Before - Legends Silver Swarms of Ships *RELOADED* [Dear Diary 2014] Diary Complete!

Well, he's not technically in command of the mission. His exec, Lt. Almo, came up with the missions and they were approved, and while he takes part in the planning stages, overall command goes to the senior naval officer in the area. In this case, it would be Captain Svellyn of Horseshoe or possibly an as-yet unidentified Ciutran admiral.

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-one, 3957.5.1 BBY

Act Two in our little three-part cosmic holoplay was launched the day before yesterday, and those of us left are only now getting back to Ciutric IV.

The plan was simple enough: the fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Cet Illagwa of the Cuitran Defense Forces would arrive in the Vinsoth system near enough to the main planet to be seen by its Sith defenders, but would immediately hype in the apparent direction of Axxila. However, that jump would terminate a few billion kilometers short of that system, and our ships would then reorient toward our actual target, Ord Cestus. According to the Intelligence ferret that had swept the area prior to this short campaign, the planet was supposed to be lightly-defended, which had prompted the brass on Coruscant to inquire after the possibility of landing ground troops in an effort to liberate that world. The Ciutrans weren't so sure about that idea, and didn't want to risk their own people and possibly dilute their ability to defend their homeworld.

The point was rendered moot as soon as we arrived in-system, because Ord Cestus was not lightly defended. Launching immediately upon arrival, the 23rd, 33rd and 41st formed the vanguard of the Republic battle line as the two fleets closed; though we outnumbered the defending warships by a head or two, they didn't make it easy for us. By the time the scrap was finished we were down two cruisers with another suffering damage, however we had successfully destroyed six enemy cruisers and swept the field of enemy fighters. The 41st got off without loss, but the 33rd lost a pilot and his fighter vaped and another two badly damaged, while my people suffered similarly though a shuttle off of Horseshoe was able to retrieve Ensign Mew before she froze to death. As if that wasn't enough, by the time we regrouped after the battle in order to finish off an armed orbital facility, another enemy fleet was inbound. And this one turned out to be three times the size of the one we had just vanquished. There was no help for it, and we had to retreat—taking the long way home at that.

That's why we're only just now getting in, and why this log is so short. The locals aren't too happy, because those ships we lost were of local construction, and I can't entirely blame them. Their pilots did well however, particularly since this was the first time they had faced Sith interceptors, and hopefully the Ciutrans will realize that as far as things have gone, they could have suffered much worse. They wanted in this war after all, and by the Force they got everything they asked for. Now to make sure they ante up and stick with us for the third act, because if asked I will tell them plain: pulling out now means that the people who died over Ord Cestus died in vain, and that the Republic may not have reason to count on the citizens of Ciutric IV in future.

I hate war.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

Superb Mixed bag of good news/bad news. Could be worse ... Chak has tangible proof that war has no true winners, just a side that lost less.

 

War sure is nasty. I hope Chak will have more success with the rest of the campaign

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-one, 3957.5.9 BBY

In three days, the curtain will rise on the final act of our little cosmic holoplay. A convoy of Republic reinforcements staging from Ord Trasi is due to arrive tomorrow, boosting our little flotilla from three ships to five; one of them is in fact the Interdictor-class cruiser Battleaxe, one of the few ships of that type that remains under our control and a former host vessel to the 23rd Marines. Not only is she a much heavier ship than the Hammerhead cruisers that are the mainstay of the Republic Navy, but she can carry a total of three squadrons of Aurek starfighters quite comfortably. The Sith cruisers of similar design can carry four, but their interceptors are smaller and require less maintenance—of course, they don't carry torpedoes and blow up a lot easier, too. Her commander, Captain Nirkk Tethet, will then take over as the senior Republic military representative and informal commodore of our task force.

