|
|
Post by Jedi Knight Mahir on Oct 23, 2013 19:14:14 GMT -8
Twisted Fate rose rapidly from the atmosphere and moved quickly through the space surrounding Carida. It moved to a hyperlane and quickly left real space behind as it moved to make it to Ryloth, via a round about path, before it was to late. The pilot did as he usually did, and entered a light meditation before engaging the hyperdrive, without plotting a course in the nav-computer. He'd grown up navigating hyperspace in places where any star charts that may exist were often erroneous, and so had learned to navigate hyperspace instinctively. This may cause some mild concern for any passengers on board, but it was actually safer than using the nav-computer.
|
|
Zenchou Piteos
Member
It's all for deception.
Posts: 149 
Affiliation: What's yours?
Traffic Light: Orange
|
Post by Zenchou Piteos on Oct 24, 2013 8:14:36 GMT -8
A TIE/D Defender drops out of hyperspace. Piteos quickly inputs the coordinates that Adieumus had provided him, and the sleek and swift fighter craft descended down towards the planet of Carida and the hidden Jedi base.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alkor Centaris on Oct 24, 2013 9:19:39 GMT -8
Dim eyes, lightless the way a creature born in darkness might find appealing, glittered an eerie cerulean out of old habit. Alkor saw Zechar, and he exhaled sharply, a frigid breath leaving him in the form of steam. Zechar was something else to behold- a monstrous rendition of his old self, stylized in the format of a dragon. It was enough to make the minimalist in Alkor snort indignantly.
The other man had always been a little over the top, but this was grandiose even for the Exile. And full of surprises! He certainly wasn't alone. He'd brought a woman along. A woman! Surely, Zechar remembered how the Corellian felt about women? "Welcome aboard the Jedi-Republic Taskforce Ship Lariat," Alkor spelled out the grimness of the situation for the other man almost instantly; if he'd waited to get to Corellia, he wouldn't have put either of them in this situation. Instead, Alkor was going to have to perform a few awkward formalities. Just to keep up appearances, you know. "I"m afraid your eagerness puts me in a precarious situation, Zechar. You must understand, they've conscripted me into the Jedi ranks as a Watchman."
He did not wait for the situation to dawn on the other man before snapping his gaze to the near-human companion and narrowing his eyes. "I see you've taken to picking up strays, too. Does the pet have a name?" Alkor gestured to a few guardmen, who leveled repeating blasters on the pair, and another man, who came forward to cuff Zechar. Alkor did not look altogether happy that any of this was occurring, but in Carida space, the whole world was watching. Or, at least, Adieumus was.
|
|
Zechar
Member
Posts: 20
Traffic Light: Red
|
Post by Zechar on Oct 24, 2013 17:38:39 GMT -8
The huge man become more kin to stone than flesh. Only his eyes moved, narrowing to stare at Alkor keenly. A loud rushing began to build in his ears, and it seemed to Zechar that his world darkened and diminished until all that remained was the glowing cerulean of Alkor's eyes.
What are you doing, brother. You told me to come to you, didn't you? Now I'm here, and only now do you tell me that these, these mewling denizens of peace have laid a claim to you? Only now this becomes relevant? His head tilted infinitesimally to one side, his eyes trying to dredge the truth from Alkor's mind. ...because you have a plan, don't you. If these petulants wretches think they have a claim to you, and if I know you like I think I do, then you have a plan. You were always a man who could not be ruled, would not be ruled. Now you need me to play along.
He will betray you, like the rest of them. Zechar's eyes twitched. He will betray you, kill you, and destroy me - destroy us. Astares' sibilance hissed in his ears, confusing his mind. You must destroy them first. His eyes fluttered, and for a moment he could see his hand creeping towards the Candle, seeking its light. His seeing was not truth, though. With a snap his own will reasserted itself, and his eyes cleared. The huge man simply bowed his head slightly, mouth curving into the barest slit of a smile, and extended his hands to be restrained.
