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Post by Amaranth Australis on Oct 15, 2021 3:53:57 GMT -8
An entire army was drawn up on the plains before Munto City. The forces of the Rebels opposed to Queen Marit's government had thrown all their assets together to produce a formidable armed force. Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, ranks of soldiers, and artillery were all drawn up before the Queen's capital. Marit remained in the Palace, protected by her Imperial Guard. The city militia held the walls, while an expeditionary force of Loyalists were formed up outside the outer wall, with their own tanks and APCs. Their artillery was set up on a hill to the east of Munto.Ultimatums had been passed back and forth. The rebels had given the city six hours to surrender. The Queen had responded by giving the rebels five hours to disperse and disarm. Four and a half hours had passed. Getting herself into the Rebel camp unseen was childs play for Amy. Getting herself unseen into the enemy's main command bunker was a little dicier, but she managed to find her way into the inner sanctum. Inside the command bunker were several Commenori nobles, including three Lords, as well as the commanding General and his staff. There was only one entrance, a tight narrow passage where only two could pass abreast.Her plan was simple, take the Lords and commanders hostage, and prevent the attack order being given to the army. This would allow Marit's forces to have a free hand, while the enemy army remained headless and distracted by what was going on inside their camp. Amy's father and brothers would have wasted time giving smartass or gloating speeches. She did not. Amy revealed herself by stabbing both door guards in the sternum to her left and right with sharp curved shortblades. Then she locked the door and sealed herself in with the commanders.Amy pointed with one of her bloody knives. All of you into that corner now. Remember I don't need all of you alive, so none of you better disobey.
Already there was banging and shouting at the door. Amy turned her back on the commanders and nobles, who restrained themselves to angry and outraged words. She could ignore those. None of them made to attack her, and while they remained sedate, she'd spare them any further violence. While they were alive, the enemy couldn't simply blow the bunker with her in it. They had to come in the hard way, and that gave her all the advantage she would need. Soon enough, the internal door's edges began to glow as the enemy burned and melted their way through. Amy drew out four grenades and waited. After a minute or so, it fell inwards in a pall of smoke. Priming all four grenades, the Mandalorian huntress dropped them to the ground and stepped back into the bunker to give herself fighting room. Two grenades spat out smoke that expanded to obscure the room, while the other two fogged the air with a sticky microscopic foam designed to clog the mechanisms of projectile weapons. This the soldiers that stormed the room discovered as their weapons failed and jammed after one shot.Too late, as Amaranth moved into the fray, her own visuals unimpaired thanks to her buy'ce. Blades flashed, and blood sprayed, and enemy soldiers fell one after the other. Some managed to draw weapons before they died, others didn't even see their death coming as a blade hissed out of the fog to cleave through a throat or stab into a chest or neck. Bodies began to pile up in the doorway as the daughter of Kaine Australis, this daughter of Borleias, made war upon the rebels of Commenor. |
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Post by Amaranth Australis on Oct 19, 2021 3:08:25 GMT -8
The battle inside the enemy's command bunker was finely balanced. Amy had the enemy at a disadvantage in that they couldn't use explosives because of the hostages, and could only come at her down a single axis of attack. To her detriment, the one tunnel they were attacking down was also her only means of escape. They also had the advantage of overwhelming numbers, eventually they would wear her down to the point she could be overwhelmed. She would sell her life dearly indeed if it came to that. Already the enemy had to deal with the sheer number of dead and dying bodies around the entrance. Already the floor was slick with the blood of the fallen.Covered in blood by now, Amy figured she'd killed at least fifty, though she couldn't be sure which were dead or incapacitated. She had no time to do a count, for the enemy did not let up in their assault. Many of the troopers wore armour, as if that would protect them. Her sharp blades found gaps with eerie precision, her movements were swift and smooth, never leaving the enemy with an opening. One of the hostages tried to be a hero, and caught a boot to the gut for his troubles. She'd have knifed him if she could have spared the blades; but they were engaged with the assault.Massive explosions boomed out from above, shaking the bunker. A minute or so later, the constant stream of attackers petered out, leaving Amaranth along among the dead and dying with no one left to fight. Silence fell over the darkened room, as the hostages quietened down to listen too. Minutes passed with no further sounds, until Amaranth heard steps on the walkway coming to the bunker. Two sets of boots. She smiled, and stood back where the hostages were. A moment after, two figures in the armour of the enemy came into the room, toting blaster rifles. One of the Lords got to his feet.Soldiers, take this woman into custody at once! The troopers didn't move. Amy turned to grin at the Lord, her bloodstreaked face adding extra menace to the look she gave him, and he shrank back. Further shrinkage occured as the 'troopers' deactivated their holoshrouds, revealing two of the 3rd Battalion Night Witches, female infiltrators, and expert fighters. Both nodded to Amy, who nodded back, the exchanged greetings of fellow professionals on a battlefield. The witches weren't known for their verbosity, and Amy didn't need to tell them their business. Even the captive Generals and local Lords kept their quiet, all except one.This is not an honourable way to make war, you know. Amy shook her head with derision. Dikut.You started this war, milord, you're in no position to question how we finish it. Fight better next time.She left the bunker without another word, emerging into daylight after making her way past the bodies and down the tunnel, up into the remains of a very one sided fight. From the looks of things, the artillery had mostly detonated after being sabotaged, and the enemy's units, decapitated by the Night Witches, found themselves completely devoid of leadership. Marit's army was currently taking full advantage, having charged out of Munto City and decimated the traitor forces. Amaranth found the bunker surrounded by more of the witches, and after a drink from a canteen, took a squad out and into the battle. It was almost over, and she didn't want to sit idle while others fought, though she'd done her part, she could do more. |
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Jenia Kasalle
Databank Operations
Posts: 512
Affiliation: First Order
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Jenia Kasalle on Dec 23, 2021 8:51:42 GMT -8
~~ The silence before the storm ~~
Ars Moriendi Squadron - somewhere on it's regular patrol route within the Deep Core
The technical errors had been eliminated, while the Signals had been incorporated into most of the squadrons as she had wished.
