Star Wars THE GALAXY AT WAR PART IV: PRISONER OF CORUSCANT

OOC: Oh, you want the entire ship! I did ask. So what was all that stuff about a berth then, unless you have one the size of a Venator?

 

OOC: Yes, it should be known that indeed, there are around the Galaxy spaceports of considerable size where craft as large as an Acclimator can land on planet. As a partial barrier and buffer between the Embassy and Government Center, the large spaceport can accommodate such craft and larger. This spaceport is the Emperor Palpatine Spaceport and Commercial Nexus, an Imperial-class registered facility with the Imperial Space Ministry. It is a facility from which many such ships departed for missions during the early years of the prolonged Clone Wars when it was called the Chancellor Palpatine Spaceport. Galactic City Spaceport and Eastport, also located on Imperial Center, are Imperial-class spaceports as well. There were around the Galaxy many systems which either restricted landing of capital ships to Imperial and system defense vessels alone and others, like Ursa, Lord Vader's adopted home, which do not permit landing of large craft of any stripe for reasons of conservation of environment and atmosphere.



Republic capital ships departing their berths from Chancellor (now Emperor) Palpatine Spaceport and Commercial Nexus, Coruscant (now Imperial Center)






Republic capital ships departing the tarmac from Chancellor (now Emperor) Palpatine Spaceport and Commercial Nexus, Coruscant (now Imperial Center)


Hope this allays concerns about accommodations for capital ships on Imperial Center.

Pash

 

~OOC~ I wish to thank Pashatemur for this joint post between us.


~IC~ Rowan Halcyon & Se'Iva
0.6 deca-cycles before the incident at Coruscant
Location: Island Villa, Kaladan


Gently, I checked the cub’s furry head and body for any sign of injuries. I winced as the claws in its fore paws latched onto my hand as the cub proceeded to pull my thumb into his mouth.

"Noh…" My tone came out softly to ease the cub as I pried my hand from it's hungry maw. "Min min nyiad sumvyn valle hrade ut."

Squinting, I turned my head to the water, searching for any glimpse that something is out of place. Estel restless in my arms, attempting to scale my shoulder. 'I'll get you something soon.' I sent soothing emotions to the cub as I walked across the beach.

The ocean breeze blew wisps of sand along the shoreline, the higher tide had washed sea shells, kelp, and smaller bits of material shining under the sun: Debris. Rustling of the palm fronds swishing in the wind as I held the cub with one arm and knelt down to investigate the fragments. Touching along carefully one piece with my fingers, one side was smooth and cool, turning it over there showed signs of pitting. The edges jagged and scorched. Looking up, squinting as I looked out to the water. In the shallows, I could see that there are some assorted lighter and darker shapes below the surface. Placing the cub down, it scampered a few metres towards the water, mewing, taunting the ebb and flow of the water only to jumping back when it touches it?s paws. Watching the cub for a moment, his behaviour jolted an idea. There might be some signs to what had happened and how I got here.

I climbed the nearest tree to gauge the scope of the debris field. I have seen this pattern before a long time ago. My mind putting together the clues and forming a hypothesis of what might have happened. 'A vessel off shore must have crashed or shipwrecked. The currents have carried some remains to the shoreline... there are lingering traces... As though there is a connection... Are there more survivors?'

Turning my gaze from the ocean to the shoreline and inland, collecting a sense of the geography. An island, no noticeable mounds or mountains suggest it is mostly flat terrain. I can see part of the villa walls from here. Already my mind was formulating a plan of what I need to do.

Shimmying down the tree carefully, letting go near the bottom to land on my feet. My hand reached out against the smooth bark to steady myself. Closing my eyes, I felt the lifeforms around me through the Force. The energy coming from the flora, the avian creatures perched close by, bustling existence of insects as they scurry about their business. Blocking out the immediate noise, there I became aware of something more larger...focusing on that form, a recognisable signature made itself known.

Opening my eyes, I found myself breathing harder than normal. Blinking, I looked and saw Estel had wandered further along the beach, facing me. Its call came out as a high squeak as the cub attempted to capture my attention. He watched as I approached him, only turning and ran further more along the beach when I came close. Giving chase, my bare feet kicked up sand as I try to understand Estel?s odd behaviour. At the back of my mind I tried to reconnect with the signature I had felt through the Force. Did Estel pick up on it too? Trying to lead me there?

Every now and then Estel would pause to check that I was still behind him before scampering off again. Following the cub, I had to pick my way through the thick underbrush, ignoring the thin sharp branches that scratched my skin. On the other side it opened up to an clearing containing a small cove. It hit me, the form I sensed before much stronger now and now my eyes saw. Catching my breath in disbelief.

"Se'Iva!"

The salt stung her face and even under the sparse leaf cover of the brackish wetland forest, the sun was fiercely bright. The wind off the surf rustled noisily in her ears, yet she thought she heard something like the cry of a bird, something high pitched and she squinted and covered her eyes as she sat up to gaze nearly blindly out through the tall trees and spiked-branched underbrush. Her wings lay furled tightly against her back as she held herself low, instinctively wary in this strange world. The energy felt wrong to her. The nuanced vibrations of the flora, the very air and ground beneath her bespoke the use of life’s hollow frame long after life ceased to be. What a strange thing expression! Yet, this was not a foreign idea. The husks of insects or crustaceans, the bones of animals were often employed for either primitive tools or ornamental uses. No, this was different. It did not quite mean the same thing and it unsettled her. Thus, the curious, little cry though compelling also found the long, platinum braided humanoid wary and cautious.

There it was again! The Cha’ala rubbed her eyes of the salt collected on her lashes. The light blue pleated shift of silk she wore under her short dark jacket whipped about her legging-ed thighs with the wind. At this second high-pitched cry, Se’Iva immediately found her feet beneath her and was ready to make a dash when recognition betook her. If the one was near, certainly the other could not be far behind!

Hoarsely at first, “Rowan!” she called and then again beginning to stand, arms out-stretched without hesitance, for it was most certainly the Outrider himself and there was Estel gambling over the brambles toward her, too.

“Rowan!”

Stepping lightly, if a bit stiffly from sleeping in the damp cool of the wetland, Se’Iva climbed through the thicket in which she’d taken shelter and hid to reach the bearded wanderer. He seemed revived to her relief.

Hopping over the natural obstacles in my path trying to get through as fast as I could before digging my heels in the fine sand and skidding to a stop in front of Se’Iva, my arms came around to envelope her in a tight embrace. Feeling a flood of emotions, hope and relief, I hugged her lithe frame noticing how she trembled with each gust. Fortunately, with the sun’s ascent, it was warming.

“I…” Shaking my head, leaning my head back to see her face, feeling lost for words. Still holding her close, almost wondering if this was a dream. I never expected to see her here. “You are a sight for sore eyes.” I whispered with relief. “How...Are you.. are you okay?”

“Oh, I am ... I am well,” she laughed lightly, but continued “...Rowan, it is not I who was harmed. You were nearly dead in the burning water. Your ship is crashed in those waves,” said Se’Iva gesturing to the surf at Rowan’s back. “I pulled you into the small ship....the one like a bubble …” she made a face in frustration, not knowing the words. “The explosions...they threw us,” said Se’Iva hurriedly and now looking about warily, pointing to Estel and Rowan and then herself. Ah, the warmth and comfort the Outrider afforded!

Happy to see Rowan and Estel, thinking them lost after they had been thrown violently from the submersible, she let her silver and cobalt wings furl from their flexed and open state, the dark “eyes” effectively “closed.”

She tentatively touched Rowan’s forehead with a slender forefinger.
“You were ... hurt!”

“I could not stay behind with the strangers…” she said, referring to the people with whom he’d said she would be safe when they parted last. By way of explanation to a question he had not yet asked but must be thinking. “I stole aboard,” she admitted.

“You stowed-away,” I asserted. “With the ship’s security system and manifest, that could not have been easy.”

“Your ship was still being fitted, I came in with the workers and crated equipment and deflected your sensors...your crew investigated the crate I hid in and when they did find me, it was too late and I was given a small cabin. They sent someone to escort me when you gave the ‘abandon ship,’ but I went in search of you. When I found you, you were not conscious and I swam you to the little vessel.”

The pieces to the puzzle as to how I got here now clicked as I listened to Se’Iva’s explanation. Nodding slowly, releasing an arm from around her. Valhalla was lost and while how we ended up on this world eluded me, I felt more comfortable about our chances now. Raking my fingers through my hair, I looked briefly out to the surf and back to her.

“Something is not right for us here,” said Se’Iva, not entirely sure how to word her thoughts and give voice to her “feelings” about where they were.

“We are not in... so hospitable territory.” I informed her.

“NO...no,” said Se’Iva softly and still puzzling. “This ...place ... eh...time... it does not belong to us…” She was not happy with those words. This was not saying effectively what she “felt.”

The frothy surf bristled and heaved in the distance.

“It doesn’t add up.” Releasing her from the hug and nodding in the direction of the villa. “When we made the jump, the destination was free of any planetary bodies. This place should not be here, yet it is. I have spoken to a person who claims to be in charge but it…” shaking my head, my words drift off as I remembered the conversation I had with the Duchess Atreides yesterday... was it yesterday?

“Hum!” Se’Iva voiced quietly and looked about them. “Where is... here?”

“We are on a world belonging to an organisation called ‘The Union’. A minor faction, more business related than... I wouldn’t say a traditional culture... I have had some encounters with them-they shouldn’t be here or rather we shouldn’t be here. ”

“Are they Sith or Republic?” Se’Iva asked, getting to the point that most mattered to her at the moment.

“Neither, though maybe elements of both.” Looking about, feeling a little more uneasy now. “What I have been told and what I felt... are two separate things.”

Se’Iva nodded. She could understand well what Rowan said and she shivered, again feeling a cold whisp of a vibration.

Instinct told her to crouch. She felt they were in too open a space.

Picking up on her body language, an alertness, I gestured to the tree line for us to move. Opening my thoughts to hers.

The Cha'ala pulled some loose strands of her long white hair from the brambles and tucked the end of her braid into her corded belt before following Rowan in the direction he lead.


* * * * * * * *

Kaylee
Location: ‘Icarus’

‘This was not how it should be. Somehow... somewhere... something messed up.’

The bridge of the 'Icarus' was relatively quiet despite the activity at each station, it was dark save for the glow from the monitors on the consoles and the shimmering blue hue streaming in from outside the main viewport. Slowly Kaylee blinked her sore and tired eyes, she ignored her discomfort. Not allowing her worries and concerns to manifest and show. Sitting in the command chair, overlooking navigation, she watched silently as the crew struggle to come up with an explanation for what went wrong.

It has been like this for just over eighteen hours, they haven't slept in at least fifty. With being sleep deprived for that long, emotions are running high, from one extreme to the next. They all are doing their best to keep it in check. So far they have been unsuccessful restoring the long range communications and sensors that had been knocked out during the encounter.

While it was tempting to take over some of the repairs herself, she knew that being in command is to also allow her people to feel that their skills are equally applied and valued. They knew what they are doing and the best she can do is to allow them to demonstrate it. With that... it makes it difficult to await news: whether of their ship’s status or that of their missing escort. Standing up, her movements felt sluggish as though her bones were made out of lead.

"Have we any success over short range frequencies?” Kaylee asked the communications officer as she approached the com station.

“We are working on adapting to the increased pressure which is causing the distortion, however we had a contact-”

“The ’Valhalla’?” Kaylee interrupted to cut to the chase.

The officer shook his head, his expression apologetic. “Much smaller
and too far away to have noticed. We know someone was out there.”

Biting her bottom lip as she let the words sink in, her shoulders slumped. “I understand, keep trying,” she nodded slowly, her voice came out in a whisper. “We can not afford to give up hope.”

TAG: To Be Continued + Villa Residence

 

IC: Captain Scyther Vectis
Location: Captain's quarter's, VenSD Roadblock

I never really thought it could ever get worse, it just did.

I was rather stunned by Lord Vader's news of the Emperor's death. The Emperor dead? Impossible. But yes, there it was explained to me, he had died during the battle with the CIS at Kalee, and now his remains were being brought back here for the entire galaxy to see.

My expression showed shock and somewhat a little sadness at this news. I knew not everybody liked him even within the Empire, but to hear the leader was dead sent a shiver down my spine. It meant infighting, and the Rebels must be rubbing their hands with glee. A post mortem would be done, and Queen Amidala II of Naboo would be in charge of overseeing the post mortem process and the state funeral.

And now Lord Vader has declared himself Emperor, Scyther thought that's really going to please the Moff's. They'll be fighting like sand panthers over a piece of meat.....

The boys would be shocked by this news, there was no doubt, but they would do their jobs nonetheless. I would see to it. Sadness would come later, but first we had to make sure all was well with Coruscant beforehand. What I would say about what had happened down there would probably shock everyone, but not nearly as much as hearing the leader of the Empire had died on some foreign battlefield.

Lord Vader continued, his youthful voice sounding solemn.

"You've been called to this meeting because there is no mistake that the seat of power newly vacated may lead some to act rashly in the belief that the throne is empty. As provision so states, so am I disinclined to agree. That said, the remains will be a contested matter. This Galaxy so late and long wracked by war is not going to descend after victory to civil misrule! The corpse will be delivered without incident, with appropriate oversight and the autopsy witnessed by representatives from the Senate, His Majesty's personal Council and the Council of Moffs."

I nearly snorted at that, I know it's rude, but these Moff's can never be trusted. All they care about is how much money goes into their wallets and bank accounts. I hadn't seen any Moff or Grand Moff's name on the conference list so Lord Vader must be keeping a watchful eye on them all. Hell I would.

Lord Vader continued "The Reina Mavras Ursa has arrived concurrently and her escort is prepared to leave orbit and land eminently, he then looked to someone off screen whilst he spoke the next bit "Captain Sohmer of Krayt's Fire is responsible for finding and returning the late Emperor. I have directed Krayt's Fire join that escort. Captain Vectis, I want you to complete the tactical wedge and provide flanking. The Empress arrives. It's important Imperial presence is prominent among the retinue."

Uh-oh another bombshell, although I can understand why he asked me to do this. The new Empress needs to be protected and what better way to do so then to have Imperial ships flanking her. Also to protect the ship carrying the Emperor's remains as well. Although if they ever see this on the HoloNet, my ships aren't going to look exactly like the image of the Empire, hell Empire's Will looks like it has been through a grill on its starboard side.

