Star Wars OPEN Star Wars: Black Sheep (Always Accepting New Players)

IC: Riki & Tiki
Where Would We Be Without Them?


A new engine note drew near over the prison camp. The Squibs exchanged hopeful glances.

"Light freighter?"

"Corellian YT series."

"Rescue ship!"

They huddled close to the ground in the mud and rain and firelight, hardly daring to hope. The YT circled the camp, spitting fire like a guardian angel, and finally settling down onto the sports field with its boarding ramp open and inviting.

"Think they'll have room for two more?"

"Of course they will. We're small. We hardly take up any room at all."

"We'll have to get there first. That's open ground and lots of shooting."

"Yes, we need all the cover we can get."

Riki held up a paw, feeling the gusty winds from the thunderstorm. Storms here usually blew in from the north, and this one was following the usual pattern. Tiki looked around, trying to see who else had made it this far.

"Where's the doctor lady? She was nice. We should get her out of here."

"Never enough doctors in the galaxy. Give me your grenades."

Tiki peered into the night, hoping to spot Dennii Sunwalker. Riki armed the two tear gas grenades and threw, landing both of them near the north edge of the sports field, one of them a few meters east of the freighter, the other a few meters west. Noxious vapors billowed out and rolled downwind to the south, laying smokescreens to either side of the ship, but leaving the old transport clear in the middle.

"Smoke won't last long."

"Long enough to get people on board."

"Maybe. If we hurry."

Staying down on all fours, they turned and ran back toward the barracks to see who needed help getting to the rescue ship.


TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox @Sinrebirth @TheAdmiral @Vehn @darthbernael @Mistress_Renata @Bodhran777 @adaml83, @galactic-vagabond422, @Mitth_Fisto, @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron

 

Ic Saxon Hollymander
Landing Field. Son Tay


Having left the camp Saxon was in preparation to depart the planet. His needs had not been met and he was angry. Hoping his interactions would lead to more knowledge of both Amber and MacKenzie but he'd wasted his precious time. The two women knew little of the pair and had even less true interactions with them. He needed a new approach but at this point hadn't decided what that would be.

Saxon was straightening his uniform before a reflector when the sound of incoming ships reached his ears. When he moved to the window he was more than shocked to see a pair of X Wings swooping low over the base firing wildly at the based ships. TIE after TIE exploded causing ground to shake and the window before him to smash. More barrage came from other Rebel ships and he realised the Imperials had not been prepared for such an attack. Standing back from the window he was able to observe the chaos befalling the base and knew he had to get out before these Rebels potentially landed. Essentially Saxon was a coward and was not about to face the torture he was so good at giving out.

He'd waited for a good standard 40 minutes before he decided it was time to get out noting his transport had not been hit. Gathering his personal guards he ordered them to protect him to his craft and for the pilots to get him out of here as fast as possible. As they walked across the cleared landing area there were several small explosions causing his men to turn and take up defensive positions. Saxon himself turned and growled at them to move forward as he had no time for this. He didn't care what happened to the men nor did he care about the base. His only priority was to get off the planet and back to the safe arms of the Empire. He strode forward and boarded the ship leaving his guard behind to deal with the mess the Rebels had left for them.

HIs craft lifted off and headed low across the tree line for several kilometers before heading skyward away from the burning ships on the ground and away from the Rebels.



Tag @Bardan_Jusik @Adalia-Durron

 

Always fun to collaborate with Ace flight and Best flight!

IC: Max Pallas, Zara Yaren, Ethan Malek, Kayn Balzroth
Everything go boom...

Max turned back to make her second attack run. It was hard to see, in the rain and the dark, but there seemed to be fires, there was certainly a lot of smoke. Added to the rain, visibility was getting worse. She boosted her scanners, they'd be flying almost blind soon and she wanted to make sure she didn't inadvertently hit one of the other Sheep, or even an Imp. If she went down here, she'd be stuck.

As if responding to her thought, she heard Vixen's call on A flights comms. “Vet, going down, can’t stop it, I’m going to chase Cassell, might be my only chance.”

"Digs, what happened?" asked Max, touching the corley wreath in her pocket. She hadn't somehow influenced this by her thoughts, had she? She didn't have that power...as far as she knew. There was a short pause and Digger whistled. Engine trouble. But then, she did have that hangar queen. Even so, Max decided she'd replace the perrefoil liner in her helmet, if her thoughts were somehow accidentally putting this stuff out into the world. Your focus determines your reality. <<Happy thoughts,>> she muttered.

From Flagg, an order: "Max, keep hitting those guns." She hesitated. If Amber was peeling off, who was hitting those grounded ships? She'd rather deal with fire from a nice, stationary duracrete flak tower than from a TIE fighter...or worse, a Striker! Still, she armed a torpedo, and looked around. Two towers destroyed, and the second one she'd attacked had gone silent and was tilting at an awkward angle, slowly keeling to one side like the Leaning Tower of Presarius.

The remaining Striker was gone, moving on to seemingly easier targets, but there would be more soon, Zara was certain of it. Her neck hurt, but she didn't have to move it much to see more Strikers rising on sensors. She ought to head their way; that's what an A-wing was for, taking care of the other fast craft. But she'd been outmatched with that last pair, and even scrambling pilots were sure to be dangerous. Going after ground targets might keep them from going too far, but Zara wasn't sure whether she wanted that or not. On the one hand, it kept them from the slower craft-- both the rescue team and Vixen's downed X-wing-- but then she'd have to deal with them, and she didn't think she was up for another stunt like that.

There were a wealth of targets available, all of which would cause trouble for the Imps, but if she wanted loud... well, the obvious target was the fuel depot. And if Imperial safety standards were like what she remembered-- often disregarded for convenience-- then it might do more damage than just preventing more craft from fuelling up. Lasers alone might not be enough, but the blinking light of her missiles might do the trick.

