Invasion Into Hell, We March (Authority Invasion of Naboo)

[Salem Norongachi]

Why do we fight? What’s it all for?

These were questions any man in his position asked in the silent darkness where peace was ever illusive. Salem Norongachi had asked himself that more times than he would ever admit, across seven centuries of bloodshed and war. Every time, he entertained the thought that this might be the last, that he wouldn't be dragging the screaming, mangled, bodies of soldiers from another meatgrinder and then asking others to take their place.

In those moments, in those black spaces of time that felt like they would never end, the answer came. It came in the form of the faces, of the unbroken spirit of the men that served under him and an old question, one that cut right to his core: If they wouldn't take a stand, who would?

The Omega Protectorate had started this war, they had brought countless lives to a premature end because of a single man and a single minded rationale that was so full of holes it went beyond hypocritical. If they wavered, if they stepped an inch from this path then what would happen? Would the Fringe take up the fight? Would the Mandalorians? Would the Republic?

No, for whatever reason, and Salem was sure there were many, they stood back and they watched. They watched as the fallacy of righteousness and the stained banner of justice drove the Protectorate forward. Against the former Confederate government, the One Sith and now, by virtue of inheritance, the Abrion Systems Authority.

The old guard were gone, the cowering worms that wanted little more than to prostrate themselves before the status quo. Washed away in a single night of revolution that saw the entire government forged anew.

Naboo, would feel the stroke of a tempered blade first. It was a symbol, a world that few in the Galaxy had not heard of. It was also one of the most heavily guarded the Protectorate had but...if they took Naboo, if they swept away the enemy lines and left their fleets in burning wrecks that only the void would take, they could handle anything. Any world, any situation. The impossible would become possible.

So here he sat, in the cramped confines of a troop transport surrounded by an armada that the CIS had never dreamed of fielding. This would be one of the most pivotal battles of the war and Ayden Cater would learn that the Authority hadn't even begun to fight.

“Jumping in 5...4...3...2…” The ship lurched as it fired into hyperspace.

Death or Glory lay at journey's end.

 

[Ayden Cater]

The sensors weren’t faulty.

There was no mistake.

They were coming.

Ever since the Battle of Druckenwell, Ayden knew that a retaliatory strike would come, when the anger of the indignant and the blood-thirsty would be contained no more. It did not matter that it was they who ordered the destruction of every orbital platform over Druckenwell and consigned more than a billion souls to oblivion. It did not matter that the Protectorate had stopped firing on Confederate ships to fire on the falling debris, that they had fought to save as many of the people of a world that was not theirs to protect while the Confederate leaders tucked tail and ran.

They were coming for blood.

Only a few long-range sensor outposts could confirm, but given the state of war, it was inevitable that the Confederacy would invade. The border worlds closest to the Confederacy had been kept on high alert since the war began. Worlds that normally saw only a handful of warships in the course of a month now regularly saw dozens every week. They were prepared for this.

Barely an hour before the Confederate fleet was due to arrive in Protectorate space, they finally got a bead on their destination: Naboo. This made some degree of sense as Naboo was a tactically valuable world. The FLEETCOM station there coordinated the navy’s fleet movements in that region of space, and Naboo was the home of finest medical academies and treatment centers in the Protectorate.

However, its value also afforded it some of the finest and most comprehensive defenses in the Protectorate. Only one of six worlds with a AAA security rating, Naboo was one of the most heavily guarded worlds of the Protectorate. It was not a world that would be taken lightly. The more he thought about it, the more Ayden came to believe that this was not a tactically sound move on their part.

Druckenwell had been their single largest starship manufacturer in their territory. After its loss, all of their capital ships would have been functionally unsupported for critical repairs and refits. Even if they rushed the construction of new shipyards, it would be months. perhaps even years, before they would be able to get back to full operations. Incur too many losses, have too many ships suffer critical damage, and their ability to defend their space would be compromised.

So why then were they attempting to go on the offensive?

It ultimately was not his concern. If they wanted to hasten their defeat, Ayden saw no reason to not let them. So he sat there and stared at the telemetry and wondered. They wouldn’t get a clear picture at what was being brought against them until the Confederate ships were almost on top of Naboo. They’d have perhaps a minute’s warning, maybe two, to determine numbers. At best, he figured the invasion force was going to be close in size to the fleet over Naboo. They could pull in reinforcements from Vandlehelm, but they wouldn’t arrive for at least twenty-four hours. If the defenses on and above Naboo were overrun in such a fashion that would warrant reinforcements, the planet would likely be lost by the time they arrived.