"Ask it yourself."
|
|
Johun Starfield
Member
Posts: 357
Affiliation: Jedi Order
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Johun Starfield on Oct 25, 2013 9:23:51 GMT -8
The Lux Patronus rose from Carida, pausing briefly in orbit. Johun made sure that the navicomputer was locked onto MAhir's homing beacon and hen engaged the hyperdrive, following where ever it led.
|
|
Ishmael
Member
Posts: 134
Affiliation: The Way of Lapay
|
Post by Ishmael on Oct 25, 2013 16:56:44 GMT -8
*Jerec's dull eyes shifted between Alkor's slight frame and the hulking, draconic form of Zechar. Awkwardly his face snapped up to allow him to peer into the monster's eyes. When he opened his mouth in reply, a slight trickle of brackish liquid leaked down his chin.*
"You live. Odd. I was sure..." *The soldier suddenly grinned with dawning comprehension.* "Ah! But I failed to factor your recent...er, modifications into my calculations."
*I had to admit, the man's transformation was somewhat astounding. When I had last seen him on Bakura he had been an impressive specimen, to be sure: a stoic brute of substantial prowess. Now, he had transcended himself, and become something altogether different. Even the look in his eyes was different. And the blade...such a weapon had much strength to contribute- in the right hands, of course.*
*I longed to shed this decaying husk, so that I might confront Zechar in my true form, and show him that he is not the only one to have undergone a transformation. Such posturing is important, you see. It saves a lot of trouble in the form of vying for dominance, which can often be quite the messy undertaking. Ah well. Soon enough we will have a proper reunion, us three darklings- plus a few more compatriots, if I'm not mistaken- together again after all this time.*
*Jerec watched in silence as the two brothers shared heated words, arms limp at his sides, gaze fixed forward. Alkor's prattle about being conscripted momentarily baffled me. The possibility of betrayal flitted through my mind, but I quickly ruled it out. If that were the case, he would not have dared bring Zechar and I together in the same place. Any two of us could overcome the third; that much had never been in question. And with the dragon's new strength, I'm fairly certain we could turn this entire planet to ashes.*
*It must be something else, then. A ruse? Very well, I don't mind playing along for now. Let's see if Zechar is capable of doing the same.*
|
|
|
|
Post by Sakri on Oct 26, 2013 19:57:53 GMT -8
"Pet"?
Sakri could feel the man's disdain for her, though she knew not from whence it stemmed. Most likely her gender; most people did not realize at first glance that she was anything but human. Her golden skin was the perfect hue such that it could be passed off as a deep tan under an unusual sun. The fact that she looked human in nearly all aspects was enough for most mildly human-centric beliefs..
Her focus turned to Zechar, her mind brushing against the surface thoughts of his. His mind was a flurry of motion, but she was able to gather that he trusted this man, even though he was seemingly placing Zechar under arrest. It must have been some sort of ruse, then. Something for the cams and the guards to witness, to allay suspicion. She had tensed up as soon as he had mentioned the words "Jedi" and "Republic" together, he was placing Zechar under "arrest", he was serving the Jedi, and he held nothing but disdain for her.. Her green eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, ignoring the guardsmen entirely.
"She does have a name, actually." She was deviating slightly from her usual routine, if only to make a point. "But her name is her own."
Her eyes briefly flickered over to the other contender in the hangar, looking him over before returning her steely gaze to the Jedi Watchman before her. "What you may call me is Sakri."
|
|
|
|
Post by Alkor Centaris on Oct 26, 2013 20:22:14 GMT -8
"Charming," Alkor intoned with a flicking motion of his wrist. The men moved forward toward Zechar, unsure of what to think of Sakri. Alkor gave rhem no instruction regarding her, so they decided to let her be. Alkor's gaze lilted toward one of the men for a moment, and a chill visibly ran down the guardsman's spine. It was obvious something was going on beneath the surface, but no one would see or hear it but Alkor and that single guard.
He turned his gaze back toward the woman who was introducing herself as Sakri, and he nodded. He gave no inclination towsrd offering his hand, instead quirking a brow at how she decided to answer for Zechar. It seemed that either she had a lofty view of her place, or she had the Dragon-man's balls in a vice. He looked at Zechar with a frown, then closed his eyes. "Careful, now, Miss Sakri. When you whore around this lot, you tend to end up dead. Ask Zechar's wife."