Kayn was beginning to regret setting himself up as the obvious target. Three Strikers had him surrounded over the flightline. They were taking turns swooping in at him, zooming away when he tried to close the range, and hitting him with long-range laser fire. Clearly, they had figured out his blasters were short-ranged weapons, and they were experts at the game of keep-away. He tried for a missile lock, but with all the interference from rain, lightning, fires, and explosions, that was a waste of time.

His shields flared; another hit. These guys are too fracking accurate! His jammer was still broadcasting on the flak tower frequency. He switched it back to the Striker freq; Zara's jammer alone would have to be enough to degrade the flak threat. He trusted she was doing something useful down there. She's not really the type to park her ship, crank up some tunes, and pour herself a drink while the rest of us are fighting for our lives. Frack me, when did I start thinking like her?

Zara looked around. There was an X-wing gunning for the towers, Max's, and she'd already taken down two. The one next to the fuel depot was still blazing away, but what if...

"Max, Zero, can you target the tower next to the fuel? Need to make a dent in the fuel depot before lighting it up." If the destruction of the tower poked holes in the tanks, they'd explode ever so much bigger than if she just sent a missile down the maw.

<<Tower next to the fuel...Digger, which one is that?>> asked Max. She could barely see the towers. Digger chirped and something illuminated in the targeting array. Hm. "Zero, Max, will do my best." What about the troop carriers on the flightline? What about the Strikers? Well. She wouldn't tell her old wingmate how to do her job. But it did seem there were more important targets.

She could hear Flagg over the comm. "Black Sheep, we have an X-Wing down, we have an X-Wing down." Must be Diva. Max grimaced. She'd heard the other woman's distress call. The Jedi wannabe might be annoying and arrogant, but Max didn't wish death on her. Maybe Skipper would be able to retrieve her after the prisoners were found? Maybe? If she was still alive. Max touched the corley wreath in her pocket. Mom, keep an eye on her.

There wasn't much chance of hitting, but Zara let loose some long distance shots at the towers herself. The jammer better hold up or we're roast bantha. She could hear reports from the others, about Vixen going down, but filed it away. Not relevant. This rescue mission was already risky, a second trip wasn't likely. Amber had to get herself out of that situation, all Zara could offer was a distraction to give her some time.

Ethan was struggling with himself, he wanted to go down there to fight with Amber to make sure she was okay, but he felt that he was probably more useful to her staying up here and fighting the imperials. But the thought was there, and Ethan knew it wouldn´t go away. It is happening again, how often did it come to exactly this situation before? He couldn´t count the times anymore when he had lost a wingmate.

Torpedoes were hot and a tall, pale pylon loomed out of the haze. Max squinted at it, wondering if it was the flak tower. She was certain when it opened fire, green blasts slamming into her shields. "Yikes!"

She dropped, weaved and jigged, but the targeting computer had it now and she sent off a torpedo, pulling sharply to the left over the trees to continue along the perimeter fence. There was a small explosion, then a larger one. Another one down. "Zero, Max. That's your tower. Go crazy."

That was what Zara was waiting for. The tower went out, and the rubble fell mostly in the direction she'd hoped. It was hard to say at this distance how much damage had been done to the tanks, but she needed to wait to maximize the destruction, without leaving it too long for the vapours to dissipate. The bigger the better, at worst a distraction and at best it would send some shrapnel at the grounded Strikers before they took off. Maybe they wouldn't be able to take off at all.

Missiles, then, followed by lasers if they didn't set the place ablaze. That was the risk, using concussion missiles, that they'd put out any fire set before it could catch from the sheer force. The target entered long range, and she waited, setting the missiles for a delay after she launched them: she didn't want to be anywhere near the target when it went up. A rough estimate, time to target, a moment longer to save her already-pounded shields, and hoped that it would be enough.

"Firing now, everyone get clear." Target locked, and she squeezed the trigger. A pair of missiles shot off and she followed them up with a pair of laser blasts as she passed right overhead. And hoped not to get cooked.

Kayn was nearly as desperate as he'd ever been. The Strikers were all over him, even with his jammer on their fire control frequency, they were still scoring hits at long range and his shields were weakening. Judging by the occasional glimpses of fires beneath him, he was still over the flightline when he heard Zara's warning to get clear. She must have spotted a juicy target, probably a cluster of combat craft parked beneath him.

Then I'd better get out of here and in a fracking hurry! He recovered from an outside loop inverted at very low level and headed away from the flight line, shifting whatever shields he had left to cover his tail as the trio of Strikers swooped down after him. Rebel Rouser rolled upright for all the speed he could grab. The lightning and explosions cleared for a moment and his sensors caught a glimpse of an X-wing and A-wing ahead of him. What are Zara and Max doing there? I thought they were hitting the parked fighters. What did they find way out here? Suddenly Kayn realized he was directly over the fuel depot, and Black Two and Six were accelerating directly away from that same target.



A bright flash lit the terrain below him. Time seemed to slow for an interminable moment. Fuel vapors were detonating in the air above and around the depot. The explosions tore open the tank, exposing and vaporizing more fuel, all the fuel was going up in a chain reaction, and then the depot was behind him - barely - as an enormous column of flame shot up into the night sky. An instant later, a shock wave slammed into his aft shields.

Ethan had noticed the Striker close to Amber, seemed the Imperial was indeed trying to go after the damadged X-Wing. A solid strategy, yet it made the Imperial forget the rest of the battlefield. "Energy on the lasers," Ethan ordered R7 unsure how much damage a striker would take before being destroyed. Opening fire he saw how his salvo hit the Imperial almost in full, turning the enemy into a fireball. "Your six is clear Vixen, see ya on the other side of this." Ethan said over com before turning back to the fighting, bringing his machine closer to the other rebel ships that now where under attack by further Strikers.



TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @Sarge, @Anedon, @Rebecca_Daniels, @Adalia-Durron, Everyone else

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell ‘Skipper’ Wystari, Zephyr ‘Alchemist’ Trillo
Location: Corellian YT-2000 Valkyria - landed southern section of the SonTay POW Camp

Skipper’s Treadwell droid, ‘Matey’, rolled over to Airen and Lou. It was carrying a medical kit in its manipulator arm. It warbled a query as to whether it would be of use.

---

It was a waiting game and one Cassell did not like one bit.

Part of him wished he had brought some of Lieutenant Diamé’s group to help secure the zone and man the turrets but they need all the space they can get and the less people involved, the better. Zephyr was protecting their landing zone... Holly gone out with her and Airen... though Airen was back with Lou now, that’s some good news. He hope she was alright though he dare not leave the cockpit just incase they had to make an emergency relocation... and he didn’t like the fact the dorsal turret was unoccupied. At least Charlie and Delta flights were keeping them safe.

Outside the viewport, Cassell could see flashes of blue as Zephyr fired at something. Flashes of red in response although the blue out matched the red very quickly.

---

Steam rose up from the end of the barrel of the Z-6 Rotary Cannon under the wet conditions. Zephyr hissed. She had just fell some resistance in trooper uniform though there’s bound to be more inbound. She moved back to the shadow of the Valkyria... Lou was back however that was half of their main objective. Wherever ‘Ody’ had went to for Joy, she hoped he be successful and to not take too long.

Movement caught her eye as someone else approached from her right. She turned to face it as a bolt of red rang out and sparks dropped from the hull where it had hit near her position. She depressed the trigger, blue bolts drilled into the aggressor, dropping them to the mud with a slick splat.

Zephyr shook her horn-crested head and barked an insult in her native tongue before repositioning herself by the forward starboard landing strut. She could make out some dark shapes milling about at the edge of the zone. A red laser bolt flashed by from that position. Zephyr shifted the Z-6 around to point the barrel in that direction though she hesitated firing. No more shots came from that position. Had whomever fired been thwarted or was it a misfire?

All she could hear is the pitter-patter of the rain and the Z-6’s rotary barrel whirling in preparation to fire.

She blinked and waited.

She didn’t know how long it was before a trio of figures emerged into view. Their clothing were not Imperial- Joy! Ody! With some stranger!

“Cutting it close, Ody!” She called out to him as he slung the rifle strap about her shoulder. “What’s the plan now?”

She looked back and he and the others had already gone inside. “Typical. Leave me to carrying all the bags.” She muttered then spoke into the headset. “Skipper, what now?”

---

”Standby.”

Cassell responded to Zephyr then glanced over his shoulder to the accessway behind Baniss and saw Holly. Dripping wet and muddy to boot. He arched his brow at the younger man. “A minute or two, sure.” He gave a sharp nod in Holly’s direction. “I hope you wiped your feet at the entrance.”

---

Skipper finally responded.

Zephyr acknowledge the order to allow more to board. She stood as a sentinel by the boarding ramp, the barrel of the Z-6 rotary cannon spun, awaiting to fire at a moment’s notice.

One ‘passenger’ in particular paused by the boarding ramp as though searching for someone. In the distance was the sound of an inbound craft.

“TIE Strikers! We need to get going!" The man yelled and ran aboard.

“Bring them on!” Zephyr took a step forward then paused.

It didn’t make sense for there to be TIEs so close with both Charlie and Delta flights providing cover- she looked sharply back as she saw the man went for the ramp controls. “Hey! Hey! Hey! What’s the big idea, Bozo? Don’t you go locking me out!” She gestured with the rotary cannon. “I’m packing heat, literally! I’m not afraid to use it.”


TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @adaml83, @Bodhran777, @darthbernael, @galactic-vagabond422, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @Mistress_Renata, @Mitth_Fisto, @Sarge, @The Real Kyp Durron, @Vehn, @TheAdmiral - and anyone else I might have missed needing to board the Valkyria.

 

Ic MacKenzie Hollymander
Cockpit - Valkyria


He looked down at himself with distain. Cassell had not looked very impressed and he couldn't blame him. "Um....yeah of course I did." He responded with a sideways grin and amusement. Glancing over his shoulder at the others on the craft he had to wonder how Skipper would react to the mess they'd trudged in. He looked back. "We all did." He reassured. He hoped his condition would hint to the man to the extent of the mess he was to face when this was over.


Tag @Corellian_Outrider @Bardan_Jusik @adaml83

 

IC: Aden Corso
Joining the Resistance

Once Aden was free of the fence line, it was a dash to the finish line. At first, he wondered if everyone was just heading into the jungle, that maybe there would be a ship hidden out there that would get them off this rock. He was pleasantly surprised, however, when a shuttle dropped in much closer to their position and popped its door open to take on passengers. As prisoners filed into the ship, Aden heard the screech of TIEs on an incoming path, looking to return fire on the Rebel ships roaring overhead. He also saw that he was about to get left behind, as other prisoners had heard the same sound and were looking to close the door.

Digging deep into his remaining strength, Aden hustled to the ramp and didn’t stop until he heard the pounding of his boots on metal and the doorway pass him. When he finally was onboard, it took all he could to keep from dropping himself down on the floor, happy to finally have the sound of a ship around him in place of creaky, damp barracks walls.

“We…we made it…”, he said, suddenly starting to laugh a bit in between sucking air.

He knew, of course, the whole situation was no laughing matter, and they were far from out of this mess. They still had to navigate out of the system. Then there was the matter of their destination. No doubt it would ultimately be a Rebel cruiser or other such ship, which meant he would be facing some kind of scrutiny about his affiliations. Before SonTay, he wasn’t Rebel or Imperial, just a pilot making a living. Now that he had found his way to an Imperial prison camp and just helped a bunch of Rebels escape, it looked like he was set to be branded a Rebel as well, assuming they took him in. Then again, he probably had made that decision when he sabotaged that Imperial ship and detonated a chunk of it into space. Maybe that bit on his resume would be buying him some good favor in this group. Sure seemed to in his barracks, anyway.

