A New Alliance (Liberation of Sullust)

[Odium Ira]

The Metal Lords' Return​

Rebel Operation: 1​

Strike Force Pike​

Coming out of hyperspace, the Revenant-class Star Cruiser the FDV Seventy-Eight of Denon was ready to bust into Sullust with her fighters and escorts. Six squadrons of V7-Fenrir (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma), Wyverns (Delta and Epsilon), and Needle Fighters (Zeta) were tearing out of the hanger followed by the three Vulture Droids that made up ZFR-9EI. The droid looked around to see the Rebels moving. Good. This world would soon be free. Zeffer soon picked up some contacts, and the words of [member="Rayf Vigil"] , [member="Cody Bantam"] , and [member="Cuan Kunn"] . The droid

"This is Zeffer. Metal Lord squadrons and the Seventy-Eight of Denon here to assist. All squadrons, prepare to strike the enemy down. Show them what kind of damage a swarm of droid can cause! All Rebels, if needed my squadrons can assist with air support." After this call the squadrons formed up with Rogue Squadron and the Ice Lords. The Denon and her four Abregado War Galleys hung back for now. She would be saved for bigger targets. Right now though, there were fighters to deal with.

[member="Miri O'Hare"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Griet van Vliet"] [member="Damian Starchaser"] [member="Yula Perl"] [member="Kahne Porte"] [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] [member="Jerek Zenduu"] [member="Krenis Skirata"] [member="Katarine Falcon"] [member="Cathul Thuku"] [member="Rick Kaloo"] [member="Silara Varis"] [member="Mazik Stazi"]

 

[Mishel Kryze]

Arriving fashionably late, Mishel left Lav to pilot the Princess Leia away from the main fighting as she rushed to meet up with her master [member="Coren Starchaser"]. A swing of her lightsaber right, and then left as she cut down First Order stormtroopers. "Don't have all the fun without me, Master." She radioed over comms, a hand pressed to her earbud as she ducked beneath the swing of an Executioner's blade. Her foot met with his chest plate sending him backwards before she followed it up with an over the head blow to his helmet. Sullust was unravelling fast, the Ssi-Ruuvi really did a number to the First Order.

Leave it to the First Imperials to allow old enemies to haunt them in the end. As she Force pushed other troopers out of her way she shook her head, they were really a shell of their former selves. "What did they have, all the rookies? Or just any schutta who could fit in the armor?" There was a time when Mishel knew the troopers by name, but only one really stood out to. Sergeant Pierce if she recalled but his name was scarcely a memory, still - she heard he keldabe kissed a tauntaun on Hoth. Good times. A wisp of crimson scored across her shoulder guard. It forced her back to reality as she ran and threw her lightsaber ahead of her. Mishel landed on her feet sending a Force wave cascading toward opponents ahead of her. Soot, and ash were quick to cling to her outfit, "I'm heading your way, Starchaser."

 

[Mazik Stazi]

NEMO'S REVENGE​

ALLIANCE CORE FLEET​

MALASTARE SYSTEM​

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"Rear Admiral Varis, glad you're still with us," Mazik curtly acknowledged. The sentiment was genuine, even among the Navy it was common for months to lapse between making contact with other units, and the duros could count the number of surviving flag officers at his disposal on his fingers, "Your timing is fortuitous. We are just receiving initial telemetry from our skirmish wing now."

It had been a long a bitter resistance campaign, years on the run, and as fleet admiral he had been compelled to make every resource count. It was now a standard Alliance tactic to send a U-Wing with each fighter wing, the transport would drop to sublight at extreme range of a given engagement zone, and relay vital tactical information back to the mothership shrouded nearby. In this way Alliance capital ships could project force across a sector while remaining relatively secure, and also maintain a real time perspective on battles as they unfolded that wasn't reliant on avoiding jamming technology.

"Commander Bashir, relay our rendezvous coordinates to the Vengeance," he gestured to his executive officer, and the polar Mon Calamari made it so. Turning once more to regard the hologram of [member="Silara Varis"], Stazi continued, "I am certain the Third Fleet's starfighter corps is ready to join the cause."

They would be sending additional wings in waves, ramping up once Starchaser's breach teams compromised the interdiction station. Rogue Squadron had taken lead in the vanguard, but by the time they were ready to jump in their capital ships Sullust's orbit would already be swarming with X-Wings. This was an all or nothing push, the normally paranoid Mazik had held nothing back on the basis that they might never get another chance like this. If they could push the First Order out and then fortify, even if their nemesis eventually recovered it would be next to impossible to drive them off.

The Alliance was here to stay.

"General Starchaser's teams should be in position by now," Stazi continued filling Read Admiral Varis in on the situation, "Admiral Thuku has taken it upon herself to disrupt the possibility of local garrisons mustering reinforcements. The Third Fleet is to hold position here and coordinate bombing runs on Imperial infrastructure in orbit until Starchaser gives the signal. We will then jump to Sullust together, and roust the krayt dragon from its lair."

