Workers' Revolution (Republic Takeover of Contruum)

[Akio Kahoshi]

The victory at Cato Neimoidia had been decisive, and Admiral Kahoshi had been pleased with his own forces' performance. What he had not expected was to be offered a position in the Republic equivalent to what he held in the Atrisian Empire soon after. He had been hesitant about accepting the position, but Moff Shu had pointed out how it would help secure Atrisian borders. So Akio had been given official leave from the Atrisian Navy and taken on the role as Admiral of the Navy within the Republic.

Now the Rancor sat at the head of the Republic fleets, a grand twin-pointed arrowhead pointing the way toward Republic dominance. Preparations for the next battle had been underway almost from the time he was promoted, and he already had sent the best agent forward to get things ready. All the was needed now was for the Republic to arrive and add one more planet to its growing list of members. Out of benevolence of course.

Activating his comm, he began speaking to the rest of the ships under his command. "Soon we head to Contruum. In the absence of a unifying government, the wealthiest citizens of Contruum have seized control of the planet. Now they use the poor as little more than slave labor in the borium mines and shipyards. To keep them in order the plutocrats in charge have made a deal with a large mercenary organization, the mercenaries guard the planet for free, in exchange they get to keep the destroyers produced.

"Intelligence has received word that the workers are ripe for revolution. We will arrive in system and do whatever we can to help free the planet from those that would keep its prosperity for themselves. This is a mission of mercy. Enemy forces are expected to be numerous, but lightly equipped. Today we bring honor to our homeworlds, and restore honor to a besieged planet. We shall enter hyperspace on my mark.

"Jump."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

Arise, ye workers.

Contruum was held in the grips of a despotic corporation, its people subject to the whims of corporate overlords and mercenaries. They were being worked to death to fill the coffers of the rich. Those that rose up against this outrage were treated with great brutality, for the mercenaries cared not for their plight.

Their brand of peacekeeping was swift and brutal, it involved a laser bolt shot into the back of the neck. If one thought of the future the ordinary miner faced upon this planet, one could think of a boot permanently stomping on a sentient face. But, as with all tyrannies, one could only go so far before eventually a flame was fanned, one of outrage. For if the common people had nothing to lose and everything to gain, rebellion was a logical endeavour

The trouble was, of course, that even the most courageous rebel would inevitably lose if his enemy had the guns and he did not. There had been several workers' uprisings throughout the years, but they had failed. Now this was about to change. The Republic had armed the rebels was now on a mission of mercy.

Strange, how things come full circle, Moira thought to herself as she stood in she stood in the ramshackle command centre of the rebels, deep in the tunnels. It was a no-go area where the gendarms dared not tread.

Once upon a time she had been a revolutionary, full of zeal and idealism, rising up against a tyrant. She did not regret that. But in a way she had been foolish...once he had died, the rebels had fallen upon each other like wild animals. Only she had escaped, stealing the tyrant's ship to explore a larger Galaxy.

Now she had been sent here to aid the local revolution, to give them direction. To make them useful to the Republic. Very soon she would be sending them on missions many would not survive.

"The Republic fleet will be here soon," she spoke up, tone soft. "Your finest hour has arrived. With your combined strength, the oppressors will be swept away and you'll have justice."

"As long as the Republic allows it. They've taken their sweet time getting here, while our brothers and sisters risked their lives time and again. Some of their corps made deals with the oppressors," one revolutionary, a green Twi'lek whose lekku had been badly mutilated and whose face was scarred, spoke up. His name was Danton.

"We've been over this, comrade," another worker leader, a human named Marat said, gesturing to the alien. "They better be here soon. We cannot delay for much longer. Our informers in the upper city report that the oppressors are mobilising. We must show that we the people are ready to fight. We cannot wait and expect freedom to fall into our hands. The people are eager, they want to fight now."

Almost too easy, Moira thought. "The Republic delivered you arms and targets. Their troops can easily overwhelm the mercenary scum, but planetary defences must be taken out." She briefly turned her gaze to Danton, who still glowered at her. "The faster, they land, the faster we can liberate your comrades from the bastille."

"Military targets, huh?" Danton questioned darkly. "They are heavily defended by the merc scum. We are supposed to commit our entire force on the hope that your Republic will not stab us in the back."

