Showdown at Skye (INVITE ONLY Resistance/First Order)

[Tugoro Taidarious]

It had been a long week for Tugoro. After a brief incident on Corellia, the young Jedi figuredthat some parts of his Starfighter had been damaged. Usually this wouldn't be that much of a concern, but having only noticed it earlier the effects had already taken place. The onboard hyperdrive of the Aleph seemed to be malfunctioning, and the young man just couldn't figure out how to fix it. He had brought some mechanic droids with him in order to assist with the repairs of his prized ship, though he had little hope for the situation. There was something strange in the air, a really bad feeling in the force.

"It seems the ionization core has malfunctioned," began one of the droids who stood next to his craft, causing a frown of disappointment to spread across his lips. The icy cold hangar had been relatively empty for sometime, with some pilots walking to and fro. He didn't blame them, for who would want to stick around in a place like this. Hoth had great historical value, but Tugoro couldn't help but hate it here. "The extreme temperatures seem to have affected the ship's abilities to absorb solar energy." Tugoro was dumbfounded. Was that all there was to it? Had his ship not been tampered with? Surely, those lowly Hutt thugs would have noticed the value of his ship. Right?

Folding his arms over his chest, the young Jedi would exhale loudly, calming himself as he began to nod. "Okay, just get it fixed. Do whatever you need to." He spoke, turning away from the robotic duo as he marched along the frozen ground. Entering one of the long corridors, Tugoro would continue to walk towards the command center, only to be faced with a horde of suited up pilots that were sprinting his way. Pushing himself against the wall, Tugoro would let them pass and then step forwards, looking back as he went along his way. It was quite obvious that something was up, but the Jedi wanted to go and find out what was happening.

At this point, it was obvious that the force had not been warning him about his ship. Reaching out with his arm, Tugoro would press his metallic finger against the doors control console, causing it to slide away into the wall. Stepping through the frame, the young man would pull his large jacket tighter around his body, hesitating as he spotted the group ahead. It consisted of [member="Evelin Redstar"], [member="Khindys Kaai"], and [member="Dex Bastion"]. He had heard of them, and knew that they were the leaders behind the entire Resistance operation. [member="Nara Basaar"] was present too, but he didn't recognize her. Did they recognize him? Oh boy, now was his chance to make a good impression! Having already faltered on his entrance, the young man would straighten himself out, standing tall as he let his arms relax by his sides. "Uh," he began, smiling confidently as he looked between the individuals. "Where am I needed?" He questioned briefly. Nailed it.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

H O T H
Echo Base

"...the encryption keys will reset at random intervals."

The small Jedi was perched atop a stack of crates that were emblazoned with the logo of the Corellia Digital Corporation. A comlink in hand, the boy had turned the device over and popped the plate off the back side, in order to highlight and demonstrate the encryption key. "A quantum computer sets the new baseline, so make certain your people are checking in. If they miss an encryption refresh, they'll be kicked off the 'net."

Popping the service plate back on, the young Jedi tossed the comlink over to a nearby technician. "Now, if the First Order adopted Imperial procedures, then..."

The appearance of a silvery 2-1B medical droid caused the boy to trail off.

It was his 2-1B. A relic of the Clone Wars, who'd survived Order 66 and the proclamation of a New Order only to arrive by coincidence and happenstance to this time. "Excuse me," the small Anzat noted, hopping down from the crate and making his way toward the droid. The stiff form of the automaton bent awkwardly to speak quietly to the smaller Jedi.

He'd been summoned?

Something was amiss. With a nod, the youngling knight looked up at the droid. "Get the Queen ready to launch. I have a baaaad feeling about this," the boy opined aloud, his green cloak flowing behind him as he made his way further inside the base to check on what was happening.

[member="Evelin Redstar"] | [member="Nara Basaar"] | [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"] | [member="Khindys Kaai"]​

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vOrdW4t8XQ

"Of course I am," said the Princess simply to [member="Nara Basaar"]. She lowered her voice and leaned into her confidant. "This is a critical mission, we need anyone who could be useful in the circumstances. And more than that, I cannot lead effectively if the troops and pilots and everyone else thinks of me as some perfect princess who cannot or will not get her hands dirty. This is important." She inclined her head and glanced at her chrono. "Nara, I'm sorry to ask you -- I know the clinic is your domain -- but if we had someone coordinating with [member="Khindys Kaai"] regarding the distribution of weapons, ammo packs, and medical supplies to our forces, it would make things go so much more smoothly. And you're such a wiz with inventories and all. Would you mind awfully?"

