The Abyssal Zone (GA vs. OS: Invasion of Dulvoyinn)

[Armand Temi]

Location: Approaching The Immortal Titan
Allies: Strike team [member="Sal Katarn"] [member="Glavo Pahro"]
Enemies: [member="Cameron Centurion"] [member="Crystal"]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZyzX4c1vIs​

Warfare was something to which Home Secretary of the Republic, Cath Lorr, was practically allergic, but after a diplomatic trip to Galactic Alliance space, she found herself being called upon to help defend the ANS Belshazzar. Yet, for some reason, the deployment officer of the Alliance instructed her to board an Orbalisk Class Shuttle and launch into Sith space in the atmosphere above Dulvoyinn.

She brought along one of her Senate security guards, mostly for personal protection, but the Aqualish male named Odo protested when Cath was moved towards the shuttle.

“There must be some mistake,” he said in heavily-accented Basic. “Madame Lorr cannot go on this ship.”

“And why not? My troop list has this Jedi Padawan on the Titan Strike team."

“Because she’s a prominent figure in the Republic… she’s the-"

“Odo, please, if that’s where they need us, than to the Titan we go," said the Eldorai official. Cath nearly cringed outwardly as she abhorred using her role in the Republic government as an excuse to get out of anything, even as peace-abiding as she was. The Aqualish wasn’t going to argue with his headstrong employer, so he nodded and followed Madame Lorr onto their shuttle.

As the pair of them piloted the shuttle towards the looming OS Flagship, Odo asked in an unusually suspicious tone, “Do you think it was a mix-up or was that on purpose?"

“Possibly, but I like to think the Force guides our fate and we must follow where it leads us." Cath may have been a bureaucrat, but she was a Jedi and foremost. On the Jedi Consular path when she retired from politics, the Padawan would only kill another sentient being if absolutely necessarily. Despite her nerves, she was resolute. And yet, the path to getting the Titan to surrender felt like an insurmountable cliff, and most likely was, but the Eldorai and her Aqualish guard were determined to aid in that process in whatever way they could. How could she rule on Yutan in the proverbial ivory tower when she had no idea as to the very specific threat that peace-keepers were under?

While she knew the wine may be poisoned, Cath needed just a taste to let her know exactly the breadth and scale of how toxic this specific brand of evil really was.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vn1Q-S7sWg​

Location: Aboard the ANS Fondor's Aegis
Objective: Wreck Shizz
Allies:

• The One Sith
• [member="Isamu Baelor"]

Enemies:

• The Alliance
• [member="Ryan Korr"]
• [member="Taeli Raaf"]

Fluff:

• Two Battalions of Zero-G Blackblade Guardsmen

Armament:

• Pressurized Variant of the Tyrant Armor
• Sith Shuk'orok
• Curved Sith Lightsaber
• Gabriel's Stolen Lightsaber
• Primordial Signet Ring

Vornskr descended through the circular incision he had made in the warship's hull, and immediately crashed down onto an unsuspecting crew member right as the affects of the space outside began to siphon both the air and everything not bolted down out into the void. The crew member didn't die immediate from the impact, although his chest had been crushed and his left arm shattered by the impact made by Vornskr's sabaton, yet perhaps it would have been mercy if the Sith Lord's bulk had crushed his skull rather than the mutilating torment he now found himself in. Vornskr only spared the wailing man a curious glance before he removed his foot to let his corpse tumble out through the hole and into space, his screams eventually fading into deafening silence.

However; that silence was swiftly replaced by the wail of emergency klaxons as the rest of the corridor began to seal off the breach made by the Sith Lord. By now more of the Blackblades that had survived the onslaught outside had hunkered down within the breach, magnetizing the soles of their boots so that they would adhere to the metallic surface. Already he could sense approaching souls, Alliance Marines who's sole duty was to repel any boarders, and they had come en masse to his breach. He approached one of the sealed doorways and plunged his lightsaber deep into the metal, slowly cutting and carving out a hole large enough for several men to enter shoulder-to-shoulder. Due to the thickness of the door it would take several minutes for him to actually cut all the way through, and in that time a rather large contingent of Alliance Marines had set up barricades at the choke point, but they were not ready for what was to emerge.

Vornskr yanked his blade free of the door, and punched out the middle with a mighty application of telekinesis that sent the piece of durasteel careening down the hall to bowl over several marines that were in waiting. The Sith Lord wasted no time charging through the gap, lightsaber humming loudly as he lazily deflected the oncoming fire back to their origins and in no time at all he was upon them like a demon possessed. With every swipe of his blade he chopped off arms, legs, and even heads from the Marines, their blaster bolts hardly making a scratch in the reinforced phrik plating that coated the Sith Lord's body. By now the Blackblades had begun to join the fray, laying down suppressing waves of fire to push the Marines further back into the ship. Vornskr grabbed a nearby marine by the faceplate of his helmet, and used him like a club to batter away at nearby marines before finally ending his life with a simple appliance of pressure to his skull.

Yet as he delighted in the brutalization and slaughter of the fools that opposed him, Vornskr was keenly aware of the twin beacons of light that moved through the warship with righteous purpose. He was ready for them, but were they ready for him?

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Mess Decks of Titan
Allies: [member="Crystal"]
Enemies: [member="Sal Katarn"] | [member="Glavo Pahro"] | [member="Cath Lorr"]

Through the open doorway of the mess decks, Cameron could see multiple flashes of brilliant light accompanied by a sound that was so loud at distance...it must have been ear-splitting up close. The Sith Lord, of course, recognized the effects but chose not to speak on the employment of the particular incendiary. Apparently, a simple flashbang wasn't enough as a concussive wave of overpressure caused the already weakened bulkheads to bulge and bubble. For a moment, a soft laugh escaped Cameron's lips. Really whoever was approaching could have just skipped the flashbang and went straight to the concussion grenade.

Silver-green eyes were ready to meet the lifeforms that the Sith Lord had sensed in the corridor. For his part, he simply watched the tactical threshold clear followed by a rather textbook wall-flood. Extending out his arms, Cameron motioned to the grand nature of the completely deserted mess decks. "The conquering heroes have arrived! Hungry?"

The drivel that the Sith Lord allowed to spew from his mouth was not the greater focal point of their collective inaugural interaction. The power of the Force rapidly coalescing in the core of his being, however, was the greater point of focus. Silent words drifted across the short distance to his ex-wife's mind. Half and half, then?

((OOC: Slight note - this will be my last post for probably close to twenty-four hours as I'm boarding an international flight this evening and won't be able to access the internet again until probably tomorrow evening EDT.))

