilized a proprietary technology to encase an ionic disruptor bolt inside of an unstable particle bolt shell. The mounts that replaced the GO-4 cannons that came stock on the RZ-2 were a dual mount, less punch per shot, but made up for it in sheer volume. At least in theory. "Throttle to full burner, follow me in, do not deviate." "Yes sir." Both craft accelerated at the same time, reaching speeds far in excess of what one would have expected, even of such a craft.

As they closed in towards the shipyards sensors lit up with multiple contacts. "Confirmed hostiles dead ahead, do not engage alone." Kurayami started a snap roll which 04 quickly fell in behind him slightly out of sync, allowing the two of them to keep a continuous field of fire as the roll loosened and turned into a slowly expanding spiral. As they got further apart, Kurayami pulled back as he came upright and completed a tight half loop behind and slightly above 04. He and 04 entered into what looked to be a modified rolling scissors, the two crossing and weaving through the others flight path in an intricate ballet. The amount of skill and training such a maneuver took in such a sensitive craft was telling of the quality of the pilots. As was the way they broke away from one another only to have 13 swing back around from seemingly nowhere to keep 04's tail clear.

It was true that they could have been at Brosi, however, the weapons were not ready at that point. Refits were being finished and the final kinks worked out with the mountings. Once all was fully integrated with it and flight testing was finished to make sure performance hadn't degraded, but the arrival of the Commonwealth fleet was nice to say the least. The new fighters provided a nice distraction. "04 change objective to keeping AA fire focused on us. Engage targets of opportunity and eliminate the towers. Be careful as the Commonwealth will be shelling the shipyards the whole time." "Understood, sir." The two ships arced over in a the shipyards in gentle arcs engaging with towers and other targets as they skimmed the surface in perfect unison.

Ronhar Tane | Barragh Nenn | CT-312 | Gerwald Lechner | Daella | Srina Talon

 

[Ronhar Tane]

FLEET ADMIRAL VORIN ZONHILL
TION SHIPYARDS
OBJECTIVE I: THE HOLDOUTS

Zonill could only watch in dismay as additional reinforcements arrived from Dosuun, bringing with them dozens of ships that added to an already formidable Sith and Mandalorian presence around the Tion Shipyards. Even with the Collateral Star, Zonill doubted he could fight off all the enemy vessels before him, and at this rate, it was only going to be a matter of time before the shipyards were captured and placed under enemy control.

Or so he had thought.

Because the moment Dosuun arrived, they began raining fire down upon the shipyards, sending waves of missiles, mass driver fire and turbolaser fire at the defenseless shipyards, damaging large sections of them and destroying other sections outright. Were they stupid or something? Surely they could use such a large array of shipbuilding facilities for themselves, no? Even with the Sith's and Mandalorain's ship building capabilities, the Tion Shipyards represented a crucial supply point for any invading force trying to take over the remnants of Confederation held space, and destroying them would surely cost billions upon billions of credits to rebuild once the fighting had concluded. Worse yet, the force aboard the shipyards themselves were little more than skeleton crews, meaning that taking the shipyards should have been a rather trivial task at best. Were the Sith and Mandalorains intending to leave when they were done? Or was Dosuun so overeager for battle they would deny themselves the opportunity to capture Imperial assets intact?

Actually, that gave Zonill an idea.

"Captain Sellferr, do we have confirmation that the Sith have begun to board the shipyards?", he asked with piqued interest.

"Aye sir,", Sellferr replied, "sensors have picked up numerous Sith and Mandalorain boarding craft heading for the shipyards, and I'd wager a great deal of them have already made it aboard them."

"Right, the same shipyards that our friends from Dosuun are currently ripping apart piece by piece".

"It...it would seem that way, sir", Sellferr replied, the surprise visible in his voice.

"So it would, Captain. Tell me, am I able to send a message directly to those aboard the shipyards?"

"Sorry, sir?"

"I wish to send a message to those aboard the shipyards. Would that be possible?"

"Given the damage done to the shipyards, and the fact that are electronic warfare systems are fully up and running, it should be more than possible to do sir. What did you have in mind?"

An evil grin spread across Zonill's face. If Dosuun didn't want to play nice with Mahporeem before, then Zonill was going to force them into doing so.

"I want this message transmitted over general ship comms and to those inside the Tion Shipyards. If possible, I want it made to look like an accidental transmission we didn't mean to send to everyone, only to Dosuun's forces. This is what the message will say..."

A few minutes later, a Mahporeenian message began transmitting to those aboard the shipyards and over general ship comms, allowing anyone to listen in to what was being said.

"ATTENTION IMPERIAL COMMONWEALTH FORCES:

THE DECEPTION HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. THE SITH DON'T EXEPCT A THING. CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BOARD THE STATION AS YOUR FORCES DESTROY IT. THE MORE SITH YOU ELIMINATE HERE TODAY, THE EASIER IT WILL BE FOR YOU TO PROCEED WITH YOUR TAKEOVER OF SITH HELD SPACE. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE, BUT DON'T WORRY IF YOU AREN'T AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU'D LIKE. IF YOUR SHIPS DON'T END UP DESTROYING ALL THE SITH, THE BOMB PLANTED ABOARD THE SHIPYARDS SURELY WILL. PAYMENT WILL BE SENT TO YOU ONCE THE BATTLE HAS CONCLUDED.

GLORY TO DOSUUN! GLORY TO MAHPOREEM!"

That, at the very least, would hopefully sow some discord and confusion amongst the attacking ships, and potentially could have consequences that reverberated far after the battle had ended. The fact that Dosuun had sent a representative to and attended the The Great Corrox Conference of 904 A.B.Y would only make it more believable, and to add to the deception, Zonill ordered his fleet NOT to target any ships from the Imperial Commonwealth, and to instead assist them in the destruction of the shipyards. If they were too stupid not to see the value of such a station, Zonill wasn't going to allow them to figure out their mistake. If anything, their efforts were only going to make it easier to scuttle the shipyards to prevent them from falling into enemy hands, and with most Imperial personnel evacuated or dead, it was the best play that Zonill had.

Still, it was a bitter pill to swallow, as those shipyards had once symbolized Imperial might and power in the sector, now all seemingly gone in the span of a few months. Zonill promised that he would repay the Sith and the Mandalorains for what they had done here today, but for now he had a job to do and Imperial forces to save.

From the Collateral Star streamed out hundreds of star fighters and support craft: AX-Wings, Hyper-Jammers, TIE Vultures, Lambda-class YT-1760 Annihilators and Y-Fender "Uglies", swarming about the battlefield as they tried to cover the retreating Imperial ships long enough for them to get back toward friendly lines, clashing with the starfighters of Kurayami Bloodborn in their efforts. The Collateral Star continued to fire at any Sith and Mandalorian ships that it came across, except for those from Dosuun as the Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers moved slightly forward to deploy minefields all around them, intending to catch Kurayami Bloodborn unaware along with any enemy starfighters that tried to follow them into battle. Barrages of missile fire flew from the Collateral Star toward the enemy forces, nearly 160 missiles per barrage, as hundreds more turbolasers, laser cannons and ion cannons continued firing in nearly every conceivable direction. One of the Proton Beam Cannons on the Collateral Star directly hit the shipyards, only adding further to the illusion that they and Dosuun were on the same side. As long as Zonill could get the remaining Imperial ships out of harm's way, that was all that mattered to him.