I simply nodded at this comment allowing Lord Vader to continue, although he did seem to have a peculiar look on his face with his eyebrows furrowed. He looked like one of my Academy instructors about to give me a lecture.

"Your Superior, Grand Admiral Carthaginian informs me you have the means and discretion. I shall rely upon you," he then looked more relaxed "The rest of Fleet Onslaught and the Ursean Security Forces are being repositioned to provide overall security as we speak, with the exception of your group, Captain Vectis. They will remain available at your discretion at the Vector of entry for the escort."

We were actually going to accompany the Empress down there. Tactics were Terric's speciality, so he was going to have some fun with this. Of course I’d get Delomeux to provide some starfighter escorts as well, but he could have a chat to his fellow officer’s on the other ships about that. Boy this was going to be a tough assignment, but challenges are good, it makes you think and shows how you can work together as a group, and not just by blowing things up.

Although the dear Grand Admiral must have noticed that one particular Venator was missing from my group, unless it was some Force trick and it had suddenly morphed into an ISD. With 5 ships in my group instead of 6, it meant less firepower should trouble come a knocking. But with the Krayt’s Fire there as backstop it would mean that the Empress’s ship would get maximum protection. I now really missed Obdurate.

And I had never landed a Star Destroyer by myself before; Captain Newman had always done it during the Clone Wars before he had gotten killed. Would have to get some tips from the others.

Inside though I felt like screaming, my stomach was churning.

And Lord Vader, well Emperor Vader now, had some more orders for me. I hadn’t gotten around to thinking him as Emperor Vader yet.

”Lord Admiral Leitman has alerted Captain Chekov of the Mavras Maelstrom you are taking command of the escort. Should anything happen to alter your path to the Embassy space port, the escort and the Reina’s and Enfanta’s safekeeping are your charge.”

Oh crikey....

“Captain Sohmer’s ship has been notified that you are commanding. Should Krayt’s Fire come under attack or alter its course from that of the escort or change from its rear guard position, see the Mavras is covered and the Krayt’s Fire disabled.”

I knew who I could put to that task; since his was the only ship that didn’t look like it had been through hell and back.

“I thank you Lord Vader for giving me this assignment, let me assure you; the Empress and the Enfanta’s life will be protected at all times. My group has sadly lost one ship at Mygeeto, the Obdurate, but we have temporarily acquired a new addition to the group. We will make sure that no-one and I mean no-one gets within a meter of the Mavras. “I said this with absolute confidence, because I knew that if I failed in this mission, I would be demoted.

“I will have someone from my group watch the Krayt’s Fire constantly, and if Captain Sohmer values his job, then he will not deviate, nor will he even move his ship one centimetre away from the escort.”

I didn’t add and I’ll personally rip his rank bars off.

“I will have Captain Terric create the formation and I will check to see if there are any problems. Captain Delomeux will be liaising with my other groups Head of Starfighters to create an escort screen which should also shield the Mavras and can also peel off to investigate any ships that come too close”

Well, I thought, speaking of too close.....

I had to take few deep breaths before this one, because I was going to deliver what Ensign Charios had found out.

“If I may deviate from the subject at hand for just a few moments, I have some information that has come into my possession which I hope you find useful.”

Another deep breath before the plunge.

“Ensign Kim Charios, formerly of Obdurate, was placed aboard the Interdictor Huntress which was used as a medical ship for the major injury cases that had come off of Obdurate before it was destroyed. Ensign Charios was placed there by Captain Ivanov to make sure that the major injury cases were being treated well and nothing went amiss. Whilst on the bridge, he was given a datapad showing a HoloNet feed of what had happened at the Senate and the reason for the traffic lockdown as my group was unaware of what had happened”

I paused and then continued.

“Before he left to come and return to the group, he spotted Captain Illior activate a holocube, he was standing a distance away. On that holocube, was footage of the ship that destroyed the EmpPal Centre, the footage did not show this ship destroying the Senate. This ship was identified as a Republic cruiser with the paint of the Old Republic; unfortunately Charios could not see a name. The footage was apparently taken from a Star Destroyer. I do also have to report however that this information was not delivered immediately to any high ranking commanding officer by Captain Illior, Ensign Charios immediately reported this to Captain Ivanov, who then reported it to my Lieutenants.”

I let this sink in for a moment. I had probably dropped Illior in it, but frankly, this was beyond important. If you had a chance to find out who was responsible for the killing of civilians and damage to public property numbering in the millions then you would take it.

“I hope you will find this useful to you, and rest assured, it will hopefully fall into the correct hands, like the assignment you have just given me”

TAG: Lord Vader, The Conference

 

OOC: Fantastic post JL! I will respond very soon.

Here are the specifics for the Mavras Maestrom, her escorts and the complement of resources involved in response to a query sent by Sithy:


Mavras Maestrom

Resembling the mammoth sailfish of the Kavala Sea, the Mavras Maelstrom is a proto-type ship designed by Anakin Skywalker. It has a narrow bow with sensors, communications, shield and cloaking array and a caudal bi-lobed tail flange, four large engines either side along with more articulate and smaller ones, nested alongside them and along the beam, springline and dorsal. The Mavras Maelstrom has a dorsal sail that is used in subluminal and atmospheric flight. It not only facilitates quick turns but collects energy and provides a control surface for thrusts. It can be raised and lowered and altered along it's length to either side by 90 degrees. There are smaller versions of the same articulated "fin" either side of the beam and just fore of the hangar bay on the underside of the ship. Her cannon and missile launchers are recessed along her spring line, at the top and along the hangar bay which is sectioned and has three doors. Like many Ursean vessels, she has heat and ion collection scale cladding that make her haul shimmer. These have more than an energy conservation and cloaking function, they also function as secondary shielding by absorbing 70% of weapons fire and redirecting the energy into its energy pool.

Cloaking and the reduction of the ship?s signature is facilitated by the reduction of emissions and heat and the reflective scales

At 1300 km/h atmospheric/125 mglt/h superluminal, the Mavras Maelstrom is capable of making a vertical "leap".

Technical specifications

Length 712 meters

Width 239 meters

Height/depth
• 350 meters (with landing gear)
• 270 meters (fuselage)
• 400 meters (in flight with sail extended Maximum acceleration
3,500 G
Hyperdrive rating
Class 0.6
Hyperdrive range
300,000 light-years (maximum) Camouflage/ Cloaking and decoy

Camouflage/ Cloaking and decoy
• Reflective hull coating and prototype Hibridum Cloaking device (Garos IV Exper. Cloaking Project from the Univ. of Garos under the auspices of Lord Vader) – visually illusory though visible, confuses enemy sensors.
• EM emitter/projector – electromagnetic countermeasure device used to confuse starship sensors by simulating and projecting the electromagnetic emissions of a ship
3 drive Navigation system
Armament
• Quad turbolaser cannons (14)
• Point-defense laser cannons (24)
• Proton torpedo tubes (4)
• 100 Torpedos
Maximum Possible Complement
• speeders (200)
• USF“Stinger” Bent wing series C-50 Missile ship(40)
• USF “Jument” MSP repulsortank(112)
• USF “Bird” starfighters (54)
Usual Complement
The Mavras Maelstrom at peace and within the system borders carries minimal complement of speeders and starfighters as it’s purpose is not traditionally military transport.
• Reflective hull coating and prototype Hibridum Cloaking device (Garos IV Exper. Cloaking Project from the Univ. of Garos under the auspices of Lord Vader) – visually illusory though visible, confuses enemy sensors.
• EM emitter/projector – electromagnetic countermeasure device used to confuse starship sensors by simulating and projecting the electromagnetic emissions of a ship
3 drive Navigation system
Armament
• Quad turbolaser cannons (14)
• Point-defense laser cannons (24)
• Proton torpedo tubes (4)
• 100 Torpedos
Maximum Possible Complement
• speeders (200)
• USF“Stinger” Bent wing series C-50 Missile ship(40)
• USF “Jument” MSP repulsortank(112)
• USF “Bird” starfighters (54)
Usual Complement

The Mavras Maelstrom at peace and within the system borders carries minimal complement of speeders and starfighters as it’s purpose is not traditionally military transport.

Current Complement

Due to reconfiguration of Ursean resources to the recent 3-theatre offensive at Kalee, Mygeeto and Muunilist in cooperation with Imperial Forces and the wartime precaution of transporting the Ursean Royal Family abroad, the Mavras carries the following:
• speeders (120)
• USF“Stinger” Bent wing series C-50 Missile ship(28) • USF “Jument” MSP repulsortank(6)
• USF “Bird” starfighters (36)
Crew
300

Passengers (maximum)
12,000
At present, her passengers are minimal. 80 Family and diplomatic passengers, 178 support and serving staff both flesh and android, and 500 Ursean Security Forces pilots, marines and infantry.
Cargo capacity
• 190,000 (excluding hangar space and consumables storage)
• 11,250 metric tons
Consumables
2 years




USF Mantel Stråle IX Corvette

The Mantel Stråle IX Corvette is a Ray shaped light escort. It’s frame can carry modular improvement extending into the “wing” sections.

Length 140 meters

Width 180 meters

Depth 75 meters

Weapons: 6 Double Turbolaser Cannons

Crew: 30-165, Depending on configuration

Top Speed: 1100 km/h atmosphere, 90 MGLT Troop Capacity: Up to 600, variable configuration Cargo Capacity: 3,000 Metric Tons

Passengers: Up to 600, variable configuration

There are at present, 30 USF Mantel Stråle IX Corvettes and 20 USF "Stingers" in escort for the Mavras Maelstrom in a sphere net around the Royal Yacht and Transport.

USF “Bird” TK-7 Interceptor starfighter
Production information

Manufacturer
• Ursean Royal Ship Wrights, Malove, Ursa System Model
USF “Bird” TK-7 interceptor

Class
Starfighter/Interceptor

Technical specifications

Length
9.6 meters

Width
8.33 meters

Height/depth
• 2.6 meters (fuselage)
• 3.11 meters (with stabilizers)

Maximum acceleration 5,800 G

Maximum speed (atmosphere) 49,000 km/h

Engine unit(s)
Malove MechV-4 “Luftspiel” (2) and HHZ-8 Maelstrom Auxiliary /booster (2)

Hyperdrive rating
Class .75
Hyperdrive system Malove Mech. hyperdrive

Power plant
Malove Mech. Donner-M18 fusion reactor

Camouflage/ Cloaking and decoy
• Reflective hull coating and prototype Hibridum Cloaking device (Garos IV Exper. Cloaking Project from the Univ. of Garos under the auspices of Lord Vader) – visually illusory though visible, confuses enemy sensors.
• EM emitter/projector – electromagnetic countermeasure device used to confuse starship sensors by simulating and projecting the electromagnetic emissions of a ship

Shielding
deflector shield projector (84 SBD)

Hull
Titanium alloy frame and durasteel outer hull (20 RU)

Sensor systems
sensor unit: long range full spectroscopy radiation including phased tachyon detection array and short range primary threat analysis grid

Targeting systems
Malovian target tracker with holographic crosshairs

Navigation system
navigation computer (5 jump range)

Avionics Ursean

Countermeasures
• jammer
• Chaff and flare launcher

Armament
• laser cannons (2) reversible, and 180 range either direction.
• Dymek HM-8 concussion missile launchers (2)
• 8 missiles each (adaptable for 2 other warheads including Empion, proton)
• 1 sensor-guided nano missile launcher, one round of 40 tracking missiles indistinguishable from blaster bolts, mid to long range armor piercing projectiles with tight targeting capability – low collateral producing.

Crew Pilot (1)
Passengers None

Cargo capacity
80 kilograms

Consumables
1 week

Affiliation
• Ursean Security Force/Imperial

A starfighter with the superb feat of Ursean technology, it is possibly THE fastest of interceptors in the Galaxy, this the most current in a line of “Birds.”
Operational deployment.

The Bird is a quick-strike fighter. Useful in the both Battle of Malove, these fighters went up against the vaunted General Grievous’ Ravager. The fact that pilots survived the encounter, was testament to the Birds versatile and swift maneuverability. The 2nd Battle of Malove impressed on Anakin the need for improvements. The payload they carried needed to be more effective against CIS targets, the advanced shielding of the Confederacy’s largest vessels and longer range deployments. To that end, the size of the Bird was increased to carry a larger more varied and deadlier payload, to house the Auxillery and booster engine unit, and allow for an increase in shielding. The trade off was its slightly increased profile, yet the acceleration and velocity capabilities more than justified the increased size.

Tactically, they were employed singlely or in groups. Naturally their speed put the element of surprise on their side, along with the ability to make multiple jumps. The retention of an astromech gave the pilot a lot of options, even if the mech was disabled, the systems could still be pilot guided.

Already shown in operation, tailing the Black Flame and other suspicious craft entering Ursa before the PDS grid was operational, these starfighters were used offensively and defensively, in covert mission, and as system-wide patrol.

Like the Ursean Star Destroyers, the Birds were finely designed for function, but followed closely the principles of nature. While the seeming fixed wings had the characteristic up-swept wings of many Ursean fly-craft, they fairly easily managed in flight, the articulated wings falling within precribed configurations as per the sensor readings of atmosphere and the forces brought to bear upon the craft and the control surfaces by the craft’s movement itself, the pilot was relieved of many of these basic configurations. Yet, if he chose, he could articulate the parts of the wings and various other control surfaces manually or through direction to the astromech. A decent pilot could fare well, but in experience, well-trained hands, these fighters could deliver mayhem and destruction in swift order.

USF “Jument” MSP repulsortank
Production information

Manufacturer Brudermark

Model
Jument MSP repulsortank

Class
Repulsorcraft

Technical specifications

Length
25.5 meters

Width
4.0 meters

Height
3.2 meters

Maximum speed 340 km/h

Shields
• projector ray and particle shielding - tactical effectiveness to 50 meters radius Hull conforming and directional.

Armament
• Heavy laser cannon (1)
• Medium blaster cannon (3)
• Concussion missile launcher (1)
• Dual computer-guided thermal detonator missile launchers (1) Crew
• Pilot (1)
• Commander (1)
• Gunner (2)

Passengers
1
Usage
Role(s)
Armor and shields
Era(s)
Rise of the Empire era
Affiliation
USF

Juments sported a heavy laser cannon and a medium blaster cannon and had two additional cannons flanking the vehicle. It had a crew of four, and enough room for at least one passenger.