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Location: Onboard her Phasma Class Infiltrator.
Allies: One Sith, Sith Assassins.
Enemies: Galactic Alliance.

Armament:
Assassin armour.
2x curved-hilt lightsabres.
Nagajj & Tsaisibola.
Rudis of the Dark Lord.
3x thermal detonators.
Standard issue vibrodagger.

The dark backdrop of space outside Dulvoyinn’s orbit was ablaze with streaking rays of plasma and ships falling apart under the heavy exchange of fire. Armies faced each other in their metal boxes, staring each other down through transparisteel viewports. Troops entered their transports to battle in confined spaces, near the all-consuming void of space. It was beautiful; it was pandemonium; it was war. As always, when there was a call to war, Darth Ophidia, the Pale Assassin, answered. She had seen the One Sith rise and she had climbed its ladder. Now, she would not sit idly by to watch it crumble beneath her feet under pressure by these cretins. No, she would twist the knife and watch them burn.

Onboard her Phasma Class Infiltrator, a stealth ship designed for and exclusively utilised by The Sith Assassins, The Rattataki Sith Lord beheld the chaos they were about to navigate in order to strike a critical blow against The Galactic Alliance. She felt no fear, only a cold determination. Fear meant doubt, and doubt was the hand that picked one’s killer. On this day, she was the hand of death.

Holding her helmet under her left arm and her right hand resting on her hip, she stared out at the approaching battle while the stealth ship arced around the main battle to gain better access to the two main ships. They steered towards the Alliance Carrier, ANS Belshazzar. Darth Ophidia’s eyes burned with hatred, but her presence coalesced into a mere atom to not draw attention toward the ship. She lifted the helmet and placed it on her head, letting it fasten to her bare skull. They would approach from the shadows and cut the belly of the beast.

 

[Darth Centax]

Location: Stealthed, Below the Firefight in Shuttles.
Heading to: The Alliance Carrier - ANS Belshazzar

Enemies: On the Carrier or Enroute (Possibly)
[member="Sturgis Tal'Verda"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Aeron Kreelan"] | [member="Matthew Robinson"] | [member="Bryce Bantam"]
Possible interceptors in space:
[member="Choli Vyn"] | [member="Asmus Janes"] | [member="Alexandra Russo"]


Allies: [member="Darth Ophidia"] | Anyone on way to carrier.

Forces: 769th Coruscant Own Regulars: Breaching/Boarding Regiment, enroute to carrier. (1700/2000) 300 Losses on initial approach.


Sun's direction aiding to mask all but invisible energy signatures individually, the advanced stealth suite, staying out of the engagement zone, spreading them so not cluster: All these things had bought them some time, while the fighters, the main shuttles and large ships, those above dueled it out. Spiral assault shuttles, were dart-like craft, and still taking the indirect route to the carrier, however with three hundred of these micro sized shuttles coming it was only a matter of time till they were spotted.

Picking the best possible spot they could, somewhere behind and at an angle to the carrier, they began to, “Angle for approach,” toward its underbelly, set slightly behind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlcUwUwjLrs​

300 Hundred Came, Fire Beside them, Metal Ahead of them, and Fate to decide them. #Daves Forever​

While the fighting intensified, and brave soldiers died on both sides, eventually an alliance fighter collided with one of the cloaked shuttles, sending a blip on the radar, one blip, one unknown collision in a large battle.

Closer they came, three hundred invisible darts soaring upward toward their target the ANS Belshazzar. Another shuttle was hit by some stray fire, disintegrating the small craft in a flash. Two blips, guns most likely beginning to train on their position, but they were spread out, an unknown in a sea of possible targets. Yet slowly people were all too sure to realise the grave threat looming below them!

“Fighter screen.” Kylath called, sensing the moment near, fighters broke off, and one squadron of light fighters broke towards the carrier, a handful bombers assisting in the diversion. Now the carrier gunners had a choice, focus on something that might not be there, shoot the obvious threat, or split their fire.

More time, more kilometers gained, fighters likely knew something was there, probably hot on their tails, but where and how many shuttles were coming? Outside the viewports fire from multiple sources hit their position, streaking through the 769th’s ranks as shuttles began to flash to flame and gone, six men dead at a time, brother and sister snuffed out in a flash. 769th were one of the few non clone stormtrooper corps, taken from the survivors on Coruscant after the GA’s last visit, they were family to each other, living and dying as one.

Full speed, swinging left and right through the storm of fire zeroing in. Nothing left but to hit home, pin pricks in the side of a metal giant to deflate and breach. One by one the dart ships became visible as their proton charge discharged against the shield, individual impacts weakening enough for individual craft to pass, and then all hell broke loose around them, metal hit metal, blinding light blowing out the hull around them for boarding, or the shuttles they were in from their target's guns....

Energy riot shields forward upon their arms, the men began to press inward, but how many would make it inside or survive the initial boarding was anyone's guess.

Personal Gear:
X1 Officer Armor | MRS-1 Modular Assault Rifle Sized in hands | 4x Mixed Grenades | Lightsaber on hip | Personal Ray Shield | Crushgaunts on Hands | Jack Knife Pistol on hip

Related NPC Forces: (Last time I'll post them all)

Spoiler

769th Coruscant Own Regulars: (1,700/2,000) Boarding Regiment, enroute to carrier.
769th Coruscant Own Regulars: Roughly 4,000 Aboard the Hungry Mynock Defending @Anyone to use
770th Loyal Sons Regulars, 2nd Division. Roughly 8,000 aboard the Immortal Flagship Defending @Anyone to Use

Actions: Fighter/Bomber Diversion on Carrier - Shuttles begin to board from the belly of the carrier in six man squads, many lost to starfight or laser fire, most still boarding.

 

[Aela Talith]

Space
Boarding Shuttle

This was worse then she had expected. It was worse then she had ever thought it could be. She'd been in the midst of space combat before, but had always been on a station, a shipyard, something more...stable. This was simply horrifying. Aela felt like her stomach was in her throat, felt like bile was about to rise up and spill form her lips. Her head was spinning and her vision wen a tad blurry as the shuttle spun, dipped, and quickly ducked beneath turbolaser's erupting from the hundreds of starships near them.

A blue hand reached her shoulder, gently squeezing in order to perhaps give her a measure of comfort.

As much as she appreciated the gesture, Aela didn't notice Arn trying to do his best to reassure her, the Chiss Jedi Knight being completely forgotten as the shuttle took a sudden 'drop' within space. The inertial dampeners inside kicked in, and Aela felt an odd pressure on her abdomen. The Marshall's eyes half crossed before quickly shutting, Aela bucking over and catching herself on the edge of the jumpseat as she tried to catch her bearings and hold in the contents of her stomach.