Casualties do not matter. Before Marat could say anything Moira stepped forward to the table. "Yes. The better for you to show what the people can do, yes?" she asked rhetorically. "You've been agitating in the mines for months, you yourself, Thaelmann, know how ready the workers are for to fight for their freedom. We rally them and strike. There will be casualties, but all great movements require a few martyrs. They'll die making a better world. You want the Republic to see that your claim to the planet is just, you must show them your strength."

She could see the flash of ambition in Marat's eye. Good. Very good. All life was a game and this was no different. You'll exchange the tyrants for a Republican Empire. But on the plus side if left to your devices after victory, you'd just rip yourselves apart.

"The plutocrat bosses are ours to try. The Republic must stay out when the people deliver justice. As they judged us, we will judge them. Our movement will judge them. They are our oppressors, ours to judge. The will of the masses demands it."

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," Moira said gnomically. "They won't interfere. This is, after all, a mission of liberation," she said with a small smile.

Danton bowed to the inevitable. "I will contact Thaelmann and rally the workers' army. The shipyard workers will rise up. Where will you be, Republic?"

Oh, aren't you suspicious? I don't blame you. Trust is good. Control is better. "I happen to have a hot date. With a shield generator. Instruct the Red Falcons to be ready, we're hitting the planetary defence systems. You rally the army. Very soon the oppressors will have an explosive welcoming."

Despite herself, she felt a surge of excitement. Dynamite, I have missed you so. This was it, the Great Game. Heavy risks, odds stacked against her. Soon she would be heading up into the city and strike the first blow. There would be all-out war on the planet.

 

[KitKat]

With the Workers
It wasn't exactly easy to smuggle yourself onto a planet so tightly ruled as part of an underground attack organized by the Republic. Not easy at all. Even less easy was to figure out what was going on when you were here by a random series of events and not part of the attack plan at all.

Katarine and her adopted little sister Bethany had been here for six months. When Kat heard how the citizens were being used as slave labor it reminded her immediately of how her home world was once ran. Her family was cruel and ruthless and forced the villagers and cathar into building monuments and temples for her twisted family. As the possible future hung in a balance around Bethany, Kat felt she needed to see first hand what it meant to treat others this way. Hopefully it would keep the little girl from going dark.

This wasn't a liberation attempt it was a lesson. A poorly timed lesson that was quickly falling to pieces. No matter how many tough lessons she wanted to teach the little girl, Kat never wanted to put her in the middle of a warzone.

She needed to find out who was in charge.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

As it happened Jedi Master Ryiah and her younger sister did not have to wander long before they happened upon the rebels. Obviously the rebels could not know that she was a Jedi, but she had been picked out as an off-worlder.

Spies of the resistance were infiltrated among the workers, as far as information networks went it was potent. The rebels also had an understandable tendency towards paranoia, rightly fearing double agents. So it was at a seemingly abandoned factory building that suddenly rebels started to appear out of an alleyway. A mercenary hung from a lamppost, with a placard proclaiming him to be a oppressor tied around him, showing how much civil niceties had gone out of the window due to the brutality of the struggle.

A rebel sniper took up position from a window, wielding an old-fashioned slugger rifle, which ironically enough might actually be more efficient than a blaster because a lightsabre could not block it. More rebels came out of the factory. All in all they numbered eight and the noise was attracting more workers.

Their apparent leader, a brown-haired woman wearing a bandana, stepped forward, wielding a blaster pistol. "Stop right there, not a step closer, stranger!" she called out. "What are you doing here? Are you for or against the revolution?" This seemed to be the standard question everyone was asked.

The sniper on the rooftop took aim, though he did not fire just yet. "She's a bleedin' double agent, we can't take any chances," one of the rebels, a burly Zabrak, stated suspiciously, aiming his shotgun.

The woman leading the party gestured to him to not to fire just yet. "She might be with Krycek," another rebel, a human male dressed in shabby clothes and with a messy beard, said cautiously. Standing behind Riyah, he had a blaster rifle trained at the back of her neck. Krycek was the code name under which Moira was operating on the planet.

"And you trust her?" the Zabrak snarled. us. "I'm tellin', she's bloody playing us. All these soddin' Republic types are." Suspicious perhaps, but not totally unwarranted given the circumstances.

"And if she is...do you really want to take the risk of pissin' her off?"

"Shut it," the woman leading the group growled, by now the Jedi had been surrounded by rebels. Of course, if push came to shove, none of them had ever faced a force-user before and would be outmatched, but it need not end in violence. "You have ten seconds. For or against the resistance?"