"Excellent, Lietenant", she stated cold while examining the window port outside, where the escort fleet was also moving slowly next to the ship, the most prominent being the four Victory III-class Star Destroyers, that followed like insects the city-like structured leviathan through the dark void of the Deep Core, "Were the TIE Silencer squadrons double-checked as instructed?"
"Aye, mylady! Both Banshee Squadron and Skull Squadron are prepared for the mission, as you had wished."
The Grand Admiral took it as granted, handing back the datapad towards the officer.
While most of the wings aboard the Super Star Destroyer had remained the same, Jenia had replaced one of the standard TIE-X squadrons with her personal squadron of specialized starfighters from the Banshee, her former flagship before she had taken controll of the Conservator-class Star Destroyer Charybdis.
Whether it be the extraordinary abilities of the squadron's leader Nathan Caldwell [Retired] or just the capabilities of the TIE/vn Space Superiority Fighter on its own, the upcoming battle would hold tough challenges in store for her and thus she would trust in specialized troops.
Thus it wasn't too surprising that she had transfered most of her own specialized troops onto the Super Star Destroyer itself, on the one side a portion of the 187th Legion, that served prior on Ilum, before it was sent to the oversector capital of Muunilinst, while the most recent addition was a legion of expierienced Stormtroopers under the banner of the 709th, that was capable in both ranged and close combat due to the training it recieved on Adumar.
Additionally a military cohort of Novatroopers under the command of the Novatrooper General Ares had also been brought on board, that would support the flanks of the present Elite Darktroopers and the Knights of Ren, that would oversee the activities on board. While they would serve in the initial phase as the protectors of the important ship sections, given the massive scale of the Ars Moriendi's systems in the unlikely case that anyone even dared to infiltrate the Dreadnaught, their main purpose would be to join later on the planet's invasion force, once the main defense stations in orbit had been destroyed and the wherabouts of the Coalition's most important persons on Fondor been found out.
Six of these Novatroopers though stood within the shadows of the bridge, nearly invisible due to their black armour, that was only highlighted by a yellow stripe. The team of NT-711, also known as "Prometheus", had served Jenia already since a long time efficiently, having even saved her multiple times within conducted assassination attempts upon her.
Overall there was no reason to be concerned. Back at Endor, the legendary Admiral Firmus Piett represented with Death Squadron at his disposal one of the deadliest assets, that the Galactic Empire held in their hands. To even think, that Grand Admiral Kasalle held command over far more expierienced forces and commanded an improved version of the Executor-class, that could easily stop any incoming starfighter within the trenches of the city structure from penetrating the ship the same way as it's legendary ancestor over Endor, was near unbelievable.
And yet the reality in which they were living in.
Only Fondor and Corellia stood in the way for the Emperor to repeat once more the glory, that they had achieved over Dac.
Thus the expectations and pressure that rested upon Jenia was quite strong.
Unlike previous ships she was commanding now an entire mobile space station, 19,000 meters in length alone!
Thanks to the previously commanding Fleet Admiral Julius Arcavius, the logistics aboard were already efficient and the identification of entire gunning
team sections would also work flawless within battle as she had figured within few tests on their route towards the Deep Core.
Now that everything had been double-checked, they were ready.
"Attention! Course will be now set towards Empress Teta! I repeat!
Course will be now set towards Empress Teta!"
Though she couldn't see the glowup of the massive ship turbines herself, Jenia felt the slight vibrations that went through the deck, as the engines of the Super Star Destroyer were charging up slowly. Various officers were routiniously flicking on switches and telling swift commands towards eachother, as the massive ship made a slight turn in order to recalibrate the course.
If a Coalition spy would be aboard the ship, they would certainly be confused about this order, not necessarily understanding why the ship was traveling even deeper into the Core regions. The first stage of fear and confusion, that Jenia wished to bring upon their enemies.
Operation Ascending Star would cause quite some turmoil indeed, once she would reveal to the rest of the fleet the final coordinates.
As the confirmation of the rest of the fleet was given, that they would follow the order, the Super Star Destroyer vanished within a bang into hyperspace, it's course set towards the meeting point. |
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036 
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jun 27, 2022 3:05:58 GMT -8
A small but powerful science ship navigates its way through the difficult and tumultous space of the galaxy's Deep Core. Aboard are Ani and Maggie Senhan, astrophysicists from the University of Commenor. Recent anonymous grant donations provided them with funding for their dream expedition to map hyperspace routes in the area. They'd used the funds to equip a mapping ship with state of the art sensors and navigation technology, and were excited to be pursuing their dream.
While the two scientists buried themselves in their work of pursuing their lifelong dreams of exploration, their young son Han amused himself with the holotable, manipulating the various holomonsters around a playing field. As a part of the mission, several mapping skiffs had been outfitted, and were doing their own exploration runs, using the science ship as a home base. They were all in the field just now, all from the same institution as the Senhans.