Plus, he had to admit, it was kind of therapeutic to take the shipyard's destruction into his own hands, kind of like he was taking charge of his own destiny. Whether or not Barragh Nenn would agree remained to be seen, though he was of course in on the deception, though Zonill didn't know if he would add to it himself or just let it be as Imperial forces continued there desperate fight against the overwhelming odds in front of them!
​

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Spoiler: Fleet Compistion

• MIN Collateral Star
• 1 Mon Calamari Destroyer
• 2 Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers
• 1 Nullifier-class Arrestor Cruiser

Spoiler: Summary

• Gasp! The secret "alliance" between Mahporeem and Dosuun is revealed, along with the "bomb" planted aboard the shipyards!
• Zonill fires on the shipyards in an attempt to scuttle them as quickly as possible
• Zonill releases 50 squadrons worth of starfighters and support craft onto the battlefield in an attempt to save as many Imperial vessels as possible, getting into conflict with Kurayami Bloodborn
• The Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers deploy anti-starfighter mines around Zonill's fleet
• The Collateral Star continues firing at anything that moves, EXCEPT for the ships from Dosuun

TAGS:
Barragh Nenn
Gerwald Lechner
Srina Talon
Mercy
Ivalyn Yvarro
Darth Strosius
Kurayami Bloodborn
ANYONE ABOARD THE TION SHIPYARDS

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Indiscriminate bombardment had tapered down to precise surgical strikes, experimental munitions now swapped for conventional explosives. Even so, the majority of warheads fell upon sectors where no Sith forces had deployed, predominantly aimed at commercial and residential districts and avoiding areas deemed worth preserving by Sith command. The host of Darth Carnifex advanced along a main thoroughfare adjacent to the Lona Cranith River, using the river as their guide because it cut straight between Lianna City and Lola Curich.

Above, Shyrack gunships fought the resident Imperial remnants for air superiority over the twin cities, the incessant drone of their magnarotors reaching a fevered pitch as they dipped and danced overhead. Towering Vorghast walkers stalked the streets, massive central body pivoting on advanced gyroscopics as it hunted for prey among the carbon-scorred buildings. The Vorghast deployed reconnaissance drones to sweep the interior of potential enemy hideaways, marking both soldier and civilian with holographic targeting reticles.

The walker's guns did the rest.

Darth Carnifex watched as a residential building began to slouch to one side before ultimately toppling over and falling into the Lona Cranith River. Blackblade Guardsmen were already waiting to see if any survivors crawled or swam out of the debris, making no effort to take any of them alive. The other war hosts of the Sith might play by kinder rules, but the warrior-faithful of the Eternal Father would not be so generous. What He had to Tion had been a mercy, a dispassionate execution. This was not - the butchery was cruel, ruthless, and, above all else, intimate.

It was a different story when you got to look your victim in the eyes as they died compared to casualty numbers rolling across a data-screen. Lesser warriors would not have been able to stomach it. This is why He'd brought His finest, His most seasoned. They knew nothing of hesitation or guilt, life was cheaply bought by sword and rifle. The most cruel among them made a game of it, recording quantities and stretching out suffering as long as they could. Most, however, moved like machines, not caring how the enemies of their Eternal Father died so long as they did die.

Carnifex felt neither cruel glee nor emotionless obligation. Carnifex felt only hatred. Not the explosive anger of the moment, but the long, simmering viciousness that came from a lifetime of metastasized hate. These creatures which so futilely fought or so pathetically cried were so far beneath Him it was an insult to even bear witness to their grotesquerie. Such things truly only existed to suffer, death was a mercy that they should have fallen to their knees in thanks for. But such wretched, immature minds... They would never comprehend His benevolence.

So let them die in ignorance then.

It would make no difference to Him, forgotten in life and forgotten in death.

His head turned away from the slaughter, eyes catching the gleam radiating off of a black and gold beskar'gam; one that He was quite familiar with. "Mia Monroe," His voice resonated with firm annunciation, fallen fragments of grass cracking beneath the weight of His words. "We meet again surrounded by death. Have you come to slake your thirst of it?" Up ahead was a junction between streets, Darth Carnifex observed the coming intersection with a cool, steely look. He could smell them, waiting for His arrival.

He welcomed what was to come.

Mia Monroe | Ronhar Tane | Teckla Tane ​

 

[Rowyna Galeway]

Domar | Cyrine Zereth | Kurayami Bloodborn | Bella

Ship Name​	Class + Tonnage​	Shields + Hull Status​
DCV Valiant​	Cimmerian 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Veracity​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Kingsword​	Kimbrell 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Knight​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Ardent​	Sondheimer 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Acheron​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Centurion​	Vindicator 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Blackfin​	Seawolf 440m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Bashaw​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dreadfast​	Dagger 260m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Draugr​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diligent​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dauntless​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Drake​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diomedea​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Direwolf​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dryad​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Decisive​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Myrmidon​	Mukhtiar 190m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Meteor​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Maverick​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Minokawa​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Cassandra​	Bercey 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Couatl​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Fearless​	Fortan 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Formidable​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
DESIGNATIONS​	WOLFPACK RED​	​
B1 - B4​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K1 - K8​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK GOLD​	​
B5 - B8​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K9 - K16​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK BLUE​	​
B9 - B12​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K17 - K24​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​

​

The Tion Expedition
Task Force Valiant
ICV Valiant

The transmissionhad been received, that much was assured. The opposition would most assuredly get her reply.

"Captain Zereth," Galeway said, the channel opened and closed in the same breath, "upon your arrival, Task Force Highmarch may proceed with the destruction of the shipyards."

She was already moving toward the tactical stations before the transmission closed.


The Kimbrells' guns pivoted. Targeting solutions had been reacquired from the moment Galeway had given the order, the Fearless and Formidable's picture shifting to track the Mahporeenian lead vessel as it had been identified and designated. The Kingsword and the Knight did not need to be told twice. They had been built to hold a line and fire down it, and the line had simply moved.

On the inner screen, the interdiction fields of the Ardent and Acheron continued to spool. They would hold. Task Force Highmarch was inbound. Task Force Heramses too, if the border patrols had been released. Whatever imperial remnants still clung to this system would find the exits closed before they thought to use them.

Galeway did not look up from the display.

The Sith were boarding. The Mandalorians were pressing. Whatever intelligence remained aboard those dying stations, the minds of splinter commanders, the records of fractured loyalties, the last confessions of an order that had already lost, that was the prize worth taking. Not the scrap metal. Not the burning hulks. The Mahporeenians had understood none of it. They had come here to die for infrastructure.

"You may fire when ready."

Her voice was cool. Collected. The tone of someone who had already decided how this ended.

Task Force Valiant's fire shifted, and every barrel that had been pointed at the shipyard and was now reacquired on the Mahporeenian fleet, began to speak.