 

[KitKat]

It wasn't long and they were surrounded. As soon as it started Katarine instinctively pulled the lite girl behind her, though the presence of the make with a blaster trained at Kats head made this a less effective position of protection for the child. Kat held her hands up in a sign of surrender and Bethany copied.

They asked about the revolution and Kat didn't know what to say as she was not in the loop. She had caught the word Republic which gave her hope. If they were working with the Republic then there might not be any harm today. She spoke calmly, her kind soft voice floating to the ears of those around.

"There has been a misunderstanding. My name is Katarine Ryiah. I am a Jedi Master in the Republic and I am here on a training mission with my student."

She paused allowing what she said to wash over them. She couldn't blame them for being suspicious. The situation had everyone on edge. "If the gentleman behind me is so inclined he can reach into my pocket and retreave my identification."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

Kat's words and apparent gesture of surrender seemed to catch the rebels off-guard. Some also seemed perplexed at her being accompanied by a little girl. As suspicious as they were, that was not standard spy behaviour!

"A Jedi," the woman leading the group snorted derisively. "Here to train...while the common people bleed and get worked to death. So much for protectors," she gestured to the rebel standing behind Kat. "Search her."

The rebel who had been aiming his gun at the back of Kat's neck complied and approached her warily, reaching into her pocket. While he did so, two comrades covered him from the flanks. The situation was tense, as sharp as any blade, the rebels were not taking any chances.

The rebel stepped away from Kat, looking at her ID with a confused look, apparently he could not read before tossing it to the Zabrak who scrutinised it. "Says she's Republic. But it could be a bloody forgery! Who'd bloody well come to train here?"

"Get a grip and only shoot at my orders," the woman growled at him, then activated a wrist-worn comm. She was calling 'Krycek', or rather Moira Skaldi. "We got an unknown contact, ma'am. No...claims to be a Jedi. Her and a kid. No, no one else has followed us. Orders? Are you...of course," the tone was professional, but she sounded just a bit nervous, then cut the connection.

"Boss wants to see you. You'll have to surrender what weapons you got and come blindfolded." Hearing these words the rebels lowered their guns, though they were still ready to shoot and one retrieved two blindfolds.

 

[KitKat]

Katarine watched the situation unfold with a calm interest on her face. When the one scowled about forgery Katarine spoke again in that same kind voice. "If you like proof I am a Jedi I can crush all the weapons you hold with a wave of my hand." Her smile was polite as if this was nothing more than an interesting conversation and she made no attempt to move so much as an inch. It wasn't a threat really, just a statement of intentions. Katarine didn't want to harm anybody today but it was always good to let people with guns aimed at you know you were not entirely helpless.

They informed her their boss would like to see her and she nodded. As the blindfolds were being taken out the little girl flinched and looked up at Katarine in a panic. Kat merely smiled and squeezed her hand. "One is never truly blind if they rely on the Force. ". She looked back at the Rebels. "I have a lightsaber in my jacket pocket and a blaster strapped to my thigh. The girl is unarmed. Shall I remove them?" She was still careful to stand completely still though Bethany was fidgeting with her hair nervously.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

The Jedi Master's declaration seemed to give the rebels pause, if only for a moment. Fighting the mercenaries of their corporate overlords was one thing, but they had no way to assess how powerful the force-user was. Especially since they were people who had been kept in bondage for most their lives.

"Yes," the female rebel leader said in response to Kat's query about surrendering her weapons. The rebels quickly confiscated them, one stared at the unignited lightsabrei in wonder. Doubtless it was the first time any of them had seen such a weapon. "We don't want this to get messy, but we'll fight and die if we have to. We've been dying for decades while the Galaxy watched."

One of the rebels, the human who had cautioned against shooting them outright, seemed to pick up on Bethany's unease and looked a bit apologetic. "We don't want to hurt you, little one," he said in what he probably hoped was a soothing voice.

Kat and her sister would be lead down through several alleywas that took them past wrecked factories and abandoned warehouses. It seemed the rebels were taking more turns than needed in order to shake off possible pursuers. Here and there they would come across dead bodies, workers, mercenaries. Where these still had weapons and supplies, they were quickly stripped of them.

Further in the distance the sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard, the cries of wounded sentients. The rebels paid this no mind, they seemed used to it, though they picked up the pace before they reached a tunnel that led to an abandoned borodium mine. A turbolift took the party down to the next level, more rebels guarded it.

