War waits for no man (Mandalorian Assault of Schesa)

[Naast'ika Laaran]

"Tactical display coming online, Captain." Lieutenant Commander Shia Armada said as a new layer of targeting and identification information poured onto the holoprojectors and viewscreens. Now officially in combat mode, the ship had no need to minimize its electrical output and could fully power its sensor suite. Friend and Foe identifiers highlighted various contacts as red for confirmed hostile targets, orange for unknown contacts, green for Mandalorian, blue for allied assets, and yellow for surrendered targets or targets confirmed to be civilian and of no threat or tactical value. Next to each contact, a host of numbers scrolled constantly. Relativistic speeds, trajectories, energy levels, electronic emission levels, sensor strengths, shield levels, and weapon profiles were displayed. If the ship, station, or asset was in their database, a full set of tactical evaluations were displayed alongside the ship. For those that were unknown, only the information obtainable from active, targeted scans were displayed.

 

[Naast'ika Laaran]

"New data from FleetCom, Captain." Junior Lieutenant Saris Lassiter called out calm and sharp. "Updated IFF lists." The young officer said as his armored fingers tapped away at his controls and the new information was fed into the TacDis. On the display, twelve stations turned from orange to yellow and another two turned blue. A number of civilian transports turned yellow, a handful turned blue, and the vast majority remained orange. Technically, orange targets were valid targets for engagement... but the plethora of targets turning bright, crimson red would undoubtedly be the focus of their attention.



"Plot us a course through the engagement zone." Captain Tupu said simply as he reviewed the data pouring into the holoprojector. Pointing at various locations and highlighting a few areas, he elaborated his orders for Navigation. "Move us in closer to the planet... We'll follow along her rotational plane and engage targets as we go. We'll end up on the far side of the planet as the main fleet engages targets cresting the planet's horizon."

 

[Naast'ika Laaran]

Junior Lieutenant Tesla Tersu and Engign Mossi Rekama plotted a course through the ships, stations and debris around the planet. The path arced away from the planet briefly as they closed distance while avoiding a crossfire between the Mandalorian Navy and the defending combatants. Far enough away to not catch a stray assault missile in the tailpipe, but close enough to engage targets along their path. Here and there, Commander James Duke or Lieutenant Commander Shia Armada ordered them to avoid or intercept one target or another. The two young woman that were responsible for safely plotting courses through the galaxy followed their orders diligently and altered the plotted course accordingly. As they typed away at their stations, a small red line began snaking its way through the forward holoprojector. Here and there, this line would be dotted with instructions from the Intel Officers. Shoot this. Aim for that. Do a barrel roll here.

 

[Naast'ika Laaran]

"Naast'ika, you are free to engage red targets as you see fit." Captain Tupu said calmly as he analyzed the constantly updating forward holoprojection. "Orange targets are only to be engaged upon my order, the direct intervention of Fire Control Operators, or after said targets have taken offensive action against this ship or her allies." He continued as the projection was marred by weapons fire crossing back and forth between the Mandalorian Fleet and those defending the planet. From both sides, starfighters raced ahead to engage one another. Hundreds of small craft flickered from orange and yellow to red as they joined in the swarm of starfighters advancing to meet their Mandalorian opponents.

Captain Tupu heard Naast'ika chirp happily as he adjusted his course to match that plotted by the Navigational Officers and watched as the ship locked onto and took aim at a number of the larger enemy craft near their little quadrant of space. Captain Tupu shook his head and smiled at his ship. Naast'ika had come very far since his first few missions. He would have dwelt further on the subject had it not been for a small beep alerting the bridge that they had been locked onto. A quick glance at the projection confirmed Captain Tupu's suspicion. A squadron of starfighters had broken off and were intercepting the (likely unidentified) Corvette flanking past the forward engagement zone. "Fire Control, you are free to activate automated point defense systems." The captain said as he scanned the holoprojector and tried to keep track of the overall battle.

 

[Naast'ika Laaran]

Naast'ika's red and black form glided gracefully through the heavens. Four powerful Dovin Basal biots (organic pseudo-parasites that functioned much like a cyst or tumor) focused themselves on on singular point in space roughly eighty meters in front of the Mesen'loras. At this point, a powerful singularity was forced into existence and dragged through space at the whim of the host organism. To Naast'ika, the process was as simple and automatic as maintaining one's center of gravity would be to a humanoid. The end effect of this process, was that the ship known as Naast'ika Laaran was dragged through space, in effect falling towards his own singularity, and moving said singularity forward through space and time at an identical pace. Singularity and spaceship moved as one, accelerating and maneuvering at speeds typically only seen in ships half his size. And as an added benefit, the sensor distortions tended to play merry hell upon the targeting systems of smaller craft. Not to mention the effect of the singularity itself upon energy discharges and projectiles.

