Varunda IX - Scouting Mission (First Order)

[Ashin Varanin]

There were advantages to having lived in this territory for a very long time. Under another name, she'd had a wedding on Varunda IX more than a decade back; long before that, she'd been one of its defenders. And then, of course, she'd been the premier naval commander of the region under the Fringe Confederation. All past, long past, but all good reasons to know the back routes better than just about anyone. From Porchello, she'd taken a few switchbacks over the course of several days, and now the Varunda binary system appeared before her.

She'd opted for an S-3 scout fighter, a nimble little probe-deployment platform. Each of its chunky mandibles held four reconnaissance probes in a mission-specific selection. Now several of those probes launched in various directions. A pair of EXPARCs and a trio of SIARCs set divergent courses to wind their way between the gas giant Varunda and its numerous moons. Their slingshot trajectories would let them get a decent idea of the system's current status: the state of the population, natural resources, significant military presence in orbit or on the ground. For the moment, the S-3 remained at extreme weapons range from Varunda IX orbit, while Ajira focused on probe telemetry and the data coming through her Dedicated Energy Receptor. There were certain locations worth examining, places that others wouldn't know about. Rave Merrill's home and workshop, for example, in the forest outside New Habat.

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle Rausgeber felt a little, well, naked in the dinky shuttle he was forced in. The admiral rarely commuted in them, and honestly preferred the brute force of an imperial-x or the newer and awe inspiring resurgent-class destroyers. Nonetheless, he wouldn't complain. He was still running high off of his last promotion, and the bloodshed that had been the Battle of Kaeshana, such frivolous bickering would be a severe mark down on a man who had been bestowed such high office.

The admiral sat in the back of the shuttle, twiddling his thumbs and watching the two stormtrooper escort opposite him make idle small talk. He was about to ask them what their plans were for the weekend, when the shuttle shook. Something had impacted it. The admiral was almost knocked off his chair. Carlyle staggered up, and moved towards the cockpit, "What was that?!" He demanded.

The shuttles pilot turned back to the officer, "Dunno sir." She said, looking onto her consoles as she began to run diagnostics, "We're trying to find out now, it didn't pop up on our scanners at all, it was... weird."

"Any damage to the ship?" Carlyle asked, "I don't want to have become admiral, only to die out here."

"None sir," The co-pilot informed him, "Just a superficial dent to the port side wing."

The shuttle steadily swung around over a long arc, the ship wasn't particularly manuverable, unlike the TIE fighters. The ship as it turned, slowly turned into focus on where it had been hit. The trio began to scan the outside.

"Anything on scanners?" Carlyle asked.

"Nada," The pilot replied, "Could it have been metal contractions?" she asked, turning to have a look at Carlyle.

"Unlikely," Her co-pilot replied, eyes glued to the vaccum of space, "There's- Wait!" He barked, "Look, there, right there!" He was now unclipped from his seat, and crawling on the console, his finger pointing in the corner of the viewport. It took a minute for Carlyle to realise what that was. Drifting away from the point of impact, was a small, twisted metallic shape.

"That's a-" The pilot began.

"Probe droid." Carlyle said, "Looks like we have a hunt ahead of ourselves boys."

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

 

[Dissero]

Varunda IX
Planetside - Rave's Cottage

"I'm getting better, I swear it."

"I believe you, but I will believe you more after you win."

Ithorian Priests were notoriously good at the game of Dejarik. Dissero had played his fair share of matches against them and managed to win only one. By default. His ability to lose spectacularly was exceeded only by his determination to beat Donoma Wakanda at this infernal contest of pieces.

They were two moves in and she'd already taken one of his pieces. The outlook for this round was dim.

"They do not bother you as much now, hm?" the Ithorian hummed thoughtfully as she watched the man choose his next move.
"Bother?" he asked curiously.
"The Ankarres. You handle it with a great deal more grace now."
"Oh," he hadn't noticed, but now that he had he blinked at his fingers and flexed them - barely tingling, "I suppose so. That's good, right?"
"I suppose that would depend on your definition of good. What is good?"

Dissero waited a beat before looking up and folding his arms.