Some time later, most of the principal players had entered and the command center and surrounding corridors were stuffed with Resistance forces, while other forces and allies, such as [member="General Beyyr"] and [member="Cloudburner"] were patched in remotely. The Princess stood facing them, looking grave but with a back that was ramrod straight. "The First Order has made a critical error," she announced. "And the time for your attack has home. The data brought to us by Resistance spies has informed us that some number of our vessels, previously thought destroyed at Eriadu, have fallen into the hands into First Order forces at Skye. Intelligence suggests that the First Order hopes to crack the encryption on those vessels' navicomputers. We can only conjecture as to the type of information left on those computers, but we have reason to believe it would include information that, falling into the wrong hands, would spell disaster for the Resistance, and for all of us."

She let the point hang in the air for a moment, looking around the room at the bleary-eyed faces of the Resistance forces -- some in fatigues, others in flightsuits -- and then continued. "We must retrieve or destroy those ships in order to prevent the First Order from decrypting those computers if we have any hope of keeping significant Resistance resources out danger. So our mission is clear: infiltrate the ship holding those vessels, break them free or destroy them, and escape with our lives." The Princess inclined her head towards [member="Dex Bastion"] and [member="Khindys Kaai"]. "And now, to give us an idea of how to achieve it, General Kaai and Commander Bastion, please."

Evelin stepped away from the center of the room, yielding the floor to the military men who had planned the operation. Meanwhile, [member="Kira Vaal"]'s signal continued to crawl slowly towards them... too slowly.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

Among those attending the briefing was a tall old Wookiee silvertip, present via holocomm. Retracted clawtips rasped against the code cylinders on his bandolier, a nervous affectation. Otherwise, the Claatuvac navigator and Underground general officer projected all the motility and vigor of a menhir. His transmitter aboard the Bullet Time was of decent quality, but he was still a good thirty or forty parsecs away, with a lot of interstellar cruft in between. The holoscreen wavered and futzed, and he knew his projected image was doing the same.

The woman, Redstar, struck him as young but composed. Through friends of friends, he'd heard her called an organizational genius. He hadn't realized she was so young. Still, plenty of the Underground's most effective and discreet humanoid operatives were in their twenties and thirties, even a few of the better leaders. Alec Rekali came to mind, but [member="Evelin Redstar"] seemed like the absolute opposite of Alec Rekali.

Beyyr's eyes narrowed in consideration, and he leaned forward, as Redstar introduced [member="Khindys Kaai"] and [member="Dex Bastion"]. The Underground's relationship with the Resistance remained in its infancy in many ways, but General Kaai's name had trickled down, and Beyyr wanted to say Bastion led an elite fighter wing. Fighters suggested either a high-attrition frontal assault on this unknown command ship, or a hit-and-fade distraction. In his earlier text-based communication with Redstar, Beyyr had gotten the impression that the latter -- or a committed multi-pronged assault -- was in the cards. Resistance snubfighters were ideal for that. Hence, he'd brought the Bullet Time, an absurdly quick blockade runner designed for just these kinds of operations. And if it turned out that the mission profile was something else entirely, the Bullet had its share of flexibility.

 

[Nara Basaar]

((OOC: Sorry for the sudden species change. Hope it does not cause any confusion.))


Nara stood closely next to the Princess as she replied to her. Nara already knew everything [member="Evelin Redstar"] was telling her, but it was that exact thing that made Nara worry. Over the course of Nara's time with the Resistance she had grown close with the Princess. This was not like seeing a coworker head of into the fray, it was seeing a friend go off and stare danger right in the face. Nara's beady brown eyes scanned the room as the Princess quietly spoke to her, she noticed a few people squint trying to figure out what was quietly being said to her. After Evelin had finished a soft smile crept across Nara's lips, She looked up to the princess giving her a small playful tap on the arm "I know it's important. Just make sure you come back. I would hate to find a replacement Princess" Nara jokingly said

Nara then quickly snapped out of her playful buddy mood to exert a more serious work orientated mood. Nara listened to the Princess' request carefully, it was one she would be more than happy to fulfill. "Of course Princess. I would be honored to coordinate with [member="Khindys Kaai"] " Nara turned towards the Cathar male and gave him a warm smile. Nara then turned back to face the princess giving her an expression that said Here comes the bad news. Nara turned to face everyone in the room to address them "It's already common knowledge that medical supplies and clinic staff are in short supplies around here at the moment... So um, just try your hardest to not get hurt please." Nara's request received a few chuckles from a few of the troops in the room.