So it came down to this. Who and what they had in system was what they had to defend Naboo and nothing more. While he was confident that the defenses would hold, Ayden could not help but be apprehensive. Their performance here could have a lasting impact on not just their war with the Confederacy, but their war with the One Sith, and perhaps their place as a galactic power. The odds were good, but the stakes had never been higher. If they won, he would gather all the might he could spare and he would break the back of the Confederacy once and for all.

If they lost… Ayden tried not to think about what would happen if they lost Naboo. Instead he issued the alert. Alarms rang throughout the cities of Naboo, both on the ground and in space. Civilians were escorted to safe zones away from the battlefields. Shield generators were activated over critical locations to prevent any orbital bombardments and troops began to deploy to preset defensive locations throughout the city.

The space theater was considerably less hectic, not for a lack of activity but the lack of civilians. The Uldyr and Doaba stations were all strictly military personnel only. The FLEETCOM station had limited civilian on hand, but they were quickly ferried down to the planet for their own safety. So networks were secured, batteries were primed, capacitors were charged. As a final precaution, the gravity well generator on the FLEETCOM station activated. With that, the Confederate fleet would not be able to drop in on top of the planet. They would have to fight their way in. And it would be bloody.

----------

Fleet & Orbital Defenses

Spoiler

Spirit of Druckenwell - 6,000 meters
Ten Antilles - 16,000 meters
Ten Indomitable - 17,000 meters
Ten Belsar - 16,000 meters
Twelve Nonnah - 10,800 meters
Twenty Horn - 12,000 meters
Two Sentinel - 1,000 meters
Twelve Shield - 5,400 meters
Two Cira -768 meters
Three Wasp -27 meters

One FLEETCOM Station
Six Uldyr Defense Stations
Twelve Doaba Defense Stations

 

[Vulps]

Zarro looked up as he heard the alarms, ringing over his head and alerting him of a coming invasion. "Great, the day I chose to finally expand myself, some pompous lily livered, yellow tongued, mynock of a man decides to RUIN MY DAY!" If such words weren't enough to figure it out, the elder fox had simply come to expand his market, talking with members of the Amaran colonies if they would like to help him out but of course, he was just barely able to stop his furry business partner from scurrying away into his house. Normally, someone didn't let a civilian come out just yet but Zarro had a plan. After all, this was an Amaran colony. "Before you go... where's your local tamer?"

 

[Feena]

The Palace, Theed


Naboo was more than a planet. It was more than the trees and lakes, and endless beaches. It was more than warm summers, and mild winters.
Naboo was life itself to the people living on it. It was something special. It was a sense of great pride. It was Home. And to the Queen ruling the beautiful world, Naboo was everything.

Queen Feenarah Mason was the current Monarch. She ruled with a smile, with kind words, with swift action, and personal involvement in the protection of her people. The Queen who Bowed. That was what she was called, not for weakness, but for humility. On the day she was corinated, the day she became Queen, she turned to the citizens, and bowed low to all of them.

On this fateful day, the day that would change everything, The Queen was waiting in her study for news. She had her hands folded in her lap, a veil over her painted face. It was coming. She knew it. A single remaining handmaiden waited at her side, standing beside the chair. The others had been sent away, to wait in shelters until the fighting was over. The girls name was Marea, and Feenarah had known her for a long time. She was strong, faithful, more than capable of playing her part. But the Queen feared for her. She reached to touch the girls hand. Still so young. The same age as her daughter. Too young for this.

"Majesty?" the girl looked surprised.

"When I was your age, Marea," the Queen began, "I was fighting in wars for the Republic, did you know?"

"N-no, your Majesty," she replied with a shake of her dark curly head.

"Not my proudest years," she sighed, "And my time with the Confederacy wasn't exactly full of glory for me either. Do you know, Marea, of all the planets in the Galaxy, of all the systems, which one makes me the happiest? I've spent most of my adult life trying to get back home. I finally managed it."

The Queen smiled and closed her eyes. Soon it would be time. Soon, but for a few moments longer, she would enjoy the quiet.

"Are my daughters being secured?" she asked suddenly, eyes opening to look at her body guard, Percival, standing tall at the door.