Naast'ika's sightless world was projected in his mind via the numerous biological sensor systems engineered into his body by his creators. This was further augmented and enhanced by the numerous cutting edge cybernetic systems and electronic sensors that filled his mind with over a half dozen secondary senses. The end result was a three dimensional projection, not entirely dissimilar to the tactical display projected into the bridge, that allowed Naast'ika to be nearly completely aware of his surroundings as he moved through space. Data flooded his mind just as quickly as it flooded the holoprojector within the bridge. And while he was aware of each and every measurement and datapoint, the creature's understanding of said information was... at a novice level to say the least.

All the same, Naast'ika was learning.

 

[Naast'ika Laaran]

Within his mind, Naast'ika saw a red line extend forward from himself and race towards the planet. He had seen it before. His crew did this when they had a very specific path they wanted him to take. He didn't like following a line. He found it boring to have to follow a line instead of flying as he pleased. But his crew were letting him shoot things today! And there were so many, many things to shoot! Naast'ika's voice beeped upon the bridge. The equivalent to a verbal shrug as he rolled to starboard and bowed down slightly, angling himself to move slightly away from the planet but still keeping his primary weapon, the powerful Heavy Proton Cannon, pointed towards the red target icons.

It was only a few seconds before Naast'ika was happy that he had chosen to keep his dorsal side facing the planet. A cluster of small, fast ships flared maneuvering thrusters and Etheric Rudders as they turned towards Naast'ika and accelerated. Behind them, a small number of larger ships turned to follow in a loose, disorganized formation. Beeping with joy, Naast'ika turned his main weapons upon the cluster of ships. Secondary neural clusters within his skull (organic, brain-like biots originally created by the Yuuzhan Vong) performed their duty automatically, acting upon the subconscious will of Naast'ika Laaran and calculating the exact approach vector of the enemy ships, anticipated their next several seconds of movement, and plotted the exact firing solution required to lash out at the small, metal and plastic craft.

Naast'ika's body shuddered slightly as his weapons fired. He felt the tiny shockwave ripple through his body as his cannons discharged. It felt good to him. Not -that- kinda good, but good all the same. In his three dimensional perception of space and time, Naast'ika watched his own shots race towards their intended targets. A single shot from the proton cannon was aimed at a large, dense ship at the rear of the pack of enemy ships. A second shot from the proton cannon fired moments after the first, this one aimed at a ship his sensors identified as a gunship. Between the two shots from the main cannon, six shots rang out from the twin heavy plasma cannons that adorned the nacelle on either side of his chassis. These shots were fired in pairs of two at three other unknown ships within the cluster. Each target was larger than a starfighter, but smaller than a Corvette.

 

[Rena Kryze]

[member="Ginnie Ordo"] | [member="Arla Balor"] | [member="Ordo"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Anija Ordo"] | [member="Arumi Zy"]

So cue one extra outburst from some total random not even involved in the situation, a crying child, some random bits and pieces and whatever else - and by now the room was actually empty. Hopefully everyone else would now leave and do their jobs. She would gladly arrange for family visiting time for all those affected by all this - after Schesa was held by the Mandalorian clans. But not before.

A long, slow exhale - problem solved.

"You'd be so screwed without me," Rena said abruptly, turning to Ordo. "Let's keep this short and sweet. While you're locked in this little cell, what's my job? Am I running the show until you're out?"

She needed to know her limits and boundaries, how far she could push her innovation, how much she could deal with this. Personally, she knew nothing about the situation and wasn't about the pass judgment on anything or anyone related. However, a company needed to run, guns needed to be made, beskar'gam produced for people. There was work to be done.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Ordo"]

Apparently the brig had gotten very crowded in the span of time that had passed and now people were dispersing. There were many things Siobhan felt like saying to Ordo...but this was not the time.



Truth be told, she was quite clueless about how she would start anyway. Besides, she was not family and if anyone had an undisputable right to talk to him, it was family. So she gave the man a brief nod. There was no condemnation in her eyes, then she turned away and left the prison corridor, presumably heading some place to do something. Like catch a dropship that was going planetside and stuff so that she could shoot people that needed shooting.


"I'm sorry for what he endured," she said softly to [member="Anija Ordo"] as she passed. The words seemed inadequate and a bit hollow to her, but she felt like had to say something.

