PERSONAL LOG: FLEET CAPTAIN GYM HALPERN (RET.)
DATE: [REDACTED]
LOCATION: Odessen
PRIORITY: Secured / Personal Eyes Only
ASSIGNMENT: Operation Phoenix Sunrise - Phase 2
STATUS: Executing
BEGIN LOG ENTRY
Summary of Meeting:
At 0700 hours, I convened a hastily assembled group of twelve volunteer/recruited pilots in the Alpha briefing room to deliver operational orders concerning the recovery of Arcann Pehnataur. Maps, terrain projections, and live intelligence feeds were presented. The primary threat images included a heavily armed hovertrain (assessed as a decoy) and a convoy of Juggernaut-class transports moving through a mountain pass (assessed as true target).
Key Intelligence Points:
Arcann Pehnataur taken into Imperial custody approximately 12 hours ago.
Decoy operation established via hovertrain platform, heavily defended with turbolasers and air assets.
Confirmed convoy of Juggernauts transiting a mountain range; one holds captives including Arcann.
Omega Squad has been operating in-theater for eight hours, already positioned to assault the train as diversion.
“Reek” Commando unit tasked with direct boarding and extraction of the Juggernaut once disabled.
Operational Directives Delivered:
Pilots to deploy in NC-1000 X-Wings fitted with heavy ion cannons.
Insertion via southern pole; nap-of-the-earth ingress for ~9 hours through mapped corridors to exploit sensor gaps.
Final approach through a ridge system, allowing masking before descending into the convoy valley.
Orders: scan for Juggernaut with highest life signs; disable (preferred) or destroy (authorized).
Pilot Concerns Raised:
Sensor Evasion and Terrain Analysis – Pilot Kayla requested further detail on the nine-hour ingress route and available terrain masking. Clarified three primary corridors (glacial trough, volcanic plateau, ridge passes). Advised their discipline in terrain flying is mission-critical.
Enemy Air Assets and Engagement Risk – Concerns voiced over Juggernauts and potential AA. Clarified refinery defenses (turbolasers, interceptors) will be engaged by Omega’s diversion, leaving valley insertion comparatively clear.
Assessment of Morale & Readiness:
Initial skepticism voiced, but addressed with frank acknowledgement of risks and emphasis on timing advantage provided by Omega.
Michael Angellus demonstrated situational awareness, clarified misconceptions regarding turbolaser placement, and reinforced approach strategy. His contributions steadied group discussion.
Group morale: cautious but holding. Confidence tempered by operational complexity.
Next Steps:
Pilots launch within three hours.
Coordination protocols established: Omega to signal commencement of train assault, triggering pilot ingress and Reek Squad deployment.
Post-op debrief and asset recovery contingent on Arcann’s extraction.
Confidential Addendum – For Alyksandra and Thexann Only:
This mission carries more weight than any I’ve commanded since the fall of Coruscant. The pilots are raw but steady enough with the right guidance. Michael in particular is shaping into something his father would have recognized—quick, unflinching, and already a rally point for the rest. He has the makings of a squadron leader whether he realizes it yet or not.
My concern is Arcann himself. He’s not just a target of opportunity; he’s a liability if Imperial interrogators pull even a fraction of what he knows. That makes this operation necessary, but it also means we are fighting against their timetable, not our own. I am confident in the success of the mission and not speaking negatively on Pehnataur, I am looking at this tactically.
Lastly: the intelligence gap is wide. We’re leaning heavily on Omega’s read of the field. I trust them—but I also know Imperial traps when I see them. If this is one, the price will be high. I’ve taken precautions, but I will not gild this for you: we are sending these pilots into a knife fight with no room to stumble.
–Halpern
Fleet Captain, Naval Engineering Division
GUARDIAN AUTHORITY LTD.
END LOG ENTRY
The incoming questions were expected, and prudent. They needed to know what they were getting into and would not fly in blind. Luspark is just as he remembered Liram describing her “particular and tactical”. Virell was clearly figuring a pattern, showing more tactical ability than he was letting on. Michael was definitely sounding like his father when he stood up and did his best to offer some insight of his own. While initially the second round of questions from the Major started off as “nitpicking”, Halpern was not a pilot and knew it(He used to be Special Forces). So he could respect her position on this.
“Good questions. And the right ones.”
His voice carried the weight of command, clipped but not dismissive.
He pointed to the planet projection, where the southern pole glowed faintly.
“The south-pole approach buys us the longest window outside their net. But you’re right—no net is perfect, and they’re tighter the closer we get. You’ll be flying nap-of-the-earth for hours, and I won’t sugarcoat it—this is not an easy insertion.”
With a few gestures, he shifted the holomap to highlight ridgelines, fault valleys, and high-altitude craters.
“We’ve mapped three major terrain corridors along your flight plan. The first is this glacial shelf—deep troughs and enough magnetic interference to foul their long-range sweeps. Second, this volcanic plateau—flat, yes, but the basalt spires give you radar shadow if you fly smart. Third, these ridges here.”
He tapped where Kayla had indicated earlier.
“That’s your best run-in. The saddles are narrow, but they put you behind the convoy’s outer screen before you’re in their tightest net.”
He let that sink in before addressing the other point.
“As for air assets? We expect TIEs, older models, and a few interceptors staged near the refinery. They’ll scramble once Omega makes noise at the train. That’s the beauty of this plan—they’ll be looking east, not west. Your fight is getting to the valley undetected. If you’re painted before then, the whole mission goes to hell.”
Gym straightened, letting his eyes sweep the pilots.
“So yes, nine hours nape-of-the-earth. Yes, terrain masking every kilometer you can find. But if you fly disciplined, low, and silent, you’ll arrive with the advantage intact. You asked if you’re skimming a pass full of Juggernauts? You’re damn right you are. But you’re skimming it when their eyes are somewhere else entirely.”
Finally, his tone softened—not less serious, but more personal.
“You don’t have to like it. You just have to fly it. And if you do your part, Reek Squad gets Arcann out before the Empire knows what hit them.”
Gym glanced at the projection where Tavros’ finger hovered, then tapped a control to highlight the line in brighter blue.
“Gauge is heavy industrial—mag-lev. Designed to move ore and refined product, not passengers. That means overbuilt rails, high tolerances, and redundant power feeds.”
He shifted the feed to the live footage of the train.
“Max sustainable speed: 380 klicks an hour. They’re pushing it closer to 420 on the straights, which tells me they don’t care if it shakes itself apart before it reaches the refinery. They only need it to last long enough to keep eyes on it.”
Another flick of his wrist brought up a wider planetary overlay. A single highlighted line ran unbroken toward the plains platform.
“Nearest junction? There isn’t one. This spur was built for one purpose—to feed that black site. No sidings, no depots, no turnouts. It’s a straight shot into the maw, and once it’s in, it doesn’t come back out.”
He let the map rotate slowly, the refinery platform rising again from the flat plain.
“Which is why I said—trap. It’s built to look legitimate. But you won’t find switching stations or maintenance yards anywhere along it. The only reason to move something this fast, this heavy, on a dedicated line, is because they want you to believe it matters.”
Then he cut the display back to the convoy in the mountains.
“It doesn’t. The real prize is here.”
This is what he is saying to people, just like a cutaway
TAG:
Kayla Luspark
| @Devin Virell|
Zane Cameron
|
Nash Tavros
|
Susanoo Tsukuyomi
|
Alison Sky
|
Supisy Blen
|
Evran Myles
