Invasion Liberty's Gate | GA Invasion of BOTM Held Adrathorpe

[Bashir]

CITY OF ASHES
BATTLEGROUP ANDOR
UNKNOWN REGIONS
Zahara Myneto Liedran Kathause Syndulla Command Constantine Oliva Cruanless Orcash
Tu'teggacha Rowena Marlon Sularen Aldo Garrick Haon Hafey Kenth Berik

"Adjust bearing one eleven mark fourteen."

"Careful..." Commander Halcyon murmured under her breath.

Relative to the Fatalis Captain Bashir's Starhawk battleship was a spry little skimmer yet maneuvering three kilometers of vessel required tremendous delicacy even under optimal conditions. Trailing a massive stellar fragment in the middle of a freak hyperspace emergence hardly qualified. Impacts jolted him against the holotable whenever smaller chunks of debris rebounded off their shields.

"Commander," he turned to look at his human first officer, "Load forward launchers with ion torpedoes and charge all batteries."

"Sir?" Rana phrased the word like a question until her training took over, "Aye sir."

Bashir returned his attention to the holographic Maw dreadnought. It probably should have terrified him but the mon calamari could only see a fascinating mathematical puzzle. Another equation to solve. Theorems raced through his mind like quenk jazz. Then he discarded each discordant note one by one until only a pure melody remained.

In a matter of moments Fatalis carved the Csillan remnant apart.

"Target their engines," Aftab shielded his eyes against the explosion, "We may only get one chance so make it count."

Despite its impressive destructive potential when fully unleashed even a mighty star dreadnought could not completely vaporize every trace of the incoming comet. Instead smaller fragments erupted in violent spray including several which impacted against the City of Ashes while she trailed in their wake.

"Shields are critical! Should we disengage?"

Captain Bashir shook his head, "Open fire."

Spoiler: Summary

• Fatalis destroys the incoming chunk of Csilla with so much metal that it turns into a cosmic grenade.
• City of Ashes loses shields, opens fire on the star dreadnought's engines at close range.

 

[Keilara Kala'myr]

Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr (Mercy)
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent | Marauder and Agent of the Maw​

Objective III.: Steel and Bone | Sabotage the ship
Location: Aboard the Triumph
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Allies: The Mongrel | Ignatius Rausgeber | Open
Enemies: Seto du Couteau | Syndulla Command | Open

[ Mitternacht ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Roughly two corners away was what I was able to do while running because I had already seen soldiers after that and if I continued running they would probably notice me, in vain I used the cloaking device. So I had to squat a little and wait for these Alliance members to pass me. For safety, I retreated to a location next to a terminal in exactly the direction the soldiers were heading. This is how they managed to eliminate the fact that they could not collide with me. And I just had to wait for them to run past me.

All of them, not surprisingly, made their way to the hangar. I was hoping the warlord had already been able to leave that area before reinforcements arrived. Anyway, if you don’t call me back there to help, I have to move forward according to the original plans. I lost about a minute here now waiting, but at last some soldiers finally disappeared from the road. I shouldn’t have wasted any more time on nothing. I glanced after them angrily, then headed forward. The next corridors were already much calmer and silent than the previous ones.

I was able to move fast and run again. MANIAC scanned the area all the way so I knew when I was going to meet others. But now everything was calm. Also due to the fact that I reached a part that no longer touched the direct main part that leads to the hangar. That is, it was an extension; and here I think everything was automated and didn’t really require human intervention. The narrow corridor revealed this too; although I could not know for sure. Anyway, at the end of the hallway, there was already the room I needed.

When I got there, it didn't open. I wasn’t really surprised by this, but it annoyed me nonetheless. Such a place can certainly only be entered by high-ranking officers, at least I would make such an assurance for such a place. However, the Warlord was not here yet. In any case, it is advisable to tell him about the progress, that was his request anyway. So I also sent a message to The Mongrel on the communication channel.

<< Warlord, this is Mercy. I arrived at the rendezvous point, the door to the room is closed, I start to break in and get into the area. Hopefully I can hack it by the time you arrive. >> I told him.

I walked over to the terminal and set about putting in the right screen to try to override the codes and open the door.

~ Come on, MANIAC, show me what you know! ~ I urged him.

As soon as the first lines of command appeared on the monitor, the corresponding codes and commands that I had to type also appeared on my retina. Hacking was very easy that way, I just had to type; it also required me to have the right knowledge, because without it I would not have prospered. But that’s when I was glad Ziare got and got that kind of knowledge. At least I didn't have to learn this separately.

But now that I paid full attention to it, I had to solve the problem quickly.

 

[Dimitri Voltura]

ALLIES: The Mongrel | Keilara Kala'myr | Ignatius Rausgeber | Rannan Kol | NSO | BOTM
ENEMIES: Enyo Typhos | Jax Thio | Traden Avarice | Valery Noble | Iris Arani | GA | NJO
ENGAGING: Osarla Ridor | Yenna
GEAR: In Bio.

Oo~APOCALYPSE~oO​

It was quite satisfying.

The moment he had stepped from the shuttle, the tension in the hangar had spiked considerably. No blaster bolts met him, but the high alert was palpable.

All save one.

"Dimitri! Hi!"

The flask drifted halfway towards him once more as the green blob waved at him from across the hangar. Half a smile spread on his lips as he stopped the flask and sent it back to her with just the twitch of a finger.
"No, thank you, Little One." he said. He was quite surprised at her pro-activeness. She wasn't lying about her sobriety. The ignition of her blade coaxed an impressed raised eyebrow from him.

Crimson eyes found the stalwart form of the Presence that had gripped his attention since landing. A Togruta, power slowly ebbing from her. Not assaulting his senses, but by no means could it be mistaken for mediocre. This was no mere starry-eyed Knight standing at the little gremlin's back, that much was certain.

"Missed you, I have. With Eenia, how are things?"

The Dragon turned his gaze upon Yenna. There was a time that her words would have hit a nerve, but it has long since passed. The messages have stopped, the hammering against the shut door of their connection has ceased. The connection itself, broken. There had been a flash of shattered mirrors on the Estate. And then nothing.
"She is gone, Little One." he said flatly, devoid of all emotion regarding his once-apprentice.

He turned his immediate attention back to the tall Togruta behind Yenna, inclining his head slightly.
"Dimitri Voltura, at your service." he said cordially, hands still in the air.

And then the hilt sailed into a open hand from his belt.

The crimson blade ignited instantly in contrast to Yenna's cyan one and was held at the ready.
"Now, Yenna I already know the answer for. But would you hide behind the skirts of blaster fire or would you face me warrior to warrior?" he asked Osarla calmly, yet his eyes burned like red hot embers as he regarded her.

The man that had protected the Light within his Apprentice at all costs was dead.

In his place stood the Dark Warrior of old.

 

[Jem Fossk]

On Denon Dagon taught her to move across the skyline. Trouble couldn't reach you when you were sky high along the roof tops. Up was the first direction Jem looked when she was forced to start moving through the open halls.

Her skin crawled as she stood vulnerable between doorways, the sound of boot falls closing in up ahead. The whole damn place was a metal tube of traps for people like her. It gave her hope that Dagon might actually still be alive. She didn't understand how he couldn't have gotten out otherwise.

He was capable of anything in her eyes.

A pulse of the force moved the grate aside, and another push sent her up into the duct vents. Out of sight out of mind. It didn't make the sense of growing dread any light.

Something bad was coming.

It only made her crawl faster.

---

Bridge​

A blaster bolt hit the door. Someone screamed, bodies hit the ground. Video would reveal the lithe form of a girl, before her form blurred and the screen went dead.. Jem tried to catch the blaster door before it could slam closed, a scream of exertion ripping from her lips as the weight was far beyond her skill with the force.

She could feel him on the other side. Primal desperation drove the padawan forward as she stabbed at the door with her saber. The molted tip burned through to the other side, the tell-tale circle marking the invader for what they were.

The cavalry had arrived.