"Hang on guys."

The pilot's voice echoed over the speaker system. "Wha-?"

"It's going to get bumpy."

"What does he mea-" She was suddenly cut off as the razor sharp sound of metal shearing echoed through the vessel followed by a quick surge of the shuttle jutting to the side and barreling into a roll over and over again. Aela's lips immediately snapped shut, her eyes closing and her hands seizing into a vice grip on the edge of her seat. She felt the shuttle shake, quiver, and then suddenly come to a jarring and complete stop, her body half thrown and jostled as the echoing sound of sheared metal and venting space erupted all around her. "What the fuck is going on?"

She shouted up towards the pilot, only to receive the immediate response of blaster fire and a blood curdling scream. Half a dozen bolts sheared through the metal around her, singing through the thin armoring of the boarding shuttle and spraying some of the soldiers around her. Aela's eyes opened wide, her hand pulling the saber from her thigh and igniting it. She sliced through her restraints in one quick motion, turning and cutting through the hull of the ship to the exit onto the Lower Weapons Deck of the Immortal Titan.

 

[Raien Keth]

Location: Aboard the ANS Fondor's Aegis, Engine Area
Mission: WAAAGGGGGHHH, headaches and such.
Allies: [member="Darth Vornskr"] | [member="Isamu Baelor"]
Enemies: [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"]
Pilots: [member="Choli Vyn"] | [member="Asmus Janes"] | [member="Alexandra Russo"]

Personal Squad Fluff:
5 Giant Massassi Sith Spawn, Tomb Guardians, Large but Basic Melee Weapons/Patch Armor
(220/250) Biodroids MK2’s - Byss Hive, using GA DNA Templates
Background Space Fluff:

Spoiler

Transports Flarestar-Class Attack Shuttles, Central
Bombers, Assaulting
Fighters, Screening, Escorting

Snub Fighters ahead obliterating themselves against the behemoth guns and fighter escorts, bombers not doing much better. A way was needed through, then came the order reverberating inside the minds of Alliance pilots, one by one to drive their forward most craft into the side of their own flagship, ordinance and all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuzWj9arn4w​

Mind Searing, with style.​

Concentrating, pressured focus on the nearest fighter craft flying by, through the force his well practiced and often executed technique reached outward. Voices searing into minds steadily turned a handful of alliance pilots heads inside out, picked one at a time. Subconscious fears and terrors welling to the surface, some screamed and gibbered over the radios to their comrades about specters from their past, or renacted their worst fears, burning alive or drowning inside their minds. Perhaps unnerving, as none knew who would be taken next. [member="Choli Vyn"] | [member="Asmus Janes"] | [member="Alexandra Russo"]. One or two perhaps turned around and rammed one after the other, into the aft section of the alliance’s own flagship, if only to make their tormentors demands to do so end, some perhaps managed to resist but were shaken, or just wouldn't answer their comms.

Kamakazi's combined with the bombing runs, combined with the streaking sith fighters, and now combined with a shuttle of Raien’s own biodroids sent to ramming speed on the same section. Eventually just brute force gave way, and they breached the shield in a wide enough area, the saucer shaped craft launching torpedoes against the hull, and followed those missiles a short distance away, cutting straight into the weakened sections of the Aegis. There was no heed for self-preservation from his droids. Raien had taught Kylath this trick well, cutting through man and metal both as small shards, unlucky bodies, and elements of the hull detached from the giant ship, his own craft embedding themselves in the side.

Emergency energy fields sealed the breach behind them. Oxygen masks on in case, bodies beginning to pile at his feet, none here warranted a glance save a few powerful individuals. Through the ruined wreckage ahead, his vong maul swung outward, crunching bone beneath armor, and impaling the nearest alliance crewman into the far wall, blood pooling below him. The five Massassi sith spawn with him were no more forgiving, swinging mighty axe or maul weapons into the startled crew, and impaling the interlopers bodies in their own now blood soaked halls. Messy summed it up.

Insect-like Humanoid Droids swarmed the aft section of the ship, with simple orders, harvest, burrow, claim the engine section. They would not build a full hive here, but the rear of the ship would become home to gnawing, cutting droids. Given this was a metal ship, they used their explosive charges to begin carving out their territory, seeking to hollow out their own nest aboard the alliance’s flagship. Somewhere behind the emotionless mask, Keth almost managed a smile.

Himself he had more important business than to watch the alliance's pride and joy be turned into last years best cheese, making his way at first to life support, keep it simple, but you could do a lot more than vent air at life support. Ahead men, if you could call them that to his overly prideful eyes, began to take position, his first catch of the day...

Gear:
Edge of Truth lightsaber | Heavy Vong Spiked Maul grown in place of his left hand | Krayt’s Reborn Armor

Actions: Heading to main life support.
Biodroids: spreading out, beginning to create tunnels around the engine sections.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

ANS Fondor's Aegis
Allies: [member="Ryan Korr"]
Enemies: [member="Raien Keth"] (time to dance) [member="Darth Vornskr"]

NPCs: 50 Harbinger Droids, 11,000~ Alliance Marines (the ~ is because the death has already begun for them)

She felt the shifts, the enemy had breached in a few areas, but Taeli was no stranger to battle. She hadn't been for years now. Whatever these new types of Sith droids were, they were about to meet something much stronger than they expected near the engine section. Her Harbinger Droids, clad completely in phrik armor with turadium skeletons and wielding enough weapons to deal with a small platoon each were waiting for them. All 50 of them. Heavy blaster cannons, shatter rifles and scatter guns, Thermal detonators all converged on the enemy biodroids. They were programmed for maximum efficiency in dealing with enemies, and if those enemies were burrowing into the bulkheads, then they would go in after those droids in their own burrows.

"Seal all off all sections," she ordered into her comlink, calmly walking towards the intersection as life support. She could feel the Massassi and their master nearby. "Blast doors raised, barricades erected. Ray shields up. If an enemy droid is sighted, shoot it immediately."

"As you command, Master Raaf," the answer came over her comlink. With her orders given, the Marines would start to reinforce and prepare for attacks from any direction. Turadium blast doors closed at junctions, ray shields were raised around life support, the engines, and the reactors. 11,000 men, all ready to fight and die in the war against the Sith were prepared.

