Rising Storm; Imperial Confederation Dominion of Kuat

[Faith Organa]

Location: Alderaan, New Aldera City
Communications Room

Alderani Family and Friends - Faith Organa, Theo Vereen, Draco Vereen [member="Marina DeVoe"] [member="Duke Kyle DeVoe"] [member="Delila Castillon"] [member="Riamah"] [member="Laira Darkhold"]


Faith kept reading the communications again. Kuat. The shipyards. A prize jewel for any one. The members of the Core knew it was only a matter of time before someone came again. That time was now.

"We've verified it several time Mam." Faith nodded not in disbelief as some in the room believed but in acknowledging her own thoughts It has begun.

"Let us assume that there are already operatives here on Alderaan." Where, who...she did not know. "Send some of our rangers to check out Kuat see what they can learn. Alert the Navy, recall some of our ships....and...." She had to think about this carefully.

"let's put what we do know before the High Council. My immediate reaction is one of knee jerk but perhaps this time we should be....cooperative." There was much to protect by being cooperative, people, the planet, and everything else that was depending on Alderaan remaining in tact.

"Theo. You will go and get Grandmother and take her to Aldera."

Theo shook his head, "no my place is here let one of the others" Before he could finish the sentence the next sound silenced the room. Theo a red hand print to his face as his shocked gaze looked at his mother.

"I was not asking you I was telling you." She took a deep breath, "Your father and I are staying you will take your grandmother to Aldera. It is the only way I can protect you." Her brown eyes reflected concern and love for her only son. She looked to Draco for a moment his strength in these moments gave her the fortitude she needed.

Theo did not know what to say his cheek was on fire from where she had hit him. SHE had hit him never in his entire life had his mother or father raised a hand to him or his sisters. He looked down to the floor.

"I'm a Captain in the Navy mother I can't just turn and leave." He wanted nothing of special treatment because of who he was. His place was defending Alderaan. Protecting his Queen even if she was his mother.

"You are my son, my child, I will not risk your life." Surely he understood that!

"Everyone on Alderaan will be risking the lives of their children" He needed to remind her that children every where were in danger. Why she needed reminding he did not know.

Faith knew all eyes were on her what she said would get around, "Fine...take your grandmother and then return." She hated the words even before she said them. but it was said, done. He knew he was right but that feeling deep in her heart hurt to think of what could happen to her family. She had already lost one brother to war, a son, a husband.......she could not allow ....no that fear had to be put away.

Time to think of what else needed to be done in preparations.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Location: Alderaan
[member="Faith Organa"]

Draco nodded in agreement with his wife. He was largely retired, but still had some duties as Prince-Consort of Alderaan. “I’d advise against mustering the fleet.” Dark grey eyes scanned the room. He’d seen enough from the reports from Bogden and Obrai Skai to know the Imperial Navy didn’t mind flexing its muscles. Giving them a target wouldn’t be the wisest move.

He waited for the room to quiet after Theo protested, though he felt for his son, it was the best choice for now. “Take Laira with you.” He added. It would help to get the girl off-world and some place they could point to in case the real princess started causing some havoc somewhere.

Theo seemed perturbed, and Faith had made him some small concession but for the moment, their children were away. It was time to think about the people. Draco knew what she was considering, and she knew how it would probably be received. “Your Majesty,” He began, “It might be wise to reluctantly accept Imperial rule. We ask for some concessions, we push to keep sovereignty over the world, but we comply in the end.” The Prince-Consort knew the kind of looks he’d be getting from the rest of the room, but maybe it would help for him to say it rather than her.

“Ask for an audience with their diplomats after they’ve claimed the surrounding systems.” It was about all he could think of, helping Faith keep a hold of frightened nobles.

Location: Approaching Kuat

“Look, all the data said was ‘Imperials. Kuat.’ How am I supposed to tell you more based off that.” Leo said from the co-pilot’s chair behind Laira.

“I don’t know? Have better informants. You’re the ex-Imperial anyway.” She said, tossing a datapad over her shoulder at the dark haired man behind her.

“Yeah, ex. They don’t exactly have a newsletter I’m cc’d on. They think I’m dead.” The blue tunnel of hyperspace began to coalesce before them through the transparisteel, returning to a thousand tiny lines and then the pinpricks of stars. “Where’s Kuat?”