Task Forces Highmarch and Heramses had reverted from realspace, and that was all Galeway needed.

The Fearless had already begun reacquiring before Galeway finished the thought. The signal intelligence ships had brought back information, it had indeed faced this contingent before and sent the identifying information to the Captain.

"Tactical," she said, "shift screens. All fire, redirect to the Collateral Star and its contingent. Full acquisition."

The Formidable fed updated targeting solutions across the fleet net in the seconds that followed, the Mahporeenian flagship and its associated hulls designated, coordinates distributed, firing arcs adjusted. Whatever the Collateral Star had thought it was accomplishing by broadcasting its fabrication fleet-wide, it had accomplished one thing with certainty: it had made itself the most visible ship in the engagement zone.

The wolfpacks received their updated vectors. The Seawolfs and their Dagger screen reacquired. The Kimbrells brought their bows to bear. The Cimmerians' weapon arrays cycled to their new solutions.

The spurious had been eager to speak. Task Force Valiant was eager to respond in the only language that seemed worth using.

"Ardent, Acheron," Galeway added, her eyes still on the display, "ensure nothing in that fleet finds a way out of this system."

The interdiction fields activated.

Everything else was already in motion, as the task force turned to their enemy.

An encrypted message was dispatched to Quinn Varanin and the Empress.

Operations at Tion have begun, Your Majesties. ​

Ronhar Tane | Barragh Nenn | CT-312 | Gerwald Lechner | Daella | Srina Talon​

Spoiler

Actions being taken, direct fire being aimed at Ronhar's fleet.

Information brought to the fleet through ICV Formidable and ICV Fearless

MIN Collateral Star

• ICV Kingsword & ICV Knight - full broadside, Demeters and Persephones
• ICV Valiant & ICV Veracity - full weapons array, Nerys, Ikaros, Vilestar, Keres, Kyronis

Mon Calamari Destroyer

• ICV Blackfin & ICV Bashaw - full weapons array, torpedoes, mass drivers, turbolaser batteries

Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers (×2)

• Dagger screen - Tasha IIIs, Ifrits, Boltfires, Voidbreaker IIs

Nullifier-class Arrestor Cruiser

• Wolfpacks Red, Gold, Blue - full assault, torpedoes, rockets, HVCs, ECM saturation

 

[Barragh Nenn]

TION
The Eye of Helvede
Objective 1 - Assist the Remnants
Enemies: Mandalorians/Sith
Rowyna Galeway | CT-312 | Eira Dyn | Daella | Gerwald Lechner | Ronhar Tane ​

---

Another fleet had vomited forth into realspace. Initially it had not been a priority though Bridge Crew reported how it had begun firing on the shipyards and this was relayed back to the Captain and then vicariously to the Umbaran.

It was the transmission, broadcast openly by their Maphoreem allies and then the response by the Commonwealth forces that gained attention.

Almost immediately the Captain would have reported to the Umbaran...

"Lord, the Maphoreem Remnant is under heavy attack by Commonwealth forces."​

...prompting a brief chuckle from the Umbaran who so often seemed bored or indifferent towards occurrences around him...

"Apparently the message they broadcast did not go over so well."

...Barragh's hologram flicked from existence, disappearing from the holo emitter entirely only to reappear elsewhere on the bridge near tactical stations. He spent moments then only to flicker from existence again and reappear near the Captain once more commenting that...

"Such a large fleet. Dosuun has come a long way."

...the Umbaran let a silence exist between himself and the Captain momentarily then, he seemed oblivious to the panic that had begun to creep into his subordinates expression before finally stating...

"Target the Kimbrell-Class Star Destroyers as priority. Relay commands to the Hammer and Hounds Tooth to shift engagement, Hounds Tooth to fire upon smaller vectors as per incoming transmission. Frigates and Corvette to tighten defensive perimeter around us. Launch twenty squadrons, attack pattern zeta."

...the Captain replied...

"Yes, Lord."​

...within moments the bridge was buzzing.

Orders were relayed to the other vessels in the fleet.

New targeting vectors were acquired. The Eye of Helvede would bring to bare the enormous firepower of its Dual Electromagnetic Plasma Canons and as many of its Quad Heavy Turbolaser batteries as possible and fire on the DVC Kingsword and Knight. It was what one would expect from such an immense class of ship. Even half the turbolaser batteries would amount to just over a thousand shots not including the barrage of the plasma canons.

The Hammer did likewise with octuple megamaser batteries, reductor concussion canons and its own turbolasers.

The Hounds Tooth received its orders. Its missile barrage cut from the Dropships and Pods that had been launching at the Shipyards. It acquired new targets, a vast spread and would begin to launch agaisnt the smaller vessels of the Dorsuun Fleet. Dagger, Mukhtiar, Bercey and Fortan-Class vessels were all the targets.

"Assist the Hounds Tooth with our own ordnance."

...the command went out over the bridge of the Eye of Helvede.

Within moments more missiles and ordances joined the barrage. All this and still the ship had large amounts of weaponry powered and in reserve.

Squadrons were launched too, primarily from the centrally located main hangar bay but also from the secondary bay that hadn't been preparing to accept the Lambda-Class Shuttle. Altogether the Eye of Helvede launched another twenty-squadrons, ten (10) fighter squadrons and ten (10) bomber squadrons.

Orders relayed would cause the previously launched ten (10) fighter squadrons to regroup with those launching now.

The Hammer launched four (4) of its own fighter squadrons and the Hounds Tooth one (1) from its own limited hangars.

Altogether it amounted to thirty-five (35) squadrons, the majority of which were fighters but with a massive Bomber compliment as well. They would descend like a swarm on the smaller vessels of the Dorsuun fleet to work in tandem with the missile barrages to target shield generators and complete bombing runs against what were generally considered to be more fragile ships.

As for the rest, the Celox-Class Frigates hovered on either side of the Eye of Helvede with the Prixar continuing to linger in the rear using the mass of that ship as a blind. Altogether they created overlapping arcs of shielding that fed off one another making defensive zones that were even more powerful and durable than they would have been otherwise. It was their primary purpose.

---

In the secondary hangar the squad of Stormtroopers would have arrived to meet the Lambda-Class Shuttle that had been granted entry. Ten (10) troopers total including a Sergeant, armed with standard issue blaster rifles. They had no idea who was actually on the Shuttle.

Spoiler

• The Eye of Helvede and Hammer target the Kimbrell-Class Star Destroyers DVC Kingsword and Knight with heavy firepower including Electromagnetic Plasma Canons, Megamaser Batteries and Quad Heavy Turbolaser Batteries.
• The Hounds Tooth redirects its missile barrage towards the smaller craft in the Commonwealth Fleet which is joined by ordnance from the Eye of Helvede
• A total of thirty-five squadrons are launched, twenty-five fighter squadrons and ten bomber squadrons to coordinate with ordnance fire from the Eye of Helvede and Hounds Tooth and engage the smaller Commonwealth capital ships.
• A Stormtrooper squad awaits the Lambda-Class shuttle in a secondary hangar bay.