Looking toward Jerec now, Alkor felt the familiarity of the man's aura, and made a connection in his mind. If he hadn't focused on him, he might have missed it- the man was Ishmael's somehow. Nodding, Alkor gestured for all of them to follow him toward the bridge. He walked without any more words- they would ask their questions and make all their comments, and they would get answers, but Alkor had to think. This was a situation that required great consideration.
He spared a glance toward the woman once more, no emotion in his eyes or on his face. She was a factor, somehow. She changed everything. Had she cast a veil over Zechar? Had she glamoured him? The Exile had become resilient to being played, but the tool between a woman's legs could be convincing even to the strongest man. Alkor had a heavy amount of distrust toward the fairer sex because of that gods forsaken tendency toward manipulation.
They were almost as naturally gifted as he was. His mother had seen to that, he supposed. A grim grin set itself on his features, and despite himself, he winked at her. Oh, that bastard was incorrigible. Those blue eyes turned back round and away from her, and they turned unmistakably dark- though no one would see it behind him.
Alkor continued down the main hallway, hand resting on the hilt of his lightsaber.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sakri on Oct 26, 2013 21:06:19 GMT -8
The disdain never left his voice, but at least he was putting on a façade of politeness. That much, at least, was respect-..
"Careful, now, Miss Sakri. When you whore around this lot, you tend to end up dead. Ask Zechar's wife."
...Oh, no.
Oh, HELL, no.
She could handle the disdain. She was used to it. She could handle most forms of disrespect. But this... This bordered on her past. She had conquered her past, but the memories still haunted her when they were brought up.
The guardsmen had left her alone, which meant she was free to walk where she chose. And so she did so, walking forward at a brisk pace, catching up with the "Jedi." She reached out with her right hand, placing it upon his shoulder and gripping it firmly, grasping him and pulling him back to turn him around, the gesture enhanced by the Force.
"I am not a whore."
In the moment that he had to process, she had drawn her left hand back; when he was fully spun around to face her, her nictitating green eyes locking onto his violet, she swung, an open-handed slap directly on his face.
Her next words were spoken quickly but firmly, a fire in every syllable and an unfortunate revealing of her past with every breath.
"I was made a whore, once before. Taken against my will, night after night, by a man who was never sated." She always conserved her words.. Except where this was concerned. "He raped me whenever he wanted, because he had power over me. And he paid for that crime."
She glared at him, a part of her wanting to lash into him, wanting to tear him asunder, to torture him as she had once been tortured. But she held back, not because he didn't deserve it -- he did -- but because this was neither the time nor the place for any of it.
"Never again."
|
|
|
|
Post by Alkor Centaris on Oct 26, 2013 21:25:47 GMT -8
There were nightmares in the universe that people ought not face, even in broad daylight. Even in the presence of Jedi or arbitrators of Justice, these creatures of darkness were terror personified. And when Sakri twisted Alkor about and slapped his face, he did not flinch from the pain, or register any sort of reaction beyond absolute, vicious enmity. His eyes were a storm of violet, locked onto hers in a blizzard of frigid malice, his expression like smoothed rock. The mark on his cheek was a newly made scar to remind him of a presumed mistake, but even in its face, Alkor saw crimson.
It was not Sakri standing there, for a split second, but his mother. Alkor almost lost every drop of control he had mustered, and in his mental misstep, he released a gushing explosion of emotion, one that could have shattered everything he had worked for. Alkor's insatiable rage had billowed upward, and in an instant, his blade had flickered to life, his hand shaking uneasily.
He had killed for so much less, and killing again would have been less than nothing. Her life would have been the same as her slap to his face. A reminder. Never again.
But he relented. Alkor let out a long breath as his vision was restored to him and his eyes found the weapon in his hand, as if he were chastising himself for a moment of weakness. He stared at it, perhaps no further than a foot and a half from Sakri's body, and he tilted his head, smiling as the color left his eyes, once more the hue of the sea.
He let the humming of the blade say everything for him for several heartbeats. At times, the blade had been able to say things far better than he ever could. When it slipped away, he tucked it back at his hip and looked away from the woman. "Never again, indeed. Your pardon, ma'am." That last word escaped him so sweetly, she would never have expected the venom dripping from it if not for the incident several moments before. Alkor turned to continue, shooting a disdainful look toward the guards, who had been holding their breaths the entire duration of the exchange.