“Like, two lightyears thattaway.” Laira motioned a few degrees off to port, angling the ship as they did. “Going into condition quiet two. All non-essential systems off, sensors to passive only, stealth systems engaged. Rowdy, load a stealth probe into missile tube two please and thank you.” There was a ruckus of beeping from the corridor behind the cockpit in what could be called a reply.

“Why all the precaution?”

“Because,” she paused, looking over her shoulder with a bit of a sneer in her expression, “because shut up. I just want to get this over with.” The redhead could hear him snorting with laughter when she turned around to start taking the little freighter in towards the system.

 

[Aeneis Valdemar]

Lieutenant Aeneis Valdemar
Equipment: Gundark Power Armor, VAARS Rifle, Lava cannon, 3x Glop Grenades, 3 Sonic Detonators, 2x Balmorran Firewall grenades, Duban Shield System
Location: Within the forest

Enemies: [member="Kou'ha Escala"], [member="Kir Vizsla"]


Like an angel from above came a recognizeable voice, one that Aeneis knew from the military academy. It made the soldier want to weep for joy. They weren’t being abandoned, there was, in fact, those out there who did care about Aeneis and the men under his command. Ducking back behind the log for some protection Aeneis listened as the slugthrowers bit into the thick bark shattering chunks of it. The physical slugs whizzing overhead missing him narrowly.

The first words that he wanted to express were thanks to [member="Jenica Belos"], that however wasn’t the way of an officer. Instead, the Arkanian offshoot settled for keeping things strictly military. “Sending coordinates to you now Blue One-Three.” The coordinates weren’t at his and Lanzik’s exact location but were instead back near the clearing where the other two members of fireteam Rancor waited. The area Aeneis and Lanzik were located was too hot, quite literally in fact.

The napalm ate away at the stormtroopers, the flames continuing to grow in the forest of Kuat. It would take ten minutes before the original heat and fire died out, but by then it would be too late. The flames would’ve started numerous subsequent blazes across the wilderness. What Aeneis had done with the Napalm was and should’ve remained a last resort. He and his men were surrounded, being closed in from on all directions. Looking up to Lanzik who rose to fire another volley the officer called out. “Lan-” The sentence never finished.

Lanzik rose up, rifle raising and he was met with a hail of slugthrower rounds. Most of which flew wide but the rest slammed home. The soldier’s rifle fired one time, that was all he could do as he fell back to the ground. Numerous penetration wounds could be seen even against the soldier's green body armor. Blood fountained forth from the wounds that marred Lanzik’s torso. Everything went in slow motion for Aeneis as he watched his second in command fall to the ground, his body convulsing. Time froze, no longer was the Arkanian surrounded by stormtroopers on all sides. Everything else was tuned out, it was just him, and a friend who’d been mowed down by the enemy. “Lanzik… You’re going to make it, we’re going to get you home.”

Hand reaching down Aeneis drew out a stim and jammed it into the soldiers chest, watching, hoping, praying that he pulled through but there was no time for anything else. “We’re going to get you home I promise.” Without even a grunt of effort the power-armor wearing officer hefted Lanzik over his shoulder in a firemans carry. As he stood a few slugthrowers pinged off his Duban shield, in the corner of his HUD indicators showing where the shots had come from.

Leveling the VAARS rifle, and resting it against his torso as he backed away Aeneis pulled the trigger. Not at the group of stormtroopers he had originally engaged. No, at the ones that were coming from his left. [[member="Kir Vizsla"]] Their motions pinging on his HUD, and the TIN not showing them as friendly. From the end of the barrel a single anti-matter round flew out, penetrating through the flames and slamming into the ground among the group where it would explode with enough force to rival a grenade or even multiple. The recoil of the gun hammered against the power armor but that didn’t stop the officer as he backed away into the underbrush.

The odds already weren’t in his favor so Aeneis turned and booked it hoping that the anti-matter round caused enough of a disturbance to warn them against following. Over the squad coms, he called out. “Evac incoming, Kark the launchers.” Looking to the sky Aeneis saw starfighters and other vessels shoot overhead. One of those being his ticket out of there. When he arrived in the clearing the remaining two troopers Osin and Vorik waited their backs pressed against the thick trunk of the trees.