 

[Krenis Skirata]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTuTsqCo4uE​

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Krenis kept his eyes focused on the chronometer in his helmet. He counted down the seconds. "General Starchaser should have touched down." He turned to look at his small team. Every one of them was covered in grime, dirt, and soot. Even his usually immaculate armor was shadowed by the time scrounging a living from the Sullust caverns.

He flicked the safety off and nodded. "Let's go. Keep it tight. Heads on swivel. Target surveillance and comms initially. Need to draw attention as we storm the comms center."

The freedom fighters nodded and with that, Krenis kicked open the door of the delivery speeder. As the hatches swung open with a bang, he jumped out, carbine blazing. Even with the suppressor, the sound echoed in the streets of the underground city. Behind him, his fighters spilled out, moving to take positions to cover the angles. Krenis pushed forward relentlessly. He didn't bother asking them to surrender.

Why would they? A magazine slid from his gun as he slipped a new one in, crouched behind another speeder. Ahead, the door to the comms center started locking down as they realized what was happening.

"Secure that door!" Krenis yelled, and two of his partisan fighters jumped ahead, sprinting down the street, bent low, while Krenis kept up a continuous spread of fire on the guards and soldiers that he could see. One of his soldiers tossed a Corellian cocktail through the hatchway and it exploded in a burst of fire just beyond the door.

That was what he had waited for. Krenis dove from cover, rolled, and started sprinting towards the door. The pounding of footsteps behind him revealed the team was behind him.

 

[Silara Varis]

ALLIED THIRD FLEET​

Experimental Warfare Specialists​

Commander: R ADM Silara Varis​

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MALASTARE SYSTEM​

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[member="Mazik Stazi"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Miri O'Hare"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Griet van Vliet"] [member="Kahne Porte"] [member="Cuan Kunn"] [member="Damian Starchaser"] [member="Cody Bantam"] [member="Cathul Thuku"]


As Admiral Thuku Gave her piece Silara nodded, and took a sip from her caf cup. The bridge was getting hotter it seemed, and her senses were growing more acute by the minute. She felt that familiar prickle behind her navel she'd once characterized as the feeling of dread. But it was not dread. It was an excitement. A burning passion to get back into the thick of things.

But that was what landed us in such trouble at Bespin. ​

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"Aye Admiral Thuku, a Sound Plan. We'll follow your lead and hang back once we enter. Just put us where you want us."​

She turned her brown eyes to lock with Stazis and gave a curt smile and nodd.

"Aye we can support you. We have BloodHawk Squadron aboard. Most of them are the finest Pilots I posses. I'll be sending them to link up with [member="Rayf Vigil"] and the Rogues. Bout Twenty Four well maintained X-Wings. Aurek, Besh and Cresh flights will be launch in moments in support of your ops. I'll place them directly under your XO's Command to free you up.​

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Admiral Thuku, I may need a squadron for support depending on how things shake out. All of my fighters are going to be forward deployed into the fight."​

She let another puff of smoke escape her nostrils and set down the Caf cup on the rail.

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In the background her XO's voice boomed across the fleet.

"Set Fleet to Condition One, this is not a drill, repeat this is not a drill."​

Alarms began to blare at half sound, and lights flashed across the bridge illuminating the haze of her cigarette in flashes of garish red, as she readjusted her Uniform...

Meanwhile from their fleets belly scores of Fighter began to launch, like hornets from a kicked nest. Half broke off, moving to full sub-light in pursuit of the Rogues. Those were her finest, veterans of Both Skor and Bespin.

The rest of the Flights were green around the ears rookies, with Veteran Flight leaders. Personnel that could make a living off their meager wages of late were slim. Most did it fro the honor and the Glory

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"As soon as we get in system we'll begin jamming their Comms. Standby to send me your personal Freqs so there is no overlap."​

 

[RC 212]

MALASTARE SYSTEM - ZERO HOUR​

ANS Arbiter​

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[member="Krenis Skirata"] [member="Mazik Stazi"] [member="Mishel Kryze"] [member="ZFR-9EI"] [member="Cathul Thuku"] [member="Miri O'Hare"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Griet van Vliet"] [member="Damian Starchaser"] [member="Yula Perl"] [member="Kahne Porte"] [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] [member="Jerek Zenduu"] [member="Cuan Kunn"] [member="Cody Bantam"] [member="Rick Kaloo"]​

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The Fleet was beginning to muster in force now. She-watched with an errant gaze, swirling the Amber Whiskey in her cup as it all came together. Most of her previous days had found her running from one underground political gathering to the next. In between were scant periods where she got out into the field with her own Special Agents to aid the cause.

