[Primordial War] Enemy Contact

[Horus]

[ T H E M E ]

Commonwealth Colony,
Gannaria, Trilon Sector. . .

"Who did this?" Horus couldn't help but to exclaim aloud. This was death on an unprecedented scale, the figures were still coming in. An almost approximate one-hundred percent culling of the entire population. This wasn't stray pirates causing havoc like the incident on G'rho, this was different, this was coordinated. After G'rho had flatlined at zero-three-hundred hours it was only forty-one hours later that Gannaria went off the grid. The Commonwealth military mobilized, Home Fleet remained on high alert while the CRS No Land Beyond and CRS Surprise were dispatched to Gannaria.

This was only mere days after the Omega events. Had the galaxy not seen enough blood shed? Then again, Horus pondered, according to galactic databases this was the era known as chaos, a fitting name he supposed. Not that he liked it one bit. The No Land Beyond hovered over the colonial city, the Surprise further afield scanning for lifeforms, it was coming up empty. "Lord Admiral, we've retrieved a body," Marguerite Podolsky reported, the CNI spook sent a shiver down his spine every time he turned to look into her eyes. They were always empty. Something about her put him on edge, and that was a rare thing for the Lord Admiral.

A moment later Dean and Hadiyya walked onto the command deck, in their arms was a humanoid form. An oddly pale tone of skin, the creature possessed two mouths, four toes upon small feet and five fingers for each immense hand. It looked somewhat human, but it's odd feet, hands and two mouths told him otherwise, and its hair was thick and dense, standing straight and upright. "What is it?" Horus asked, Podolsky took a moment to answer, "We don't know." Podolsky marched towards the command decks holoprojector, "Their fleet slipped from the system two hours before we arrived."

"Initial ground reports we were able to recover indicate this was purposeful genocide," Podolsky remained unfazed, Horus briefly wondered if there was even a glimmer of humanity in her, "They came in, rounded up everyone and shot them dead, whoever they didn't round up they sought out and killed. Most of the attack was done by orbital bombardment after that." Horus nodded along, several ranking officers faces contorted into abject horror. "As for the reasons, your guess is as good as mine - they didn't take anything, in fact they made a note of burning what they could."

The feed showed the city, it was a crumbling ruin. Horus stepped up, "I want birds launched, the city is to be swept for any survivors, and any of these aliens that so happened to get stuck behind." He looked to a technician at their station, "Son, communicate with Outpost Coyote, I want them monitoring all local movement. Have them inform the Security Council immediately if they find anything." Podolsky chirped, "There is one last thing. We're getting an odd reading signature from the sewer system underneath the city. It's not a lifeform, as far as we known, but it's something."

<<\ MISSION: GANNARIA SWEEP
<<\ Objectives:
>>/ [Alpha] Search for survivors
>>/ [Bravo] Search for remaining aliens left behind
>>/ [Charlie] Investigate the sewer

_______

Spoiler

[member="Sasha Starkos"], @G'iorg Montey, [member="Mia Conner"], [member="Zee"], [member="Trame Santiga"], [member="Corrax Talrus"], [member="Winslow"], [member="Damien Storm"], [member="Aeshi Tillian"], [member="Elanor Wraith"], [member="Savan Val"], [member="Elsan Soban"], [member="Allison Martha Iversson"], [member="Cait Falcor"], [member="Eli Brooks"], [member="Warfield Lester"], [member="Isaac Knight"], [member="Stokely McFadden"], [member="Solan Charr"], [member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Horus"],

The Siege Tower, a Nebulon B7 frigate,
En route to Gannaria, Trilon Sector,


When the call for mercenaries was sent out by Commonwealth, HK was skeptical to answer. He knew little of the faction, about how much wealth they possessed or what their ties were, besides, the droid decided to give up on role of a military leader to pursue more solitary work as a bounty hunter, letting his troops largely remain on Abregado-Rae where they were based as a peace-keeping and defense force. In the end, the droid decided to answer the call, sending only one frigate loaded with the Iron Company, his personal army from the days of Protectorate, as well as some of their war machines. Even in the golden age of the Protectorate the Company, back then known as Second Company of the First Battalion, was rather small, they were only one company of soldiers after all, however after the droid was given command over them, during his rise through Protectorate's ranks, some changes were made. The troops under his tutelage adopted use of heavy armor and slow tactics, often setting up defensive positions to wear down the enemy before clearing them up, or advancing in a phalanx of heavy suppressive fire, and were able to expand their ranks when the machine was given Abregado-Rae to govern. Soon after the Guild of Hammers rose to prominence on Abregado, supplying the Iron Company with state of the art weaponry, and further funding from the profits it brought, as well as reinforcing their numbers through squads of droids, drones, and walkers. Although the Protectorate has since fallen, the droid's private mercenary company was able to sustain itself from the Guild's income, and now they secured backing from the Galactic Alliance after HK bent his knee to them.