They fell into step, urging Zechar forward warily...
|
|
Zechar
Member
Posts: 20
Traffic Light: Red
|
Post by Zechar on Oct 26, 2013 21:53:35 GMT -8
Astares' scream blinded Zechar. The huge man winced, clamping his eyes shut and clenching his jaw. His arms and fists tensed as he weathered the shrieking blade.
He called your wife a whore! Will you stand for that, you mewling pimple?! Oh, how Zechar's soul roared in response. The black winds were a shrieking hurricane around him, invisible wings forming at his back that strained against the chains of his will. He wanted to give in and watch the men around him be atomized in the unchaining blast of his power, lesser creatures bulled aside in his rush at Alkor's throat.
His whole body trembled, and the binders on his wrists strained as the huge man raised his head and glared at Alkor from beneath his hood. He was an instant from release when Sakri slapped Alkor, and Alkor rounded on her. Somehow, that single outraged act stopped him in his tracks. Astares' screaming was suddenly irrelevant as Zechar smirked and relaxed. The moment was humorous. Alkor had always been an irreverent, acidic bastard. He was not excused for the insult; he'd pay later, but now was not the time. One insult did not merit his destruction. Not right now, anyway.
The men at his elbows attempted to nudge Zechar forward. The huge man gnashed his teeth at them, then stepped forward with a smirk hidden in his hood. Astares raved impotently.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sakri on Nov 1, 2013 15:13:30 GMT -8
She smiled, though there was absolutely no mirth in the expression. She suspected -- nay, she knew that she had crossed a line.
She didn't care.
Her point had been made, and that was what had mattered. And this man had exceptional self-control. She would grant him that much. He had slipped up, but to take that with such little reaction? That was good. So she smiled at him, then slowed down so that she was walking between Zechar and Alkor.
"And it's just 'Sakri.' No 'Miss.'"
|
|
|
|
Post by Alkor Centaris on Nov 1, 2013 16:13:26 GMT -8
'Wonderful,' Alkor thought, brooding as he led the group toward the helm of the ship, and dismissed them before stepping onto the platform with a slight wave of the hand, 'more pieces to play with, and the board hasn't even widened yet to accommodate them.' His eyes rested on Sakri for all of a moment as she corrected him to use no honorific about her name, and then, he ceased to regard her. It was increasingly common to find women these days who had strong wills and strove to be heard and respected as equals in society, and for all Alkor cared about that, it still tasted wrong on his tongue. Women were a poison, slow acting and brutally necessary. Over time, they caused more problems than they were worth, and abhorrently, even that was not enough just cause to be rid of them.
He supposed he would make due with the bitch as cannon fodder, whenever it seemed most prudent to fire here out of a torpedo tube.
Looking to Zechar, he could still feel the conflict welling up beneath the surfance, but strangely, it was far more pronounced now than it had ever been when they traveled together. Alkor kept his frosty gaze on the man for several moments, as long as he figured it might take the man to reign in his troubled thoughts. If it took longer, well, he would be able to consider the man something of a liability.
Nonetheless, Zechar was a powerful card to hold in hand for as long as possible. Provided that the card did not start trying to burn it's way through his fingers, he wouldn't throw it away haphazardly. When he finally looked away from the Exile, Alkor's eyes moved to the on - screen display of the planet Carida, whereupon the Jedi had manifested and consolidated their Watch holdings. The single most powerful nest of Jedi in the galaxy hung just beneath them, and all of their vision was crowded by darkness. Even now, Alkor was surrounded by evil, and Adieu us had not done anything. Could not do anything. Possibly even knew nothing at all.
It was enough to make Alkor detest the fact that he had ever become a part of this game at all. He could have ended all of it on Ossus. All of the lying and the deception could have easily been averted by a grand display of Force.