“We hold here till Blue 1-3 arrives!” [[member="Jenica Belos"]] Aeneis said placing the unconscious Lanzik against a tree, before taking up his own defensive position the rifle leveled.

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau

Location: Alederaan, Aldera the Capital City
Objective: Alderaan Business Trip
Allies: [member="Marriskcal Lati"]
Apparel: Suit

His eyes traced along the patterns of the many stones, careful to not touch any of the delicately master-crafted artwork. Many times he was reminded by his family’s servants to never press his fingers against such wonderful pieces of art, and Seto often had to nurse a badly sore and bright red wrist for his, misbehaving ways. Keeping his hand closer to person, his face turned to regard the brilliant white jewel that his sister held in place next to him.

The rainbow crest that adorned the jewel’s center showed Seto a truly lustrous gem that would inspire a perfect crown for it be adorned. “Quite a wonderful gem, the color of white along with the vibrant colors held within will allure any eye.” Seto complimented her choice as he turned back to look at the rest of the stones and jewels.

Seto was certain that their students would treasure any gift that either he or Marr would give them, for the simple fact that the gift came from either Marr or Seto. Thus with holding such knowledge of his students, he needed to be extra careful with any gift he chooses for them. Seto and Marr were given their student’s joy and expectations for free, it was unearned and just given to them with no extra effort needed by either of their Instructors. Thus Seto found himself in constant need to make his student's smile shine that much brighter with every gift.

“I believe they would enjoy the ones with creatures drawn on them,” Seto offered his suggestion. He hoped that they would manage to exceed their expectations and offer their students something to smile for weeks on end.

The Merchant smiled brilliantly as any of his jewels to see such appreciation given to his wares, “-Ah yes, all sourced from Alderaan, including the cut and cleaning down here over by my favored Gem-cutter's workshop.” The Merchant explained.

Seto leaned closer to the painted stones, the colors were beautifully crafted and Seto was astonished by the varied creatures and animals readily available for them to purchase as gifts.

“I also remember a clothing store not too far from here, perhaps we can acquire a few more gifts to our Students to match their stones.” Seto suggested, his eyes a tad mischievous.

 

[Duke Kyle DeVoe]

He looked over to his son Jerrid. "You know the drill. Get to her before she gets to them."
He spoke of his daughter Marina. He knew she would come to the call of arms. Only that she would not be bearing any.

As expected but a bit ahead of schedule as his ravens had informed him, the transmission from the Royal House came in. The Council were called for an immediate emergency conference...

"Your majesty... fellow Councilmen..." The Duke began, wasting no time with formalities. This was an emergency congregation and as such not one member was actually in the Council Chambers of the capital. Each were transmitting live from their current locations in a virtual setting much like they would be if in person.
Duke Kyle were on Mt Cetril, the Northern Providence of Alderaan.

He took a moment to gesture to his left. It were his final confirmation for his son to get to his sister..where ever she may be.
He then turned his full attention to the virtual Council and queen.
"We've received shared reports streaming in since Kuat was encroached...I've already set forth our defense mechanism in action. The Northern Providence is now under lock and key."

He and his countrymen here on Alderaan had gone through many attacks before and had always security maintained autonomous control of the Northern Providences..the high mountain range that stretched for thousands of kilometers in Northern Alderaan.

"Refugee centers have also been manned and staffed deep in the designated mountain passes. All in preparation to your majesty's order for our populaces to evacuate to if necessary." He said.

The Norther Mountain regions of Alderaan had been a haven for many Alderaani during skirmishes and attacks, especially from the sith the last few years. The DeVoe family House had always provided a safe haven for fellow Alderaani to take shelter in when under attack. And this day, they were once again prepared to shelter those whom came to the Northern mountain regions.




[member="Laira Darkhold"]
[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Marriskcal Lati, House Du Couteau
Equipment: Attire
Location: Shops. Aldera, Alderaan
Objective: Sightseeing! Business trip
Interacting with: [member="Seto Du Couteau"]

Her aura sparked with effervescent joy, her pleasure clear as it resonated across the living stream that was the Force. With a brilliant smile curving her lips at her brother’s glowing words, Marriskcal placed the rough gem on the merchant’s awaiting hand with a merest of nods. “I would like this one,” she affirmed.