Nara sighed and tucked the right side of her long black hair behind her ear. She looked around the room once more and wrapped her arms around her waist. As Evelin was walking away Nara quietly and secretly said to the Princess "This is going to be a rough one".

 

[Khindys Kaai]

The Resistance leadership was clear on what was to happen. Now it was time to ensure that each individual agent understood his or her role in the operation.

"Our primary objective," General Kaai began, seamlessly taking over where the Princess had left off, "is to recapture or destroy all Resistance ships in the hands of the First Order. For that, we'll need a strike team to infiltrate the dock where our vessels are being held. Once inside, their objective will be to release the tractor beams and magnetic clamps, then fly the primary targets to safety. Failing that, we'll be packing sufficient explosives to cripple the ships, along with a virus dataspike to scramble the navicomputers and databanks beyond recovery."

If it was possible, his expression became grimmer. "We will face overwhelming force, with enemy reinforcements available from Dosuun within a short timeframe, so our allies are speed and surprise. If recovering the ships will take too long or cost too many lives, switch immediately to our secondary plan." He turned to the flickering holograms of the Resistance's allies. "[member="General Beyyr"], thank you for your assistance. I would request that we make use of your blockade runner to deploy the strike team; we'll need a fast vessel that can withstand significant punishment."

"I would specifically request the presence of [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] and [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"] in our strike force. Jedi Sunburner's presence is also welcome," he said, referring to [member="Cloudburner"]. "We can't say for certain whether the Knights of Ren will be in the area, but countermeasures are advisable." Khin hated to put a young boy like Xantha in the line of fire, but it wouldn't be the most difficult decision he made in the next hour, let alone in his career. If they were to survive defying the First Order, they would have to exploit every possible advantage they could.

Turning back, he nodded respectfully at [member="Dex Bastion"]. "In order to get close enough for the operation to begin, we will need to divert the First Order fleet. Commander Bastion will explain." With that, he ducked out of the briefing, catching [member="Nara Basaar"]'s eye and returning her smile (though his was strained) as he did. [member="Evelin Redstar"] had tasked the two of them with the distribution of supplies, and the sooner that was done the better. Every wasted moment threatened to make the whole operation pointless. "Your area of expertise, Nara," he said. "I'll follow your lead on this one."

 

[Alasdair Sitra]

“I just hope this Rancor lost its teeth.” He gave a laugh, a nervous one but at least it cleared the atmosphere. “Which knowing the First Order is hoping that summer actually happens to this ice cube. Fortunately for you Black Squadron are professional Rancor Dentists.” His fingers scanned across the map before them, his eyes gazing at the points of interest for the mission.

“[member="Alexandra Russo"]. Alleycat will take the other flight, she’s better a pilot then me and will make sure everyone gets out of there alive.” Dex responded to [member="Evelin Redstar"] with a smirk. Deep down inside he was worried, he always was before a task like this but he wasn’t allowed to show it. “We will get in there and back out before they now what hit them. Promise.” He added the last bit as a reassurance. It was a personal touch that Dex was known for among the Resistance. He just hoped that he believed it himself.

[member="Khindys Kaai"] gave his own orders and wished everyone the best of luck. Dex nodded in response as the emphasis on haste was made, the Commander gave a sigh and exchanged looks with [member="Nara Basaar"] as she expressed her concern over the Resistance’s poster Princess. She did look tired, the pressure obviously starting to get to her. Just as it was to everyone it seemed. “I wish I could tell you it was just a mission.” Dex raised his eyebrow. “The Princess decided that looking down the barrel of a Turbolaser would be more interesting then seeing another snowflake.” Humour…
How it failed them at the moment.

——— TWENTY MINUTES LATER ———

Black Squadron was ready to move. Each of the X-Wings were in position on the hanger floor, their black hulls steaming as the engines heated up the panel work against the cold air in the bay. Dex had lowered himself into the cockpit of his own fighter and already had the canopy sealed around him. The tests had come back optimal and the BB-unit that was in the astromech capsule behind him had done the rest of necessary system testing, it was in Dex’s opinion as ready as he was going to be.