The Jument is the “draft” vehicle of the USF ground corps. A useful and versatile machine, the Jument was, however expensive to produce and thus their production a matter of time and resources.

In addition to armored combat and mobilized shield projectors, Jument tanks could serve duty as tractors and construction vehicles by the Engineering division of the USF.

Tactically comparable and surpassing the Imperial TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank, the T2-B repulsor tank.


USF “Stinger” Bent wing series C-50 Missile ship

Stinger Bent wing series USF C-50
Production information
Manufacturer
• Ursean Royal Ship Wrights, Malove, Ursa System Product line
Stinger Series

Model
USF “Stinger” Bent wing series C-50 Missile ship

Class
Missile Ship/small transport
Technical specifications

Length
30 meters (aft double thrusters and tail extensions 5 meters)

Width
Fuselage tapered 10 meters
Wings fully extended to 30 meters total span

Depth
12 meters

Maximum acceleration 4,900 G

Maximum speed (atmosphere)
44,000 km/h (Can be doubled by Sublight Acceleration module with draw upon auxillary system generators)

Hyperdrive rating
Class 1.0 (150,000 LY range)

Hull
Rated 142 RU

Shielding
Rated 200 SBD - power boosted

Sensor systems - full electro magnetic spectography

Camouflage/ Cloaking and decoy
• Reflective hull coating and prototype Hibridum Cloaking device (Garos IV Exper. Cloaking Project from the Univ. of Garos under the auspices of Lord Vader) – visually illusory though visible, confuses enemy sensors.
• EM emitter/projector – electromagnetic countermeasure device used to confuse starship sensors by simulating and projecting the electromagnetic emissions of a ship

Armament
• Medium laser cannons (4) 2 forward and 2 aft
• Forward and aft ion cannons (1 each) dorsal mounted
• Advanced concussion missile/projectile launchers (2) forward and aft
• Standard load: 28 advanced concussion missiles each
• beam weapon mounting proton torpedo launcher(1) – 10 torpedoes • boarding harpoons – 6 (originally used for rescue with disabled craft)

Crew
• Pilot (1)
• Co-pilot/engineer
• Weapons officers/bombadiers (2)
• Specialist (1) - marine
• Astromech droid (1)
• Medidroid
Minimal crew
• Pilot (1)
Cargo capacity
500 kg /60 troops
Consumables
1 week
Usage
Role(s)
• Long range transport/missile ship
• Heavy strike bomber
Era(s)
• Empire era
Affiliation
• Galactic Empire
• Ursean System

The “Stinger,” was originally developed as long-range bomber/transport, but soon evolved into the transport/missile ship and as it is now deployed.

The chassis is like most Ursean vessels, a response to the natural environment, the dynamics of certain sea and air going creatures within the Ursean system providing inspiration. Thus it is sleek, and fluid with a long fuselage, the wings folding out of and hinged within the body to form a seemingly fixed-wing ship with long twin tail-like sensors extending out over the ion drive thruster. Underneath the wings are nestled two twin laser cannons. Aft and over the ion drive thrusters were two deflector shield heat sinks.

As the co-pilot served in several capacities, an astromech could provide in-flight navigation and maintenance skills should the copilot be required elsewhere. Large and important in traversing the Galaxy on behalf of Ursa’s widespread concerns, it featured a class I hyperdrive, could provide air or water support in and transportation to combat zones.

In the capacity of missile ships they were often hidden in amongst lighter fighters to deliver deadly fire upon large targets.. While they lacked the speed of the Birds, they utilized the acceleration modules double their top speed and acceleration for short durations by diverting energy from weapon and or shields and in this manner were able to escape the range of capital ships with ease rendering the Stinger an alusory target, even for the advanced tri-droid fighters used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems .

The Stinger was a standard utility craft ubiquitous throughout the Ursean Security Force military, though expensive to produce and used by Lord Vader in his Imperial fleet. The Stinger has 2 retractable wings, which can be lower or lifted by a range of 60 degrees, a wing span that is quite impressive, but the early versions manifested the deficiencies and begged for a resiliant shielding system. Because they serve many purposes, the command cabin was quite cramped. A keel and variable dorsal "hump", gave it a slight but certainly sleeker resemblance to the Imperial Lambda class shuttles, only with an extra wing. The wings, nose, and dorsal hump all were covered in slight ridges of tubercles as were the Ursean star destroyers. The tubercles improved the fluid dynamics of the craft to a highly appreciable degree. The keel made the craft aquatic as well. Yet, the keel had aerodynamic purpose as a stabilizer and for thrust. The wing configuration could be varied depending on their use in thrust direction. When landing, the out wing could be folded upwards when docked.The Stinger was designed as both a small missile ship and transport and could carry over 100 tons or 20 soldiers. It also had a crew of six: a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, communications officer, gunner, and engineer. A shuttle could also be piloted by a skeleton crew consisting of a single officer during emergencies, if he was well trained. Equipped with a Class 1 hyperdrive it could ferry or escort the Royal yacht or transport any important item or personage with confident security across the Galaxy.

The Stinger was well-armed, with three double blaster cannons (one rear-mounted) and armed with ten laser cannons. It was also protected by a powerful deflector shield which was powered by multiple generators. It was covered by a heavily reinforced hull capable of deflecting laser fire. In fact, so well armed was the Stinger that it was able to travel across the Galaxy without an escort, thus making it suitable for covert operations.
First introduced in 43 BBY by an engineer from Thermopolae, who by popular tale had come up with the basic overall schema while observing a large sea creature indigenous ot his planet. Originally known as a Stingray, but pilot’s quickly shortened it to “Stinger” due to her obvious “hit and run” abilities.

The Stinger was heavily armed and shielded and was also equipped with a cloaking device . Hence the name Stinger, for its swiftness and stealth. It was often used for reconnaissance and for tracking because of it highly effective and thorough sensor package. The USF, used to incursions in their wealthy system built highly adaptive, useful and efficient machines for an aggressive defense.

Stingers are also quite maneuverable and agile for their bulk with directional thrust engines that may be used to turn these craft quickly and sharply.
Heavily armed and shielded, the “Stinger” was well fitted to carry troops and weapons, provide support and deliver deadly fire, as well as perform ship boardings and hit heavily defended targets effectively.

Pash

 

OOC: Thank you

---

[b]IC: Captain Sohmer, Lieutenant Acoveti, Major Merch, Colonel Sin[/b], [i]Krayt?s Fire[/i] bridge
[color=red]Location: Imperial Centre space, Sector Zero[/color]


Sohmer started barking orders from in the pit, to his crew and peers up on the command walkway, guarding the Ready Room door.

?Lieutenant Avoceti, get Colonel Sin out of my ready room, and tell him, if he gets any water over my bridge, we are spacing his choob.?

?Yes sir!?

?And Lieutenant??

The young recruit?s face appeared over the edge of the deck, as he leaned over to look down at his commander. ?Sir??

?For the duration, Colonel Sin remains the exception to our ?don?t be cheeky to superior officers? directive.?

Avoceti nodded and grinned with enthusiasm. ?Yes sir. And thank you, sir!? He turned and rapped on the durasteel barrier. ?Coo-eee! We are coming in, five minutes. Captain Sohmer advises that, if you get any water over his nice bridge, we are spacing you.?

?[color=red][b][i]How am I supposed to control the water?[/i][/b][/color]? The Sith Marauder demanded from the other side of the door.

?Not [u]my[/u] problem. Use the Force or something.?

Sohmer rose up on tiptoe to see his Intelligence counterpart. ?Major, ready a shuttle; we are taking the Emperor?s remains to the surface.?

?Err, isn?t that bit risky. A lot of firepower, hereabouts. Governor Tarkin may have allies amongst the fleet.?

?What do you suggest, we [i]beam[/i] him down?? The officer?s face clouded. ?I?m not sure why I even suggested that, unless the Empire perfected teleport tech while I was away.?

Merch did not rise to the bait. ?We keep His Majesty?s remains on the ?[i]Fire[/i]-?

Sohmer shook his head, ascending the steps out of the empty crew pit. ?Not an option. Lord Vader specifically requested we take them planetside.?

?Then we?ll have to land her.?

?Rriigghhtt! I?ll just comm? ahead and have them roll out the foam trucks, shall I??

The Major looked at the Naval officer curiously. ?Imperial-class spaceports actually have designated landing areas, large enough for Venators. Where you been??

Sohmer tapped himself in the chest. ?Me? Patrolling the edge of the galaxy in a Victory Star Destroyer. So the ?[i]Fire[/i] can make planetfall, can she?? He raised surprised eyebrows. ?[i]C?Boath on a bike[/i]; she must have feet like Sin?s!?

?[color=red][b][i]I heard that![/i][/b][/color]?

Sohmer turned to the Helm Station. ?Helm!?

?Yes, sir?? Called a voice from behind him, on fire-extinguisher duty.

Sohmer spun back to address the person. ?Back to your station, please. Run a telesponder sensor sweep for a [i]Mavras Maelstromin[/i], and slide us in behind her. And not in a creepy way, either.?

?Sir??

The captain rolled his eyes. ?I dunno, fly [i]casual[/i].? He stepped up onto the command walkway, eyeing his crew. ?In fact, everyone back to your stations, excepting Avoceti. I want Security up here to deal with the Colonel, and a platoon of jumptroopers as escort for the body.?

From what he had seen of the rocket-packed stormtrooper variants, down on Kalee, they seemed quite...handy.

[b]Tag: pashatemur, etc[/b]

 

OCC: Thanks to JL and to MoO for their contribution to these joint posts and effecting their timely posting.


IC: Lord Vader, Re Mavrat of Ursa and Provisional leader of the Galactic Empire, Captain Scyther Vectis, Ledaren Quinlan Vos, USF aid, Mira Solinova, Grand Admiral Magnus Carthaginian, Grand Admiral Teshik, Lord Admiral Julian Leitman, Admiral Coltan, Admiral Yularen, ICPD Chief Riek Supiro, General Lekhauf, Sabe Amidala II of Naboo, and Grand Vizier Pestage
LOCATION: Imperial Center, holo meeting, Ursen Embassy and from various points in orbit and around Coruscant

Anakin stood, arms folded over his chest as Scyther Vectis responded dutifully. His attention was hers. He was pleased she took the command with aplomb, her mind already on the task. He was well aware he could be demanding and that the good Captain had not even had a chance to stand down her group entirely. No one had. However, many events were beginning to converge and life was not waiting for any of them. He was about to verbally confirm the smile that he thought he wore, but which others hardly ever registered as more than half a smirk, when Captain Vectis made a request.

The word, 'Good' was on his lips and stopped as he inclined his head toward her image. While she'd answered the summons alert and trimmed for duty, he could see in her manner there was something weighing her words.

"If I may deviate from the subject at hand for just a few moments, I have some information that has come into my possession which I hope you find useful."

Magnus Carthaginian found his collar just a little too tight as one of his best Captain's stepped off the straight and narrow to beg time of her superior in an emergency conference to "deviate from the subject". He wasn't sure she'd really asked or if he was dreaming. /Please heaven and hell, this had better be germane./ he prayed under his breath.

Shifting, Anakin leaned forward a little. He considered quickly suggesting the matter could wait, but something urged him to listen, "Please, Captain, continue." he enjoined her and all eyes went to Scyther.

"Ensign Kim Charios, formerly of Obdurate, was placed aboard the Interdictor Huntress which was used as a medical ship for the major injury cases that had come off of Obdurate before it was destroyed. Ensign Charios was placed there by Captain Ivanov to make sure that the major injury cases were being treated well and nothing went amiss. Whilst on the bridge, he was given a datapad showing a HoloNet feed of what had happened at the Senate and the reason for the traffic lockdown as my group was unaware of what had happened"


/Sweet Corellia! Woman what 'fiddle' is this!"/ thought Magnus and he stepped in closer nodding, urging Scyther to continue.

Admiral Ozzel smiled as he knew once again, Vader had selected for gender and the woman was proving herself a ditherer in quite a public arena. It was a good day when Carthaginian looked the fool too! He wondered if the comely Captain would be the next 'conquest'. It was widely rumored, Vader had no lack of access to "Skirt."

Then Vectis' came to the point.

Even Vos found himself speaking aloud, "Republic Cruiser?"

"That's absurd!" scoffed Ozzel.

Captain Vectis raised an eyebrow at this comment. If it was as absurd as he thought, she wouldn't have brought this up and left it alone.

Anakin stood stock still, ready to speak, but the questions ruminating in his mind clamoured one over the other as he wrangled the new information into something coherent.

"How the deuce would that have gotten by us?" continued someone from Planetary Defense.

Teshik remained quiet, secretly promising to have someones head over this. How had this information gotten out to a Captain before it was brought to him. Sector Zero was his command! Interjecting quietly and with some little strain evidenced in his voice, "How indeed? The ship had to have been laying buried in some chemical soup of a bog in the Dead Zone or it's capable of …"

"...She was cloaked!" whispered Vos, voicing what everyone else was now considering. "Yes...cloaked!" said Anakin.

Teshik could be seen leaning out of the lens' range of his transponder.

"Who's command is responsible for that holo? I want that ship and that Captain," Teshik could be heard to say.

"Under whose command is Captain Illior?" asked another voice.

Anakin put up his hand. "You say Ensign Charios saw the Captain with a holocube after having seen the holonet feed and the same ship's image was on that cube?"

There were several possibilities which occurred to Anakin concerning the agency of whoever piloted the ship which had launched the missiles and none of them good.

Captain Vectis' confirmation came quickly enough.

“I can confirm that is the case, My Lord

"Well, easy enough…" said Anakin, as he alerted Lt. Solinova who responded immediately.

Her voice filtered through with a slight hiss of static. "Yes, minn Arri!"

"Captain Illior of the Imperial Interdictor Huntress, bring her into Conference." Anakin turned from the control panel and again looked to Scyther. "Captain Vectis, are any of your people still aboard Huntress? “


“Negative, I made sure that Captain Ivanov removed his personnel after we arrived at Coruscant. The major injury cases have since been shuttled down to the planet and Ensign Charios with the medical team have returned to the group. They are with Captain Madison and the Empire’s Will. Obdurate survivors are also all safely within my group and Captain Ivanov has taken joint command of Empire’s Will until a new ship becomes available or he can joint command with another Captain.”

