Star Wars Intervention: Echoes in Eternity (An Original Trilogy Game; Always taking new players!!!)

IC: Aidan Dodd
Mess Hall - Johnny Boy.

"You might want to hold-off on target practice for now. The Chief is on his way.", Winterkill announced after a conversation on his Comlink.... then "I thought there were four of you...."

"There are, although had it been up to me it there would only have been the three of us! Don't know how Uriel ever got up to Senior Command Rank, like he and his entry in the 'Million Most Wanted' list say he did but he seems to alternate between obsessing over a probably fake Treasure Map he seems to have taken off a Pirate casualty on Algor; thinking he's still on the bridge of his Flagship where nobody else matters while spouting a load of techno-babble that has your head spinning within a few seconds; or occasionally making himself marginally useful. If they don't think I'm being too hard on him, Evalynne and Owen will probably confirm that.

I've not seen him since I put my gear in my berth and followed Mr. Biggs up here, but the way he was going on about some wine he had aboard his ship, maybe he's there. I thought I heard someone say that the AI controlled ships had been docked. Is anyone still in the Hangar Bay who could check that his ship's still aboard and whether he's inside it or not, please?"


TAG: greyjedi125, Mitth_Fisto, Others in Mess Hall.

 

IC: Evalynne Smith
Aboard the Johnny Boy, Mess Hall

“No,” Owen said, putting a hand on the grip of his pistol, only letting her see it. “Something’s wrong here.”

Evalynne unclipped the top of her holster, but didn't pull her blaster from it. No need to be hasty, especially since the room was crowded with people. Besides, she was still rather. . . unpracticed with it and would need practice in order to become more proficient.

Aidan seemed similarly bothered by the chair's appearance--and apparently the pilot-patient (Winterkill, the name was, she remembered) and the being next to him (a friend? who knew, here) had noticed as well. In fact, the being next to Winterkill looked directly at them and ordered, "Target practice. Show me what you got, three shots a piece!"

Did the Mercs normally have target practice in the Mess Hall? That didn't seem to be made of much sense. Not to mention the fact that, although she could fire her weapon and probably hit what she aimed at, she didn't want to do it in a room crowded with people.

Thankfully, Aidan spoke up and explained how the use of his (apparently very powerful) weapon would be nonsensical in the Mess Hall, and then Winterkill received a comm-message and countermanded the order.

That was a relief.

But then apparently Winterkill was suspicious that Uriel hadn't trooped in there with them. Sith it, he was not going to make the rest of them look bad because he was gallivanting around and not following orders. He was not going to get her locked in a brig, or, worse, sent home.

"No," Evalynne offered, "he's not being hard on him at all. He's not used to following orders; his default appears to be 'I'd prefer not to.'"

She didn't want to be unduly harsh on Uriel--but he had made a sort of impression back on Algor, taking off his trousers and running around during a light fight. A bit reckless, for all the mental acuity he boasted of. Perhaps it was just a case of not caring for anyone other than himself, but she didn't know him well enough.

TAG: greyjedi125, Tim Battershell, others in the Mess Hall
OOC: The 'I'd prefer not to' comes straight from Bartleby the Scrivener. Have fun reading that.

 

IC: Deputy the Astromech, Commander Yavscout, Crewperson Mary Formal, Johnny Boy hangar, and Deck Two, respectively.


Deputy watched Atin's droid offer its services to the Damage Control teams, and whistled a 'Welcome Back' message to it too; then observed a stranger who it would later learn was Uriel Manteroni crossing the hangar from the door that led to the pilot quarters since the Jod' re-design.

The black R2 unit had spent time in the previous pilot quarters when Yavscout had joined the Mercs as a Pilot Officer.

The droid's various sensors detected that the stranger was in possession of a Merc' datapad, which was enough to accept that he was a 'safe' individual.

His dome moved slowly as his main photoreceptor followed Uriel's progress to an unusual-looking starfighter, then decided, 'you know what, I think it's time to head to the mess'.

The dome ducked down into the Naboo starfighter, and the re-joined droid dropped to the deck underneath.

Deputy put down the third wheel, and tweeted instructions to one of the ship's two silver-coloured 3PO-series protocol droids, which in turn, spoke to the nearest hangar tech. "Hello, Sir. This fighter will need four energy torpedoes replacing, and refuelling. Deputy requests a repair appointment with an engineer, as he also sustained damage."

Deputy left the protocol droid to it, and headed for the nearest exit.

* * * *
Crew Lounge - Deck Two

Yavscout the Norrathian elf, and Mary the Arcateenian were at the door flip-flopping between tension and relaxing as they prepared to go through the door after the chair, the elf drawing on his experiences with the Naboo Security Force, and Mary, the various cop shows she'd watched, and Chief Taab's training.

"One. Two." She was counting, "Thr-"

"Commander."

Mary and Yav did double takes at the voice, spun from the door to find Jason Lasso next to Crewman Waters, while behind him, Data was helping Doctor Cooke to one of the central tables.

"Do we have a problem?"

Behind him, the elder Mandalorian entered and drew lever with Jase and Data as the two split to cover different sides of the room.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Yavscout glanced at Mary. "You wanna break it down for them?"

She wasn't sure how to start, "Alright, once upon a-"

"No no, skip ahead."

"Okay, when the Pistoeka Sabotage Droids invaded the Security Office, one tried to inject me with some kind of blue serum, which we think is what changed Crewman Franks and Pilot Officer Trasks. Some of that leaked onto Chief Taab's chair, and it subsequently opened fire on Deputy Al'Kesh and myself with a weapon that grew out of the seat, and legged-"

"Wheeled," Yav' corrected quietly.

"-it down the corridor. We sent a couple of SBDs after it, but it seems to have the ability to operate doors."

"Must have built itself a resonator, like on stormtrooper armour."

Mary nodded to the door. "The chair was in here, then moved into the Mess as soon as I drew my weapon, and it felt threatened."

Yav looked at the Captain. "So. What do you want to do?"

Tag: Bravo, Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Jason Lasso
En route to the Mess Hall, Johnny Boy


Yav looked at the Captain. "So. What do you want to do?"

Lasso's immediate thought was capture. He knew that while Doctor Cook was good at his job, the Johnny Boy did not have the facilities to handle a in-depth scientific autopsy of a organic body. And if whatever that "blue" slime was that Mary was talking about from the Security Office could transform a chair...a organic body would yield the same immediate results: the function of the blue slime and what it did, from immediate points of view, did not change from a living organic body to a chair. So the chair would work as the autopsy.

"Capture it," Lasso said, peaking through the door to see where the bloody thing was at, "Capture the bloody thing and study it. Check your fire on friendlies. Stun may be our best friend in close quarters. On my command. Commander, shot is yours..."

Lasso made sure his weapon was on stun, motioned for Data to take an angel approach and hold position. Data would be the "rear guard" and secure the rear, while Mary and Yav would act as the initial assault team and Lasso would add the final one-two-three punch combination to the action.

"Security Chief, we'll get your chair back," Lasso said, looking all serious, then smirked, "Rogue chairs are our specialty."

Jason looked back to Yav, moved up to be just behind the Commander and asked quietly, "Ready?"

The Commander simply held up a thumb and nodded.

Lasso tensed as he barked through the crack in the door, "BREACHING! GET DOWN!"

Jason could only hope that no trigger happy mercenaries in that room would fire at them! Lasso watched as Yav went first, then Marry, then Jason was right on their heels, blaster rifle's butt into his shoulder, and breaching through the door, watching Marry peal left while Lasso took center and Yav to his right.


TAG Sith-I-5, Bardan_Jusik, Mess Hall
OOG: If your in the Mess Hall, please do not fire at the chair. No one knows what it is, so I'm trying to avoid accidental god-modding. Now, you may fire at will at the breaching team if you so wish your character to be trigger happy...

 

IC: Havah Jeth
Johhny Boy, Messhall

Looking from the man who had spoken up then back to Winterkill he shook his head. "Fine. Test the rest later." he simply stated before taking another bite of his food and eying the chair. Winterkill and the others had some words about another missing member to which Havah merely chewed his food. What was there to say of a man he had never met?

Then it came, the door opened and a shout from Lasso stating for them to "BREACHING! GET DOWN!"

Granted if you heard someone say breaching in a loud and alarming manner and didn't know to get down low and then either bug out or shoot back you deserved what you got. At least it was so in his book as reflexes kicked in. His left leg extended to catch his foot on the underside of the table as he right pressed counter on the floor, in a swift motion he twisted his seat to be able to lay flat, the back of it to his right with a hand gripping it in a gentle but firm embrace as he laid himself out as a board onto the open air.

His other hand still holding the sandwich lobbed it like a grenade in mid-motion at the chair that had come in, he closed his eyes as the split second of action came to an end. As his own life blood glowed and danced before his vision, another split second of action danced before his mind.

What are you doing? the question echoed, reverberating in his mind a thousand times o'er. Why are we surviving? Came back the resounding echoes. He saw his life in that instant. His growth sped by as the blur of youth, old eyes often cherish it, but it sped by all too quickly slipping out of his grasp as the horrors of being an adult, being in the Arkaniaan Black Guard, killing and surviving others attempts to sling death back, killing his brother, and then. Then the spaces danced like shadows between the fires flames, the empty spaces, the heart races. What there was was bleak, what there was not was documented in after action reports and the fog of drink.