Dagon Kaze Marlon Sularen

 

[Electra-12]

Location: Space - Adrathorpe Sector
Call Sign: Nacheria Seven
Objective: I - Hard Six
Equipment: TIE Pilot Flight Suit │ Hekler’Kok FP-01
Allies: BotM ( Marlon Sularen Aldo Garrick Rebirth )
Enemies: GA (Elena Lowe Cynthia Alucard Zaka )
Direct Engagement: Revenant Squadron ( Tren Chaar Mylo Thorne Kaul "Joker" Emos )

“Tangos incoming.” Electra-12 growled, her senses primed once more as the enemy squadron, eleven craft in total, split up on her sensor readout. Visually, the clone quickly assessed that they were a mixed unit of alphabet wings, likely REC designs, which were stylish, modern machines in their own right. Fortunately, she was confident that their TIE Hunters weren’t outmatched, and if so...

She would showcase why she was the last and greatest TIE ace of this decaying Genesis.

“Shunt power to shields! Brace for head-on!” The Chiss called out, flicking a switch to do so, as her wingmate followed suit. All the while, the second pair of Hunters in Nacheria Squadron did the same, not wanting to start the engagement on the backfoot by taking critical damage during the first pass.

"I’m hit!” Her wingmate called out, his voice shaking with trepidation as the words left his lips. “Shields at 30%.” He added, biting down on his lip beneath the Stygian mask of his helmet. “I’m breaking to po-”

“You break when I say you break!” The clone cut in. As she spoke, she drove her TIE towards the incoming group of X and A-Wings, quickly locking on to two of the X-Wings in the process. Then, within a split-second, she willed her laser cannons to fire, unleashing a salvo of eight fiery green bolts, homed to their targets by the network of miniaturized tractor beam generators lining the TIE’s hull, which effectively allowed the pilot to fire on targets off-axis from the direction of the cannons and making them a potential threat from all angles.

Without warning, just as one of the A-Wings (Mylo Thorne) turned hard to port, Electra-12 pushed her control sticks to the right, turning hard starboard, then back to port as she attempted to close in on the bandit’s tail in a pure pursuit from above, before initiating a lock on the bandit's machine, all while keeping close tabs on her speed and positioning to avoid a potential overshoot.

“Turn in and engage!” She hissed.

Spoiler: Loadout

• TIE/fdH Multi-Role Starfighter
  • Self-Duplicating Missile Launcher [x2]
    • Seismic Missile [x4]
    • Seismic Missile [x4]

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

• Mylo Thorne's overcharged shot strikes Electra-12's wingmate.
• Electra-12 fires on two X-Wings and turns to engage Mylo Thorne's A-Wing

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Jax's X-Wing
Equipment: Alliance Jedi Guardian Armor, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain
Tag: Liedran Kathause , Cynthia Alucard , Nitya Xeraic , Maestus (Enemy), Haon Hafey (Enemy), Marlon Sularen (Enemy), Tu'teggacha (Enemy)


Jax quickly placed on his helmet it was a new version that BB-12 created which had the ability to adapt to any environment. It was also compatible with Jax's Jedi Guardian armor and had oxygen reserves that lasts for up to 12 hours. However, the defining feature that BB-12 said that the helmet had is its HUD which could help Jax fully see now that his eye was blown off. The Jedi Master was grateful that BB got off his ass and made something useful but he wasn't planning on relying on it for sight. He had the Force for that.

<So the junior witch.....> BB whirred. <She's staying behind in the SSD?>

"You mean Nitya?" Jax grumbled accelerating towards the remaining star fighters who just escaped the hangar. "Yeah she will, she's not ready for a battle."

<The Witch is going to be really pissed that you bought her daughter in a middle of a war!> BB whirred. <10 creds says that she'll turn you into a Toad.>

"Her name is Nitya!" Jax clenched his teeth. "And she's my fracking Padawan you dolt! Now set S-Foils in attack position or I'm going to jettison your lazy fat butt into space!"

Jax alligned himself with the rest of the fighter squadron as they made their way towards the battlecruiser, It was engaging what looked like Commodor Kathause's ship a small smile formed on Jax's face he hadn't talked to Liedran in a long while hopefully she was raising hell. "I see the ship en route!" Jax yelled to his team. "BB patch me to Commodore Kathause!"

<Whatever.>

Jax continued to accelerate his X-Wing towards his target, he was in luck seeing that the Brotherhood Starfighters were preoccupied with the GA's. They just need to be held off for a little longer. "Commodore!" Jax yelled in his radio. "This is Jedi Master Jax Thio! I'm preparing to board the Brotherhood Battlecruiser that you are engaging. I ask that you hold them off just a little longer! It's creating an opening for me to sneak in!"

As soon as disconnected, Jax frantically pressed some buttons. <BB!> Jax said. "Prepare the Overdrive Thruster!"

<Wait a minute!> BB whirred. <You're going to make a jump inside the ship?!>

"Yeah!" Jax used his Navigation computer to set the target for the hangar. "Trying to avoid the AA guns and possible starfighters! We gotta make sure that Kathause gets out safely!"

<That's crazy!>

"This chit doesn't make my top ten craziest stunts I've pulled and you know it!" Jax said. "All fighters disperse! Gimmie some cover! I'm going to accelerate and try to take out some of those turrets!"

<Frack it!> BB whirred. <It's ready! When you die! I'm keeping your Lightsaber!>

"Frack you!" Jax yelled. "I hope you downloaded those schematics!"

The X-Wing began boosted at high speeds causing Jax to slam against the chair. "Woo!" Jax yelled. "I love that kick!"

The Jedi Master felt like he was hurling missile zipping past the entry and in the direction to the hangar bay of the Brotherhood battlecruiser.

 

[Zahara Myneto]

​

// OUTRIDER // Battlegroup Kenobi
// LOCATION //"Andrathope System; ANV "Defiance"
// OBJECTIVE // Do you feel lucky, Punk?
// ENGAGING // Aldo Garrick | Xuan Vo
// ALLIES// Syndulla Command | Liedran Kathause | Constantine Oliva | Bashir
​

Battlegroup Kenobi Assault Detachment ANS Defiance, MC-100 Vindicator Mon Cal Cruiser CDF Tristan of Corellia, Damocles-class Star Defender ANS Crusader, Starhawk III-class Battleship ANS Never Die Young, Starhawk III-class Battleship ANS Arbiter, Redeemer-class Star Defender 3x Endurance II-class Fleet Carriers 7x MC140c Scythe-class Main Battle Cruisers 7x Sacheen-class Light Escort Frigates 3xType 062D 'Cutlass' Assault Frigates Numerous E-Wing Starfighters Numerous Y-Wing Starbombers Numerous A-Wing Interceptors Numerous B-Wing Starfighters Numerous X-Wing Starfighters 7xFerret II Recon Drones Various Support Craft

The Alliance could not hold the line much longer. But then again, neither could the Maw. The situation for both sides was equally grim, disorganized fleets battling to the bitter end, no clear objective in sight. It didn't help that the Momentous Triumph was being boarded, or that Myneto couldn't even count on High Admiral --Minlov remembering his name. It didn't matter. This was a life or death situation.

The best bet for the Alliance Fleet was to pin the tail on the Final Dawn, forcing their fleets into a proverbial corner long enough to fleet the system. Here, there would be no victor, just the dogs of war. While his own fleet had been dispersed throughout the system in small, tight formations to as-sit the Sixth, the Core Squadron of the Assault Detachment - the one formed around the Defiance - was ready to pounce.

The plan was simple. Back a key element on the Final Dawn fleet into a corner, and prevent them from reinforcing the others. In theory, this would allow time for forces of the GA to handle those of Marlon Sularen, long enough to escape.

"Contact!" The Defiance drew to a satisfying stop, as turbolaser and mass driver batteries were aimed at the glowering hulls of what appeared to be advanced Final Dawn Star Destroyers. The reports didn't do them justice. At three kilometres, they rivaled even the most experienced Starhawk. A shame they were on the wrong side.

Sacheen II Escort Frigates buzzed about the Defiance bringing to bear their weapons compliment, and in theory aggravating the Brotherhood flotilla. Other elements soon engaged, even as the Defiance made sure to keep distance.

Zahara winced at the thought of continuing this game of cat and mouse. This was no longer a battle. It was a war for survival. And he'd be damned if the Alliance lost.