With the elderly man’s mention that all the jewels and curios in his stall were of Alderaan origins, her interest was further roused. She never had any belongings that she could truly call her own until she came of age and was first allowed to leave their prison sanctuary on Skye. It was at her homeworld of Bakura where she first began her collection of mementos, and from that day onwards, every world she visited, Marriskcal endeavoured to obtain a trinket or two for herself and the people she cared for.

While a part of her still missed the small collection she had amassed back before she left the First Order and followed her after her brother, her life on Coruscant was a new beginning. And just as how she had started her collection with a simple music box back on Bakura, it only seemed fitting that she began her new collection with an ornate one of delicate gold filigree and carved ivory, to represent the gilt and glamour of the world she called home.

“Since you will definitely want to decide on the outfits, I will choose the gems for them,” the blonde stated, her eyes gleaming with her delight at the thought… and entirely missing the own glint of mischief in Seto’s own.

But unfortunately, most of the tiny creatures that were displayed on the padded surface were stylised. And Marriskcal, who had only ever seen them as they appeared on datacrons and various other research materials, did not have enough of an artistic imagination to tell what these painted and etched gemstones represented. Even then, she used to whittle and carve pieces of wood into simple beads and bracelets as a youngling, and she had enough of a sense of the aesthetics that she could see which was more pleasing to the eyes.

So, it was with such considerations on her mind that Marriskcal carefully chose the ten she liked best, all varying in the gemstones chosen and its depictions. After her poor beleaguered brother paid of their purchases and the pair left a overjoyed merchant behind, the blonde gave Seto a pleading look, for she knew how… keen the older male could be when it came to their attires.

“Two hours. No longer than that,” she cautioned him.

 

[Veena Reshma]

Location: Aldera[high establishment bar]​

Allies: CIC, fellow Imperials.​

Enemies: CC.​

Objective: Relax and observe​

Tags: [member="Marriskcal Lati"] [member="Seto Du Couteau"]


​

Veena waded out into the sea of bodies that work in Aldera like the flow of a tide; a rapid of intelligent life that created eddies and whorls on the ground level, that soared in levels above in tightly controlled patterns of traffic. At this hour, it's not so thick that she can't see the sky in the small spaces where she might expect it like it was the case on Coruscant.

------------------------------​

It takes her the best part of the morning and early afternoon in the bars before someone would even whisper precious details, and even then it was not what she was looking for. Her forged documents were ISB standard approved, enough to keep up appearances and fool casual security checks.

She was no lightweight, but the redhead sat through four bars drinking slow. It's not inexperience - she has been cruel to herself a few times in the past to keep her resolve as she strolled into the more higher class bar.

She kept her lean casual - eyes occasionally shifting around before her attention was broken by Alderaan holonet of news regarding encroaching CIC occupation.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco grunted in acknowledgement to Duke DeVoe. He was good man, put in a lot of work securing the planet and did his best to protect it. “Aye, keep them on yellow alert if you would. No aggressive actions taken against any Imperial assets.” The Prince wasn’t sure exactly how the Imperials would react to seeing the planet mustering its forces and readying its defenses.

“We don’t want them to come in and see a nail sticking up. Might make them want to find a hammer.”

He frowned. Wars weren’t things he enjoyed anymore, but it was something he’d practiced with fervor for many years. If there was one thing he could do, it was this. But there was another liability he had to ensure didn’t become problematic.

“Excuse me, I have to message someone.” He smiled as he stood, taking a few steps outside to tap on a communicator he carried with him these days. There was only one person it could send messages to, they couldn’t be intercepted or detected. It was his lifeline to his eldest daughter.

//
Laira. Things are happening to Alderaan, things you’ve probably heard by now. Your mother and I love you very much, but she has a responsibility to Alderaan and its people first and foremost. She’d probably never tell you this, but, Don’t come home.

You wanted to explore and the freedom of being on your own, and I supported you, but every choice has consequences and I’m sorry this is one. We can’t afford for the Empire to see you and connect you to us. Your double has been standing in for you fine, but any visits home put us, and the planet at risk. I can’t allow that.