Once he had finally caught his breath, Aden stood himself up straight and looked around the ship, getting his bearing inside and seeing who all made it.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik Everyone onboard the Valkyria

 

IC: Riki & Tiki
Get To The Freighter

The Squibs were darting back and forth through the camp, finding prisoners and guiding them toward the freighter on the sports field. Suddenly they both stopped, swiveling their ears.

"Those aren't Rebel engines."

"Nope! Definitely Imperial."

"TIE's, maybe?"

"Speeder bikes!"

A squad of scout troopers roared through the compound. They braked to a halt near the edge of the sports field, turning their fixed-mount autoblasters toward the fleeing prisoners. The riders braced their feet against the ground to hold the bikes steady as they aimed and opened fire. The twins dropped low and scurried clear on all fours, circling to the rear of the scout troopers. The gestured quickly at each other as they snuck up behind one bike, planning and coordinating their next moves..

They each positioned themselves behind one foot of the last scout. Pouncing together, Riki grabbed the scout's right knee and hauled down with all the weight he had. Tiki seized the scout's left ankle and heaved upward. The trooper tumbled out of his saddle and sprawled in the mud. Tiki was instantly on top of the speeder bike, seizing the handlebars and slamming the throttle wide open. Riki barely managed to scramble onto the seat behind his brother before the speeder bike leaped ahead and slewed toward the squad of troopers, autoblaster spraying wildly. The troop scattered, then quickly closed ranks in pursuit of the rogue bike.

Tiki zig-zagged madly to avoid the incoming fire, ripping across the compound with nearly a full squad chasing after them. Riki armed his last flash-bang grenade and tossed it over his shoulder. It detonated in front of one biker who swerved and collided with his squadmate, slamming the other bike into the ground, rolling into a ball of wreckage.

A heap of rubble loomed ahead. Tiki gunned the repulsors and zoomed up the slope, using the wrecked building as a makeshift ramp.

"There's the outer wall!"

"We can make it!"

The stolen bike launched from the pile of rubble, leaping up over the prison wall, soaring above twisted razor-wire. At the very apex of its arc, a blaster bolt struck the speeder bike, penetrating the power converter. All the energy stored in the repulsor engine was released instantaneously. The bike and its riders were obliterated in a fiery white-hot explosion.


TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox @Sinrebirth @TheAdmiral @Vehn @darthbernael @Mistress_Renata @Bodhran777 @adaml83, @galactic-vagabond422 agabond422, @Mitth_Fisto, @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron

 

Ianna Mcear
SonTay

With the wall down and panic taking over the imperials Ianna took this moment to do a few strafing runs focusing on the groups of guards taking positions to fire on the escaping prisoners. She was doing her best to be careful not to get the prisoners caught in her sights. It was close, they were almost home free. The TIEs were being whittled down so she didn't have much to worry about. She would have to thank Amber and the rest of Able and Baker flights. Then a message came through that made her blood run cold.

Amber was going down. She quickly looked around trying to find her but, she couldn't see. Not on visual.

"Pat," She called out to her astromech. "Could you find Amber for me, please." Her worry spiked as she waited for her droid to find her friend. This distraction had her flying in a circle over the landing zone checking her sensors every chance she got. After sparing one more glance to her instruments she found herself flying right towards one of the other buildings and more importantly the ground. She quickly pulled up feeling herself be pushed into her chair, some hand blaster fire glanced off her shields showing just how close she came to Buying the Farm. Which she hoped to inherit rather than buy...when the time came.

Her droid screamed at her and she just looked apologetically over her shoulder.

"Sorry Pat, I just don't want to miss her…" The young woman climbed up putting some distance between herself and the deadly deadly ground. "Have you found her yet." Pat replied and Ianna furrowed her brow. She was so far away, so so far away. She looked for anyone close by that might have been assisting. She was torn between continuing her mission and doing what she could to help her friend.

She looked to her sensors then back out to camp in flames. It took only a moment for her to make a decision…

"Black Three, it's Eleven, can you read me?"

TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Jerjerrod-Lennox @Sinrebirth @TheAdmiral @Vehn @darthbernael @Mistress_Renata @Bodhran777 @adaml83 @Sarge @Mitth_Fisto @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron @Bardan_Jusik

 

OOC had these sitting here all week in case anyone had anything m ore to add, but I think we waited long enough...

GM Update: Part I
​

Able/Baker Flights

IC: Commander Flagg (NPC)
Finishing up the strike on the the SonTay airfield

A huge explosion lit up the sky over the airfield as the fuel dump was vaporized. The massive shockwave crumpled several buildings and caught the final gun emplacement in its wake as well. Now the airfield, or what was left of it, was entirely open to constant attack from the air. However, the airbase was no longer the Black Sheep's primary concern as Flagg noted several TIE Strikers lifting off from the ground. "Where did those come from?" He demanded of his droid sitting in it's socket behind him. ROBO answered without a hint of snarkiness that was so common among astromechs. "The bunkers?" Flagg repeated the response as a question. The Black Sheep had been so understandably engrossed with taking out the fighters in the open and the airbase's defenses that they had ignored the hardened bunker scattered along the flight line. It seemed each had contained a TIE Striker, and with those and the pilot's barracks left alone the Imperial had managed to get several aloft, along with a pair of LAAT/i gunships.

"How many?" Flagg again inquired to his droid, the whistled response wasn't one that inspired confidence in the Black Sheep's commanding officer. A dozen TIE Strikers had managed to get aloft from the bunkers, added to the handful still aloft. Four of those were in close escort of the two gunships now headed towards the POW camp. They screamed low over where Amber's X-Wing had crashed, and four beings jumped out of the lead gunship, their descents slowed by the jetpacks on their backs. "Jumptroopers," Flagg said more to himself than to his droid. He took note that it was just the four while the gunships continued on towards the camp. "They're looking to secure Vixen's crash site," he mused to himself. There was nothing they could do about it now, Amber was on her own.