But Alkor had learned subtlety beyond the ways of the Sith. As time had passed, the old wounds of C 'thulu Plaga on Alkor's soul had opened, and blossomed into a rot that left his soul thirsting for more knowledge. In the absence of his former brothers, he had sought more than just power. No amount of paltry knowledge could equate to experience. He had started at the bottom of the Jedi Order, and learned their patience and control, adapted them, modified them, turned them into weapons sharper than any amount of twisted rage. And Alkor had culminated the methods and resources that he would need to tap in order to incapacitate the Jedi indefinitely. Never destroy. No, without light, darkness would consume everything. Inevitably, the Sith would struggle against him for control. He would give them their eternal enemy, if only so that they would remain out of his way forever.
He had far more important things to deal with than enigmatic knights of light and darkness vying against each other for their own definitions of justice and propriety. This galaxy was dead. Certainly, not in the literal sense- it would probably piddle on for centuries more, probably, going nowhere.
Alkor intended to save it from that fate.
His gaze fell on Ornix, who jolted as an unspoken command moved between them. The once youthful officers showed now signs of age. Graying black hair, wrinkles, a crazed gleam in his eye. Fear had taken him in it's tendrils, though of what, no one in the crew knew for certain. They whispered of something horrific in his mind, following the situation at Ryloth, but no man dared to bring it up to him.
Ornix gave the command to ready for a hyperspace jump, but as of yet, no coordinates had been keyed in. All eyes were on Alkor, who had yet to speak. And on his face, there was a dry smirk.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2013 16:38:05 GMT -8
 It is a dark hour for the Jedi order. After escaping the siege on Yavin, newly minted Jedi Master ADIEUMUS MATANGO calls several of the best and brightest to a new secret operations base on the colonial planet of CARIDA. Many heed the call at the first sounding, such as Jedi Master MIKE FRANTZ, and AEL JADE. While others, like Jedi knight DIAMONTE TUHLUTE refuse the call, still in mourning for his lost companion PUCK.
Choosing to take a more aggressive route in order to destabilize the Mandalorian Fleet blockading Yavin IV, Jade is dispatched to destroy a beskar mining and distribution facility, in hopes that cutting supplies can draw the blockade away from Yavin IV.
However, Death Watch Leader DRED VIZSLA contacts the leader of the Mandalorian forces, ASHRAH INTALBO regarding the involvement of the Jedi. In his hatred for the Jedi burning in his mind, he dispatches the venerable and feared TAUNG H'REL to track down and destroy the small Jedi combat force in retaliation. With his sights set on Carida, MAND'ALOR INTALBO intends to send a message to all force users in the Galaxy.... |
|
Taung H'rel
Retired High Councilor 
Posts: 469
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
|
Post by Taung H'rel on Nov 10, 2013 17:46:41 GMT -8
A LightStealth-18 slips out of the depths of hyperspace. The narrow reconnaissance craft had reduced its electronic and other detectable emissions to near zero, its powerful passive sensors focused on the planet several light minutes away, carefully taking stock of the planet and any craft that may be in orbit around it that could pose a threat to the Mandalorian craft. Initial returns indicated no large warships, and its commander gave the go ahead to move the craft closer as it drifted rapidly closer to the planet. Times like this were always the toughest, the crew silent staring at their monitor screens, the pilot and copilot monitoring the area immediately around the ship, sometimes with electrobinoculars and not just the ships own powerful sensor arrays. One never knew if there were traps laid somewhere ahead. Their adversaries, the Jedi, it was said, could do things and sense things that normal wisdom said was impossible. The silence stretched with time.
|
|
Taung H'rel
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 469
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
|
Post by Taung H'rel on Nov 11, 2013 15:55:18 GMT -8
The scout ship completed its outer pass, and slowly dropped closer to the planet. As they came around again two of the sensor techs noticed something on their screens.
"Sir, I got a twitch on my electron scanner. It isnt much, not like a shield working or an energy field, more like there is something interferring with the scan. A set of weird returns like the return is being distorted."
"Was it at coordinate 34-28-22-02?" asked a tech behind him.
"Yeah. You got something too?"
"I got a spike on the lifeform board. Though it was a herd of some local animal, seen a few of those."
The captain broke in. "We'll make another pass. If it is in the same spot we'll see if we can get a closer look."