"They are, Your Majesty," He answered promptly, "No harm will come to them while Naboo stands."

The Queen smiled once again, let go of the girls hand and went to her desk. She unlocked the bottom drawer, entered her eight digit password on the case, and pulled out a box. Inside, was something precious to the Queen, along with something else, a present.

"Percy? Come here," she ordered, and the guard did so at once. "I have a job for you. An important one. Marea, you come here too."

The girl obeyed, but she was already well aware of what the Queen was going to say. She'd been told before. Her role in this was decided.

"Marea will be giving you orders for the time being," she said, closing the case, then locked it inside her desk, but in her hand she held out a stone, strung on a simple silver chain. "Should anything happen to me, this is to be given to my Daughter Felicity at once. She will know what to do with it. I will make my will known as of right now. If I die before the end of my term, I give Princess Andromeda my full support to run for Queen and take my place. She has my vote."

"Majesty-" Marea tried to interject, to tell her Queen that such worries were pointless, but she was cut off by a look from behind the Queens veil.

"Marea, I also would like to ask, as a personal favor, that you please watch over my girls, and keep an eye on my husband. Truthfully, I worry for him more than my daughters. The girls are strong, stronger than they have any right to be. But my husband, try as he might, I am unsure what he would become at the time of my death."

Feenarah sighed, holding the chain to Percy. Death was nothing to fear. She'd been followed by death from the age of five. From the death on the battle field, to the stone cold morgue in a hospital, Feena had blood on her hands that would never wash off. It was still there. Every life she couldn't save, sticky between her fingers.

What was the most distressing thing of all, was the idea that her story might end without a conclusion. That she might die without being able to say her goodbyes. That she might leave to ruin all that she had worked for, her entire life. And Keter. The one that held her up for so long, the one that kept her together, that saved her from flying apart and going everywhere all at once. He would not survive. Even if he lived through it all, even if he lived for another fifty years, her Keter, the only Keter she wanted to know, would die too. And her poor girls would be alone.

She watched Percy take the stone in his hand, vowing to deliver it, but only in the gravest of circumstances, entirely unaware of what it truly was that he was holding. Not some ancient artifact, not a valuable gem. The stone was hardly worth anything on it's own. But what it went to, what this key opened, was something priceless to those who knew her. The ones that loved her most. The ones she might leave behind.

"Give the word. Evacuation will begin immediately once the battle begins. Even if it does not reach Theed, I will take no chances. All citizens to the shelters. A single civilian loss is unacceptable. Spread the word."

"Evacuation has already begin, your majesty," Percy responded.

"Thank the Force," the Queen breathed.

Behind the veil, makeup was running down the Queens face. If she was being honest, she was terrified. Never had she been responsible for so many civilian lives. With the Confederacy, she had been responsible for many, yes, but they were soldiers, battle ready. They all knew the risk. But her people did not ask for this, nor did they deserve to be pulled from their homes and daily lives. And who was the most responsible? Most would say the Confederacy, but if you asked the Queen, she would look you squarely in the face, and say clear as day, 'I did this.'

Too long had she let herself be used. Too long had she been a confederacy puppet without even being aware. Too long had she been so convinced that she was working for the 'saviors of the Galaxy'. But now she knew. Now the Galaxy knew. And Druckenwell... Druckenwell was never going to happen again. No more.

No more.

"You are dismissed. Marea, Percy..." The Queen stood up and moved from behind the desk. She bowed low. "Please take care, and May the Force be with you both."

"And you as well, your Majesty," the girl bowed as well, "I will see you when this is all over."

Percy bowed low, standing next to the girl, hand clutched tightly over the shining gem. As the Queen straightened, she could have sworn she saw something, a wet glint in her body guards eye, but he had turned to leave before she could be sure. The girl lingered at the door, opened her mouth to speak again, but closed it once more and retreated behind Percy. She had work to do. They all did.

"That girl would make a fine Queen one day herself," Feena mused, pushing her veil back to reveal her worn makeup, "Felicity will have good competition some day."
She smiled, then she laughed.

I never got to say goodbye. I never said goodbye. If this is my last day, then I wonder what my last words were to him? I think they were, 'Goodnight.'

Her eyes closed, laughing still. Something was wet on her face, but she paid it no mind. She was a Queen, and a Queen would stay strong. She would not pretend not to be afraid, because fear was strength, but she refused to bend to that fear. The Queen who bowed, would never do so to invaders. This was a right reserved only for her people. This was a right for...