Dex had given his own words to the rallied members of the Resistance, his words having beamed out across transmission lines and encrypted channels.
“We know we can match the First Order in pilot ability ten to one.” He had stated, a strain on his voice that he was sure would have been heard. “Today we have to prove that claim. The First Order have been sloppy and given us the chance to assure that they know we can’t be messed with.” He went into his plan, the orders for Black Squadron and any other naval craft out there, detailing the where, the when and the how. It had sounded so good before but when the words had been said to the men and women who would be doing them even Dex started to feel the doubt behind them.

[Black Lead the floor is clear.]
Dex shook his head and cleared the recent memories. The call of the Deck Officer coming through his comm-link as the blast doors that separated the hanger from the ice outside began to slid open.
[Black Lead the floor is clear. Do you copy Dex?]
“Yeah, I copy.” Dex said as the scene came into sharp contrast. He moved the controls and the X-Wing began to turn as it rose ever so slightly from the ground. “Black Lead away.”
[Copy, Black Lead away.]
The X-Wing moved through the air and under the blast-door before being ejected into the open skies of Hoth. With a hit of the throttle Dex pulled the fighter up and towards the clouds. This was it then, there was no turning back now.
Behind him the fighters of Black Squadron began to form up as each was released from the hanger. Each knew their mission and each were prepared to give their lives to succeed. He just hoped it didn’t come to that.
“Black Group this is Black One.” Dex said. “Prepare for jump.” The sky darkened as space enveloped them. “On my mark.” His droid whistled a confirmation as the co-ordinates were locked in. “Three…Two…One…Jump.”
The stars merged and hyperspace took over.
The next time he would see normality the First Order would be shooting at him.
A promising thought.

 

[Aram Kalast]

Meanwhile in the Skye System.

“I need more men.” It was a pathetic excuse for work long overdue, yet the nerve of Captain Geral to even use it was enough to keep his head for now. At least in Aram’s opinion. “We’ve been processing the fleet as fast as we could but with the redeployment towards Bespin we have been stretched thin.”
“The Supreme Leader doesn’t share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.” Aram’s voice was soft and calm, yet the power it rode was beyond compare and even Geral, a veteran of many campaigns seemed to back down. “In fact so disappointed is he that he sent me from a task of extreme importance in order to oversee the final stage of the process and assure that the task is done as instructed.”
“I understand the Leader’s concerns sir, I just…” Captain Geral seemed to struggle to find the words as he looked out at the scattering of old freighters and corvettes. “…We are finding the encryptions difficult.”
“Another excuse Captain.” Aram also turned his gaze to the stars and the ships, but his looked passed them and towards the giant grey hulk that was shadowing it all. The Resurgence Prototype was a powerful tool, Ileris Sonn had promised them the universe when he had presented it to the First Order. Yet now it was doing guard duty. “I grow tired of excuses Captain. Perhaps someone of a more positive outlook would be more suited to the cause.” He noticed Geral’s eyes raise, Aram was unsure if it was excitement or fear over a possible relocation.
“I will double our efforts Sir.”
“Triple. Or you will find yourself on the first shuttle to Sullust.” Aram threatened, Geral switching from optimism to down right panic. “Get the scans done, I will be on my ship. Dealing with more important things.”

——— ——— ———

The executive boardroom of the Immolator was something to behold. Crafted out of the finest of aged and stained timber it gave the utilitarian Resurgence-Class a touch of grace for those who got to witness it.
Aram had to give it to the designers who had gone all out from the in-built datascreens to the living padding that was part of the seating and actively moulded itself to your form. Worth every credit in his books, especially for a meeting such as this. A meeting that he had long awaited.
He had dispatched several Stormtrooper squadrons to the planet where Resistance forces were still rumoured to be, their little rebellion would not last the next ten hours if the zealousness of his troops was anything to go by.
He opened a comm to the guards that waited outside the conference room. “You may show her in.”
The door opened and a stormtrooper entered.
“Supreme Commander Kalast. A [member="Maya Zantar"] to see you.”
Today was indeed going well.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

Well, this was different.