Spoiler

The Eye of Helvede - Command Carrier/Battlecruiser
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged
The Hammer - Imperial I-class Star Destroyer
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged
The Hounds Tooth - Tyrant III Class Missile Cruiser
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged
Celox-Class Frigate (1)
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged
Celox-Class Frigate (2)
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged
The Prizar - Lianna II-Class Corvette
Shields - Undamaged
Armor - Undamaged
Superstructure - Undamaged

 

[Mig Gred]

Objective 2
Tags: Minerva Fhirdiad

Mig nodded as the evac ships continued to descend, but paused on something Minerva said. He crossed his arms, sighing.

“Easy Minerva. We’re here to evacuate. The job sometimes means taking a shot or two before acting. Like you said, folks are on edge. Gotta keep the big picture of what’s happening though, and that right now Beskar’gam doesn’t look friendly.” He said as he clipped his helmet to his belt, feeling the weight shift as the craft entered atmosphere, and started to rely on planetary gravity.

“Once we’re on the surface we get medical set up, and prep runners. The corridor might be open, but I don’t trust the dar’jetii (Sith) to leave it be.” He then looked as vessels started to land, including some modified couriers. “It’s why we brought both speedy ships and heavy haulers.” As the ship touched down the ramps dropped. A few armed troops, a mix of spacers and Mandalorians. Even many of the Mandalorians had traded much of their armor for armorweave jackets or similar, but that probably wouldn’t mean much. In the end though, most were pilots and support crews, ready to get people out of the combat zone.

“Alright, tate (Concordian Mando’a, Vode, Brothers/Sisters)! Get the beacons sounding and everything ready for cycling and medical. And Stratch, keep your eyes open up there! Don’t want any surprise attacks.” A Gred GF-4 Stinger would fly over with its wingman.

“Got it boss. Overwatch on station.”

 

[Xerxes Verd]

TAG: Rowyna Galeway CT-312 Eira Dyn Daella Gerwald Lechner Ronhar Tane Barragh Nenn​

Ship Name​	Class + Tonnage​	Shields + Hull Status​
Gar Sarad​	The Stone and Sky 5,000m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Oya'karir​	Iron Eidolon 5,000m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Mand'alor's Wrath​	Aggressor-type 5,000m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Prudii Mirdala​	Lunarfang 2,000m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Ke'gyce​	"​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Vor'e Ner​	"​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Darasuum Kote​	Darasuum-type 2,000m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Verd'ika​	Jurir-type 1,200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Baar'ur​	Susulur-type 1,600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Kot'aran​	Vengeance-type 500m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Tracyn'kad​	"​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Mirdal'ika​	"​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
Cin Vhetin​	"​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
EMBARKED CRAFT	166 Squadrons​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%

The Gar Srad translated to realspace as Xerxes stood at the aft tactical rail of the Gar Sarad's command tier, hands loose at his sides, beskar-plated fingers tapping nothing. Before him, the holo table painted the system in cold blue light, every gravity well, every contact, every firing solution already calculated and waiting for his word. The telemetry from Rowyna Galeway was critical in achieving surprise. While the enemy had been focused on the forces of the Commonwealth, Xerxes would exploit that focus with a precision jump behind Imperial Forces.

The fleet translated around him in sequence. First, the Oya'karir, the Iron Eidolon sliding out of the Nether like a bad dream made solid, its rune-etched hull still faintly luminescent from the crossing. Then the Mand'alor's Wrath, five kilometers of Aggressor-type, arrived not with a flash but with the sensation of pressure, so large that the local sensors took a full three seconds to resolve its outline. The Lunarfangs came next, Prudii Mirdala, Ke'gyce, Vor'e Ner, fast and lean and already peeling wide into flanking arcs before their transition echoes had faded. Then the carriers, the frigates, the Susulur ghosting in last like a thought you couldn't quite place.

"All elements confirmed in system." The sensor officer's voice carried the flat calm of someone who had rehearsed this moment enough times that the real thing felt almost disappointingly routine. "Lunarfangs report firing solutions on primary contacts. Baar'ur reports ECM envelope active. Fighter wings standing by."

"Alert fighters launch a defensive screen first, once that's in place, we'll introduce the imperials to our bomber wings.. Lunarfangs, commence long-range fire. Oya'karir, ready the helios canon." He turned from the table. "Let them see it coming." He had never believed in the clean kill; Xerxes believed in the weight of inevitability in giving an enemy enough time to understand exactly what was about to happen to them, and not enough time to prevent it. The Lunarfangs' spinal cannons opened first, long bright lines of plasma reaching across the void before the enemy had a chance to turn. The Baar'ur's countermeasures sent interference across their comms.

Xerxes watched the display and waited for the part where they started trying to run.

Spoiler: Fleet Summary

• The Oya'karir (Iron Eidolon) emerged from the Nether rather than standard hyperspace, appearing on sensors without warning.
• The Mand'alor's Wrath (Aggressor) translated behind it
• The three Lunarfangs Prudii Mirdala, Ke'gyce, and Vor'e Ner immediately broke into wide flanking arcs to open long-range firing lines.
• The Baar'ur (Susulur) brought its ECM envelope online, scrambling enemy targeting before the enemy had time to reorient to the fleet's arrival.
• Lunarfangs open long fire with spinal cannons at The Eye of Helvede
• Oya'karir brings the spinal weapon to readiness
• 20 Squadrons of Fang's launching in a defense screen over the fleet

 

[Marlon Sularen]

---

T H E_S P O I L S
Objective I : The Holdouts

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

---

As Sith and Mandalorian Forces laid waste to the Tion Cluster, Marlon Sularen stood within one of the war rooms of his headquarters on Cholganna, his eyes glued on the holographic tables that displayed a live feed of the ongoing attacks on both Tion and Lianna. He had withheld committing the Imperial Military assets that remained under his direct command to the defence of both worlds, given that they were already a lost cause.

The Imperial defences on Lianna had been broken and overrun as Sith and Mandalorian forces flooded the planet's industrialized cities, pillaging them for their resources, kidnapping Imperial citizens and putting Confederation personnel to the sword. At the same time, the situation on Tion was only slightly better, as Imperial Forces from Mahporeem, along with the Imperial Hand Barragh Nenn, tried to put up some form of defence for the already heavily damaged and compromised shipyards in orbit, but were already facing overwhelming opposition from both Sith and Mandalorian naval forces, their defeat was inevitable and no amount of reinforcements from Cholganna would save them from the onslaught they faced.

This was nothing short of a massacre, a message from both the Sith Order and the Mandalorian Empire that the Imperial Confederation was dead and they would make sure it would stay buried. It was a truth even a hardcore Imperial such as Sularen had to accept, as there was clearly no future for what was left of the Confederation. But from the death of the Confederation came the opportunity for rebirth. The creation of something greater, something pure, an evolution of Imperialism that would succeed where its predecessors failed, and Sularen would be its architect.