Then she was there, the dance was broken, the seeking dance with death that ended all lives but his own paused. "Hanah." he whispered. Chaste and bare he saw her smile, then weep, as then the blood began spilling from her arm as it fell away whilst she screamed his accusations, his fault, and heaped her life as the boon upon the pyre.

You did this! screamed her echoing accusation. And to it he held no reply, no reply. . .except. Why do we follow? Why do I survive? Why? Why follow.

His eyes opened and the dance of his own life bloods light ceased to dazzle his eyes he found himself rising. He sat. He sat, a hand upon the table, a hand upon the chair. "Hanah." it was an empty word for a hollow name that danced upon a grave. Only the grave was not hers as he felt so long, if he dies she lives. They all live. Free. And all he might have to do, is stand.

He continued that motion, the hesitation passing in the moment not even counted. He stood.

TAG: greyjedi125, Bravo, Sith-I-5, @ All in Mess hall

 

IC: Winterkill
Johnny Boy, Mess Hall

The nagai nodded slowly at Captain Dodd and Swifts. It was clear to him by the way they described their missing crew member, that he should not be left unsupervised aboard the Johnny Boy. However, he wondered why they were so ‘lax’about their missing man. Could they know more than they were telling? Were they in collusion?

The first order of business was to inform security about his findings. Loose ends were dangerous, no matter the situation. Once again, before he could even open his mouth, the doors to the mess hall burst open.

“BREACHING! GET DOWN!!”

The voice an the tone were known to him. His reaction was automatic.

Winterkill was flat on the floor in a blink of an eye. The nagai even took a moment to regard those around him, near and far. How was the Blood Moon crew reacting to this sudden situation? Atin and the others? What were the Captain and the Chief pointing at? Where ‘exactly’ was the danger? Were they really pointing their weapons at that chair??

A familiar voice close to him spoke.

“Hanah.”

Winterkill froze. For a millisecond, he almost disbelieved what he’d heard, but he knew he had heard correctly. This wasn’t good. Dark eyes looked over to his arkanian friend who was for some odd reason, sitting up.

The nagai watched Havah speak the name once again, then rise to his feet. Definitely not good.

Something was not right with the arkanian. He was acting in a most peculiar way, which was something that could not be explained at the very moment. Explanations could wait for later.

Without saying a word, Winterkill reached up nimbly to grab Havah’s waist belt and yanked down as hard as he could. His aim was to jar his friend out of whatever fugue overtook him and have him act like the Spec Ops operative that he was. Even if it came down to knocking him in the back of his knee and sweeping his foot from under him, so some sense would flow back into his addled brain.


Tag: @Mitth_Fisto, All others in the Mess Hall.

 

IC: Evalynne Smith
Aboard the Johnny Boy, Mess Hall

Winterkill looked at them and nodded slowly, though he didn't seem entirely convinced of their trustworthiness. Fair enough. She didn't know anything more about Uriel than what Aidan had said--but if the Mercs' security could know her mother's cousin's middle name, then they'd quickly discover more about Uriel than she would ever know.

He seemed about to say something, but the doors to the mess hall burst open and someone yelled "BREACHING! GET DOWN!"

Evalynne didn't know what breaching meant, but get down was self-explanatory. She kicked her chair away and dropped to the floor. She wriggled into a place where a flipped table gave her protection (from what, she wasn't sure, but practice made permanent) and where she could see what everyone was focused on--the chair that had rolled into the room under its own power.

Was all this for the chair? What was wrong with it? Was there someone on it or not? Was it dangerous somehow? Should she draw her blaster?

Was this a regular Merc happening? Empty, self-moving chairs and people shouting for target practice in the middle of a crowded room?

Not for the last time, she wondered what she'd gotten herself into.

TAG: Others in the Mess Hall

 

IC: Pupil Van-Kaut Monnop
The Sanctum Ecclesia, Confederation of the Sovereign States of Jod, Planet of Jod, Companion Cresh


Music: Science and Religion

Van-Kate's feet quickened down the stone staircase that ran down the exterior of The Sanctum Ecclesia, overlooking the giant waterfall; open flame torches that lined the staircase and surrounding brick ledges before and above, flickered in the slight night wind. One of many staircases, one of many structures all connecting to the main complex through above ground walkways, staircases, and other routes of travel. Over all, the temple itself spanned over 100 acres and included an additional 200 acres of forests (and hunting grounds), open grassy areas, small private parks, ponds, lakes, even a river that ran through the middle of the structure in which the Sanctum Ecclesia spanned over to either side, and the waterfall to the East side of the property. The property included stables and barns, a small farm and underground spring, and was nestled close to the Northern Region's mountains in the foothills, the snow-caped mountains themselves giving a beautiful backdrop to The Sanctum Ecclesia, which was surrounded by 10 meter high stone walls and equipped with it's own security force.

It was here, at The Sanctum Ecclesia, that the Faithful and Holy of the Jod Church were taught, educated, and the holy power of the Kingdom---now a Confederation---came from. It was here, it was said, that the first Kingdom of Jod settlers had encountered the Prophet that spoke of a man to come after him to set all free. And it was here, as legend goes, that the Jedi with the Jod settlers meet with the Prophet for years to discuss, debate, and learn. And it was here that the faith had been founded. And it was here, also, that Pupil Van-Kaut Monnop, an aspiring Shepard and all the age of his young twenties, ran for his life. In his hands he held his Holy Book. In the memory of his eyes, he held a dark truth.

His heart raced, his hands were sweaty. What he saw---he was not supposed to see. They had not seen him, but still, he felt like they had somehow known he was there! But no, that was just his imagination! No one saw him! He was simply finishing up his nightly duties in The Most Sanctum Library of Cognitio and Wisdom and was blowing out the candles when he had overheard the voices, the angry voices. A door had been cracked and he had peaked through and seen----

No, such unholy actions could not be tolerated! And most of all not by "Men of God" who were of such high positions within the Jod Church, such as one of the Righteous Shepard(s) themselves.

He had to tell someone. But who, now, could he trust? One of the highest positions of the church, a Righteous Shepard, had been....and the men standing there with him? Were the black-clothed men with solid blue eyes---were they the legendary and shadowy Elite? Why didn't the Elite stop the Righteous Shepard? Since growing up, Van-Kaut could remember hearing stories about how the Elite were the Guardians of the Church and did all for the sake of the truth, righteousness, and holiness of the church---they could not lie or be bribed. But yet, it was rare----even magically----to ever see such an Elite. They were as much a legend and myth to the Jod themselves as they were to their enemies.

Van-Kuat slipped on a puddle of water from a recent rainfall that, with the winter months, had turned into snow, but only for a bit, before disappearing yesterday. But even then, water---in places---remained. If he could get to the Courtyard of Wisdom and Pax, he could make a exit out of the main doors and----

"Sister!" Van-Kaut jumped at seeing the elderly woman out so late as she appeared around the corner of the bottom of the stairs as he got up.

"Pupil Monnop," the woman observed patiently, her hands cuffed, "What are you running for?"

Should he tell her? She had raised him and taught him since he was a littl----

"Sister?" Van-Kaut asked, as the woman's eyes suddenly went wide. Van-Kaut took a step forward, reached out to touch the woman's shoulder, and there, a thin line of blood appeared across the front of her throat. The skin opened wider now with movement and red blood splashed out over the nun's black garments and onto the stone courtyard. The woman fell forward to the ground, her cuffed hands falling loose as she fell to the ground. Van-Kaut fell to his knees, his Holy Book falling to the ground, as he cradled her body into his.

"What a shame," a new voice said, appearing behind a set of solid blue eyes behind a black mask, "Sister Rose was one of the most Faithful."

"Shepard Kurt!" Monnop blurted out, "You have to help us! In The Most Sanctum Library of Cognitio and Wisdom, I was performing my closing duties, when I saw something horrible!"

"What was it my young Pupil? Righteous Shepard Edward Lakevon?"

"Yes!" Monnop blurted out, but when he saw Kurt's sorrowful smile, Monnop's eyes suddenly switched to the black clad man---a man dressed like one of those in the Library's study room! And with the same solid blue eyes. Monnop's eyes drifted down to the razor thin blood soaked wire, reflecting just slightly, the flame of the torch on the nearby staircase end.

Monnop looked back to Shepard Kurt, his face in pain and his eyes looking for answers as he suddenly realized that Shepard Kurt was in league with Righteous Shepard Edward Lakevon. "Why?" Monnop choked out through tears as he held Sister Rose's bloodied body in his arms as he knelt on the stone courtyard.

"I wish you never saw what you did," Kurt came back, pausing for a moment then saying, "I'm sorry."

Monnop didn't even fight, as all around him, a half dozen Shepards and Sisters stepped forth from the shadows of the courtyard, cuffed in holiness, their Holy Books and Crosses in hands and dangling from their hands and wrists.

They kept a distance, but all surrounded him all around, as if a holy mob was about to witness his death. No one said a word, but they all looked on, as the Elite stepped behind Monnop and the Pupil could feel the cold, still blood soaked wire, against his throat.

"God help us..." Monnop muttered as tears ran down his cheeks and he and Sister Rose were there, in the courtyard, surrounded by holy men and women of God...


No Tag

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Mess Hall - Johnny Boy.

Suddenly, "BREACHING! GET DOWN!" is shouted through the door! I kneel, shield and brace for the effects of the expected door-rending explosion, but none occurs. All that happens is three armed beings make a rapid entry through the - normally opened - door, not even an 'assault entry' as there are no distracting pyrotechnic charges chucked in ahead of them. My sandwich is, fortunately, finished, but the last remains of the caf spill out of the dropped cup. Well, I'd almost finished it, and it was rapidly cooling, anyway.