You can consider yourself Exiled from Alderaan.

Dad.
//

He grimaced, pulling out the encryption key and roasting it between his fingers. There couldn’t be any evidence if the Imperials came looking for it. There were other ways to get ahold of her when he needed to.

[member="Duke Kyle DeVoe"] [member="Faith Organa"]

Laira eased the ship along, watching the passive sensors with her boots up in the dash as she sat. There wasn’t much to do for the next hours but watch for passive sensor blips until they got close enough to launch the probe and then decide what to do from there. The Resistance mostly just wanted to make contact with someone on the ground or on the rings that was sympathetic. Laira wasn't pleased about the mission anyway, even though it was only a few hours out of the way. The young Jedi had taken some convincing from her fellow padawan to put her own desires on Arkas aside in the first place.

“Hey, Laira, your thingy buzzed.” Saeza said from the corridor behind the cockpit.

The redhead’s eyes widened for an instant as she turned around in her seat to look at the Yuuzhan Vong, who was holding a just an ordinary looking comlink. “Oh, my encrypted comlink. Read it to me.”

The Yuuzhan Vong clicked a few buttons on it, before she began reading off the message until she reached the end. “I’m sorry.”

The redhead blinked a few times, wiping her eyes. “It’s alright. I’ve not been home in a while anyway. Let’s just do what we came here for and get back on our way.”

 

[Duke Kyle DeVoe]

"Understood." He replied to Draco's holographic rendition.
They all had gone through similar scenarios before and with proper coordination, planning and underground networks throughout the system, even the sith for as many times as they believed to have taken the planet entirely had been blinded by their own narcissism. It were the sith's greatest weakness and they readily exploited it.
Imperials?... there were of likenesses in many aspects as their nemesis the sith, but greater the differences and tactics.
The Duke understood both.

"Your majesty...Councilmen..." He nodded his respect before he himself had matters to attend. "...eyes to the skies and sure footed abound we will continue to be."
With that, his holographic image dissipated.

Kyle turned to where his son had been just a moment ago and smiled. Jerrid had left to find and secure his sister.
The Duke didn't want his daughter involved in this type of altercation again. Yea, like it had ever done any good before, as Marina had always found the means to circumvent his desire for her to stay out of trouble.
As much as she challenged and tested him in this aspect, he still could not help but admire her resolve in defying oppressors like the sith and the Imperials, in all of their facets.
Still, she were too precious and dear to him to trust the force in keeping her safe. He needed her brother this time to clip her wings. It were for her own good and his own peace of mind. Kyle knew that what he had asked Jerrid to do would be gravely felt in their hearts. His daughter's spirit would be crushed.

A moment later as he were heading toward his personal transport to head on over to one of the defense outposts, he caught Jerrid's ship accelerating past the mountain estate. He knew Jerrid would find the means to ground his sister. As for his wife Sansa and their elder daughter Katie; they had already been evacuated to safe havens, along with many Alderaani who chose to leave now and lessen the burden when the masses all made for the sanctuaries deep within the granite peaks of Aiden Pass.

 

[Jenica Belos]

2LT Jenica "Stargazer" Belos, Blue Thirteen
Kuat Atmosphere; inbound for exfil
U-60T
Allies: CC
Enemies: CIC
______


"One-Three, Two Flight has you covered. You go, girl," came the encouraging response from Blue Five as the four X-wings moved quickly into escort position of the single U-wing. They would be dusting the fringes and swatting any flies that might come around to impede the evac.

"Roger that. Nine. Much appreciated," Jen replied to the flight leader.

“Sending coordinates to you now Blue One-Three.”

It was the unmistakeable voice of Lieutenant [member="Aeneis Valdemar"] coming back over the comm. He was understandably stressed yet remarkably sounding in control for the dire situation he and his squad found themselves in on the ground. Jenica had met the white-haired Shocktroooper at the military academy while they were going through the Officer Training Course. Both were in the same graduation class, though he was predominately a ground pounder and she a fighter jockey; and much older than her. But it didn't matter which branch of service each represented for in these circumstances they all were brothers and sisters of the Corellian Defense Force and worked as a team scratching each others backs when needed... like now.