Spoiler

• Elements of Assault Detachment Vindicator Engage the Final Dawn flotilla under Aldo Garrick
• The majority of the fleet continue to support the actions of the Sixth Sector Fleet

 

[Cruanless Orcash]

Objective: Assist the Fleet and destroy the Brotherhood's Naval Forces
Location: MC-75 Star Cruiser, "The Reverence"
Allies: GA | NIO Liedran Kathause Constantine Oliva Zahara Myneto Syndulla Command Bashir
Enemies: BOTM Marlon Sularen Kenth Berik Tu'teggacha

[Captain Cruanless Orcash reporting in]


Theme: Time to fight Evil / GA Anthem​

Captain Orcash was at the head of the bridge, watching the emergences blow by at a distance the further the Reverence moved in the other direction. At the moment, only smaller debris clouded their way, easy to destroy with ventral cannons and deflectors.


"Sir, we are getting a beam from Commodore Liedran Kathause ". "We are to join with the 3rd Expeditionary per the Commodore's orders".

"Very well, move us to join in formation with the 3rd".

"Aye sir, setting course".

As the Reverance moved to join with the Commodore's fleet, the Mon Calamari Captain turned around in his command chair to give more directives and issue his orders.

"Alert all pilots, prepare to launch all starfighters". Orcash had two compliments of starfighter squadrons. Barrow Squadron, which was comprised of 6 X-Wing fighters. And Blazer Squadron, which was made of 5 Y-Wing Bombers. Both had a good amount of combat experience and both were commanded by veteran pilots who had been flying in their specific starfighters for quite some time.

"Yes Captain".

The cruiser continued closer and was nearing the fleet's current formation. They were currently engaged with Marlon Sularen 's capital ship. Both were trading blows back and forth.

"Sir, Commodore Kathause has requested whatever assistance we can provide". "She is currently in direct engagement with Marlon Sularen 's forces".

"Send Barrow Squadron to assist the Commodore and ready Blazer Squadron to launch imminently".

"Yes Captain, right away".

Moments later, Barrow Squadron zoomed out of the hangar bay and moved towards the ANV Cadence to help the ship and its fleet in whatever way it could.

"Lieutenant Jagrall, inform the Cadence I am leasing Barrow Squadron to the Commodore for the remainder of the engagement". The Mon Calamari now looked back at the command holo map, where the ships involved around them could be shown upon the holo engaging with each other. He now spotted an opening where he noticed that Sularen's flagship, the Exactor, had just lost its shields. A good opportunity for a hit and run.

"Also, launch Blazer Squadron and command them to hit the Exactor, preferably near the bridge".

"Sir?"

"Look Jagrall", he said pointing to the ship upon the holo board. "Its shields are down, and while he is occupied with Kathause, our Y-Wings have a chance to inflict some damage".

"Understood sir, issuing orders to Blazer".

"Excellent, and inform Blazer Leader I only want them making one bombing run and then they are to immediately return to the Reverance for redeployment".

"Yes sir, issuing orders right away".

The Captain turned back around to face the main bridge view as he swung with his command chair. The Reverence was about to reach the formation of the Commodore's 3rd Expeditionary Fleet, when he felt something, like a hunch or something. He decided to ignore it for the moment, but very soon he would change his mind.

A few minutes later, it happened.

A vessel appeared out of thin air within the darkness of space. Once it appeared, it showed itself on the scanners. However, due to the beeping on the scanners, Orcash turned immediately before the crew could inform him. As he turned his chair, the enemy ship appeared directly in front of his eyes. It was at close range and moving even closer, and pretty fast. At that exact moment, he raised his arm and pointed as the crew began to detect the vessel now near the Reverence.

"THERE!!!", shouted the Captain. The whole bridge command staff turned to peer out the right side of the bridge view port where the ship could be seen. Just as he shouted, he noticed the vessel, which he recognized as an Adjudicator II class, beginning to launch large salvos of concussion missiles directly at the Reverence.

Cruanless's mind started to work very fast, trying to cycle through the current event that was presently occurring. He immediately gave the thought to the scanners malfunctioning, but when he glanced at the ship again, his mind cleared an answer. Cloaking Device. It had to be, otherwise he would have noticed it upon the holo command board. Now his mind moved quickly into thinking of plans of repelling the ship's missile attack. His mind commanded his mouth into speaking.

"Raise the shields, now!!".

Pappus was the first to hear and being quick with his hands, immediately reached and activated the ship's shields. The missiles moved very fast through the void and as they reached the Reverence moments later, as the ship's shields were fully raised at the exact same time. A millisecond later, the concussion missiles hit the shields just as they closed around the ship. One did make it through and hit the front of the ship's hull, dealing some damage. The rest dissipated hard against the shields. The impact rocked the vessel, with some of the bridge staff falling over, with Orcash rocked back in his command chair. Once he quickly sat back up, he viewed out to the enemy vessel which seemed to be continuing forward towards himself and his MC-75.

"Alright damage report, now!".

"One got through, front hull section A took minor damage, but Shields are fully up, integrity at 88%".

"Good, I want all turbolasers & deflectors ready and aimed at that ship, we need to hit it before it disappears".

"What do you mean sir".

"It has a cloaking device, that's why it was able to get close". "Hard to port, 60 degrees, get us a better angle at the Maw vessel".

"Aye Captain, hard to port, 60 degrees".

"And someone get info on that ship and who is commanding it, I want to know who I am up against". "Contact Gramani Fey’la if you have to, the Spynet always has the answer".

Seconds later, Orcash would unleash his guns upon the Maw interloper. "Alright on my mark......FIRE!!!!".

At that exact moment, all the ship turbolasers and deflectors opened up on the enemy Adjudicator, sending a massive volley of lasers towards the vessel. The enemy commander might have caught them by surprise, but Orcash would make sure that they would act faster than the enemy could have predicted.

Just in case his attack didn't work as planned, he turned back to Jagrall for one more command. "Lieutenant, command Blazer Squadron to return immediately following their bombing run of the Exactor and to engage this Maw ship with Ion torpedoes, understood?".

"Yes sir, understood".

 

[Traden Avarice]

III: STEEL AND BONE
TEAM SKYWALKER
​

Location: The Bunghole, Shield Generator Room
Attire: Standard
Loadout: The Harbinger, Lightsaber
Primary Adversary: Rannan Kol
Additional Tags: Ignatius Rausgeber , The Mongrel
Ally Tags: Open


As Traden journeyed deeper Into the halls of the Bunghole, it seemed as if the walls were pulsing and distorting… as if he was in a hallucinogenic state of some kind. He closed his eyes, blinking to try to clear his vision. The effects on his mind grew stronger as he drew closer to his enemy. His only hope was to find the dark master and quickly take his life, otherwise he feared he might loose track of reality.

The enemies voice pounded inside his head. He did his best to ignore it, moving onward with purpose through the recently emptied halls. He followed the presence, feeling it grow stronger with every step he took.

As the voice mocked him regarding his failure to protect his wife, Traden placed his palm against his head, trying to focus… trying to ignore the enemies attempts of chaotic distraction. He knew what the dark force user was trying to do… He needed to keep his mind in tact and not allow himself to be bent to the breaking point.

"The guilt I live with every day is more of a reminder to me than your empty words will ever be." Traden spoke out loud, assuming that his words would be heard by the enemy. He drew closer to the dark master, approaching the final sealed entrance, knowing beyond a doubt that the enemy was just beyond those doors.

He suddenly stopped, staring straight ahead as he heard the voice in his head mention his failure towards his daughter. How dare he mention her… how dare he trespass in his mind in such an invasive fashion. Traden gritted his teeth with visible anger as he went to move forward towards the door again…

until…

…his eyes widened at the image of his daughter that had been forced in violation of his will into his thoughts… an image of her broken, shattered, lifeless body…. Traden let out an audible gasp at the image, his eyes filled with tears. He stumbled, placing his arm up against the bulkhead to keep himself from falling. He knew the image was an illusion of the dark arts, but nothing could prepare a father to see his daughter in such a state, whether it was an illusion or not.