"Are you waxing philosophical on me in the middle of a Dejarik game?"

He could feel the smile form within Donoma's expression. Ithorians, so cheeky.

 

[Ria Misrani]

V A R U N D A IX​

​

FIV ARCHELAUS, KERUNOS-CLASS; INCC-PV51

Commander Tala Vishadi usually took the graveyard shift as the Archelaus's patrols were relatively quiet and it allowed her to get some paperwork done. The Kaiulani system that nurtured the planet laid near the Sanctuary pipeline and until Kaeshana there hadn't been too much of a push for heavy patrols. Now, after Kaeshana with war declared against the Galactic Alliance. Ships like the Archelaus grew in number as the navy reorganised itself with defensive posturing in mind. Today was no different than the ones before, Commander Tala had stayed on for the change over from Gamma Shift to Alpha and then proceeded to head to her cabin. Adjusting the black tunic down the Cloud City native slipped through the corridors without too much fuss, most of her crew members knew her schedule and if anyone wanted to see her they could wait an hour or two.

Her first officer, Lieutenant Commander Ommol Rosario stood in the cramped command centre of the Archelaus, hands behind his back. "Ensign Curran what is our status to Levinson?"

"A few hours in relative space, sir." Curran answered with the ship's navigational computer beeping.

Content with that information, Rosario relaxed his shoulders. "Have we advised Levinson of our arrival?"

"Not yet, I can get that message out now."

"Please do, Ensign."

The Archelaus moved steadily along with the stars as her guide and the sight of being here aboard this vessel made Rosario proud to wear his uniform. While he himself yearned to move on to bigger and better things, part of him felt that perhaps he could use a change of pace. Every day, the First Order created new opportunities and among those new opportunities was Exploration Command. "Tell me, Ensign - do you have plans for your career?" Rosario questioned and while most people might seem uneasy answering them. Curran and Rosario often spoke of career choices, and where they'd like to see themselves in five years.

"Not sure, sir - I mean. I'll go wherever the Navy tells me, but I'd like to get more into Tactical Command."

Rosario nodded. "Tactical Command, a very, very respectable choice. Perhaps you'd like to train under the current tactical officers?"

"Oh, uh, I don't know sir - haven't given it much thought y'know?"

"Perhaps you should give it some more thought, Ensign." The commander said with a smile, "for the future is ever changing and your goals should remain constant. We'll come back to this topic at another time, mhmm?"

"Of course, sir - message sent to Levinson sir."

Rosario pleased with that walked toward the small command chair, "now if I could just get them to replace these seats." It was a cramped, uncomfortable chair and the only reason it was there was to give the commanding officer in charge a view of each station's data. He could see what they were seeing and he could make suggestions. Engineering said something about integrating systems into one centralised database or computer. Technology, he scoffed - it would help and hurt them he imagined. A few hours went by and Alpha Shift was set to come to a close, as the view of FIS Levinson came into their sights. "Commander Rosario, message sir - it's from the Levinson."

"Go on," Commander Rosario urged.

"There's an unidentified ship in the system - they've asked us to investigate, and bring the ship to the station to be checked."

Nodding, Rosario made a motion with his hand to carry out the request. "Set a course, Ensign."

Turning in his chair he pressed a communications button, "Commander Vishadi to the bridge please."

"Lieutenant Belange, prepare sensor suites," Rosario ordered and looked over his shoulder as Vishadi came down the steps still tying her hair up. He gave her a smile as he rose from the chair.

Vishadi motioned for him to keep his seat. "Trouble Commander?"

"Not necessarily, just an unidentified ship in the system, Levinson has asked us to investigate."

Taking a breath she nodded again as her hands went to her side. "Suppose we should get this over with, Ensign Curran. Prepare microjump to ... I presume we have coordinates?"

"We do, and yes Commander preparing microjump."

Belange looked over his shoulder, "sensor suite ready."

"Engines prepped for microjump, Commanders."

Lieutenant Commander Rosario gave Vishadi the floor.

"Engage."