The Ciutrans, much to my and others' relief, are sticking with the plan. Two days after the attack on Ord Cestus, the commanders of the Republic units that participated were summoned to a meeting with the command staff of the Ciutran Defense Forces, to give an account of the battle and our impressions both of how the Sith and their own people fought. As the senior cruiser commander, Captain Svellyn did most of the talking, with the CO of the 33rd (a Duros who looked like he would rather be scrubbing decks than addressing a bunch of admirals) speaking on the performance of the starfighter contingent. Both agreed that under the circumstances, the Ciutran forces fared better than initially expected, though Captain Svellyn admitted that we had set that bar fairly low given our own early experiences against this new breed. I was asked precisely one question during that whole time: whether or not I would voluntarily lead my people into battle alongside an equivalent Ciutran unit for a second time.

Looking at the inquiring admiral as though he had asked whether or not gundarks ate Humans, I told him the truth: I'd do it again in a heartbeat. He asked why, and I told him of my observations: Because of their advanced flight sim designs, Ciutran pilots are excellent formation flyers, and possess superior situational awareness when compared to Republic pilots with similar amounts of stick time. The senior officer seemed to accept that, and not long thereafter the local CNO concluded the meeting. Another three days later, Senna and I both received a note from Captain Svellyn, letting us know that the locals had agreed to bring together a full third of their fleet—some fifteen cruisers and a number of light anti-starfighter corvettes—to back up our impending assault.

I don't expect that all of us will survive the mission to come, but with all that's going on, it is good to know that we aren't going to have any more issues between the Republic and the Ciutrans. Well, assuming we don't all get pounded into space dust. But even if we fail, at least we will have given our best in the defense of the Republic, and perhaps some lessons can be learned.

I hope Teish is doing alright.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

Excellent that the plans seem to be moving forward without too much arguing Such a relief the Ciutrans are sticking with it.

 

Chak is convinced about the value of the Ciutrans now the top brass and the republic will have a great chance

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-two, 3957.5.14 BBY

Though it wasn't easy, and we ended up losing more than we'd hoped, the third act of our plan came to fruition yesterday.

Things went well at first when the distraction force of three Ciutran cruisers led by the Halberd, each ship carrying a squadron of starfighters, hit the shipyards and orbital repair facilities in the Botajef system that had fallen under Sith control early in the war. The idea was to enter the system and wreak havoc until reinforcements arrived, at which point that force was to fall back and rejoin the main force, led by Battleaxe, in an uninhabited star system a few parsecs Rimward of our true target of Axxila. This had been the purpose of the previous two acts and this first part: to make the enemy admiral in charge of the sector forces in the area send off as much of his fleet as possible before making a stab of our own at what would, ideally, be an undermanned and undergunned defense. As it happened, we were mostly successful.

While it would have been impossible to make any sort of educated guess as to just how depleted those defenses would be, ultimately that wasn't the point. The purpose of our attack and, ultimately this entire campaign, has been to keep the Sith in this area of space off-balance. By continuing to attack their territories, making sure that they were too busy reacting to us to plan an offensive of their own, we are keeping the pressure off of Ciutric IV and making it less and less likely that we will have to fight the Sith on our own veranda. In any case, our intention was never to make a serious effort to liberate the planet; there did not exist the necessary ships and troops in the entire Republic to make such an effort without conceding battles elsewhere. In point of fact I've been so deep into helping this campaign succeed that news of the rest of the war has all but been neglected. While the Sith have yet to conquer more Republic-aligned worlds, they haven't exactly been pushed back whence they came, either. The fighting on Rhommamool ended three months ago in a Republic victory and I didn't even notice, nor was I aware of the failed counterattack on Sith-controlled Allanteen. Despite the front lines remaining largely the same for a good while now, the Sith have ships and even fleets spread out all over the galaxy, interdicting supply and troop convoys left, right and center.

They're bleeding the Republic white, while their supply of ships and soldiers seems almost limitless.