The entire expedition would provide insight into the movement of various stellar fragments and gravitic anomalies that caused such disruption to hyperspace travel. With the mapping equipment, they were hoping to lay out potential new routes through the Deep Core. In their minds, the benefits would be economic, providing a resource for Commenor to prosper. What none of them knew is that through a penetration agent, the data would be provided wholesale to Clan Australis. Kaine would have his way into Byss, without the snooping ever being traced back to Myrkr.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jul 7, 2022 5:08:42 GMT -8
Aboard the Nevermore, the science ship running through the Deep Core from the University of Commenor, work continued at a feverish pace. The ship and its small mapping skiffs had been making great strides in navigating through the difficult conditions in the tight confines of the stellar nursery. Ani and Maggie Senhan kept their crews working hard, overseeing the mapping expedition.
Though they had yet to map out any new long-term stable routes, they had discovered that there were ways to make navigable jumps through the twisting, turning, constantly changing space. The main drawback was that the most stable of these routes lasted for months at best, before movement of gravitic bodies through the area made hyperspace unnavigable.
The expedition had so far located several promising hyperlanes that could be used to transit the area, however none were projected to last for more than several weeks. Though these secondary discoveries were not the primary goal of the expedition, they were at the core of what the expedition's ultimate sponsor was looking to gain from quietly funding the expedition via grants to their institution.
All of their data was being transmitted back to Commenor for collation and analysis at the university. The Senhans were science focused, and loved to share their work with like-minded colleagues. They were making great discoveries, and they were making the operation to Byss by Kaine and Nexus possible.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jul 10, 2022 1:52:37 GMT -8
Expedition mapping efforts had by the end of the mission identified three new routes to the Byss system from among the hundreds of new short-term stability hyperlanes they'd mapped out. The entire Deep Core would take several lifetimes to map in this way, but for now, the data collected had more than achieved the academics' goals. With the three routes among many achieving Kaine's goal of securing an alternative route to the Deep Core system.
The Nevermore and its researchers returned to Commenor, taking their scientific expedition and its assorted discoveries back to their university for study and analysis. Through their penetration agents, Clan Australis already had access to the data, and the three routes identified had been looked over by Clan Intelligence.
Time was now of the essence, with all three routes accessible only in the short term. This meant that the expedition planned by Kaine and Nexus would need to move into its active phase before the mapping effort was for naught...
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jul 21, 2022 11:05:40 GMT -8
Deep Space Rendezvous Point Alpha - Deep Core - Open SpaceThe second phase of the Byss operation was well underway by the time the first advance elements were sent into the Deep Core. Preparations for the next phase continued, while the original mapping expeditions were now to be built upon with a deep space refueling platform, along with a hundred probe droids were deployed into deep space, utilizing some of the newly discovered hyperspace routes.
One such route was to be the ingress route to the Byss System for the advance force, and so the location designated as RV Point Alpha was near to the beginning of that route. Off the beaten path, so to speak, well away from First Order monitoring stations, and any inhabited system. Located in deep space, far from any stars or other gravitational anomalies, the site had nothing to offer other than isolation.The platform was moved into place to act as a forward refueling base and supply depot for the force heading in to Byss, as well as the assault fleet that would be going down the main hyperlane and into the First Order's face. The probe droids further worked on the mapping efforts to ensure the operation had as many advantages as possible. Hyperspace navigation in the Deep Core was difficult, and required a herculean effort in scouting and spatial mechanics to plot safe courses.Small freighters began to come and go from the deep space platform, delivering supplies and some personnel. The operation resembled a small smuggling operation, and so far had little appearance of the intense military operation that it was set up to support. When the main forces did arrive in the Deep Core, they would find a jumping off point, and rendezvous point for any withdrawal from the system.
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Post by Nicademus Delvardus IV on Jul 22, 2022 16:26:48 GMT -8
Nothing was ever hidden from the Empire.
If one picked up a history book on the First Order and learned about the early career of Nicademus Delvardus, as Supreme Commander of the Deep Core Remnant, anyone would learn of the reasons why constant vigilance of the Deep Core was necessary. The unification of the Remnant, the Imperial Mutiny, the campaigns to drive out the remainder of the traitorous elements, of which the last one would continue on into the pre-Empire era for the First Order. This span covered nearly fifteen years, perhaps even closer to twenty of them, of the life of the present day Emperor. As such, the robust Imperial Intelligence kept a good eye everywhere. It was even said that their eyes and ears numbered like the stars of the universe.
Well beyond the sensors of the station, a handful of Viper probes watched what had occurred over a period of days. Imperial Intelligence had detected strange occurrences and activities in sectors that were long without activity. Wondering if a remnant of the enemy, the traitorous Imperials, had survived, probes were quietly sent to scout and examine. What they found was more than just that. The recordings brought back revealed a base of unfamiliar design with frequent traffic. At first, one wondered if it was smuggling, after all shadowports did exist everywhere. And this was surmised to be so. Yet, a few times, the probes revealed recordings of other probes going into hidden hyperlanes! This alarmed Imperial Intelligence that someone was scouting into First Order sovereign territory and for likely aggressive reasons.