“From whose command did Huntress come? Was she at the front?” The battle was scarcely two days previous and it already seemed another life time ago. Just why and how would Illior have a holocube with that same offending craft featured in it’s images? That was too convenient a happenstance. If she anticipated the event, then she was incriminated in the attack. If not, then she had to have looked up the image in response to recognizing it? Then why not report her concerns?

Captain Vectis paused, thinking for a moment before responding.

“The Huntress was under Captain Perrinaw’s command I believe, I have not spoken to the Wraithis since we have returned from Mygeeto. I sadly do not know whether she was under his direct command or whether she was accompanying him, but what I do know was that she was in charge of the reserve groups we had on standby should things turn nasty at Mygeeto.”

“Perrinaw?!” said Anakin in surprise. He didn’t know Perrinaw and his ship, Wraithis well, but he did not recall Huntress or Captin Illior being attached. The Admiralty was vast. It would be hard to know. Temporary battle groups were arranged and rearranged all the time. At least Perrinaw was another point of triangulation. He’d speak with Teshik after conference and the investigation would ensue under the Grand Admirals aegis.

In the communications booth, Solinova’s fingers flew over the key of her pad, and unconsciously, leaned into the mic of her headset to alert the Re that she had Huntress on channel now and would bus the call immediately after she raised an officer on bridge.

The others in conference looked to one another or began to find more information on their own, gradually overcoming the awkwardness of speaking in virtual conference and now communicated as quietly as they could with each other. The chamber filled with a low murmuring as Solinova’s voice had broken in to catch the Re’s attention.

A shadow darkened the table and crossed the length of the white marble parquetry of the Ursean Embassy floor. A VIP transport crossed high above and away in the east heading toward the north. The day was beginning and soon the traffic lanes would be fat with commuters. Morning was coming on.

“Excuse me, Captain,” said the young Emperor by provision to Scyther. He inclined his head and addressed the Ursean aid. “Lt. Solinova, belay the summons and convey my order to Huntress: Captain Illior is to report to Sector Zero Command, in person before Grand Admiral Teshik, effective immediately.”

The Grand Admiral was afforded a quick glance from Lord Vader and Teshik was left to nod that he heard the command and understood the inferred orders. The older man, then issued a directive to aid out of holo range and then returned his attention to the conference. Vader had anticipated Teshik’s own thoughts on the matter of Illior and Teshik, for his part noted it helped his confidence in throwing in his support behind the younger man. Reassurance was always welcome in such critic moments as these.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Solinova.

“Captain Vectis, I won’t keep you further; you’ve someplace to be. I’d like to speak with your Ensign Charios and with you after you’ve completed the escort. If all proceeds as planned, I’ll have to ask for a dance at the reception this evening. You’ll receive a formal invitation. I’m afraid it’s the earliest I’ll be able to speak with you again..” After the Empress was conveyed with some necessary pomp from the ship, he’d have to hot foot it to the Senate and make his address, with Celeste in tow.

Scyther bowed her head and smiled gently.

“It will once again be a pleasure My Lord, and I will make sure to have the Empress safe and sound for this evenings festivities. I will have a word with Captain Ivanov to have Ensign Charios available for you to speak to after the escort duties have been completed. I will wait for your invitation to the reception and hopefully I shall speak to you later on. Goodbye for now”

Captain Vectis saluted and disappeared from the conversation to begin her escort formation plans.

"Now, you have your orders on your datapads. Admiral Ozzel, you’ll reposition Executor and prepare for the escort’s entry. Chief Supiro, we will need the requisite traffic changes and details at the spaceport, now. Her Majesty Amidala will require another detail to cover medical transport to municipal forensics. You will see your office coordinates with her.” He gestured to Sabe’s image and then returned his gaze to Riek Supiro. “I understand General Lekhauf has already coordinated the 501st with your resources....Gentlemen, ladies, we’d best get to it!” said Anakin ending the conference to talk with Teshik about his seeking out Perrinaw and determine what and why Illior saw on that holocube, but Anakin conveyed his hunch that she would deny the cube’s existence. He hoped he was wrong...for her sake.

***

HIMS Interdictor Huntress, Lt. Solinov of the Office of the Imperial Executor...I am calling on behalf of the Executor. I must speak with Captain Illior...Lord Vader orders her to report in person to Grand Admiral Teshik at Sector Zero Command, effective immediately...”

TAG: Vectis, Sabe, Huntress bridge

 

IC: Lieutenant Ess Zaffi, Ewlla Iillor, Huntress bridge, and planetside
Location: Imperial Centre

Zaffi, known to his friends as "Zaf", was a swarthy-faced Corellian male, about 24 standard years, who paced the interdictor's bridge, hands behind his back.

He was troubled.

So, Wraithis had a tactical analyst, did they? One who had the captain's ear over there.
Well, he didn't know the woman, but knew of her successes at the just won Battle of Mygeeto.
She had recalled the officer's travelling over, due to her feeling that something was due to "go down", and Captain Iillor had yet to respond to his report of the occurence.

"Sir? Communication from the Ursean Embassy."

"On speaker." He called softly into the pits, turning to stop and listen.

"HIMS Interdictor Huntress, Lt. Solinov of the Office of the Imperial Executor...I am calling on behalf of the Executor. I must speak with Captain Illior...Lord Vader orders her to report in person to Grand Admiral Teshik at Sector Zero Command, effective immediately..."

Vader, eh. That was the VIP that had boarded them to investigate why Huntress' guns had fired upon an Emperor's Hand. Zaf considered the communique. "Acknowledge the message. And use the public address to ask the captain to contact the bridge."

"Sir. Ursean Embassy from Huntress, message received. We will advise the captain."

* * * *

Galactic City

The blonde captain stood behind the curved clear glase of a shower cubicle, one hand clutching the grey rubberised neck of the shower head, while the other pressed a small glass of a clear brown alchohol and two opaque ice cubes, brandeh apparently, to her forehead.

If she got through this, she'd have to apologise to that Detective Lockley. She had broken into the cop's apartment, and broken her shower. Frag!

On a positive note though, she had spent half-an-hour in a public holo-cafe, and booked a ticket for the next morning, on a transport going to Pantolomin.

That was her best chance for contacting Uncle Mitch, and, if he still lived, she hoped he was innocent of the attacks on the Senate and the other buildings, but, she knew that ship...., okay, she knew of one such Republic Cruiser, and she hadn't heard of a Corellian Engineering Corporation recall, so there should potentially be lots of them out there, though till now, she had not seen any for a long time.

Taking a sip of the brandeh, the harsh liquid warming her throat as it went down, Ewlla cast her mind back to Nadiem, where she'd been a mere lieutenant in the Republic Navy, helping to evacuate civilian farmers ahead of a Separatist occupation force.

The shower gurgled, snapping her drooping eyes open!

Hey, maybe she hadn't broken it after all; maybe it was a piece of *****!

Tag: Lieutenant Solinov

OOC: The Nadiem recollection refers to Star Wars...007 Series: Licence to Clone.

 

IC: Captain Scyther Vectis
Location: Captain?s quarter?s, VenSD Roadblock

I held the salute as I disappeared from the conference, but as the image of Lord Vader disappeared from my view, I put my head in my hands. I couldn’t believe it. Two big bombshells and my group would have no time to recover over the first shocking bit of news that the Emperor was dead. I’d have to be firm with them that they could think about it later and they’d have to be at their best for the reception this evening.

Although it depended on two factors, first whether we would get the Empress there in one piece and second as to who was invited. I already knew who would go as my escort; I needed one of them there at least to keep an eye on things.

But now, time to get moving. My legs were a little wobbly as I stood up, but I managed to get out the door and head back to the bridge. As I entered I saw Haji talking to Lord Admiral Xavier at the entrance to the bridge. I felt bad about ignoring him for now, but perhaps he could keep an eye on things going on around the formation as we escorted the Mavras down.

“She’s back” exclaimed Casrah with a grin, “Never thought I would be glad to see you sire”

I sat down in my Captain’s chair looking more serious than usual. There were greetings from the other Captain’s as they heard Casrah’s exclamation.

“I’m afraid I haven’t got such good news for you boys. I’m afraid I have to get right to the point as we have been given a very important mission by Lord Vader. Madison, where is Ivanov?”

“He went down to Hangar Bay 2; he’s debriefing Ensign Charios and Doctor Ashri as we speak.”

“Well tell him the debriefing will have to wait, get him up there with you now”

The seriousness in my voice was enough to spring Madison into action “Yes sir”.

“Whilst we wait for Ivanov, I’ll outline the mission for the rest of you. We are to escort the ship Mavras Maelstrom down to the Embassy spaceport; it has the Reina and the Emfanta of Ursa on board. Our priority is to make sure that the Reina arrives down there with no scratches whatsoever on her ship or without losing any of the USF escorts. We will also be joined by the VenSD Krayt’s Fire who will be in backstop position.”

I then slightly smiled “So Terric, since you are the tactics master, whilst we wait for Ivanov I want you to come up with a formation which will provide maximum protection for the Mavras. Delomeux, I want you to co-ordinate with your fellow Starfighter officers within the group as to provide an effective starfighter screen to fill in the gaps”

“I’m on it Captain, I’ll have it faster than you can say “Done it”” replied Terric with his usual cockiness. Sometimes I do want to slap him, but he is very good when you get past his flirty nature and Corellian charm. Delomeux just nodded and got on with it.

Around about five minutes later, Ivanov got onto the comm, he sounded like he had been running a mile.

“Sorry I’m late mein Kapitain, I had to beat every known speed record getting here”

“Well I’m glad you are here Ivanov, because I’ve got special jobs lined up for all of us” I then outlined what I had told the others about our mission to protect the Mavras.

“I have a bombshell to drop on you boys but I will leave that for a moment. Terric, what have you come up with?”

I could hear Terric’s pride swelling like a balloon on the other end, if this all pans out correctly I might just kiss him. Well, only a peck....

“Judging by the fact there is a wedge formation what you have mentioned for the Mavras and its escorts, it’s only fair we do the same. Since Empire’s Will has essentially nearly no starboard side, we place them on the left hand side flank. You sit on the right, and the two ISD’s behind flanking the Krayt’s Fire, so it has the firepower behind to help out. I will head up the front to make sure the path is clear and to look out for any problems ahead.”

“Good thinking Terric” I said rightfully impressed “And Delomeux can fit the starfighters snugly into the gaps. Well done, let’s hope this pulls off. And now for the bombshell I’m afraid” my voice turned grave and solemn.

Here we go....

“I have to inform you that our beloved Emperor has died. This was confirmed to me by Lord Vader in conference and he has now declared himself Emperor in order to fill the void so to speak. The Emperor died on the battlefield at Kalee against the CIS. No doubt opportunists would take this chance in order to make themselves Emperor, but we answer to Lord Vader”

Silence was heard over the comm, and even the bridge was silent apart from the usual beeping and computer noises. I hated being the bearer of bad news, and it was sure to dampen morale after the victory at Mygeeto. Oh well, time to get firm.

“I know you must be shocked and saddened by this news, I myself am too. But we have a job to do, and if it goes wrong in any way, we will all be for the chopping block, probably being busted down to the rank of floor sweeper before you can say “Sorry”. So I urge you now, move on, and grieve later. I know we didn’t all like him, but he was our leader, and without a leader the principles of the Empire die. We follow Carthagnian and Lord Vader and we stand up for the citizens of the Empire, and by making sure the Empress lands on Coruscant without a scratch”

“Time for the AllStars to shine, I’m all for that” replied Madison, his tone surprisingly firm despite his usual nervous nature.

“Well done, Madison, that’s the spirit” I said smiling proudly “now for your assignments. Terric, myself and Madison will be watchers, we will watch all sides of our flanks and in front to make sure all in our way move. Any problems and anything suspicious report it to me, and I don’t care if it’s an Imperial craft, make sure it is identified and told to mve away. Bahari, you’ll watch the back end. Arazov, I have a real treat for you”.

I was sure Arazov would like this, a chance to prove himself for the group.

“I have been given instructions by Lord Vader that the Krayt’s Fire is to be watched at all times, this is because this ship carries the remains of the Emperor for examination and cause of death analysis. If this ship deviates one centimetre from this course, or moves away from the escort when it should not, you will disable it, not destroy, just disable. If you need assistance, Bahari can come in, or I can call upon elements of Onslaught fleet to come down. Arazov, I know you will not let me down, and if Captain Sohmer values his position, then he will too”

“Ja Captain, it will be an honour” replied the soothing Ursean tones. I swear I could fall asleep to that voice, and in a good way.

“Ivanov, I also have a special job for you. You will be keeping contact with the Mavras at all times. This is important as we want to make sure there are no problems at all, either with the escort or around us. Also since you are Ursean, you’ll be able to convey more to him in Ursean than Basic, he’ll understand you more. His name is Captain Chekov”

“Understood Kapitain” replied Ivanov in his usual steely tones. I think losing Obdurate has just made him steelier, more determined and icier. This man is a blizzard sweeping through, you mess with him and you’ll basically freeze.

I wish he would smile just a little bit though, but his serious demeanour makes him unnerving to those who don’t know him.

“Also when we have finished with our task, Lord Vader would like to speak to Ensign Charios. Are you nearly finished with your debriefing?”

“Ja” Ivanov responded “I am just getting the final details cleaned up. I’ve sent him, Doctor Ashri and the medical team to rest for a while. I’ll send for him when we are done”

“Excellent. OK boys, time to put Terric’s formation into effect, warn other ships to move out of the way so we can get this done in a neat and tidy way. Alright, move out”

As my ships began to move out, I thought about us coming down into Coruscant with the Empresses ship safely in our formation, how it would look to hose on the ground. Yes we were showing the might of the Imperial Navy, but my ships looked like they had been to the seventh circle of hell and back. No doubt that people would use this chance to possibly attack and it was up to us to show that we could repel it.

I wasn’t too sure about the Krayt’s Fire, I didn’t need another ghost ship around near my group again.

“Delomeux, how are plans progressing at the starfighter end of things ? ”

Delomeux, a fellow Coruscanti like me looked over in my direction. A former starfighter pilot himself, he knew what it was like to pilot a fighter and all the fortunes of war.

