By now the Marines had made it halfway across the landscape, small squadrons on speeder bikes, while the ice worms retreated to rethink a new strategy and a new source of food as a large group of individuals gathered near the Archives.
Mežsrožu descended the tower with her guards to be met with a rather particular officer, "Sun-Shin." The Ren remarked with some surprise as she bowed with respect toward Commander Sun-Shin, who wore the new First Order naval uniforms. "I presume that the base has been evacuated properly?"
"It has." Sun-Shin gestured for the two to walk, "information regarding our project has been sent to Qeravert. Yvarro has been notified of the movement."
Yvarro. Mežsrožu scoffed at the name but gave Sun-Shin a smile. The lights of the base faded, as darkness took over and charges were set. The pair and their guards approached a landing pad with two ships a modified Fury that belonged to Mežsrožu and a modified X-70B that belonged to the commander. Hoth had been where preliminary studies had been ongoing on the Permafrost crystals that were native here. Expeditionary teams had been sent out to the graveyard to retrieve anything that was salvageable.
As the pair appeared on the landing pad, the bombers that Ren had ordered finally entered the system. Raskovas along with a few Vindicators had arrived to collect the First Order TIE Fighters. More importantly, the information here at the base had been secured and the projects that Yvarro had ordered would continue to be safeguarded. Orders were clear, the FO TIE Fighters were not to engage enemy ground support and only paint or tag various mountains.
Once more the group that had seen the ice worms would see the FO TIE Fighters again. This time they would retreat to high orbit while the Raskovas moved to calculate drop rates, and pushed into Hoth's atmosphere. Commander Sun-Shin and Mežsrožu along with their guards climbed into their respective starships. "FN-3156 inform the marines to rendezvous at the following site, we'll have them picked up shortly."
Outpost Veers was built by a man who anticipated war and held many secrets, the marines would be able to find safety through a particular escape route once they've met with enemy forces. "Hit and run tactics only, we don't have the means to sustain a full military campaign."
FN-3156 acknowledged the order as DT-1884 initiated lift-off procedures. The base behind them would implode in a wave with the cliff face of snow behind it, agitated just enough to send volumes of the wintery mess on top of it. Fury and X-70B lifted off from the landing pad just as the last of the implosions detonated. At least four of the Raskovas could be seen now, Mežsrožu grinned at the sight of them they were escorted by Bolts and no doubt the Daggers were not far behind.
From the ground only the Raskovas were clearly seen, the Bolts appeared more like a massive thrantas in the clouds, skimming along but never breaking the surface. It was a show of force, the First Order wasn't as dead as they thought. Raskovas built with four bomber magazines each let loose a torrent of proton bombs across the frozen wasteland with an aim toward the old Echo Base/Outpost Veers and toward the location of the FOSB Archives.
In the system, a very familiar ship awaited both Mežsrožu and Commander Sun-Shin.
F.I.V. CONCORDIA, RESURGENT II