In order of their jack-in-the-box appearances, the three are; the 'doorway-climber' from the Pirate ship (identifiable by his distinctive armour) and now, by simple process of elimination, prime suspect for being the "elf" Winterkill mentioned. He's armed with a Heavy Blaster pistol and is holding it ready for action! As he comes more side-on to me, I confirm the 'pointed ears' attribute. Just like those old bedtime tales!

The second is a blonde female, armed with a 'snubbie' hold-out Blaster of some kind, also drawn and in 'ready' position. Dressed to kill as well, at least in the less-cosmopolitan regions of Agamar, where one glimpse through the upper part of her dress' side-slit and many of the older inhabitants would expire on the spot; victims of outrage (and if male, possibly also of something else!). Even in the more 'civilised' parts, like Calna Muun, wearing that dress in public, or allowing it to be visible, in filled condition, through an outside window, would be firm grounds for an 'Offence Against Public Decency' charge!

The third being is the Captain, which makes sense, that warning shout had sounded like his voice. He's got a Blaster Rifle, or maybe a large Carbine, held ready to his shoulder!

Assuming this isn't a test of our reactions, or those beings aren't just really, really wanting to ensure they get their fair share of the food, what's changed? I doubt it's anything to do with us, the younger of the two Mandalorians entered just after we did and Mandalorians, of any age, are known to be very handy with weapons. Usually very well supplied with them too! Which really only leaves that most peculiar chair. However, aside from entering under (seemingly) its own power and (seemingly) of its own volition, it's just stayed put since. It's not done anything else strange, nor threatened anyone or anything, since rolling to a stop.

My Imperial training now seems somewhat lacking, I can't think of a single course or HoloManual that gives instructions on dealing with disloyal Office Furniture! Disloyal, because it has evidently gone AWOL from somewhere else, thereby deserting its proper post. Should the need arise, where, for example, are its 'instant-kill' zones? Where should I aim to hit its 'vital stuffing'? Is it best to shoot it in the back? To (literally) disarm it? Or, in those circumstances, should my intention be to attempt a mobility, rather than a total, kill by blowing its wheels off? They're the only vulnerable points that I can see, except for the central pillar.

However, my default position is to analyse things before, and while, reacting instead of just reacting to a situation blindly. That quirk, possibly why I was selected for the 'Program' in the first place, has been finely honed by three years participation in the 'Shadow Game' where any slip means death. With practice, finalising such analyses usually only takes a fraction of a second, even though several different factors and options need to be taken into account; the trick is to keep any ongoing situation under constant, second-by-second review.

However nothing has yet happened, even the abrupt arrival of the Captain and party, to convert my 'watching and analysing; not just watching' state into an automatic threat response. Accordingly, I wait to accumulate more data and do not make any move towards drawing my sidearm.

Being thankful for small mercies, I'm now glad that Uriel had taken himself off somewhere. On past performance, I'm quite sure he'd have had his weapons out and blazing before the Arkanian had got the final word out of his mouth!

What has now come out of the Arkanian's mouth sounds like the name 'Hanah' and I glimpse Winterkill apparently trying to pull him down and into cover. What that's all about is none of my business, though.


TAG: All in Mess Hall.


OOC: "watching and analysing; not just watching" adapted from General Semantics' "Null-A" philosophy.

 

IC: Owen Byrne
On board the Johnny Boy, Mess Hall

"Target practice,” The Arkanian called out to the crew of the Blood Moon, “Show me what you got, three shots a piece!" Owen tightened up on his pistol, a challenge had been given, in his short time as a freelancer he learned to never turn down a challenge. Especially on that demonstrated skill. As he made ready to jump on the table and put three bolts into the chair at a downward angle so they impact the floor after exiting the object, Captain Dodd spoke,

"With deepest respect, Sir,” He said with the greatest diplomacy, “the Captain very graciously permitted us to keep our weapons while the ship was still at Battle Conditions. I'm very reluctant to use mine in anything other than a true emergency situation without having him first sign off on that usage. I was always taught that knowing how to shoot was just one third of the equation, where was equally important and when was even more so.” Aiden was right but, the solider could not deny his own experience, step down from a challenge now and they’ll think you weak. The pain in his left knee cut into his mind, there were down sides to accepting challenges.

“Uhm…yeah.” Lt. Winterkill called out, “You might want to hold-off on target practice for now. The Chief is on his way.” The look on the officer’s face was not a joking one. His words were more of an order than a suggestion. Owen returned his blaster to its holster and proceeded to finish his second sandwich. “I thought there were four of you..." Winterkill said. Owen did a head count, Evalynne right next to him, Aiden was also there, Uriel, nowhere to be seen. The young man cursed himself they both went to the hangar to collect their gear from their ships. He was so caught up in making a good impression and showing up on time for the briefing, he had forgotten about his crewmate. Aiden expressed his dislike for the man stating that he would’ve preferred him not be part of his crew but, he was stuck with this man that bounced from obsessive, to professorial, to competent in the blink of an eye. Owen had few bad things to say about the man other that his shoot first attitude, which the former Stormtrooper had to work on himself after leaving the Corps. Evalynne agreed slightly with the captain’s assessment mentioning that Uriel was probably not use to taking orders. Before Owen could speak Captain Lasso’s voice boomed through the door.

"BREACHING! GET DOWN!" in a flash the solider put on his helmet and moved behind an overturned table. Looking down, he noticed that he had placed his knee close Evalynne. A few centimeters off and his armored joint would have slammed into her back, not a good way to make up for striking her in the back of the head. He looked at the breaching team from over the edge of the table he and his crewmate were using as makeshift cover. I consisted of the person wedged in the doorway during the rescue on the pirate ship, a woman obviously not dressed for combat and, Captain Lasso. All three had weapons drawn. Owen knew that adding his blaster to the mix would just add a complication. He crouched lower leaving only the eye silt and above of his helmet visible. Scanning the room he notes the Arkanian that had challenged them earlier standing up, wasn’t the order to get down? That was not Owen’s problem right now. In fact he had no idea what the problem was.

TAG: Others in the Mess Hall

 

Masha Tinovorsh
CAP, Combat Escort

"Thanks for the assist. Edge. More marks for you."

Masha breathed a sigh of false relief on hearing the Nagai's voice, but blast it, she was still shaking from thinking she had just killed him. The odd elf's voice came through;

"Scorch, Specter, Edge, from Safety. Let's go home."

Masha blanked for a moment.

“Specter copies, Safety. Returning to base.”

"Edge echoes, RTB." (Returning to base)

Surprisingly it was Winterkill that came to her wing, it made her feel a slight sense of relief. Maybe he didn't care?

"Edge to Ellie, stand by for landing."

"Ellie to Edge, might want to circle around one and let the others in. It's a bit hectic down here."

Masha was last to enter the hangar, she circled around before ascending into the bright lights, lowering her engine power and hoping that the repulsors were functioning correctly. "Flight control this is Edge, entered the hangar and completing landing proceedures; out."

"Ellie to Edge," Elizabeth's voice piped up, Masha commed back "Send it."

"Spot is ready for you, confirm visual on my... Uh... Light stick things."

"Affirmative, gear down, engines cooling down... " Masha turned off her afterburners, heat venting through them from the engines to prevent damage, "Alright, let's back this thing in."

After landing safely, Ellie gave an enthusiastic salute and walked forward to do a post flight inspection, Masha opened the canopy and took her helmet and gloves off; setting them above the console. Raising her arms to stretch, she realized her crash harness was still buckled, taking that off too she reached into her storage compartment and stuffed the familiar metal case in her pocket with her lighter. Taking out the food bar, she opened it and took a huge bite, then nearly gagged. "Ellie! What in the blue blazes is this?!"

"Some kinda fruit, I dunno bud," Ellie called up from under the fighter. Masha rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger, putting the bar back in the compartment and closing it. Standing up and moving down the ladder, she was finally able to stretch. "Here," Ellie said behind her, opening her hydration pack and pouring some more water into it. "Thanks... " Masha said putting her fingers through her hair and looking to the side, feeling slightly guilty for yelling at Elizabeth. She always has the best intentions, after all.

"You gonna be ok on your own for a bit? I gotta debrief," Masha said as Ellie closed up her pack. "Ohhh, I'll be fine, champ."

[music]

Her voice sounded normal but adding 'champ' at the end made it hard to read if she was actually being sarcastic. Masha gripped her shoulder, "Alright, see you back here in an hour or so."

Taking her lighter out and flipping it through her fingers she walked out of the hangar bay and made her way up to the mess hall. Her heart still beating hard and her breath shallow.

---

Elizabeth "Ellie" Hart
Hangar Bay, Johnny Boy, before Masha's arrival.

"No jokes about the ceiling from either of you. Any attempts to be funny, and your ship goes to the back of the queue. Try us," Ellie heard that awful droid say as she scurried about with the other crew members to receive the incoming craft, simultaneously cleaning up any clutter that was a result of the commotion.

"Well when you think about it -- ya know, space and stuff -- we could be standing on the ceiling," she said loudly but without looking up or breaking flow in her work. Hopefully that made the Elf guy smirk behind Ler's back.

"Ellie to Edge, might want to circle around one and let the others in. It's a bit hectic down here."

She was lying about that last part, well, it was hectic; but she figured Ler would put Masha to the back for Ellie's remark, so she might as well do it anyways.