“We have a consensus that we should use TIE fighters, interceptors and USF Birds on the formation. USF Stingers to be in reserve to fill the gaps along with the V wings. Any ship that comes within a one mile radius of us will be scanned and checked, two to three starfighters to peel off and investigate should any ship not heed the warning to turn about. Ships will be disabled if the warning is not heeded”.

Delomeux is thorough; I like that in a commander. He and Terric could probably talk tactics all day.

It took us around about half an hour to get ready, placing ourselves in formation around where the Mavras was. Poor Madison had to make sure he didn’t bump into anything, little bits of his starboard side were still falling off. Bahari was actually the first to slot into position and was giving Madison helpful directions, but I detected that a hint of Bahari’s nervous nature was creeping in. He was keeping it buried for now, but I was sure when it came down to him being back in his quarters, his old personality would come flooding back.

Terric, sounding a little wobbly himself, which was worrying, slid to the front.

“All Captain’s” I said calmly “Status”

“Madison, Empire’s Will, ready”

“Terric, Unstoppable, ready to get this show on the road”

“Bahari, Peace Keeper, watching your backs”

“Arazov, Danger Zone, ready”

“Ivanov, Obdurate/Empire’s Will, standing by”

“Good, Delomeux, launch starfighters when you are ready. Ivanov, contact Chekov and inform them we are ready to descend when they are. Comms, get me Krayt’s Fire”

As I waited for comms to signal to the other Venator, Ivanov’s voice came over the group channel in Ursean. It sounded a very authoritarian language, the way he pronounced the words made it sound like what he was saying was an order.

“Mavras Maelstrom, this is Captain Ivanov representing the group Vectis AllStars from Lord Vader’s Onslaught fleet. We have been asked to escort you down to the planet, and we have formed an additional escort around yours. We are ready to descent at your command. I will be keeping in contact with you as we descend, and the other group Captain’s will inform me as to any changes.”

Meanwhile the comm officer had signalled a connection to the Krayt’s Fire.

“Captain Sohmer of the Krayt’s Fire, this is Captain Scyther Vectis of the Roadblock, commander of the Vectis AllStars. I will be brief and blunt here. You are to stay in backstop position at all times; you will not leave the group until I deem it safe to do so. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious and I mean anything. Our overall goal is to make sure the Empress gets down there in one piece and that the Emperor’s remains also do so. I have faith you will not disappoint me, because if you do, I will make sure you go down for it”.

I was defiantly in a mood not to be messed about.

TAG: Krayt’s Fire, Mavras Maelstrom, Lord Admiral Xavier

 

Apologies for the delay but I ll be coming up with a post shortly.

 

OOC: J_L, that was a very good post, with some good, practical tactics. Nice observations about Scyther's people too.

The Avoceti/Merch exchange is lifted from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with, I believe, Xander, Willow, and Mr Giles.


IC: Captain Sohmer, Commander Merch, Lieutenant Avoceti, bridge of the Venator-class Star Destroyer, Krayt?s Fire
Location Imperial Centre space


A level of decorum had returned to the star destroyer bridge, with the command crew mostly back at their stations.

Lieutenant Avoceti was squatting by the still-sealed Ready Room door, rapping knuckles onto the cool durasteel while having one ear pressed up against it. Apparently he could do that to tell how high the water was on the other side, in case Sin was unable to keep it back when the door opened.

Plan B was to have a tech crew cut a hole in the door above the water line, and make the scarlet-clad fragger climb out.

Sohmer lounged in the command chair, watching the long stream of inbound ships wheel slowly past the triangular windows as the 'Fire nosed round after the unconventionally organic form of the 712 metre Mavras Maestrom.

The command chair was full of surprises. Though he had yet to find the fridge for the beers, a synthleather cover had slid aside in the left armrest, and a rectangular blue screen had angled up to face him, giving him one of the views being relayed from the helm, though he understood he could scroll through other views if he got bored enough.

Right now, it showed a view of the distant Ursean vessel's right rear flank, and a triangular red navigational recticle flashed close to the shape, scrolling aurabesh numbers gave their distance to the other vessel?s rear.
Half an hour after achieving the back stop position, a coherent group of SDs arranged themselves round the Ursean cruiser, presumably arranged separately by Lord Vader. Two flanked the Venator on either side.

"Captain, the Roadblock is hailing us." The ComScan operator called up.

"On speaker." He had no secrets from this shift now. He had lost a ready room, but it had been a bonding experience.

"Captain Sohmer of the Krayt's Fire, this is Captain Scyther Vectis of the Roadblock, commander of the Vectis AllStars."

Nice voice. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Captain."

"I will be brief and blunt here. You are to stay in backstop position at all times; you will not leave the group until I deem it safe to do so. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious and I mean anything. Our overall goal is to make sure the Empress gets down there in one piece and that the Emperor?s remains also do so."

Sohmer and the ORIC head exchanged startled glances, .

Merch leaned over and muted the comm, then asked incredulously, "Did the silly S-L-I-T-C-H just say 'Emperor's remains' over an open comm frequency"

"Well, she didn?t identify us specifically, but still, it wasn't good. And we?re all old enough here that there is no point spelling rude words, Commander."

Behind them, Avoceti frowned. "Slitca? What's a slitca?"

The two commanders stared, then toggled the comm open.

?I have faith you will not disappoint me, because if you do, I will make sure you go down for it.?

He rolled his eyes. What was it with ImpStar? captains and thinking they could threaten their supposed peers? He didn't actually know what she was flying, but he'd put creds on it being Imperial-class.
He didn?t have a whole lot of ego, and maybe that would change as he settled into the command that had been forced on him, but either way, it was not good to have his crew hear him being spoken to this way by the rude slitca.

Sohmer could have told this Vectisthat he had already been threatened by Grand Moff Tarkin, and a Sith Marauder with big feet. He could have told her that thanks to Tarkin, his ship was no longer Imperial Navy, but Outer Rim Intelligence’.
He could have told her that he was being entrusted with the operation, precisely because he did not bow to threats.

Stony faced, Sohmer pressed the button to transmit. “Do not presume to threaten me, Your Highness. You are not on any mercy mission this time.” That was her told, so now he could afford a slight lilt of good humour. “Oh wait, you are. Carry on. So, yeah, my vessel is at your command, Captain, though we could do with a snatch squad of, what are those, C-50 missile ships, that I can personally direct towards any trouble?”

Tag: Captain Scyther “Your Highness” Vectis, all

 

IC: Mon Mothma of Chandrila, Admiral Ackbar, Capt. Biggs Darklighter, General Yueh (NRC)
Location: Rebel Alliance Base, Yavin IV

The base on the Yavin moon was a hive of activity on a daily basis. Officers, soldiers, technicians, and many others dutifully and efficiently bustled around the immense hidden base, tending to their respective duties. Citizens of countless worlds of numerous species, in all shapes and sizes moved about, communicating in the many languages of their particular homeworlds. However as thousands passed by The Great Temple, by far the largest of the ancient Sith structures that the Rebel Alliance had converted into part of their sprawling base, which contained most of the most important administrative facilities, little did they realize the importance of the conversation that was taking place deep within the bowels of the stone edifice.

Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar and Biggs Darklighter all listened intently as they sat before the gathered members of the Alliance High Command and other officials who had been included in the meeting of logistical purposes. General Torian and the Jedi Master Shuri had just finished expounding their concerns and questions on what to do next as reports from Coruscant trickled in and the momentous events taking place in the veritable ?capital? of the galaxy, when the always eager General Yueh, cleared his voice and dove headlong into the conversation:

“Well, whatever we decide to do, I think we need to do it as quickly as possible,” he began with aplomb, unconcerned that just minutes before the Supreme Commander of the Alliance had berated him strongly. Perhaps it was his being brought up in the military and his familiarity with the bluntness of military folk that disallowed him from being too affected.

“The empire is on its heels right now, and whether we do something more overt as I have been advocating or whether the action is covert, we do not have time to be discussing this in committee,” he said as he glanced momentarily at Mon Mothma and then the Jedi Master. He considered politicians more talk than action, and the Jedi he considered to be too willing to meditate upon the mysterious “force” as they allowed opportunities to pass them by.

A moment of awkward silence pervaded the room which was broken by the slight stood up from her seat smoothly to speak:

"I agree on this count with General Yueh," she said with a quick glance back to the General.

“Unless there is a strong objection from General Darkeyes and the Council,” she continued, her words flowing with quiet strength, “I am determined to go to Coruscant, undercover of course....,” she stated.

"We have received reports from our agents that the Senators of the former Separatist systems are being recalled to ease along their re-integration into the Empire," she informed them with eagerness.

“Needless to say, many of these systems will still be harboring some reservations and it is imperative to determine who the “friendlies” out there are.” Taking her seat once more, she furthered a thought, “I worked along many of these Senators in the Old Republic Senate,” she finished.

“Bah....” General Yueh, interjected angrily. “The Separatists are no better than the Imps!”

Admiral Ackbar threw in his lot in support of the Chandrilian Senator:

“It is true that the Separatist leaders were guilty of many things, but I think we can all agree that many of the systems in the Confederacy were simply puppets in the grand schemes of a certain few,” he furthered in a most statesman-like way. “They found many systems who wanted a change from the way things were being handled with the Old Republic and they took advantage,” he finished with a nod as he leaned back into his chair.

Thinking a few more moments, he did raise one concern:

“However, Senator,” he began with apprehension, “You do realize you are a wanted criminal in the Empire, right? You and anyone with you would be in mortal danger at all times. Perhaps we could send someone else or have Senator Organa field this one,” he furthered.

Without hesitation, Biggs who had been listening attentively, interjected with a youthful vigor, “Can I come along, Senator? I’m pretty handy with a blaster and you do need a pilot after all...,” he said with an askew glance to Admiral Ackbar.

To be continued...

TAG: All those gathered in the Alliance High Command Conference Chamber.

 

OOC: Forgive the delay. Hello Argen! Great to see your post and thank you Sithy and JL.

Pash

IC: Lord Vader, Re Mavrat of Ursa and Provisional leader of the Galactic Empire, Ledaren Quinlan Vos, USF aid, Mira Solinova, Grand Admiral Teshik, Admiral Coltan
LOCATION: Imperial Center, holo meeting, Ursen Embassy and from Sector Zero Command

"Very Good, Huntress! I shall report Captain Illior has been so advised...." The blond Ursean aide signed off and began closing the secured conference frequency, her cohort in the plexi chamber next to her sending the notice on to Zero Sector Command and to the Re, as one by one each individual confirmed their orders, some more willing in heart than others. Solinova?s report was succinct and Teshik believed he'd hear from the Captain of the Huntress shortly. In the meantime report had been made relayed from Derra that Admiral Veroti was making good time returning with the Union's Duchess Atreides and could be expected in system by the next half cycle.

“Alright then, show me what you’ve got,” said Teshik stepping from the dais to watch the holo footage of the terrorist ship that he’d missed earlier. He leaned in to the holo as he watched. The venerable Grand Admiral was certainly familiar with the class of ship and its colors; Teshik had been an office of the Galactic Republic far many more years than of the Empire. He watched in concentration trying to make coherence from a murky thought as yet without complete form.

***

“I’ll be where you need me, young one!” said brother Vos knowingly. “I’d say my mandate’s a matter of ‘learn and adapt.’”

It wasn’t the Sheiftain’s habit to linger or move with the political pack. It was not his suited sphere, but everyone grows older, mellows, and a certain wisdom came in understanding the path before one was not only subject to one’s will in degree, but that one must learn between a worthy battle and a tide of influence. Thus, without providing his train of thought he added wryly, “Ever been surfing?” He nodded to “Skywalker” and gestured with some embellishment for the Emperor to precede him.

Anakin cocked his head for a moment and then, falling in step, said, gesturing, “N’ahhh, no, age before beauty! Let it not be said, Brother, that I did not bear due respect.”

Quinlan snorted and looked to his biceps, "What's not so beautiful?"

Anakin shook his head. "Now, now! Humility, my Brother!"

"When roughed up and experienced you are, vanity is a plaything!" said Vos with his dry signature chuckle.

Lord Admiral Coltan joined the growing entourage of the Emperor. “Your escort awaits, minn Arri. General Lekhauf and the municipals have already cordoned off the transit lanes and Planetary Defense have responded too. The Empress’ ship is awaited by the 501st. Your personal transport is standing by...”

“I’m taking a swoop, Lord Admiral. I can get there a lot faster than the escort…”replied Anakin striding ahead of the USF commander.

“Is that wise....” The Admiral asked urgently, his thick Ursean accent revealed with the stress. Vos gave the elder man a quick glance. “Relax, Admiral, I’ll see he arrives all in one piece.”

Vos smiled to himself. The Re moved ahead with all the verve of a bridegroom.

The entourage pressed on pushing the Admiral before them while the Ledaren quickly caught up with the Re far down the colonnaded marble halls of the Ursean Embassy.


TAG: open

 

IC: Reina Marie-Celeste, Enfanta Sophia Anastasia, Captain Sten Chekov
LOCATION: aboard the Mavras Maelstrom in escort ready to enter Coruscant?s atmosphere

Aboard the Mavras Maelstrom, the thrum of the engines was a low hum, the bridge alert and Captain Chekov smiled with recognition and leaned forward from his observation of the helm to reply cordially himself to Ivanov, a fellow Ursean in Imperial service. He did not know Ivanov personally, but the young captain knew of Ivanov's reputation for steely courage. He was honored.

The Reina Marie-Celeste and the Enfanta entered, the Empress? satin skirts skimming the polished deck with a whisper as the fine fabric rustled with the even movement her smooth gait. The Enfanta left her mother?s side to continue with bare decorum to the semi circular viewport which wrapped around the forward part of the bridge and provided a stunning view of the glimmering capital world before them. She leaned eagerly forward on tiptoe, her fine fingers curled over the protective ledge. Her father had been badly hurt, that much she knew, but he was recovering. With a child's exuberance and boundless optimism, she smiled and hopped from one foot to the other in anticipation of the reunion.

Celeste glanced in surprise to the dark haired Captain at the sound of Ivanov?s voice coming over the public address system. Chekov was responding.