 

[Catherine Romanov]

Amidst the steel jungle of buildings that decorated the surrounding landscape, there lay the city streets the group had found themselves in. It was unusually empty, devoid of any people nor vehicles. The eerie silence of the city was suddenly pierced by a yell. "Sniper! Get down!" Aaden shouted.

Catherine hit the ground with a thud, just as the rest of the group followed suit, taking cover from the sudden attack. Raising herself ever slightly from her prone position, moving towards a covered pillar, she readied her rifle, peering through its scope, looking for any tell-tale signs the sniper may have left to expose his position. Noticing several, she fired off several estimated yet instinctive shots, the rifle butt kicking back against her shoulders, the shots racing off towards the building where the shot had came from. Catherine yelled over to the pair " No idea if I've got 'em, but we need to move, we're too exposed out here!"

[member="Anastasia Rade"] [member="Aaden Renolds"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Minna"]
[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

The Zabrak could only grin as he looked over to the Echani. With a slight wave, he'd turn his gaze to the Yodaling. "Good, now, lets get inside of the cannon, now that we're all here." From where they were standing, they could see the cannon itself. It was massive, almost the size of its own ship, hanging off the side of the mountain. The entrance was close, carved into the mountianside, but the blast doors were closed.

"Got a way in?"

 

[Minna]

[member="Krest"] [member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

Minna looked at her two friends, then at the doors. An idea circulated in her mind. Two Masters of the Force and a Knight, surely it would work... "Pry them open, we could, with the force. If work together we do, succeed, I am sure we can." The Yodaling raised both of her palms towards the blast doors, concentrating immensely on using the force to pull them apart. A slight metallic squeaking sound could be heard, as her efforts put strain on the doors to begin separating. However, she was nowhere near strong enough with Telekinesis to open the doors by herself, she would need the others help as well without a doubt. On the plus side, it was good practice.

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Minna"]

With a nod, the Zabrak moves beside the Yodaling, and would add his own. Reaching both hands out, he would grip the doors through the force, tearing the metal apart. There would be that much more creaking as he would assist, the doors slowly coming apart. Even without the Echani, they could tear it open, but with, it would be that much faster.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Minna"] [member="Krest"]

"You two, so impulsive." She smiled and walked up beside them, then looked over her shoulder as she knew even with her there they would be attacked before they could finish. "Ill defend you two from being gunned down, after all im sure you two can do it, no? Not to mention ive been itching for battle." Her sabers shot to her hands again and ignited as she took up a position right behind her friends, smiling at the chiss that had survived the run. "I will give all of you one chance to reconsider your next course of action..."

 

[Minna]

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"] [member="Krest"]

The door creaked open slowly but surely, and Alex seemed to have things under control behind them, albeit with a bit of humor. "Hold... there..." She managed to mutter, before moving one hand away and using it to raise a rather large boulder near the door. Quickly, but carefully, Minna placed the rock at the top of the blast doors in a way that when the two of them let go, the doors would slam into the rock and leave a wide enough space for them to enter. Once the boulder was in place, she let go of the force, and nodded at Krest to do the same. The end result would fortunately be a success, and the entrance towards the cannon would now be open. The Yodaling smiled to herself, she felt stronger somehow. Maybe all the successful ideas she kept having were inflating her ego, but nonetheless the battle was giving her vital experience. She looked behind her at Alex, then to Krest. "Time to waste, there is not."

 

[Darth Ferus]

There was a brief moment of surprise with the Zabrak. Not because of the door, not because of Alex, and not because of the boulder. But because of the sudden gunfire coming out through the blast doors. Of course, they were waiting to attack, and with both he and Minna trying to keep the door open, and minna distracted from the boulder, this was for him. He released the door long before the boulder came, knowing full well that the knight might bot be able to finish the job.

But there was laser fire. Without warning he would be in front of the Yodaling, catching the blasts not on his saber, but his flesh. The first of the volley slam into him, causing a grunt of pain from his form. Upper chest, left thigh, and right wrist were hit before he could make a barrier, holding it in front of the apprentice. With only one hand usable, he'd keep the barrier there as bed the could, gritting his teeth.

[member="Minna"]
[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Krest"] [member="Minna"]

Alex's head shot back as she finished off the chiss that had decided not to heed her words, watching as the volley came out and almost hit Minna... but instead hit Krest. With wide eyes she twitched and did her best not to react in a calm collected matter... With that said, she screamed out as a Hel decided now was as good a time as ever to take over. Glaring into the hole she fumed and grabbed the closest hunk of Jagged metal she could and screamed out, sending it through the doorway and into the chests of several chiss. Her hands gripping the blades tight as she charged down there, Hel in complete control now. "NO ONE HARMS MY FAMILY." She brought her blades both down on the first one, cutting through flesh and bone like butter as she started off in her rage.