The Axxila raid itself reminded me most of the fighting over Rodia. While we weren't there to chase the Sith completely out of the system, once battle was joined it swiftly turned into an all-or-nothing melee that had the 23rd returning to our cruiser at least three times before all was said and done. Though the Sith outnumbered us in starfighters by nearly four to one, we actually—incredibly—had parity in terms of capital ships. I don't know if some Ciutran spy had been sitting in on my squadron's training sessions with the new simulators, and in the end I don't give a hot damn, because the "local" pilots flew like frenzied shyracks. While we lost a number of cruisers with most of the rest receiving some measure of hull and systems damage (Rapier and Halberd were particularly hard-hit, and Battleaxe was very nearly knocked out of commission by concentrated fire from four enemy ships), we were able to sweep the enemy completely from the system. Incredulous at our good fortune, Admiral Illagwa ordered those vessels fit to fight to begin bombarding enemy installations in orbit and on the surface while a third of the starfighter force escorted the rest back to Ciutric IV. Naturally the 23rd, despite being two pilots light due to one EV and a mauled fighter, was sent in along with several native squadrons to strafe yet more ground targets. We had to watch our fire, however, so as not to cause undue collateral damage.

Eventually, the party came to an end when outsystem scouts picked up incoming reinforcements. Not wishing to push our luck any further, the Ciutran admiral ordered a general withdrawal, which came not a moment too soon. A Ciutran ship by the name of Festivus claims to have destroyed the Sith planetary command center, and if that's true, we might be lucky and our opposing admiral might be replaced with someone less competent. Of course, the opposite could also be true, but as we arrived home and began the process of standing down from combat operations to initiate the usual post-battle chores and festivities, there was a jubilant air throughout the ship and fleet. We had succeeded in our goals; we were in the war and landing hammer blows on the enemy. Right now, I'm drafting a recommendation for Senna Almo to receive a commendation, because it was her plan that got us this victory. And what is more, we won without Jedi support. Though I will always respect them for their abilities and sacrifices and never turn down their help, to know that we can succeed without their intervention is a huge morale boost.

The capper to all of this was that after getting settled back in last night, I found that a note from Teish'ala had arrived while we were off fighting. She's at my folks' place and getting along pretty well, despite some initial cross-cultural misunderstandings, but her note indicated that all of that was now behind them. My parents had always insisted that their children grow up with open minds, which certainly explains how I could've taken up with a Twi'lek. So I'm not worried about them or Teish.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

great to see all coming around for him and also for his girlfriend and parents

 

Happy that the battle strategy panned out and yay for Teish and his folks getting along ... Quite the load off LOL

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-three, 3957.5.24 BBY

A week of liberty after a big operation is just what the medical officer ordered. Like in previous instances it's being done in rotating shifts throughout the fleet, both local and Republic, and since the 23rd Marines have been in just about every engagement, we went in with the first wave of vacationing military personnel. The Ciutrans have been very generous, putting us up in quite nice lodgings overlooking a spectacularly beautiful mountain lake amidst plenty of forest. Used to living in the urban jungle, I had always been in awe of raw, untamed natural beauty, and this was the first time I really got to experience living in one of the more benign habitats the galaxy has to offer. Once we got there, I released the squadron to pursue their own leisure time, insisting that our ranks be left aboard the shuttle that had ferried us out this far. They didn't seem to have a problem with that, and the usual suspects paired off to do whatever they wanted.

Though breakfast and lunch were put out for us to pick up when we felt like it, dinner was a communal affair, and rightfully so given how the resort staff prepares the five-course meals it serves. The talk during these evening events was thick and fast, usually of a jovial nature. Those pilots who had gone EV or had their fighters so shot up they needed new ones were constantly getting razzed, and more than once was a toast proposed in favor of my exec and the success her operational plan had brought about. Though I imagine it was in the back of everyone's mind (and my own, to be sure), no one mentioned the rest of the war or vocally dwelt on the fighting itself—though I'm sure a lot of private or buddy-to-buddy data-dumping was going on during the day. After dinner, most folks retreated to their very comfortable rooms (virtual suites, in fact), and I took full advantage of that quiet time to read a number of fascinating Whipstaff holoplays: The Taopari in Winter and TacVeth. The latter I found especially engrossing, because the titular character reminded me forcefully of a Sith Lord in how ruthlessly and assiduously he pursued his goals.

Senna Almo, on the other hand...