She turned her attention to the armored figure and his five large red warriors in their patchwork armor. Cracking her neck, she drew her lightsaber and ignited both blades. Amethyst light shone, the blades whirling into a spinning disc of energy, and she threw it at the Massassi. It returned to her hand after sweeping through them, stopping its spinning.

"If you wish to progress, you'll have to get through me," she said simply, turning off one blade and giving a Makashi salute to the armored Sith.

Actions:
Sent Harbinger Droids after the biodroids, to root them out of anywhere they might try and establish themselves
Ordered Marines to seal off the key areas of the ship and prepare to defend them
Getting in the way of Raien and killing the Massassi

 

[LT-137]

Location: Tactical Airspace around the ANS Belshazzar.
Objective: Marshaling for an Attack Run.
Allies: Galactic Alliance, Rogue Squadron. [ [member="Berric Kelso"] | [member="Loske Matson"] | [member="Choli Vyn"] | [member="Encouragement Gets"] | [member="Asmus Janes"] | [member="Areiana Slayer"] | [member="Alexandra Russo"] ]
Enemy: The One Sith.
Equipment: T-70 X-wing Starfighter, MF-9 Scattergun, DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol.

https://youtu.be/-1om9GUbEWU​

As the ignition of my ion fusial drives had catapulted my fighter into the black morass of space, I felt my entire body tremble with anticipation. While some would say that what I experienced at that moment was pure, unadulterated dread - I'd disagree. It wasn't fear that pumped through my veins, seeking to wrest control of the flesh from my will, but a heightened sense of things. My violet eyes danced over the multitude of consoles implanted before me, as the T-70 X-wing stormed passed the barrier keeping the gelid caress of the void from devouring my comrades whole, only to return to the crystalline canopy as my fighter had joined the battle. Coruscating arcs of emerald lightning was cast out into the void, causing azure shields to flare into life and fail as the energy had overwhelmed their capacitors. In return, beams of solidified crimson battered down the enemy - tearing through their barriers with calculated ease.

Wasting nothing more than a glance, I had seen that this battle was coming to a standstill, leaving only one avenue left for those within this benighted sector of space. They would be forced to board the enemy craft, and disable the metallic hulks from within, all to end this ensuing stalemate and clearly establish the Victor and those that would be mocked by the ashes of history. While it was unlikely that I'd be forced to exhume myself from this flying coffin, the notion of storming the enemy ship and mowing down all that stood in my way was enticing. Pushing such fantastical thoughts aside as I forced my fighter into a rapid deceleration, my fingers yanked backward on the control yoke and caused my X-wing to swing upwards into the fray. What others would come to learn of after this encounter had concluded, was that I had moved my fighter instinctually, as my combat-recorder had acknowledged the existence of an enemy boarding craft that had been missed in my starship's preliminary sensor sweep.

In hindsight, I'd be thanking the Gods for bestowing their meager blessing upon me, but as we're in the present - such a realization hadn't crossed my mind. I was too engrossed in the ebb and flow of combat, and it wasn't until my embedded BB-Unit chirped several expletive warnings at me, that I came to realize that my thoughts shouldn't wander when lives were at stake. How entertaining, a Droid telling a being of Flesh and Bone what to do. Shaking my head and letting my focus return to the furious kaleidoscope of dancing lights off my fighter's prow, I re-engaged the engines and speared into the heart of the enemy's formation. It wasn't long before I had come to regret my choice in action, as I listened to the sounds of my fellow pilots scream their last as they died alongside the snub fighters of the enemy. Part of me wanted to die alongside them, hoping to buy the Alliance the time it required to earn its pyrrhic victory.

However, I knew that such thoughts would do little to the bigger picture when all things were said and done, leading me to believe that I had to do something crazy to balance the scales. That was when my eyes had locked onto the One Sith's gargantuan carrier, spewing forth all manners of technological horrors to combat the rising numbers of Alliance pilots venturing out into the void. Blinking my communications system to a readied state and keying the terminal before me, I cast my voice out into the bespeckled obsidian ocean, waiting for it to lure in the right response.

:: Rogue Twelve to Green Leader, How Copy? ::

There was a momentary pause, but just as silence was slowly starting to settle within my cockpit - a voice shattered its encroaching grasp.

:: I copy Rogue Twelve. ::

Letting the serpentine approximation of a smile crease across my lips, I re-keyed the comms unit and instantaneously swung my yoke to the side, narrowing missing the final, explosive moments of an enemy fighter. My BB unit wouldn't be happy.

:: Green Leader, form your squadron on me. We've got to take out that enemy carrier if our boys are going to stand a chance out here. ::

Gritting my pearlescent teeth behind the sinuous grin, I gunned the fighter's thrusters and threw the craft into a deadly roll to avoid yet another dying fighter - this time, it hailed from the Alliance. I probably didn't know who that was, but as I swiveled my gaze away from the pointed prow of my craft to honor his final moments, there was an instant of connection that sent a shiver of recognition down my spine. The chances were that I knew the man, and should I survive this battle, would come to mourn his loss in the days ahead.

:: Understood Twelve, Forming up on your lead. ::

With those words once again shattering the silence of war that raged all around me, I silently wished for several more squadrons of fighters that would be able to do the work of Green Group tenfold - however, as it stood - they had only myself and my measly X-wing to act as an escort and their beloved anti-capital ship loadouts. Well, I said to myself as a dozen K-wing bombers had fallen into formation behind me, there's no time like the present to be a big damn hero.

 

[Kyber Salurra]

Location: Boarding Craft
Mission: Attrition/Search & Destroy
Allies: Galactic Alliance - [member="Aela Talith"]
Enemies: None Yet.
Gear: Personal Heavy Armor - Usual Equipment - Mk. II Omega Boltgun - BTI-CC13 Blaster Rifle - (2x) BTI-WB Heay Blaster Pistol


It had been a long while since Kyber ha graced the battlefield with his presence, the last time he remember doing so was for the Republic many years ago. He would definitely be lying if he did not admit to himself that there wasn't a small sense of excitement in his bones. His blood boiled when he was peaceful for too long, it was just his nature. Perhaps he was born with the lust for action, or perhaps it was bred into him through his life of hardship- he may never know. What he did know was that it had been a long while since he'd participated in anything so large-scale. He was ready to fight.