For Naboo.

 

[Irys Arist'lar]

Irys stalked across the floor of the Jupitus’ command centre. Stationed deep in the central section of the flagship’s structure, heavily reinforced with both quadranium and advanced interial-dampners, this was the heart of the fleet. Ahead of her a great holo-image sat in the centre of the circular room. Several different sections showed overall readiness-status of different sections of the fleet, as well as the latest geo-intel-informed map of Naboo.

From here Army and Navy personnel had formed the Joint Headquarters, from which the battle could be directed. Irys blew out a long breath and looked at the status of the fleet, and the estimate of Omega defences. A lot of people were going to die today.

She was going to send a lot of her own people to die today.

She’d never had a command this size, but she knew how this was going to pan out. By the end of the day she would have sacrificed whole formations of ships and tens of thousands of personnel, just to try and take the upper hand from an entrenched opponent.

Aquatic assault teams were ready to go, the mass of droid foot-soldiers, and tanks were ready to lay siege to the greatest of the world’s cities, swarm of hunter-killer drones and Starfighters were powered up and ready to launch. First she had to get them somewhere to do the damage. The End-Of-Life and demilitarised Leviathan-class frigates were fully crewed by old battle droids and ready. At the end of their lives and barely supportable any more, they had an important function today. It was surprising how easily a ship could be disabled, and yet how much energy a mass of durasteel could take whilst still carrying on with its initial velocity.

Of course, the first war wouldn’t even involve blasters. This was a shining beacon of civilisation, and that meant one of the hardest battles for the Authority would be for control of the Electromagentic Spectrum. The enemy would have perfect comms, brilliant military intelligence and the ability to disrupt her own. A lot of military and civilian satellites were going to be brought down today. That advantage had to be eroded away piece by piece until they had a more level playing field. Until the ground forces could share intelligence, accept orders and react to the same tempo as the Protectorate, they would never take the world.

“Is the Ion Pulse Cannon charged?” she called.

“Capacitors full. Backup generator at full load. Mass drivers ready to fire.”

“Ensure the whole fleet has long range weaponry and energy torpedoes ready to fire.”

“Understood.”

A lot of people were going to die today. The Protectorate needed to know the Authority wasn’t going to roll over.

The fleet dropped back into realspace. Claxons and alarms sounded. Individual points of lights started to wink into existence around the display as the fleet, particularly the recently purchased Monitor-class vessels started to gather sensory information.

“Well, let’s see what hell we’re going to need to walk through today…” she muttered to herself.

Spoiler

ASA Offensive Fleet 2

Jupitus
1
Lucrehulk
2
Grevious
2
Gunray
1
Tambor
8
Pillar
8
Contention
15
Argente
6
Scythe
8
Broadside
2
Krell
8
Scintel
8
Sev'rance/a
42
Sev'rance/b
3
Tu/a
25
Tu/b
5
Wodantra
6
Sickle
22
Ventress
12
Scion
0
Monitor
2
Thrawn
2
Interdictine
1

84.69km

Demilitarised Leviathan-class Frigates (400m) 10

Total Fighter Count:

CS/TX-00 Droid Starfighters / Tie Raptor
3012
CSX 00 Grunt / TIE Rapier
288
CS/TX-01 Droid Interceptors
1976
CSX 01 Jackal / TIE Viper
242
Droid Bomber
872
TIE Havoc Bomber
384
TIE Exalt 24


Links tomorrow!

 

[Felicity Mason]

Theed, The Palace


"Let me out!"

The thirteen year old girl pounded on the cold durasteel door as hard as she could. She wasn't stupid. She knew what was happening. She'd been separated from Celeste. The three year old was gone, taken away from the planet. And Felicity would be next. She'd be taken back to Imerria. She'd be taken there to be safe, and secure. And she would be away from Mother again.

No. No. No!

She'd only just started spending time with her. Her Mother was starting to teach her, train her. She wasn't going to abandon her now!

"I'm sorry, Little Princess," the Guard outside her door said, using that obnoxious nickname, "I have orders to keep you protected."

"...Of course you do," she groaned, sliding down the wall, "Of course you do..."

 

[Freanne]

She was sat with the rest of regiment, they all giving speeches on what was excepted off them. Where their landing points where, what was their first action going to be. All this for her though was alimentary, she just wanted revenge for her family who died at last battle against the omega protectorate. They where going to pay for it, [member="Ayden Cater"] and his stupid hat.

