Ilum

[Deton]

There was no warning, there was no time, to cry or call for help. The space lanes had been secure for quite some time, and while it was not the full force, enough force came down hard on the scouting vessels.

 

The moment they exited from hyperspace, they were caught and executed in just fashion.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

((What, I put in a little bit of research in choosing an appropriate scout, and you say "Bang, you're dead!"? Try again. I will not brook any god-moding against my forces.))

 

The Imperial forces surrounding Ilum were indeed powerful, so much that Commander Tilk, the Twi'lek leader of Geist Squadron, paused at the wisdom of attempting to infiltrate this star system. However, he knew through years of experience that the A-Wing was one of the top scouts in active service. Long-range sensors had little chance of detecting the "Slim" when its sensor jammer was active, and its profile was so narrow that an Imperial pilot nearly had to trip over its fuselage to spot it without the aid of sensors.

 

It was nearly as fast and maneuverable as any ships in the Imperial service, and possessed the huge advantage of housing its own hyperdrive. Perhaps its sensors weren't as powerful as those of the T-65R, but it didn't take much effort to spot a kilometer-long wedge of steel floating in empty space.

 

When the Republic pilots realized they had been spotted, it took them only a handful of seconds to rev up their massive engines, align to their hyperspace vectors, and flee into the relative safety of hyperspace.

[King Kheldar vos Correlli]

Deton's post amounted to a NPC OHK against incoming NPC forces and is nulled.

[Deton]

((so be it However, I feel to be fair, that if the response is nulled, since it technically doesn't exist, a more appropriate response should be allowed, instead of technically allowing for a double post by enemy forces. As there is nothing in the rules saying that because a post is nulled, the enemy gets a second post. Yet there is a rule against double posting, as well as waiting for your enemy to respond. Also I shall show you why I said bang you are dead.))

 

 

Deep in the cold Vacuum of space lies a most coveted jewel. The the current possessor of the jewel knew not what he had, he did indeed guard it well. As that possessor was the Empire, and the Empire doesn't play games.

 

Navigation buoys several kilometers from Outpost T-441 marked hyperspace exit points. As the A-wings exited hyperspace, the outposts specifically waiting for more enemy forces to arrive, as the system seemed to be a hot spot immediately picked up the signatures of a recent hyperspace jump.

 

As that information was being relayed at the speed of light or at least somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum the Imperial fleet still station at Ilum had already moved to act upon the sudden intrusion. As the craft where clearly stealth and reconnaissance, the jamming went up instantly. With no ability to radio back for help their only chance was to either run for it, or fight for their lives.

 

And quite the fight it would be. As the Imperial fleet had long ago locked down the system. With no commercial travel to or from the planet, they had established an embargo of sorts. Having moved to secure all of the hyperspace lanes with their bulk. The fleet having moved to re-enforce and protect the sector. Securing the hyperspace lanes, and protecting the sector from future attack. Was more than ready for this sudden intrusion. And as the fleet was not made up of organics... the response time of the pilots involved were more than spectacular.

 

With their first strike capability the were able to hit the A-wings first, long before they even knew what had hit them. Missile Boats a well known counter against A-wing forces greatly outnumbered the enemy craft. Their presence alone signaled the defeat of the a-wings. Two the a-wing flights were intercepted by parties of missile boats. Five in a party to be exact. They unleashed upon the fighters, daring them to run.

 

Yet the other flight did not fair much better. Running into three venator Star destroyers, each one deployed a tractor beam as to attempt to latch on to the enemy a-wings. In combination with two Eta-2 Actis class light interceptors, and heavy fire from the star destroyer themselves, that flight would be lucky to escape unscathed.

[King Kheldar vos Correlli]

There is sufficient preparation to detect the ships from posts made, yes, as well as the set up for a fleet and swift response. In terms of an attack though- you're attacking and killing in one blow- which still amounts to an OHK since there was no prior line of attack. Since you're trying to play semantics on this rather than gracefully accept a ruling, allow me to specify that the effects of the original post are nulled- ergo no double post exists, no continuing the attack and the effects of your response are effectively null as well.

[Deton]

((I surrender.))

 

As the A-wings made their way into hyperspace, due the fast maneuverability of the ships which were truly a cockpit on some really big thrusters, some chances began to happen around the Imperial space of Ilum.

 

As the A-wing was required to operate from a nearby base of operations or carrier ship because of its navigational computer's limitations, which could only store coordinates for two hyperspace jumps before requiring calibration. The Imperials immediately began to prepare for the worst. That being an invasion from an enemy source. And as the enemy had gotten a lay of the land, it was time to change some things up.