Either way, the streaks of stars finally stopped as the Siege Tower entered real-space, Gannaria appearing before them in the large viewport on the helm of the ship,

"Sent out a transmission to Gannaria, tell them their mercenary reinforcements arrived."

The comm officer nodded to the droid commander,

"Yessir."

HK stood on the bridge, clad in his Phrik armor over his already Phrik body, dark cloak descending down from his shoulders,

"Sir-"

His second-in-command spoke up,

"Are you sure this isn't a trap?"

HK turned to look at them,

"No."

He shook his head,

"We do not have confirmation whether the Commonwealth has ties to the Sith or not-"

The machine turned towards the turbolift door,

"That is why I will be going in alone with the Greycloaks, but have the troops at the ready by the dropships, if I will need reinforcements we will bring the Company in."

His second-in-command nodded,

"Yessir."

As she relayed his orders, the droid walked over to the turbolift, looking back briefly before he entered it,

"And once Gannaria answers, patch me through directly."

"Yessir."

 

[Warfield Lester]

Operation: Gannaria Sweep
Objective: Charlie

The black skies above the city seemed to roll with the wind, the entire planet's dying breathes etched in what was left of the smoke rising from it's cities. With crumbling towers, and bleak horizons, there was hardly any hope for the initial landing teams of finding anyone, and Warfield held that same idea since he saw the planet from orbit. It was more of a mess down here, than it was there, and it only fortified his assumption that the entire planet was gone.

Warfield was apart of an initial landing team near one of the many sewer entrences amongst the city, perhaps the few safe areas survivors might have been able to hide. They were tasked with setting a safe perimeter for others to land, and with that they'd done their job, each now watching the perimeter for their own respective fields of view. He lit a cigar, and held it to his lips inbetween long and drawn out huffs, exhaling the smoke with the same exasperation.

"A hell of a crime.", he muttered to himself.

He waited quietly for orders to come from up top, his radio humming every few moments with logistic information of other drop teams, or careless static from other soldiers.

[member="Horus"]

 

[lgmmrm]

[member="Horus"]

Gannaria, Trilon Sector
Objectives: Alpha and Bravo
Colony Center

Lieutenant Jones nodded to his men as they left the rally point on the surface, he set his helmet lightly on his head and allowed it to lock in place and the vacuum suit to seal and pressurize, even though he didn't need it. This whole place was a mess, something completely indistinguishable from any colony that he had visited before. He had directly taken the lead of the first squad in his Platoon, ordering the other two to clear out the buildings to the left and right respectively of the city center. He lead First Squad towards the city hall, covering the pointman of the 12 men as they one by one moved in a ladder pattern from cover to cover, making sure that any hostiles would be spotted before they could do damage.

"This whole colony is gone," His pointman stated as he joined him stacked next to the side door to city hall. "Seems so, Sergeant," Logan lifted his hand to his wrist to activate his commlink, "Command, This is Platoon Lima. City Center clear, moving in to city hall, be advised."

 

[Giorg Montey]

Gannaria System, Trilon Sector
Objective Alpha


With the arrival of the two Commonwealth vessels into the Gannaria, Commodore Giorg Montey and his team prepared for their arrival upon the surface. Despite his status in the Navy of the Commonwealth, the size of the Commonwealth fleet made a squadron a luxury with no excess. Montey had been assigned the administrative job of organizing the search for survivors and beginning the reconstruction of the colony indefinitely until re-assigned by higher command. It wasn't the job he would have hoped for, but Montey accepted it with no hesitation, it was his duty to protect those under the Commonwealth, and if it required him to be on the ground coordinating the aftermath of the destruction of the colony, so be it.

The commodore fixed his hat, making sure his field uniform was properly represented for the onset of his new assignment. Montey was the first to board the shuttle sitting in the hangar bay of the CRS Surprise, the shuttle already crowded by field equipment that was to be needed on the first landing, with the addition of his personnel needed, including an aide, a coordinator or two, some heavy lifters, and a few officers and enlisted men to deal with other menial work. There were more to come, but this was just the advanced team, to begin their job on the planet's surface. The almost identical uniforms of the navy personal stood in contrast to the few marines that had been assigned as part of the detachment. It gave Montey a good feeling to see his fellow countrymen traveling and using so much to save those so far away from their own homes, he was proud of the Commonwealth.