Tears streamed down Traden's face, and his mind raged against the image, burning it up and ripping it apart. Suddenly Traden stiffened, his eyes looked up and narrowed at the door in front of him. The saber shot into his hand and ignited with a hiss. His feet shifted into position as he gathered his strength…

Bringing his daughter into this was… a big… big… mistake…

Traden let out a furious battle cry as he raised his free hand towards the sealed door, using the force to crush the steel braces and send it careening into the shield generator room, smashing into various consoles and electronics which caused quite the display of sparks and damage.

Traden stepped up to the damaged opening, looking down towards the dark master who was kneeling on the ground, his face stern and filled with grit as he raised The Harbinger up with his other hand, pointed directly towards the enemy. His vision was still heavily impaired due to the trauma occurring to his mind, and so he was heavily dependent on the force to help him feel what was happening in the room.

"Let's get this over with." He said in a darker and wearied tone.

His priority was to break the enemies focus so that the mental assault would be over, and so Traden was in no mood to fight fair as he pulled the trigger, unleashing an intense and steady stream of explosive particle beams in the direction of the dark master. The enemy would need to think quickly, for the particle beams would detonate upon impact, making it a deadly proposition to attempt to deflect them with a lightsaber. Either way, the steady stream of particle beams would cause extensive damage to either the dark master himself, or the shield generator directly behind him.

 

[Keilara Kala'myr]

Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr (Mercy)
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent | Marauder and Agent of the Maw​

Objective III.: Steel and Bone | Sabotage the ship
Location: Aboard the Triumph
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Allies: The Mongrel | Ignatius Rausgeber | Open
Enemies: Seto du Couteau | Syndulla Command | Open

[ Mitternacht ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Returning to the monitor and my task; for now, it seemed that fortunately it wasn’t that very, very over-encrypted something. Not a Terraris Command solution. Fortunately! If that were the case, I would be in trouble and possible I wouldn't have solved the problem, not even with MANIAC's help. I’m not saying it was average because it’s better than expected, but still not overly over insuring something. True, as a user, it also had its benefits, but as a hacker, it’s a nightmare. My fingers quickly "spun" on the terminal's keyboard, which was also the monitor at the moment.

I already knew most of the codes and commands, since this was not the first time I had done this; as a matter of fact, even Ziare did something similar for the NIO at the behest of his superior. Twice, even though the wireless network worked there once, in the other case you really had to physically break code, Killjoy or what was the name of the guy back then. It wasn't that important. However, what reminded me that a hacker program on an external medium would be useful. No, I'm not thinking about what's available in the market. Most of them are average; I thought here that one which had a MANIAC program on it, and so the task would go quickly.

But back to code breaking. Many people think this is an exciting task. It's really boring. Not nearly exciting as much in the holofilms or hologames. I want it to be like that instead of writing lines of code.

In any case, it can bind a person for long minutes, hours, or even longer; however, I didn’t have nearly that much time, I had to be fast. More lines of code, another crashed firewall. Because of this, it was slow, because I had to go deeper and deeper from layer to layer, to get through the various defences. There was something that was in a few moments, others took a lot more time. It was all completely random and unpredictable. As in this case, it was not possible to predict how many firewalls or unpleasant surprises to go through and need to solve.

Overall, I have no idea how much time I spent trying to crack the system. I got through another defence; I didn't even count how many it was. I was just getting ready to face some more obstacles when all of a sudden the whole monitor turned blue again and then showed up with a huge green sign that I had been granted permission to enter. The door to the missile storage room opened with a hiss.

<< Warlord, this is Mercy; I'm in, the way is free! >> I sent the message to The Mongrel .

 

[Tren Chaar]

H A R D _ S I X

ADRATHORPE SECTOR
B-WING HEAVY STARFIGHTER​

---

---

Revenant Squadron Leader: CDR Tren Chaar Five: FLT Kaul "Joker" Emos Seven: FO Leon Gallo Eleven: FO Mylo Thorne Talon Squadron One-One: LT Cynthia Alucard One-Two: CDT Elena Lowe Cordé Sabo Saber Squadron Okkeus Dainlei Zaka Brotherhood of the Maw Electra-12 [ Nacheria Squadron ] Marlon Sularen [ Crimson Linings Squadron ] Rebirth [ Sacrior Squadron ] Spoiler: Summary Revenant engages Nacheria Squadron Chaar orders Talon Squadron to engage Crimson Linings

The A-wings of Three Flight dove blindly toward the TIE Hunters, just as Chaar drilled them. The squadron leaders tireless pursuit of awards and accolades permeated every corner of their training regime. Revenant had not climbed up the Starfighter Command rankings by sitting quietly on the sidelines. An inordinately high kill count was the hallmark of their after-action reports.

Chaar and the B-wings of One Flight looped around the perimeter of the clear zone as the X-wings of Two Flight joined the fray. Their quad mounted laser cannons would wear down the shields of the TIE Hunters, softening them up for Chaar to finish them off with a missile volley.

It would take a few moments for an opening. While he waited for the kill-shot, the Umbaran turned his attention to the tactical display. Saber Squadron and its New Jedi Order pilots were engaging the Divine Eagles of Sacrior Squadron. Chaar had tangled with the elite fighters at Csilla and Lao-Mon - they were a worthy foe. Once he was done with these TIE Hunters he would add some Divine-Eagle kill silhouettes to his cockpit

Further afield, the elite Crimson Linings squadron was harassing the First Expeditionary Fleet. They couldn’t be allowed to cripple the Alliance fleet. “Talon One-One, Revenant Lead,” Chaar announced flatly over the comlink. “Redirect to sector five-eight-cresh - enemy starfighter engaging One-E-Ef. Expect heavy resistance.” The rookies wouldn’t last long, but they’d soften up Crimson Linings for a proper squadron to come and finish the job.

Chaar shifted his attention back to the dogfight between Revenant Squadron and the TIE Hunters. This was taking too long. “Give me an opening,” he growled over the comlink to his pilots. There were countless other elite enemy starfighters and star destroyers to add to their record sheets. How was he meant to make colonel with this incompetence? “NOW!”

 

[Tu'teggacha]

Location: Adrathorpe System
Allies: Marlon Sularen | CETCOM | Haon Hafey | Aldo Garrick
Foes: Liedran Kathause | Constantine Oliva | Cruanless Orcash | Bashir | Zahara Myneto | Syndulla Command

Spoiler: TL;DR

• Asteroid debris begins to damage the Fatalis
• The Fatalis tries to use its engines, flaring to maximum power, to damage the City of Ashes
• The City's barrage cripples two engines and damages a third
• The Fatalis prepares to launch additional fighters to help cover its escape

With a titanic - though silent - burst of iron and flame, the colossal fragment of debris bearing down on the Fatalis shattered down the center. In an instant, one giant problem was transformed into a million smaller ones. The fiery fragments of Csillan wreckage became the latest of the countless navigational hazards whipping across the Adrathorpe system, a sandstorm gone macro-scale, each figurative grain of sand large and fast enough to tear through a light freighter like a knife through flimsiplast. The legacy of this battle, however it ended, looked to be skies so dangerous that no sane pilot would brave them for years.

The Taskmaster could take little satisfaction in the fact that the asteroid, in exploding like some massive fragmentation grenade, had likely damaged the City of Ashes. In the void of space, inertia was god, and far more of the debris was still coming right at the Fatalis. Some of it would deflect above or below the wing-like dreadnought, but the ship - despite its relatively narrow design - was still a big target, especially from certain angles. Impacts began to register against the shields, blazing like meteorites on reentry... then, as the shields became steadily overwhelmed, on the hull. The bridge began to shake.

"Engage our point defense systems!" the Ebruchi bellowed, though the little anti-missile guns were already working overtime. They were designed to intercept explosives, which required little more than breaching the outer casing and detonating the payload early; fully vaporizing dense balls of rock, metal, and ice was more than they were meant for, and they could only do so much against the incoming debris field. Impacts steadily mounted, filling the upper decks of the Fatalis with a sound not unlike a hailstorm heard from beneath a metal roof. Armor deformed. Deck plating creaked and gave way.

It was better than the impact of the full, massive asteroid, but it was still bad news.