"Adjö , Kapten Ivanov. Den här er Kapten Sten Chekov om HMS USF Mavras Malström. Den er fint till höra den orden av en karl system's-besätta. Vi förstå och lovorda vår resa till din ledning. Vi har sanering och vi är klar till göra intrade. Du har vår helm's uppmärksamhet. Vi skal förtsätta på din befalla , Över och Grusse Seele , Kapten."

Ivanov, though in the employ of the Imperial Navy was not long from his home that he would not understand Chekov's warm words of greeting and confirmation to say, "Good day, Captain Ivanov. This is Captain Sten Chekov of the HMS USF Mavras Maelstrom. It is good to hear the words of a fellow system man. We understand and commend our journey to your guidance. We have clearance and are ready to make entry. You have our helm's attention. We shall proceed on your command, Over and Grusse Seele, Captain."

The Enfanta Sophia stood in outline at the port, her long dark tresses about her shoulders and waist like a silken chestnut colored capelet, her silver embroidered grey silk gown, a replica of her mother?s. She did not note it as something out of the ordinary that she felt her father down below on the gold glittering planet but her heart raced and she struggled to hold her poise in a manner of discipline. So many prescribed points of etiquette: the hem of one's gown should 'sweep' the floor, one stands with calm, one does not fidget - idle hands and minds make for poor decisions! Yet, she bobbed and bounced now whether she knew or not. She could almost feel her father lift her into the air now.

Celeste too sensed the Re’s presence and reached for him and in reaching felt that of others in the Force. These were strange and fragile times! Celeste closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. She would not reflect the nervous excitement or concern welling around her. Sometimes, one was required to betake the vestige of serenity even if one did not feel secure in any particular peace and just now she murmured as did her daughter, “I wish we were already there with you, my Lord.”

She looked over her shoulder in surprise at sensing Sin’s presence too, but rather than linger on the pervasive questions, she too strode to the viewport to gaze eagerly out at the planet and the ships now floating gracefully into positions about them.

TAG: Ivanov, Allstars, Vectis, Krayt’s Fire, Sin, all

 

Name: Infarius
--Age: 28
---Gender: Male
----Species: human
-----Eye Color: gray/red
------Hair Color and Style: Short cropped hair
-------Skin Complexion: very pale
--------Clothing: traditional master robes
---------Physique: 6'1 259lbs
----------Personality: Charming, Sarcastic
-----------Quirks:
------------Force Sensitive: Yes


Biography
-Brief History: Once a leader of a local Militia on Corellia, Infarius was mortally wounded by a rouge Jedi. He is partially bionic. His entire Right arm and his right lung are bionic, the lower half of his face is covered in a vocabulater and rebreather. Though he knows he must be force sensitive, he is still raw. He has honed his reflexes and has some native abilities such as telekenesis, but he is relatively untrained. He is entering the Naval Academy in hopes that he will be recognized and trained by the only force sensitive still sanctioned by the Empire, Lord Darth Vader. Infarius worked his way up to Lt. Col. in the navy and eventually did meet Darth Vader, although when he met him, it was not as he expected. Lord Vader taught him to quiet his mind and shut others out, but Ben felt something inside of Vader. Hope, Good, Love. Through Visions Ben was able to ascertain that Luke was still alive, and on Tatooine. Vader sent him after Luke, to bring him back, but Ben could not do it. The good inside of him was growing. He knew that he had to get Luke out of there. There he met the Jedi master, Obi-Wan kenobi. Kenobi felt the good inside of Ben and stayed his hand. They contacted Lukes mother, Padme Amidala for escort. During their escape Ben used the Force to pilot his ship and destroy a few tie's. Ben escorted the Lars' and Luke to Ossus, where he met Yoda and Aayla Secura. Yoda assigned him as padawan to Secura. However, he fell in love with her. Shortly after Secura and Ben went to The Ursa system to come to the rescue of Obi Wan and Vos. They helped the Kavala escape the clutches of the Balck Sun and get to Sabine. Other help that was unexpected was Vader. He piloted the escape ship. Ben then Went to Kevala and met with Vader, where he tried to convince Vader of Love. Vader rejected him, and he left. He returned to Ossus and underwent surgery that restored his body. Whole again, he met with the Jedi on Dagobah, where he was greeted by a loving Secura. After some discussion the Jedi forbidance of marriages was lifted and Ben and Aayla were wed. They soon had a son, Kal-El Secura-Infarius. It was not to last however when Aayla was killed aboard the Jedi vessel Haven in a terrorist attack carried out by Price Xizor and the Black Sun. While in Bacta after the attack he had a vision of disaster brought about by seeking revenge on Xizor. He also was able to speak to his wife who came to him in the same vision which allowed him to overcome his grief and try to get back to some semblance of normal, both for him self and his son. After landing on Yavin IV and conferring with General Torian and Emi-To Shuri about his visions of the future He returned to his room. Though he had returned almost to normal in his acting he still felt something was off and led by the force he gathered his equipment and headed off into the thick forest surrounding the compound to meditate.





--Military History: 7 years in Correlian Militia
---Traumatic Experiences: See above

Jedi/Sith/General Grievous Only
-Lightsaber Blade Color: One is silver, the other is Blue, he also has the lightwhip
--Lightsaber Type: Uses one normal length saber in his right hand (Blue) and one that is about eight inches long (silver) in his left
---Hilt Description: Both Hilt are featureless and black with one red power button

OOC: It has been a great while since I have been here but I thought it was time to come back. Initial post to follow.

 

IC: Grand Master Emi-to Shuri
LOCATION: ARR Yavin IV base the Great Temple conference room

Emi looked up to the determined Chandrillan Senator and smiled subtly at Captain Darklighter?s enthusiasm. The Jedi Master could not offer herself to go with Mothma to Corsucant; Emi-to Shuri was the Yavin Jedi?s link to the original order now that the Jedi were split up and Master Yoda away. There was someone she could think of to go, but it would mean a hardship for the recovering Nashtah.

In silence, she waited to see the response of the others. It would be best to speak with Master Jinn alone before offering him to accompany Mon. Emi would catch Mon Mothma after the conference and suggest there might be a Jedi in her company, but that she?d need to speak with the Master first.

The Master sat up in her saffron Jedi robes, her turquoise eyes on the Senator in attentive contemplation.

Even as the meeting was concluding, Emi would be content to quietly lingered and catch Mon Mothma?s attention


TAG: ARR conference, Mon Mothma, Biggs, Ackbar, Matrix, Torian, etc.

 

OOC: Forgot to put this on the cs but I DO have Pash's stamp of approval to be back . Also just to be clear the time frame of this is meant to be so that He arrives just at the end of the meeting.

IC: Ben Infarius
Location:Forest of Yavin


Ben suddenly opened his eyes. He was lying on his back somewhere in the middle of the woods. He had no idea how he came to be on the ground,nor how long he had been there. He sat up and crossed his legs, trying to shake away the cobwebs and blink away the brightness of waking consciousness.

Once his head and vision were clear he tried to remember what happened. He remember being felt led to enter the forest to meditate on the events of the past week and to try and center himself. Ben had gathered some equipment and headed into the forest. He remembered hiking for maybe an hour and then waking up here.

Ben looked down at his wrist chrono but it had stopped at about the time he seemed to have blacked out. He let out a long breath and let himself be taken by the force and as he did this he saw flashes. Fragments really no more than a few seconds a piece.

**A LARGE SPACE STATION EXPLODING**

**THE BODY OF AN OLD MAN IN BLACK ROBES**

**A BUILDING BEING BOMBED ON CORUSANT**

Ben realized that though he didn't know exactly what it was, the fact was that some important things had happened while he was here and he needed to get back. He got to his feet and gathered his equipment. Using the force he returned to his stateroom at top speed.

After grabbing a quick shower, he decided to look for Torian. He went first to the mess hall and was told there by a soldier he didn't know that Torian and Emi-to were called off to the Command Center. After inquiring about it's location as he hadn't had a chance to study any kind of map of the installation, he headed straight for the elevator that would lead him to the conference room that was three floors below the C&C.

As the doors opened he heard the one called Biggs say ?Can I come along, Senator? I?m pretty handy with a blaster and you do need a pilot after all?" The guards stopped him from entering farther into the room but he was still within speaking distance.

"Come along where? What did I miss?"

Tag: Emi-To, Torian, Mon Mothma, General Ackbar, Biggs, Yeuh, anyone else I missed

 

OOC: Was that Xizor's skyhook? Was it? Was it?

---

[b]IC: Colonel Sin, Lieutenant Avoceti, Captain Sohmer[/b], [i]Krayt?s Fire[/i] Ready Room and Bridge.

The water-logged Sith Marauder had waded from the now silent communicator, to the door, and splayed his hand in accordance with the muffled instructions from the other side.

?[color=red]Okay,[/color]? He called through the slick durasteel door. Once he made peace with [b]Anakin[/b], he was going to come back here and slaughter all these mo-

?[color=chocolate][i]Now place your hand on the door, just above the water line.[/i][/color]? Someone advised from the other side of the door. Not Sohmer or Merch, he surmised.

Sin did as requested, putting his open palm against the door. ?[color=darkred]Done.[/color]?

He paused, sensing that across space, the [b]Reina[/b] had sensed him too. He shut down, deliberately extinguishing his Force signature, lest she accidentally sense just what these Force-blind peasants had him [i]doing[/i]. His eyes flared red as he subconsciously drew on the Dark Side of the Force.

?[color=chocolate][i]Okay, your hand in that position is going to be used as a term of measurement-[/i][/color]?

?[color=red]-called a ?hand?, yes.[/color]? Sin interrupted testily, ?[color=red]I am familiar with the practice. Used to measure the height of bantha, and other beasts of burden.[/color]?

?[color=chocolate][i]Good. Now measure three hands up from the water level.[/i][/color]?

?[color=red]Got it.[/color]?

?[color=chocolate][i]Right, use your lightsabre to cut a horizontal line there. The ends should be one hand in from either edge of the door.[/i][/color]?

Sin sensed a trap. ?[color=red]You are quite sure about this?[/color]?

?[color=chocolate][i]No harm will come to you for doing it, I promise.[/i][/color]?

?[color=red]Can I have that in writing?[/color]?

* * * *

On the bridge, [b]Captain Sohmer[/b] felt like he was being watched, while he in turn monitored his vessel?s progress within the [i]Mavras Maelstrom[/i] protection detail.

?Helm, keep her steady. Flank speed. Try not to back-end any of those corvettes."

?Keeping her steady, aye.?

"As the trailing vessel, it's our insurance premiums that would go up." He talked to disguise the tension. Under Palpatine, they could try swinging the idea of Imperial infallability, but this was A Brave New World, against ships from their new leader's adopted home system. And that woman captain would do her nut if they had to stop to exchange details. Anyway... "Gunnery, have our two most suitable batteries, aimed to our rear.?

?Yes sir.?

[b]Captain Vectis[/b] had not responded to his C-50 request. He [i]could[/i] put out what few manned starfighters and larties that he possessed, but he had a suspicion that opening the great red hangar that ran the length of the Venator?s nose, might earn his vessel a pre-emptive scuttling by the other star destroyer captains. If Vectis spoke to them like she spoke to him, they were probably as paranoid as choob-holes.

Eventually giving in to the feeling that he was being spied upon, the captain looked over his left shoulder to find the new lieutenant eyeballing him.

?What??

?[color=chocolate]Sir, he wants it in writing. That we won?t shoot him for damaging the door.[/color]?

?Fine. But he?s not going to be able to see it unless he does something to the door, so we can pass the flimsi through. Do not bother me with the details, lieutenant;? he waved back towards triangular viewports filled with several ray-shaped Mantel Stråle IXs of the [i]Mavras[/i]' inner security zone, ?I am a little busy.?

[b]Tag: Any concerned[/b]

 

~OOC~ Special thanks to Pashatemur and TheMaidofOrleans for this joint post between us.

Welcome Darth_GollumSmeagol!



~IC~ Commissar Ahsoka Tano and Artoo-Detoo
Location: Port - Senate District - Coruscant/Imperial Centre


The long purple shadows of residential and office towers created their own micro-climates. Ahsoka shivered slightly as the coming daylight was blocked and their location became subdued with shades of the lingering night. High above, the flickering blues of rare "dead space" on a giant commercial holo floating overhead reflected off the ferrocrete "canyon" walls and lit up the shadowed metroscape with brilliant artificial light. Big Yellow Aurabesh text flashed in the heavens, the script decorative and lavish, the title replete with lavish musical fanfare:

A Sphere Views exclusive: Anakin Skywalker, Lord Vader: the Hero who knows no Fear

The traffic below continued unabaited.

"...sponsored by Lukas Flimsies and Java the Hutt…"

The sound of horns, beeps, traffic signals and the general waking of denizens and opening of shops began to fill the air with sound.

"...THX, the 'X' is for extra sounnnnnnnnnd"

In translucent glowing holo "magic", a "talking head" was smiling with confidence out over the pedestrian way, commuters glancing up and bumping into one another every now and then to watch and listen over personal coms to the holo program. The jostling and bumping became so pronounced that even Ahsoka found herself glancing up at the resonant and jovial tones of a faintly familiar voice as it sounded over her com.

"Hello and good day, I'm Phomas Caime and this is another installment of "Sphere Views". Today and everyday, we present in depth perspectives of events and individuals around the galaxy who influence our lives. This morning from Imperial Center, we will present a biography of someone who?s not a newcomer to the holos and whose life has influenced the very shape of this Empire." said the holo veteran and recognized personality.

The more she heard his voice, the more she could place where she had heard it before. This was the holo journalist and documentarian whose voice was made well known, reporting from the battlefields and giving the holocast updates during the Clone Wars! Footnoting each operation that was allowed to be made public with a news reel recapping victorious triumphs and bitter defeats. For some reason he reminded her a bit of Admiral Yularen... must be the accent. She missed the title and was left to wonder curiously at the stares of the halted commuters around her. She glanced up.

Caime continued. "...And so today we begin our story not in the past but in the present with the top story of the week. The long and costly Clone Wars has finally ended in victory and with its end, a new beginning, for with its end came that of the once sharp witted and vaunted statesman from Naboo, former Grand Chancellor and ruler of this…"

"Pfft!" She almost laughed at how absurd and shook her head, "What would they know? Come along Artoo... we better get moving."