Any other time in the Jedi's past, he'd had the luxury of fighting for the larger, most established military. The Republic against the Stark piracy. The Republic against the Yinchorri Uprising. The Republic against the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Now, they were striking just to try and equip themselves for the fight. Taking the battle to a seemingly intractable foe that greatly outnumbered their own. It was a little harrowing to be on the weaker side of a conflict, but he could appreciate how it altered the dynamic. The strategy was a hit-and-fade. A logical game plan, given the logistical reality of their situation.

Sitting back and listening, the boy in the green cloak meditated as he prepared himself for battle.

[member="Khindys Kaai"] | [member="General Beyyr"] | [member="Evelin Redstar"]​

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] [member="Dex Bastion"] [member="Khindys Kaai"] [member="Evelin Redstar"]

Beyyr whuffled, and a miniature translation droid leaned close to the audio pickup.

"General Beyyr expresses confidence in the ingress and egress capabilities of the Underground's vessel. He notes that large portions of the hull are composed of phrik, and that the engines can reach interceptor levels of acceleration. However, he cautions that he has room only for four, perhaps five individuals. Regretfully, the vessel's technical capacity precludes passenger space."

"Rrawr."

"To mitigate the Bullet Time's low passenger complement, he suggests that, if five seats are not enough, he considers his vessel sufficient to the task of clearing a path for a second vessel, so long as it has an engine rating of at least one hundred megalight." The Bullet Time was crammed with components from a variety of manufacturers, including an array of afterburners and emergency thrusters. Any other boarding ship that followed him in would have to be as quick as a starfighter in order to take advantage of the cover he provided with the Bullet's oversized and specialized weaponry.

 

[Alexandra Porte]

Flight Captain Alexandra Russo pulled [member="Damon Riggs"] down for a kiss, the kind that says everything but no words are spoken, then the brunette starfighter pilot turned on her booted heel and jogged through the bustling icy hangar to her waiting X-wing. She was wearing the standard rebel orange flight suit with black boots and gauntlet gloves adorned with a flak vest and life support box on the front. Russo also had a side arm holstered on her right hip, and a multi-use tool in her left leg pocket along with a comlink and cherry-flavored lip balm in the right.

"Alleycat" would be leading Black Squadron's Besh and Cresh flights in an attack on the First Order's Rithati Ridge Fueling Station to distract it's fleet while Commander [member="Dex Bastion"] would be leading Aurek flight escorting the infiltration group to grab selected ships at the Skye shipyard or destroy them one way or another.

Russo climbed up the service ladder with well-practiced ease that was attached to the black T-85 X-wing the Resistance's elite squadron was using, then slid down into the pilot's couch. She donned her helmet, then flicked switches and pushed buttons on the flight console as the canopy closed and the ladder was pulled away by a hangar tech; crash webbing secured as well and a little prayer said, usual ritual. Pre-flight had already been done by her trusted and loyal copper red R2 unit, Rusty, and all systems were green.

As soon as the rest of Black Squadron called in and they got clearance from the Deck Officer to launch, Russo feathered the ship's controls and followed Black Leader out.

"Black Nine to One… Clear skies, Aurek. See you all on the other side," Alex keyed over the comm, then she pulled back on the hyperdrive lever and watched as the stars elongated sending the snubfighter into light speed with the other seven X-wings of Besh and Cresh flights jumping with her.


[member="General Beyyr"] [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] [member="Khindys Kaai"] [member="Nara Basaar"] [member="Evelin Redstar"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Cloudburner"] [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"] [member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Damon Riggs]

Riggs hated seeing [member="Alexandra Russo"] off on missions, but that kiss said it all. The before and after were always world shattering, but every time they split up for an attack, or some mission, the events of their past always came to mind long enough to make Riggs uneasy. Once everything got going he would be fine. Both of them were professional military after all, and they were formed and fashioned for what they were about to do. Yes, Riggs was at his best when doing what the Navy had trained him to do, and that was to lead those following him into the fray, and make quick strategic strikes to ensure victory and success.

The former captain's comm kept going off, but he ignored it as long as he could. One benefit to not being a formal military was Riggs didn't always have to be ready and on the spot to answer when called. There was enough smuggler and rebel in him now to push the limit slightly. He finally picked up when he realized who it was that had been calling. Riggs couldn't put it off any longer.