Through the hurricane of Csillan rock came the City of Ashes, undaunted by the impacts it had taken. With all rear-facing guns already fully engaged, desperately fending off the incoming storm of rock, there was little that Tu'teggacha could do but watch in mounting rage and horror as the Alliance battleship launched a spread of torpedoes - and a wave of main gun fire - right at the Fatalis's engines. It was not the first time that such an attack had been attempted on the titanic ship... and it wouldn't be the first time such an attack proved effective, either. Loss of the sublights had nearly seen it destroyed at Korriban.

Well, if the bold enemy commander wanted to make a big boom, let him reap what he sowed.

"Sublight engines to full," the Taskmaster ordered. "They want to come in directly behind us with their shields down? We'll give them a harsh lesson in thermodynamics." Even as the torpedoes streaked in, the engines of the Fatalis blazed to full power, throwing out the massive amounts of heat and kinetic energy required to move such a titanic ship through the void. All of that energy had to go somewhere... and the Fatalis did its best to angle it straight toward the City of Ashes, coming in on a course to target those engines. If they couldn't target the enemy ship with their big guns, maybe they could roast it.

Or at least fling it back across the system with a massive kinetic discharge.

There would only be an instant in which the full power of those engines was unleashed, though. Moments later, the ion torpedoes - and the guns of the City struck home, and the entire dreadnought shook. "We've lost engines two and five," one of the bridge officers reported. "Three is barely hanging on. Rear shields are at less than twenty percent, and falling. We have multiple hull breaches on the lower aft decks." Tu'teggacha whirled on the man, his command throne turning along with his knobby little body. "Transfer power to rear deflectors, then, and dispatch damage control crews!" Did he have to do it all himself?

They'd seal off the breached decks and keep whatever they could intact.

With two and a half engines out of commission, even slowly limping to the mouth of the stable hyperlane was going to be a difficult prospect. But what other choice did they have? A microjump under these conditions, with so much debris in the area, was surely suicide. Tu'teggacha had been reluctant to launch any more fighters before, since they would have either delayed his escape jump or had to have been abandoned, but his reluctance had fled after this severe damage. "Prepare all reserve squadrons to launch," he ordered. His survival was now in question, and he would sacrifice anything and everything to assure it.

 

[Liedran Kathause]

[Commodore Liedran Kathause]
[1st Expeditionary Fleet - 3rd Carrier Line]
[ANV Cadence - C.I.C]

Fleeters: [GA] Syndulla Command , Bashir , Cruanless Orcash , Constantine Oliva [BROTHERHOOD] Marlon Sularen , Tu'teggacha , Haon Hafey , Kenth Berik
Pilots: [GA] Tren Chaar , Kaul "Joker" Emos , Leon Gallo , Mylo Thorne , Cynthia Alucard , Elena Lowe , Okkeus Dainlei , Zaka , Someone else?

(I apologize in advance for the length of this post)

---

"Enemy flagship's shields are down! They've taken scattered damage around their weapon systems and hull."

Vulnerable... For once in the war, the Brotherhood was rendered... vulnerable. "Set half of Cadence’s available turbolaser batteries to target their bridge superstructure!" They'd finally lift the head from the shoulders from this wounded animal. "Ion cannons distributed among each of their offensive weapons. Re-task Rhapsody with repelling their escort ships. All defensive batteries are to watch out for incoming-"

Voices, thousands of voices, cried suddenly in agony. Bulkheads rumbled and churned, helpless but to watch as endless pummels collided with the Cadence's shields and siphonned their lifeforce away. 90% 80. Under the full weight of the Exactor’s bombardment, numbers displayed on the readouts took a sharp dive. 60%

“Divert as much power as we can to shields! Keep trying to disable their offensive weapons!” Liedran buckled against a violent lurch to port, increasingly short of breath while she clung to the rim of the command and control table, "Recall our Sacheens to screen against-"

"Ma'am, our frigates are being engaged by a swarm of hostile TIE fighters!" The tactical officer interrupted, herself struggling to maintain a grip on her station. "Interceptors moving in to engage. Brotherhood fighters veering off." Then a deathly break in speach, before, "Contacts behind them! We have an incoming Squadron of missile boats, they're firing-- concentrated at the centers of our frigates' shields!" Liedran's eyes widened. A Nova Flare. The Brotherhood squadrons were seeking to overwhelm and drive the frigates' shields into oblivion. "Both are firing up their point defense arrays."

"Start redirecting our diamond boron rounds to intercept their missile squadrons! Spin both frigates into a roll, NOW! And bring them closer to our screening range!" The commodore demanded, bracing against another bout of turbulence from the Brotherhood's vessels outside. "Recall our remaining fighters attacking their support ships toward our own! Divert three squadrons toward our Hidars. Keep Minuet close to them." A snarl contorted on her expression, her desperate effort to hide the raw fear driving its claws into the last supports of her mind.

As per the commodore's orders, the ANV Overture and her sister ship led into shaking rolls, main ion drives propelling them toward the emergence's escape alongside the rest of the fleet, RCS thrusters firing in rapid succession to keep both frigates spinning around their forward axes. Beside for missiles, Brotherhood vessels would find it nearly impossible to focus fire on any one point; while the frigates' revolutions kept every point defense emplacement engaged and ready firing to create deadly waves of fire around each. From the flanks of that screen, diamond boron missiles burst into oblivion, generating 50 meter wide spheres around the engagement zone and working tirelessly to intercept as many incoming fighters and ordnances that they could. But the force of the missile boats' bombardment nonetheless bogged down on the Sacheens' efforts; violent collisions to their shields disrupted the flow of their spins, and knocked the aims of the frigates' guns ever so slightly off-course.

"Detecting hostile fire bombarding the Reverence. Looks like a heavy cruise-" The lieutenant seemed stunned for a moment. "Ma'am, it just disappeared. No antimatter explosions have been registered... It might be a stealth ship."

Just what they needed at the moment... "How far is the Reverence?"

"They're out of our screening range. They got caught a few klicks away."

"Does Orcash have any fighters in the air?"

"I don't believe so, ma'am."

"Dammit..." They couldn't afford to send a warship to assist; the 3rd Expeditionary's lines were already being stretched thin under bombardment by a scattered number of foes. "Dispatch three of our X-wing squadrons to Captain Orcash's position."

"Yes, ma'a-"

"-Ma'am. Incoming contacts on the starboard flank!"

Not again. Not again. Liedran's eyes redirected themselves to a series of positioning plots, each being overwhelmed by an increasing emergence of hostile markers. At the center of the arrivals' formation lay a single capital ship-- a battlecruiser flanked by a bristling swarm of starfighters, closing in on the battered 3rd Expeditionary. A renewal of dread locked Liedran's body in stiffness as the swarm's courses converged on the lone ANV Minuet. Commander Graves had no chance at survival. But before her crippled heavy corvette finally burst from the inside-- the Minuet's last missiles rocketed out from its bow; tens of diamond boron and concussion warheads colliding with the retreating bombers, some even following them to the battlecarrier's hangers.

Liedran hadn't the time to process the Minuet's disappearance from sensors, before a great flood of energy began to emanate from the newly-arrived battlecarrier. A beam- no, thirty beams- converged on the ANV Chorale, drawing the Hidar II into the maw of the enemy's towering flagship despite the pleas of its engines. In a desperate response, the frigate's forward missile launch tubes opened up to accelerate a salvo of concussion missiles toward each concentration of tractor beam arrays, quickly arming its turbolasers to assist. Chorale's sister ship, the ANV Prelude, fired its ion drives at full; it directed its broadsides toward the preoccupied bow of the factory command battlecarrier, joining the Chorale's desperate struggle against the tractor arrays while the frigates' remaining fighters enveloped them to catch any lingering hostile fighters in a net of cannon fire.

". . . Shields!?" A panicked Liedran called out, eyes only briefly darting from the evolving tactical plots in front of her. Her hair swung in a ruffled mess of hazel, while bloodshot eyes directed overwhelming amounts of information toward her mind's processing.

"50 percent, ma'am. We're holding better with power diverted toward containment."

She lacked the energy to even hit the table in anger, tired muscles still aching from combatting the force of the Exactor's bombardment. She lost potency in her voice, sharp barks reduced to hastily formed fragments of sentences, weakened cries. After a silent whimper, Liedran managed her next words, just barely. "Contact all friendly vessels in range... and request their assistance."

Another impact threw her toward the command and control monitors.