The com continued to transmit Caime's voice, but the noise of the traffic droned more heavily now.

".... Imperial Majesty, Palpatine... his passing, the dawning of a new era...not with this life...concern today's biography, such ... that story in the coming week... his life in battle and his trusted... take the reigns. It is the young Imperial...concern this installment. Thus, without further due…."

The major inlets to the Emperor Palpatine Spaceport yawned before Ahsoka and Artoo like three great mouths rising out of the paved plaza into which the pedestrian mall let out. They joined a streaming throng and entered one, air forced down in a rush to both create a curtain against the outside ambient air and temperature and to abrade and blow away dust and contaminants as commuters and goods entered the swank interior with it’s shiny storefront windows and eateries. The aroma of all manner of foods wafted and mingled with perfume and imported flowers, hooka smoke and urine!

Footsteps and hover repulsors resonated beneath the white noise of the crowd. One entered such complexes and felt excited by the promise of adventure and the comfort and sense that all was right with the universe and every commodity was only a credit away from one’s grasp.

Passing several eateries, crowds seem to be gathered around the counters or tables where commercial holo projected the same program, Caime’s voice echoing softly under all.

“… major and protracted ... most militarized and bloodiest wars the modern galaxy ... Lord ... been there from the beginning, a hero even at the young age of 10 ... captured the attention of our late Emperor for his pivotal contribution ...Federation’s occupation of Naboo, single-handedly ... the enemy and destroying a proto-type droid ...shutting down the entire mechanized invading army.”

Archived war holos taken at the time of the notorious blockade showed the small hero standing in Jedi robes next to a very benevolent Palpatine. Crowds cheered and banners waved against an azure sky in the background and now the beautiful young Queen of Naboo all in white was waving and conferring some sort of token of thanks. The holo slightly altered to obscure several individuals in the background wearing similar robes of course cream colored weave.

The journalist drawled on. “…made his famous maneuver against enemy fighters – a daring feat of piloting that put ...life at risk to attract the enemy into chase ... a barrage of tracking warheads. ...Reaper Crisis, then Commander Skywalker’s willingness to dare life and limb ...fearlessness particularly in destroying a Confederacy super weapon of particularly heinous…”

Ahsoka smiled ruefully. Like that’s really who we are! Her Master was so much more than this program was representing. It was not lost on her that the Jedi were noticeably obscured and there mention kept to a minimum. It wasn't that long ago they were singing the praise of the Jedi and how valiant they performed to safeguard the Republic!

Ahsoka and Artoo continued along the interconnecting passages that lead to the main port complex. Large windows allowed a breathtaking view of the cityscape. Everywhere were images of Anakin and battle scenes. Every juncture had a holo display, every branching thoroughfare. Some of the images flickering in the multiple screens were some she’d seen with her own eyes. At one point she could count no fewer than 12 screens broadcasting the same scenes!

As more adjoining passages connected to the path they walked, the more activity they came across. Her eyes widened slightly as she scanned the faces of each newcomer that crossed her path, looking for facial features that matched her ‘prey’. While the possibility of running into him would be slim by now, anything was possible.

“...the incessant onslaught of our enemies. Though the estimable AT-AT were proven invaluable there, the Battle of Jabiim saw the loss of many comrades for ...Virujansi give homage to their "warrior of the infinite,” Skywalker, for liberating them from…”

Before long, Ahsoka sensed the surge of movement just before arriving at a checkpoint. Lines and partitions separated and directed the steady influx of traffic. Her eyes flickered as her gaze traveled over the sea of people collected and surging at the gates. From beside her, Artoo gave a low coo before a sharp whistle.

“Thanks Artooie,” Ahsoka murmured as she spied the security node. She kept her hand on him so they wouldn’t be separated as they made their way across the surging currents of people and luggage. A pair of scarlet armoured Coruscanti officers stood at attention to the entryway of the node, as sentries watching silently over the checkpoint. Approaching them, Ahsoka gave a small wave to catch their attention. Their posture noticeably straightened.

"Hello, " she greeted them with a smile. "Would you care to assist me with something?” Ahsoka looked to both of their reflective visors. “ I am looking for a missing person that passed through here some time ago. I am on official business…"

There seemed to be some recognition from them and she was brought inside. Confirming her clearance and authorisation to carry a lightsaber, she related to them the description of Han Solo with visual aid projected by the Re’s astromech.

“We believe he had access to Ledaren Vos’ vessel, the ’Mortis Stellarus’… if we could pull up holo footage covering the previous fourteen hours…” It felt odd referring to Master Vos by that title.

The same holo program flickered away in the office and she found her attention taken by a set of startling images that made her both cringe and smile.

“... hampered the military’s ability to simply get from one end of the Galaxy to another. The Separatists strategy was to take Outer Rim resource-rich planets, such as Christophsis, starving our forces and incisively carving up the Galaxy for it’s insatiable war machine! Fortunately, our young leader, now a General, was there to liberate the planet and even show the “ropes” to his new young field Lieutenant.”

A very young Togruta with wide blue eyes and plenty of pluck flashes for an instant through the striated lines of holograph. She is clearly a Jedi and she wields two sabers, their fan-like after image flickering green as she moves from view with amazing speed and graceful though leggy moves.

Caim chimed in, “Even in the midst of battle mentoring was a key component of our new leader’s life.”

“Test piloting new craft, creative tactics and instructing those under his command, all in a days work,” said Caim with an artful chuckle. “It clearly goes a long way in inspiring others and gaining loyalty and respect,” he embellished. “Even his young learner attained notoriety on the field of battle during a CIS sabotage nearly stranded our hero and his troops when the plucky apprentice arrives with reinforcements to save the day!”

Some of the office clerics looked to Ahsoka in surprise and smiled suddenly nervous in the company of a war hero unexpectedly in their midsts.

It was bizarre witnessing footage of one’s younger self. Ahsoka could feel her cheeks warming at the added attention directed her way and also from that of the memory of those events. She could remember that day clearly and how ‘snippy’ she was towards her Master earning her the nickname he gave her.

Becoming more somber, Caime continued. “Shortly, after the Battle of Teth, Skywalker is generally considered a primary influence to the then, Hutt leader’s treaty with the Republic that granted the Grand Army much-needed access to Hutt Space hyperlanes.”

He saw intense fighting at the Battle Ryloth where his bravely drove off a key component of the CIS forces there by ramming the flagship of their military leader with a crippled starship.

Skywalker defeated Grievous at Bothawui, though the General escaped. It was at this time, Skywalker’s expertise in strategy, tactics and engineering saw modifications in armaments to his fleet Republic cruisers, making them more secure and effective in battle.

At Kaliida, he helped to destroy the CIS experimental destroyer Malevolence and ...thwarted the Confederacy’s attempt to invade Kamino... wounded at Quell and saw battle at Maridun where Separatists had been testing a new weapon... destroyed organic matter. Injured, Skywalker proved t... destroyed the prototype weapon.”

She’d feared loss and death for her Master then and Master Secura’s words came back to her. Turning her head away from the displays, at the edge of her peripheral vision she saw images relating to those battles, it was a bit disconcerting to see those events presented that way, with a disconnect that belied the peril and urgency she’d experienced there, the harsh reality of violence. Lowering her gaze, she watched over the shoulder of the officer who was processing her request as he searched through the registry for where the ’Mortis Stellarus’ had weighed ship. With their permission, she was allowed to have Artoo plug into the terminal and filter through the content.

“…However, heroism isn’t always in victory. Unfortunately, three major defeats turned the tide in favor of the Confederacy at Felucia, Devaron and Ukio... much contested over the years and the First Battle of Felucia was fought with overwhelming force by the Confederacy sending the Grand Army of the Republic away in defeat…”

And so many dead, thought Ahsoka.

“…grave casualties, but, Praesitlyn was returned to the Republic. It’s rumored Skywalker officiated a wedding at the end of this battle – lucky couple!

The major starship producer Core World of Rendili left the Republic to ally itself with the CIS. Its planetary defense fleet was composed of the then state-of-the-art Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruisers which attempted to flee ...thwarted…”

Ahsoka let out a small sigh. She had the sense that Cadet Solo’s “tracks” were growing cold.

“Just a moment longer, sir,” said the officer at the terminal. Ahsoka smiled and nodded.

Caime’s voice continued over the quiet clatter of the office.

“Intense fighting ensued on Ord Radama, Ossus, Ryloth and elsewhere in an effort to force the Confederacy to ground...”



“...Launching a pre-emptive assault on Boz Pity...Skywalker’s ingenuity along with his fellow Jedi quickly turned a crash landing into success... managed to secure the surface...after the important Battle of Praesitlyn, Anakin Skywalker, became the de facto "poster boy" of the war and was given the rank of Jedi Knight…”

She patted Artoo on his dome and smiled as the journalist went on to mention Koru Neimoidia, Belderone, Cato Neimoidia and Mygeeto, Saleucami, and on and on.

“…prevented many deaths on Coruscant by landing the flaming remnants of the escaped General Grievous’ dreadnaught, the Invisible Hand and the day after, lead the route of the treasonous Jedi...being gravely wounded on Mustafar, he fought in the Ursean campaign at the Second Battle of Malove and at the Battle of Gripsholme.”

Treasonous Jedi?! Yes, that was why she’d returned to her homeworld and lead such a strange existence. She’d been in exile
and now here she was and feeling the eyes of some in the room upon her she kept her focus and ignored the very confused air about her.

“…Of course, even the greatest of warriors pines for rest... wedded the lovely Reina and ward of our very own Emperor...coronation day...happy couple soon celebrated the birth of their first child, the exuberant and beautiful Enfanta Sophia Anastasia…”

Lifting her eyes to the display as she saw her Master before the woman from the portrait...Celeste... standing in the hall of a great cathedral. Moistening her lips as she watched the footage showing her Master...taking the crown from the woman’s outstretched hands and crowning himself?!? Shaking her head subtly, Ahsoka smirked lightly. Always eager and at the ready... though he could say the same about her, she thought knowingly.

“Oh dear, kids will do darnest things! The princess throws a tea party and dashing father is required to wear a fetching pink headdress!...Home life is short supply for the ever busy Executor... took part in the intense battles of Serapin... Duros, he prevented a run on the banks at Argau...again at Kamino and again at Cartao, Malachore V and in the Outer Rim. He engineered the 3rd battle of Felucia.



The battles of Kalee, Muunilist, and Mygeeto were the final push... The battle sieges lasted only hours, but for our men and women in uniform, it might as well have been the longest day in history, but how they are greeted. A rousing victory is ours...”

Amid cheers from those in the office congratulating one another once again on the end of the war, a high pitched whistle notified Ahsoka that the lil droid had found something. Bringing the surveillance data up on the screen, Ahsoka watched curiously at the footage of a young man stepping into frame on screen and approaching a tri- winged craft. Tilting her head, her chin resting against the palm of her left hand, her fingers closed, the knuckles slid in the curve under her bottom lip. Analysing his movements... the gait suggested some form of determination was driving him. Narrowing her eyes as she witness Solo stopping close to the hull, he was doing something though the shadow made it hard to make out what his hands were doing. She watched as the boarding ramp had lowered for him to board. A minute later there was a silhouette that could be seen through the cockpit’s viewport.

Waving her right hand for them to halt the playback. “Is it possible to focus on the cockpit?”

Artoo whistled a few notes, the officer nodded. “Yes...”

The image shimmered as it recalibrated the resolution to zoom the focus more on the cockpit. She could make out the figure more clearly now sitting down at the flight consoles though something out of view was captivating his attention. ‘Was he trying to hot-wire the ship? Was there something of importance there that he had stumbled upon?’ The footage continued on like this for a third of an hour, she couldn’t tell what he was trying to do but the body language suggested that he was frustrated about something. Then something unexpected occured... as intently as the young human on the screen had been absorbed, Solo abruptly rose and left the cockpit.

The footage zoomed back out to bring the rest of the ship back into view. Staring intently, trying to follow what might have happened, Ahsoka’s eyes darted to the activity at the boarding ramp as the young cadet disembarked the vessel, his body language was different as she watched him lock down the ship.

Ahsoka pursed her lips as she recognised the emotion as anger.

The display changed to different camera feeds as it tracked Solo making his way through the port and out onto the streets and then the camera returned to the its prior perspective following Solo no more. The surveillance didn’t extend to subjects and activity beyond a field just outside the port.

"That’s it, Commissar. We can match the time stamp with the external surveillance at the perimeter and match the subject's visual "ident" to contiguous surveillance if you've got a few minutes. With your clearance level, bet I won't have trouble accessing the municipal archives. We just keep matching time stamps as far was we can follow 'em. The kid get in trouble with the Palace or something?" asked the officer not really too interested in her answer and more intrigued by the challenge of matching time stamps, images of Cadet Solo and tracking his course further out and down into the lower reaches of Coruscant. "Oh...lost him. I'm going to run his ident with successive times and surveillance nodes on this level and say the next several down, since that seems to be the trend. I'd say a 30 kilometer radius in case he took transit." The municipal feeds became less reliable the further down into Coruscant Solo went and they lost him several more times. The officer shook his head and threw up a hand. "You know they gimme those cameras down there, try to break them. It's a bad place. Wonder what he was up to! Well, there you go, Commissar. That's his last known location. He's clearly on the run in that frame and there's something going on here. This figure here....Wish I could be more help. You've got the location there." he said pointing to a flimsy he printed up, reaching for it and handing it to the pretty Togruta.

Glancing to the time stamp, it was around the time she had arrived on Coruscant on board a Corellian Action IV transport and searching for her Master. ’So much could have happened since then, so much has already. Is he still on Coruscant? What was it that he saw that had upset him so much?’

Lowering her gaze, she caught the officer looking back at her. She smiled and tilted her head to the paused footage. “Thank you for your help.”

Lowering her left hand, she looked to Artoo who was still plugged into the terminal. They had learnt the direction Han Solo had taken when he left the port but not his destination. ’Were there clues aboard Master Vos’ ship that would shed light on where he could be going...? or what it was that angered him…?’

TAG: Open

 

OOC: Being the wonderful people they are I must thank Corellian Outrider and Pashatemur for the brillant writing. The credit is all theirs.

Currently, real life has me treading water up to my neck and I could not complete the above post. I asked for their aid and unselfishly Pash and CO came to my rescue.