"Black 13," Black lead." Flagg sent word to Taab that there were probable bandits inbound to his position. "More TIE Strikers got aloft than we can handle, they're headed your way along with a flight of gunships." He paused. "Will do what we can." he waited for an acknowledgement from the Mandalorian before issuing orders to his own section.

"Able flight, engage those Strikers." He paused then commed to the A-Wing section. "Baker, intercept and take out the gun ships if you're able."

TAG: @Rebecca_Daniels @Sarge @Anedon @Mistress_Renata @Adalia-Durron

OOC: A breakdown for Able and Baker flights:

• Amber is still on the ground, four jump troopers have landed near her position and are looking for her while also securing the crash site. You may deal with them as you see fit Addie.
• The explosion of the fuel dump flattened some additional buildings, including the administration building and stormtrooper barracks.
• Other buildings on the ground at the airbase remain fair game under the same set of parameters as before.
• There are now a total of 16 TIE Strikers aloft.
• 12 TIE Strikers are protecting the airbase/attempting to engage the Able and Baker flights.
• 4 TIE Strikers (along with 2 LAAT/i gunships filled with stormtroopers) are flying off in the direction of the POW camp.
• Any of these are free use for the Able/Baker flight characters. Any of the group of Striker/Gunships that we don't take care of here will be handed off to Charlie/Delta flights in my next set of updates.

---

Target List: Pick one, and only one of these that can be engaged/damaged/destroyed in your posts as you see fit.

• TIE Strikers airborne: 16; 12 of these are intercepting Able and Baker flights the other four are escorting the...
• LAAT/i gunships airborne: 2. These are headed off in the direction of the POW camp and will fly directly over Amber's position. they are escorted by four of the Strikers mentioned above.
• Gun Towers: DESTROYED
• TIE Strikers on the ground in the open: NONE
• 18 aircraft bunkers (these can only one can be attacked at a time)
• LAAT/I on ground in open: 10 (these can be attacked all at once, they are lined up) Note stormtroopers are in formation around these loading into them
• Pilot barracks
• Stormtrooper barracks: DESTROYED
• Administration buildings: DESTROYED
• Control tower: DESTROYED
• Communications array: DESTROYED
• Fuel depot: DESTROYED
• Ammunition bunkers

 

GM Update: Part II
​

Charlie/Delta/Echo Flights

IC: Beskaryc Taab
Mopping up at the the SonTay POW camp

Taab smiled grimly behind his faceplate as he looped the Iron Cross around for another pass at the prison camp. Things were going nicely here on this end of the operation. The camp had been hit as planned, causing chaos and multiple open avenues for the prisoners below to escape through while the defenses of the camp itself had been quickly and efficiently neutralized by the bombers of Charlie and Delta flights. The Valkyria had used the confusion and covering fore of those bombers to safely land in the yard and was in the process of picking up their squadron mates, though he had yet to hear any word on if Joy and Lou had indeed been found and "acquired" in the parlance of Taab's old bounty hunting days.

Over at the airfield things were going relatively well, though not quite as planned from what Taab could surmise. Vixen had managed to get herself shot down though her emergency transponder was transmitting, so she was probably still alive. If so the Valkyria would need to pick her up on their way out.

"Black 13, Black lead." The transmission came in for Taab from Flagg. "More TIE Strikers got aloft than we can handle, they're headed your way along with a flight of gunships..." The consequences of the shoot down of Vixen now became apparent, covering her allowed for more Imperial fighters to launch from the airfield before they could be destroyed on the ground, and with the Black Sheep's already small force of fighters diminished they might not be able to keep the Strikers from reaching the camp. Likewise word of the attack on the camp must have somehow gotten out to the airfield which was why the gunships, doubtless filled with reinforcements, was also en route. "Copy that lead," Taab commed back. "13 acknowledges." He thought for a moment passing over the camp without firing, though Harle on his wing didn't hesitate and continued blasting away with her B-Wing's auto cannons.

"Echo Flight, " he commed to the Valkyria using her flight assignment rather than the ship's name. "We're going to get company here soon, so last call, get our people and get out." He pulled the Iron Cross back across the fray giving the landed freighter covering fire from his own auto-cannons. It was getting harder and harder to pick out the POWs from the stormtroopers now as many of the prisoners had armed themselves and were fighting back, adding to the confusion.

"Save room for Vixen," he added, purposely leaving out the droid. They were here to save people, not robots and that droid would take up room that could be used on a person. Besides, he didn't trust droids. "We'll grab her on our way out."

---

IC: Major Roger Hammond (NPC)
SonTay Prison camp

The darkness of the Sontay Prison camp was punctuated by lighting, thunder and the rain of blaster bolts as the fell from the heavens down upon the few stormtroopers still trying to maintain control over the prisoners. The northern wall had been flattened, and through it were streaming dozens of prisoners, including Stilts who had managed to steal a speeder bike and was last seen riding off into the jungle. Other prisoners were making their way towards a closer, though less sure, avenue to freedom; the recently landed corellian freighter that had taken up temporary residence in the sports yard for the POW camp. Hammond knew, as well as everyone else, that space aboard the ship would be limited, there was no way to fit more than 40 or so prisoners on board, and those left behind might not make it out the gates before the stormies did manage to retake control in the camp. For Roger Hammond though escape wasn't primary on his mind. He wanted to kill Imperials. Already the Stormtrooper barracks had been set aflame by the attacking rebel bombers, but there were still plenty in the yard he could do away with.