"Tough crowd~" she said in a bit of a sing-song-voice.

---

Masha Tinovorsh
Mess Hall, Johnny Boy

Masha came to the mess hall just as young Atin had decided to sit by himself, she walked slowly, reaching into her pocket and grabbing a cigarette. There were some new faces in the room. She kept her distance, without realizing it. Spying Winterkill sitting across from an alien she had yet to meet she walked towards him at a normal pace, stopping at the head of their table.

"Hey," she said, her voice cracked a bit, she cleared her throat and looked at the Nagai's forehead so she didn't have to look him in the eyes, "Sorry about putting you in danger out there." With that she walked away, lighting her cigarette and taking a long drag. It wasn't easy for her to admit fault, but it was easy as tying her boot laces to beat herself up about it. She sighed to herself, picking up a tray, taking two sandwiches and a ladle of some stew-like soup, along with two cups filling them with dark cheap coffee. Everything resting neatly on the tray she held her cigarette so no ash would get on the food or in the drinks and approached Atin.

"Well dress me in bathrobes and call me a Jedi," he whispered softly to himself.

"That's an odd thing to try and picture," she said in her flat voice, "I'd ask Hart for a favor like that. She's always doing something strange."

She sat down across from him, not realizing he was referring to the chair now rolling into the mess hall.

"Eat up, kiddo," she said, turning the tray so that the stew was in the center, and a sandwich on either side for them. Placing the coffee next to his hand as if telling him to take a drink. She held up the cup for a second, taking a drag and then a drink as she exhaled. Well, not bad for what passes for coffee aboard this ship, as usual. Picking up a sandwich and dipping it in the soup, she didn't realize how hungry she was until the taste of the first bite rest on her palate.

She was mid sip when a voice yelled, "BREACHING! GET DOWN!" In her surprise she burned her mouth and coughed. Looking up she saw it was... The Captain? Masha narrowed her eyes, annoyed. What was the point of that? she wondered, It's just a... Chair... ? That's what Atin must have said that for... The new people looked relatively harmless, it couldn't be because of them. Maybe that was a good cover. She took another drink. Almost tempted to throw her cup across the room at the others, but she restrained herself and gripped tightly to the mug. Some of the crew and newcomers were springing into action. This wasn't good for her nerves at all.

Masha remained sitting, but put her other hand on the knife strapped to her leg still.

TAGS: Sith-I-5 (If Ler wants to banter with Ellie ), greyjedi125, Bardan_Jusik, and others in the chow hall.

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab/Atin Taab
Mess Hall, Johnny Boy

"Security Chief, we'll get your chair back," Lasso said, looking all serious, then smirked, "Rogue chairs are our specialty." Taab grimaced behind his faceplate. He didn't much care if he got the chair back now. If it was a threat to the ship it should be destroyed, immediately. But the Skipper wanted to "capture" and examine it. Taab felt no such need and it seemed the Skipper understood that, hence why he wasn't on the initial "assault" team. Instead Taab would remain outside the mess until they had either succeeded or failed in their mission. If the chair "decided" to double back in an attempt to escape, he would be here to stop it. So, while the others switched their weapons to stun settings, Taab left his weapon setting alone. He would also serve as their "killer" backup in case the less than lethal approach failed. Oddly enough the absurdity of either killing or detaining a chair never crossed his mind, it was just another job to him.

"BREACHING! GET DOWN!"

And the assault team went in.

---

Atin had been so focused on his father's now seemingly autonomous chair that he had failed to notice Edge's approach. Thus he was startled somewhat by her words, "That's an odd thing to try and picture. I'd ask Hart for a favor like that. She's always doing something strange." Atin shook his head, his cheeks turning slightly red. She'd caught him flat footed, and if his father had been here he would have berated Atin for his "target fixation" on the silly chair and not being more fully aware of his surroundings. Having a comrade sneak up on you was one thing, but if Atin had allowed for such to happen while on a mission he (and any relying on him) would be dead.

Atin swallowed hard. At least he knew these lessons well enough to know what his buir (father) would say, even without him being here. But he had to start applying these lessons before a situation presented itself.

"Eat up, kiddo." Atin stared down at the food presented. He didn't feel very hungry, but another saying from his father was that food was just fuel, take it when you can. He often said
something similar about sleep. So Atin reached out for a sandwich whent he doors to the room were forced open again.

"BREACHING! GET DOWN!"

Atin froze for a moment before training kicked in and he threw himself to the ground. Proned out he drew one of his Westar-35 pistols and brought it up to engage the incoming threat. But the threat was..... the Captain? Along with Yav and.... Formal? At least he thought that was her name. Atin furrowed his brow and ensured the weapon was on safe, though he didn't return it to its holster. He looked up to Masha now and yelled to her. "Get down! I don't know what the shab is going on, but get down!"

TAG: Mess Hall folks

 

OOC: Thanks, Tim.

IC: Taab's chair (npc), Commander Yavscout, Crewperson Mary Formal, forcefully entering the Mess, Deck Two


The chair had been travelling between the tables, heading for the back of the room, or at least the wall furthest away from the door through which it had entered, planning to find a way out, when it had rolled to a stop, not far beyond the sandwiches.

It did not know why it had stopped, and momentarily ran a self-diagnostic, till the shouted words, "BREACHING! GET DOWN!" spurred it into motion again, the front most wheels bouncing an inch off the deck as it accelerated towards the wall where Winterkill and Havah were sat, though it's present heading would leave it two metres to their left.

spat!

A moist half-eaten sandwich smacked into the black leather of the seat back-cushion, hanging there for several seconds as the thinner humanoid hit the deck, while the more heavyset of the two, sort of balanced his chair on two legs while keeping himself flat like a board, level with the table surface!

Behind it, at least one other crewmember ate the floor, while another dropped to one knee and ducked his head.

* * * *

Yavscout had felt railroaded by this, wanting to point out that Technician Herdfeld on the bridge, felt they should be capturing one of the little Pistoeka fellows, as they were the source of this blue serum, but Lasso was barking orders and Yav could not get a word in edgeways.

Give a Corellian some rope, he thinks he's a cowboy, the elf thought to himself as Jase promised Taab that they would get his chair back.

"Stun force won't do anything!" Mary whispered harshly to the elf.

"Agreed." Yav whispered back. "But the Captain's right, we have friendlies in there."

Lasso spoke up from right behind the Commander. "Ready?"

Yav shrugged, nodded, and put his thumb up in silent acquiesence, only for Jase to lean between him and Mary, open the door just a crack, and put his mouth to vertical gap.

"You'll have to open it wider than that."

"BREACHING! GET DOWN!" Lasso leaned back, open the door wider, and the trio swept into the Mess, the twinkling view of space offered by the transparisteel window blister directly opposite them.

Sweeping her Scout Trooper holdout pistol, 'Roberta', to the right, Mary spotted their prey first, calling, "This way! Centre aisle."

Yav swept his S-5 left to right, instantly spotting the fast moving seat motoring up the wide aisle between two rows of bolted-down tables, as crew hit the deck, and the face that only a mother could love, of Mr Biggs, ducking down behind his counter top.

Despite Havah's standing form, and Masha's sitting one, Yavscout closed one eye in concentration, sighted down his S-5's macroscope, and tracked the chair as it passed in front of the seated pilot. "Get down!" He repeated the Captain's command for the two detractors, "Get the frag down!"

He heard Atin, his presence hidden by furniture, call, ""Get down! I don't know what the shab is going on, but get down!""

"N-C-I-S!" Mary bellowed to the elf's right, "Show me your wheels!"

Yav sent a verdant green stun bolt zipping over the table tops towards the chair, only for it to skim past as the chair hauled itself sideways, stopping safely behind the standing Arkanian, and tilting slightly as its hidden wheels encountered an unseen obstruction at Jeth's feet, having extruded and slapped a shiny black tentacle diagonally round the tan chitin of Havah's torso and arms like a lariat.

Where the-?

Yav pushed in front of Mary, hugging the inside of the wall to her right, side-stepping sideways to get a better angle on the chair.

He signalled with his left hand for her to go left, so that they could get a pincer movement going.

She opted to skip fast to the window, and start moving along it, with her back to the glass.

The Captain would presumably take the centre aisle.

Yav did not know what in Hapes the Major had been thinking, standing like that. "Jeth, you okay?" He called towards the hostage.

Tag: Mitth_Fisto, Bravo, greyjedi125, all in food hall

 

IC: Winterkill
Johnny Boy, Mess Hall

The tide of battle rose again. Soft waves increased in frequency and strength.
The doors to the mess hall opened, the room breached, confirming that there was danger about.
Weapons were brandished, further elevating the threat indicator.

Havah Jeth was standing. The threat indicator to his person was quite high within the given scenario. For reasons unknown, he had made himself a target.

Winterkill attempted to reduce his friend’s threat/risk coefficient by pulling him down, but he was too late.

His keen dark eyes spied the suspicious chair moving in their direction, but before he could mention it, the Chief’s chair sprouted a leathery black tentacle and latched itself to the arkanian. Were it not for the nagai’s remarkable reflexes, his hand would have been bound as well.

But the nagai’s lightning fast reactions did not stop there. It was not thought, or premeditation that fueled his lightning fast movements now, but experience. Nothing good usually came when something ‘latched-on’ to you against your will. Especially something that ( from what he could piece together, even if it did not make much sense ) was being hunted.