The previous months, they'd recovered a treasure trove of Data, to include the identities and locations of former Galactic Alliance Government Officials. While they would still be under the auspices of the Outer Rim Coalition, she planned to recall the aforementioned folks, and forge a new Advisory Council. As it was they numbered two, her and one other shadowy figure. Both equally engaged in political theater and Espionage against the enemies of their Exiled state.

"Looks like the Fleets gearing up for a fight."

"Indeed they are."

She tossed back the glass, and felt the fire thunder in her veins. She loved what the Alliance represented. where she had failed with the Commonwealth Systems, she fully intended to throw her back into the yoke for these folks.

"Jaxson, hail the bridge. Let Captain Mortimer know I'd like to follow the initial wave in. I'll need permission from Admiral Stazi and his XO of course, but I'm sure they'll oblige."

"Aye, sending it now."

She stood, sauntering towards the window, watching with brown eyes like laser beams and pulling her white cloak tighter about her frame.

"As soon as the first assault lands, we'll land with them. We'll head right for the old Political Districts. We'll have to take control of the systems in place as soon as the First Order Infrastructure fails."

"Should we assemble the Intel folks?"

"Yes. Call em up. Have them ready, and a Jast Whisperlite Shuttle prepped to take us down. We have to insert ourselves quietly. They'll not go down without a fight, but I daresay, I'd certainly love to shoot a Slimy Moff Dead on."

"Maybe take them hostage?"

"That's actually a devilishly charming plan!" She replied, flashing a grin his way.

"Certainly. They can either turn to the Alliance, and we'll keep them in control of the systems they have in place, or we remove them. We'll have to put them under an Oath of Loyalty. It'll be easier to keep the populace from rioting if we keep minimum infrastructure damage."

That reminds me.​

She stepped into a her holo tank and thumbed the button, opening a channel to the entirety of the Alliance. Her shimmering image would appear on their view screens across the sector, and possibly beyond.​

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She cleared her throat.​

"Hmm hmm. Brothers, Sisters, Fathers, Mothers of the Alliance. We stand today at a great turning point. A place where we can take back what we lost. What once was ours. A beating molten heart of the Alliance. ​

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Some of you may know pain, and fear and exile. But that ends today. Go forth and carry the Banner and Torch of the Righteous. This is our finest hour, or else it shall be our last hour. I ,Katarine Falcon, will be joining you on the ground with my own cohort of Agents to secure what infrastructure networks remain, to ensure a peaceful transition of power among the civilian and Government populace once we succeed.​

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I have no doubt you will do the Alliance Proud. My only request is that you can aid us. Aid us in limiting civilian casualties. They are not our enemies. Only the Combatants of the First Order are our true adversary.​

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Aid us in conserving the infrastructure of the system we seek to reclaim. Without these , we are no better than the Sith or the Empires of the verse. Show discretion that we might quickly rebuild.​

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Show the Galaxy that we are still an honorable and just cause to stand behind. That our banner still stands for honor, Light, Virtue and Loyalty. ​

I have no doubt in your prowess and dedication. I have no doubt in your success.​

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Save the Dream.​

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May the Force be With you.​

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I'll see you at the end.​

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Katarine Falcon, over and out,"​

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[Cathul Thuku]

Location: Asmeru
Allies: [member="Mazik Stazi"] [member="Silara Varis"]
Enemies: FO remnants

"Battle stations! Send out one squadron armed with cluster missiles to support Varis"

"Keep an eye open for those Ssu-ruuvi and Sharukans, the tactical console is now full of non-FO hostiles. Don't let the Ssu-ruuvi board us: entechment is the last thing our surviving crew wants"

"Stay out of standard turbolaser range from the Ssu-ruuvi, but hit the remaining hostiles while moving below the FO plane!"

Even though different subfactions were in control on Asmeru and Sullust, the threat Therapy Command posed to either subfaction, on top of the Ssu-ruuvi and the Sharukans, was so great that the subfaction in power on Asmeru couldn't simultaneously fight all three on its own. The same subfaction that controlled Asmeru also controlled Barkhesh, Mustafar and Rutan, and may as well be calling in reinforcements away from planets closer to Sullust, even as far east as Dagobah, as far west as Yalara, or as far north as Chalcedon, and even then it would be rendering anywhere in between vulnerable. So, in fact, the Alliance-in-Exile had the opportunity to wreak havoc on the First Order fleets stationed in their southeast, but also that opportunity wasn't free: one squadron with cluster missiles was all that Therapy Command could spare to support the main thrust further east. And yet, Asmeru's orbit was about to become a four-way, large-scale free-for-all. As the fleet moved underneath the First Order, it also moved underneath the remaining two hostile fleets, too, but just because the FO was usually vulnerable from underneath and at long range, didn't mean the Sharukans or the Ssu-ruuvi were. Yet, the opening shots were already fired before Therapy Command could fire theirs: the Ssu-ruuvi began attacking the First Order before that squadron could make the jump to Sullust.