Here the blindfolds got removed. The rebels already present looked warily at the newcomers. Many of them were young in age, quite a few would have belonged in a school and not in an army, but here they were dressed in dirty, sometimes tattered fatigues and wielding blasters. The lead rebel softly knocked at a door that led to a small chamber, then opened it.

Inside no one other than Moira was bent over a table that held a map, whilst speaking into a comm in a sharp, no-nonsense voice. "No, focus on military targets. The fleet needs the defence systems taken out. Attack the bastille and you'll be slaughtered for nothing and those plutocrats will still rule. Yes, I know how well-defended the ion cannon is, that's why we can't do this piecemeal. You can get me a strike at the shipyard, yes? Good!"

As the door opened she looked up. She was dressed in dirty trousers that had seen better days and a simple shirt underneath a trenchcoat, which judging by the holes had been through action as well. Blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail and she wore a bandana around her forehead.

"Found them in sector 45, boss," the woman rebel told Moira, who nodded. Unlike her comrades she showed no sign of nervousness or unease upon seeing the Jedi. Her expression was thoughtful, calculating.

One of the rebels handed her Kat's lightsabre and Moira scrutinised it before putting it on the table. "Good. Get back to your duties," she ordered her comrades.

The Zabrak rebel looked uncertain and stood as if glued to the harsh ground. "Ma'am, is that wise...she..."

Moira waved his words aside as if they were buzzing insects, dismissing his claims. "There's a war going on. These streets won't patrol themselves. If the Jedi decides she wants my head on the table, you won't be able to prevent it," she said said in strangely calm, deadpan voice.

With some reluctance and unease the rebels headed back for the door, leaving the two Jedi there. Two guards still stood a bit further away inside the room, others were standing sentinel outside.

"I guess it's introduction hour now, yes? Either that or I've made a bad mistake and will now be short of a head," Moira asked with a sarcastic edge to her voice. "Moira Skaldi, Republic Military Intelligence. You've chosen an interesting planet for training hour, Jedi."

 

[KitKat]

After the journey to the boss the blindfolds were removed. Katarine didn't seem surprised to be where they were but Bethany started to blink as her eyes adjusted to the light. It took time and practice to trust the Force instead of your eyes. If they lived today the little girl had a lot to learn.

Katarine smiled at the woman. "A pleasure Commander. You were already informed I am Katarine Ryiah." She sighed and nodded at the last comment. "It seems we did. Forgive our intrusion. We have been here quit sometime and did not mean to jeopardize any of your plans." The had done a good job keeping it all secret. Kat could sense things were about to change but she looked so out of place in the work camps she had never been trusted with the secret. The Rebels were proficient.


@[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[The Hound]

For this particular mission most of Paladin squadron were in XA-5 X-Wing fighters. Their job today was to keep fighters and bombers off capital ships and guard the ships bringing troops down to help the rebellion on Contruum.
"Jump"
The command was given by none other than Admiral Kahoshi. "You heard the man! We jump, right after them!" Affirmatives all around. With solace he prepared for a Hyperspace jump. This would be his last mission before his "rehab" began. With a sigh he began the countdown. "3, 2, 1...Jump!" Almost all at once the X-Wings jumped into hyperspace. When they exited, all around them mercenary fighters were scrambling from their ships. From his screen he could see that weapons were being powered up. "Get ready boys, here they come!" groups of two and three broke off from Paladin squadron as they engaged the enemy. Yellow, red, and green lights flew about the sky as the Republic's fighters met with the Mercenary's own. Concussion missiles exploded in space, occasional blasts from Turbolasers cut through the void.

Turin's X-Wing flew through the black, peppering fighters that dared to get too close to the Rancor. For now he was just playing baby sitter. He was fine with that. It still racked him up plenty of kills to add to his board.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

Outwardly Moira appeared calm, even returned the smile. The truth was that Moira had, to put it simply, issues with Jedi and force-users in general. Some simply grounded in a certain apprehension about their powers. It made her distrustful of them. So, with that in mind, would that not make her decision to bring the two Jedi here somewhat illogical?