One motion flowed into the other seamlessly and with lightning fast precision. Winterkill’s vibroblade was unsheathed and in the nagai’s hand in a blink of an eye, and in that same instance, he sliced down with surgical precision to CUT the tether the chair had placed on his crewmate. The ‘line’ was taut and perfect for cutting.

If he managed to successfully free his friend with a single motion, Havah would find himself forcefully dragged down with two hands instead of one.

As for the chair…

It was now a clear and present danger, marked for termination.


Tag: @Mitth_Fisto, @Sith-I-5, everyone around! ( *apologies to Mitth. )

 

IC: Aidan Dodd
Mess Hall - Johnny Boy.

Whatever the plan was, if there was one, it seems to have failed in a hurry! That Chair responded to the Captain's team's entry with impressive acceleration from a 'standing' start, heading roughly in the direction of Winterkill and the standing(!) Arkanian. I could have sworn that its front wheels even came off the floor!

The gold-armoured 'Elf' sent a shot in its direction (a Stun-blast, it looked like, thank the Fates), which 'Chair' nimbly dodged, before taking cover behind the Arkanian. Then something very strange indeed; a moist-looking black tentacle wrapped itself around him! Ugh! That's all too reminiscent of a Holo-Vid my best friend once got hold of; a 'horror-vid', as it turned out, which we mischievously watched (as young males do) at far too young an age.... and gave ourselves nightmares for a week! I've studiously avoided that genre ever since (and the only thing I can remember about it after all this time is that the protagonist met a rather messy end).... but now it appears we're stuck in a similar 'horror-vid' of our own!

Had this been a (far more age-appropriate) Holo-drama we regularly watched - called Mag... something or other - the hero of the piece would have whipped up an array of anti-chair weaponry out of junk or ordinary household items and brought about its utter defeat in short order; but this is real-life. My brain isn't wired-up that way and, in any case, some of those lash-ups were tested by the 'De-bunkers' Team on their Show and shown not to work at all!

I've still not drawn my sidearm, I don't have a shot, not even a valid target. Actually, 'Chair' seems to be behaving more like an animal than anything else. A hunted animal! I recall it was in the other room when we entered this one, not doing anything noticeable except just being there. Had something happened outside to 'frighten' it, and make it 'think' it would be safer in here? Also, when it came in, there wasn't any real peculiarity (aside from the obvious) until the Captain's team entered while brandishing weapons and shouting! Then there's its selection of the Arkanian as a 'Sentient-shield'.... And 'Chair' still hasn't really moved out of 'self-protection' mode into aggressive action.

Of course, normal chairs are just chairs; 'frighten', 'think' and 'self-protection' are foreign concepts as applied to them. But then, again, normal chairs don't wheel themselves around or seemingly produce tentacles out of nowhere! And Winterkill has just taken a swipe at the tentacle with a blade!

"Captain,", I call loudly, "Recommend we stand down and think things though. The 'Chair' appears to be at least semi-sentient!"

A strange attitude from a high-end assassin, one might think, but automatically defaulting to applied violence is (like cold-blooded murder) one of the bad habits I'm trying to break!


TAG: All in Mess Hall.

 

IC: Pilot Officer Havoc Neb, Sal Brooks, JB bridge, Lead Hangar Tech Ler, outside and inside the Johnny Boy


Havoc could see the floating pirate bodies as a cluster of green lights on his long-range sensors, and there were some comlink communications coming in from them, requesting assistance or a quick death.

He ignored them with some difficulty, which was eased by his current responsibility, to protect the Johnny Boy, supposedly with three X-Wings, himself, Sal Brookes, and Masha Tinovorsh.

He really did not know what was up with that girl. Well, actually, he was beginning to get an inkling; she seemed to be generating some sort of fangirl thing with Lieutenant Winterkill, if he was any judge.

"Guardian 14. 18. Permission to do a mercy shooting spree through the pirates."

"Negative, 18." Havoc acknowledged his wing-mate's request. "Hold position. We're a man down since Edge abandoned her position."

"Copy, 14."

Immediately after her comming that she was joining the Reserve Flight, and him assigning her to protect the JB's vulnerable lower hull, Tinovorsh had nipped off to join the Nagai in chasing the escaping pirates, and now he had lost her completely.

"Johnny Boy. Guardian 14."

"We read you, CAP Leader."

Havoc nodded to himself, recognising April's voice from the bridge. "I've lost Guardian 7 from CAP duty. Did you see what happened to her?"

"Stand by, CAP Leader." He could hear conferring in the background. "Alright, we have Guardian 7 landing inside the hangar for refuelling and re-arming."

"Copy, JB." Well, that was annoying, but at least she was okay. Law unto herself, that femme. There was something else he wanted to mention, he recalled. "Uh, do you know that you are transmitting a distress signal?"

"We are aware, CAP Leader. Captain's Orders."

"Copy. 14 to 18."

Sal Brookes came back instantly. "Copy."

"Take up position beneath the Johnny Boy, far enough down that your short-range sensors can cover the ship's sides. I'll do the same from above."

"Roger that."

* * * *
JB' Hangar

Lead Hangar Tech Ler faced Ellie as she called her opinion across to him.

"Well when you think about it -- ya know, space and stuff -- we could be standing on the ceiling."

Ler did not know what in the Maker she was talking about, but his sharp photoreceptors did notice that she had been taking the time to clean up the decks, as well as her main work.
That sort of behaviour warmed his CPU. Especially from organics. Light years away from the Security Chief's youngling.

He had not forgotten about the boy throwing his helmet across the floor over some likely-imagined slight.

He crossed to where she was working. "Ellie, there is a debrief for department heads which I need to get along to. Time to see what you are like with a bit of responsibility." He turned to direct her attention to the field of starfighters. "I want-" He paused, changing tack. "I would like you to supervise the refuels, making sure each craft gets the correct fuel. Most get fuel, of course, while the Commander's N-1 gets plugged into an energy conduit, as you know. I will be checking in with the rest of the hangar crew later, to see what they think of you as a boss."

The droid turned and stalked towards the nearest hangar exit.

Tag: Heavy Isotope

 

IC: Uriel Manteroni
Hangar JB - Cockpit Vampire Nssiss Clawcraft
Thought; speech, action, NPC, PC.

Uriel did not know that sector, it was a little accessed sector. Then Uriel accessed your main console of the ship and made a data link between the StelarMap and Vamp.

"Vamp store in its database the entire contents of this Dataset. Then identify the sector that is indicated as main keypoint and draw a hyperespacial route to the un-identified planet."

Vamp did not answer and began to make the transfer. In 10 seconds says:

"All content stored. There really are very interesting routes here ... interesting very much ... For example: Did you know that there are three other planets in the galaxy ... like Ilum..., I think that Jedis would pay a lot for these routes ..."

Uriel's eyes flashed. Uriel merchant awakened ... hmmm I think this map will generate much profit for me ...

However, at that time, the priority was another.

Uriel waited patiently ... What is happening in the Mess Hall? Does some noticed my absence ??

These thoughts, hangar force field system opened and several starfighter entered. Total 4 starfighters.

While the fighters came Uriel took a bottle of Wine Jhantorian. He took a small gold box with a carved dragon diamond. Opened and took a small ticket letterhead with a dragon.

Uriel then took the side of the box an old pen ... very old ... type cartridge. Something obsolete but highly refined. He wrote his hand on language Galactic Basic Standard.

To Sir Terrel Vacks,

From a former commander to a true commander!

Uriel Manteroni

Timbre next to the dragon had the credentials of a former time:
Admiral Uriel Manteroni,
Captain of Capital Ship SSD Dracul,
Executor-class Star Dreadnought.
Commander of Dracul Fleet.

Certainly the only one in JB who know that this wine has a value of 5 X-wings is Vacks.

While the ships landed, Uriel hold the ticket in the bottle. Uriel opened the hatch of his ship and put the bottle on the floor of Hangar.

Uriel turned and said to Vamp. "Vamp take off and no leave repulsor field hit the bottle, and maneuver so that the blow of the engines do not reach the bottle."

Uriel: "Vamp, link us with hangar communication system!"

Then Uriel hear the communication:

Okay. It was the last !! The force field system was open yet.

"Vamp activate the systems, connect the reactors. Access the communication from the bridge and pass to me."

While the Nssiss Clawcraft woke up, their engines roaring and raising the Vampire. Uriel comes in contact with the JB bridge, to gain time.

"JB, here Vampire. Please convey to Captain Lasso my thanks for the great stay. And please deliver to the Commander Vacks a small gift that I leave on my spot."

In this speech, Clawcraft had moved to the takeoff area. So that there were only two options for the JB: 1- Let them go; 2-Connecting the force fields and destroy Clawcraft.

Uriel risked ... but always been so, and that's exactly because Uriel come to Admiral, always had hit its risks, thanks to its powerful intuition. They will not destroy me ... I think ...

The Vampire left at normal speed the hangar of JB.

Then Uriel commands: "Vamp trigger the hyperspatial jump systems, and follow the route that you set for the unknown planet."

Vamp, with its impressive ability to predict the reactions of Uriel, had already calculated and made all the preparations for such, so when Uriel had given the command, instantly Clawcraft jumped into hyperspace.

"Ualll !! Vamp you ever impressed me with your efficiency !!"

"A short time ago you called me of computer 386 obsolete !!"

Uriel was silent, and looked at the navigation console, and saw the plotted course to Base Camp,
"unknown planet. ***

TAG: Bravo , Sith-I-5

OOC: *** Post (951) in Oct 5, 2014 at 9:11 PM (author: Bravo).