At the very least, the sheer brutality of the Sith and Mandalorians would be sufficient to convince even the more pragmatic Imperials within the former Confederation that this galaxy couldn't be compromised with, that their order could only be imposed by the sword, not the pen, which would only allow Sularen to further build up his Imperial splinter group that would ensure the rebirth and revitalization of Imperialism in the Outer Rim.

Until then, he would simply have to watch this massacre play out from the safety of his fortress world and hope that both Admiral Zonill and Barragh Nenn weren't too stubborn to immediately begin withdrawing from the battlefield in the face of the overwhelming odds and the inevitable defeat they faced.

---

Tags [Friendlies] | Barragh Nenn | Ronhar Tane
Tags [Hostiles] | Rowyna Galeway | CT-312 | Eira Dyn | Daella | Gerwald Lechner​

 

[Prisoner #36929]

Tags: Na Ri
Equipment: X​

The Prisoner's eyebrows furrowed as she claimed to be fine. She looked like she was one tremor away from collapsing, but he wasn't going to waste time arguing. If she wanted to be a crutch, he'd let her.

He nodded, draping his arm over her shoulder and leaning part of his weight onto her. Together, they began a slow, awkward descent into the dark throat of the stairwell. Every cough that wracked her frame vibrated through his own side, but he kept his gaze fixed on the steps. He needed her to hold steady long enough to reach the bottom.

As they navigated the debris-strewn stairs, the Prisoner felt a cold surge of honesty. "I am only here for the records room," he grunted, his voice echoing in the narrow shaft. "If there are Imperial survivors down there, I will not help. They chose their side."

They reached the lower level just as the building gave another sickening lurch. The red emergency lights here were dim, shadowed by thick clouds of settling dust. He spotted the heavy blast doors of the archive and pointed a shaking finger. "Get me in there," he urged. The door groaned, resisting before finally sliding back with a shriek of tortured metal.

Inside, the room was a tomb of humming servers and flickering consoles. The Prisoner pulled away from the woman, stumbling into one of the two chairs positioned before the main terminal. His fingers hovered over the keys for a split second before he began to tap frantically. He didn't have a name or a file number, but he knew the designation of the black-site prison where he'd been broken.

That was where he had to start.

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Xerxes Verd | Rowyna Galeway | CT-312 | Eira Dyn | Daella | Gerwald Lechner | Ronhar Tane | Barragh Nenn | Domar | Cyrine Zereth | Bella

"ATTENTION IMPERIAL COMMONWEALTH FORCES:

THE DECEPTION HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. THE SITH DON'T EXEPCT A THING. CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BOARD THE STATION AS YOUR FORCES DESTROY IT. THE MORE SITH YOU ELIMINATE HERE TODAY, THE EASIER IT WILL BE FOR YOU TO PROCEED WITH YOUR TAKEOVER OF SITH HELD SPACE. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE, BUT DON'T WORRY IF YOU AREN'T AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU'D LIKE. IF YOUR SHIPS DON'T END UP DESTROYING ALL THE SITH, THE BOMB PLANTED ABOARD THE SHIPYARDS SURELY WILL. PAYMENT WILL BE SENT TO YOU ONCE THE BATTLE HAS CONCLUDED.

GLORY TO DOSUUN! GLORY TO MAHPOREEM!"

The sudden appearance of the unhinged and frankly, batshit ranting comms message may have caused lesser pilots or soldiers to question their mission but the two members of Aquila continued only to clear the AA towers with ruthless precision. As the two arced over into the superstructure of the shipyards, Kurayami opened an encrypted channel to 04. "Propaganda. Nothing more. We have no ties, trade or otherwise to this pathetic excuse for a failed regime." The pair dropped out from the bottom of the superstructure, 04 trailing slightly behind and offset to the right. Kurayami's eyes calmly scanned the void ahead of them as he set the vector for their next attack run, pulling into a reversal that flipped the ship onto its back before leveling out in a half roll and heading back toward the most target rich environment.

As they approached, the panoramic displays on the inside of the cockpit panels lit up with a blinding number of warnings. 04 came over the squad comms her voice betraying her unease with the sheer amount of ordnance and fighters. "Captain! There's no way..." "Lieutenant this is simple intimidation. They rely on quantity over quality. Activate ECCM, CloakEye, and Blinder sensor jammers, make sure all are active at full power and transmitting. It's just a swarm of missiles and fighters, we've trained this in the sims thousands of times. Stay calm, Lieutenant." He knew that the missiles were going to try and follow the two of them, so he flew towards the enemies, firing while jinking to try and group the enemy closer as they neared the merge. 04 stayed slightly out of phase to keep up pressure, the intent wasn't to hit the fighters right now, only to make them dodge the shots.

"04...into the shipyards again, quick slashes and horizontal weaves through the support structure. Make them follow us." Kurayami watched the impacts of the shells, the Force guiding his movements as he dove into the shipyard. "Follow behind me exactly, Do not deviate from my course 04." "Yes,sir." Her voice was slightly steadier knowing that her chances of survival were far better following this absolutely insane Corellian than if she didn't. As the fighters tried to follow the maneuver and the missiles traced their targets with unflinching malice, many of the targets were forced to break pursuit being unable to follow the two or destroyed, including most importantly, a significant number of the TIE Vultures and Hyperjammers from the resulting detonations when the missiles were unable to maintain lock, there were those that were able to give chase, but the numbers were greatly reduced and they were soon cleared when they hit support beams while chasing the pair. Of the fighters remaining those that were able to dropped in behind, but the speed and maneuverability went to the RZ-2, as well as the fact that this was where such a small craft could easily dictate the terms of the engagement.

This led to a rather interesting to watch, but only damaging to the shipyards chase. The pair of A-Wings wove expertly through the supports of the shipyard. "Exit at the next docking facility for capital sized vessels. Do not hesitate, shells will be impacting there in the next salvo. Focus only on exit." There was no response, but he could see on the scope that 04 was hot on his tail still. He nodded, sliding the back of his craft around at the juncture and exiting the facility exactly where he specified with the twin plumes of his wingman burning a bright trail through the void behind him. As they did The remaining fighters that had launched set upon them once more only to be drawn straight into a wall of fire. Kurayami sent a quick comms ping to 04, no words needed as he broke hard left and she hard right in violent descending turns. Another large chunk of the previous hundreds of ships were vaporized by the sheer volume of fire sent towards the Commonwealth fleet by Barragh Nenn.

Still there were plenty of hostiles swarming around and neither Kurayami nor 04 was about to give up the fight. A sudden feeling of unease permeated the Force, one he knew well, large scale Nether rift. "04, focus solely on the enemy. The unease will pass in a moment. That is the arrival of a Mandalorian support fleet." True to his word, as if on cue, the Mandalorian fleet reverted to realspace. Kurayami sent an open message to the Imperial Remnant forces. "Congratulations. Your overreliance on numbers has vaporized your own pilots for no gain. I commend you on exceptional tactical and strategic acumen, sirs."

 

[Ronhar Tane]

FLEET ADMIRAL VORIN ZONHILL
TION SHIPYARDS
OBJECTIVE I: THE HOLDOUTS RETREAT!