Obviously on first sight, but Moira liked to think of herself as practical, so she recognised the utility of the Jedi. Her job on the planet was to make use of resources. In the most technical and dehumanising phrasing, sentient materiel. All for the purpose of ensuring that the mission achieved success, no matter what the cost. Moreover, a Jedi on side might help reduce casualties. The little girl was another question, she was no combatant.

"I see. No harm done. Your presence might be...advantageous," Moira responded evenly, pouring herself a cup of stimcaf. A guard passed two cups to Kat and Bethany, if they wanted drinks. Needless to say it would be less tasty than the Coruscant product, the cups were not clean either, but it would serve the purpose of keeping you awake.

"As it is, there's no way off the planet except perhaps as contraband or in a bodybag," she said in a deadpan tone. "Martial law has been declared. The local overlord's anti-air will shoot down any unauthorised ship that leaves. When they're not gunning down strikers. But there's this thing about repression: one day your victim rebounds and bites back," she said, sounding jaded. Then if successful turns into the next generation's despot, she thought cynically.

"I'll ask point-blank. You've seen there's a war in the making. Where does your Code stand on helping to overthrow the local despots?" she queried straight-forwardly, taking a sip from her lukewarm stimcaf.

The lighting in the chamber was dim, one of the two bulbs had died, the other was weak, though two candles had been lit. Moira looked pale from apparently having spent a great deal of her time down in the mines. There were dark circles around her eyes, but she looked determined. A knife that had a death's head and various runes engraved its blade upon it was attached to her belt, a heavy blaster pistol was in a holster.

 

[Selena Halcyon]

The state of Contruum shocked Selena. History showed it to be so opposed to oppressive governments, that for it to have become one itself was rather unexpected in her mind. She had had to double check the reports when she initially got them, simply because she knew the history of the planet. Then again, a lot had changed because of the four hundred years of darkness. Dark ideas and evil intentions had found a way to flourish in the wake of the chaos.

What was odd is that even as the military moved out, she was uncomfortable with this. She was one who certainly was not opposed to violence as a means to bring justice. Full on war efforts to bring down simply tyrannical governments left her uneasy though. Poor work conditions were bad, but many would die to right a wrong that did not seem to facilitate the necessity of violence. A lot of people would die in the next few days, and while that was no one's end, it was the end of their existence as they were.

She sat in a large transport barreling down towards the atmosphere with escorts. The fight was on. Mercenaries fighting for a bad side were attacking them. It was just an ugly affair. In the mind of someone who saw things in grim shades of black and white, this straddled a very thin border that made her uncomfortable.

 

[MAD]

Borders however, never made MAD uncomfortable.

The Mercenary scum he was, in the Atrisian Empire he was bit strange, especially in this instance. A Mercenary paid to lead soldiers to fight Mercenary's. Also, if he really wanted to make himself a target he's already got that covered. Crammed into a drop ship preparing to be deployed, MAD was but a single black tear in an ocean of white. The Atrisian Stormtroopers would have no trouble locating their Lieutenant, that is, if he chose to remain visible. Today MAD was only wielding a normal unmodified E-11 Rifle, much like the others around him. This mission called for brutalizing combat, and there really was no need for any stealth here. He had his Archaic Shadowtrooper lightsaber strapped to his chest like a grenade, ready to see action should it be needed. It would certainly help his contingent of soldiers if they needed to get past a door quickly, without the expense of explosives. He just hoped that none of the Jedi accidentally mistook him for a Sith, that would be embarrassing considering as far as he knew, he wasn't force sensitive.

"Get ready for action boys, shouldn't be much longer." He called to his troops.

 

[KitKat]

Kat thanked the Rebel for the cup and took a sip. As someone who had been working in slave conditions for months anything offered was taken. Kat looked just as torn and abused as the others on the outside but it was her eyes that were different. She wasn't broken from the inside yet.. At least not by this. Kat was dying of a broken heart but the damage was being done slowly and nothing to worry about today. Instead there were far more pressing concerns which the Commander was asking about currently. She made mention of the Code but Kat ignored this. Instead she shifted her weight and shrugged politely. There was no point discussing the Code today.

"I want off the planet and it looks like the only way I can do that is go through your enemy. You could use the services of a Jedi in your fight. It seems only natural we help each other. Advantageous as you put it I believe. "

 

[Moira Skaldi]

The Jedi Master's pragmatic willingness to cooperate took Moira by surprise, though she kept her cool. There was the curve of a smile on her lips, before she turned businesslike again.