"Copy, Rancor Leader. Inbound to LZ in ten," Stargazer answered, then she squared her shoulders and set her jaw with determination to see this part of the mission through to the best of the young officier's abilities... and with some good o'l Corellian luck thrown in too. Lives depended on her not to frak up.

"Okay guys, here were go. In and out, clean and sweet," the brunette pilot said to the co-pilot sitting next to her in the cockpit and the two gunners on either side of the troop compartment.

As the U-wing descended on a hot approach vector to the landing zone tagged, the S-foils of the Incom transport/gunboat rotated from their rear-facing position to the forward one. The smoke from the still burning foliage made it hard to see by naked eye, but it also provided a bit of cover as the landing struts found solid ground and the blast doors slid back to allow soldiers to enter the idling ship.

Suppression fire was laid down by the gunners to give the Rancors cover to get their sixes onto the ship ASAP. In the near distance barreling through the underbrush like the name-sake of the squad, Jen's blue orbs spotted the last of the Shocktrooopers carrying another on their back, and of course it was Valdemar; no man left behind.

"Come on, come on... You can do it!" she mumbled nervously yet encouragingly watching out the side viewport with bated breath; ready to lift off as soon as he and his fellow Rancor had at least one foot aboard... It was past go time.

 

[Faith Organa]

Location: New Aldera City, Capital of Alderaan

She half nodded to Draco on his recommendation, "Very well let's not..invite trouble. But don't let them be so far away that we allow ourselves to devastated."

Theo was standing there, Faith spoke up, "Yes take your sister." Sister in some ways but not by blood. A doppelganger to keep everyone at length and to protect Laira as she traversed the galaxy. If Faith knew that Draco had told her to stay away it would be grounds for a long discussion, but to tell her she was exiled THAT was an argument.

The communications from all of the High Council began coming in the word had spread. She stepped over to the platform that would project her image to the others as they began to appear in the room with them one by one. She looked at Duke DeVoe, "first let me say safeguard your family and your provinces. We are not inviting war upon our home again, we may have to negotiate or accept terms that years ago we would have died for." She sighed heavily at the thought of it all.

"We are making preparations. You can be sure that those at Kuat will come to Alderaan. Even if its just to make their presence known. I ask you not to engage in hostile actions at this time. Let's watch..."

She knew it would be hard for all of them, "I will be here in the Capital. I am sending the Princess and my mother to another planet for their safety." She looked at Draco.

"Prince Draco and I here we are not going anywhere."

She finally let out that breath she had been holding and now she had to wait for the other shoe to drop on Alderaan. "thank you Duke Devoe, be safe sir." His image began to disappeared. She could not look into the eyes of the High Council and know their thoughts she wished she could. For now words would have to suffice. She smiled towards them all, "if you see anything report in"

[member="Duke Kyle DeVoe"] | [member="Laira Darkhold"] |

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco nodded quietly as he returned to the chamber. Faith was making her speech to the people when he sat back down, wiping his eye and regaining his composure. It was for the good of the people. It was for Faith. And as much as it didn’t seem like it, it was for Laira too.

“We have to frame everything carefully.” He said when the Queen finished speaking to the group. “We need to make sure the Imperials feel like they are gaining, and the people believe that we are protecting them.” Belief and truth didn’t always align, that was the worry. Even though Faith acting for the good of the people as a whole, to protect them from the risk of occupation like the One Sith had, they might not believe it without some convincing.

Laira watched the sensor board, she’d stayed quiet since getting the message. Saeza had told her that the communicator read ‘out of service’ when pinged, which could only mean the other unit was disabled. There was no talking about it. No discussion, no hopefully things will change soon. Just, it happened.

The redhead’s eyes flicked to the targeting screen. “Alright, we’re in range. Let’s drop the sensor probe and get back on our way.”

“Fire one.” Leo muttered, clicking the launch trigger on his control stick. “She’s away. Dropped off the sensor boards.”

“Good. It’ll transmit via Ghostwave, maybe help make contact with some Kuati operatives from the Resistance. Duty is fulfilled. We can pencil it in as a win.” Laira straightened, pulling on her crash webbing and tapping on the screens. Rowdy was already working on a course for them with the Navi-computer. “Let’s see if we can make up some time.”