 

[Rayf Vigil]

TR-20 X-WING​

STRIKE FORCE SWORD​

SULLUST SYSTEM​

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"Copy that, Ice Lords. You're about to have a lot less security in your area," while he conversed with [member="Cody Bantam"], Rogue Leader was already lining up his first shot at one of the approaching TIE pickets, "Give em hell."

Switching channels, Rayf steeled himself, "All fighters this is Rogue Leader. Weapons free, fire at will."

Taking his own advice, he gently squeezed the trigger on his flight stick. Fire linked las bursts arced past his bow, and one of the oncoming interceptors erupted into a distant fireball. A few seconds later the First Order holdouts began returning fire, and Rayf started weaving his X-Wing back and forth in an evasive pattern. Finally the two formations clashed, and in breaking off to avoid collision Commander Vigil pulled into a winding turn that ended with him in another TIE's killbox. Trusting that [member="Cuan Kunn"] was still keeping formation and would keep an eye out for any Imperial pilots looking to pull the same move, he waited just long enough to hear a missile lock tone and let fire with his ship to ship payload.

Another fireball, another kill. It was easy pickings for now, but this was only the first wave, these interceptors were just the pilots unlucky enough to be on patrol duty at the time. Soon there would be more, even severely weakened as they supposedly were the First Order military was sprawling and ever vigilant. All these reports about Ssi-ruuvi, and Avalonia being wiped out, it all seemed too good to be true. Until they had jumped into the system and there hadn't been an Imperial battle group or two lying in wait, Rayf had still been half convinced this was all some sort of elaborate FOSB campaign to drive them out in the open to be finished off for good.

It was beginning to appear that what was left of their old foe had much larger concerns.

"Rogue Two, you still with me?" Rayf called out, too focused on navigating through the chaos in front of him that he couldn't even spare a glance out his cockpit, "Fall back on my order. We don't want to rout them just yet, we're liable to drive them back right into the Ice Lords."

 

[Coren Starchaser]

With the call for the fight to claiming back their world, Coren Starchaser lead his teams out of their shuttles. They had their tasks, and it was to knock the power and transmissions to the stations above, the ones that Sword were dealing with. But his crew had more exacting things to do. Knowing Rogues, Tiburons, and the rest of Sword would handle it, he still needed to get his task done. And the different shuttles were going between offering protection and enforcing the movement.

The Light of the Force ignited around him as the Corellian Star, the blade he carried, was ignited in his hand. Stepping out into the oncoming blaster fire, a shield of Force energy allowed the soldiers to get into position before the Jedi threw the energy towards troopers, knocking them back. When the dust settled and the troopers of his side got a foothold, he nodded at them.

“Lets get moving.” He heard his comm flicker and his apprentice’s voice come across. “Catch up, kid, I may just take down the whole garrison myself!”

He heard calls from the vanguard of his unit that the fighting was heavier near the control center. It was a bee-line, so most troopers and what Jedi the Alliance could muster were protecting the main hammer of Spear. Starchaser and the units around him.

“Meet at the control station, we need to get our fleet in.”

[member="Mishel Kryze"] [member="Mazik Stazi"] [member="Krenis Skirata"] [member="Kahne Porte"] [member="Miri"] O’Hare

 

[Griet van Vliet]

"I must admit that looting dead FO personnel for ammunition, weapons and supplies is tempting, however"

"If there are any Ren on our path, that Ren will probably go after me, so we stand ready to take up positions on overwatch, and attack the convoy from there. Make any and every ammunition count"

"All right, let's get to our staging area, at the top of the cliff"

For that she was lucky to have the Utai Heavy Muncher. Firing Umbaran electromagnetic plasma that will cause magnetic reconnection in a lightsaber blade and also cause, if fired at a walker leg joint, the metal to be eaten away and maybe cause the walker to collapse. At this point, only a Ren was likely to have anything remotely resembling a significant bounty posted on it, except maybe a rather high-ranking officer. Relax. I can always cast Neural Storm on them once they start becoming hostile, she thought, while getting into position at the top of the cliff, joined by people that seem to prefer her to join the fight by now. They also had uneven weapons: some of them were clearly looted from the First Order, while others were of a wide variety of makes and calibers. The same unevenness of equipment was readily apparent in other areas, too. Also, the First Order was on the move in an attempt to resupply its bases so that, if the Ssu-ruuvi came under attack, they would have enough supplies to resist. But they would have to face multiple threats this day.

 

[Van Bri'tsyd]

STRIKE FORCE SWORD
SULLUST SYSTEM - ZERO HOUR
Orbalisk Boarding shuttles - Ice Lords

[member="Rayf Vigil"] - [member="Coren Starchaser"]​

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"You just keep those fething ties off our back rogue leader and we will bring down that dictor station. Good hunting, Ice lords out."