As his ship was weaving its way through space he couldn't help but find himself checking and re-checking his weapons and systems, old military habits that still stuck with him all these years. After completing his checks for the third time he inspected his fellow soldiers briefly before locking his eyes on what appeared to be a force-sensitive ([member="Aela Talith"]). What luck, it seemed Kyber might get to actualky fight against a Sith today after all. He was worried that they wouldn't bother with him and his fellow soldiers if they were all non-force users. Just as Kyber was beginning to enjoy himself the ship's lights flashed off and the red warning lights flared on. The ship began to move in directions he didn't even know possible as he could feel various explosions being set off around him. Always the worst part of being hot-dropped like this-- not being able to control the ship yourself. That helpless feeling didn't sit well with Kyber, but as the soldier he was trained to be he steeled his mind and awaited for their landing.

Unfortunately that landing never came. It was more of a crash, really. Kyber barely overheard the force-sensitive and the late pilot exchange a few words as he braced himself for the impact. After Surviving the initial crash and not wanting to wait around to get shredded into, Kyber swiftly unbuckled his restraints moments after the Jedi had sliced hers open with precision and began to follow with his rifle raised. He flicked on his comm's to a local public channel and started to patch his message through, hoping the Jedi wasn't going in without a receiver; "This is Kyber Salurra on your six- I'm all yours, Ma'am."

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

Location: Fondor's Aegis, Access Corridor
Enemies: [member="Darth Vornskr"] | [member="Isamu Baelor"]
Allies: [member="Taeli Raaf"]

A rank presence awakened inside Ryan's mind, a slow rolling fog of aphotic power incarnate. The Jedi's features darkened, grip tightening around his saber. He knew that presence, had felt it before. The Iron Tyrant of Panatha. A man whose delight in power was only surpassed by the pleasure he derived from others' suffering. Many would rather die than be captured by him, or his infamous Blackblades.

Korr knew what happened to those the Epicanthix King held prisoner. Searing irons, Sith magic and horrid alchemy. Torture perfected and made into a perversion of art. The Zambrano's preferred pastime.

Too many friends had fallen to that madman, beneath blade or hot pincer. It was time he was brought to an end.

The turbo lift door whooshed open and Ryan broke into a sprint, passing a team of marines falling back with shouts.

"Master Jedi," one said, "There's a Sith with a whole unit down there. We're trying to cut them off from other points of ingress-"

"Go. I'll hold him off."

"Beep-boop-bee," he heard in his ear, then more tweetling afterward.

"I know. I'm headed there now. Contact Master Raaf, last I knew she was at the bridge. Tell her to shut off all access corridors on this level. Seal us in."

From this point, the Dark Lord could move to either the engine reactors or the bridge, neither one of which was an acceptable loss.

Ryan slowed his run to a walk. He didn't need the sound of screaming and blaster fire to know what waited for him around the corridor. Taking in a deep breath through the nose, the Jedi Master stepped out and into the hall. The dark side pervaded the air, a noxious stench, the sickly-sweet odor of desiccation. At the end of the hall stood the tyrant himself, clad head to toe in armor, red blades in hand. Bodies lay scattered all around him, like dead leaves beneath an oak.

"That's far enough, Darth."

The corridor was the width of three men, once pure white walls now marred by black blaster pocks and smears of red. No room for Ataru acrobatics. Korr grit his teeth and settled into a Form III stance, both hands gripping the lengthy nickel-toned hilt. The azure blade came to life with a snap-hiss, more short spear than saber. Eyes the color of drawn steel narrowed and the Jedi Master let the Force flow over him until he found his center.

I'll not let him goad me.

 

[Bryce Bantam]

Location: Aboard ANS Belshazzar
Objective: Repair the Starr / Defend the GA
Allies: GA ( [member="Sturgis Tal'Verda"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Aeron Kreelan"] | [member="Matthew Robinson"] )
Enemy: OS ( [member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] )

"No, this one goes there, that one goes there, got it?" BB said to one of his K1-SERIES DROIDs as he continued to work.

By this time, most of the ships in the hanger were away and crews were milling around setting up to refuel and arm any ships that came back. As he watched his droids work he received a quite unexpected call.

"How're the repairs looking, Bryce?"

"Matt, holy Poodoo, what are you doing on this ship? I thought you were still back in the outback."

It was nice to hear a friendly voice, but a little strange. Hell the whole day had been strange, and with the battle now raging around them it was only going to get stranger, and more serious surely.

"Oh but yeah repairs are going slow, blew out four power couplings this time, a new record."

 

[Crystal]

Location: Mess Decks of Titan
Allies: [member="Cameron Centurion"]
Enemies: [member="Sal Katarn"] | [member="Glavo Pahro"] | [member="Cath Lorr"]

“Can you not sense it?” Cameron shrugged.

Crystal chuckled. Well of course she could sense it, but that told her nothing of his role in the battle. She still had questions. He would hate that. As much as it would amuse her to annoy him, she didn’t want to miss out on finding out why he appeared in her vision.

“Yes, The defenders of the galaxy trying to right wrongs and triumph over evil. Blah blah blah. Seen it for centuries. BORING.” Crystal smiled then. “That’s why I asked you. You must have an interest or you wouldn’t be here…” she trailed off when she saw his gaze turn.

“Can I play too?” she inquired with her head tilted.

Then, a flashbang…. and a grenade. That seemed a bit unnecessary…

The Sorceress was so giddy that she might explode into giggles at any moment. The sight of Cameron as an ambassador was almost too much for her. But, she had years to practice keeping her composure even when he did his damnedest to get her laughing.

Crystal stood up from her seat and moved swiftly toward him and his guests. Diplomacy wasn’t dead after all. A broad smile crossed her face at the sound of her husband’s voice in her head. Play time. And he was willing to share! She had made the right decision.

~Devine.~ she replied to him silently.

“Did you know they have the most appetizing nerfburger in all the sector right here in this mess hall?” Crystal inquired sweetly of the duo that had arrived.

 

[Meeristali Peradun]

Location: Shuttle from ANS Belshazzar to Hungering Mynock
Objective: TBD
Allies: [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Lilin Imperieuse"] | [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] | [member="Cole Katarn"] | [member="Ayme Katash"] | [member="Trix Bastin"] | [member="Dagon Mor"] | [member="Nia Siroc"]
Enemies: The One Sith
Equipment: Vanguard Armour | CC-13 | Occluder Handcanon | Lightsabre

After being left to care for the twins on far too many occasions while [member="Avalore Eden"] went gallivanting across the galaxy to get into her own share of trouble, the large, muscle-bound tank of a Jedi was back in play with his brothers and sisters of the Hounds and the War Dogs. Though a Jedi was not to take enjoyment in combat, his tail was swishing an anticipatory dance as he checked over his armour and weapons while the Marshall meditated and unlike some, the Felacatian had been steeped in the life and situations of a soldier since he was a prepubescent; focus within the heat of battle was a little easier for him to find than the average.