"I'm on my way... just had to see one of the pilots off," Riggs said as he answered his comm. "Patch [member="Dex Bastion"] and [member="Evelin Redstar"] into the comm system of Inquisitor's Revenge and I'll talk to them there."

Riggs busted his butt to get to the other side of Echo Base where his modified YT-1300 was housed. The center cockpit version of the freighter was as much his ship as it was where Riggs and Russo called home. The two were together against all odds really, and that was a good thing. They were a good team when together, and they were great for the Resistance when they had to split up too. Right now was one of those times they were not exactly working together even though they were on the same objective.

Taking the pilot's seat, usually Russo's job, Riggs nodded to the rest of the crew on his ship. They weren't permanent, just for this strike. He took the comm, as he worked on getting the engines going. His job was simple, draw fire so Russo's team could blow the fuel station. Then again, his job could change at any moment with the way thing might go down.

"Dex, Evelin, this is Riggs. Engines are fired up and I'm ready to head out. You still want me running a distraction?"


[member="General Beyyr"] [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] [member="Khindys Kaai"] [member="Nara Basaar"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Cloudburner"] [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"] [member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Zamza Ra'Kira]

So... It was finally time to strike, Zamza had been anticipating it for days now. At times he even found himself pacing thinking of how they would take the fight to the First Order and infiltrate them without being caught. Now they had decided, and once again the old Zamza would have to breach the surface. Arm himself once again with weapons and probably kill. Even now Zamza could feel the blood on him, there was so much that it was a struggle for him to even stay afloat. He had even lost count of those that had died by his hands. Between his time as a Ghost Commando, and what time he had spent on the run the body count had increased dramatically. However he was not some twisted monster that took joy in the deaths of others. He did not kill for no reason. Zamza killed so he could live and to preserve the life of others. So after the debriefing Zamza rose to head back to his quarters to retrieve his weaponry.

Unlike others Zamza had no armor special to him, he had not touched a set of body armor since he had parted with his old Commando armor. It had been much apart of him as a suit of armor could be. It was there whenever Zamza needed and with it he had survived numerous battles. He had probably seen more battles than most of the people in Echo Base besides the General. "Guess I'm riding with you." Zamza said as he passed the wookie nodding his head in respect. He had heard many things about them, and how strong and fearsome they were in battle. Something he hoped would help them survive this mission... Though they had a jedi along, what could go wrong?

[member="General Beyyr"] [member="Khindys Kaai"] [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] [member="Evelin Redstar"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Evelin frowned thoughtfully at [member="General Beyyr"]'s commentary, then glanced at [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]. "I have an idea -- but only if you're comfortable with it, Master Jedi."

She outlined a plan wherein the strike team ([member="Nara Basaar"], [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"], [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"], [member="Khindys Kaai"], and [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [[OOC: if I'm missing anyone, or over-including anyone]] -- minus the X-Wing escorts ([member="Dex Bastion"]) -- would board Xantha's ship, Alderaan Queen, which would fly in the wake of the Underground's vessel, Bullet Time, which would use its superior speed and armaments to clear a path to where the ships were being held. The strike team would then board and set to work slicing computers and freeing the ships, while the Bullet Time would continue on to the Rithati Ridge Fueling Station to assist in the distraction efforts there.

"Once we've completed our mission, we'll leave the way we came -- either aboard the Alderaan Queen if we had to destroy the ships, or aboard the liberated ships themselves. If we scatter, the First Order may not know who to pursue. We'll take several hyperspace jumps before returning to Echo Base on a staggered schedule, so as to avoid drawing attention to Hoth." She looked at [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"], upon whose vessel the operation would rely. "It is a lot to ask, Master Jedi. And I don't mean to pressure you, but if we are going, we must go very soon."

EDIT: Spelling derp.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

The young Anzat had been listening to the Wookiee speak, and had imagined that might be how this was going to go down.

The engines on the Alderaan Queen certainly fit the description, if everything was working. And the boy wasn't about to give that guarantee. Heck, he wasn't going to guarantee that the YT-2400 wasn't going to have to get towed out of the hangar. Corellian engineering was one part creativity and a lot of luck that the jerry-rigging was going to hold. But, it appeared as though he might want to give the ship a tune-up. And be quick about it.

The youngling knight gave a wave of his hand that was intended to dismiss the honorific. "I am no master, but my ship and I are at your disposal," the boy answered simply.