The crew turned back to their tasks, and six hours later, their suspicions were confirmed that there was something down there. The captain of the vessel looked at the optical sensor image at the location the two sensor operators had first fingered. There was nothing there but what looked like a set of ruins. Old ruins.
"I think we got a hit. Move us out from the planet. I'll call in a recon team. We won't be able to see anything else anyway. Now we wait for the boys with mud in their boots."
The ship moved into a far higher orbit, still in passive mode, and used its blind band hypercomm to send his report.
|
|
Taung H'rel
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 469
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
|
Post by Taung H'rel on Nov 11, 2013 16:09:04 GMT -8
The commando team arrived in a cloaked Werlaara bomber, the invisible craft rapidly approaching a point that had been plotted and suggested by the reconnaissance craft in their initial report, putting them well away from the noticed travel routes and population densities...if a few camps and hovels could be called population centers, on the sparsely populated high gravity world. The craft slowed, and eased into the atmosphere to avoid the telltale streak of reentry fire. Even the reconnaissance craft was unable to track it with its sensors as it neared the planet and slipped ever closer to the planet itself.
|
|
Taung H'rel
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 469
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
|
Post by Taung H'rel on Nov 13, 2013 10:59:15 GMT -8
Taung's fleet dropped out of hyperspace over a billion kilometers from the planet, further even than a number of other planets in the system. Three unmodified Mishmure'cya class ships maneuvered themselves into a very wide spread triangular formation with the modified lead ship of the class, the Mishmure'cya, remaining behind somewhat. The three Mandokar class ships formed up well off to one side, got their bearings and jumped a bit closer to the planet several million kilometers to one side.
On the Orar Taung watched as his two other ships, the Skira and the Ram'or signaled their readiness and precise positions, and the countdown began. The clock hit zero, and the three ships fired all of their turbolasers at an exact point in space and time, before jumping closer to the planet, slightly off course of what the turbolasers were flying. Each ship confirmed its new position and realigned their turbolasers once again, and waited for the clock to count down until they fired again, and once again jumped closer to the planet. This pattern was repeated hundreds of times over the course of a number of hours, each movement and volley carefully crafted to align with each other volley, so that by the time each reached its destination the slowly spiraling pattern of the ships and the volleys would have the thousands of individual turbolaser beams coalescing into a near seamless beam of mind numbing power, enough, in another time and place, could be generated from a single shot from a single spacecraft many many times larger, with the power to destroy a planet. The target of interest, Carida, would currently see the Jedi's base actually almost facing the incoming beam, but in the 13 hours it would take for the turbolasers to fly the now almost 925 million kilometers, it would be on the far side of the planet and no one would see the beam streak out of the darkness. With the firing sequences complete, the three Mishmure'cya ships turned to starboard and jumped another few million kilometers to join up with the Mandokar class Star Frigates, and arrange themselves into battle formation, all weapons and shields charged and raised, or on hot standby, and jumped towards the planet, racing past their own incoming slowly converging turbolaser beams to complete their mission before the turbolasers struck their target and ended the Jedi's hiding hole even if the fleet and the army failed in their mission.
Sitting alone at the original firing point, the Mishmure'cya itself sat idly waiting. It would remain that way for almost the complete 13 hours.
In orbit of the planet Carida itself, the powerful fleet of Taung H'rel dropped out of hyperspace, the three four kilometer long ships, Skira, Orar, and Ram'or leading the way in a spread wedge pattern with the Orar in the center, the three Mandokar class Star Frigates dropping out below them, and slightly back, all ships bows pointing towards the planet, and began to accelerate directly towards the Jedi base. The Orar activated its Drown class Jammer, pouring impressive amounts of energy across the spectrum from high frequency to super low frequencies, subspace channels, and hypercomm channels, effectively washing out all communications too and from the system on one entire side of the planet.
|
|
Taung H'rel
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 469
Affiliation: Galactic Empire
|
Post by Taung H'rel on Nov 19, 2013 17:20:29 GMT -8
Having met and noted no resistance Taung's fleet moves in, as the fleet closed Taung transferred over to the Nasyraec, and as the three Mishmure'cya class Light Star Cruisers took a protective orbit over the target area, the three smaller Mandokar class Star Frigates dropped into the atmosphere, their shields lighting up with forks of static and heat friction, trails of smoke could be seen as the massive ships dipped further towards the planet.