Then she was approached by lieutenant, Right troops, we will be dropping as part of the first wave. As soon as we landed we run, to this point. He showed everyone on a holo map, and then continued Here we take cover, and begin to give covering fire. While the heavier equipment is unloaded, and keep the enemy back to help minimize our casualties during the initial drop. We do expect them to get our position quickly, though they will not know where we are landing exactly till we have landed. He then looked at his platoon and asked, any questions? She shook her head, and no one else in the team asked anything. He finished off by saying Good luck every one, and may force be with you.

 

[Raziel]

Spoiler

Leaviathan Bracers
Quickfire 2 Holdout
Splinter Knives
Nightshrike Armour
Smart Grenade/Mine Launcher
Cryoban Grenades
Ion Grenades
Glo-Paint Grenades
Sonic Grenades
Splinter Pistol
Lightsabers
Verpine Shatter Pistols
aquatic blaster
Standard blacked out combat knife

Raziel was a drop of calm in a tumultuous sea of emotional noise. His pulse was barely thudding away, and his breathing shallow. His conscious mind was quiet as he tried to block out the feelings of those around him and prepare for the conflict ahead. His small infiltration team were hopefully going to work ahead of the main force and work their way into the Gungan underwater city. Their target was the main communications array.

Naboo was a world of two battlefields, and they needed to take both. Long ago the Trade Federation had taken the land, only to have an army of Gungans rise up and attack them. Surprisingly ferocious fighters, they were taking no chances. They needed to separate the two forces and keep them from coordinating.

Whilst the Nightshrike armour his team used was surprisingly effective underwater - visible range on the suit was reduced to just a few metres in clear water - it had nothing to protect against sonar detection. This was going to be risky.

He’d requisitioned a handful of Merr-sonn SG-4 blasters before the mission. An old design, but damn reliable in an aquatic environment. Hopefully they wouldn’t need them. The sooner they entered the Gungan’s famed hydrostatic spheres, the better. A waterproof case on his back housed his portable Smart grenade launcher, several pistols and his sabers. Better to conduct the quick, nasty work he was well suited for in an environment he knew well.

Raziel was many things: thief, infiltrator, liar, even assassin. He was no soldier. He could work in an urban environment and use his skills to find and put down key enemy targets, but once the battle shifted to an attritional war of infantry on open ground he would be useless.

Slowly he allowed his pulse to return to normal. He let the emotions of those around him wash over his conscious mind, careful not to become too caught up in them. Just a little excitement and adrenaline would be useful soon.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

In orbit
Inquisitor-Class Stealth Frigate
[background noise ship, not part of fleet. just there to get sarge to the planet.]


These frigates were, truly, a thing of beauty. Word on the grapevine had something important going down on Naboo, and so Sarge had loaded up a small company of his men, stripped out the fighters to leave only the M47s for transport. His men sat, making sure their armor and weapons were secure. He himself stood near a dropship, listening to the comm chatter as defenses were organized.

"Men." He says, breaking the silence. There was a pause, and then they moved as one, stood, and funneled into their assigned dropships. "Sergeant." Sarge says, eyes casting their way over to Hastings. "We do not engage unless Sith are involved."

There was a nod of affirmation, and Sarge reached down to his belt to settle his helmet in over his head. As the armor sealed, the HUD ignited and the ice blue optics ignited in angry blue flame. Reaching an arm to one side, he hefts his halberd, the weapon almost purring at his touch.

It's presence filled him with conviction, just as his men gave him purpose. Stepping into the dropship, he stood in the center, boots magnetizing to stay connected to the floor. "Hurry up and wait." He mutters.

 

[Menoetius]

Unnatural angles and reflective surfaces surrounded Krazhmir and his fellow Yuuzhan Vong, eliciting rough murmurs of disapproval to vocalise throughout the dropship. The alien eyes of the Vong regarded each and every man-made contour with contempt, finding solace only in the organic ridges of the amphistaffs laid across their laps. Their hatred of the transport was only matched by their eagerness to spill blood on the battlefield - the thought that had coaxed them into the metallic containers in the first place. Krazhmir shared their contempt -- and their aspirations -- but knew that this was necessary to secure good relations with the ASA.

Armed with that knowledge, he told his men to bottle up their hatred and save it for the enemy. They agreed, calming down enough to let the dull hum of warp speed buzz through the compartment.