With the data collected, over the course of carefully laid days, agents began to examine and go over maps of the Deep Core. They even went to find records from bygone eras, such as the Dark Empire and Operation Shadow Hand. Imperial Intelligence would determine these hyperlanes and thus estimate this base's intentions within Imperial territory.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jul 23, 2022 6:28:04 GMT -8
Operations continued aboard the deep space platform in deep space in the Deep Core, where freighters moved in and out delivering cargo. Despite reports from the station's sensors and from the incoming and outgoing freighters that they were being surveilled, the work continued apace.Though the expedition at RV Point Alpha was now under the eyes of the First Order, when this was reported back to Kaine via one of the smugglers, he ordered them to continue as planned, and to give no sign that they knew they had been detected. If the enemy wanted to watch, he intended to allow them to believe they did so covertly.Meanwhile a second RV point was ordered set up in a far off location, using one of the new secondary routes mapped out by the recent expedition. The First Order might have access to all sorts of historical routes, but what they did not have was access to the Commenori mapping expediton which had identified new temporary routes; and it was these routes the second RV point utilized. Where the first expedition used established lanes to access the new ones, the second expediton would use a new lane that took it through unexplored space, and nowhere near any systems or existing hyperlanes.Work began slowly at the new RV point, designated Beta, which started out as a collection of cargo containers, until a second platform could be moved into the area. Work continued at RV Point Alpha, under the eyes of the First Order's probes. When the time came, that site would be there to support Nexus's assault fleet, while the concealed site would serve the covert expedition Kaine was leading to sneak into the Byss System.
All traffic to and from Site Beta used only the newly mapped route, which could not be monitored by existing First Order assets, unless they were able to map it out and find their way to it. And they would not know to look for a second location, not knowing that their surveillance had been noted. Or so Kaine hoped. He'd keep setting up locations until he managed to hide one, as many as was required. But he was lazy, and didn't want to work if he didn't have to...
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Post by Nicademus Delvardus IV on Jul 23, 2022 7:35:55 GMT -8
When one location is spotted, one can estimate feints, deception, and such at work. Although the probes at Point Alpha continued to monitor, beyond the scope of the sensors, new scouting would begin, searching about the various open and barren sectors that were the empty space. It took longer than expected, but before long, a series of probes found fresh construction happening. Surveillance continued, keeping well beyond sensor range and recording what was spotted. At first, the collection of cargo containers was something odd to say the least. The agents that reviewed the surveillance images and recordings pondered on why this was a thing. Still, the traffic was suspicious. It seemed to match that of the previous point discovered.
Over the next days and weeks, utilizing expertise from the Navigator's Guild, who had a headquarters over in the Empress Teta system, Imperial Intelligence and these Pathfinders began to go over all sorts of hyperspace maps that dated as far back as the Old Republic. It was a tense situation, trying to determine the destination of these long hidden routes. Agents believed they could have been utilized by the Dark Empire before or perhaps were former hyperlanes, ancient ones at that, that explorers of old eras had either never finished mapping or were locked away for whatever reason.
Given the nature of the Deep Core, namely its intense gravity and shifting hyperlanes, it was like trying to draw a line without it criss-crossing several other lines. Whatever the case, the two agencies worked night and day to estimate where they could be going.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Jul 23, 2022 7:59:52 GMT -8
Deep Space Rendezvous Point Alpha - Deep Core - Open SpaceThe detection of Site Beta did not go unnoticed by those ordered to set up the site. One of the outgoing freighters carried word back to Kaine that the second location had been compromised. With the bait taken, plans went into action to set up four more sites with cargo containers, locations Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Fox. Site Beta was then booby trapped and abandoned to sit quietly, as were the four new locations, each located in deep space. These clusters of free floating cargo containers were packed with munitions, and wired to blow against tampering and snooping.This gave Kaine's forces six such locations, Alpha with the platform, and five with cargo containers, all located in various deep space points within the zone of the Deep Core. It would take time for any watchers to identify all the sites, and consume resources to monitor them all, and the Australis Alor's intent was to give his enemies plenty to look at now that he knew he had their attention. He wondered what they suspected these apparent smugglers were up to.RV Point Alpha became the main focus of the operation once the five decoy sites were prepared. They were left as traps, disguised as supply dumps. Any tampering with them or close approach without disarm codes would lead to substantial explosive results. Kaine ordered that operations continue, despite the surveillance. The more work the enemy did running around the Deep Core the better. Once the assault force came for Byss, they would have spent their valuable prep time chasing ghosts, Kaine was determined.
It was an expensive business, using weapons caches as bait, but the cost to the First Order if they snooped too close would be deadly. Kaine didn't need to map and explore, he'd already had that work done for him. All he needed to do was keep the enemy distracted until it was too late, and Lord Nexus came for his home. The work would continue, the freighters themselves mostly unaware of who they were working for. Kaine's people knew their business well, and knowing they were under surveillance made everyone extra careful.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 2, 2022 3:43:43 GMT -8
Deep Space Rendezvous Point Alpha - Deep Core - Open SpaceTwo Nynir-class light cruisers decanted from hyperspace near RV Point Alpha in the Deep Core. Abrogator and Allspark, both line ships of Clan Australis. Both ships moved in to dock with the platform station, for refueling and rearming, and to take on and drop off personnel.
This was the first stage of Phase III of the Byss Operation, for which Kaine had given the go ahead order. Moving assets into place, and committing Clan assets to the upcoming battle, the die was now cast. The enemy would know who was coming for them, and it wouldn't be hard for them to figure out where.