The small vessel's engines began to generate what would be necessary for the jump, an azure hue could be seen around it as it then disappeared from realspace and the streaming blue of a hyperspace jump now engulfed them. In minutes they appeared at the designated coordinates and began conducting their own sensor sweep. A small single-seat vessel was detected and communications were opened, "this is the FIV Archelaus, could you please identify yourself? Your ship's signatures don't match anything on our records." Would be the message that the smaller vessel would receive.

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"] [member="Dissero"] [member="Aermoira Cyone"]

The sniper-scope DER indicated a minor power signature at the old Merrill homestead. That suggested...what? Would the First Order have stripped the place bare if they'd known about it? Or made a larger facility around it, encompassing the forest that sheltered Trees of Ankarres? Someone was still there, someone who'd kept the place running to a limited extent. An associate of Rave Merrill's - Sarova, perhaps, or Jorus' daughter, or even Dissero. Or someone she didn't know; it wasn't as if she and Rave had been close.

She kept the DER sweeping across New Habat, getting a sense of the city's growth. The EXPARC data contributed: no unusual population relocations or major reductions, no wholesale resource exploitation that she could recognize offhand.

That data stream decreased sharply as one of the EXPARC probes went dark.

She tasked a near-ballistic SIARC to reorient and take a long-range look from its current trajectory between the moons. The EXPARC hadn't been designed to spot ships: the SIARC had. Million-to-one odds notwithstanding, the EXPARC had actually collided with what appeared to be a First Order shuttle or transport. The probe's self-destruct turned its chassis to slag, but wouldn't hurt the shuttle.

More important than the shuttle or the planetary survey data, however, was the sensor signature picked up by the SIARCs. Comparable to the old Omega Protectorate FLEETCOM installations, perhaps: that sure looked like major comscan gear poking off the long axis. She didn't like the odds of getting a good close-range scan of a monster like that, and she rather doubted that INCIS probes would survive the approach either-

All such ruminations were cut off as a patrol boat exited hyperspace directly in front of her fighter. Her panel lit up: they were scanning her. They would find only a scout ship, extremely lightly armed, with two partially-depleted external racks of survey probes.

Two of those probes were INCIS in-depth customs inspectors. Without launching them, Ajira activated their sensors and mated them to the data coming from her ship's high-powered suite. If they wanted to scan, she was more than willing to return the favour. She reached out to the Force, though, in case a quick maneuver was needed. Those missile launchers looked serious.

"My name is Shira. This is my home. Just seeing what you've done with the place."

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

Carlyle peered out into space, and saw the probe self destruct, "Hmm, seems whomever is in control either skimped out on materials, or self-destructed it." Carlyle deduced, he turned to the pilot, "Given the state of our relations, I want a comms line opened to Commodore Velmuth, the station must be informed."

"Understood Admiral." The pilot replied, keying in the appropriate code for direct communication with the Galidraan Space Station orbiting the sixth moon of Varunda.

The shuttles communication system crackled online, and a blue translusent figure appeared. Commodore Drakul Velmuth, a young officer who had been on the rise after the Ssi Ruuk ransacking of Avalonia. "Ah, Admiral Rausgeber, we were wondering when you were arriving. We've been tracking your ship and-"

"You may dispense with petty pleasantries and small talk." Carlyle sternly interrupted, "It has come to my attention Commodore , your sector has suffered a severe lapse in security."

The Commodore looked taken back by the accusation, "What ever could you mean?"

"By mere chance, my shuttle has been hit by a probe. It's origin, we may never know. But given our proximity to the border and the current political climate, it's safe to say the Galactic Alliance is attempting espionage." Carlyle drily berated.

"Of course, sir, we'll have it investigated, I will-" The Commodore stammered.

"You will hold your tongue." Carlyle replied, "I want a log of all ships who passed through the sector examined, this may lead to something deeper," Carlyle barked. "Be advised for my arrival."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Understood Admiral." The Commodore replied, turning back to the command deck of the Levinson space station from the holoprojector as Rausgeber ended the call. "Any update on the patrol we sent for that ship?"

"None yet sir." The Signals Officer replied.

"Send Commander Vishadi a new order." Velmuth commanded, trying to regain some of his lost pride, "That ship, and its crew are to be brought to this station for questioning and search." The officer ordered. He knew Rausgeber would probably like to ask some questions, and perhaps that would salvage his career.