They wrote the post far better than I ever could.

Thank you Co and Pash! A brillant story which adds depth and dimension to Coruscant and to Galaxy At War.

Thanks again!


TheMaidofOrleans

 

OOC: Welcome back DGS, nice to see you return.

IC: Captain Scyther Vectis
Location: Bridge, VenSD Roadblock

A cheeky one this one, Scyther mused, but I have no time to get into a verbal contest.

Being a woman in a commanding position was dangerous in the Imperial Navy, it seemed some men felt threatened by the fact that women could get to positions like this because of their skills and intelligence. A sad thought really.

Scyther waggled her finger at the comm as she spoke.

“Watch your language, there are young ladies present. I am not interested in getting into a verbal mudslinging match with you, but if you want to throw your testosterone about, be my guest”

She leant forward then, a wicked gleam in her eyes “Did’nt your mother ever tell you not to play with fire?”

Behind her Haji smiled, and down in the starboard crew pit, Casrah was struggling not to laugh. Delomeux gave her thumbs up.

“As to your request, I am having the C-50’s or Stingers as they are known by the USF being put on standby. My Head of Starfighters believes they should only be used in an emergency. However, the USF Birds are being put into service with the escort and will be used at the first sign of trouble. I can have them directed your way if you spot anything, I hope that is satisfactory. We shall hopefully be getting underway shortly, just follow the ships in front, by the way, I’m on the Venator on your left hand side in front. Good luck, and hopefully, nothing should come our way”.

Scyther then leaned back “Oh, and it’s “The Almighty” Scyther Vectis to you” she grinned wickedly “Roadblock out”

After she had signed off, there was laughter over the comm, the loudest coming from Terric.

“And the score at half time is Roadblock 1, Krayt’s Fire 0. And we’ll be right back after these messages” said Arazov.

“No manners” said Bahari “Shame, would have liked to teach him some as to how to behave around ladies”

“Being as you was a nobleman, you’d know about ladies” said Terric good naturedly, which no doubt caused Bahari to blush and set the others off laughing.

It was good for them to laugh now, they were moving on from the news about the Emperor’s death and for their morale, it would improve it surely.

“Alright boys, let’s focus” Scyther said bringing everything back to order “Won’t be long til the off, and once we get this job done you can all relax and party your pretty heads off”

“Hey, who said we were pretty?” said Madison which got them all laughing again. Meanwhile over the group channel, Ivanov was having the exchange with Captain Chekov of the Mavras. Scyther still couldn’t get over the authoritative tone of the language, it was downright scary.

“Ivanov, how’s things with the Mavras?” she asked after he had finished.

“All is well Captain, just finishing the pleasantries” Ivanov sounded like this happened all the time with his fellow Urseans “Captain Chekov says he commends their journey to our guidance, and that we have his helms attention. They have clearance and are ready to go on our command”

That quietened the others down, it was time to go. Scyther relaxed back into her seat, it was make or break time. Time to find out what would be in store for them and to make sure that it all ran like clockwork.

“Alright everyone stay calm, this is it. Keep speed slow and steady so that the escort can stay with us. Keep an eye on everything around you, let’s hope all goes well, good luck boys” she looked down to Delomeux “Launch TIE’S and Birds only, have all remaining pilots on standby”.

“Yes sir”

“All ships launch your Birds and TIE’s only, plug up the holes”

The aforementioned starfighters streaked out of their bays and began to form up in the gaps, the sleek USF Birds looking sharper than their Imperial counterparts.

“Starfighters ready” reported Delomeux a couple of minutes later, after receiving the same report from the other Heads of Starfighters in the AllStars group.

“Ivanov, we are ready” said Scyther, immediately afterwards Ivanov spoke to the Mavras again.

“Captain Ivanov to Captain Chekov, we will be underway shortly, keep this channel open at all times as I will be in constant contact with you. Good luck and we will get you down without a problem. Keep this frequency clear at all times”

“Terric, lead the way. Roll the ball”

She was entrusting the lead to Terric, being at the front, he would spot more than the others.

“All ships, on my mark, roll the ball. 3, 2, 1, go.”

Helm immediately brought the Roadblock into motion as it followed Terric in front, his engines bright as a beacon to follow. The helmsmen kept the speed to a minimum enabling the escort starfighters to keep the holes plugged and enabling the Mavras and its escorts to keep pace. With Ivanov watching the Mavras and Arazov watching the Krayt’s Fire both ships would be covered.

As they descended into the atmosphere Sensors kept a good eye on things on their side of the formation, whilst Terric was making reports of “All clear” every two minutes in order for them to know what was going on in front. The city planet looked beautiful as they descended, and even more so up close. The buildings towered high into the sky, seeming to be never ending as they descended into the depths. Scyther loved to call this place home.

She made sure to look at her screens and make sure the Krayt’s Fire was following, Arazov and Bahari were keeping good pace, and despite the fact their ships were slower than the Venator. Bahari had fought alongside Venators so he knew what to expect.

Unfortunately bits of Empire’s Will were still falling off from the starboard side, but it was a trickle now more than a shower. Scyther felt Haji standing behind her, still with the Lord Admiral no doubt, Scyther wondered what he made of this show.

What a sight we must look like Scyther mused, a ragtag of ships, and my ships looking horrendous. Oh well, better to be intact than in pieces.

They continued on, slowly making their way towards the Ursean Embassy.

TAG: Mavras Maelstrom, Krayt’s Fire, Lord Admiral Xavier.

 

OOC:
If Argen is ready, I can post something. Sorry for the delay.

Omi

 

IC: General Torian
Location: within the bowels of the Sith Temple on Yavin IV

?However, Senator,? he began with apprehension, ?You do realize you are a wanted criminal in the Empire, right? You and anyone with you would be in mortal danger at all times. Perhaps we could send someone else or have Senator Organa field this one,? he furthered.

Without hesitation, Biggs who had been listening attentively, interjected with a youthful vigor, ?Can I come along, Senator? I?m pretty handy with a blaster and you do need a pilot after all?,? he said with an askew glance to Admiral Ackbar.

It was settled then, the Chandrillian Senator and political leader of the Alliance was going back to the Lion?s Den to ascertain the state of the Empire and secretly meet with Senator Organa. A deadly mission to say the least, but necessary to collect the appropriate intel on Vader and the minions of the Imperial machine. Muscle and a strong mind would be needed to accompany Mon Mothma to Coruscant. Biggs was a great pilot, but the experience in cloak-and-dagger missions was lacking. However, Torian did not want to curb the kid?s enthusiasm for clandestine operations, he would need to go with her and provide security.

Although he would love to go, Torian?s face was well-known in Imperial circles and Vader had a clear portrait of what the General looked like as well. He would be a liability. But, another man came to mind?Matrix. He was just as strong as Torian and could fight his way out of any corner, while protecting those that needed protection. At last, another body guard should accompany the Senator, one whose skills could sense the irritable bowel of a Hutt, but use deadly force if needed.
Matrix would need to be pulled from his training evolutions and briefed on the operation. He looked at Emi-to, Jedi leader and wife of the Supreme Military Commander of the Alliance. She bore into his soul with her mind and found comfort in the fact he had removed himself from the mission, though other deadly missions would come up and he would be called out to play. While the Senator was sneaking around in the pit viper?s nest, he and a few others could reach out and see what other parts of the Galaxy were thinking of this pivotal turn of events in the Empire.

?I want Matrix pulled from his training and briefed on the upcoming mission with the Senator. Captain Biggs will be her escort and pilot. Fly casually when you arrive, I don?t want the pucker factor blowing up the shuttle from within. Our intelligence and black ops specialist will provide the necessary security codes to land on Coruscant, along with all the essential tools, clothing and weapons to keep everyone safe.?

"Come along where? What did I miss?"

Torian turned his chair around to see Jedi Infarius make his presence known. ?I was not aware you were part of the High Council Jedi.? The sarcasm was thick like Endor tree sap. He continued, ?But since you are here, I have a job for you.?

TAG: Mon Mothma, Captain Biggs, Emi-to Shuri, Infarius, Admiral Ackbar, General Yueh

 

IC: Ben
Location: Conference Room Yavin IV

?I was not aware you were part of the High Council Jedi.? Ben gave a half smile. Torian's voice was thick with sarcasm. ?But since you are here, I have a job for you.?

"Forgive me General" Ben began, walking a little farther into the room now that the guards had let him pass. "I simply heard that there was a big meeting on and thought I would see if there was anything I could do" Ben came to stand near to Emi-To, giving her a short nod. "I have been a little out of it for a few days and was unaware of the protocol for these meetings, I meant no offense."

Ben stopped speaking for a second and looked around the room. "I have to say though, nice digs, I am impressed." Realizing that he needed to come to the point he turned back to face Torian. "I have just had a rather strange experience in the woods and I thought it prudent to share some things with those in charge and see what they made of them."

Ben did not wait for an answer. "As some of you know from time to time I have the gift of...let's call it clear vision. Sometimes the past, sometimes the present, and yes sometimes even possible futures." He recalled the talk he had not long ago with Torian about seeking revenge on the Falleen Prince Xizor for the terrorist attack in which Ben's wife Aayla had perished.

"A few days ago I felt led by the Force to venture into the woods and meditate and get myself centered after the attack" Ben let out a sigh, as Blue's face suddenly flashed across his memory. "I remember hiking into the woods for maybe an hour and then I woke up just a short time ago. I still do not know how long I was out or what the cause or reason was for it." Ben began to pace back and forth. "I tried to remember right after I awoke and I saw three things, though only flashing fragments. Perhaps there are things that can further confirm things you have already gotten word of. I don't know as I am a bit out of the loop."

Ben walked over to one of the plush seats and sat down, closing his eyes and trying to remember as clearly as he could what he had seen. "The first thing I saw, and probably the thing I saw most clearly, possibly because of my link to the situation, was that of a large space station being destroyed." He looked up at Torian and smiled. "It was Xizor's Skyhook. Seems someone decided to get a little payback"

The Jedi Master shifted in his seat a bit and then continued. "The second fragment was that of the body of an old man in Jedi Robes. When I envision him I feel deeply the touch of the dark side. As completely as I felt that touch I believe this to be Palpatine himself, though that is just a guess on my part as I could not see his face."

After a long minute he stood once more and said "The last was that of a government building on Coruscant being bombed, though again I am not sure which building it was. It has been a while since I have been there."

"So there you have it, I am just a messenger of sorts, do what you will with the information."

Ben looked once more to Torian. "Forgive me once more, I believe that you said you had a job for me. I am ready to serve" he said, bowing his head to the General.

Tag: All in the Meeting

 

IC: Mon Mothma of Chandrila, Biggs Darklighter, Admiral Ackbar, General Yueh (NRC)
Location: Alliance Rebel Base, Yavin IV

Security on the hidden rebel base was unavoidably tight. The rebels had taken great pains to keep the center of their activity concealed from the prying eyes of the rest of the galaxy but there was always danger of a an agent from the empire or one of their other enemies to somehow make their way onto the base and perhaps not only report back the location but to discover some important details pertaining to the rebels which would compromise the cause.

Therefore, when a meeting of the High Council, the veritable “ruling” body of the Alliance was having a meeting deep within the administrative center of the base security was expected to be tight. However, there is no such thing as a “perfect” ring of defense no matter the money or technology, every method of protection must lapse at some time or other however infrequently if almost next to never, and evidently this was such a time as witnessed the fact that a lone jedi, although fortunately an ally, was able to casually make his way inside.

Perhaps the sentries at the door had left their posts for just a second or two, and perhaps the complicated labyrinth deep inside the grand stone temple was easier for a jedi to navigate undetected but it somewhat shocked most inside the cavernous meeting room.

Just as Biggs attempted to get himself invited onto the covert mission that the auburn haired Senator from Chandrila had announced she was undertaking and General Darkeyes, the Supreme Commander approved of, in walked, coolly, the Jedi known as Master Infarious: “"Come along where? What did I miss?"

Taken aback for a moment, they relaxed just a bit as they realized it was a jedi who had interrupted the meeting. General Darkeyes didn’t miss a beat as he almost instantaneously announced that he had a job for the jedi. The others were intrigued including the affable Jedi as he made himself at home, took a seat and began to communicate the contents of his day, including a walk in the forest that produced some sort of visions that he communicated where part of his gifts.

He finished humbly: "Forgive me once more; I believe that you said you had a job for me. I am ready to serve.”

General Yueh, of course interjected with evident disdain: “General Torian is correct, you aren’t a member of this council, Master Jedi,” he began.

“As far as your psychic rambling goes, I don’t understand any of it.” Then with a sarcastic smirk, he continued, “I’m surprised that with your clairvoyance you weren’t able to divine the fact that Senator Palpatine would turn on the Jedi as he did those long years ago, or you weren’t able to predict that someone would plant an incendiary bomb on the purloined Jedi cruiser.”

With nary a hesitation he finished, now more annoyed:

“Perhaps you should leave your esoteric visions to the meeting amongst your Jedi brethren and leave the fighting to the Alliance, and perhaps next times also please remember that doors are sometimes closed for a reason.”

Admiral Ackbar bristled: “General, please, you go to far sometimes,” he remonstrated.

“I understand your concerns but you must remember the Jedi are not our guests, they are now our allies and as such we must and will use them in any manner that aids our cause,” he continued.

Mon Mothma, almost expecting a dissent from the irascible General, sat serenely, almost viewing the scene with humor though she did not show it. However, she saw here chance:

“I for one welcome the Jedi’s aid, and if the General has in mind sending the good Jedi along with us to Coruscant, then I for one am all for it...however, there is one concern,” she furthered now with a concerned and furrowed brow. “Is there any way his presence, as a Jedi, can be detected by another force-user?” she queried with intrigue.

Biggs, normally quiet at these meetings as he was not a full-member of the Council and only a member in an advisory capacity, was also looking upon the whole thing with interest and he could not hide a grin:

“The more the merrier I say,” he interjected with a mischievous tone. “Jedi can handle them selves pretty well,” he continued of course referring to a mission to his homeworld of Tatooine where an aged jedi almost single-handedly subdued a troop of the fearsome Sandpeople.

“Bah, whatever,” General Yeuh stated dejectedly as he gave up the point as he looked askew at the two Jedi now interposing themselves into the meeting.

TAG: Everyone at the meeting.