Public Live Long and Plunder | Taris

Pal Veda · Jul 18, 2024

Captain Pal Veda
The Rubicon YT-2400
Dropping Out of Hyperspace Above Taris

”No, he can’t move there!” Veda snapped at his BB unit from across the holo table. “I’m not gonna play with you if you refuse to follow the rules!”

Beep boop! WHIIRRRR!

”I said regular Dejarik, not that dumb variant you picked up on Onderon!”

Beep! Beep! Beep!

”I don’t have time for this. We’re coming out of hyperspace soon. Let’s go.” The captain and his astromech moved from the galley to the cockpit to prepare for their exit from hyperspace.

Taris wasn’t his favorite place in the galaxy, but it was much better than where he was coming from. A decent spot to lay low for a couple of days while planning out his next job. Good food, at least.

Veda flipped a couple of switches and pulled back on the lever controlling the hyperdrive. The tunnel of light quickly faded, and the blue and green planet came into focus. As did a couple dozen warships and swarms of fighters. “For Yoda’s sake! What did we drop into!?” He immediately veered away from the battle and yelled to BB, “We need to jump out of this, now! How long until we have a route?”

Beep boop! Beep boop!

“Blocked? Seriously!?” The Mandalorian ships had, whether intentionally or not, blocked their escape route. “See if you can figure out what the hell is going on.”

The astromech beeped and whirred, and text appeared on the screen in front of the Captain’s chair. A pirate attack? On Taris? This couldn’t be right. Pirate fleets didn’t travel this heavy, and they didn’t deserve a response this big. “Do we know anyone involved in this mess?”

Beep boop!

”Ehh, I’m probably still on thin ice with those Mandos. Kriff!” He thought through his options. “Fly a neutral flag and try to patch us in to . . . Well, anyone. I’ll handle the rest.” Veda diverted power to the shields and readied the canons. This day was shaping up to be a little more exciting than he’d anticipated.

Mig Gred · Jul 19, 2024

Fleet: Aranar-class Orbital Defense Battlecruiser (Aranar), 2x Liberator-class Star Destroyers, 4x Shield-class Escort Cruiser, GF-4 Stinger Multirole Fighters, Directorate "Ghost" Viper Interceptors, HA-3 Hutthound Assault Craft, Various evacuation ships

Mig continued heading for the hanger before getting the message that the whole Protector presence in space was under him now. Talk about unexpected on his part. Still, he tapped his comm.

"Alright Vod. Admiral Talvis will be lead on this while I'm on the surface, but your basic orders. Hold the line up here. Have fighters provide any support needed, and be sure to get evac corridors open and secured." Mig was about to cut the comms to Talvis before hearing something come in.

"We're here for a fight, and he expects us babysitting aruetii ?" Mig just smirked a little.

"Didn't cut your comm, kid. And yes. I do."

While Mig went to the surface, the fleet would soon get in multiple transmissions.

Illithor Du'thra said:
"Aim for their guns and what shields remain. I am sending in troops to commandeer them." To this own forces he opens a comms "Don't fire on the ships that have stopped hitting Taris, go for the ones that are actively firing."

Talvis was quick to tap into both transmissions, taking stock of the situation.

"Roger that. We'll knock their weapons out and leave them little choice. You fliers hear that?"

"Aye. We're on. Come on JPs. Time to show you how spacers kick it!" The Aranar's CAG, callsign Bandit, sent out before beginning to lead attack runs that swooped under and up to the pirate skeleton ships. The goal to strike quick and fast, stopping the ground fire from the massive vessels. At the same time,

Pal Veda 's attempts to connect were spotted, and the Aranar's AI was quick to resond.

"This is Aranar, AI for my vessel. I can't tell who you are, but you appear too well equipt to be one of the pirates."

Soon though, Gred forces would be on the ground near

Arla Rodarch 's position, the large Hutthounds dropping troops and a few tanks as evac craft followed, setting their own operation zone. He'd then hear the transmisions.

Aurine Werr said:
"Hello again, How can we coordinate better?"

Marek Rekali said:
“Where is the armor being deployed?”

Mig tapped his comm, quick to speak.

"Werr. Looks like I've got fighters helping with striking those weapons systems. Whatever you can do to help would be great. Take the skies and this battle may as well be ours! Marek. Landed near the evac point. Wraiths are holding back for not, but about to start pushing into the city where the pirates are."

Pal Veda · Jul 24, 2024

Captain Pal Veda
The Rubicon YT-2400
Above Taris

Veda managed a laugh despite the stressful situation. Too well equipped for a pirate. Funny how far he‘d come.

He cut his comm for a little privacy with his droid. “BB, the Aranar, who is that?”

Beep boop! A readout of the ship information populated on his screen.

“Solus . . . Who do we know in Solus? Anybody we haven’t pissed off?”

Beep beep! Beep boop!

”Yeah but that was Rango’s fault. I think I’m squared away on that. Had to forfeit half my fee to get out of there. Should’ve just let ’em keep you instead.“ He thought for a moment as his rude astromech cursed him out in binary. “We’re here, why don’t we see if we can make a little cred, or at least earn a favor or two?”

Veda reopened the comm channel. “Aranar, this is the Rubicon. Captain Pal Veda here. Looks like a wrong place, wrong time kind of situation for me. But my shields are powered and my canons are hot. Point me where you need me.”

The AI responded with directions to hit the ships still firing on the city with emphasis on their weapons systems. Easy enough. Veda hit the throttle, and the YT-2400 dove toward the skeleton ships in low orbit. “BB, plug in and keep an eye on enemy ships. B1, take the upper canons. Time to do some damage!”

——