Turning his head, the boy looked over at the towering form of the Wookiee. If he wasn't mistaken, the two may have cross paths on Ahch-To -- the trip in which the boy had opportunity to spar and instruct Master [member="Jorus Merrill"]. Bowing toward the furred warrior, the boy offered, "It will be my honor to fly with you, General."

[member="Evelin Redstar"] | [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"] | [member="General Beyyr"] | [member="Khindys Kaai"]​

 

[Khindys Kaai]

It'd been a while since Khin had gone on a field mission, but he recognized the mixture of excitement and dread building up in him.

The Resistance was putting all its fuel in one pod for this one; all of senior command was participating in the strike, the general himself included. Initially he'd been concerned, but he'd come to realize that it hardly mattered. If the First Order decrypted the full databanks of the captured vessels, the movement would likely be finished anyway. Any possible advantage they could seize, no matter who it put in danger, had to be seized. And so he pulled his armored duster tighter, checked his blaster's charge, and boarded the Alderaanian Queen.

In order for the diversionary strike to be effective, [member="Alexandra Russo"] and [member="Damon Riggs"] would have to arrive and begin the attack on Rithati Ridge before the shipjacking team arrived at the impound ring. The timing would need to be perfect; the First Order might well decide to send some (or most) of the ships responding to the fueling station attack back to their original posts once they realized the Resistance's primary objective. "May the Force be with you," Khin whispered, watching the pilots take off. He hoped he'd see them again.

Patching himself into the comm systems, the general made a more formal transmission. "Commander Riggs, we're lifting off and calculating our jump to lightspeed now. We'll wait for your signal once you've begun your attack run at Rithati Ridge. They're all going to come gunning for you, Commander. Good luck." With that, he gave the departure signal. Echo Base's hangars swarmed with activity as dozens of ships lifted off, Skye's coordinates locked in on their navicomputers. Khin looked over the strike team - [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"], [member="Nara Basaar"], [member="Zamza Ra'Kira"], [member="Tugoro Taidarious"], [member="Evelin Redstar"]. With luck, they'd all come back.

"[member="Dex Bastion"], [member="General Beyyr"], you're with us. Wait for our signal to drop out of hyperspace." A busy day at Rithati Ridge was about to get a lot more interesting...

 

[Natasi Fortan]

The Princess mounted the ramp to the Alderaan Queen, her mouth still full of thanks for [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] for agreeing to her request. Once aboard, she set her rucksack down on the deckplate in the common area and dug out several earpieces. She passed them out to each member not already equipped with one so that they could keep in touch during the mission, then took a seat next to [member="Nara Basaar"] and leaned back, trying to keep her breathing in check. The ship lurched into hyperspace and after several minutes of studious breathing, she stood and began to pace. "Blasters... yes yes. Kolto... yes. I've got spare power packs if everyone needs them, too," she announced before going back to her mental inventory. After a moment she went to find [member="Khindys Kaai"].

"General," she said gravely. "Thank you for all the work you've done to prepare for this mission. If we manage to pull it off, you'll be a legend among Resistance forces. If not, you'll still be a legend, but we'll all probably be dead." She tried a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Sorry. I'm still learning the humor thing. I wanted to discuss what happens when we get there. I think our first priority, after securing the hangar bay, will be to slice into the hangar terminal and get a readout of the facility. We'll need to know where the tractor beam controls are if we have any hope of escaping, with or without those ships. And if we can find a network terminal, we could try to slice in to see whether they have been successful in decrypting our computers, we may just be able to warn our resources before the First Order can strike."

She sat on the edge of a cargo crate and looked up into the General's face. "Those are just my thoughts. The final strategy is, of course, up to you. I'll do whatever you ask."

 

[Nara Basaar]

((OOC sorry for the image change again. this is the final one))


Nara was instructed to coordinate with [member="Khindys Kaai"] on the distribution of medical supplies. Something that did not take long at all due to the shortage of actual medical supplies. The only advice she could really give was to present medical packs to more frontline people like herself and that those people try to ration it out. This shortage affected everyone so Nara had to inform Khindys that she cannot afford to give medical packs to pilots flying the fighters. After explaining this Nara gave him a slanted smile that just reeked of worry. "I hope to see you again General. be safe" Nara said with her voice cracking a bit.