 

[Minna]

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"] [member="Krest"]

Luckily for Minna, she wasn't sharing a body with whatever had just taken over Alexandra. However, this didn't mean she took the incident lightly either. The Yodaling leaped over her savior, rushing towards the remaining Chiss that hadn't been slaughtered by Alex's initial retaliation. Their blaster bolts were easily deflected by her saber, and it wasn't long before they found themselves at the end of it. She sliced through several soldiers straight away, before turning to one and thrusting her palm at him. By the force, the Chiss flew straight into the rock wall behind him, but didn't drop. She held him there, the pressure concentrated on his throat, until no air remained in his lungs. After dropping his dead body, she looked over at Krest. Her rage had subsided now, and it had drained her energy noticeably.

 

[Darth Ferus]

The Zabrak, who had dropped his barrier after [member="Minna"] had lept over him, just watched the two. His eyes studied them both as they gave into their rage, and it worried him. He wasn't sure if they had even bothered to control it or not, but it was certainly something he was going to address at a later date.

Bursting over to the two, he would send a powerful blast to tear the boulder out of the doors, and let it slam shut once again. Now inside, this should help with any possible reinforcements. Pulling out his saber in his left hand, he'd keep the burned right down at his side, glancing about.

"We have to get to the control room, and try to keep one of the operators alive. Less you have Eve handy to take control and fire it." His blue gaze traveled to [member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"] , focused at the task at hand. There was a lot to do still.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Krest"] [member="Minna"]

Alex's head tirned to look at him and something was wrong instantly as her eyes were pure gold, the laugh of her twist half starting. "They all will die, do not worry." Hel was in control, taking advantage of the moment and drinking in the power as she stared down the hall, her feet moving slowly as she continued to laugh. Sparks soon showed on her hands as she made her way down the hall, her feet falling on the hard ground as she led the way and didn't even bother to turn off her sabers for an instant. Alex in the meanwhile sat and watched, but every time she tried to take control back Hel would drain in pain and suffering from those that she came into contact with or forced the memory of Krest being shot to replay, effectively putting down all resistance from Alex.

 

[Garrus Garon]

Location: Bridge of Kandosii-type Dreadnaught
Allies: [member="Ordo"] [member="Strider Garon"] Mandalorians
Enemies: Hostile forces
Objective: Support the Fleet. Await Instructions

​

...onboard the bridge of the dreadnaught Garrus Garon stood watching the spectacles of the space battle unfold over Schesa. In time past he would have been on the ground with the troops, in the mud, fighting for his life and the continued dominance of Mandalorian culture throughout the stars but now he had mostly resigned to commanding from a bridge. Truly important engagements still saw him in the thick of battle though and deep in his breast the heart of the Warrior beat for another hard combat. The Beskar'gam he wore felt heavy on his shoulders when he wasn't trudging through a combat zone that was danger hot and his brow seemed more tightly knit than usual having no release for all the stress that built in his mind here on the bridge of the capital ship...

...raising the flash he held in his right hand to his mouth Garrus would tip it higher until the burn of alcohol was felt traveling down his throat then he would lower it and issue a satisfied exhale of breath. Narrowing his eyes he'd have looked over his shoulder to state..."Increase fire by our point defense cannons, I don't want anything to slip through."...then he would look ahead again and continue to watch from where he was standing. When a starfighter exploded it would create a miniature flash out their in the vastness of space which always impressed Garrus, he hadn't counted dozens of such flashes this day, though he never knew which side the destroyed fighter belonged to. He had to hand it to the Chiss they were a stalwart people who fought with tenacity...

...various crewmen were in the midst of handling the countless communications being relayed through the fleet, Garrus trusted them to bring only the most important matters to his attention, while the Warrior directed from where he stood. At the moment the Kandosii-type Dreadnaught that Garrus was aboard had not engaged any heavy enemy forces though it was prepared. Garrus enjoyed the Kandosii class for the history it brought to the Mandalorian forces, it was an old design by many standards however it still supported a dozen super heavy missile launchers which were a boon in both combat and orbital bombardment ensuring that newer vessels would show the Dreadnaught class respect. Regardless it was a small matter at this point in time...

...a junior officer approached Garrus and handed him a comms they had received causing him to nod his head and state..."Transmit to Field Marshall Baobab. We are prepared to commence orbital bombardment of military zones on his command."...this fleet was not under Garrus command so he would take a polite backseat role supporting the Field Marshal whose command it did fall under. While he was doing that he could easily sit back and watch the show...​