The small Commonwealth detachment arrived in orbit over the colony, as reported by his aide. The pilot of the shuttle began to speak over the CI with a smooth confident voice,, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Commonwealth, we are about to take off on our flight towards the planet of Gammoria this lovely day. I hope you are in your set positions for our little journey today, and enjoy the scenic entry." Montey kept a straight look, unfazed by the pilot's smart talk, but he was glad to have such people with Commonwealth, it was always good to keep a little adventure to the seriousness of the Commonwealth.

[member="Logan Jones"]
[member="Warfield Lester"]
[member="HK-36"]
[member="Horus"]

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Gannaria, Trilon Sector, Outer Rim
Objective Charlie


"The Gannaria system went dark at 2000 hours Alexandria time!" Lieutenant Isaac Knight shouted over the roar of the MPD engines, addressing the shock troopers seated and standing all around him, "When Home Fleet arrived, sensor scans of the surface returned minimal life signs! So whatever went down here, it was big and it happened fast!"

There was a shudder in the personnel bay as the dropship hit some atmospheric turbulence, and Isaac did his best not to let any of the marines see it rattle him. This was his first operation since being cleared to return to active duty in the aftermath of the Omega crisis and the Battle of Castameer. The Lieutenant had made it through the assault on Voracion Citadel without being wounded, but even more miraculous than that was how he had walked away unscathed from the wreck of an MPD crash that had killed everyone else on board including his entire platoon just before the battle had started. Needless to say, after so short a time to recover and process, Knight was nervous about the prospect of both another dropship ride and leading new men into battle. But it would do these boys no good to see the conflict in his expression and mistake it for hesitation or cowardice.

"Most of our forces are tasked with sweeping the capital for possibly survivors, both friendly and otherwise! But the fellas upstairs also picked up some strange energy readings underneath the city when we pulled into orbit, and Admiral Nelson hisself has tasked us along with some of our friends in the Corps to infiltrate, assess, and report! Our insertion point is a series of outfall pipes just inside the city limits, now the LZ is secure and already defended but once we enter those pipes, we're in no man's land!"

Isaac thought about adding some last minute words of encouragement, but looking out at the sea of strange faces he realized they would just sound hollow coming from a new commanding officer, particularly one with his reputation. Knight had done a well enough job of masking his own emotions, but he could see the superstitious fear and occasional nervous glances thrown his way when the men thought he wasn't looking. Walk away from a downed bird ready for action, and people started to think you were possessed of uncanny luck, or else a curse to all those around you. More than a few of them were most likely afraid they wouldn't be coming back from this mission alive, if not in another MPD crash than in another equally improbable scenario. He couldn't blame for that, he wasn't absolutely certain a part of him didn't believe it a little himself.

The cockpit hatch slid open, and the pilot called back over her shoulder something mostly inaudible but intelligible enough on the whole for the Lieutenant to get the gist.

"Landing soon!" he called out to his platoon.

All around him, shock troopers started their final checks on their weapons and gear, spot checking those around them as well. For his own part, Isaac slammed a magazine into his MM101 assault rifle and double checked that his MM99 was loaded and secure on his hip. The ride from orbit had been so short that he hadn't gotten a chance to sharpen his vibroknife, but the act was mostly ritual as he felt more than confident the blade would be up to whatever task lay before it. The dropship's speed slowed considerably, and a few moments later there was a noticeable thump before the rear of the craft burst open and Knight's marines leapt out in waves before quickly spreading out to reinforce the established perimeter as a matter of practiced habit. Since the area was relatively secure, Isaac was last off instead of his usual place as one of the first men out the door in a combat insertion. He marched steadily towards the nearest command post.

"Lieutenant Knight, CRN Surprise! I have orders to recon these sewers," he said to the first soldier he came across, a sentry smoking a cigar ([member="Warfield Lester"]) that seemed to be waiting on orders of his own, "Admiral's given me clearance to ask for volunteers from your unit to back us up."

His tone was friendly enough, but it was pretty common knowledge in the military that when the Lord of Admirals asked for volunteers, he expected there to be some.

Spoiler

[member="Horus"] [member="Logan Jones"] [member="G'iorg Montey"]

 

[Horus]

Commonwealth Colony,
Gannaria, Trilon Sector. . .