Soon, they'd be above Naboo, soaring down planetside with the rest of the ground forces to launch one of the biggest assaults in galactic history... Krazhmir licked his lips in anticipation.

 

[Nameless Knight]

Gunga

Knight heard the reports more because as she sat there looking towards the plate of food the gungan's had prepared she smiled nodding in thanks.... Showing a little tooooo much teeth as these meals were not the best but given she was just getting back on her feet from fighting on Coruscant, she even still had the scar there on her face from the Starfall coming down but shifting hadn't fully healed it. The idea of the CIS coming here during lunch was what got her while she stood up and looked out into the ocean going off at a run towards the bubble to get outside. Speaking into her comlink. "This is Knight I am going outside." She jumped shifting the clothing away from her body and as the small chill she expanded herself thickening her hide and her mouth filled with lots of teeth. Lets see how they like sea monsters

 

[General Mayhem]

Not since the Trials had Mayhem had a truly grand battle. A battle that would reach the heights of crescendo. A battle that would shake the heavens itself. But this, this was one such battle. A grand assault. A powerful, meaningful, grand assault. One that would go down in the history books. For, if this was a time of war, than trully this was a time where a droid general's assaults would be noted and considered. Her objective was simple: March upon Naboo, and take what could be taken. Otoh Gunga has a vast small army, but it will be mostly on the surface. A naval assault with aquatic droid battalions could stun the entire force. The General smiled.



"Prepare to disembark into the ocean!" she ordered authoritatively, guiding her droid legions into the Trident class droid transports, or "Squad-Squids" as some of the troopers had been referring to them. She wished she could smile as she too, entered into a large transport. She was sealed sufficiently for aquatic environments, albeit not as fast beneath the water. She sent a message to [member="Salem Norongachi"], her commander. We are prepared to deploy, my lord. Let this vessel erupt over the ocean, that we may liberate Otoh Gunga.



The mechanical matriarch grinned. Perhaps something of value could be gained from the data and technology of the Gungans. They had such entertaining notions. She hoped their general would provide sufficient entertainment.

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

Location: The Royal Palace

Objective: Try to keep the one Templar he actually worked alongside from getting killed. Protect the royal palace, Maybe.


Vorhi sighed as he looked at a few battlefield reports, grimacing. He looked over at [member="Feena Mason"]. He seemed, well, to put it succinctly, miserable. "Great. Now I have to destroy my past to save my future. Again. Joy." H sighed. Wishing he could walk away for once. Wishign he could curse all these people and leave it to someone else to ensure peace and decency. But, unforutnately, this was in no small part his responsibility. He did more to start this war than Salem or Ayden. It was he who sought to push the treaty between the Sith Empire and the CIS. It was he who had worked to mitigate the Geonosian Monarch. But, well, after Druckenwell, no trial had come for his actions. No wars, no intelligence inquiries. They hadn't asked for the truth, because everyone was now too angry to listen.



No peace. No hope. No prosperity. Why was he here? Fighting for these people. He sighed as he answered his own question mentally. Feena was his friend. He was protecting her. He glared at Feena. Well, he ruffled his nose, which was as close as you could get to glaring without eyes. "Please tell me that your Husband is here, and that he also aims to cover this mess. I know you're in charge, but listen to my expertise. If we have to retreat, we will. I'm not sacrificing your life, and I'm acting of my own free will. I am not taking orders. I'm helping a friend."


He cracked his neck loudly, then his knuckles. He prayed, feeling the force flow through him. "Now, let's show them just how hard it is to shake a crowned ruler of Naboo, hmm?" He glared at the room. Wide open angles, lots of sniping positions. He had a belt of thermal detonators, several contingency plans, and his trump card from Druckenwell, that not even Feena knew about. He hoped this would work. It'd suck if it didn't.

 

[Placeholder 04]

Hyperspace

The Ge'hutuun was going to make an appearance. While the Tal'verda clan and the majority of the Dreadguard had defected, their creators had not. Those creators would be testing the balance of galactic power today, and their Harbinger would be the one to hold the scale for them.

Gravesen held no hatred for the Omega Protectorate. He had friends there, allies, family. The droid who ran Abregado-Rae had even saved his life at one time. The Rattataki's loyalties did not truly side with the Confederacy-turned-ASA either. They were a necessity for the bigger picture. This galaxy, this world, all within recorded history was only a fraction at what the universe had to offer.