Captain Helix of the Abrogator had the tougher mission, should Captain Orona on the Allspark not succeed. Both ships were crewed by veterans, and experienced in combat. Both Captains knew their individual missions, and their importance to the Byss operation.
With their deployment to the RV point, they and their crews knew that it could not be long now before they were ordered to go in. They knew this meant that the bulk of Clan Australis was coming behind them, relying on them to do their jobs so they could do theirs. Nobody was under any illusions as to the scale of the task ahead. They knew Kaine himself would be leading the charge, and so they could not ask less of themselves.Both cruisers took their time recharging, awaiting notifications to begin.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 4, 2022 10:33:22 GMT -8
Deep Space Rendezvous Point Alpha - Deep Core - Open Space
Life at the waystation located in deep space that the Mando'ade of Clan Australis had designated RV Point Alpha was routine, and fairly boring. The station was spartan, consisting mainly of cargo bays and landing platforms. The few troops not assigned to cargo handling duty were bereft of anything to do.
One group of eight were not so unfortunate, though they knew their mission held the most danger, and for half of them, a guarantee that one way or another, it would be their last. The other crews and troopers had left the commandos well alone, and that suited the commandos just fine, they even kept to their squads. Breaker Squad was 2nd of the 2nd, expert spacetroopers. They were going to open a door for Manda Squad, Four of Te Ca Alore, away from the rest of their fellows, resplendent in beskar'gam of bright blues and reds. Manda Squad and Breaker Squad didn't mix well, and only the presence of the hulking and dangerous Captain Polux kept things under control. The 8th did not usually play well with others.
The cruisers Allspark and Abrogator were at anchor above the station. The eight supercommandos made for Abrogator, along with their special cargo, which they carried inside a cargo container aboard a gravsled. Abrogator's Captain, Helix, met them at the airlock. Captain Polux, ranking officer and lead of Breaker Squad, halted his commandos.
"You're all welcome aboard my ship, but I want to know what your cargo is." Helix said, in a voice that did not brook argument. The unarmored uniformed fleet captain stared up into the helmets of four power armoured beings and four more in spiked beskar'gam without fear. Polux shrugged. "A present for the First Order." Polux said. Unfortunately for him, Sergeant Brix of the 8th wasn't interested in verbal sport except for provocation. "It's a kriffing nuke." Polux turned to glare backward, but the gesture was a bit lost when both men were in full armour and helmet.
Helix matched Polux's shrug. Those are illegal. He said. Tait, next to Brix, holding the gravsled, spoke up. "Aw, i wouldn't worry about that guv. We've got all sorts of illegal shit here." He waved a disruptor pistol for emphasis. All of his fellow Night Lords carried at least one illegal and dangerous item quite openly. Subtle as a kick in the shebs, you. Said Brix. Helix frowned. "I want the damned thing stored carefully in the hold. I don't like having it on my ship." Polux nodded his agreement. Helix moved aside so that the nine of them could board his ship. The rest of the commandos moved off to see the loadmaster while Polux waited beside the Captain.
"You've been briefed on our mission, Captain?" Polux asked, looming more than a foot taller than the Nynir-class ship's Captain. Helix looked solemnly up at him. "Yes, I have. We've got quarters for you and your men. If there's anything you need." Polux shook his head. "We'll keep out of your way." Together the two of them moved off, one to see to his ship, one to his commandos. Soon enough, they would be going into the fire together. Neither man shirked from the danger or the duty that had fallen to them. It was the way.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 439
Affiliation: The First Order
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 5, 2022 10:55:57 GMT -8
If there was a word to describe the turbulent void sea of the Deep Core, hostile, would be a good summation. Perhaps that was part of the reason the Yuuzhan Vong had avoided this stretch of space during their invasion of the known galaxy, though that hadn't remained the case afterwards. Following the brief but bloody civil war on the lost seed world of Tur Yenagh, when the one now known amongst the reborn Praetorite as the Yu'shaa had taken power, the forces under his command had ventured deep into the heart of the region. Forging a pact with an infidel of all people, renowned Imperial Knight Xeonon Solomon, Executor Nem of Domain Yin traded intelligence on the then secretive Sith Empire on Korriban in exchange for access to the Deep Core and a copy of the mapped safe routes in and out of the region. It was safe to say in the ten years since that time, things had changed. Old routes were now void vacuums for which the unwary would meet their doom at the bottom of a black hole. For the members of the scout squadron sent into the dangerous region, the truth of this was in the loss of the majority of their squadron.Emerging from the swirling blue vortex of darkspace, five yorik-et modified with an additional dovin basal emerged, awkwardly entering a V formation as the reality of the situation became clear.Kratos Choka, Borri Vorrik, Zenshi Carr, Scree and Sheezor Rapuung, Fenrik Lah, and Chizra Tsun...all lost while retracing the path of the probes through the deep fathomless black. All had known the danger prior to accepting the mission. All had accepted anyways. They were Warrior Caste, it was expected. The path to honour and glory was rarely easy, that's what made it worth it. Though the shapers may have been responsible for escalating their flesh, it was through conflict and the life or death challenges such as these that their spirits were escalated as well.Xarketh Lah, the surviving squadron member with the most battle experience, now assumed squadron command. He was joined on the left by Shiv Lah, a creche-mate no less, and Brukka Carr. On his right was Skab Vorrik and Uan Rapuung. Each had earned a name for themselves amongst the Praetorite, with Xarketh actually having operated in this region before during the Executor's privateering days with the Bloodrage Pirates. Maybe that gave him some sort of inherent edge over the others, or it was luck. Xarketh had never felt particularly chosen by the Yun'o so the latter there seemed far more likely.Still... He studied the projection of his squadron displayed by the cognition hood threaded through his flesh. ...it was staggering to think they had lost so many. Their ships were living organisms that manipulated gravity for flight, by virtue of this alone they were far more receptive to any distortions then anything mechanically crafted, yet the losses spoke for themselves.{{ Last jump. This one is gunna be the shortest. In 3, 2, 1... }} Dovin basals dragged each coral craft into the blue abyss for only a few short seconds, then the stars streaked back into view, presenting a starry backdrop for the five strong squadron of yorik-et. There a few kilometers out was the initial anomaly the First Order probes had detected in the region. Though they knew it not for the name it had been given or its purpose in the region, they did know one thing. As far as the First Order was concerned, it wasn't supposed to be here. That meant it might as well have been a free target for the former reaver now turned squadron commander. As his hands manipulated the controls, stroking bio-circuits in the same way infidel pilots flipped switches or pressed toggles, he manipulated the display of the space base ahead. Floating above the installation were two larger vessels of a design he wasn't personally familiar with, but there they were.That made them targets as well. {{ Attack formation. }} He said over the villip channel, which wasn't as exciting as you might imagine. The five man squadron spread out into the same V shape formation they had been in prior to the last jump, then accelerated towards the Alpha Site. Magma broiled in their yaret-kor as they prepared to fire.