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Isobel Mattis]

Location: Kuat Frontlines [Industrial Complex HQ]​

Allies: Core Imperial Confederation​

Enemies: CC​

Objective: Run Through the Jungle​

Tag: [member="Theodore Royce-Clarke"]​

________________​

Isobel tried to make herself at least vaguely presentable while she waited to meet with General Royce-Clarke for the first time. It wasn’t as if there was much she could do. Helmet-hair, combined with jungle sweats, and a rather nasty drive made her feel like she’d been tossed run through a spin-cycle with a full load of bricks. She could feel an air of tension among the Imperials. At first—She thought that it was because of her presence among them. Civilians, as she understood, could be problematic.

A liability at best and choice candidates for hostage material.

The wait wasn’t terribly long.

Just enough for her to get a little nervous. She still didn’t know what to think of the Core Imperial Confederation. She was more apt to understanding it due to growing up on Galidraan but the overseers to Coruscant were still a bit of a mystery. They seemed to be well-intentioned, but, Coruscant was not as trusting as it had once been. The Galactic Alliance had led them to ruin.

The stormtroopers parted and she stepped forward. The camera droids buzzed about her head, moving this way and that, to sweep the faces of the personnel. Databases lined up their identities for family they had waiting back home. Proof of life. At least, for now. They shook hands briefly and Isobel fell back a step once the formality ended. “Thank you for having me. It’s been…An experience.”
For someone that didn’t know what a battlefield looked like from the winning side, thus far, it wasn’t overly terrifying. “You’re right. I can’t say I’d choose to come to a partially irradiated world out of my own free will—But here we are.”

It didn’t take much to see that Isobel Mattis was used to having the best of everything. The fact that she was here? Instead of sending some no-name lackey? Spoke volumes. Either about the quality of her person or an intensely misguided lack of self-preservation. Truthfully, it could have gone either way. A slow smile slid over unpainted lips to show that she was only teasing. “The troopers were perfect gentlemen.”, Isobel intoned, and though amusement touched her eyes, it was entirely true. They couldn’t take their eyes off their surroundings long enough to do otherwise. Every moment was tense.

Severe.

She knew she was in a place where people died, easily, by the level of care they took moving her a handful of kilometers. Isobel let her had fall to her hip and she waved a camera droid forward. “Can you state your name, rank, and affiliation?”

Once that was done her expression smoothed.

“So. Level with me, General. What’s going on here? Is this really a two-front war we’re starting?

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau

Location: Alederaan, Aldera the Capital City
Objective: Alderaan Business Trip
Allies: [member="Marriskcal Lati"]
Apparel: Suit

Seto feigned a disbelieving look towards his sister, pressing both hands against his chest “-You wound me to suggest that I am a slow shopper, and it’s not like I already picked what I wanted as gifts.”

Truthfully Seto hadn’t picked out which ones exactly, he had merely glanced at the shop’s windows and noticed the many colorful and varied displays of clothing. But the real lasting impression was the small stampede of children that had run out of the doors, all dressed in many manners of wings, tails and other animal-like representational appendages. That had given Seto an idea, since the time for festivals were quickly approaching and that Seto had already began preparations for their students to attend as many as humanly possible. They will need the correct gear and suitable clothing for their approaching missions.

“I’ll be quick.” Seto reaffirmed himself to Marr once more, his smile broaden to best sell his words as well as adding a confidence boosting wink. Regardless of his most tenacious ability to shop for the right clothing to almost no end, there was a reason for his lack of a watch on his person. Seto never enjoyed being reminded of the time passing by him, better to greet four or more hours disappearing as one would when seeing a Magician make things disappear; in utter amazement.

Cheerfully Seto led his sister to the store, the doors opened readily to absorb the siblings and dared to remove as much as or more than what Seto spent on the stones and jewels. Seto eagerly ventured deeper into the store, dragging a rather despondent Marr but all the same the Du Couteau heir brushed his fingers across many fabrics and quickly found his focus on several different suits and rather interesting styles associated with Alderaan specifically.