I had had a suspicion on the first evening of our leave, as the twelve of us split up in the wake of that first delightful dinner, that she would retreat to her room and bury herself in her datapad and whatever libraries of information she might drag along with her. And I had been totally correct. Knocking on her door and, when she didn't answer, using my command authority to make her come out, I asked her what she was doing. She attempted, somewhat weakly in my opinion, to dodge the question by implying that I was after her for her company. I laughed at her and despite her protests, wrenched open the manually-operated door (manual! I ask you!) to find that a veritable data center had been spread about her large bedstead and piled onto the spacious computer terminal workstation and holoviewer. "What the hell is all this, Lieutenant?!" I had asked her, to which she replied that it was just a bit of light reading. "Oh no, you're on vacation," I retorted, and began repacking her library on the spot. Senna didn't make it easy, but she also knew she couldn't stop me; it would have had to come to blows and while I wouldn't have put her on a charge that time, I would have found other ways to get back at her.

So after that little escapade, things settled down to something approaching normalcy. Two days later I managed to glimpse my XO flirting with a lieutenant off of Horseshoe, who I think was the assistant engineering officer. So, I'm not too worried about the hard-working Wroonian...for now. My favorite method of unwinding had quickly become swimming, and by the time we left the resort yesterday, I had managed to get my endurance back up so that I was able to swim three kilometers non-stop. Of course, the only reason a Coruscanti can swim in the first place is that Marine starfighter pilot training includes mandatory swimming lessons as a part of basic survival training; if you can't hack it in the water, they assume you can't make it in space and you get dumped from the program—and the final test includes a two-kilometer nonstop swim while skyclad.

Now that we're back in our planetside billets, things are still a little slow. Other units have taken up patrols and I'm told that the Ciutran Navy, now battle-tested and -hardened, are starting to take a much more proactive stance; a squadron of previously untested cruisers and their fighters conducted another hit-and-fade on Vinsoth just yesterday. If their building and recruitment programs continue to expand, soon they will be able to defend this sector of space without Republic assistance, which will enable us to redirect our efforts elsewhere, perhaps even helping to turn a battle currently underway somewhere. Before that happens, however, I'm fairly sure the locals will have to formally be accepted into the Republic Military's chain of command, and yes, even to accept orders from the higher-ups on Coruscant. We'll see how that works out.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

Great to see him having fun
Ciutrans can now help

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-four, 3957.5.30 BBY

As I suspected, things are starting to change around here, beginning with the withdrawal of most of the Republic Navy currently stationed in the system, including us. One squadron, the 41st, will stay behind to undergo an abbreviated training course—the same "flight simulator" portion that the Ciutran pilots undergo with their more advanced machines—as well as to acclimatize their new rookie. The situation here is an interesting one; while Cuitric IV has been a member of the Republic for many centuries (I don't know the precise history), they've pretty much watched out for themselves, and it's only in the last year and a half that they've really felt the heat from any of the galaxy's other major conflicts. Hell, even the Mandalorians didn't even come to call, and Mandalore itself isn't really that far away (they're closer to this world than the nearest Ordnance Regional Depot still in friendly hands). But now, it seems, they're all in favor of merging their defense forces with the Republic military. Two days ago I overheard a couple of "leg" officers discussing a rumored collaborative training scheme in which several current and former Marine drill instructors would be shipped in to help establish a Recruit Training Depot here.

I wouldn't say no to having Ciutran Marines in the ranks, especially if they're as good in a lightfight as their starfighter pilots.

Though we know that we're leaving, those of us in the 23rd don't yet know where we'll be going. We do know, however, that Senna Almo won't be joining us; she's been promoted to lieutenant commander and assigned the dual task of starfighter and Intelligence liaison—much to her vehement objections. We had a long and exhausting talk about this, and it still felt somewhat odd giving life lessons to someone who's done a whole lot more living than I have, but she herself admitted that at least half of her career had been spent eyeballs-deep in datafiles. I'll certainly miss her presence, both in the form of her steady nerves in combat and in how she keeps the squadron together on top of helping to win the war. I have no idea how she does it, to be honest; maybe she's actually a Jedi or something and just doesn't want anyone to know.