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Kaine Australis
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 6, 2022 11:01:39 GMT -8
RV Point Alpha sat at what they thought was a safe, quiet point in deep space. It was a glorified supply dump, but they were soon to be awakened to the danger. Both Abrogator and Allspark were docked with the station, which was unarmed, being merely a cargo handling platform. The two cruisers, however, were warships, and not so blind or unprotected as the station. Sensor ranges weren't all they should be in the Deep Core, and whatever magic shenanigans the Vong used for hyperspace travel didn't give off the telltale cronau radiation of regular hypedrives, but the incoming fighters were detected and identified. Both Captain Orona and Captain Helix had recieved the intel ping about Yuuzhan Vong activity, and neither had been scarce able to believe it. They both believed it now, each summoned to their bridges as the alert klaxons blared, bringing both vessels to battle stations.Helix took his orders from Orona, who was the senior captain among the pair. He sent a signal to Clan Command that RV Point Alpha had come under attack, and that the attackers were Vongese. Orona, already on Allspark's bridge, took the lead in defence of their outpost. "Take us out, signal Abrogator to pull back and cover our rear. All weapons prepare to fire. Deploy the Borks."Both Nynir-class cruisers deployed their Bork Bombers against the incoming threat. Twelve of the craft from Allspark, and twelve from Abrogator, making a full two squadrons of droidbombers to face the incoming strike. If the enemy made it through the bomber strike, they'd face the fire of the light cruiser. They'd have to get through the bombers, and both cruisers to get at the station, something neither Captain was willing to countenance.Nem Yin
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Nem Yin
The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 7, 2022 7:25:27 GMT -8
Two cruisers and two squadrons of bombers, yeah, you could say the surviving five members of Quednak Squadron were a bit outgunned. Any genuine reaver would have turned tail and run at the sight of such opposition. It's what the Executor of the Praetorite and former Vong Reaver, Nem Yin, would have ordered if he had been present. But he wasn't, this was Xarketh's show and he wasn't about to dishonour his squadron in the eyes of the Yun'o, not after having already lost so much of it.Xarketh's cognition hood pulsed around his head, tugging at the small weeping black wounds around his neck where its bone like hooks had penetrated his flesh and anchored the biot in place. He examined the magnified view of the station they were streaking towards, quickly formulating a plan of attack for his outmatched flight group. A cursory glance at the station confirmed that there didn't appear to be any of the usual signs of infidel mechanical weapon emplacements. While far from familiar with infidel tech, he'd been in enough space battle to know what turbolaser turrets or missile tubes looked like. That was one less thing to worry about. It also gave him an idea. In the cockpit as he spoke in harshly accented Yuuzhan Vong, his voice was muffled by the tall-yor that covered his face. Over the shared villip channel, however, it was as clear as day.{{ I don't see any weapons emplacements on that station. We need to keep it between us and those two cruisers, its our only chance. }} A second voice, this one belonging to his creche-mate Shiv Lah, was quick to reply. An image of the other warrior caste's head appeared in the top right corner of Xarketh's hud as he listened.{{ The cruisers are the least of our worries. We've got enemy starfighters incoming, fast! }} Wry Grin {{ Aye, they're fast. So fly better. }} In terms of advice, it left a lot to be desired, but it wasn't entirely useless. Each yorik-et packed a punch for something that size, and were very maneuverable to boot. Without a yammosk in range they'd be forced to rely on their skill as pilots, the ability of their coral skippers, and the bonds they had formed with their ships. Flying better was the most they could hope for.{{ Now split and dive. We're doing a bissop play. }} Breaking the V shaped formation, the five strong squadron split up. Shiv Lah and Brukka Carr dipped the noses of their nimble fighters down and to the left, loping towards Alpha Site's underside. Skab Vorrik and Uan Rapuung did the same but on the right. The enemy cruisers were likely to move, but having started from above the station when the small Praetorite force had arrived, there was still enough time for the yorik-et to get in close before the capital ships had a chance to block them out. That was assuming they could get passed the incoming droid bombers. Only Xarketh held his heading, keeping his organic starfighter angled towards the station and the two dozen bombers heading back towards him.Stroking the firing control, he activated the yaret-kors reflex and released a flaming ball of rock from the nose of his starfighter, streaking towards the center of the hull ring that comprised the exterior portion of the station. Simultaneously, he manipulated the coral craft's dovin basal with his other hand, using the opposing force from the lava cannon in conjunction with the gravitational pull of the dovin basal. As the cannon fired, the yorik-et slowed abruptly, its nose listing downwards. Then as its dovin basals pulled, the coral skipper changed direction on a dime, a maneuver that would have likely torn the S-foils off an X-wing if it tried the same breakneck attempt. It whipped into a downwards dive, Xarketh not yet angling the nose towards the station to see if he could draw the incoming starfighters away from his squadron mates.