[member="Ajira Cardei"] | [member="Aermoira Cyone"]

 

[Dissero]

"I have heard news of the fate of your family," the Ithorian settled back into her seat while waiting for her turn. There was a sense of delicacy in the stereophonic tone of her voice, "my deepest condolences to you, Lord Dissero."

"Mm," his smile was gone now, overcome with thought and and a thinly veiled renewal of grief, "thank you, Donoma."

"Your sister was a kind soul. We greatly enjoyed her presence in the grove and await her return patiently."

The man looked up, "Return...how do you mean?"

"Life is cyclical, energy is infinite. Some day she will return here as a new being. Maybe a person. Maybe as one of the trees. Perhaps soon, perhaps long after I have passed on as well. Who can know these things?"

"You really believe that?" faith and belief were frail subjects for him, despite his study and experience with the esoteric. He'd seen thousand-year-old Dark Lords rise from a bed of ash. Met Rave Merrill in her second coming. Seen the many faces of Ashin Varanin, Velok. Watched the effects of the Force on sentient life, good and bad. Strangely the idea of reincarnation still didn't sit with him.

The Ithorian inhaled deeply, slowly, "I believe you should visit the grove."

His brow furrowed, "I don't think I'm ready for that yet, Donoma."

"Maybe you are, maybe you are not. Your readiness matters little to the trees. They are always ready."


Moments later he stepped out of the small cottage, quietly following on the methodical heels of the Ithorian. Somewhere far, far up above their heads, beyond the clouds of the summer sky, he sensed something. A presence. It called his gaze upwards but he saw nothing beyond the blue. Dissero smiled to himself.

"I was winning, admit it."

He'd never heard an Ithorian laugh before; it was a strange sound to encounter.

 

[Ria Misrani]

V A R U N D A IX​

​

FIV ARCHELAUS, KERUNOS-CLASS; INCC-PV51

Vishadi turned her head keeping an ear to the comms station as she looked at her first officer, "thoughts?" She asked, as her comms officer muted the transmission for a moment. The Archelaus's officers were set to discuss the matter. Ensign Curran looked over his station when a transmission came through. Whatever discussions they were going to have had been effectively neutered.

"Transmission Commanders, from Commodore Velmuth." Curran waited for the nod before going ahead, and read off, "we're to bring the ship and her passenger to Levinson, sirs."

"We have our orders then," Vishadi acknowledged and looked back at Curran, "resume channel with this Shira."

He nodded and gave a thumbs up to his commander.

"Shira, this is Commander Vishadi of the Archelaus. While I respect your right to return home, understand that we must have you register your vessel's unique signature with the registry. I'll ask that you meet with my security team led by Lieutenant Belange. We'll have you brought aboard the Archelaus and take you to Space Station Levinson."

Vishadi paused for a moment and added, "when all is cleared up and you have your paperwork you may resume your visit to Varunda."

When [member="Ajira Cardei"] reaches out with the force, she'll fine nothing ill of the crew. They are simply men and women doing their jobs, dedicated to the very uniform they wear. Ensign Curran looked at Vishadi, as she then added. "I would certainly appreciate your cooperation in the matter to make this go smoothly for both my crew and yourself, Shira. I'll have my lieutenant board a shuttle and meet with you, Vishadi out."

"Lieutenant, take two members of security with you. I should hope our friend does not try to resist, but if she does. Subdue her if necessary," Vishadi orders dismissing Lieutenant Belange as another crewmember takes his place at the station. "Curran relay message to Commodore Velmuth, we're currently handling the task. Shira and her vessel shall be brought into Levinson, accordingly."

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"] [member="Aermoira Cyone"]

"Shira, this is Commander Vishadi of the Archelaus. While I respect your right to return home, understand that we must have you register your vessel's unique signature with the registry. I'll ask that you meet with my security team led by Lieutenant Belange. We'll have you brought aboard the Archelaus and take you to Space Station Levinson. When all is cleared up and you have your paperwork you may resume your visit to Varunda. I would certainly appreciate your cooperation in the matter to make this go smoothly for both my crew and yourself, Shira. I'll have my lieutenant board a shuttle and meet with you, Vishadi out.”