Each piece of armour was checked in the prime order in which to attach it to his frame, which is where each segment went after its inspection until he was fully clad. The blaster rifle and lightsabre were affixed to the suit, while the Verpine snipe he often brought along on planetary missions was left off his back where it normally sat; long-range weaponry within the confines of most any vessel simply didn't make any sense... though Star Destroyers could house any kind of space. Indecision bled into him a moment, but in the end he decided to go without the shatter rifle, while the padawan roused Jacen from his immersion. It was time, and Stali couldn't keep the broad smile off his face.

"Krrrasst," he whispered upon word being dropped about the trap, but that was the extent of his negativity towards the matter. He followed along to the gunship, his smile widening into a grin when the War Dogs responded to the Marshall's call, and together they all boarded. It was time to dismantle a trap, and he could wreck with the best of them; while blessed with considerable physical enhancement by nature itself, the Force made him a monster without the need to go through the Shift, and turned him into one of the few on the team that could contend with the Vong while still using the gifts that only enhanced his own physical attributes, should they come into contact with any. It wouldn't be so bad to snap one of those fethers clean in two, now would it?

 

[Choli Vyn]

Location: Aboard ANS Belshazzar
Objective: Totally about to crash some folks onto [member="Darth Ophidia"] Phasma Class Infiltrator. Blame the fear poodoo from Raien!
Allies: GA/Rogue Squadron [member="Berric Kelso"] [member="Loske Matson"] Choli Vyn [member="Encouragement Gets"] [member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Areiana Slayer"] [member="Lucius Varad"]
Wingman!: [member="Alexandra Russo"]
Enemy: OS [member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] | [member="Raien Keth"] | [member="Darth Vornskr"] -- we only want to engage space things. If/ When you board, don't mind us! xD
Equipment: T-70 X-wing
Background GA NPC fluff -- whatever other fighter squadrons that carrier has xD I cannot be arsed to keep up. Just pretend they are there.

---

​

​

The young teenage pilot swerved in pitch and roll, working alongside the Allycat as she sent laser fire downrange at the sweep of boarders that came into view. The burst and flare of flames rose only to quickly die off, her red laser fire blasting the hail of nearby enemy fighters. Even a mass wave of them like that was not going to end up moving so --

[ Beeep beep Hooooooooooooooooooooottttt! ] R2-D9's wail startled the young pilot, and she felt the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck rise. A shiver ran down her spine. One of forbearing. It was the natural danger sense of the young woman that went beyond the norm. Oh she was in danger, yes, but this... this was different.

Being an Epicanthix had its negatives -- and it's perks. In this instance, while the young starfighter pilot flew alongside Rogue Eleven, [member="Alexandra Russo"], she had the benefit of not having to deal with the negative effects of Sith Battle Coordination. Granted, Cho didn't know why this was the case, but that was a story for another time and detailed a wreath of a family line that would take forever to dig through.

​

​

"What the heck was that?!" Choli cried out, her eyes widening and instinctively flinching back as starfighters went a bit mad. They jittered and flew in awkward directions, some even turning back to hit the carrier.

What the heck?

​

[ Rogue Twenty! Pull up... PULL UP!! ] Choli would yell out, only to curse as she swung wide, avoiding the chaos that ensued. Then she dove, only to sudden roll starboard as two more starfighters dove with a crazed direction. The turn about did something that Choli normally wouldn't do. Both starfighters, as well as Choli unknowingly went head first towards the cloaked One Sith ship attempting to sneak past The chaos conducted by the fear and the dampening of moral by the One Sith would in turn provide the venue to turn the tragedy of the Alliance pilots deaths into an advantage that would not be taken in vain.

Choli would watch in horror as the two starfighters went smashing into what would seem an invisible wall, barely grazing but revealing that there was something there. Choli herself barely managed to swing and pull her X-Wing sharply, but not before her deflector shields shuddered.

There were more cloaked ships?!

"poodoo, poodoo, poodoo!" her X-Wing swung wildly, and Choli struggled to control it. R2 was already attempting to fix the damage.

"Get my shields back up!" she yelled out, sweat beading over her face. Heart kicking like a Dug in her chest.

Oh Frell..

[Rogue Eleven, I've been hit!] she said, the red flashing over her HUD as she took on damage reports. Well it wasn't that she'd been hit as much as she'd touched tips with the wreckage of the remains of the starfighters slamming against that One Sith Stealth ship.

One that couldn't hide as well any longer.

 

[Evaelyn Zambrano]

Location: Aboard the ANS Fondor's Aegis
Objective: Kill, maim, burn
Allies:

• The One Sith
• [member="Darth Vornskr"]
• [member="Isamu Baelor"]
• [member="Raien Keth"]

Enemies:

• The Galactic Alliance
• [member="Ryan Korr"]
• [member="Taeli Raaf"]

Armament:

• Standard lightsaber
• Phrik-axe
• Blackblade Combat ARmour Mk-III
• Military Mobility Shield
• "Imp" SienarTech Semi-automatic Blaster Pistol

Evaelyn Zambrano stood in the hangar, mixed in with two entire battalions of Blackblade Guardsmen. Her body was well protected by the Blackblade Guard's. She stood tall and proud, in the dark charcoal with cardinal red and cobalt blue highlights and trims. There wasn't much to set her apart from any other soldier or officer in the guard, apart from her long blue hair. That usually caught people's eye in a crowd. The helmet was packed neatly under her left arm.

At last their commander arrived. Their commander. Her father. There was only one who did not shout Pergaleas, the Sith word for victory. Instead she lifted the helmet slightly above her head and let the blue hair vanish as she slid it on. It was time for war. As always, Elyn was prepared to kill or be killed. Unlike the rest of the guardsmen she had a lightsaber attached to the left side of her belt and a small hand-held axe suitable for one-hand use attached to the right. Her right hand wrapped tightly around the grip of the blaster pistol nicknamed "Imp".

The order to attack was given. Her father was no coward, nor was he known to sit back and command from the safe comfort of his reserve troops. It was the frontlines for him. He charged, his guard followed. Evaelyn leapt into the dark void as well. The descent to the enemy's ship was far from a peaceful and calm stroll. Vornskr, the first to dive, moved with great speed towards the hull. It was as if the ship's defenders had not expected to see a Sith Lord such as he fall upon them. Now they were awake though. And Evaelyn was trapped in hell. All around them was a torrent of lasers. It tore the man next to her apart. Her mind, her eyes, everything was focused on Vornskr and the gap he was enlarging in the hull. What happened around her became a blur, a static background noise as the machine below tried to eviscerate them from existence. Were there casualties? Highly likely. Were there many? Evaelyn hadn't the foggiest clue.