During the plethora of down time we've had this week, I at least managed to get the chance to have another holocall with Teish'ala, for which my folks were also present. It seems that my girlfriend was raised in a very cosmopolitan household, because she's getting along with mom and dad very well, and she has even taken a liking to my sister, who won't stop pressing her for anecdotes when she isn't at school. Though the chances of it happening are slim and none, I sure would like to have at least a layover on Coruscant when we ship out in two days aboard Battleaxe. I don't even know who my new exec will be or where and when he or she will be joining the squadron, so it looks like another case of hurry up and wait.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

I am very happy that Senna has gotten a promotion matching her skills and experience, but yeesh, Chak is probably feeling frustrated, having to work on finding and meshing a new exec into the squad/team. Hope their next mission comes out as successfully.

Yay for the holo-call back home. I would love it if he could have a couple days with Teish.

 

Nice time for him getting news from Teish'ala

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-five, 3957.6.6 BBY

Just when you think you've got a handle on the overall situation, the Force throws you a gust of wind to nearly send the swoop you're piloting headlong into a starscraper. Though I've probably said something similar before in this log, it is an adage that I am convinced will remain true throughout the ages. Show me a man who knows everything about war, and I'll show you a man who has lived a thousand lifetimes.

We left Ciutric IV aboard Battleaxe on the first of the month as planned, shipping out with the other Republic warships that had been assigned to that sector for what was now being referred to as the Almo Gambit. Once we were in hyperspace the various department heads and squadron leaders were informed of our destination: Kuat, where the various ships would be moored at the galaxy-famous Kuat Drive Yards spacedocks to undergo repairs and refitting. Once we get there, the various squadrons are supposed to be doled out to other locations, either to reinforce areas already in conflict with the Sith or to warships patrolling the front lines. Our host vessel certainly needs the break, particularly considering the pounding she took during the assault on Axxila, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about hanging around Kuat itself until they decided what to do with us.

That plan went out the airlock two days ago when the fleet, some seven ships in all, came upon a trio of Sith interdictor cruisers blocking the hyperspace route from Commenor to Kuat (the fighting there had long since died down, but hadn't been entirely over). I was on the bridge at the time, delivering an oral report to Captain Tethet regarding the installation of Ciutran-style flight sims on his ship once we got to our destination and production on them was started. The abrupt transition to realspace was rather a rough one, but being a pilot I was one of the few of those standing who managed to keep his or her feet; it was a good thing, too, because at the very next moment someone made an attempt on the Quarren's life. I didn't know much about the assailant herself; one moment I'm looking through the forward viewport at the reflection of starlight on an iron-gray hull a dozen kilometers away, the next moment I'm back on Mon Gazza, taking potshots at Sith that are trying to blast my fellow Marines. Except this Sith is wearing a Navy crewer's coveralls and is about to blast my captain's skull apart.

I did what any Marine in that situation would do: I drew the sidearm I always carried while on duty, sighted in on the threat, and did a double-tap that took the woman in the chest and forehead. Perfect execution—bam, bam, down.

The entire incident couldn't have lasted five seconds, but it felt like an eternity, and even now I can recall every nuance, every movement, the intense blue of the pale-skinned redheaded would-be murderer's eyes...and the reactions of the rest of the bridge crew. A forest of blasters left holsters, several pointing at me but most following the gaze of their wielders, looking for more potential opponents. My first thought wasn't about the guns that I was under as I pointed my own at the deck, because if no one else knew of the dead assassin's intentions, I sure did. Rather, it was about why the enemy ships weren't firing on us or even launching interceptors. That's when the reports started coming in thick and fast: running lightfights were breaking out all over the ship, from main engineering to the auxiliary bridge in the forward quarter of the upper hull. Captain Tethet and I arrived at the same conclusion within moments: these enemy vessels weren't here to fight, they were here to observe a mutiny in progress. If the mutineers, whoever they were and how they had infiltrated this vessel, succeeded in taking over, the Sith would be able to add Battleaxe to their own armada and deprive the Republic Navy of a battle-trained and experienced crew as well as the three squadrons this vessel carried.