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Kaine Australis
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 7, 2022 8:29:39 GMT -8
The curse of interstellar communications was that those on the other side of the galaxy tended to fail to consider the situation. Orders had come in from high command, and neither Captain Orona nor Captain Helix liked the orders for beans. Orona took the lead, knowing that he at least wouldn't have to explain himself to Helix, the other man had to be cursing the orders the same as he. Capture, not kill. And with what? He asked himself.
Quickly, he ordered the droidbombers to hold fire, and move to a containment and herd pattern. That would give him the time to figure this shambles out. A glance at the tactical holodisplay showed Allspark and Abrogator, the two light cruisers, moving away from the station to which they had been docked. The Vong fighters, Coralskippers, Orona corrected himself, were dangerous. He analyzed their attack pattern, even as several of the droidbombers exploded.Organic pilots would have near mutinied at the order to hold fire, especially Mandalorian pilots, especially against the Yuuzhan Vong. Droids, thankfully, didn't question or disobey, even when the orders made no tactical sense. The bombers flew evasive, working to cover one another, and to try and keep the enemy from running away while the cruisers came away from the station to bring their weaponry into line.
Orona saw combining his bombers with the turbolasers of his cruisers as the best chance of success. He discarded the other options; Gravity bombs were as much a danger to his own ships in such close quarters, and the ion guns would do no good against Vongese. His plan was to coordinate a barrage from the two cruisers with a volley of missiles from the droidbombers, and trap the Yuuzhan Vong each in an inescapable field of destruction. Then they could pick up what was left.
Instructions went to the gunners on both cruisers, and to the droidbombers, to maintain their resolve, and to hold fire until each enemy craft was bracketed. Then they would unleash a withering barrage and end this skirmish in one swift stroke...Nem Yin
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Nem Yin
The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 9, 2022 6:24:28 GMT -8
When enemy fire was not immediately returned, the surviving members of Quednak Squadron were more surprised then relieved. Brukka Carr kept his organic starfighter's speed matched with Shiv Lah's, following the other Yuuzhan Vong into the loping arc towards the space station's underside. As he did this, relying on his wingman's piloting skills as he practically kept his own yorik-et a mirror image of the other out in front of it, he checked the flight camera before the angle of their approach at Alpha Site caused the station to block his view of the two cruisers. Before moving out of sight, he could tell they were pulling away from the station, which wasn't good for his squadron.While the station might have been unarmed, the same was surely not the case for the two cruisers. The more distance they put between themselves and the station, the better able the two capital ships would be able to utilize their guns without fear of striking the station. Out in the open against those two ships the five yorik-et would be mince-meat.It was odd then, as his eyes flicked up to the left corner of his cognition hood's display hud, that as he watched the enemy droid bombers chase after them they weren't opening fire. The enemy borks were following, but flying evasive rather than offensively, herding the coral skippers more than seeking to outright destroy them.{{ The infidels are behaving unusual. }} Said Brukka. {{ Why aren't they shooting? }} A fair question. Xarketh, whose yorik-et was now the furthest from the station, eased back on the flight reflex in front of him as his ship came out of its dive and finally angled towards the station from two kilometers below its current geometric plane of axis. He found himself pursued by droid bombers, the same as the others, but also was so far similarly spared incoming fire.{{ They might be studying our tactics, seeing if our capabilities have changed since the last time they encountered our technology. Don't be distracted by it. Stay in close to that station. Keep it between you and those cruisers while we pick it apart. They'll start shooting soon enough. }} That was all the motivation they needed. As Brukka and Shiv came at Alpha Site from the bottom left, and Skab and Uan came at it from the bottom right, all four warrior caste stroked the firing reflex in front of them and attacked. Brukka and Shiv's coral skippers each spat a flaming rock from the yaret-kor at the nose of their nimble organic starfighters, aimed at one of the three wide arms that connected the outer ring of the station to the inner ring, then banked right. Skab and Uan did the same on the right, firing a flaming rock apiece at the second of three arms connecting the stations outer ring with the interior ring, then banked left. It was a near perfect execution of a bissop play, with only Xarketh being out of place. With luck, any of the borks hot on their tail would collide as the two groups of yorik-et crossed paths, flying past one another by the narrowest of margins as they entered a circular flight pattern beneath the station. Brukka could feel his starfighter rumble as it streaked by Uan's, the yorik coral of their hulls almost touching.