"Ma'am, we've got a link open-- Master Jax Thio." A report sounded as she weakly began to stand back up.

Jax? Liedran couldn't quite manage any expression of relief at the moment, but the feeling was nonetheless there. She'd worked with Master Thio in the past, before the eruption of the Second Great Hyperspace War, battling the Bryn on the edges of Alliance borders. "Put him through." Liedran set a shaking hand on the table, clumsily drawing an intercom toward her ear.

"This is Jedi Master Jax Thio! I'm preparing to board the Brotherhood Battlecruiser that you are engaging. I ask that you hold them off just a little longer! It's creating an opening for me to sneak in!"

"Make it quick, Mister Thio. I'll try my best over here..." She only hoped her best would be enough.

"Several contacts proceeding toward us. They're friendly." Sure enough, new markers had begun to shine a bright green on the Plan Position Displays, the silhouettes of at least 12 starfighters setting new courses that intersected the 3rd Expeditionary's position. "Revenant and Talon Squadrons respectively."

"See if the Sacheens can clear a path for them through the attacking squadrons." Again, she hadn't been able to express her relief at the moment, save for a small, acknowledging nod. In her heart, Liedran said her thanks. If the Alliance fleet survived Adrathorpe, she'd be able to express her gratitude in person. But they were a long way away from that moment; they were a long way from home, and she'd begun to question if they'd ever make it back.

Spoiler: ”Fleet Actions”

-After disabling the Exactor's shields, Cadence begins targeting its vulnerable bridge with a salvo of turbolasers. Ion cannons and various other weapons are directed toward eliminating the flagship's remaining offensive batteries before they can cause any more damage
-Rhapsody's cannons begin to focus on combatting the three escorting Brotherhood vessels
-Cadence falls under the Exactor's heavy fire. Shield strength begins to plummet to 50%
-3 X-wing Squadrons are sent to assist Cruanless Orcash and the Reverence against Kenth Berik 's cloaked vessel
-To combat the Crimson Linings' attempted Nova Flare, the Sacheen frigates begin to roll, complicating any attempt at concentrated fire. Both begin to fall nearer to the rest of the line while bombarding the Brotherhood bombers with diamond boron missiles and other defensive batteries.
-ANV Minuet is destroyed quickly by Haon Hafey 's fighters. In its final moments, the corvette fires off missiles toward the retreating bombers; some converge on the hanger.
-The two Hidar frigates begin to concentrate fire on the factory command battlecarrier's tractor beam arrays as the Chorale is slowly pulled in.
-Liedran releases a communication to any friendly vessels or starfighter squadrons in range, requesting assistance.

Spoiler: 3rd Expeditionary Carrier Line

Liberator Class Star Defender -- ANV Cadence [DAMAGED - SHIELDS AT 50%]

Numerator-class Frigate - ANV Fermata [DESTROYED]

Hidar II-class Frigate - ANV Chorale [DAMAGED - BEING DRAWN TOWARD THE FACTORY COMMAND BATTLECARRIER]

Hidar II-class Frigate - ANV Prelude [INTACT]

Majestic II-class Heavy Cruiser - ANV Rhapsody [INTACT]

Sacheen II-class Escort Frigate - ANV Armistice [DESTROYED]

Sacheen II-class Escort Frigate - ANV Overture [DAMAGED]

Sacheen II-class Escort Frigate - ANV Sonata [DAMAGED]

Nagata-class Heavy Corvette - ANV Minuet [DESTROYED]

 

[Zaka]

BLACKFANG - THE (NEW) JEDI vol. II
Issue #3 - Liberty's Gate
TAGS - Rebirth
X-Wing

[infocard]
FRIENDLIES:

• Revenant Squadron
  • Tren Chaar
  • Kaul "Joker" Emos
  • Mylo Thorne
• Saber Squadron
  • Okkeus Dainlei
  • N'Jazaka Blackfang
• Talon Squadron
  • Elena Lowe
  • Cordé Sabo
  • Cynthia Alucard

FOES:

• Brotherhood of the Maw
  • Rebirth
  • Marlon Sularen

Spoiler: tl;dr

The backdrop of space was the perfect place for a stealth vehicle. A frequent limitation was typically speed, a visible shimmer of a form could be seen if moving too fast. A weakness that plagued starship and personnel sized versions of the generator. Not only did the void play a part in concealing the shimmering form of disrupted energy that hid the X-Wing, but anti sensor equipment made the only way of detection the naked eye.

In the black of space, in a battle of gargantuan vessels and fighters, comparable to flies flitting about between them, who really had time to notice such a thing?

The X-02 flew dark, sitting on the tail of a ranging duo scouring further away from the rest of their squadron. To focus inwards better, light that emanated from secondary systems were shut off. Zaka was thankful that even El-Bee could discern the gravity of the situation and remained silent.

With finger primed over the firing trigger, his gaze dropped for a split second to get a look on the currently selected missile.

Brilliant.

In the midst of moving to deactivate the stealth generator, he paused.

I could fly off, escape them. Reinforce and chase them down with more numbers. As the battle went on, it was possible the standardization of the Alliance military could win out over the different forms of the Brotherhood amalgamated together. But what damage could they do in that timeframe? How many could they kill? Avoidable deaths, too high to imagine.

Flicking up on the switch, the shimmering energy disappeared, revealing the carbon-scored X-Wing.

A single life is too much.

With that in mind, his digit, still poised over the missile trigger dropped down like a hammer, the yolk the anvil, and the stud his weapon being shaped. Or in this case, fired.

From his fighter, fire lanced out shooting away from his fighter on the tail of one of the Divine Eagles. The brilliant missile was the homing kind, whose tracking abilities were so accurate, it was considered alive, in a way. While the missile chased off one fighter, Zaka would disassemble the other while their wingman was distracted.

Fire selection changed from missiles back to quad-fire. His Saber may have been slightly overcooked by a proton bomb, but in these seconds of isolation, Zaka meant to show why that didn't matter. Bright light flashed out in fours, emerald plasma bolts tearing through the void to close in on the separated Eagle as it found its new home dead-centre in his targeting computer's reticle. Set on its engines, he aimed for a perceptible weakness instead of raking it with laser fire as he had earlier.

 

[Rowena]

​

Location: Gunnery Crew Station 10-A - Fatalis-Class Star Dreadnought
Weapon: XX-9 Heavy Turbolaser
Call Sign: Delta Nine
Objective: II - Will to Live
Equipment: DS-101 “Venture” Multipurpose Protective Attire │ Nano-Core Blaster Pistol
Allies: BotM ( Tu'teggacha Marlon Sularen CETCOM Haon Hafey Aldo Garrick )
Enemies: GA ( Liedran Kathause Cruanless Orcash Zahara Myneto Syndulla Command Constantine Oliva )
Direct Engagement: Bashir

It wouldn’t have ended well either way.

Peering through her scopes, Rowena watched with a wide, bewildered gaze as the massive asteroid came undone before her eyes. For a moment, her sense of humor kicked in and she wondered if she could claim a kill on a rock, especially one that had been weaponized. Unfortunately, her humor quickly faded as the Aqualish’s mechanical voice cut in, eerily flat yet seemingly laced with a tone of alarm. Nevertheless, the tiny gunner didn’t let her fingers slip from the trigger, continuing to fire even as the asteroid broke off into chunks and pieces, vaporizing more than a few for her part. Unfortunately, as pieces turned into fighter or pod-sized bits, there was little else that the heavy turbolaser could do, in spite of the Asa’nyx’s ultra-fast reflexes.

“Brace! Brace for impact, the targets are too small for the turbo-” The Aqualish whined.

“Be quiet, slave! Keep firing, all of you!” The Besalisk overseer barked out, the roar of his voice disguising the fear that colored his saurian features.

“Sir, we’ll need the power! They’re shunting to the rear deflectors.” Another technician, a muscular Abyssin added.

“Then get me some more, laserbrain!”