I won't go into details about the mutiny here, mostly because they haven't been properly analyzed by Republic Navy Criminal Investigations and Naval Intelligence, but also because of the emotional toll these events have taken on me. Yes, I did my duty, and in saving the captain's life I probably saved the ship, but the way it happened...there's no escaping the truth: I have blood on my hands. Blood that is spilled from behind the controls of a starfighter is easy to ignore, as I've said before; you think about the ship and not its pilot, the repulsortank and not its crew. Even those Sith I may have shot when dirttdown with Captain Reyolé were (apparently deliberately) faceless minions, but at least they were bona fide soldiers engaged in combat operations. This time, everything was different. The assassin, for all intents and purposes, had been one of us, wearing the uniform of the Republic Navy and carrying out the duties and shouldering the responsibilities thereunto.

And I killed her. Coldly. Methodically. Exactly the way I had been taught to do.

We're at Kuat now, still aboard ship while we wait for RNCI to clear us in lots for transport to the planet's surface; they don't want any more potential spies and assassins slipping into the heart of the war effort, after all. I can't say I blame them for that, it's probably what I would have done if asked. Fortunately, none of my people were involved in the fighting, because at some point during the kerfuffle, someone in Security had locked down the pilots' quarters before the alert had been sounded. A lot of other good people are dead, however, including the executive officer and the chief engineer. For now, I've rejoined the other members of my squadron, waiting with them for the Navy cops to take our statements and decide whether or not to hold us or let us go. I expect to be held, but my pilots don't know that, and they won't until it happens. I'm writing this entry on a scrounged datapad, hidden from view, hoping that the investigators will let me save a copy once they've had a look at it.

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Thumper09 windu4 Nyota's Heart earlybird-obi-wan TrakNar Findswoman

 

Oh how horrific! The shock of having an unknown spy/assassin surely undermines the trust factor from this point on I would think. That in and of itself is worse than having a face to an enemy. A person who is a traitor has made themselves your adversary and a threat and should be taken out, like any other. At least with a known foe /attacker from the 'other side' your positions are clear and there's no treachery or sleemoness involved.

Yuck, what a mess the whole just process of investigating will take as to time and resources. Days and weeks vital personnel will be stuck making formal statements, etc.

 

a Sith spy, now they will need the investigators RNCI and Chak worrying?

 

Pilot log, entry seventy-six, 3957.6.7 BBY

— — — —MOST SECRET— — — —MOST SECRET— — — —MOST SECRET— — — —

#INTERROGATION TRANSCRIPT/REPORT
##SUBJECT: RAVARTIN, CHAK, LTCMDR RMC
##INCIDENT FILE NO. 60633819-07AG, BATTLEAXE ET. AL. GENERAL MUTINY AND FLEET ACTION TAKING PLACE EN ROUTE TO KUAT FROM OUTER RIM WORLD CIUTRIC IV.
##INTERRIGATOR: GRIMM, H. L.
##OBSERVER: MATRONEZZI, A.

SUBJECT IS BROUGHT FROM WARSHIP BATTLEAXE TO RNCI FIELD OFFICE KUAT IN WAKE OF PRELIMINARY EXCHANGE WITH AGENT K. MIDON (SEE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT AND INFORMAL LOG ENTRY). ESCORTED PLANETSIDE BY KUAT SECTOR MILITARY POLICE, OFFICER R. ONAMAI SERVING AS GUIDE, NO TELLS NOTED WHILE AWAITING INTERROGATOR. AS AGENT GRIMM ENTERS, HOLDING A FILE FOLDER AND DATAPAD, SUBJECT APPEARS ANXIOUS BUT NOT NERVOUS, POSSIBLY CONCERNED OVER FATE OF SQUADRON AND PERSONNEL THEREIN AS WELL AS FELLOW SOLDIERS. SUBJECT ATTEMPTS TO STAND TO ATTENTION BUT IS WAVED DOWN BY AGENT GRIMM.