He grabbed a dead stromtrooper's rifle, and after checking first to ensure it had a full charge, waded out into the darkness. He saw most of the others from barracks two headed off in the direction of the freighter, he hoped there was a place for them, especially after what they had just been through tonight. Sighting in on a white clad stormtrooper he pressed the trigger on the rifle, and then repeated the process again and again until the rifle ran dry. All around him were explosions and red blaster fire. It was glorious, better even than he had dreamed the eventual escape would be. He laughed now at the notion of tunnels and forged travel permits, who needed any of it when you had a rebel attack squadron and a rescue ship waiting in the wings? He looked up into the sky as one of those bombers flashed low overhead, it was a B-Wing, a distinctive snarling animal like face stenciled on her nose. It was spitting out blaster fire across the yard, continually strafing what few guard towers remained as well as stormtroopers in the open. Hammond rushed for one of those downed troopers now, ready to grab another rifle when a secondary
explosion set off by the B-Wing went off nearby. The shock flung him into the air before he crashed to the ground, unconscious. For Roger Hammond the liberation of Sontay was over.


TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Mitth_Fisto @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron @adaml83 @Vehn @Jerjerrod-Lennox @TheAdmiral @darthbernael @Mistress_Renata @Bodhran777

OOC: Last call for POWs to board the Valkyria here, and then we're off to go pick up Amber and Squirt. Yeah Taab didn't mention him and would leave him behind in a heartbeat, but I don't see that happening despite his desires.

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell ‘Skipper’ Wystari
Location: Corellian YT-2000 Valkyria - landed southern section of the SonTay POW Camp

The two-minute window that Holly recommended was closing.

Taab’s voice came over the comms.

["Echo Flight, We're going to get company here soon, so last call, get our people and get out."]

“Copy that.” Cassell responded.

["Save room for Vixen, we’ll grab her on our way out."]

“Acknowledged. We be underway in a moment. Primary assets acquired.” Cassell answered before signing off.

Cassell then activated the ship’s intercom. “Sergeant Sunwalker, please come to the cockpit.”

He then switched channels and contacted Zephyr, who was guarding the boarding ramp to the Valkyria. “You have less than a minute to get inside. We’re pulling out in seventy seconds.”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @adaml83, @Bodhran777, @darthbernael, @galactic-vagabond422, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @Mistress_Renata, @Mitth_Fisto, @Sarge, @TheAdmiral, @The Real Kyp Durron, @Vehn - If you haven’t already, final chance to board the Valkyria.

 

Charlie/Delta/Echo Flights

IC: Akiva Lurrel 'Wolf'
Mopping up at the the SonTay POW camp

Wolf grinned as she looped around, the blaster fire to the sky was having trouble hitting it's mark and her shields were doing well. Already from their passes most of the towers were down, and the rescue was finally actually under way. The Valkyria had used the confusion and covering fire to safely land in the yard and was in the process of picking up their squadron mates.

Over at the airfield things were going relatively well, though not quite as planned from what Taab could surmise. Vixen had managed to get herself shot down though her emergency transponder was transmitting, so she was probably still alive. If so the Valkyria would need to pick her up on their way out.

Still the view and the dance kept her mind occupied. Unless she heard Delta, Black 15, or Wolf, well it wasn't worth her attention to notice what was being said. She had her scopes, her targeted towers, and plenty of fancy flying to maximize pulling the teeth out of this prison. One more pass and she have the entire West Half of the prison camp cleared of towers, from the north gate to the south gate, the whole camp was clean, how far the others had cleared the east and rest - well that was their areas. After this last pass she would finally be able to start taking pot shots to open walls or take out clusters of troopers.

"Delta Lead, Western zone will be clear of towers momentarily! Any new targets?" She asked quickly as she banked around a newly burning tower, flipping her tail to align up a new concentrated blast on the next in line that rattled her ship and made her control on the stick take up two of her hands.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik , @adaml83, @Bodhran777, @darthbernael, @galactic-vagabond422, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @Mistress_Renata, @Corellian_Outrider , @Sarge, @TheAdmiral, @The Real Kyp Durron,

 

OOC: Not really a full update. Just a little something to wrap up a couple of loose ends to free up the Valkyria folks to move.

​

IC: Teranis Kellit (used with permission from @Mistress_Renata )
POW Camp, SonTay

The rain slashed down across the mud covered face of Teranis Kellit as he knelt near the corner of barracks two. The others had long since run off, some in the direction obliterated northern wall, though the arrival of what had to be a rebel freighter in the sports yard at the southern edge of the camp made for a far better prospect. Kellit of course couldn't follow as quickly, his prosthetic legs wouldn't allow for that. So he kept to the shadows of the darkened camp, moving forward slowly and steadily towards the freighter under the cover of darkness and picking off an unsuspecting stormtrooper here or there. He had with him now one of their blaster rifles and bandolier, the trooper he had liberated them from wouldn't be needed them any more. He had almost left the bandolier behind, it would slow him down somewhat further, though it really didn't weigh much in the grand scheme of things, besides it held all sorts of useful goodies like spare blaster magazines, a med kit and grenades.

The rebel fighters slashed low over the camp again adding to the carnage as they spit out blaster fire at the few remaining guard towers. He had counted at least a pair each of Y-Wings and B-Wings giving cover to the rebel freighter and the escaping prisoners as they fled the camp. That freighter wouldn't hold everyone, that much was clear to the forger, but he knew if he could make it they would have room for at least one more. Pushing forward he made a mad dash for the rescue craft when a flash of lightning from illuminated something in the darkness out beyond the freighter. Kellit blinked and stopped, confused for a moment, hoping beyond hope that he had been wrong, but another flash, this one from the red blaster fire coming from the nose guns of a B-Wing, illuminated the scene for him again, and this time he was sure of what he saw, and it made his blood run cold. Out in the darkness beyond the freighter there was a fire team of stormtroopers setting up an E-Web repeater.