Zonill breathed a sigh of relief as yet another Imperial I-class Star Destroyer managed to make it back to friendly lines, albeit in just barely functioning condition. In addition to it and the three other Star Destroyers that had managed to retreat, a dozen other Imperial vessels of varying sizes and class had managed to reach the Collateral Star's position, though most were on the brink of shutting down or falling apart. Zonill was under no illusions that he was going to win this battle, but if Rowyna Galeway 's arrival had been alarming, Xerxes Verd 's was downright apocalyptic.

Additional sensor readings pinged the bridge of the Collateral Star, and judging from how large they were, there wasn't a chance in hell that Zonill's fleet could go toe to toe with them, even with the support of Barragh Nenn and his forces. They had clearly overstayed their welcome, it seemed.

It was very much time to go.

Except for one small problem: Rowyna Galeway gravity well projectors were preventing Zonill from making the jump to hyperspace. Apparently they were upset about the little fib that Zonill was told, as was evident from the volume of fire pouring in to his embarked forces. Thankfull, though Galeway's ships were starting to close the distance, they were still far enough that they weren't doing any real damage yet, though the size of the Collateral Star meant that it was essentially impossible to miss it even at long range, and the Star's shield flared and crackled under the intense barrage of turbolaser, mass driver and missile fire.

Zonill considered his options, and settled on the most straight forward one. There was a moon nearby Barragh Nenn 's position, which would put Zonill outside the range of the gravity well projectors, and even if it weren't, it would provide Zonill with what he needed to pull free of the gravity projector's zone of influence. Zonill ordered all the ships around him to make haste for the moon, and to hide behind the Collateral Star so that they could avoid receiving any additional damage.

Before they went to hide, the Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers fired a salvo of long range ion bolts from their V-150 Planet Defenders, attempting to disable the ships preventing their escape before joining the rest of the ships in hiding behind the Star. Nearly every ship in Zonill's fleet had taken heavy shield damage except for the Star itself, though their hulls had been miraculously spared being damaged, at least for now. That, of course, did not apply to the original defenders of the shipyards, and those ships were essentially on life support at this moment. Still, Zonill decided to use this to his advantage one last time.

"Captain Selffer, let's leak one final transmission to the Sith and Mando fleet".

"Will do sir, but do you really think anyone believes us?"

"Probably not, but thats ok, Captain. All we need is one person, one single person of importance to buy what we're saying at face value, to cause some internal chaos and confusion when we leave. If we can get that single person to turn against their allies, it would be a massive boon to us. Plus, from the perspective of those fighting aboard the shipyards, its not entirely unbelievable about what we're claiming. Seriously, who sends boarding parties to a target you're actively in the middle of destroying? I knew the Sith didn't really care about their forces, but even so, that's just ridiculous!"

And so, one final transmission was leaked over open comms for anyone to listen to as the Mahporeenian fleet began to retreat.

ATTENTION IMPERIAL COMMONWEALTH FORCES:

OUR DECEPTION HAS BEEN DISCOVERED, THE SITH ARE ONTO US. REROUTE YOUR FIRING PATTERNS TOWARD OUT FLEET, THE COLLATERAL STAR CAN TAKE THE DAMAGE. WE NEED TO MAKE THIS THING LOOK REALISTIC IF WE'RE GOING TO PULL IT OFF. PAYMENT IS PROCESSING AND WILL BE SENT TO YOU MOMENTARILY. THE SHIPYARDS ARE ALMOST DESTROYED, IF WE'RE QUICK WE CAN GET THE SITH ABOARD THEM BEFORE THEY ESCAPE. GOOD LUCK!

GLORY TO DOSSUN! GLORY TO MAHPOREEM!"

"Sir, I really don't think the Sith are that stupid", Sellferr remarked as the transmission went out.

"Maybe not, but we'll see", Zonill replied grimly. “Now I think it’s time we get the hell out of here!”

Zonill’s fleet began to make its way toward the moon that Barragh Nenn was near, still firing on the shipyards all the while. With the way that the Collateral Star had been constructed, the ship had a nearly 360 degree firing arc, meaning that she would continue to fire on the shipyards until she left the system. In addition to her heavy turboblasers, heavy laser cannons and missile launchers, the Star fired another pair of Proton Beam Cannons directly that the shipyards, which combined with Dosuun’s attack, was causing heavy damage.

Entire sections of the shipyards were heavily on fire, and bits and pieces of them were floating around in space, having been reduced to little more than twisted hulks of blackened metal. Anyone inside the shipyards were sure to be dealing with the effects of the Mahporeenian and Dosuunian bombardment, and at this rate, the shipyards were in danger of complete collapse!

Starfighter and support craft began streaming back to the Star in a desperate attempt not to get left behind, strafing the shipyards as they flew past, and the entire Mahporeenian fleet was well underway to escaping...assuming they could survive long enough to get into position to do so!
​

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Spoiler: Fleet Compistion

• MIN Collateral Star
• 1 Mon Calamari Destroyer
• 2 Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers
• 1 Nullifier-class Arrestor Cruiser

Spoiler: Summary

• RUN!
• Zonill leaks another fake transmission implicating an alliance with Dosuun
• The Disruptor-class Ion Cannon Carriers fire some long range ion bolts from their V-150 Planet Defenders in an attempt to disable the ships using their gravity well projectors against the Mahporeenian fleet
• Most of Mahporeen's ships move behind the Collateral Star in an attempt to keep themselves safe from damage
• The Star continues pounding away at the shipyards, firing another two proton beams into the now collapsing structure
• Mahporeem's starfighters and support craft make a mad dash to Imperial lines, strafing the shipyards on the way

TAGS:
Barragh Nenn
Gerwald Lechner
Srina Talon
Mercy
Ivalyn Yvarro
Rowyna Galeway
Darth Strosius
Kurayami Bloodborn
Marlon Sularen
Xerxes Verd
Quinn Varanin (for the lolz)
ANYONE ABOARD THE TION SHIPYARDS

 

[Amni Kazda]

Current Outfit
Kitty

These Sith two meant business. Good. It will make it all the sweeter when their mangled corpses will be spread all over the ground. Lazzasha Jovee sent some Lexus and other beasts that Amni didn't recognize out in the battlefield. "Your little pets aren't going to help you Sith!" Amni said with a devious smile.

With a wave of her blade, a yellow, jagged projectile was shot from the weapon heading directly towards one of the nexus. The projectile cut through the beast's neck, blood and gore spilling on the ground as the Nexus head rolled on ground. "Take a good look tamer," Amni said motioning towards the head of the Nexu. "Your pretty little head will be right next to it."

The tamer cracked her whip which drew a chuckle from Amni. How cute. Sith sorcery was no match for a genetically altered person like her. Just then blades came straight for Amni. "Chit! They're fast!" She quickly summoned a portal disappearing into it before the blades could get to her before reappearing above them ready to strike.

"I got tricks up my sleeve as well!" Amni yelled her blade heading towards Lazzasha Jovee .