It was false bravado, but in these instances Cody found that you sometimes needed to fake it in order to properly lead men. The boarding shuttles banked and shuttered as their pilots worked hard to avoid the in coming fire from the station. Cody's hands gripped the back of the pilot's chair as he struggled to keep upright. Finally after what seems like an eternity the arrived and with a thud the shuttles one by one locked on to First Order station. Almost instantly the belly-mounted Plasma Torches began to ear through the tough outer layers of their target cody looked around at his men.

"OK we are going in hard and fast, alpha group use those EMP grenades the Alliance boys gave us to knock out their automated defenses. Gunnar, Ólafur if any of those security types show up, be sure to give them a warm welcome."

He smiled at the two massive Wampa as the both held their magma cannons aloft and let out an ear splitting roar in reply. Looking back to the hatch he saw they were almost through.

"Party time boys, lets do this!"

 

[Jerek Zenduu]

It didn't take much for Damian to subdue his opponents, but Damian was far better trained than Jerek. The padawan had never fancied physical combat himself, he had often drawn withering looks from his instructional masters in training courses on the subject. He much preferred avoiding the blows, or countering them with the Force or a lightsaber.

With only his fists for weapons, Jerek really wished he had a lightsaber today.

Throw a bloody punch? Well, okay then. Squaring off against the final guard, Jerek did what he did best. He found an opening and raced in, faster than the guard could counter. That, at least, he was good at. Making a fist, he pulled it back and sunk it into the guard's stomach.

Nothing.

Not even a sound uttered from the guard's mouth. The boy and the guard seemed to both look at the site of the punch, Jerek bewildered, and the guard just annoyed. Two beefy hands clasped on the sides of his shoulders, and then the teen was annoyed, too. This was why he didn't like physical combat.

It didn't take much to send the boy flying, and when he hit the ground, Jerek rolled to absorb the impact as much as he could. He took a few heavy breaths, trying to regain his stamina. It took only that long for the guard to close the distance between them, grabbing on to the front of Jerek's utility jumpsuit and hauling him to, and up past, his feet. His feet flailed in the air, scrambling to touch ground as the padawan stared wide-eyed at the guard, whose fist was winding back for a punch with a powerful force behind it.

The Force was something Jerek did have today, however.

His hands flew out as he tapped into the Force, sending it into the joints and muscles of the guard, locking them in Stasis. Which also locked Jerek suspended above the ground by the guard's frozen grasp. He tried to pry the fingers apart, to no avail. The boy sighed. He brought himself back into the Force for another action, a brief but powerful Push back against the guard, sending him backwards but out of the clutches of the stunned guard.

Skittering back until he caught himself on his feet, Jerek found the guard lying on his back, still stunned and frozen in place. The boy approached him, calmly now, and knelt down next to the guard's still form. If a punch wasn't going to knock out this brute, he wagered, then there wasn't much other choice. Laying an arm down along the guard's neck, he pressed in on the windpipe, cutting off his opponent's air supply. It took a while, much longer than the boy had hoped, hearing the guard gasping and watching his eyes flutter as he slowly lost consciousness.

When it was done, Jerek stood and walked back to the waiting form of Damian. He glanced up at the man, and then down at the chunk of fabric the guard had taken out of the utility jumpsuit that served as their infiltration attire, pulling at it with a hand. "I really hope we didn't need this particular disguise anymore," Jerek said, looking back up at the man. "Can we go inside now?"

[member="Damian Starchaser"] | [member="Yula Perl"] | [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"]​

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

As Allya walked through the halls of the warehouse, she got Yula's message. Rather than acknowledge it, she walked towards the crates in a natural fashion. She was greeted by two individuals piling crates with the help of a droid. “Hey, what are you doing away from the door?” She pointed her finger, and the fallen man's voice came out. “Customer.” It sounded slightly odd, but passable. Like he was drunk.

They looked at each other, and began to move over towards the door. When their backs were turned to her, her first instinct was the draw and kill them. Death made it so they would not interfere with their plans. Hand touched her blaster, and this sharp pain exploded in her chest. It wasn't a physical pain, persay, but the feeling of a breaking heart. Jerek would hate you if you do that. Her finger twitched almost immediately, and turned on the stun feature of her blaster. It was raised quickly, and two pulls of the trigger sent a blue ring into the back of each man. As the droid began to react, a few stun blasts went into it as well, shorting it out for a moment. She pulled out a restraining bolt, placed it onto the chassis, and activated it in the short time she had.