Ajira wasn’t one for sensing -- at least not in a Force-related way -- but she’d heard Vishadi’s demeanour in the voices of a hundred patrol boat captains. No hostility, no arrogance, just an officer trying to do her job. In other circumstances, flying another ship, Ajira would happily have let the scenario play out -- gone aboard, seen what there was to see. Close inspection of Ajira’s scout fighter, however, would compromise a lot more detail than Theed Hangar was willing to sacrifice, far more than the patrol boat’s scans had uncovered. She could well imagine a scenario where a peaceful customs inspection revealed the ship to be a Naboo military scout of a new model. That revelation would identify her as, effectively, a Galactic Alliance spy after she’d already gone aboard. In those circumstances, she’d be forced to accept imprisonment or use her hidden talents to break free in such a way that her secret wasn’t exposed. That kind of bloodshed had a way of getting out.

Besides, Vishadi and her people really were just doing their jobs. They didn’t deserve to take Ashin Varanin aboard. They didn’t deserve to die for the sake of some probe data.

Come to think of it, had they even detected the other probes, the EXPARC and the three SIARCs slingshotting their way through Varunda’s moons? She’d hoped to drag out the conversation, give the probes just a little bit more time, but that didn’t seem to be an option. There were any number of ploys she could use, all of them unreliable and, frankly, cheap: the Plague Ship, the Technical Difficulties, the Lost in Translation. She grimaced and toggled the comm. “Acknowledged, Archelaus. I’ll wait on the shuttle.”

It took a few long minutes for Vishadi’s subordinates to get to the shuttle, which appeared to be externally mounted, and for the shuttle to break away from the patrol boat. The shuttle reoriented and began to approach Ajira’s scout fighter. Ajira’s station-keeping thrusters eased her down to put the shuttle between herself and the Archelaus’ guns.

Here came the moment: by any rational estimation, she had to cut and run. But at sublight, or to hyperspace? Her finger hovered at the other probes’ self-destruct controls. Run at sublight, and she’d risk damage or capture, but give the probes longer to work. Her scans hadn’t picked up a tractor beam in the patrol boat, but the shuttle might have a small one, and that could go wrong very quickly. Alternately, detonate the probes’ circuits and do a blind Force-guided microjump, and she’d be safer at the cost of good data.

“Apologies, Archelaus,” she said. “Changed my mind.”

The scout fighter spun and accelerated away at sublight, doing its best to keep the shuttle between it and the patrol boat.

 

[Ria Misrani]

"I hate it when they do that," Commander Rosario sighed and looked over at Ensign Curran. "Get a message off to Commodore Velmuth."

Vishadi wanted to hit her head against the dashboard, but thankfully this was no longer a matter for her to deal with. The First Order was in a state of war, and now as Lieutenant Belange and his team returned, the Archelaus put out the scout ship's signature as a wanted signature. All vessels within First Order space would now be alerted to the single seater's signature. They were to be captured and brought in for questioning, looking over her shoulder as she wondered about resuming her nap. "Let me know what the Commodore will have us do, in the meantime - keep me abreast of the situation. I'm going to sleep before I have to be back on duty."

Commander Rosario smiled and shook his head, taking the centre seat as Belange came back board the Archelaus. And so the Kerunos-class patrol ship had done its part, and now the matter rest back with FIS Levinson. Levinson the sector command for Val'Hala Sector was none too pleased with the news, and made the decision to flag the seater as a high-priority ship and all civilian vessels were to steer clear and take alternate routes. Traffic control was going to have a field day rerouting all the vessels that was for sure. Rosario of the Archelaus had the vessel go into Varunda's orbit and begin a scan of the moons, "request we get a Stormcloud and a few Raptors out here for a sweep, Curran."

The Kerunos's sensors were no match for either of the ships, a Stormcloud and three Raptors would arrive in the system shortly and relieve the patrol vessel. "We'll see what was so important for you to leave so soon, Shira." He whispered to himself, "get a trace on the ship's signatures, relay coordinates to sector command."

"Aye Commander." Curran acknowledged.