OOG:-->Music: http://www.vagalume.com.br/linkin-park/lost-in-the-echo.html

 

IC: Havah Jeth
Johhny Boy, Mess Hall

He felt the tug upon his waist, Wrong way. seemed to echo within. Then a grab from the right way seemed to pull, he looked back, his pure white eyes glistening with tears as he looked upon Winterkill, as though to beg to be let go and then. . .well it was like blast of fresh air came with tentacle wrapped around him being distorted and reflected in the Nagai's blade.

He blinked once, twice, and then looked again with blood shot eyes. Turning his head he took in the patterns of heat from the chair and the tentacle as the Nagai moved to slice it open and free him. He twisted slightly as activated his mag-boots, securing himself to the deck. "Last straw." he simply muttered as he timed his own twisting motion to bring his arm in line the tentacle, hand bending as far as he could into line with it he kept his fist balled and twitched. The hidden blade in the armor plate over the hand springing forward to hopefully dig into the tentacle, the motions coming as reflex renewed to his situation, if he felt that he succeeded he would undo the mag-locks and dive back to better cover with Winterkill.

Although a good part of his mind had decided something else, as this truly was the last straw.

TAG: Bravo, Sith-I-5, greyjedi125, @Messhall party

 

OOG: The below post was actually suppose to be the prologue to Echoes originally. I ultimately ended up scrapping it because I felt it introduced the Kingdom of Jod too forcefully into a waring galaxy with too few forces; ultimately my decision was based on part what Sith-I-5 once asked me over PM years ago regarding the industrial manpower to create such a space-going fleet in light of a nonindustrial-age civilization on the home world of Jod. That question...2010 or 2011 I believe...ultimately led to the expansion of the Kingdom of Jod from a single planet government to spanning 119 planets and having the

Spoiler: Open at your own Risk of spoilization

planet "Hope" (which is linked directly to one of the Jod warships in the QR)

, which will be detailed later in this game. FYI, on page 4 of the Quick Reference, to view the Kingdom of Jod "Regions" better, use this link and go to photos. The maps will be the most recently added photos.

The other half of the decision as to why I withheld this prologue post was, like I said, I felt it was too much, too quick, and there wasn't enough back-story to justify it and make it make sense. Now with the story unfolding a bit, I am able to better insert this post. This post has only been stuck in my head for over a year.

Information can be found on the E-Wing, K-Wing, and other "Legends" vessels in the Quick Reference. It should be noted that there is a Game Announcement regarding Legends materials. Before adding any material from Legends (which you are free to do), aka Expanded Universe, please seek a Staff member for approval, because certain things have been banned from Legends for use in this game either due to canon concerns, storyline concerns, or a combination of both. Thank you!

---

IC: Sentinel-class Patrol Craft Tiger One; Senior Chief Petty Officer Patrick "Patty" Harvard
Wild Space

....14:21 hours, Coruscant Standard Time
Special Tactics and Studies Division, Siberian Command
Naval Reconnaissance Trooper Team Three (aka Siberian Tigers)
15 man team; 4 acting as ship gunners, 11 being deployed to ground action
Senior Chief Petty Officer Patrick "Patty" Harvard commanding, Kingdom's Navy...

Part 1 of 3: Landing


The Sentinel dropped out of hyperspace.

The on-going space battle was erupting like a fire-works shows all around them, a looming green, blue, and brown ball in the background the goal of this bloodbath. All around them, like a page straight out of the Clone Wars, space ships engaged in near-point blank fashion.

The transparisteel cockpit screen was overlaid with a tactical blue, green, and red data grid, highlighting target objectives, enemy ships, friendlies, and distances, class, and names of each ship identified. Directly ahead, a planetary assault against the planet, a massive space station in high orbit around the planet providing the greatest defense with a good dozen or more Neutron Star-class Bulk Cruisers, Corellian Gunships, CR90 Corellian Corvettes, and squadrons of Cloakshape Fighters, TIE/LN starfighters, ARC-170 starfighters providing a spirited defense of the station and of the planet itself.

The force providing that assault? A Fleet of 89 warships that was the new staple fleet formation with the new vessels added in for the Jod Military Force's Loyalists including a Battle Section of 35 ships including 2 King II-class Battleships supported by 3 Petulant-class Heavy Cruisers, 5 Light-class Destroyers, 5 Vigorous-class Frigates, 10 Strike-class Corvettes, and 10 Sentinel-class Patrol Craft. The fleet has a further Reconnaissance Section composing of 6 Strike-class Corvettes and 12 Sentinel-class Patrol Craft (18 ships) and a Support and Logistics Section (13 ships), composing of 1 King I Carrier-class Battleship, 1 King I Assault Ship-class Battleship, 1 King I Hospital Ship-class Battleship, 8 Action VI Transports, an Imperial Tanker, and a King I-class Battleship that acted as a Communications Ship. A Battle Escort Section (23 ships), in charge of protecting the Support and Logistics Section and providing perimeter defense to the Assault Fleet, composed of 1 King I Configuration-class Battleship (direct Support and Logistics escort), 4 aging Bastion-class Frigates (who each escorted a King-class directly), and 6 Light-class Destroyers and 12 Strike-class Corvettes (who both provided perimeter defense to the fleet).

It was hard to imagine such a force from the Kingdom of Jod---now in exile---but of the 1,796 warships assigned to the Kingdom's Navy and the 67 ships assigned to Royal Command prior to the Jod Civil War in 0BBY, the Royal House and more specifically the House of Royal Intelligence and Royal Command was careful to place loyal crews officers in the bulk of the Kingdom's Navy's 1,270 vessels that made up the Strike-class Corvettes and Sentinel-class Patrol Craft sections, knowing that if tensions ever did boil over and a civil war was on the rise, it was better to make public perception think that King-class Battleships and Light-class Destroyers were crewed by a balance of crew members from across the Kingdom (instead of just the "loyal regions"), while secretly knowing that if civil war ever did erupt, the ability to have forces in larger (but smaller in size) numbers, quicker, and wider spread out numbers across the Kingdom would be more effective verses having a handful of Battleships and Destroyers left over after the fighting was done; that way the Kingdom could move it's forces around more freely in case of the worse case happening and the Jod home world falling.

As the Sentinel-class Patrol Craft Tiger One flew under the engine array of a King II-class Battleship that acted as one of two Command Ships for the Fleet, the comm board came alive as the full birth of the Jod Military Force's deployment became clear: arranged in a half circle around the night side of the planet, the Jod forces presented the bulk of it's Battle Section to a spirited attack against the station and the planet itself, while other elements of the Battle Section Reconnaissance Section provided flanking defenses at the end of the half circle assault. Both Command Ships sat a bit back from the main line, but close to enough to engage all long range weaponry, while the Support and Logistics Section sat in a healthy reserved position a ways behind the Command Ships and the Battle Escort Section provided a rear guard further beyond that. Like the new fleet itself, much of the Starfighter Corps had been replaced with newer T-65 X-wing starfighters and newly designed E-Wing Escort Starfighters and BLT-SB K-Wing Assault Starfighters (both new Jod designs; taken from Star Wars "Legends") provided a flashy new style, while Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters, Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptors, and Delta-7 Aethersprite-class Light Interceptors provided some old school muscle. Elements of the Starfighter Corps were already hammering ground targets and providing escort to ground assault forces in landing craft, as the enemy space station was quickly becoming flanked and useless in a raging battle that now threatened the planet itself.

"Tiger One, this is KN [Kingdom's Navy] Battleship Savior. You have unlimited battlefield clearance. Welcome to the show."

Tiger One's Captain came back over the comm as the Sentinel banked to starboard and carved out from under the Battleship's dorsal bow and contuined onwards towards the main engagement below, where a Petulant-class Heavy Cruiser's Justice-class turbolaser lanced out with a solid green bolt and snapped a Neutron Star-class Bulk Cruiser in two with a single shot, "Savior, this is Tiger One. Solid Copy. Please relay comm channels and ground location for allied units in Section Two-B of the capital city."

"Savior to Tiger One. Solid copy on comm channels and ground location for allied units in Section Two-B. Good luck. Savior clear."

The Captain cranked on the accelerator and blasted upwards through the last thinning debris of the Bulk Cruiser's broken spine and rocketed towards the planet ahead, making sure to pick choke points and congested areas of space battle to mask it's movements on sensors. Unlike most Sentinel-class Patrol Craft, Tiger One was painted in a gray camouflage.

Soon, they were through the space battle and going planet-side.

As the clouds gave way, the night sky was ablaze with anti-gunfire, missiles, and fires raging across the city below. It looked like hell.

The Battle Net was ablaze with combat communications.

"Delta One (SCAT; Strategic Command Army Trooper), take that corner store! Watch for that enemy squad that retreated from Baker Street."

"Delta One, Delta Two. We copy. We believe that enemy squad has been----" [static]

"Delta Two, repeat last traffic."

[Sound of repeated small arms blaster fire and orders being barked can be heard in the background], "Delta One, this is Delta Two. Lieutenant Karlins is dead. Sniper fire from the corner store. We are peppering the target building with small arms fire and motors. This is First Sergeant Tain assuming command of Second Platoon."

"Copy Delta Two. Eliminate sniper before taking that corner store."

"This is Wompa Two-Three to air support. How you copy, cover?"

"Viper Three-Three-One on station. Go ahead Wompa Two-Three."

