Iron Onyx

[Sera Inkari]

Commodore Onaris Lanooin, a near human Tholothian, like much of his race dark skinned and seemingly ageless by appearance, meant he didn’t show the many years service to the navy, and dauntless hours at the helm of his command ship the Iron Onyx. A veteran of many OS campaigns, and now CO of the 22nd System Force, Rendil assignment.

Onaris led one of the border world system forces, meaning he was always on alert and the three Wyyrlok star destroyers assigned to his command group were constantly on border patrol for any threats, or more likely smugglers, pirates or other vagrants trying to enter or exit OS space.

Today he was to receive new assignment in developing a CAS fighter craft on mass for the OS, assisted by FFE support personnel, first though he had the matter of some sith witch assigned to him to deal with, he’d managed perfectly well without the force till now, but orders were orders.

“Welcome.” Onaris said without doing much to hide his really not caring either way, turning back to his latest border incident reports.

Sera’s light steps held no bow for him, just sharp look to her eyes, and then her smile, her red robbed figure and presence was arriving just as these new craft were about to be deployed, technicians working away diligently behind the scenes for their final touches. She had picked her time for the advice her dreams had offered her, in her own way about to subtly prod events to better suit their forces desired outcome. These simple craft would play a part in a much larger whole.

 

[Sera Inkari]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ09bTPLohM​

Iron Onyx Bridge

Through the debris fields of desolation, rocky fields she knew well from her dreams, they docked within Delta 3 Roidpost. Asteroid stations, places where the nature of the support craft had been kept secret from the OS enemies, given their recent civil war, naval command had kept them under tight wraps. Their manufacture here allowing quick deployment to several forward sectors for testing. Many had been independently designed, use of CAS were first proposed and created years prior during particularly volatile old Sith Empire engagements, few remembered those days, but Kintan’s priestess knew them well, because she had been there.

While shipwrights and technicians were finishing the touches to our large fight craft, arrivals were disembarking behind their Commodore who still had barely acknowledge her presence yet. Sera proceeded to break off and walk toward curiously unimportant cargo bay's on Delta 3's lower level, because unlike the rest of their gathering she knew something very important was taking place today.

Above in their bays, their fighters were hung like metaphorical lambs atop the abattoir, demonstrating sacrificial nature of prototypes, as many were pulled to pieces to correct technical flaws. One Sith had massive military reserves, this would be just one of a dozen interlinked facilities around their current system working in tandem now to collaboratively correct flaws inherent in their craft.

None of that was as important as this one cargo bay.... her solitary engineer sitting silently, just needing her words, and gesture at that right point in their force's time.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Reaching our engineer, Kintan’s priestess carefully… pushed him off his box seat. The astounded man got up about to cause an uproar, when an assassins bullet flew by him, the black cloaked figure was apprehended moments later by some of the arriving crew, his hiding place signalled ahead of time.

“You have work to do.” Sera smiled and re-hooded herself, while the engineer squatted down behind his cargo boxes for another few minutes, to be sure nobody else was playing games with guns inside the cargo hold, little did he know what had occurred. In games of predicting the future she played against other seers from within her shadows, advantage was had to be there first hand.

Why was their solitary seemingly lazy engineer important, all to come.

Mines and automated turrets were being deployed surrounding their installations, because increased traffic was sure to draw signals this close to the border that something was here. Three stardestroyers while just a minor mark on the OS naval might, were far and away big enough to be spotted by listening posts in the neighboring system if they lingered too long.

The secrecy and care in setting these frontline factories up had served them well, but now to the production phase it may no longer hold for long.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Source | Delta 3, among the rubble of failed stars.​

~My lord work commences as promised~ Sera sent through her force to their commodore, who was in the middle of meeting the stations command. Onaris frowned and then went back to talking. Silently Sera was already enjoying provoking his attention toward her, all part of her force’s will and his part to play. She draped her dress around herself and walked softly toward her viewing glass to oversee their rescued technician.

The OS-CAS-A1 was suffering from a few problems, primary among them how to best cover the craft from other starfighters while it was making its approach. Rear turrets had been suggested but unless they were to use two, then not all of the ship would be covered, lower turrets also interfered with bombing capabilities. Chaff systems, ecm, all were discussed in detail, apparently a certain Major named Melsk Thraus was angrily shouting at the entire room. He got about a bit… and someone must have had his back, by the often demanding way he addressed ranks senior to him.

Eventually they settled on a ball turret fitted to the rear of their ship, with a full 180 degree arc of fire, covering at least rear quarters of their as yet unnamed CAS craft. Taking shape to be a two seat attack craft, fairly bulky looking, they were trying to reduce the weight in the mockup designs. Special attention paid to its underside, because that was where it'd be getting the most fire, naval officers were wondering if they had overdone it.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Overdone, yes, they had, when their suspended mock design lower toward their floor, stabilized and adjusted before the classified fighter fell forward. Testing chambers simulating their mock prototypes reaction to atmospheric flight, minor corrections could be made for the hull and aerodynamics to maximize its speed when planetside, which is exactly where this craft would be. Many starfighters spent a bulk or large portion of their time in space, not needing as much fine tuning to air resistance, to turn so tightly, or hover smoothly for example in combat to delivery their payload.

“Eureka!” One man called below her gaze, overly excited given the usual strict discipline present here. Seemingly our formerly saved technician had made a breakthrough, significant breakthrough in regards dispersing blasterfire across their fighters hull. Small thing here but with much more application later, much more. Sera satisfied their force’s will was done, allowed herself momentary pleasure at her small correction, before taking steps toward where their assassin was being held. Time perhaps to win hearts, or at least minds of her own, however they were surrendered to comply.