His people knew that, and so did [member="Salem Norongachi"]. There was a threat beyond the edges of the known galaxy, and it was coming for them. To survive, they would need to be united, and unification would only be achieved through blood.

That he accepted. That throwing bodies to be broken and eviscerated against the spiked walkway that was the Omega Protectorate. so that others may walk unharmed, he accepted. That children, women, men, and innocents of all kinds were going to be murdered under falling degree and impaled on the edge of his knife, he accepted.

Gravesen Conclave, Harbinger of the Architects, and self-proclaimed enemy of the Omega Protectorate stirred aboard the bridge of the Ge'hutuun. The San-Hill Star Destroyer would be staying far away from the conflict, to record, and provide medical support. Not a single soldier was aboard. Only the Architects, and Gravesen's newest companion.

The ship lurched forward through hyperspace, and Gravesen folded his arms over his chest. His shuttle was being prepared.

"Are you ready, Harbinger?" One of the small, white plated Architects asked.

"As much as I can be. Keep out of combat, just watch. If the ASA starts to lose, we retreat." Gravesen reassured. "Where's Una?"

Spoiler

The Ge'hutuun is going to be a non-combatant. Its going to be at the back of the fleet, and simply recording. If someone wishes to engage it, they can, though I guarantee you it will only tuck and run without a shot fired.

 

[Una Gal]

She was busy exploring the ship. Never before had she had the free reign to just wonder. She had always been stuck in a seat for most of the duration of the journey. It was a new experience and she was, as usual, enjoying every second of it.Though she was steadily making her way to the bridge. Her fingers traced along the cool metal walls as she walked slowly. The door hissed as she stepped through it, just in time to hear Gravesen ask for her. Tiptoeing up behind him and placing her fingers around his face, covering his eyes, she whispered into his ear. "Guess who?" Having been informed that they were just watching, Una had breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't too big on killing things just yet and she could barely handle a saber. Standing by and getting to witness it would be entertaining though. It might even prepare her for when she had to do the same one day.

[member="Gravesen Conclave"]

 

[Feena]

The Queen pulled the headdress from her hair, tossing it aside at once. She was already wiping makeup from her face, while in her own chambers Marea was applying the same makeup to her own face.
It was an old trick. The queen always had a double in times of emergency.
As Vorhi spoke, she began peeling layers of silk away, quickly changing to casual dress, as if she were simply a princess or some other politician.

"You never change, " she commented, smiling as she tied a string of fresh pearls around her waist. The key was looking as delicate as possible. It would make the job that much easier if the enemy underestimated her.

"Keter, yes. I think he will be here. I hope he will."

She looked out the window, out at the beautiful theed. Home. She couldn't lose it. Not again. This wasn't about About some war. This was not about sides. This was about Naboo. This was about her people. That was all she cared about.

"Do you know battle meditation?" She asked suddenly, turning back to gave him with a smile.

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Long Gone]

Location: In-Orbit, Inquisitor-Class Stealth Frigate

Aaralyn listened carefully to [member="Sarge Potteiger"] as he spoke to his men, she leaned back carefully on the bench, pressing the sheath of the Noctem Erinys against the base of her head. Her saber hilts were no longer attached to her waist, but to her chest plate. It was a unique place for her to clip her sabers, but it allowed for better maneuvering and acrobatic skills without having to worry about snagging her sabers on something.

She took a deep breath and sighed heavily, pulling the hood up and over her head, the mask shortly after and the googles down over her face. As soon as she did, the HUD activated and gave a quick readout of the suit schematics and link to the Omega Protectorate network, thanks to [member="Ayden Cater"]. A gloved hand would come up to touch the comlink and an uplink would come alive that brought her communications in-line with that of Sarge and his men. A secondary channel would activate that directly connected to Ayden, although she knew he’d be too busy to directly monitor it.

Her hand would slowly fall and touch her breastplate, beneath it was the Pendant her father had given her, and with her hand to the breastplate, she said a few words underneath her breath.