"Good. Glad we can help each other," she said, taking another sip of stimcaf before setting the cup down on the stained table and indicating the map spread out on it. Most unusually it was an actual map and not a holographic projection. One could assume that there was simply not the power for the latter.

"Very soon, there'll be a workers' rising. Either the rebels strike first or the mercs, but the goon squad has grown used to their dominance. They're looking at the wrong targets and they underestimate our supply of arms," she removed the knife from her belt and pointed to a location in the north of the city.

"The workers at the shipyards will rise up in revolt. It'll be a mass rising. Sleeper cells in the borium mines will go active. We proceed through the tunnels into the city. Resistance will be broken," she idly twirled the knife a bit.

"We've sent out intel to make them think an attack's about to be mounted to infiltrate the bastille, seize it and rescue the prisoners. What we're actually doing is hitting this area here." She stopped twirling the knife and it travelled down the map until it reached the location of most of the planetary defence installations. "The ion cannon and the planetary shield generator. Both will be blown to the nine hells." Now she actually smiled. "Not without risks, but doable...specially with a Jedi at our side."

To be sure they were gambling, given that virtually the entire force of the resistance would be committed, but Moira thought it would pay off and the object was not to conquer the planet.

 

[KitKat]

Katarine listened and nodded through the plan. It seemed solid enough. Create a diversion, leak a false trail, inspire the population and liberate the planet. Pretty straight forward which was good as Kat hated complicated battle plans. She always seemed to mess them up somehow.

"Where would you like me?" Her eyes trailed to the prison again. She wanted to ask if someone would actually be liberating prisoners today though she guessed once this war was fought they would be... one way or the other.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

"With the main column when we attack the planetary defences, specifically the ion cannon. You'd be best used there," she reattached the dagger to her belt. "Having a force-user on side would be a boost to the men's morale."

The rebels were dedicated, but many had only been hastily trained and a great of their arsenal consisted of weapons taken from dead mercenaries or stolen from their caches. But while they were suspicious of off-worlders, there was a sizeable number that held the powers of Jedi in superstitious awe, which could be useful.

"We knock out the defence systems, the surviving mercenaries will get what's coming for them. They're cowards used to having an easy gig here. We'll deal with the bastille then." Their forces would have to cover a lot of ground as it was.

She took Kat's confiscated lightsabre from the table and after giving the weapon that seemed so light and yet was so deadly an appreciative glance handed it back to the Jedi. "I imagine you'll need this," she said dryly.

 

[KitKat]

Kat nodded and took the weapon back. "Thank you. ". The familiar twin crystals pulsed together. She felt the hate stone here. It was stronger in its darkness.

Her deep green eyes traveled over Bethany. For a moment she seemed worried before the emotion was hid once more. "I imagine you have preparations to attend to. I won't keep you. We will keep out of the way until needed. "

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Katarine Ryiah"]

"Oh, plotting a revolution is a small matter. Turn to the quartermaster if you need anything, you'll be called when we move. I imagine the fearless revolutionary leader will rally everyone with a dramatic pre-battle speech," Moira said sardonically. "Sometimes I feel like recording a good one and playing it when the occasion calls. It would save time."

One of the rebels from earlier came and gestured to Katarine and Bethany. There was a small chamber in the mines where they could get food, if they so wished, though the provisions were sparse. Until the attack started they would be relatively free to move around. Word of Jedi being in the base had spread, as indicated by the often awed, sometimes wary faces.

Meanwhile, events were proceeding at the shipyards.

Colonel Lucian Decimus stepped out of the cantina that was reserved for mercenary officers of high rank, his aide walking behind him at a respectful distance. The colonel was a tall, strongly built man with a goatee, dressed in uniform and puffing on a fat cigar. One of his underlings was leading out two scantily clad Twi'lek dancer on leashes.

"Get those whores to my apartment," he commanded, without bothering to look at his aide. "I'll come by and later. Make sure they're cleaned up," he savoured the smoke and took another deep drag. "So intel thinks our plucky rebels will storm the bastille, won't they? I better hope our interrogators didn't use velvet gloves on our prisoners."

His aide nodded obediently. "Captain Tikriti is very thorough in his job and we have an agent in place. She confirmed the info. It fits the standard pattern. Free the prisoners, seize a broadcasting station, rally the people. They think a small spark will light the fuse."