She pressed a button on her new quarters, revealing a large floating probe droid beside her assassins neck, who was looking scared stiff at prospect of what was to come.

"Let us become better... acquainted."

All was her forces will.

 

[Sera Inkari]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw42ULtUM5Q​

Solar Flares and Sun Spots ever more visible without atmosphere blocking her vision. No matter how distant Sera was from developed planetoids drifting through space, when every spec of possible light, born forth from new stars, old, dying or forgotten, was upon her eyes, their force never looked so enticing.

Space was busy, her eyes were busy. Sera too had felt death, death of her Master Raien Keth. Being who she was, seer of some growing ability. Of her six companions she alone was prepared for her Master's death. Sera could have warned or stopped her Master's fate, but her force had required his sacrifice. Leaving six new souls upon their own path, and her free to continue deeper aspects of his work, work within sith sorcery.

Plans within Plans developing along our fighter craft, machinations others would never comprehend, most would see them as tools, but she saw their eventual ascension and upgrade, after upgrade, after upgrade, strings along threads of possible futures to beget eventual fate of their design. In battles to come, sacrifice of millions, to be paid for their technology to reach apex conclusion. Keth had taught her, sacrifice was part of their process as beings tasked with carrying out their force's will. Not quite how he might have put it....

Ahead of her, their first CAS fighter was functionally sitting, ready for their first flight. Sera took step down their stairs, and moved toward her creations pilot. “Not yet,” two simple words, words which caused an uproar from her commodore and others behind an observation booth. Who did this sith acolyte think she was, standing here as she did to assume command?

 

[Sera Inkari]

Heat pooled upon Sera’s palm, ignition of air demonstrating developing raw sorcery within Kintan’s acolyte, harnessed here for her demonstration. Truly out of her Master’s dead shadow and standing atop ruins of his teaching.

Saber staff along her hip should any challenge her will. There was but single guard on duty whom looked like he might, till she shook her head ever so gently, he recanted facing her deepening attention, his throat going very dry indeed, assisted by her sapping moisture slowly from his palette. Instead her fire engulfed sections of the hull of our bombing craft, why, to simulate breaking up planetary atmosphere or cutting proximity to those same stars which fascinated her.

As you might expect burns, yet no issues to speak unkindly of, their ship standing up well.

“I don’t know what you are doing in there lieutenant commander, but I do know this. If you don’t stop you are going out the airlock.” The Commodore had seen enough, Sera smiled and gently edged her hand over those areas of the ship responsible for keeping its shield stable, they melted.

Melting from fire might seem perfectly fine, only these were components outside of the hull, planetary entry would do far worse. Very quickly people realised what was going on, technicians explained this to those watching, and angry words were exchanged between engineers. Sera picked up her robe's hem and walked away, stage fully set for our saved technician from earlier to arrive.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SHIP!”

And now his work might begin, as she had foreseen it.

 

[Ecarht Arak]

That pilot the red witch had brushed past wasn’t pleased.

Tech-heads behind them got to yammering, “look, been at this twenty hours straight.” Ecs groaned at Sera, who gave her this look that sent shivers through her, not in the good my girlfriends got a pierced tongue kind of way, in the queen step off kind of way.

Ecs kept her cool, as ole blue eyes stared through her. Hand on her hip, eyes wide, “take a photo?” She shook her head and got back to helping their techie who looked like he was in tears. “Bad?” She frowned.

Kickin’ around with her techie bud, and entourage, for about another hour or three, they’d patch their fighter up, would she fly? Flipping a coin.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Wondering if I’ll be eating vacuum.”

 

[Ecarht Arak]

“Your confidence in me is astounding.” Our tech said drolly.

“New Ship. Already on Fire.” She raised her eyebrows up, “Might not get out of the hangar.” Impish smile well and truly given.

“Have a little faith.” The tech banged something in to finish off his repairs, “she did us a favour burning this out, I’ve doubled up the underbelly shields, and there's no more heat issues.”

“Great.” Ecs smirked. “Might get us out of the door then.” The tech was about to reply, when he realised she was ribbing him to tease. Popping the canopy, she took steps up to the cockpit and sat down for her preflight check. Displays ahead reading green, their readouts coming to life. Checking her landing gear, pressure, oxygen, engines, weapons, hull integrity, shields, thrusters, and on she went. The bomber had two side displays for the pilot as well as a main targeting computer, four for the copilot.

"Wait, Us?" Her technician looked on up confused, though he'd just been shot at moments ago, only now as he about to get the shock of his life...

 

[Ecarht Arak]

Preflight complete she was back to business. When the real officers arrived. Quiet as a mouse about to take on a rancor, they handed her orders and she read them off with nothing but a firm salute. Attitude holstered while she read the mission brief, signing off on it with a thumb print, and passing it back to one of the flight deck staff.

“I’m not qualified for this you know.” Her lassoed co-pilot protested.

“Passed your regs?” Ecs already knew the answer.

“Yes… but… that’s different to test piloting!” Our tech, jittery as they came, gave the thrusters a burst as the ship lifted off the ground. Monitored the shields, ecm jamming suite, his job to keep track of both as well as any targets for their torpedoes.

“Anyone know the ship better than you?” She looked over her shoulder.

“I mean… no but…” He protested, clearly losing the battle.

“Gladiator 7, checks a-go, primary boards green.”

Now they just waited for the dockbaying panels to light up for launch, and they’d be popping a cherry!