Olyssandra

 

[Rowyna Galeway]

Domar | Cyrine Zereth | Kurayami Bloodborn | Bella

Ship Name​	Class + Tonnage​	Shields + Hull Status​
DCV Valiant​	Cimmerian 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Veracity​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Kingsword​	Kimbrell 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Knight​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Ardent​	Sondheimer 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Acheron​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%
DCV Centurion​	Vindicator 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Blackfin​	Seawolf 440m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Bashaw​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dreadfast​	Dagger 260m​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Draugr​	" "​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diligent​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dauntless​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Drake​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Diomedea​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Direwolf​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Dryad​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Decisive​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Myrmidon​	Mukhtiar 190m​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Meteor​	" "​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Maverick​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Minokawa​	​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Cassandra​	Bercey 200m​	Shield: 90% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Couatl​	​	Shield: 90% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Fearless​	Fortan 200m​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
DCV Formidable​	" "​	Shield: 95% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
DESIGNATIONS​	WOLFPACK RED​	​
B1 - B4​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K1 - K8​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK GOLD​	​
B5 - B8​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K9 - K16​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK BLUE​	​
B9 - B12​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K17 - K24​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​

​

The Tion Expedition
Task Force Valiant
ICV Valiant


The Eye of Helvede's fire registered on the tactical display as a secondary contact noted, flagged, assigned a threat tier below the Mahporeenian fleet that was still the primary objective.

"Incoming from the Imperial formation," the tactical officer reported. "Fighters and bombers, thirty-five squadrons. Missile barrage incoming, smaller hull designations."

Galeway didn't redirect the guns.

"Mukhtiars, close escort ring, you have your targets. Intercept the fighter and bomber wings. Point defense free to engage."

The four Mukhtiars had been built for exactly this moment. Their anti-air grids swept across the incoming vectors, defensive countermeasures cycling, the Ovmar missile intercept systems and Thunderbolt rotary HVCs already tracking approach patterns distributed through the Fearless' picture. The Seawolfs extended their Testudo matrices tighter around the carrier battle core. The Daggers' Tasha IIIs shifted to burst mode, rapid plasma pulse suppression, exactly what they were designed for when bomber corridors opened up. The Ballista shield arrays on every hull in the close escort ring oriented toward the incoming vectors.

The Eye of Helvede was a large ship firing a great many weapons. Task Force Valiant was a large fleet with a great many shields.

Galeway watched the display. The Mandalorian fleet was already engaging Barragh from his opposite side. The Eye of Helvede was fighting two directions simultaneously, the Commonwealth to one flank, the Mandalorians to the other, and it had made the decision to prioritize the Kimbrells.

That was Barragh's problem to manage.

"Kimbrells hold their heading," Galeway said. "Primary target is still the Mahporeenian fleet. We finish what we started."

The shields took what the Eye sent and held. The point defense worked the bomber wings. The guns stayed on Zonill.

Barragh Nenn had come at Task Force Valiant from a flank and found that Task Force Valiant did not flinch. The Mandalorians would find him shortly. Whatever happened after that was between him and them.

Galeway had a fleet to destroy.

The second transmission was logged.

Captain Galeway did not look up from the display.

The Fearless flagged the ion cannon salvo from the Disruptor-class carriers the moment it left their launch bays, the V-150 Planet Defenders, long range, targeting the interdiction field projectors on the Ardent and Acheron. The Mukhtiars were already moving. The Seawolfs' point defense grids had been tracking since acquisition. Between the Ovmar missile intercept systems, the Thunderbolt rotary HVCs cycling across the close escort ring, and the Ballista shield arrays on the Sondheimers themselves, the salvo had a great deal of Commonwealth steel to work through before it found anything worth disabling.

The Ardent and Acheron held their fields.

Nothing was leaving this system through hyperspace.

"He's running for the moon," the tactical officer reported.

Galeway studied the display for a moment. Zonill's fleet pressing toward the moon near Barragh Nenn's position. Toward the Mandalorian engagement. Toward a fight that was already going poorly for the Eye of Helvede.

"Let him run," she said.

She did not redirect the guns. She did not alter the interdiction field geometry. She simply watched a man navigate his fleet from one problem directly into a larger one, with the quiet patience of someone who understood that sometimes the best thing a navy could do was hold its position and let the engagement solve itself.

Task Force Valiant kept its guns on the Mahporeenian formation and continued to fire.

The shipyards burned. The interdiction fields held. The second transmission, like the first, went unanswered.

Some things did not require a response.

Here's the beat to follow directly from the last passage:

Galeway stood at the display a moment longer.

The shipyards were burning. The Mahporeenian fleet was running. The objective was being completed with or without Zonill's theatrical assistance. Task Force Valiant had done what it had been sent to do.

She thought of Tion. Not the shipyards, not the strategic calculus, Tion itself. The people. The Commonwealth had taken Tionese before, after the Sith had burned through this system the first time. Families. Officers. Engineers and dockworkers and administrators who had lost everything and found something like a home on Dosuun. The Commonwealth was not sentimental about empire. But it remembered its own.

"Comms," she said quietly,"open a channel to any Tionese Imperial personnel still aboard the stations. Offer terms. Surrender, lay down arms, and the Commonwealth will take you off. One transmission. No repetition."

She did not explain it to the bridge crew. She did not need to.

Then she turned back to the tactical display and issued the second set of orders with the same quiet efficiency.

"Get me encrypted channels to the Empress, to Srina Talon, to Quinn Varanin, and to Xerxes Verd."

A pause while the comms officer worked.

When the channels opened Galeway kept it brief. There was no theater in it, no performance for the bridge crew. Just the facts of the engagement as Task Force Valiant understood them, the Mahporeenian fleet pressing toward the moon near Barragh Nenn's position, the interdiction fields holding, the shipyard infrastructure in active collapse, and one quiet note that the Commonwealth had extended terms to any Tionese Imperial personnel still aboard the stations.

They could do with that information what they wished.

"Task Force Valiant will hold position until the objective is confirmed destroyed," she added, and closed the channels.

She looked back at the display. The guns were still firing. The fields were still holding. The Collateral Star was running toward a problem it didn't understand yet.

Some things, she reflected, resolved themselves.

Galeway turned back to the tactical screens beside her.

Zonill was running.

Galeway watched the Collateral Star's trajectory on the display for exactly as long as it took her to confirm it was heading toward the Mandalorian engagement and not toward anything that required her attention. The interdiction fields would hold until she released them or the Sondheimers had reason to drop them. Whatever happened to Zonill at that moon was no longer her problem.

She turned back to the display.

The Eye of Helvede, however, was still very much present.

"Tactical," she said, "reacquire. Full task force, redirect fire to the Eye of Helvede and its contingent. Kimbrells primary on the Eye. Seawolfs and Dagger screen shift to the Hammer. Wolfpacks, the Hounds Tooth and whatever frigates remain are yours."

A pause lingered between commands, she shifted her gaze toward the weapons officers.

"Since they so desire our guns, let us oblige them with fire." Galeway remarked, a small inclination of her head as officers carried about orders.

The Fearless and Formidable had already begun distributing updated targeting solutions before she finished speaking. The fleet net lit up as coordinates were redistributed across every hull in Task Force Valiant the long, methodical process of reacquiring that the Strikeveil suites on each ship handled in seconds rather than minutes.