|
|
Nemo
Member
Posts: 121
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by Nemo on Nov 25, 2013 13:00:04 GMT -8
Admiral Tza'uax was relaxing in his personal quarters after what had been a mediocre day of boring nothingness. The troops had been carrying out drills and exercises so the fleet had been busy but not the commanding officer. He would be busy in the next day of so when the reports hit his desk. The Falleen was scanning the Holonet looking for an interesting news article when his commlink buzzed expectantly. Shutting his holo-display down he answered his comm-link quickly after a yawn.
"This is the Admiral, over."
Admiral, hostile warships have entered the system and are taking aggressive positions near the Jedi base. The voice was that of the Chief Tactical officer, Lieutenant Commander Sam Atar and was more than a little exasperated. The fleet had been on maneuvers away from the planet and was now in no position to directly defend the base or planet. We've matched their posture by raising shields and are beginning to power weapons but, Sir......
"I know, I'll be on the bridge momentarily!"
Tza cut the comm and put the small device back in his pocket. He left the room without turning anything off or picking up anything, this situation was of the most urgent variety. He very short walk to the bridge turbolift was fillied by questions. How had they found the base? Why had it drawn an entire fleet? Were these Mandalorians or some other force? If they were Mando's why weren't they at Yavin? Soon he would have answers. The lift opened onto the bridge that was actually under-staffed. They were preparing for the night-shift and so there were fewer staff than usual, not a good start to the event. However as he walked onto the bridge he heard part of the fleet-wide announcement.
Enemy ships in the system, all hands to stations, this is not a drill. I repeat, all hands to stations!
The message repeated a few more times as Tza approached his seat. It was currently occupied by Vice Admiral Ba'al, second in command of the fleet. He quickly stood and moved to the next seat, his usual spot on the Admiral's right hand.
"Sir, we think the ships are Mandalorian, they appear similar to their typical designs with one main difference." The Vice Admiral said quite calmly considering the situation.
"And that difference is?"
"Size, three of the main ships are almost four kilometres long and the power readings their exerting are similar to that of the Thunderbolt!" The Thunderbolt was itself a huge ship, just over three and a half kilometres long designed by the old Techno Union under Tza's guidance. Only one was ever built due to the sheer cost. Having to face three vessels with similar power capabilities under Mandalorian command would be nearly impossible from this position. "That's not all Sir. There are three other large ships approaching the planet's surface."
"An invasion! That means that...."
"Yes Sir, we've detected a large amount of jamming energy from the enemy fleet. We still have basic ship-to-ship communication at this range but if we get closer we'll have to rely on visual comms. There is also no way to get a message out of the system at this time, the enemy jammers are too strong even at this range."
"Out first priority must be to warn the Jedi, dispatch a fighter at once to leave the system. Once it reaches Alderaan it is to drop out of hyperspace and transmit a warning message to the Jedi there and a long range message to the Temple of Coruscant. That will take quite a while but it is a sure-fire way for them to get the message. The situation look far too dire for any quick reinforcements to make much difference. I want as clear a picture as you can get on the situation projected on the holo-table at once. Then work out the best way to get a message to the enemy!"
"The best message might be a warning shot Sir. I doubt any comms can cut through their jamming."
Tza studies the holo-picture of the situation. The enemy has position, size, surprise and firepower. He had nothing, absolutely nothing. The enemy were sure to have noticed them but he couldn't just leave the system to the Mandalorians. It was the most challenging situation Tza had encountered since Yavin, and that didn't end well."I think a warning shot is probably our only means of opening comms but lets make the shots mean something. Have the impact spell out the Mandalorian word for communication or listening or negotiation, get the translators on it!" The translators came up with the word 'susulur', meaning to listen in mando'a. Crude but hopefully it got their attention.
The computers work out the sequence and then fires the ships turbolasers at the lead ship of the mandalorian formation. Even if they avoided the shots their own computers should be able to work out the pattern that has so deliberately been used. Now Tza can only wait to see if the enemy reacts.
|
|