Straps were gathered from the crates, and she tied up the men, removed their weapons and comms, and stuffed them into one of the boxes. A cord came out of her vambrace, part of the slicer module, and she plugged it into the droid. Quickly she sorted through a large amount of data, and stored it on a separate memory core, to be analyzed later. Once the droid was fully analyzed, she deactivated it, to not fire again. Best to keep the sound down for the moment. The girl moved out from behind the crates, and searched the offices, but there were no more people. Finally, she deactivated the holo disguise, and vocabulator. Soon, she was at the front door, disabled the security measures, and unlocked it, and let it swing wide. Her mind instinctively sought out Jerek's and she only relaxed once she had linked her mind to his for a moment through the force.

That was better. He was okay. Eyes searched the outer area, to make sure all enemies were cleared. She had absolute faith in Yula to handle her own challenge. That, and she was close enough to handle all three, and all those outside if it turned into a battle.

[member="Jerek Zenduu"] | [member="Yula Perl"] | [member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Yula Perl]

One of the human men had been knocked out when his skull connected with the wall just so, and while stunned, the remaining human and Sullustan were quickly on their feet and stalking towards Yula. The human, a burly man, went with a wide left hook, attempting to bring his smaller opponent down. Maybe it was the dizziness that had him off kilter, but the armored Zelton quickly ducked, dropping down to the ground and sweeping the man’s leg. He went down like a sack of potatoes, and it was then when Yula caught the faint smell of whiskey around him.

“Oof, looks like you had too much—hey!” She’d forgotten about the Sullustan, who’d just fired several shots towards her. The first one hit her in the shoulder, causing her to stumble back, and the rest went awry. “Urrgh…” Though the bolt had dissipated along her armor, the point of impact was not pleasant. Yula sucked in a painful gasp through her teeth before turning an eye towards the gun-toting native.

After she’d finished with her own scuffle (and ensured that the gangsters were sufficiently hog tied), the agent went about setting up the laser drill Uncle Damian had insisted they need for this operation.

“Man, this thing was heavier than I thought.” Her voice would crackle through the comm frequency, making banter while she unloaded the supplies and began to set up the mining device. “Uncle Damian, looks like we’re all good on this end. You clear em all out, Allya?” The young Mando had proved to be a fierce warrior in her own regard. She’d expect nothing less from one of Isley’s kiddos.

[member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] | [member="Jerek Zenduu"] | [member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

Damian congratulated [member="Jerek Zenduu"] with a pat on the back as he looked around at the nearby buildings checking for movement in windows, and examining every nook he could find hoping that no one had seen their little confrontation. "Next time don't pressure the windpipe, go for the artery," Damian squatted on the ground and pointed on the unconscious guard indicating the proper placement of arms. as he injected the man with a sedative and began to secure stun cuff's and a gag to him. "Cut off the blood supply to the brain and he'll fall unconscious in a matter of seconds, You need to be careful though, depending on species it could take less than a minute to kill someone."

He continued to secure the guards and began dragging one inside when he heard the blaster shots. Stopping for a minute he resisted the urge to dart into the building for fear of Yula. Could she handle herself? yes, but at the same time there was a familiar concern. Of course she was fine and the message came over the com's and he sighed a bit of relief. Maybe it wasn't a good idea bringing her along after all. Still there was no time to dwell on the question and he quickly moved one of the, now secure, guards into the building.

"Jerek help me get the rest of these bodies inside so we don't attract any unwanted attention." Damian hauled the bodies inside before looking over at the boy and giving him a lopsided smile. "Oh and here," he rifled through the utility speeder and quickly produced a comb still in the package throwing it over to the boy. "You have to look your best."

With a laugh he continued inside with a small container in his hand. Putting his chrono up to his face he activated the communicator. "We're coming in Yula, bringing the final bit of equipment." Jaunting into the warehouse he whistled at the high shelves filled with stolen, looted, or otherwise illicit materials. He'd have to put in a tip to local security when all of this was done to try to get some of the property back to their rightful owners. But right now he had a job to do. Walking over to where Yula had the drilling equipment he brought the final component, the most important piece of their labor.

Placing the case on top of a nearby crate he slowely opened it revealing a portable cooking surface and several packages of fresh food. "Right so who is hungry? It's going to take this drill awhile."

[member="Yula Perl"] | [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Miel Tevv]

SOROSUUB CENTROPLEX​

EMERGENCY BOARD COUNCIL​

SULLUST​

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"Its the Mandalorians all over again, only worse. This latest rebel strike will cost us hundreds of millions in credits, possibly even more!"

"You're still convinced its just a raid, then?" one of Executive Rarb's senior partners did not sound so sure, "This seems more coordinated than the last time. They stormed a prison and robbed a train before, now they're shooting TIE fighters out of orbit!"

"The sector Moff has assured us these insurgents will be dealt with," Rarb insisted, obviously not keen on the interruption, "We have no reason to doubt our Imperial brothers and sisters. Now, some of you may believe the lies and enemy propaganda concerning Avalonia, but I assure you that rumors of the First Order's downfall are very much exaggerated."