"Fireteam Black, search those sewers," Lord Admiral Horus ordered. A shuffling of feet, the strange alien corpse was handed over to the small entourage of marines that guarded the command deck. They stared between one another, unsure what to do with it until Podolsky informed them to throw it in the garbage compactor. They quickly began to walk backwards out of the room, each holding one arm of the alien and dragging him away, Fireteam Black followed them out.

"Sir," a technical radio officer raised his voice, "We're picking up a frequency. Someones trying to hail Gannaria, intercepting now." There was a moment of silence on the bridge. The flat-screen holo-projector in front of the Lord Admiral buzzed. The wavelengths came to life on the screen. Unknown foreign vessel, mercenaries. They were the chaps the Commonwealth had hired. "Good to hear from you," Horus radioed in to [member=HK-36], "Gannaria has gone dark. Torch operation from an unknown alien species." He turned to an ensign and waved him over, the young woman delivering a folder into Horus' hands, there was a quiet whisper before he resumed communications, "My marines will meet with you on the ground. Look for Commodore Montey, he'll brief you on your mission. Lord Admiral out."

Horus opened the folder, it was part-datapad, part-flimsiplast holder. It came in handy and even held a miniture holoprojector between its pages. A message from Outpost Coyote, they'd picked up an unknown fleet moving through Commonwealth space heading for Cerea. He considered for a moment. Cerea was outside Commonwealth jurisdiction. He would continue the Gannaria operation before chasing the fleet. What was more concerning is that the report contained not the location of one fleet, but thirty. Many of which were still enroute for Commonwealth space, the unknown fleet that hit Gannaria was only the first. This mission would have to be fast.

"Lieutenant Jones," Horus hailed the CST through the encrypted BattleNet. He had not heard of [member="Logan Jones"] until this day, but his record was clean, unlike some in the Marine Corps. The Commonwealth was giving [member="Warfield Lester"] a second shot at life, but that still made the marine under close watch by CNI. "I want an sitrep on your mission. We've got concerning reports. I want your men on the double, marine!"

Channels switched, [member="Isaac Knight"] helmet audio chirped, "Lieutenant Knight, hurry up on those sewers. I want double time, find any of those alien scumbags and bring their corpses back for inspection by CNI. We need all the information we can get."

 

[HK-36]

[member="Horus"], [member="Isaac Knight"], [member="Giorg Montey"], [member="Warfield Lester"], [member="Logan Jones"],

When the droid received response from Horus over his built-in comm unit he was already in the hangar of the Tower, inspecting the squads of his troops that would be on stand-by during the mission in case of heavy fighting, armed with the latest in Abregado and Firemane technology, ready by their dropships, as well as the droid's ride onto the planet, his stealth ship, the Knight of Eclipse, crewed by his honor guard, his own copies,

"Good to hear from you, Gannaria has gone dark. Torch operation from an unknown alien species."

The transmission came in clean, the droid replied,

"Not a problem Admiral, saving ass is my specialty, if you can send me an image of the alien raiders, I could check if they match anything in my memory banks, I have been around the Galactic block since the times of first Mandalorian Crusades and the Ancient Republic."

After being told who to look for the machine simply replied with,

"Roger-roger, I am sending a special forces unit."

The machine then loaded himself, together with his guards, into the stealth ship and the vessel rumbled, taking off and leaving the hangar. It would not be too long before Commodore Monety received an incoming transmission,

"Abregado special forces coming in on your position for reinforcements."

Shortly after a dark colored sleek vessel would appear in the sky above them as if from thin air, dropping its stealth mechanisms and lowering down for landing. It would not touch down on the surface of the planet, instead just lowering its ramp to allow a peek inside, a group of tall cloaked beings with cybernetic red, glowing eyes, only one of them stepped forward, the armored droid hid the glow of his photoreceptors underneath a full helmet quickly. He jumped off of the ramp onto the ground, black cloak fluttering as it followed his shoulders through the air, flapping like wings of some mad crow. The machine hit the ground hard on his feet, armored boots leaving imprint in the ground but he was lighter than he seemed, after all the armor he was clad in was forged out of lighter Phrik, not to mention the mechanical body beneath was also made of Phrik.

"Commodore Monety? They call me the Iron Knight."

The being introduced itself as the ship above closed its ramp and raised into the air, disappearing once more in the cloak of its stealth generator,

"I am your reinforcements."

The droid paused before adding,

"You are safe now."