 

The system was immediately placed on high alert with sensors calibrate to find even the slightest cronau radiation bursts, in and around the system. The equipment to build a gravity well projector into the outpost was requested for and would take three days by imperial engineers to create, install and implement the on and off switch for the outpost. Yet as this was meant to be a surprise, a secondary item was also requested.

 

It would be built at bilbringi and brought to Ilum in three days time. That being a gravity well station. This would be the obvious draw for enemy forces. As such while it had no defenses to speak of, it was deep enough in space, that enemy forces would have to make a draw away from the planet in order to engage it.

 

With those two things in place, after the clear failure to secure the hyperspace lanes against a recon mission, a new tactic was being employed. That of the Imperial Empion mine. By requesting them to be brought with the gravity station they wouldbe set in four days time. After which, the Imperial feet stationed, would be able to switch up positions, to form a hard hitting fast response force, for as long as they were still stationed in the area.

 

The men and droids at Ilum were all veteran fighters, and while none of them knew why they were pulling back world duty, it was so far the hottest sector of Imperial space.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

After the scouting party had been detected, the Imperials had to have known that the Republic's forces were on the way. The question was not if the Republic would attack; it was a matter of what forces would strike, and when the attack would happen. The answer to the latter was: imminently. The answer to the former question was: the Republic's Third Fleet, led by General Bruce Slaughter””a former ground trooper that was elevated to fleet command known for his contempt for many Jedi and outright hatred of the Sith. His reputation among the Republic's armed forces was something of a contradiction””a mixture of professionalism and calculated, barely-controlled aggression.

 

Battlegroup: Republic Third Fleet””Patrol Group

 

9 Quasar-Fire class warships (1 element)

20 Corellian Gunships (1 element)

20 Marauder Corvettes (1 element)

17 Nebulon-B escort frigates (2 elements)

1 Interdictor Cruiser

3 MC90a Star Cruisers (1 element)

Special Abilities: Patrol, Evasive Maneuvers

(70 ships total)

 

Capital Ships:

MC90a Star Cruiser Nemesis

MC90a Star Cruiser Spitfire

MC90a Star Cruiser Revolution

 

Starfighter Complement:

66 squads of E-Wings

33 squads of A-Wings

33 squads of K-Wings

 

Primary Transport: Valkyrie-class Gunship (see my character sheet for information)

 

The Republic fleet dropped out of hyperspace in a concentrated wedge-like formation, with the MC90a Star Cruisers Nemesis and Spitfire leading the attack. A perimeter of Corellian Gunships and Marauder Corvettes formed a vicious anti-starfighter picket around the formation, with Nebulon-B escort frigates located in clusters around the foundation of the Mon Cal Cruisers. A solitary Immobilizer 418 cruiser, a stark contrast to the organic curves of the MC90a's, was safeguarded in the heart of the armada. Its gravwell projectors went active to block any traffic out of the system shortly after the fleet dropped out of hyperspace.

 

A swarm of E-Wing and A-Wing starfighters formed a vicious net around the entirety of the fleet. The K-Wings, lacking hyperdrives, were being launched immediately.

 

However, a considerable portion of the known battlegroup was missing. Nearly a third of its strength had yet to be deployed””the third MC90a was”¦ elsewhere, lurking beyond the sensor range of the Imperials, along with its strike element of gunships and corvettes. The Quasar Fire-class warships were also absent””but Republic doctrine dictated that light carriers hang back far away from the battlefield, unless they were needed to recover fighters in the case of emergency.

 

On the bridge of the Nemesis, General Slaughter prowled over around the sensor boards. There was a lot of red””mostly fighters. The Imperial defenses had been just as dispersed as Commander Tilk had said””they were scattered all over the star system in an attempt to cover all possible points of entry”¦ that would play to their advantage. If only Geist Squadron hadn't been detected on their recon run--that would have been a major boon.

 

As it was, this was going to be a hell of a fight.

[Deton]

The space of Ilum once again boiled under the heat of reactors, and soon would be torn apart by the powerful blasts of turbolasers. The Republic had the fortune of arriving in the nick of time. As it would have been folly to believe that the Republic was not on its way, Imperial engineer has been dispatched to the space station in order to set up a surprise. They finished their work none too soon, as the Republic at last made their move once again into Imperial space. Of equal importance was the fact that the grav well station had been brought in on schedule. Placed off near one of the T.I.E staging area,s it sat inert and unactivated, having not had the full amount of time to come online. Luckily for the Republic and to the misfortune of the Empire, the mine field, had not been set up. Yet in a way this worked to the Empire's advantage as the Republic would soon find out.