C. RAVARTIN (HEREAFTER KNOWN AS C.R.): "SIR, ARE MY PEOPLE OKAY?"
H. L. GRIMM (HEREAFTER KNOWN AS H.L.G.): SITS ON OTHER SIDE OF TABLE AND BEGINS CALLING UP FILES. HE THEN PULLS SEVERAL HOLOIMAGES FROM THE FILE AND ARRANGES THEM BEFORE SUBJECT SO HE CAN CLEARLY SEE. HE APPEARS TO RECOIL FROM IMAGES, REMORSE EVIDENT IN HIS EXPRESSION. "DO YOU KNOW THIS WOMAN?"
C.R.: "YES SIR, THE ASSASSIN. I...NEVER MET HER BEFORE..."
H.L.G. (PAUSE, LOOKS INTENTLY AT SUBJECT): "AND YET YOU KNEW SHE WAS A THREAT."
C.R.: "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR, WHEN SOMEONE PULLS A BLASTER—"
H.L.G. (INTERRUPTING): "I'VE SEEN THE FOOTAGE. ACCORDING TO YOUR LOG YOU KEPT YOUR FEET AND SAW THE SOURCE OF THE REVERSION TO REALSPACE. HAVE YOU BEEN AMBUSHED IN THIS FASHION BEFORE?"
C.R.: "YES SIR, AT LEAST TWICE."
H.L.G.: "BUT NEVER WHILE ABOARD A CAPITAL WARSHIP."
C.R.: "THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN MY AUREK WHEN IT HAPPENED."
H.L.G.: "AND YET THE FIRST THING THAT CROSSED YOUR MIND WHILE ON THE BRIDGE, WHEN OTHERS WERE TRYING TO GET BACK TO THEIR STATIONS AND EVALUATE THE SITUATION, WAS AN INTERNAL THREAT?"
C.R. (VEHEMENT): "NO SIR!"
H.L.G.: "YOUR SERVICE RECORD INCLUDES A COMMENDATION FOR, AND I QUOTE, 'DEMONSTRATING EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE IN A SITUATION BEYOND PREVIOUS TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE,' DURING THE BATTLE OF MON GAZZA. THE LOG FILE YOU WROTE YESTERDAY MENTIONED THIS INCIDENT AS A FLASHBACK. WAS THIS WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO CHOOSE TO BE ARMED WHILE ON DUTY?"
C.R.: "YES SIR. IT'S REGULATIONS, BUT BEFORE THEN I HADN'T BEEN PROPERLY MOTIVATED TO COMPLY." (PAUSE) "YOU TEND TO SEE THINGS A BIT DIFFERENTLY AFTER GETTING SHOT AT WHILE DIRTDOWN."
H.L.G. (NODS, LOOKS AT DATAPAD AND BACK AT SUBJECT, THEN POINTS AT IMAGES): "ACCORDING TO REPUBLIC NAVY RECORDS, PETTY OFFICER THIRD CLASS LINNA SCHERZER WAS DEPLOYED TO BATTLEAXE SHORTLY BEFORE THAT SHIP AND HER CONVOY DEPARTED ORD TRASI. HOWEVER, THE WOMAN YOU KILLED IS NOT LINNA SCHERZER, THOUGH SHE DOES LOOK LIKE HER. THE INDIVIDUAL SHE REPLACED IS STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR, THOUGH WE SUSPECT FOUL PLAY."
C.R. (PAUSE): "I DON'T UNDERSTAND, SIR."
H.L.G.: "ARE YOU AWARE THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT CONFINED TO BATTLEAXE?"

SUBJECT RECOILS VISIBLY, ROCKING HIS CHAIR BACK IN STARTLED DENIAL. CLEARLY THIS IS NEWS TO HIM, AND UNPLEASANT NEWS AT THAT.