The Kimbrells brought their bows toward the Eye of Helvede.

The Cimmerians' weapon arrays cycled to their new solutions.

The Seawolfs and their Dagger screen pivoted.

The wolfpacks received their vectors.

Barragh Nenn had opened fire on Task Force Valiant without provocation, while the Commonwealth was engaged in an operation sanctioned by the Sith Order he nominally shared an alignment with, or had, once. He had chosen his side the moment the Eye of Helvede's guns tracked toward the Kingsword and Knight.

Task Force Valiant was happy to oblige him.

Meanwhile Task Force Highmarch and Task Force Heramses saw to the Shipyard's destructions. Evacuating any willing Tionese Imperial who wished to flee. Presumably the Sith had their own escape as they often did. Although should any have need of a 'ride' out they were smart enough to call for it. Or at least, the Imperial Commonwealth of Dosuun, presumed they were smart enough to call for it.

Tion itself would find this moment of cleansing to be over soon enough. After all it wasn't so far from the Holy Worlds. Perhaps, Darth Caedus and Lady Madrona had plans for the cluster. It did seem like high time that this cluster of worlds be re-educated in all manners of the Sith Order.

However that was a concern for another day, today her focus was simple.

​

Ronhar Tane | Barragh Nenn | CT-312 | Gerwald Lechner | Daella | Srina Talon | Xerxes Verd​

Spoiler

• Mukhtiars, close escort ring, and point defense intercept the bomber wings and missile barrage; shields hold across the fleet
• Galeway does not redirect fire Kimbrells maintain primary targeting on the Mahporeenian fleet; Barragh is noted as fighting two fronts simultaneously against both the Commonwealth and the Mandalorians
• Galeway opens a one-time channel to any Tionese Imperial personnel aboard the stations, offering terms of surrender and Commonwealth extraction
• Encrypted reports transmitted to the Empress, Srina Talon, Quinn Varanin, and Xerxes Verd detailing fleet positions, interdiction status, and the Tionese offer
• Task Force Valiant holds position, guns reacquiring target solutions; targeting Barragh Nenn's ships.
• Task Forces Highmarch and Heramses continue their focus on the shipyards.

 

[Na Ri]

Na Ri said nothing as he leaned into her, the added weight was immediate.

It wasn't unbearable; but enough to shift the careful balance she maintained with each step. Her footing adjusted instinctively, her arm rising just slightly to steady him without drawing attention to the effort it took. They moved together down the stairwell in uneven rhythm; his weight, her restraint.

The air thickened the further they descended, each breath came shorter than the last. She kept them quiet, mostly. A cough slipped through once; sharp, contained as best as she could manage; but the strain lingered afterward, a subtle tremor in her frame that didn’t fully fade. She didn’t slow...not yet. Na Ri didn't respond to him as he talked, only listening to what he had to say. Her gaze remained forward, steady on the steps ahead as debris shifted beneath their feet and the structure groaned around them.

By the time they reached the lower level, her breathing had grown uneven again. She let him pull away when they reached the archive, the loss of his weight should have made things easier.

It didn’t.

For a moment, she remained where she was, one hand resting lightly against the wall as she steadied herself. Another cough rose; this one harder to contain. She turned slightly, pressing the cloth to her lips just blood escaped her lips, painting white to deep crimson. The woman dipped her head lower, allowing her hair to fall as though to not show the man that she was literally coughing up blood when the building was collapsing around them. She didn't follow him into the room immediately, assuming that he would have gone ahead without her.

After struggling with the cloth and wiping her lips with a new cloth from inside her pocket, she decided to follow Prisoner, perhaps against her own better judgment, stepping inside. The room beyond hummed faintly, a fragile pocket of function in a place that was quickly running out of time. There was an immediate flicker of movement that appeared in the corner of her eye, near one of the auxiliary consoles, half-shadowed by failing light.

Na Ri stilled. "...Someone's still here..." She moved toward the edge of the room instead of the center, her steps careful, measured. As she approached, the shape resolved; slumped, barely conscious, breath shallow and uneven. Imperial...

Na Ri crouched beside them anyway. Her hands were more steady now, despite the strain that lingered beneath the surface. She reached for the vial kit at her side, already assessing what little she could do in the time they had.

Behind her, the low hum of the terminal continued, keys tapping in frantic rhythm.

And beneath it all...the building groaned again, closer this time.

Prisoner #36929​

 

[Mia Monroe]

The sound of her name in his mouth made her want to reach into it and rip out his tongue. Mia had felt hate before, once upon a time the simple act of being a Sith would have made her violent towards someone but this? This was all consuming. She pushed off the wall where she’d been leaning, moving to fall in with him, careful to keep out of arms reach, not for her own safety, but because it would give her time to correct any violence from her towards him.

“The only death that will ever slake my thirst is yours, Carnifex.” she replied, her voice calm and even despite the hate flowing through her that she knew he would feel. She wasn’t exactly trying to hide it. Her eyes travelled beneath her helm watching his Blackblades dispatching civilians as they tried to escape rubble. She should have felt something, an urge to stop it, or even distaste at the whole scene.

Mia felt nothing.

Perhaps it was because there was no room for anything else in her this close to Carnifex. Or maybe it was because she was more numb than she realised. She looked away, setting her gaze to the coming intersection.

“I have no interest in the slaughter of cattle. I am here to find whatever intelligence is left that can be used to eradicate what is left of the Confederation.” She paused “That, and we are long overdue a conversation that is not held between traded blows.”

Her gaze tracked upwards, HUD scanning for potential threats in response.

“Though I imagine this time the blows will be against a common enemy.” The corner of her mouth curved into a humourless smile. “Never in my wildest dreams…”

Ronhar Tane Teckla Tane Darth Carnifex

 

[Prisoner #36929]

Tags: Na Ri
Equipment: X​

The Prisoner's focus shattered as he watched her enter the room. He caught the flash of deep crimson on her rag before she could tuck it away. He was too perceptive for her games, he knew the smell of iron and the look of a body breaking from the inside out. He grumbled under his breath, his fingers stalling over the keys. He tried to force his attention back to the monitor, but the sight of her kneeling over a slumped figure in the corner made his jaw tighten.

He shoved himself up from the terminal, his injured leg sparking a fresh wave of pain. The Nagai limped over to where she was fussing over the Imperial. "Leave him," he said, his voice flat. He looked down at the Imperial, seeing only the uniform of his tormentors. "I need your help searching the terminals. I'm looking for anything on the Citadel, on Lola Sayu. That's where they held me."

He reached down, offering a hand to pull her away from the dying man. He didn't want to admit he needed her eyes to scan the data faster, or that the silence of the room was starting to feel like a tomb. Something in her expression told him she wasn't going to move. She was committed to a ghost while their only exit was buried under orbital fire.

"We are out of time," he reminded her, his hand still outstretched. "The Sith will be down here any second to burn what's left."

He glanced back at the terminal, where a progress bar flickered weakly. He needed her to choose. He needed to know if he was going to have to drag her out of here too.