"Of course, if the bloody Board of Directors got a clue, they'd take the wind out of their sails by guillotining the prisoners. Publicly," Decimus said grimly. "Only way to crush the rebellion is to make 'em realise there's nothing we won't do. You dealt with those dock workers we found hiding weapons?"

"Yes, sir. All shot. Their families have been arrested. They'll get lower value ration cards and will work a harsh regimen in the borium mines. He who doesn't work won't eat."

"Good," the colonel let out a breath. "They don't get it, but we're doing 'em a favour. If we weren't here, they'd just slaughter each other like a bunch of savages. I want our boys ready should they try anything." He had reached his speeder, a soldier opened the door and he stepped in.

His aide followed in the backseat and the driver turned on the engines, powering the vehicle up. Just in this moment the colonel heard a low, ringing sound. He let out a gasp of breath, then before a word could escape his lips there was a loud explosion and the skimmer was engulfed in flames. Pieces of the vehicle, along with of the occupants were thrown across the area. Soldiers that had been standing close caught fire and were tossed up, crashing into the cantina wall due to the force of the shockwave.

Sirens howled, workers and mercenaries stopped dead in their tracks as they beheld the devastation. Soon medics were rushing onto the scene, the cries of wounded and still dying soldiers filled the air, along with the smell of burnt metal, fried electronics, burnt and crispy flesh.

Deep inside the rebel hideout, Moira was listening attentively to a comm message. Her lips curved into a dark smile before her face hardened. "Good work. Phase 2 is authorised. Do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy."

 

[Yu-Sien Karsa]

Never in a million years did Yu-Sien think he would be fighting a war with the Jedi and Republic at this side. For the longest time he was quite satisfied with living in his cabin in the woods on Corellia, learning how to achieve the powers of the force and not worrying about the outside world. How could he have become so ignorant? He had forsaken all that Aa'Kua stands for just to train...what a fool he was. He, however, would soon make up for all the years he had wasted on Corellia and a part of the long process of bringing honor back to his name began now, helping those who could not help themselves.

The cave was dark, dreary and depressing beyond words. The rebels had lived in this cave, hiding from the oppressions of their government, for months and that fact was noted by the harsh stench of fices that wafted from the back of the cave. These people had been so afraid of capture that they wouldn't even leave to get rid of bodily wastes, it was truly a heartbreaking sight. Yu-Sien had been sent here a few days in advance to prepare a Rebel assault on a nearby planetary defense battery that was hidden snugly between the enormous rocky faces of the mountains. This mission needed to be fast, hard and quiet so the martial arts master was the obvious choice, he could weave his way through an ocean of terrors and end up victorious on the other side within seconds and nobody would be aware that there was even a battle.

"Good, now do it again and this time keep your arm straight and strong." Yu-Sien instructed kindly to the group of fighters who would be assisting him today. He had a lot of time after the planning was completed so he began teaching the rebels a few defense attacks of Aa'Kua, he was pleasantly surprised at their progress. He watched smiling, his hands folded behind his back, as the rebels practiced an attack breaker on one another. One day he would restart the temple of Aa'Kua and bring the ancient art back into the galaxy and teach all his disciples the secrets of Aa'Kua, but he would first need to fully master all it's aspects himself. Without warning, a light beep filled the cave as a communicator on Yu-Sien's belt began to flash and wail like a robotic infant notifying him of the coming attack.

"Is it time, Master Karsa?" Farko, the leader of this particular ban of rebels, asked with anticipation

Yu-Sien nodded his head slightly, a troubled smile across his face "Yes Farko, I believe it is." Yu-Sien may never see any of these brave people again. The rebels began grabbing their gear and Yu-Sien did the same, attaching a pair of Twin Hooks to his lower back and two Sai on his robes belt, finishing with a shoalin sword across his upper back. Each weapon was an ancient tradition of the Aa'Kua and this particular set was a hand crafted songsteel set passed down by his late teacher, Jin Sun, on Atrisia. As distant sounds of battle echoed off the nervous mountain sides, the cave exploded with men and women eager to meet the calls of battle that lie in the canyon beneath them...all but one who stepped slowly out into the light, his eyes full of sadness as he listened to what nature had to say.

"There are no birds." Yu-Sien whispered to himself as the wind blew harshly through the trees, giving out a cry of despair for the sons of the planet who charged blindly to their death. Yu-Siend sighed as he began his way down the mountain after the rebels "I suppose the birds do not wish to watch a massacre...