"Viper Three-Three-One, can you put some heavy ordinance into that high rise building in Sector Two-A, coordinates Grid 3 by Grid J. Ground level and Fourth Story. Our AT-TEs can't approach any further until that barricade is taken out and our infantry is being suppressed by enemy fire a few stories up. Sending you target data now."

"Data received Wompa Two-Three. Tell your boys to get down. ETA thirty seconds."

"Copy Viper Three-Three-One. ETA thirty seconds, heads down." [in the background, the speaker is yelling admist the blaster fire outside, "Everyone get down! Get down! Incoming!"]

"This is Viper Three-Three-One. On approach from the East to Sector Two-A. Watch your heads. Dropping heavy and fast."

"Viper Three-Three-One, Wompa Two-Three. Solid Copy. Drop 'em heavy!"

The Captain of the Sentinel watched as a X-Wing rocketed across the sky below in front of their flight path, just below the storm of anti-aircraft gunfire, and dropped two concussion missiles that rocketed away as the X-Wing peeled and the rockets slammed into a highrise building that was the center point of a lot of hostile fire towards friendly forces. One explosion rocketed out from the base of the building, the other one from a few stories up. The explosions lit up the night sky with two rolling fireballs of flame, debris, and smoke into the night sky.

"Wompa Two-Three to Viper Three-Three-One. Solid hit! Thank you for the assist!" [in the background of the comm traffic, "Okay men, forward!" There was a thunderous roar and charge joined with blaster fire]

"Emergency traffic! Emergency traffic! This is Wookiee One-Eight (HAP; Heavy Armored Personnel Carrier)! This is Wookiee One-Eight! We are caught in an ambush! Hanover Market! Hanover Market! Our infantry is being torn to pieces! Immediate assist! Immediate assist!" [heavy blaster fire and heavy ordinance is heard all around in the comm traffic of the background]

"Sector Two-B Command to Wookiee One-Eight. Identify immediate danger." [no response] "Sector Two-B Command to Wookiee One-Eight. Identify immediate danger." [no response] "Sector Two-B Command to ANY Wookiee Elements, please respond."

[Moments of static, blaster fire, and barking of orders can be heard off and on for several moments as if someone is pressing the comm off and on.]

[A new voice, barking orders amidst blaster fire, "Get inside the building! Move! Corporal! Help me move him! There we go. Okay, Jenson, get over here! Help Corporal Hunter and get the Commander inside the building! And get a medic!" Then the comm came alive.] "Sector Two-B Command, this is Captain Vickerson, commander, Easy Company (SCAT; Strategic Command Army Trooper), in escort of Wookiee Element. Wookiee One-Eight has been destroyed and Commander Steven has third degree burns and heavy trauma damage. Wookiee One-Nine has been disabled and Wookiee One-Ten has been blocked by Wookiee One-Nine and a collapsed building is preventing escape. Enemy forces are surrounding Wookiee One-Ten as we speak! Easy Company is over fifty percent causalities with enemy forces surrounding us. Platoon One is lost, Platoon Two is regrouping with forward elements of Platoon Two to support Platoon Three. Platoon Three is defending Wookiee One-Ten. We are under heavy fire power and out-numbered."

The Captain looked at the Navigation Officer, who was the hybrid Navy Officer/HRI Intelligence Officer under the Special Tactics and Studies Division, "Its out of our mission range. It'll give Harvard's boys a bit longer of a hike."

The man nodded, "But it could give us useful intel en-route. Hanover Market connects directly with our Target Objective, which could explain why their defending so heavily. I'll authorize it on behalf of the HRI."

The pilot nodded, "Your the boss," then looked at the co-pilot, "Go let Harvard know."

The co-pilot nodded, unstrapping and heading back to the hanger bay. The soldiers were strapped in jump seats along the wall, each doing his own thing to prepare for the coming conflict.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Patrick "Patty" Harvard had ear phones on while he was listening to WAR while he smoked a cigarette while reading some final mission briefing notes he scribbled on a piece of paper.

"Chief," the Co-pilot said, taping the man on the shoulder; Harvard pulled off his ear phones, all of sudden flooding the bay with his music, "We have a Broken Arrow. You'll be deployed immediate to assist in Hanover Market."

Harvard nodded, "Got it. He unstrapped, "MEN! UP!"

It wasn't long before Harvard was looking through the monitor screen for the exterior cameras. He watched as the Sentinel used it's Hellcaster cannons and cleared a group of enemy tangos in the market. The craft looped around and the interior comms came alive, the Captain speaking.

"TWENTY SECONDS!"

"Watch your fire," Harvard was saying as he and his men adjusted last minute equipment, "Remember, however much we may want to **** the Regional Crisis Management Company (RCMC), there are still civilians down there, so watch your fire. We're clearing out some hostiles on a friendly location, then moving onward to our objective. We have an extra few blocks now to cover, but we have to maintain mission time regardless. So nut up or shut up."

Suddenly the red light went green and the lamp lowered, showering down ropes that the NRTs grabbed and used to lower themselves to the ground. Up above, missile explosions, anti-aircarft fire, and the sounds of war penetrated the night sky, with the Sentinel hovering just above, her flood lights highlighting the death scene all below as the NRTs descended into the midst of Wookiee One-Eight and it's shattered remains. Soon, the ropes were released, dropping to the ground, and the Sentinel flew away.

Aside from his sleeveless vest, Harvard was equipped with an arrange of light weapons, from a A280 blaster rifle to two WESTAR-34 blaster pistols and an assortment of grenades and other equipment. Everything he carried, however, was light and designed for best movement.

Once landed, everyone set up a perimeter around the landing zone.

First thing everyone noticed was how quiet it was in the midst of such recent death all around them...


TBC

 

Masha Tinovorsh
Mess Hall, Johnny Boy

"Get down! I don't know what the shab is going on, but get down!"

Masha slammed her cup on the table, she was starting to get flustered, hadn't they had enough for one day... ? she swung her legs over the bench and drew her knife, going into a crouch and facing the rolling chair. Holding it at the ready to start slashing should that thing come near her again. Part of her wanted to walk up and give it a try... But the others would likely get in her way or she in theirs. All she could do was wait, see what was going to happen. The Commander's yelling, along with everyone else's, told her she should stay put.

The chair sprouted tentacles and wrapped around another Merc... Masha blinked, an image of a massive leviathan shadowed against the dark backdrop of space. -- She shook her head, seeing Winterkill move towards the other Merc and the 'chair.'

TAGS: Mess hall peoples

---

Crewman Elizabeth "Ellie" Hart
Hangar Bay, Johnny Boy

Ellie was whistling some odd sounding tune when the familiar robotic voice piped up again. "Ellie, there is a debrief for department heads which I need to get along to. Time to see what you are like with a bit of responsibility." -- "Oooo... Kay," she said. He turned to direct her attention to the field of starfighters. "I want-" He paused, changing tack. "Yes?" she said. "I would like you to supervise the refuels, making sure each craft gets the correct fuel. Most get fuel, of course, while the Commander's N-1 gets plugged into an energy conduit, as you know. I will be checking in with the rest of the hangar crew later, to see what they think of you as a boss."

Ellie nodded as he delivered the instructions, punctuating it with "uh huhs," and "yeps," if he had eyebrows Ler would likely have narrowed them in annoyance. But... Someone saw something in her, and that's why she was here now.

"Well how will they know?" she called after as he walked off, "Like.... If I'mma be directin' them then shouldn't you tell them?" She turned her attention towards the crew and took a breath, held it, and let it out. "So..."

She straightened up, "You three!" she pointed at crew members who were rolling up the fuel hoses back onto their spools, "We still got work to do with those! Straighten them out and get these fighters topped off! I'll get more crew to help you out," It would probably be better for her to handle the N-1 herself. As she walked towards it she wondered where those Wookiee brothers were, she could use their help in organizing work teams, everyone seemed to like them. She opened her data pad she had slung over her shoulder, opening a technical file on the N-1, "Don't ask me how I got it," she said to herself. It's not that it was illegal -- Which in some systems, it might be -- She just didn't remember.

"I need a volunteer, and five more to refuel the other ships," she said and looked around slightly wide eyed walking towards the Commander's N-1, "Non-droid for me. -- No offense."

"And can flip a switch. You see where I'm going with this. High voltage!"

TAGS: Sith-I-5, other hangar people.

 

IC: Jason Lasso
Mess Hall, Johnny Boy


Everything unfolded quickly. The chair had gone from a science project to marked danger. "Capture" was for those who received pity by their captors. But capture was only extended in due regard to non-violence. The living chair had clearly violated it's rights to existence.

"Breach Team," Lasso called out, his hand moving with his own words to flip the "stun" setting to "kill," "Shoot to kill!"

It would now all be over, in a matter of moments. Lasso trusted that, despite the influences of Winterkill and Havah's movements, that Mary, Yav, and the Captain himself were skilled enough shots to avoid killing either of the latter or hitting anyone else in the Mess Hall.

Jason, being directly ahead, didn't have the best angel or shot to be had. But the chair's wheels were fairly exposed, and he took aim at one of them, taking it off with a clean shot between Havah's legs. The chair was now off balance...now only time would tell if Mary's and Yav's shots found equal marks.

And all Lasso wanted was a meeting...the irony in that all...


TAG ALL in Mess Hall

 

IC: Sergeant Major, BS-1118 "Animal"
Gallant, Gladiator II-class Star Destroyer, hyperspace


Animal sat there, his feet up on the table in the crew lounge, as he sipped on a glass of orange juice. He watched, with mild curiosity, as the "big dogs" of the ship---the "elite" Scout Troopers---got into a pushing match with three Imperial Army Troopers who matched their numbers over a game of sabacc gone the wrong way.