Shouldering his rifle Kelit took a few shots at the position, hoping to at the very least keep their heads down, and maybe even warn the others about the gun's location. He was sure after all that that the fighters speeding overhead couldn't see it in the darkness, not until it opened up and fired. By then it would be too late, the freighter would be damaged beyond the ability to lift off. He was sure too that those on the freighter hadn't seen it either, it was set up on the opposite end of the boarding ramp, and unless the pilots of the vehicle had been looking in the right place ant the right time there was no way they would have seen it either. Kellit had been lucky enough as it was.

The red bolts spat from his blaster carbine, shooting out into the darkness but the gun ran dry after just a single burst of three rounds. Round that went wide. "Kriff," he exclaimed loudly, though no one could hear his words in the midst of the chaos surrounding the camp. The stormtroopers though hadn't missed the fact that they had been fired upon though, and a pair of them returned fire, pinning Kellit down, as their two comrades struggled to bring the E-Web online.

Kellit was struggling as well, his left hand didn't work as well as it used too, and now he fumbled with a spare magazine from the bandolier's ammo pouch, dropping it in the mud. He bent low to pick it up and was struck in the left shoulder by a blaster bolt. He screamed in pain as he went down in a heap, his shoulder seared by the bolt, though he was still alive. Another flash of light overhead, he couldn't tell any more if it was blaster fire from the fighters or lightning from the storm, lit up the stomrtroopers for a moment and he saw them affixing the repeater to it's tripod. Looking to the freighter he made eye contact with Artemis Deco who was urging him on from ship's boarding ramp and slowly shook his head. They didn't know, they couldn't see it from their vantage point, but he could, and in that moment he knew he wasn't leaving this camp alive.

With a primal scream he used the useless blaster carbine as a crutch and pushed himself up off the ground and left it behind. With where he was going, he wouldn't need it anymore. The stromtroopers couldn't hear him, though the air supporting the gunner's crew saw him rise and raised their own blaster carbines in response. Shot after shot rang out at him, most missing, though some hit their mark. The pain once again wracked his body as one went though right arm and another his abdomen but still his synthetic legs drove him as fast as they ever had. His left arm was useless now, but with his right he managed to pull the pin on one of the grenades in the bandolier he had been carrying. Just one grenade would do the trick he thought as he ran underneath the low sitting freighter, ignoring the lowered boarding ramp his eyes locked on the E-Web whose power cells were now attached to the gun. It would be only moments now, and though he doubted he could throw the grenade far enough it was now or never...

Another red bolt from the trooper's connected with him, this time square in his chest. He let out a final breath of hot air as it scorched his lungs and then as he fell forward used what life was left in him to fling not just the grenade, but the entire bandolier of them forward towards the E-Web. He never saw it detonate, his lifeless body had already hit the ground, his unseeing eyes looking skyward at the Valkyria whose name he would never know. The explosion fell far short of the E-Web's emplacement, but it set off the remaining grenades and blaster power packs in the bandolier. That explosion was large enough that the edge caught the E-Web's power supply setting the repeater off in a secondary explosion of it's own killing the entire crew.

From their position in the cockpit of the Valkyria the pilots would see just the edge of the explosion, but they would know what it meant. It was time to leave. Now.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Mitth_Fisto @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron @adaml83 @Vehn @TheAdmiral @darthbernael @Bodhran777

OOC: Renanta told me to send off Kellit in a blaze of glory, I hope I did him justice. This puts all the Player Characters on the Valkyria, so Outrider, you may lift off at your convenience. Also, @Jerjerrod-Lennox has indicated that her time with the game is at an end, however her character will live on as an NPC until we arrive back at the Intrepid (whereupon he will be reassigned to another squadron). That way if she ever wants to return, her character will be waiting for her.

 

Watch out, it's another A&B Combo post!

IC: Kayn, Ethan, Max, Zara
Hell Comes to SonTay

The eye-searing flash of the fuel-air explosion faded to flickering red flames of a towering column of burning fuel, illuminating the landscape in bloody hues. Low clouds reflected the blood-red fire and flickered with their own lightning. Smaller fires consumed collapsed buildings and wrecked ships on the ground. Every tree within at least a quarter klick of the fuel depot was blasted flat. It was like a glimpse of the Eighth Hell of Fire. And now, more Strikers were launching out of armored revetments, leaping upwards like demons released from damnation of the underworld and rejoicing to torture the living.

Kayn scanned the area with active sensors, passives were useless, dazzled by all the uncontrolled energy releases. The trio of Strikers on his tail had vanished, the unshielded TIE variants had presumably been consumed in the fuel depot explosion. Another A-wing was still in the air, thank gods, and three X-wings, along with a dozen Strikers over the field, and four more escorting a pair of LAAT/i gun ships toward the prison camp.

"Able flight, engage those Strikers.", came from Flagg. "Baker, intercept and take out the gun ships if you're able."

That made sense to Kayn. "Baker Lead copies. Zero, on my wing, heading 210, full throttle."

It was critical to prevent any interference at the prison camp, so the troop transports had to be stopped, but he hated skipping out on A Flight; without Amber, they'd be outnumbered four-to-one by the remaining Strikers. Maybe he could do something to set up A Flight for success on his way out. Rebel Rouser's blasters pivoted aft and he took a pot-shot at the nearest Striker behind him; it was just out of range, but he had its attention. The Imp turned his way, bringing along its flight of four. Kayn maximized aft shields and tweaked his course slightly, still following the LAAT/i flight while passing over the wreck of Amber's X-wing. Vet was still down there, hopefully low enough to disappear in the background clutter on the Striker's sensors.

"Black Four, this is Five, we're leading a flight of four Strikers over your head, we'd sure love it if you'd clear them off our tails."


"This is Black Four, can take care of that," Ethan said. He wanted to stay close to Ambers position but he reminded himself that it was best to stay up here and do what he could to secure air superiority for the Valkyria to pick her up.


The shock wave buffeted Max's ship, and she fought the controls, wondering if she'd end up next to Amber. Most of the buildings were destroyed, only one or two left standing and the blast from the fuel depot took out all the windows. That was a satisfactory sight. She could see a row of gunships loading troopers and the blast knocked them off their feet. She could hear Kayn's call. Strikers. Great. "What about those gunships?" she asked.