"Loyal soldier till the end, huh Rarb?" there was a commotion at the far end of the chamber as the conference room doors were forced open.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" the SoroSuub CEO demanded. His eyes widened when he recognized the speaker, "Security! Have that man arrested!"

"They don't work for you anymore, Rarb," Miel Tevv was flanked on either side by a pair of grim looking Sullustans wearing the old Home Guard uniforms, uniforms which had been outlawed under Imperial rule, "Thanks for looking after the place though."

"You'll never get away with this, Tevv! I'll see you executed, you slime-"

A screaming whine of ion fire erupted from Miel's ELG-3A, and former executive Rarb slumped back in his seat convulsing from electric shock.

"I'm buying you out!" Miel shouted loud enough for the entire room to hear. He tossed a blood stained First Order credit chit onto the elegant conference table, "That's my price. Any more objections?"

Silence settled over them, as wide eyed Sullustan businessmen began to contemplate with horror their new existence as former collaborators.

"Good," Miel nodded, "Colonel Nunb, see the rest of these people detained. Are our people in place at the communications hub?"

"Yes, sir."

"Execute on my authority," he told her, "Once we're in control, relay a message to the plant chiefs across all the regional substations."

"What message, sir?" the colonel asked.

Executive Tevv said only, "Rise."

 

[Griet van Vliet]

And then came the fun part: provoking the Ren that was at the convoy's lead into a premature fight. Even a standard blaster range was, for the typical Ren, a little much to handle. Here she was, at the top of a cliff, and the Ren at the bottom of it, atop some walker, at the head of a convoy that had a few hoversleds with supplies onboard, as well as other walkers containing a few stormtroopers for good measure. Now, since a heavy repeater like the Utai Heavy Muncher wasn't the most accurate weapon, it could always hit the supplies, or also other areas on the walker. She had the Ren within her sights, she could feel that the Ren was a little uneasy with engaging from range. In fact, she was also providing suppressive fire, if the enemy was suppressed up front, then the remaining elements could engage from the flanks. Once the burst was let loose, the Ren drew his lightsaber in a loud snap-hiss and attempted to block the volley. Once one of those white Umbaran electromagnetic plasma bolts hit the lightsaber blade, magnetic reconnection caused the plasma in the blade to vent out at him, and the impact of those bolts against the walker's hull ultimately crew the Ren to its death.

 

[RC 212]

MALASTARE SYSTEM - FIRST HOUR​

DEPARTING FOR SULLUST​

ANS Arbiter​

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Suddenly the space surrounding Malastare had fallen prey to an enemy attack. They were confronted on all sides by the foe. Ssi-Ruvi, former FO. It was quickly devolving into a messy affair. Whereas the Arbiter was not slated as a warship nowadays she kept her distance, ordering her ships CO to move them farther afield.

"No response from Stazi Ma'am. Must be tied up."

"Very well. We will follow the Spearhead in. Jump as close as we can to their interdiction, and then we'll float in dark the rest of the way."

"Aye Ma'am. Can do."

"Is that shuttle fired up?"

"It is."

"Meet me there, in ten minutes. I wish to leave as soon as we get close enough to Sullust. The faster we can capture the Embassy location, the more chance we have of gleaning any data that's left from their servers. Some of that could prove critical to our cause."

Moments later she felt the whumpf of hyperspace, as she slid a small holdout blaster into the folds of her cloak. It was deposited neatly behind and old Commonwealth systems plate carrier, rated to stop blasters and ballistics at medium range. She'd repainted the symbol since then, not ready to show it off as the Federalist Parties new logo.

That'd come later, when the real game began.

Last she donned a simple med kit, snapped it to the carrier and drew her white cloak back about her frame, concealing all.

Jaxton met her in the Shuttle, where the engines were already whirring to life. There was another whumpf, and most lights went into blackout mode. She'd barely managed to secure her five point harness as the shuttle rocketed from its berth little more than a whisper and faint speck of black.

"En route."

"Good."

"We have word on the ground that a Sullustan Loyalist with SoroSuub is cleaning house and starting some kind of insurrection."


She pondered that for a second. No doubt they had been treated extra cruel under the yoke of the First Order and their anti Xeno philosophy. That was something she could use to her advantage, but not just yet.

She glanced left to her team of agents, a fire-team of four decked out in black, sporting Alliance Pathfinder helms.

"As soon as we land let's get on foot to the embassy."

"Could steal a few vic's. That'd be a faster time Ma'am."

"Negative. I want to infiltrate, not announce ourselves. Let the SoroSuub and Spearhead draw their attention. Then we slip in the back door with some old codes I happen to have acquired."

Jaxton smiled.

"Devil in white."

"Somewhat."