“I’m trying, sir, but we need to sa-”

Suddenly, the deck began to shake with forces comparable to that of an extremely strong earthquake as a buckshot of fighter-sized rocks began to collide with the shields and often, hull of the Fatalis at nigh-relativistic speeds, throwing Rowena from her seat as she attempted to shoot down another of the rocks, ultimately a futile endeavor. Groaning, the tiny Asa’nyx tasted blood on her lips, her vision briefly blurring before clarity returned a few moments later. With a deep huff, she picked herself off the ground, grunting as she rubbed her temple and climbed back into her seat. Weakness would be met with nothing but contempt and so, she refused to show it, even as her ears rang and blood began to run down the side of her head.

Within her periphery, she saw one of the gunners engulfed in flames, a technician spraying him down with an extinguisher as his terrible, ear splitting screams pounded against her hypersensitive ears and the scent of burned flesh filled her nostrils. The gunner was quickly carried out of sight, but the smell lingered strongly in his wake.

It was the one thing she would remember most about this engagement.

“I’m low on power and...targeting systems have lost calibration.” The Asa’nyx said, glancing to the Aqualish as she did.

“We have enough for three full-powered shots, then we’ll have to wait. You’ll need to aim manually, for now.” The Aqualish answered.

Then, pressing a few buttons on her console, the heavy turbolaser emplacement under the gunner’s control swiveled to face the looming mass of the City. The emplacement’s positioning near the rear of the Fatalis’s port wing meant that it was one of the few heavy batteries which was capable of firing on the enemy vessel. The accuracy of her shots might very well change the course of the engagement.

Aiming to hit the super-heavy turbolaser batteries at the fore of the City, Rowena’s breath was held taut within her chest as she squeezed the triggers to unleash a trio of supercharged bolts towards the enemy vessel.

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

• Rowena fires three shots from the XX-9 Heavy Turbolaser at the Octuple Barbette Super-Heavy Turbolaser Batteries on the fore of the City of Ashes.

 

[The Mongrel]

Location: Adrathorpe System, the Momentous Triumph
Allies: Ignatius Rausgeber | Keilara Kala'myr
Foes: Syndulla Command | Open
Additional: Rannan Kol | Traden Avarice

Spoiler: TL;DR

• The Bunghole detaches from the Momentous Triumph and waits to pick up the infiltrators later
• The Mongrel tells Mercy to secure the missile bay she just breached
• He tells Iggy and Kerri to find a route, and shows them Mercy's downloaded maps

Mercy's periodic updates ticked into The Mongrel's internal comms as she moved through the ship, a ghost in the machine. That pleased him. Despite her peculiar lapses - she seemed slow to respond to him in battles against the NIO, and was often entirely absent from his comms and battlefield forces, something that was becoming steadily more suspicious - she had been one of his most effective weapons against the Galactic Alliance in battle after battle, and he was reluctant to investigate her too closely. He relied on her too much for that.

Besides, she'd come through for him on Nirauan.

She was... rather unlike his other allies in that way. Kerri was a reliable little dog, eager for praise and scrappy enough to be useful, but he worked best as part of a unit; alone, he would just have been another unwashed auxiliary, easy prey for enemy troops. And "Iggy", well, The Mongrel knew better than to let that one operate too independently. He was useful too, sometimes intensely so, but his loyalty was to himself and his own survival. The warlord remembered the letter back on Coruscant, an attempt to surrender, to weasel out of all this.

Given half a chance, Ignatius would let them burn to save himself. And if the flame projector was in his hands, he'd be glad to flip the switch.

So leave the sneaking around independently to Mercy; it was far better to keep Iggy where The Mongrel could see him, taking advantage of his well-honed survival instincts and clever mind while ensuring that he couldn't plot anything too detrimental. He simply ignored the auxiliary's complaints. Some warlords might have taken off a man's head for less, permitting no shred of disrespect, but he had always found that to be overly wasteful. All creatures of the Maw had their part to play in the Avatars' grand design, even the most disagreeable ones.

And Iggy was changing, even if he didn't know it yet.

The Mongrel let Ignatius and Kerri lead the way into the tight, sweltering confines of the heat sink, and found himself both amused and oddly wistful as he observed their discomfort. He could not feel, or smell, or taste any of the vile sensory input that made their transit through the makeshift entrance so unpleasant. He was glad for that, of course; his new body of unyielding metal allowed him to maintain full combat effectiveness where fully organic beings became bogged down or inconvenienced by the environment. And yet...

... and yet it reminded him of all that he'd lost.

The marauders slowly wound their way along the access walkway, following the gleam of red and yellow emergency lights, ducking under and sliding around the forest of steaming-hot pipes. Behind them, the Bunghole detached from the hull of the Momentous Triumph, drifting away and putting a little distance between itself and the Alliance flagship. Staying where it was, attached like some kind of ocean world barnacle, would only leave it prone to eventual detection, and without any opportunity to flee or to dodge if it was found.

Hopefully it'd actually come back for them when it was time.

But it was premature to think of leaving the Triumph; their sabotage was yet undone. Iggy stopped suddenly, and The Mongrel managed to just avoid bumping into him and Kerri. He could see what'd prompted the sudden halt from over their shoulders: some kind of access hatch. Their way into the ship's inhabited decks, if they could get it open. Iggy bent to the task, employing a cutter and a few deft twists to rewire the access panel. The door slid open, and they were in. "Useful already," The Mongrel pointed out, as the auxiliary climbed up.

Was it praise or mockery in his flat, mechanical voice?

The warlord accepted Ignatius's hand, letting the man help haul him up from the hatch. "We won't go undetected for long," he mused, "even in an area unused during battle stations." He assumed that was why the room was unused; the crew who would normally be here had reported to damage control stations, roving repair crews, and the like. But soon someone would notice them, either with sensors or simply by stumbling across them, and they needed to be well on their way by then. On a ship this size, they were stupidly outnumbered.

"Well done, Mercy," The Mongrel transmitted; evidently she'd already reached the missile bay. "We've just reached the maintenance sector, and are en route to the missile bay. Clear the area of any infidels, and guard it until we arrive." As the rest of the auxiliaries hauled themselves out of the heat exchanger one by one, smelling even worse than usual after their grimy, sweaty transit, the warlord turned to Iggy and Kerri. "My agent has unlocked the missile bay," he told them. "Now we have only to reach it."

He drew his warblade from the sheath built into his back. "Find us a route. I will... deal with any opposition we encounter along the way." Holding up one palm, he projected an image of the schematics Mercy had stolen for him. No doubt it would aid the auxiliaries in finding the best way to reach their target.

 

[Rebirth]

Location: Adrathorpe System
Allies: Electra-12
Foes: Tren Chaar | Elena Lowe | Mylo Thorne | Cynthia Alucard
Engaging: Zaka | Okkeus Dainlei

Spoiler: TL;DR

• Another Divine Eagle goes down to Zaka's guns
• The remaining Divine Eagles close in to attack Zaka as he reemerges
  • They try to keep him from linking up with Okkeus
• Telemachus uses the Force, at great cost, to intercept and guide Zaka's missile
• He tries to hit Okkeus with the missile

​

Even as the Knyghts reached out to the Force, seeking some sign of their foe, things got worse.

Relatively little hyperspace traffic was making it into the Adrathorpe system, an understandable effect of the devastating emergence that had vomited so much cosmic debris and stellar instability into local space. All pilots had to be constantly checking their sensors, for any new hyperspace contact was likely to be another fragment of metal, rock, or ice slipping out into realspace at some dangerous and unstable trajectory... one that might well cross their own flight path, with potentially fatal results. But the next object to drop into the system wasn't some mindlessly destructive fragment of a dead planet. It was another souped-up X-Wing.

And it was piloted by another being who glowed brightly with the light of the Force.

Telemachus ground his teeth. This was getting out of hand; now there were two of them! It was proving difficult enough to swat one of these Alliance aces. His only consolation was that every moment Sacrior Squadron distracted these highly skilled pilots and their lethal craft was a moment they couldn't be unleashing their arsenals on Mawite capital ships. The goal of every warrior of the Brotherhood was to serve the divine plan of the Avatars, and if that meant dying in battle to ensure that more important elements of the Dark Gods' forces survived, such was their purpose. Still, he railed against the helplessness he felt against these foes.

He was meant to be elite, not to be chewed up like cannon fodder!