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Kaine Australis
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 9, 2022 7:31:00 GMT -8
It was good that Captain Orona was not the type to change his mind on a whim. The Alor's orders were what had placed the RV station in jeopardy, and his orders were clear. Orona had to stick to his plan if he were to gain anything useful from this engagement, and thus have something with which to mollify Kaine if about any damage to the waystation. Allspark and Abrogator had both cleared the station and were moving away from it. The droidbombers obediently dogged the enemy Coralskippers, which were taking full advantage of the Mandalorians' restraint, and strafing the waystation. Behind the two outbound cruisers, fire and escaping gas burst from the waystation in places where it was hit hard. Its shields and hull weren't up to combat standards, and the fiery projectiles the Vongese used cut deep into its superstructure. Hull breaches and system damage were evident in the external damage, though the station could do little except rely on its military escort to protect and defend it.
Aboard Allspark, Orona didn't budge from his plan. Aboard Abrogator, Helix likewise, held firm to the other Captain's plan, despite the waystation being able to do very little to protect itself. They had to wait. The gunners knew their business, and the droids would do what they were programmed to do. Helix had ordered that any gunner who hit the station would forfeit a month's pay. He had no doubt they would produce their best efforts.Orona's voice was carried to his ship and to Helix's via the PA. "All gunners track your targets but hold fire. Borks prepare a concussion barrage. Anyone who hits the station forfeits a month's pay." Helix couldn't help but smile. The plan was simple and elegant. Box the fighters into an area with concussion missile blasts, and then tear that area apart with turbolaser fire. The skips were fast, agile, and tough. But they couldn't be in two places at once; the Mandalorians aimed to fill all the places with fire at once. They just had to wait for the right moment. If the turbolasers didn't get them, a full volley of missiles from the bombers would. Then the Mando'ade would pick up what was left, a trophy for their Alor. The moment came.FIRE! Orona thundered, chopping his right hand down in an unconscious gesture. Allspark and Abrogator's turbolasers opened up in sheets of glowing green flame. The coordinated volleys of the cruisers were timed to perfection with a mass volley from the surviving droidbombers, concussion missiles streaming out riding fire from their launchers as the twenty one surviving bombers fired on the five Yorik-et, bracketing them. It was an overwhelming amount of fire, concentrated to close in each enemy craft and disable or destroy it.Nem Yin
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Nem Yin
The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 13, 2022 5:57:43 GMT -8
The walls were closing in... Uan Rapuung's cognition hood swathed head looked left over his shoulder and was greeted by the sight of a number of borks. He looked right next, only to find the same. He grit his teeth sharpened to little yellow points, drawing a bead of black blood that dripped down his chin and was devoured by the fleshy membrane of the tall-yor. They were being surrounded. He kept on Skab's tail, both yorik-et directing a single blast from the yaret-kor at their nose, launching a flaming rock towards the third and final station arm that connected the outer and inner rings. It was all they had time for before the borks finally made their move. A warning rune flashed in the corner of the Yuuzhan Vong's hud, informing him of incoming missiles. {{ Incoming! }} Warned Uan, preparing to act.{{ Stay on me. }} Hissed Skab Vorrik. {{ We're going evasive. }} Both pilots manipulated the controls of their coral craft, using their dovin basals for speed rather than defense. But as they peeled away from the station, the only direction evasion of the missiles would allow, they were temporarily exposed to the open void. Uan had the split second misfortune of being in a position to watch Skab's fighter, barely ahead of his own, become immolated by a rushing wall of green fury. The split second passed and his fate was the same.
Oppositely, Shiv Lah and Brukka Carr had a similar conversation but chose a different tactic. As the missiles streaked towards them, they manipulated their dovin basals to create singularities to their rear. Being further back, the miniature blackhole behind Brukka's coral skipper was the first to start swallowing missiles, and thusly the first to become overwhelmed. The singularity collapsed in on itself and Brukka's fighter was ripped apart, blasted into coral bits that scattered across the stations hull. Shiv Lah twisted the steering reflex, trying to bank right as Brukka's sacrifice swallowed up some or the incoming ordinance that would have otherwise hit his own ship. The missiles still came on, however, and his dovin basal swallowed up one, then two. When a third was sucked into the yawning maw of the miniature singularity, it collapsed. Shiv temporarily lost control as the dovin basal went into shock, and a missile struck his fighter craft across the nose, tearing the yaret-kor right off his fighter in an explosion of rock and sending his craft into an uncontrolled horizontal spin as it vented its plasma store into the cold void in a stream of molten orange.
Lastly but also alone, Xarketh's coral skipper was streaking towards Alpha Site's underside when the warning rune inside his own tall-yor went off, alerting him of the incoming missiles. Unlike the other two groups of Quednak Squadron, he didn't have as many options. There were too many, making evasion impossible. He continued, putting all speed into his fighter as he hurtled towards the space station's center-point from below. The former reaver leaned forwards in the cockpit, one hand on the firing reflex of the yaret-kor, the other manipulating the flight controls. Behind the tall-yor swathing his face and tugging at his flesh, he bared his crooked teeth and snarled a final sentiment as he went to meet the Yun'O. "Do-ro'ik vong pratte!" He roared, stroking the firing reflex.A flaming ball of rock spat from the nose of his yorik-et as he sped at the station, shaking the fighter as the force of the expulsion from its main armament actually served to slow its rapid descent just enough for the missiles on its tail to catch up. Which they did, just as he hurtled nose first into the station's metal arsehole and Xarketh finally got to meet Yun-Yammka in person. The coral skipper exploded, whether it be from impact into Alpha Site or by the missiles, it didn't matter much at this point. |
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