H.L.G. (SYMPATHETIC): "THE ONLY SHIPS NOT AFFECTED BY WHAT AMOUNTS TO A GENERAL INSURRECTION WHERE THE TWO CIUTRAN CRUISERS, WHICH IMMEDIATELY CLOSED ON THE LEAD SHIP IN THE SITH INTERDICTION FORCE AND ENGAGED. AS YOU KNOW ONCE THE BRIDGE CREW RETURNED TO THEIR STATIONS AS THE MUTINY CONTINUED, CAPTAIN TETHET WAS ABLE TO OVERRIDE GUNNERY CONTROL AND FIGHT HIS SHIP. WHAT WAS YOUR FOCUS WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON?"
C.R. (UNCERTAIN): "MY PILOTS, SIR, AND MY CAPTAIN. WHERE ELSE WOULD IT HAVE BEEN?"
H.L.G.: "DID YOU FOR ONE MOMENT THINK ABOUT JOINING THE MUTINEERS?"
C.R.: "ABSOLUTELY NOT, SIR! THESE...THESE COWARDS TRIED TO KILL..." (VOICE TRAILS OFF, SUBJECT IS SHAKING WITH ANGER)
H.L.G. (HOLDS UP PLACATING HAND): "TAKE IT EASY, MARINE. I HAD TO ASK, AND YOU KNOW WHY. THOUGH THE OVERT MUTINEERS ARE DEAD OR IN CUSTODY, THERE MAY BE OTHER INFILTRATORS AND POTENTIAL DEFECTORS. THIS REMAINS A HUGE PROBLEM AND IF I THINK FOR ONE MOMENT YOU MIGHT BE ONE... (INTERROGATOR MAKES A SLASHING MOTION WITH HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER ACROSS HIS OWN THROAT)
C.R.: "ALL THEY'LL EVER GET FROM ME IS FREE-FLOATING HYDROGEN, SIR."
H.L.G.: "SEMPER FI, MR. RAVARTIN?"
C.R. (GAZES INTENTLY INTO INTERROGATOR'S EYES): "DO OR DIE, SIR."
H.L.G. (PAUSE): "WE WILL NEED A MORE...OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM YOU, THOUGH WE WOULD ALSO WELCOME A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF YOUR PILOT LOG. ANY INSIGHT INTO THOSE YOU HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH DURING YOUR CAREER WILL BE HELPFUL. I CAN'T ORDER YOU TO PROVIDE IT, THOUGH—"
C.R. (INTERRUPTING): "YOU'LL HAVE IT SIR, JUST AS SOON AS i CAN GET BACK TO MY QUARTERS. IF YOU WANTED TO GET ME IN FRONT OF AN UPLINK TERMINAL, I CAN DOWNLOAD THEM DIRECTLY FOR YOU."
H.L.G.: "THAT'S NOT AN OPTION AT THE MOMENT, BUT I'LL HAVE SOMEONE GET YOU THERE. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU WILL REMAIN ON POST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, WE WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?"
C.R.: "YES SIR, I DO. I RECOMMEND YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH MY [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK THINGS ON [REDACTED] END AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO BE FOUND THAT WAY. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, THOUGH."
H.L.G.: "THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING. GO AHEAD."
C.R.: "ARE YOU A MARINE, SIR?"
H.L.G. (NODS AND SMILES, LOOKING CALCULATINGLY AT THE SUBJECT): "LOUD AND PROUD."
C.R.: "I THOUGHT SO, SIR. IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME FOR ANY POSSIBLE PRESUMPTION, I BELIEVE YOU WOULD HAVE DONE AS I HAD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I'M NO INFANTRY GRUNT, BUT EVEN I KNOW A BLASTER DRAWN UNDER AMBUSH CONDITIONS IS NOT A FRIENDLY ONE."

INTERROGATION ENDS. OFFICER R. ONAMAI IS SUMMONED TO TAKE SUBJECT TO QUARTERS WITHIN REPUBLIC NAVY FACILITY WHILE ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE TO PROCURE PILOT LOG. RECOMMEND ATTACHING THIS RECORD ONTO SAID LOG UNDER ENCRYPTION PROTOCOL CRIMSON TACIT, EYES ONLY C. RAVARTIN, H. L. GRIMM, ET. AL. PER REGULATIONS GOVERNING INSURRECTION/DEFECTION DURING WARTIME. OBSERVER UNABLE TO DETECT DUPLICITY OR WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION AND/OR EVIDENCE; SUBJECT ATTITUDE IS ONE OF INDIGNATION FUELED BY DESIRE TO PROVE HIMSELF LOYAL. FULL COOPERATION IS ANTICIPATED.

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Enjoyed the official feel/look. Chak comported himself with candor and confidence. The investigating officer was doubtless impressed by that and also has gotten a good 'read' on Chak's character.