Before Telemachus could fully react to the new X-Wing's arrival, the first ship reappeared... and it bore deadly gifts. As the Jedi Ace came in behind one Divine Eagle, shredding its engines and bursting it in a hail of space debris before its pilot could so much as turn to face him, he also launched a missile. And it was no ordinary missile. Telemacus saw the way it wove through space, making rapid course adjustments whenever its target moved even slightly. It followed the Divine Eagle it'd been launched at as though it were a living thing, a sleek hunter pursuing a prey animal through the shadowed forest of open void. More of that advanced tech.

But technology was insignificant compared to the power of the Force.

"Keep the pressure on him," Telemachus ordered. "Don't let him link up with his friend." The remaining Divine Eagles - except the one frantically fleeing the missile - closed in toward Zaka once more, converging to force him away from the newly-arrived X-Wing. In the meantime, Telemachus shut his eyes, letting his cybernetic implants make what minor course adjustments were necessary to keep him from crashing. He did nothing else with his ship for now. Instead he reached out with the Living Force, seeking, grasping... until he found the cold metal of the incoming missile, so precisely targeted, seconds from blowing up another Divine Eagle.

With an invisible hand, he seized it. It fought him, bucking hard, re-targeting constantly...

... but if all went well, it would be too late. With a great effort of will, blood streaming from his nose and running freely down his flight suit, Telemachus dragged it onto a straight course guided by his own iron hand. The brilliant missile's maneuvering thrusters - and onboard droid brain - kept trying to guide it back toward the Divine Eagle it'd been chasing, but he overrode them, no matter how taxing it became. Instead, he sent it to thread the needle of debris, its main engine still flaring as it tried to seek its target. He guided it right toward the newly-arrived X-Wing of Okkeus Dainlei , trying to blow up the Jedi Ace with his friend's own missile.

A brutal "gift" to welcome him to the carnage above Adrathorpe.

​

​

 

[Osarla Ridor]

III: STEEL AND BONE | CAPTAIN OF TORTUGA COMPANY
222ND NOVA CORPS | 512TH LEGION | 312 ATTACK BATALLION
ABOVE ADRATHORPE | MOMENTOUS TRIUMPH

”An energy vampire, he is. Careful, you must be.”

While Osarla couldn’t say she’d ever met an energy vampire, or even knew what one was before Yenna said the words, the name was pretty self-explanatory. How he went about consuming energy, however, was a different matter. In the traditional holo films, it was through a crippling bite. Here..?

Osarla didn’t want to find out.

The pair of unusuals exchanged what could have been regarded as pleasantries. In this time, the togruta made subtle movements to her teams positioned on either side of the hangar. The group of four, on the right, moved slowly on adherence.

Typically, commands were relayed vocally. Such was tradition, such as expected. However, Tortuga Company had come to adopt a Luddite version of sign language after the Stygian Campaign. One of the soldiers, Growls, had gotten too friendly with an explosive and had been rendered deaf from one of the attacks on Korriban. Since then, the company had spent time translating key signals into hand gestures, rather than relying on comms. They’d lost him on Jakku, but the knowledge was not wasted.

With one hand, the giant woman made a claw, and with the other, curled her index and middle to hook around the thumb of the claw. Onboard.

Meanwhile, Bug, scurried to the overwatch ramp of the hangar for a better position and protection of himself and his schematic overlay of the ship and registered bogies and forwarded another report to the bridge. The main hangar, where he and the primary Tortuga Company occupied, wasn’t the only place under siege. There were other locations within the massive ship that were blinking red, and several teams would have to dispatch to meet the Maw. Or, with the right information and planning, The Bridge could use the ship against those that dared wander around it uninvited.

attn: Syndulla Command
// NO UPDATE //
//SITH SHIP HAS ENTERED THE MAIN HANGAR.
//SHIP DAMAGE: 0%
//SHIELD PENETRATION: YES
//# OF HOSTILES: ASSUMED 2
//ENGAGED: //pending//
----
// ** NEW ** //
// MAW SHIP IDENTIFIED //
// SHIELD PENETRATION: UNIDENFIED -- SHIP DETATCHED NO LONGER IN RANGE
# OF HOSTILES: INCONCLUSIVE
LOCATION: MAINTENANCE SECTOR

"Now, Yenna I already know the answer for. But would you hide behind the skirts of blaster fire or would you face me warrior to warrior?"

“Warrior to warrior?” The big woman echoed, rolling her shoulders beneath the armoured plating.

“How many are on that ship of yours?” Osarla asked, above the initial challenge with a tilt of her chin. The poised arrival, and not immediately burst into a parlay, had her on edge. Those who found honour in the craft of duelling were as conniving as they were polite.

In her youth, Osarla would have flung herself headlong. Punch first, ask questions later. But here, The Force beckoned patience. There was some sort of relationship here, beyond her understanding. It vyed for information.

Regardless, her signing hands fell to her sides to unclip one of the sabres that hung menacingly at her hip. It remained unignited, but her posture bellowed the reverberating beckon of battle. “I never hide, dear.

Why are you here? Just for a gentlemanly duel? A show of strength?"

---

ALLIES | GA | NJO | Yenna
FOES | BOTM | Dimitri Voltura

 

[Kaul "Joker" Emos]

"Damn," Kaul muttered when he Charr barked orders for every fighter EXCEPT him to engage a certain enemy. "Hey don't worry about me boss I'll just float around like an idiot while you guys do all the fighting. Don't let your best pilot in the galaxy actually get to show off his skills."

He would think that after the amazing stunts he pulled back at Jedha that he would receive respect. Nope! None! Seriously what's a guy gotta do to get some acknowledgement. "This Renevant 5!" Kaul yelled. "I'm engaging Nacheria Squadron! If anyone wants to cover me, I would definitely appreciate."

Of course he'll probably get ignored but it's okay, it just means more of these bastards he gets to squash himself.

Tren Chaar , Leon Gallo , Mylo Thorne, Cynthia Alucard , Elena Lowe, Cordé Sabo , Okkeus Dainlei , Zaka , Electra-12 (Enemy), Marlon Sularen (Enemy), Rebirth (Enemy)

 

[Keilara Kala'myr]

Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr (Mercy)
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent | Marauder and Agent of the Maw​

Objective III.: Steel and Bone | Sabotage the ship
Location: Aboard the Triumph
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Allies: The Mongrel | Ignatius Rausgeber | Open
Enemies: Seto du Couteau | Syndulla Command | Open

[ Mitternacht ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

<< Copy that, warlord! >> I answered.

The command was simple and easy to understand. I had no reason to wait any longer. For safety, I reactivated my cloaking device to make sure no one inside could see it. I didn’t know what to expect; droids or living people, but it didn’t hurt to prepare. Especially because the area was protected and my biochip and armour scanners didn’t see anything. Interesting. In any case, this called for even greater caution; I didn't want to run into any inconvenience. And shielding, or interference, was logical in light of what was being kept inside.

I entered the room and immediately threw away, rolling, invisibly. One of the most important things is not to stay in a visible or obvious place, a place where someone would shoot at me right away, just by intuition. It was also something that was instinctive and thanks in part to agent training. I almost whistled when I saw the place. True, my speakers weren’t turned on, so I could have eaten them. The room was huge, full of rockets of different sizes. Then it will sound pretty big if we blow it up.

I saw the mechanized arms and the fact that the place was quite mechanized. It was really logical that this system does not require any human intervention but is fully automated. You can save a lot of time with it. In any case, I tried to walk around the place quickly but still silently to see if there were others here. I didn't see any living people, but I did see cameras. So now I had to deal with them first. Not that it matters so much. But it was also part of securing the area. But since the space was empty, I went back to the external terminal.

~ Try to set the indoor cameras to show endlessly that no one is in the room. ~ I told MANIAC.

He immediately started showing the appropriate codes and I typed them into the system. Roughly five to ten seconds later, we were already in the part of the security system that was responsible for that. After all, I first hacked the entire security system that applied to this part. These were easy tasks now, I was over beyond the difficulty. It took another roughly half a minute and I managed to modify the recordings so that someone would only notice if they were looking at them more seriously or trying to find the modifications. However the cameras no longer make new records, so we'll be invisible.

<< Warlord, the area is secured, the camera system modified. We have a very good chance that no one will disturb us during the sabotage. >> I informed him about the results.

Now only they had to arrive.