 

[Mazik Stazi]

NEMO'S REVENGE​

ALLIANCE CORE FLEET​

MALASTARE SYSTEM​

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Fleet Admiral Stazi paced back and forth across the star cruiser's battle bridge. On one side was the control center's main viewport, offering a glimpse at ongoing strategic preparations among navy vessels conducting last second spot repairs and shipping cargo back and forth to balance out their always dwindling supplies. The truth was, they needed Sullust just as badly as Sullust needed them. Even facing global catastrophe, such a populous industrial world would have more than enough to spare to keep his fighters going. They were running low on everything from missiles to bacta and power packs, the Revenge was maintaining sublight practically on fumes.

If Mazik were a religious man, he would wonder if the Force had not simply wiped the First Order off the map in some grand act of cosmic balance.

"Is that confirmed?" nearby, he overheard his executive Commander Bashir pressing a junior officer, before the mon calamari strode over seemingly with purpose, "Our ears on the ground have picked up new comm chatter, intruder alert in orbit."

"Now its a race against time," the duros nodded, struggling to cope with his lack of agency in shaping these crucial next few moments, "Any word on Imp response?"

"They're diverting a company of stormtroopers from SoroSuub HQ to drive us out."

"Only a company?" he raised his eyebrow in surprise at this, the edges of his lips curling up ever so slightly, "So there is a limit to their supply after all."

A single company of stormtroopers against [member="Cody Bantam"] and the Ice Lords? Stazi's talons were on the Ice Lords.

"Admiral, there is still the matter of [member="Katarine Falcon"]."

"Tell Miss Falcon that when the starbird flies over Byllurun I'll start taking calls from civilian representatives. Until then, I don't give a kark where she goes. If she wants to get shot at, its a free galaxy."

"Should I really tell her that, sir?" Bashir asked.

He sighed, "I leave it up to your executive prerogative, commander."

"Permission granted it is then. Aye, sir."

 

[Jerek Zenduu]

His heart was still pounding from the deadly combat, but Jerek did his best to pay attention to [member="Damian Starchaser"] as the man demonstrated a better technique. The idea that the padawan could have accidentally killed the guard should have worried him, but it simply registered in his brain quietly alongside the thundering sound of his own mortality pumping in his ears. The boy never felt this rattled after a dogfight in his starfighter, or even after a lightsaber duel, at least not for a long time, and it wasn’t a feeling he enjoyed. The rational part of his brain told him that he needed to practice and get better at streetside scraps like these.

The primitive part of his brain told Jerek that he needed to get out of here!

Jerek stood firm until Damian asked for help in hiding the unconscious bodies of the guards, with which he happily obliged. It was a distraction as much as another lesson for him, so he tackled it eagerly, noting one more element of stealth that he had previously only known intrinsically. The four limp bodies weren’t difficult to move for the two Jedi, not with the aid of the Force, and the two of them quickly finished stashing them out of sight inside the building they once guarded. He hoped that no one would notice that the building was no longer guarded.

As he caught the comb package from Damian, however, the boy was annoyed that he hadn’t noticed the state of his own hair. He patted his head to assess the state of it and frowned, sighing with a roll of his eyes as he followed the man inside once more. Trust the fashionista would call him out on something like that, but the teen was honestly more offended by how badly his hair had betrayed him. ”My best?” the youth shot back at the man, cheekily taking out some of his frustration in the wordplay, ”Sure, wouldn’t want you to look like you got all dolled up for nothing.”

After taking a moment to straighten it, Jerek joined the others in the warehouse where [member="Yula Perl"] was assembling a drill. His eyes sought [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"], however, and rushed to her side. She was dressed in her formfitting armor, a sight that the boy enjoyed looking at, but he ignored it as he moved close hug her, leaning down to plant his lips on hers. His heart pounded in his chest again, but this time Jerek didn’t want to run.

”Was the back door as fun as the front?” the boy asked his girl when they parted. He stared at Allya, raising a hand to fix a lock of hair that had come undone in their embrace, finally letting himself take in the armor she was wearing again. ”I wish I’d had your outfit, I could have used some of its tricks. Or at least my lightsaber. Damian crashed the speeder and tried to kill us, and then a bunch of guards tried to finish the job.”

Jerek blushed a little in admitting his own weakness, but it was to Allya, so it didn’t matter to him. He didn’t care if they stood there for the rest of the mission. Of course he wanted to help the people of Sullust rid themselves of the First Order’s lingering claws, that’s why they were here, after all. That’s why he had come. Still, he couldn’t deny that it would be easy to just let others help while he and Allya stayed out of the mess and the fighting.

The sobering reality fell upon his ears in Damian’s voice, and he turned to see the man seated on a cargo crate with a portable cooking stove. Jerek turned back to Allya and asked, ”Hungry?”

He took the opportunity to look at her again, trying to resist the urge to make a provocative comment about her suit or the hunger that food couldn’t satisfy. It wasn’t easy. He grinned at her coyly, and leaned in close, ”I know I am.”