Through sheer luck or the will of the Force, 'Elyn' made it through. Her feet touched ground with the enemy ship's hull, and she did not hesitate before throwing herself down into its interior. Much more comfortable. Yet her mind was far from being at ease. It was about more than being in the middle of a heated battle between the age long enemies Sith and Jedi. Evaelyn had mixed feelings of fighting beside her father. They didn't talk much. She did her thing where she wanted, when she wanted. As did he. They were both independent. Evaelyn was not known for paying much respect to their family traditions or even name. Did she hate him? Did she love him? The reality was probably an unhealthy mix of both. How did he feel about her? Complete disregard? Disgust? Pride? He had many children. She was sure she was not his favourite. She was not even properly Sith.

A part of her had wondered if she should even bother answering the call to arms. Yet here she was. Theirs was an uneasy alliance, but there was battle, and there was much to be gained for her from that sort of activity. The tense situation had her in a mood. She felt ready to tear open the ribcage, armour or no, of anyone who stood in her path. Being close to papa Kaine hardly ever brought peace and comfort to her mind. She was on edge and she needed a release.

The battle had begun, and Evaelyn's blaster pistol had already gotten a healthy warm-up. She reserved the other weapons for later. Now she played with the pistol. The Blackblade Guard and their commander pressed forwards in an effort to push the Marines back. Steel doors came down and was sent flying. The message was clear; the Butcher King would not be stopped or slowed down. Soon, however, the pace of the battle promised to take on a different turn. A Jedi was making his appearance. Clearly, this was a matter for their commander, and she knew this was precisely the sort of thing he lived for. What would her and the rest of the guard's orders be? Provide fire support? Wait until the battle was over, then push forwards? Or leave the masters to fight while they engaged elsewhere? There was even the chance he would call upon Evaelyn to fight by his side. She didn't know. She was but a soldier today. Evaelyn Zambrano would leave the strategic planning to others. She just wanted to kill.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Location: Shuttle from ANS Belshazzar to Hungering Mynock
Objective: Hangar Bay
Allies: [member="Meeristali Peradun"] [member="Lilin Imperieuse"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Cole Katarn"] [member="Ayme Katash"] [member="Trix Bastin"] [member="Dagon Mor"] [member="Nia Siroc"]
Enemy: The One Sith.
Equipment: Vanguard Armour, CC-13, Occluder Handcannon, Saber, Smoke grenades.

Jacen looked through the viewsceen for just a moment. He turned away and took his seat as the gunship accelerated out of the hangar. Alliance personnel manned the ships weapons and almost immediately started to fire. For once Voidstalker decided that he didn’t envy those at the helm of a snubfighter. Trying to make sense of the three-dimensional melee, to try and defend boarding craft whilst also shoot down the Sith’s seemed a monumental task.

His fate was in their hands now, no use thinking on it further. Sometimes Jacen worried about things, but he had also developed a clarity of mind over the past few years that allowed his emotional self to stand back from the situation. Right now worrying would do nothing. There was a job to be done. Nothing to do but focus on that.

The gunship lurched as warning klaxons blared in the cockpit.

“Missile on three-zero and four-five, two TIE’s closing. Roger that Blue Seven, we’ll hold course.”

Outside the ship a gunship on their port side exploded as a homing missile struck it from below. Several TIE fighters fell in behind the transports, streams of green bolts arcing out to meet them. As the TIEs closed the fire from the gunships fell silent. The distinctive profile of X-Wings coming in from the flank. Too late the TIE fighters scattered, devastated by the skill of Alliance pilots.

Jacen closed his mind to the chaos around them, which only became worse as they left the safety of their own vessel’s firing arcs and entered the space around the Wyrrlock class destroyer. Several more transports fell in the opening salvo. Missiles streaked towards them from the hull of the destroyer, but a flight of A-Wings cut across their path and dealt with the ordnance quickly.

“Here we go!” called the pilot. B-Wings fell into place beside them and the void of space lit up ahead of them as a salvo of missiles accelerated towards the hangar bay.

“We’ve got an opening, but it’s small!”

“Full thrust!”

The gunship took several hits from the main hangar’s defensive weapons and she dropped like a stone onto the hangar floor. The turrets along the hull did not fall silent, opening fire on the stromtroopers and TIE fighters around them. Several more ships entered the hangar behind them.

Jacen launched out of the rear before his men, golden blade igniting. He plucked three red bolts from the air before reaching out with the Force to a trolley loaded with missiles still beneath a waiting TIE. He hurled it into the defensive group of soldiers, scattering them. Fortunate that none of them went off, as they would have obliterated half of the hangar.

“Secure the main hangar!” Jacen called, “We make for the bridge!”

 

[Isamu Baelor]

Location: The Relentless
Objective: Board the ANS Fondor’s Aegis
Allies:

Spoiler

• The One Sith
• [member="Darth Vornskr"]
• [member="Raien Keth"]
• [member="Evaelyn Zambrano"]

Enemies:

Spoiler

• The Galactic Alliance
• [member="Ryan Korr"]
• [member="Taeli Raaf"]

Force:

Spoiler

• 2 x Iron Guard Battalions

Armaments:

Spoiler

• IW-X02A Calamity
• IW-W01A Interchangeable Weapon System
• IW-W02A Blaster Pistol
• IW-Wo3A Blaster Rifle
• Hand-held Energy Shield

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLSimFR_gRg[/media]​

Corporal Sven Hallstrom sat hunched over, with gripped hands leaning on his blaster rifle. A cloud of worry hung over the young corporal. The icy grasp of unease clutched at his mind, and bored its way into his soul. He gazed at the floor beneath his feet, hyperventilating under the stress of the upcoming battle. His mind circled the abyss, until snapped out of it by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and saw the visage of the Military Executor: Isamu Baelor.

With a hand on his shoulder, the Military Executor offered Sven a nod. It was stern, almost fatherly. As if to say “It’ll be ok.” The sense of dread, which had gripped the corporal, loosened. Washed away in the comfort of the Executor’s confidence. With the hint of a smile, Sven reciprocated the gesture, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips. His breathing slowed, returning to a calm state.

It was after the Battle of Coruscant that the Military Executor had taken note of the then-private. Of the mountain of reports that piled on his desk, it was that of a soldier who had valiantly fought off a group of blood-drunk traitors, which had keenly caught his eye. The contents described a young man of twenty-two years, who against all odds and with unparalleled bravery, put his life on the line to defend a group of helpless civilians. An act of valour, which would not only earn the young soldier a promotion, but eventually a place within The Iron Guard.

