Rock and Barrel Roll (TIE Locust Development)

[Joran Greth]

Gerrenthum High Command Complex
Gerrenthum

Joren Greth sat looking at the screed of his personnel holo transmitter. He Had been waiting for someone to return his call for over ten minutes now. He did not like being made to wait for anyone but in some situations he understood it was unavoidable. The man he was waiting on had been out on a training mission and had no way to reply. Loren had been told the man had been informed Greth was awaiting him and assured the man would be there as soon as he could land and get to a terminal.

The holo projector came online and a small three dimensional image of a man in black flight armor appeared. His helmet under his arm and a scowl look on his face.

"Major Stele, I am sorry to interrupt your training. The cadets will have to wait, I have a mission for you."

 

[Darik Stele]

Elite flight training course
Gerrenthum system

Darik Stele looped around and inverted his fighter just above the other TIE he had been pursuing. The craft broke left to avoid the move then attempted to break and spin to lock onto Stele's fighter. Stele Grined at the maneuver and punched his thrusters and dove down below the craft now turning to engage him. The Pilot had completely lost any momentum his fighter had and as Stele pulled back on the stick and back up towards the fighter he bracketed him instantly and signaled the kill before the pliot could gain the momentum again to maneuver out of the target lock.

"You are pittiful, Report to base and pack your bags cadet. You will make an excellent pilot in out shuttle corps. pleb two its your turn. See if you can at least last three minutes."

Stele spun his fighter around and moved in to begin the training exercise with another of the trainees. His COMM channel came on line and someone on the channel spoke.

"Major Stele, You have a call."

 

[Darik Stele]

Elite flight training course
Gerrenthum system

Stele broke off his pursuit of the fighter and cursed. He was in the middle of training exercises. Who would interrupt him now, they must have some kind of pull for fighter command to contact him now.

"Very well Let them know I will call them once I get back to base."

Stele powered down his weapons and spun around to head back to fighter command. His mind began to drift as he tried to imagine who was wanting to speak with him and what they wanted. Also who had the pull to have command to break into his flight session. He would find out in a moment. The orbital station came into sight in the distance. He lined up for the landing vector and released the controls. The TIE craft shook as the tractor beams grabbed it and moved it into the hanger. Now to find out who and what this was all about he thought to himself as the fighter was being pulled in and docked.

 

[Darik Stele]

Orbital Fighter Operations Command
Gerrenthum Orbit

Stele walked to the terminal in the hanger and stood on the pad. The scanner lit up and scanned him them a small hologram came online of Grand MOff Greth himself. Stele snapped to attention and saluted. HE would have never guessed one of the Triumvirate would contact him, yet her he was looking at the Grand MOff of the IMperium.

"That is not a problem sir, They were a poor excuse for a batch anyway. They may be flying your shuttle craft next week sir."

He dropped the salute when the man waved it off and smiled.

"Sir, what can I do for the Imperium?"

 

[Joran Greth]

Gerrenthum High Command Complex
Gerrenthum

Greth smiled at the man's statement. The pilot had proven himself time and time again in battle. His piloting skill was formidable, and time and time again he had been offered his own squadron. Time and Time again he had refused the promotion. He had no desired to sit at a desk or so he had said. His choice of elite pilot traiing at the orbital base had confused Greth. Then he thought about how he would feel if he was a pilot. The man had an ego and a need to prove himself. This was why he had chosen to teach cadets. It made sense now, he wanted to be the best and test himself every day against the best the Imperium could muster to through at him. Greth motioned for him to drop his salute then spoke.

"Major, I have a very important mission for you. For now I cannot go into details over a non encrypted channel. You are to report to Admiral Lash. A shuttle craft is waiting to transport you to his location now. It is in hanger eleven awaiting you major. You will not need anything other than what you are currently wearing. Please report there now and do not talk to anyone of this before you get to the shuttle."

Greth paused awaiting the mans response.

 

[Darik Stele]

Orbital Fighter Operations Command
Gerrenthum Orbit

Darik listened to the Grand Moff confused and intrigued. It seemed he was to leave immediately with even getting to change from his flight suite. He waited for Greth to finish then saluted a second time.

"Yes sir, I will do as orders."

Stele dropped the salute and watched as the hologram vanished after a nod from Greth. He waited for the holo projector to stop its scan them made his way to hanger eleven. He tucked his helmet tight under his arm, and walked out into the open hanger where a small shuttle sat. A man saluted and greeted him, and the two boarded the shuttle. Stele buckled into the one of shuttles bay jump harnesses as the boarding ramp closed. The attendant sat down beside him and buckled in himself.

"Sir do you have any idea what this is all about. They have been keeping us on lock down awaiting you. I was not even allowed to go to the head."