The over-eager Seto would had studied himself over all styles and manners presented in front of him if not for the constant pokes by his sister to remind him of the both his remaining time and the gifts for their students. With a quick mental note, Seto turned his attention towards the children costume section of the store. Several colorful holo-images showcased what many of the costumes appeared when properly worn and Seto for his own part appeared rather bemused on how finely tailored many of the costumes were, Seto honestly appreciated the craftsmanship of the locals of Aldera.

Some intricate with wings and several colorful patterns that even Seto was unsure of the origins or if it was attempting to replicate any creature of the galaxy, while other costumes were rather simpler with simply extra appendages to create a softer image of the animal it attempted to imitate.

Seto eagerly selected several, and quickly employed one of the store’s tailors to craft each costume to the dimensions of each student, something that Seto memorized, as well as an additional measurements, one much larger than the students, to which later Seto smiled warmly towards Marr and told her that they were almost done and ready to leave for whichever restaurant she fancied to sample.

 

[Lannik Hayes]

Sergeant Lannik Hayes, Imperial Stormtrooper Corps
Equipment: Katarn Multipurpose Battle Armour, AKraB Vibrodagger, T-88 Self-Loading Precision Carbine
2x Thermal Detonators, 2x Fragmentation Grenades, 4x Adhesive Grenades, a platoon of stormtroopers (24 17 troopers, including PC)
Location: Somewhere in this Maker-forgotten thrice-damned forest, Kuat
Allies: Core Imperial Confederation; [member="Kir Vizsla"]
Enemies: Corellian Confederation; [member="Aeneis Valdemar"] | [member="Jenica Belos"]

​

A single vivid bolt pierced through the flames.

And then, it was all quiet.

For a tense moment, Lannik and the remaining men waited for more shots to appear through the veil of flames. But when none came after three counts, the brunet allowed the breath he was unconsciously holding out with a soft hiss, and signed for Euclid and Scarlene to take the long way around.

Because what they did?

Unforgivable.

And to fuel his burgeoning anger, the drone of unfamiliar vessels began to resonate through the air. Beneath the anonymity of his helmet, the sergeant’s eyes began to widen in realisation that the insurgents called for an evac. It was like his heart had become a furnace, burning incandescent with his rage.

Never a creature of rationality even at the best of times, Lannik began to move before he could think better of it, his legs taking him around the amber and aureate barrier even as an explosion rang out over the crackle and pop of burning foliage. He leapt over the prone body of the stormtrooper that was decimated by the explosive round, his display blinking to identify it as his CO. From the huge chunk of armour and flesh missing from his torso, the brunet knew that the older male was beyond salvation.

A furious snarl escaped him as he saw the metallic body of the starfighter even through smoke and the trees. Even as he lifted his carbine once more, the suppression fire from the escorting vessels rained down. Furious, but still rational enough that he knew it was a death sentence if he pressed his luck, Lannik threw himself to the ground and wedged his body between its thick roots.

And while a part of him could feel the bitter tang of bile rising up his throat at the thought of giving up on his chance to strike at the insurgents who had committed such an atrocity to his men, he also knew that if he survived today, there will be future opportunities.

With that sole thought consoling him, Lannik stayed within the shadows, determined to see the day through.

 

[Kou'ha Escala]

Captain Kou’ha Escala, Imperial Navy
Equipment: Uniform & Code Cylinder
Location: Command Deck, INV Astraea, Kuat Orbit
Allies: Core Imperial Confederation
Enemies: Corellian Confederation

​

“Captain… Escala,” his XO drawled coldly, drawing his meandering thoughts back into the command deck of the Astraea. “The Wing Commander has just reported, informing us that the vessels they are escorting have entered the atmosphere… and that all is proceeding smoothly thus far.”

Translation: The insurgents are either distracted elsewhere, or they are pulling back to regroup. Either would serve as a boon for the imperium.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.”

As per the briefing packets they have received prior to this campaign, the starfighter squadrons will continue to sweep through the skies and provide coverage until the machinery and fresh batch of stormtroopers are offloaded, and the weary and wounded are placed onto the vessels to be transported offworld.

Routine.

But it was still an important cog in the game of war.

Or so Kou'ha continued to tell himself as he remained leashed and muzzled, only able to play the observer.