“O’mother Allya​

For thine protection I now pray​

Let all evil turn away​

Protect me at night and protect me at day​

And keep misfortunes well at bay​

Guide my sword and shield in this fight​

And bless me with heavenly might​

That I may triumph o’er my foe​

And never fall to sin or woe”
​

She brought two fingers up and kissed her fingertips through the mask before resuming her stare at the bulkhead infront of her. It wasn’t out of fear she said the prayer of battle and protection, it was more out of respect that she was learning her true heritage. The tide in the war was shifting and it was not in the favor of the Republic and her allies, and Aaralyn was not ignorant to the obvious. The darkness was approaching from the horizon and the evil was spreading from the Core Worlds, an evil she had seen many times before in visions, and the evil that was responsible for her being in a stasis for over eight hundred years. The Sith were just the tip of the spread, it was what was holding the spear that was truly the issue.


The Yuuzhan Vong.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

The quiet before the storm. The tensest moments. When fear and doubt crept into the heart like an insidious serpent readily willing to strip away at a mans resolve before the plunge. The ship moved through the swirling vortex, barely a tremor coursing through her hull. Inside dozens of men waited, and in sister ships beyond count, more would be facing the same moment of contemplation.

Of life. Of love. Of family. Of home. Of death...

They never spoke, these soldiers, not when they were this close to the precipice of the the abyss. Men and women who had laughed and joked, filled with fire and excitement as they loaded in at Zhar soon found that reality loomed before them, that they may never see another world but Naboo. The war had already begun, the fight to stay the course, to keep strength in their hearts a constant battle. Some would fail, some would break, others would fall before a shot had even been fired. The only small conciliation, was that those who didn't, the people beside them, their brothers in arms, would pick them back up again. Thats what war came down to, at its core. You protect the man next to you, you hold on with every fiber of your being to that connection and if you were lucky, if you were smart, if you fought with everything you had then...maybe you'd see tomorrow.

A gauntlet, black as night, slipped an alabaster hand into it. Salem Norongachi never looked up at [member="Anesia Jy'Vun"], never said a word, never protested that she shouldn't come. He never told her, he never said and now it was too late. He squeezed, just to feel her there, to feel that closeness that might soon be snatched away.

It occurred to him then, in the solitude of the full faced helm, that he had done this dozens of times. That he had ordered men to war and gone to battle beside them but through it all, at every engagement, he'd never had someone to fight for.

The broken pair.

The monsters.

The madness.

But now you have someone to lose...

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

Vorhi smiled weakly and shrugged. "I've changed a great deal. But the stubbornness...well, I'm certain I learned it from you in some small dose," he said with a laugh. "The double...give her a wapon. Hopefully she won't need it, but it's best if she has a contingecy plan if I can't guard everyone," he said calmly.


He looked to the room. The Royal Guardsmen here weren't the most grandiose of fighters, but they had some knacks. They knew the terrain, knew the enemy, and knew their allies. Vorhi himself was the unpredictable rogue element. The unreliable lunatic that kept things spinning out of control. He looked to her and pondered that question.




"Not really. I've been on the receiving end of it twice. I understand the principle, but I'm too fast and manic for it. I don't have the right kind of will to produce that reaction," he said dryly. "However, the inverse is rather true of myself as well. I developed something that is an inversion of the form, on Druckenwell. I can use the strength of people in extreme emotional stress, and add it to my own. Haven't got a name for the trick yet, but it keep me from dying on Druckenwell. Side-effects are pretty heavy, though. Won't aim for that stunt unless I'm desperate. Besides, I've been working on new form. A weird one."


[member="Feena Mason"] [member="Salem Norongachi"]




He nodded calmly. "I may have to embrace some of my more dangerous elements to do this well. You knew Vorhi Alestrani as a diplomat who wanted to save everyone. Today, You'll meet the Vorhi who shatters bones and ends enemies. I'm not that good a person, and this may be the night to prove that," he said fairly seriously. He focused in the force, feeling presences, some stronger than others. This was going to be brilliant. Or terrifying. He was frightened. But his heart got to dance. Wasn't that great. He'd take it all upon himself, maybe, possibly.

 

[Vulps]

Location: Near the Cultural Center
Allies: OP
Enemies: desecraters of knowledge
Mission: Preserve knowledge.

"HAH!" Zarro's voice barked into the air as he kicked his Akk dog into a faster speed, heading to the cultural center. Having been lucky to find his fellow tamer was in possession of one, he was quick to make a fine transaction(with multiple war time discounts) in order to purchase the animal. Now with his new mouth, he chared to the place where he knew the enemy would try to take advantage of the various relics and the like. For him, if there was anything more valuable than a golden credit chip, it was some lost artifact of knowledge.