Nara was not one to usually go on a mission, but this was big and numbers were low. Plus someone had to keep an eye on [member="Evelin Redstar"]. Nara adjusted her combat suit letting out a labored sigh, the nerves were really setting in now. Nara struggled to pin her blonde bob haircutt back due to shaking hands, more evidence of her nerves. Nara knew what was at stake, how important this mission was but she had never faced the First Order head on like this before. Nara took one big deep breath and made her way onto the Alderaan Queen. The medic could not look the others in the eyes as she passed them, she feared her nerves would worsen their mood.

Nara sat down not too far away from some troops and began to twiddle her fingers around trying to distract herself. Nara looked up and noticed the only thing that soothed her nerves entered the ship, the Princess herself. Unable to smile Nara just watched her sit next to her easily detecting the Princess labored breaths. The jump to hyperspace was now happening. Nara placed her hand over Evelin's in hopes to calm herself and the Princess down. The Princess rose and paced, Nara's gaze fell to the floor. Before the princess left to find Khindys she handed Nara a blaster. Nara just stared at the blaster, she had never really used a blaster before much less killed anyone. Nara hated being alone at this moment so she rose and found the Princess sitting on a cargo crate. Nara gazed at the Princess and sat down at her feet with her back to the crate, she then pulled her knees in and hugged them.

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

After entering the command center, Tugoro found himself swept away by the crowds that had decided to gather. Struggling to see over the masses of tall individuals, the young man would stand on the tips of his toes, an annoyed but desperate look upon his face. He was able to make out most of everything that was said, and once more he had a bad feeling. The pilots had already begun taking off, and here he was standing around. Then again, his Aleph was still recharging, there was no telling how effecient it would be in battle. Aside from being the of the most powerful Starfighters of it's era, it still had some flaws. As the conversations went on, a plan was discussed and people were put into teams.

[member="Evelin Redstar"] had placed the Knight onto the strike team, though he couldn't help but feel as if the other pilots might need his help. [member="Dex Bastion"] and [member="Alexandra Russo"] were probably already away, and he knew there were no Jedi pilots with them. If the strike team were to actually make it, they would need all of the distraction they could get. Well, the First Order would. Turning to look towards the exit, the Jedi would speak briefly, "I'm gonna go help them out," before darting out into the icy corridors of Echo Base. Coming to a brisk jog as he entered the hangar, Tugoro would scan the area, finding it rather empty.

There were still a few personnel here and there, though many had taken off already. Spotting his Starfighter, he would run over to it and jump into the air, landing upon it's hull as he leant down and opened the cockpit hatch. With a single step the young man would fall, landing in the pilots seat and buckling himself in. The two droids that had been working on the vehicle began to crowd the viewport, tapping on the glass rapidly. "Sir, your Starfighter is not yet fully charged. Some systems may not operate efficiently," the droid spoke loudly, causing Tugoro to smirk slightly. "Lucky First Order, huh?" He commented whilst tapping upon consoles and buttons, eventually easing the throttle and lifting his ship into the air.

Hopefully those droids hadn't been damaged, the young man hadn't even paused to think about them. The Imperial craft would roar audibly out of the hangar, screeching through the cold sky as it's pilot looked over statistics. Everything seemed to be fine, other than the advanced shielding systems. They were operating at half efficiency, and something else would most likely have to be powered down if he were to utilize them effectively. Luckily his hyperdrive was now functioning, and as he cleared the atmosphere his fighter would shoot into the darkness of space, an elongated series of blue stars from the Jedi's point of view. His sensors had picked up the others, and his course was plotted for theirs.

 

[Krayn]

“Mr Kalast.” The overly polite tone came from the green-skinned woman who entered the Star Destroyers administrative office. She was fairly young, attractive for what ever species she was and carried herself with a confident grace. She meant business. Or at least that is what she hoped. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you. [member="Ileris Sonn"] has always spoken about you with such high regard.”

She took a seat, opposite the Supreme Commander and gave him the once over, his uniform and general appearance suited his role to the tee. Perhaps it was true that he could indeed offer her all the credits and power she sought.
“I believe Ileris ran you through the finer details of our agreement?” She paused, not wanting to leave the ball in his park too long. “A residency within your government, an extensive salary and no questions asked?”
She was blabbering, she couldn’t help it. He made her nervous.