The Sergeant Major tilted his head over, "Do all of your comrades act this way?"

Razor glanced towards on-going events as he slowly sipped on a Corellian Whiskey, "No. Just the ones who get stuck on rotation with Army types. The Scout Troopers always want to remind the Army that they are Stormtroopers still and to respect the white armor. Guess its a ego thing."

"Who can piss further contest," Bull said from the opposite side of the table of Razor as he finished off his beer, "Been around since the creation of the Corps. When I first served in the infantry, before moving up to Scout Troopers, we always thought we were better. Then when I went to Scouts, I always thought we had more skill then the jar-heads I just left. Guess who's side you pick, but ultimately, despite the technical and skill gap, Scouts always feel second fiddle to the infantry in terms of glory. Not how I feel, but I get it if the Scouts these days have to have a pissing contest with other infantry types, even if its lowly Army types."

Animal shrugged as someone had called security and several Imperial Navy Troopers rushed in to break-up the fight. It wasn't their concern anymore, so Animal changed the subject as the Navy Troopers escorted the jar-heads and Scouts out, "So, any news on the rest of the group? That bug I picked up on Craci Prime had me in med bay the last few days, so I've been lost on everything."

Razor shrugged, "Pete and Kid are finishing public relations with the rest of the Scouts---by public relations, I mean a beer tour. I'm pretty sure Pete is dragging Kid back to his quarters each night. Your man, that Battlefield Engineer,
BS-1116, he's been laid up in his room mostly, reading books. He's been different since Craci Prime...you two alright? What happened?"

Animal's mind flashed back to his last day on Craci Prime:

The Sergeant Major snapped back to the here now as violently as he had slipped into memory, "No," Animal said, looking at his orange juice for a long moment, "No, none of us are alright," the Sergeant Major finished off his orange juice, fighting back tears, and cleared his throat, "I hear we're getting a CO and another Stormtrooper to fill out our newly formed unit."

"Rumor has it," Bull said, "On our stop at Naval Station Validusia."

"Anyone else wonder why we are the only ship part of Acklay Squadron not with the squadron? And why we have to retain communications silence with the outside galaxy and no one else does?"

Razor shrugged, "Usually means we get to kill a lot of things."



TBC

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab/Atin Taab
Mess Hall, Johnny Boy

Atin was dumbfounded at the goings on in the mess hall. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't his father's chair. Not anymore. He tried to site in on it with his blaster pistol, but soon realized that with the way the Skipper was handling this he didn't want the "chair" harmed. Too bad. Atin holstered the blaster now and just watched, wondering where his father was and how the Captain was going to bring the chair down.

---

Taab to roll his eyes at "amateur hour" If Taab didn't know any better he would have sworn that the Skipper didn't actually want to capture whatever it was that the chair had become. A man trap would have been perfect for this sort of thing. Taab had kept several aboard the Crusader in its well stocked armory. His son had managed to keep one in the Speedy Trial's less well stocked one. There wasn't one currently inventoried in the Johnny Boy's armory. It tended more to small arms than bounty hunting equipment. In any case Taab didn't have the time to go back to the hanger bay now and retrieve the man trap from the Trial. But there might be another option, one much closer to hand.

With one hand still grasping his Westar-34, Taab reached into one of the grenade pouches on his belt with the other. This particular grenade didn't get as much use as the others on his belt. There was always a call for concussion grenades aor thermal detonators for a seasoned mercenary, not so much use for the less lethal approach. Still he kept this grenade primed and ready, though he generally carried just the one example. It was reusable after all. Taab unsnapped the pouch, ready to deploy the Glop Grenade as he thought back...

Now Taab pulled out that grenade, rolling it between his armored fingers. The Glop Grenades had done their job then, they had managed to grab the mob's "leaders" and turn them over to the police. Unfortunately for the mayor others stepped up in their place, and they were furious at the "kidnapping" of their friends. Things spun out of control. Eventually the Imperials were called in, and their Stormtroopers had set up their E-Webs, but Taab hadn't been there for that. As soon as the Stormies had arrived he had beaten feet, he knew all too well what was coming, and there was no money in it for him. As for the kid, Taab never heard from or about him again. Mauntak on the other hand made some good connections when the Imps arrived. Last Taab had heard he was still working with them, rounding up Wookiees and enjoying every minute of it.

"Shoot to kill!" Taab now heard Lasso call out, though in his mind he could hear Mauntak saying the same thing. Taab slid the Glop Grenade back into place and snapped the pouch shut. For the best he supposed, the shabla things made a mess everywhere.

TAG: Mess Hall group.

 

IC: General Preeminent Hilick Soal
Bridge, Assertor-class Star Dreadnought Darkest Night, high orbit above Nishr


Music: Memories of a Dead Man




Nishr's surface was potted with various impact craters where the turbolaser strikes had landed. Even from space, the blazes from those strikes raked the surface in breath-taking view.

But for Hilick Soal, as he looked out the bridge windows as the Darkest Night's batteries threw green bolts of death towards the surface, he had seen this all before. These were merely memories of a dead man. Of a future he had seen, through the Force in his death, that he should of never seen. But he was now tasked with the will of the Force and he was committed to his course. There was no turning back now...there never had been. He just never realized it until the Emperor killed him and brought him back to life.

"General Preeminent," Rear Admiral Tod Dab, the Commanding Officer of the Darkest Night said as he came to a halt at attention behind the General's back as Hilick looked out a side window of the bride at the destruction below, "All Commands report that they are in position around the planet. All military assets and suspected military assets have been targeted and destroyed. As ordered, we've targeted all major civilian population centers on the planet with turbolaser fire. We can begin Base Delta Zero operations at your command."

Hilick waited a moment as he took in a breath, looking below at the destruction, "No, Admiral. Not yet. I want to see their faces first."

Dab was at a loss of words and wanted clarification, "Come again, General Preeminent?"

Hilick turned around, a patient---but sorrowful----smile on his face, "Prepare a shuttle with escort, Rear Admiral. I am going down to the surface. Also, contact Commandant-General Zero. I would like him aboard my shuttle before we depart," Hilick started to walk away, then stopped several feet away from Dab and looked over his shoulder, "And Admiral, you begin landing operations on Nishr."

"Yes, General," Tod said back wearyingly as he turned all the way around to face Hilick's back, "General, your original orders were to Base Delta Zero the planet once Major General Vin Kollis' men and equipment have been removed off the planet's surface. General, that objective is now complete. Why are we going back to the planet?"

"Because Admiral," Hilick turned around patiently, like a teacher instructing a student, "It has been said, Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope. The death of dreams [1]. If we simply destroy the planet, like what we did with Alderaan and the Death Star, we give people a reason to fight, a reason to revenge those deaths, because it is not them doing the dying. But, if we take away a person's hope---their dreams---if we make them live in their own death every day...if they see that there is no hope, no savior, to pull them from their shattered life: if they have accepted the loss of hope, of dreams...of death, then we have won. To shatter our enemy's morale...that is where victory is, to take away their will to fight. And that is what we are doing here."



TBC
OOG:

[1] G'Kar, Babylon 5; Season 3 (ending quote of the chapter 1 opening)

 

IC: Stormtrooper Commander OTU-1459, stormtrooper CTU-3472, Cracian Thumper breeding facility, Craci Prime countryside
Location: Craci Prime


OTU-1459 was down on one knee on the dirt track, bordered by green grass on both sides, that led up to the wooden-sided shack that was on the farm property.

They were tasked with rooting out insurgents, and under General Pre-eminent Soal's rules of engagement, after the Rebel attack on the Corporate Sector Authority star destroyers, everyone on the planet was a suspect.

"No wait!" Echoed out from inside the shack, then the left-side wall splintered violently out, a stormtrooper smashing backwards through the cloud of dusty splinters and crashing onto the wheel-rutted dirt track, legs up in the air as the man almost rolled over backwards on the ground.

"CTA-3472, you okay?" OTU asked, concerned as his man flopped on his right side and adopted the feotal position.

The man's groaning sounded over his helmet communicator. "I'll live....probably."

"What happened?"

"Cracian Thumper got me in the stomach. Lower down, I'd be singing soprano."

The Commander smiled. Singing would be the last thing on his mid if he'd been kicked in the happy sac. Groaning and holding himself would be a higher priority.

"Alright if I just lay here, Commander?"

"Yeah, take a load off. Just keep your helmet cam footage. I'll need to edit it with mine." OTU turned to two more of his men, and silently hand-signalled them to check out the shack. He didn't think he needed to warn them to look out for the pack creature inside.

"Why?" The casualty enquired with a suspicious tone.

"Orders from the Emperor himself," OTU responded proudly, as chuffed as you like that Emperor Palpatine had contacted him personally, in an eerie repeat of that time in the Clone Wars when Order 66 had been delivered.

This time, two days before, the holoprojector in his command vehicle had generated the blue-tinged holographic hooded head and shoulders, and the gravelly voice: "Commander, Order 2762. Send me any holo-vids of your men being kicked through walls by Cracian Thumpers."

It was an odd request, but with Imperial Security Bureau's push to have Imperial infallibility signed into law, suggesting aloud that the Emperor made odd requests was not something he planned to do.

Instead, Craci's Funniest Helmet Videos, here we come.

Tag: no-one