Sven watched on, as the Military Executor stood before the soldiers of the Iron Guard, and addressed them. “Proud soldiers of the Iron Guard.” The Executor said, his words transmitted to all of the other boarding ships. “Remember Coruscant. Remember when they burned our home, to make a statement. I will not forget, and I will not forgive that. Will you?” He asked. “No!” Sven exclaimed, along with the rest of the soldiers. “Today, the enemy sits on our doorstep. And today, we beat them back!” Red lights flashed, and alarms bellowed. It was time.

The Relentless, a Wyrrlock-class Star Destroyer which served as the Military Executor’s flagship for the battle, sailed across the port side of the ANS Fondor’s Aegis, firing a barrage of its weaponry to clear the way for the boarding parties. Like the Military Executor himself, the strategy was not a subtle one. They were to act as an iron fist, and punch a hole right into the enemy flagship. With much of the enemy fighters tied up with Raien Kaith’s forces, the boarding parties departed from the Relentless, and attached themselves to the Fondor’s Aegis’ hull. With the boarding operation underway, The Relentless retreated back to the bulk of the fleet, having sustained minimal damage.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Location: Onboard her Phasma Class Infiltrator.
Allies: One Sith, Sith Assassins.[member="Kylath Connar Amadis"]
Enemies: Galactic Alliance, [member="Choli Vyn"]

Armament:
Assassin armour.
2x curved-hilt lightsabres.
Nagajj & Tsaisibola.
Rudis of the Dark Lord.
3x thermal detonators.
Standard issue [SIZE=11pt]vibrodagger[/SIZE].

Stealthing through a battlefield was never an easy task but such was war. Danger lurked behind every corner and the only way to make it through was by constant vigilance. Staring out of the viewport, Darth Ophidia was not at all absent-minded. Even with her presence suppressed, she could feel the ebb and flow of the Force as it foreshadowed the impending crash. They were no rookies at flying dangerous missions in the heat of combat. The Phasma was lightly armed but very fast and agile by design.

“Impending collision, evade!”

The Phasma jerked up to avoid, and the Sith Lord had to catch herself. With the erratic pattern of the X wings, it was difficult to predict how they would impact. Her droid, Darling, redirected auxiliary power to the engines in order to give them a little more speed, but they could not avoid the storm entirely. The ship shook and shuddered as metal scraped against metal, and her faithful pilot released a string of words too rude to translate, but the sentiment was shared. Their ship may be damaged but the mission was still not lost; they would reach that ship.

The cloaking system flickered but maintained some functionality. In odd moments, the ship blinked in and out of visibility. Klaxons went off and lights flashed about the damage sustained. It was non-critical, but in this environment, it could mean the difference between life and death.

“Drop the cloaking, bolster the shields and engines. We need to get out of the hot zone. Vark, we need repairs post haste!”

As Ophidia barked her orders, Vark ran from his seat and slipped into the engine rooms to begin repairs. The Phasma came into full view as the power was redirected to engines and shield, and the Pale Assassin took the helm herself. All her focus went into the piloting as she turned the ship in a spiral and to the periphery of the fight. The Phasma was made for speed and manoeuvrability, and now it had the extra “unf” to make up for its size.

Ophidia bit her teeth together as she felt the ebb and flow of the pilots around. Her danger sense was the one thing that could put them through this.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Location: Flight Deck of the ANS Belshazzar.
Objective: Pre-Flight Preparations.
Allies: Galactic Alliance, Rogue Squadron. [ 4: [member="Berric Kelso"] | 5: [member="Loske Matson"] | 7: [member="Choli Vyn"] | 8: [member="Encouragement Gets"] | 9: @Asmus Janes | 10: [member="Areiana Slayer"] | 11: [member="Alexandra Russo"] | 12: [member="Lucius Varad"]]
Enemy: The One Sith. [member="[member="Raien Keth"]"]
Equipment: TX-110 X-wing Starfighter, CC13 Rifle, Westar sidearm

Asmus angled down and into a group of three blade fighters. Long ago they had been designed by some mad cap Sith inventors to enable pilots to scythe other fighters with the long blades along the wings of the craft. Pilots had very quickly disavowed themselves of this notion after suffering horrendous causalities attempting to pull off such manoeuvres. After all, who wanted to close to within a metre of a state-of-the-art fighter packed with laser cannons and guided missiles.

He fired a burst from the repeater to make himself a gap. His primary weapon had a thirty degree firing arc. Asmus was no Jedi, he had no Force to trust to guide his aim. Instead he had a tactical computer that made a few million calculations a second and could hit a penny at twenty clicks.

As soon as the formation scattered around him the port engines fired in reverse. The fighter turned on its axis a full one hundred and eighty on the stop. All engines fired together to send him after those ships. They were accelerating at the same rate, but the delta in velocity was already fixed. Laws of physics prevented him from catching up, so he had to lock on quickly. Unaware of his tight manoeuvre, they followed a straight path. As he squeezed the trigger the computer swept the canon across their lines. Two fighters were destroyed before the moved beyond his range.

The haptic pad on his left thigh went off. Missile or closing enemy to Port. “Report!”

“Blue Five closing fast, collision likely.”

“Direct Channel. Blue Five, what are you playing at? Blue Five? Kark!”

Asmus fired all thrusters in reverse and the X-Wing streaked past him. “Control, Blue Five is erratic. Possible compromise by slicing, or lost consciousness. Can you catch him?”

“He’s locked us out Rogue Nine, standby.”

Asmus hoped they’d catch the ship with a tractor, instead he saw the vessel smash into the hull of the Aegis. The reason was divulged to Asmus a moment later. This time he felt it. Before on that Techno Union ship he hadn’t. They’d made him see things, feel things and he hadn’t been able to separate reality from the sadistic imagination of the dark jedi.

But he’d been training for this. Ever since Kaile had shown him to guard his mind. In his conscious mind he started to recite equations and read numbers from his readouts. He had so many hours behind the stick he didn’t need conscious thought to fly, to fight. Without even realising what he was doing he came about and fell in behind Rogue One and Two. As a group they made for the Wyrrlock-class Star Destroyer. The monstrous beast was hardly an agile creature, yet it had closed quickly with the Aegis.

“You with me Nine?”

“Still here,” Asmus replied.

“Good, clear these fighters and hit that thing’s point defences. Make way for the boarding parties.”

"Command, I have eyes on more troopers jumping directly onto the Aegis' hull," Asmus called.