"Forget the gunships on the ground, they're too slow to do any harm," answered Kayn. "Bravo Flight is going after the airborne pair headed toward the camp."


In Zara's normal line of work, a big explosion like that would probably mean a failure somewhere along the line. Right now? Zara found it more than satisfying. But they weren't done yet, as Flagg called for a change of course for the two flights. Well, if B flight's remaining pair even counted as a flight.

Gunships she could do, but the X-wings of A flight-- those that weren't on the ground-- had to help mess the Strikers up first. "Can't outrun the Strikers, need some cleanup before we can deal with the gunships." And the first round of Strikers hadn't gone well for her, so Zara had to hope the X-wings would have better luck with their heavier weaponry.


More to come later, so stay tuned!

TAG: @Anedon @Mistress_Renata @Rebecca_Daniels @Adalia-Durron

 

IC: Jocelyn "Joy" Sunwalker
Location: on-board the Valkyria

Jocelyn could not believe what had happened. She had found her parents only to lose them again. It was like a nightmare from which she could not wake up. Sitting there, numb, her tears no longer trickling, good thing she was soaking wet from the rain, it covered that she had been crying.

Like tears in the rain

She guessed the quote from the old holomovie was true, though that was more of a metaphor.

There was more space in the freighter! Not nearly enough people had gotten on-board! That realization made her eyes widen. She stifled the urge to bolt and run down the ramp to get her parents, but she knew that there was no time and staying there would make their sacrifice for naught.

Jocelyn looked for a towel or something resembling one to wipe her face, it was wet and caked by mud that flew around from the explosions. After she found some piece of cloth she looked around. There was Lou and Airen, she was happy for them, though her friend would have to share the painful news…

Then saw Artie, Traer… then Feral. Her eyes stopped on him, there was something she meant to do so she moved towards him “Thank you...” she murmured looking into his eyes and gave a small smile “I...” Jocelyn started and stopped, stepping closer she planted a brief kiss on his mouth before turning around “I will be right back...” good thing he could not see her face and how embarrassed she was.

Not giving him time to say anything she headed towards the cockpit “Skipper, good to see you.” she said, trying to cover her pain from her voice “You need help?”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @darthbernael @Corellian_Outrider @Sinrebirth @The Real Kyp Durron

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell ‘Skipper’ Wystari, Zephyr ‘Alchemist’ Trillo
Location: Corellian YT-2000 Valkyria - departing the southern section of the SonTay POW Camp

The explosion tore skyward in a fiery display.

Zephyr retreated backwards to the boarding ramp while laying down suppressing fire. It was clearly time to go.

“Skipper! Our job here is done. Time to leave town!” She called into the headset as she hit the ramp controls.

The boarding ramp rose into place, sealing behind her. It was not over yet. The next part would be to rescue the Pussycat from the trees... That might be difficult with the Z-6 Rotary Cannon she held, and she certainly didn’t want to expose the Valkyria’s armoury in front of strangers. It won’t do to experience a mutiny, again.

---

“No complaints from me.” Skipper responded to Zephyr as he directed power to the repulsorlift systems. “Holly, I need you in one of the turrets-“

The door to the cockpit whooshed open and Cassell risked a glance to see who it was. Joy!

“Skipper, good to see you.” she said, “You need help?”

She looked a little worse for wear and in need of a decent meal and shower but that could be fixed once they were out of here.

“Welcome back. It’s great to see you too, Joy!” Cassell brought the Valkyria around. The shields outside the viewport briefly flared red as blaster fire from the ground targeted the cockpit. “Aye, I hope you have some fight left in you as I need someone in the other turret.”

Easing the ship away from the camp, He then switched channels to the internal P.A. System.

“Attention all passengers, this is your Captain speaking. We are on our way but will have one more stop over to do. I’ll try and make sure that we have an uneventful flight but no promises. Best to sit where you are until we’ve entered hyperspace.”

He then switched channel back to Zephyr’s headset.

“Don’t wander off, be on standby to recover Amber.”

---

“You...” Zephyr said to the man, the man she witnessed Joy kissing just moments before. The Nosaurian tugged gently at his elbow to lead him away from the others. “You look like a trustworthy person of high praise to receive a kiss like that. What did you do?” An impish smile started at appear. “More importantly, can you do something for me?”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @adaml83, @darthbernael, @galactic-vagabond422, @Sinrebirth, @The Real Kyp Durron, @TheAdmiral, @Vehn

 

Ic MacKenzie Hollymander
On board Valkyria

Leaving the cockpit as they departed MacKenzie was making his way to a gun turret. It seemed Baniss had the co-piloting in hand and knew their escape would not be a simple one. Coming across Lou and Airen he smiled knowing they'd found each other again. He then witness Joy kissing a stranger and had to wonder this had become a romantic cruise. It was then he over heard another man who was not so impressed by the reunion and he turned to him. "You want a turret? Follow me." He led him to the dorsal guns. "Up there." He pointed. "It's all yours." If the man had the desire to destroy something MacKenzie didn't believe he should stand in his way as they were at war after all.


Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Ianna Mcear
SonTay

"Black Three it's Black Eleven can you read me?" Ianna called out again hoping for something anything. All she could see was the distress beacon. She looked back over her shoulder to where the Valkyria was still taking on passengers. Part of her knew that she should turn back and assist with keeping the troopers away from it, but another part of her needed to protect her friend. Getting no reply from her was making things worse, torn between going to help and staying here.

But she couldn't help how her heart was moved, TIEs be damned she was going to help. Maxing out her throttle she headed towards the beacon checking her sensors again to make sure she was on the right heading. It would take her a bit to get there but she wouldn't let that stop her.

"Black Three, coming to you what is your status?"

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Mitth_Fisto @Adalia-Durron