Stele shook his head thinking about what the man had said. They had been put into delta protocol awaiting him. This must be something important for the Imperium to need for them to basically disappear.

"No trooper, I am in the dark also. What have the pilots told you?

The man turned to look at Darik. a troubled and confused look on his face.

"They havn't sir. We are not allowed to talk to them and the cockpit is locked on order of the Triumvirate. where ever they are taking up we are not supposed to know the destination."

Greth sat back on that more confused and even more intrigued than before. Something this important, something needing this kind of security. He thought about the last ten minutes then something hit him, who is Admiral Lash.

 

[Lash]

Judicator-class cruiser Judicator
Undisclosed System

Admiral Stela'shlit'nuruodo Sat watching the small shuttle move into the hanger bay. The pilot had been hand picked by Grand Moff Greth for the operation. Lash would have rather used one of his own men. There is no way a human could be as adept a pilot as one of his Chiss pilots. Greth had insisted this major Stele be the one for the project. Lash agreed with the human, and went on working on other problems not thinking about the issue till now. The human major was about to land, and Lash would have to meet him and explain what was going on. He was human and would no doubt be confused, and dumbfounded by the situation. A Chiss would have not have needed any explanation.

The shuttle set down and the ramp opened up to a his off pressurized air. A man walked down the ramp in a black elite operations flight suit. Lash stood at the end of the walkway with two attendants, and waited for the man to near. The Pilot walked up and Lash a addressed him as he saluted.

"Major Stele I am sure you are confused about the events so far. I am here to answer anything yu may need to know and get you ready for the project."

 

[Darik Stele]

Darik had closed his eyes thinking about what might be about to happen. He had been selected for some sort of mission that was evident. He assumed it was a fighter operations mission as he had been the one selected. The shuttle shook as it sat down on something. The air pressure in the hold popped as the ramp depressurized and begane to open. The other man stood and helped him unbuckle from the harness, as the ramp decended to what was a hanger deck. As he neared the ramp the saw one of the most shocking things he had seen in some time. An alien, a Chiss here, He to this point did not know of any aliens in the Imperium. He did not think Command allowed aliens to hold command positions, yet here before him stood three blue skinned human looking beings. Stele had know many Chiss in his time with the Republic. they had been very rude in his opinion. But they were skilled at just about everything they did. He walked to the three and saluted.

"Reporting as ordered Admiral."

 

[Lash]

The human officer lowered his arm from saluting and the four went about introductions and pleasantries. Lash introduced captain Konit and wing commander Fenrai then himself. The human looked to each and introduced himself to each then returned his attention to Lash.

"Major, Greth seems to think you are the best person for operation Locust. I agree your profile is very interesting major. I however will remain sceptical till I see your skills for myself. We have brought you here today to test a new attack craft."

As Lash spoke a small craft was lowered down from a rack above them.

"This is the Locust Interceptor major. We want you to put it through its paces and tell us what you think."

The Small fighter craft settled on the deck launch ramp and the rack returned to the ceiling of the hanger.

"Now, Please if you would."

Lash motioned toward the small craft intending for Stele to climb in.

 

[Darik Stele]

Darik looked at the small craft as it was lowered onto the launch platform. It had a very low forward, rear, and side profile. It looked like much of the craft was compacted into the wing assembly and noticed two laser cannons on the wings. The rear of the flight pod opened upwards allowing a pilot to climb inside. As He walked over and behind the craft he noticed the flight controls were very different compared to a standard TIE variant. It seemed the pilot climbed into the read and mounted the controls like a speeder bike. Very odd he thought as he climbed in. The hatch closed behind him as he latched his helmet on and attached the oxygen and communications plugs. He looked around and noticed many of the same systems as the old TIE defenders but the controls were more like speeders and bikes. That was not a problem he had raced speeder bikes in his free time. Maybe that was why they chose him. He powered up the fighter and tested the controls. The craft rose up off the launcher as the repulsors came online. A crackle cam from his helmets speakers as someone began to talk.

"You are cleared for launch Major."

Stele did not recognize the voice and assumed it belonged to the operations officer in the launch control booth. Darik pressed the controls forward and was pushed back a bit as the inertial dampeners came online keeping him from slamming into the rear of the craft. The fighter shot out through the grav lock shield and into space. Before him a massive asteroid belt lay spread for as far as the eye could see. It looked familiar but he could not place it. Ether way it was large and seemed stable.

"Flight control I am gonna open her up."

Darik said as he pushed the throttle forward and bust off into the belt. Immediately he knew the craft was built for speed. It was like nothing he had flow before. Faster, more agile. This was truly a good reason to get pulled out of training.

"Control, tell the admiral I want one of these."