[member="Carlyle Rausgeber"] | [member="Ajira Cardei"]

 

[RIP Carlyle Rausgeber]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C2wCcuKmLI​

The command hangar of Space Station Levinson had been emptied for the admirals arrival. A platoon of stormtroopers stood to attention, along with three squadrons of TIE pilots, and a dozen other technicians and support staff. Commodore Welmuth waited at the bottom of the shuttles docking ramp. As soon as the airlock decompressed, Carlyle Rausgeber entered the hangar. The officer wasn't amused.

"Admiral,I assure you, we have the situation under control my men-" The younger officer began.

"I care not for your grovelling," Carlyle derisively replied, shooting down the commodore. "Why have you assembled me a parade?" he asked, eyeing the stormtroopers and TIE pilots. "This does not make up for your failings."

"I believed my staff should welcome you." The commodore replied, "I thought it-"

"You thought wrong. This is a waste of resources. Get them back to work." Carlyle ordered, "I want fighters patrolling all of this sector." He commanded, walking to the command centre, with the Commodore trailing behind, "We need the Planetary Defence Force scouring that planet for any probes, with stormcloud cruisers disrupting transmissions. No communications are to get off the system."

"Admiral, surely that is not a measure to be taken seriously." The commodore objected, "We cannot allow ourselves to disrupt civilian transmissions, it is simply untenable."
The Admiral rounded on the Commodore, "Commodore Welmuth, we are at war, and to have such a security breach as the one we have encountered is deadly." The senior officer warned, "The populace will understand that." He said, turning back and walking to the command centre.

The command centre was a flurry of activity as the commodore and admiral returned, "Commodore," A signals officer barked, "Sir, we have a report from FIV Archelaus, the ship they were intercepting has turned to leave."

"Do not let it escape." Carlyle ordered, taking command "Even if we must perform an autopsy on the ship, it mustn't be allowed to leave this system." Carlyle ordered, "Change our fighters trajectories, they are to find, and immobilise this vessel."

"Understood sir." The Signals Officer replied.

"Does the ship have a signature?" The Admiral asked, asserting his command.

"Yes sir," The Scanning Officer replied, "We just recieved it."

"Alert all commands, and send the signature, even if it escapes this system, others will capture it." Carlyle said, eyes darting outside where squads of TIE fighters had been scrambled, "Advise the use of interdictor cruisers."

"But what of the cost to civilian traffic? Admiral, you seem to ignore the fact that this will cause major disruption." Welmuth interjected.

"Civilian cost doesn't concern me when we have a possible spy." Carlyle snapped, "Now, move ships to jam all communications, and send out the command. This ship is probably the one we're after, and I do not want it destroyed."

[member="Ajira Cardei"] | [member="Aermoira Cyone"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Aermoira Cyone"] [member="Carlyle Rausgeber"]

A little while into the scout ship's headlong flight, Ajira's instruments picked up powerful comms jamming, probably covering the entirety of Varunda's system of moons. That put paid to any notion of her relaying her data out of the solar system. It did not, however, prevent her probes from reporting in. Their tightbeam comms kept on sending data to her fighter, which was hightailing it up above the moons' orbital ecliptic. The higher up there she went, the longer the slingshotting probes could maintain line of sight to her fighter.

Courtesy of their data, she watched a serious search-and-detain effort materialize around the station that Vishadi had called the Levinson. TIE squadrons, their model too distant for the SIARCs to identify concretely, swarmed out and headed her way. Over by Varunda IX, civilian traffic was changing up furiously. She triggered the last EXPARC's self-destruct, then a SIARC that was about to go around a moonlet and lose line of sight.

She spooled up her fighter's hyperdrive, but left the navicomputer disengaged. After living around here for a couple of decades, much of it in this system or close by, she knew the local praedia and hyperroutes better than the First Order possibly could. That was how she'd gotten this deep into First Order space in the first place. The route she picked hadn't been formally charted last time she'd been here. She estimated her odds at roughly fifty-fifty: half a chance that the First Order would have a presence in the barren little red-dwarf system she was about to visit.

The last SIARCs self-destructed, and the scout fighter leaped to hyperspace.