 

With perhaps more 'eyes' than any organic currently with the space could hope to have Avatar Hema 'observed' the formation of the Republic fleet. Their tight, concentrated wedge formation, was one that had been calculated as the most likely method of entry. As the Rebels had statistically proven, that when deploying fleets, they wished to bunch as many ships as possible together. While enough time had not been given for the mine field to be set up, there was a reason the ships of the fleet had been deployed as they were. To combat a move such as this one. The weakest point of a wedge was the back. A lesson the republic would soon learn.

 

Operating as the information warfare ship or main communication ship, however, you wished to describe 'it' Avatar Hema, was able to give orders in a way far more efficient than any organic could hope to match. He had a body he could 'dump' into if need be. Located on the bridge, it was well guarded, and available should the need be made apparent. Yet currently it was not. Attacking the Republic however, was needed.

 

Overlord element(command)

1 Acclamator-1 class assault ship, Information warfare ship(imperial comm. ship), 1 Venator Fighter command

 

Scythe element

3 Venator class starships

 

Champion element

3 Venator class starships

 

Death Shroud element

3 Acclamator-1 class assault ships

 

Hellstorm element

3 Venator class Star destroyers

 

Shadowstalker element

9 Dreadnaught carriers

 

Starfighter complement(4,740)

ARC-170 starfighter(1,000), Eta-2 Actis class light interceptor(1,000), K-wing assault star fighter(740), Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wing(1,000), Missile Boats(1,000)

 

Support

YT-2000s extensively modified for heavy ground bombing(300), LAATs(336)

First Strike Capability: With a combination of electronic warfare, advanced targeting systems, and unique fighter deployment methods, the battle group is capable of striking the enemy first.

 

Strategic Missile Strike: This battle group's ships are outfitted with strategic missile systems that come into play both in the space and ground theaters. In space battles, the missiles can be used to hit vital systems on unshielded ships (engines, bridge, communications, sensors). In ground combat, strategic missiles are used to surgically dismantle ground defenses, or deliver nuclear and neutron strikes.

 

Scythe element had been ready and waiting. At his command, they quickly and suddenly launched their attack. The Imperial attack cruiser was and extremely capable vessel. One of its most noteworthy ability was that it could rapidly launch hundreds of fighters. Each imperial attack cruiser on the field were only carrying one hundred Eta-2 Actis class light interceptors. As such three hundred Eta-2 Actis class light interceptor were on the back of the republic fleet with in seconds of their entry into Imperial space. One hundred and seventy-seven Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters were launched around the same time, from the same three cruisers. The real kicker was the formation of sixhundred hundred fighters. Light weights these were not as this group was composed of a combination of Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings and Missile boats. As if to finish off the foray one hundred and forty seven k-wings were also launched.

 

Immediately the Scythe element began its attack. Rising from the depths of the ocean, the three Imperial attack cruisers hadn't been located on the same entry plane as the Republic vessels. As such they angled their weapons to fire into the under belly of the imperial fleet. Currently operating in precise, long-range tracking mode, the republic fleet had exactly .000009 light minutes to evade the initial barrage, as the Imperial attack cruisers were at the optimal maximum range between themselves and the republic fleet, and steadily closing the gap with engines that were fast enough to chase down blockade runners. Fast and heavily armored, they were a formidable opponent. As their initial barrge crossed the expansive of space their targets were soon made apparent. Wasting no time on the head of the formation, they had targeted into it's flank.

 

"We are currently 1618.878 kilometers away from the enemy formation."

"Fire at intensity level seven, vaporizing blow."

Transmitted at the speed of light the orders were carried out the microsecond the three Venator class ships reached the .879 mark. Each gun had a target, and with twenty four guns firing, twenty four targeted ships in the back were in danger. In this initial volley it was not the Mon calamari cruisers, the clearly imperial ship, or even the Neblon B frigates that were target. Instead it was the Corellian Gunships and Marauder Corvettes that were aimed at first. Yet the launched fighters were not idle, as the initial assault began. The three hundred Eta-2 Actis class light interceptors were smaller, more nimble than the e-wings they were targeting. Yet it was that nimbleness that was being calculated on to see them through. As well as providing enough of a distraction for those same e-wings to be hammered on by the one hundred seventy-seven Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters.

 

Had that been all that was being tossed toward the rear of the Republic fleet, the first strike would have been simply a good volley. Instead of the crippling blow it aimed to be. While there had only been one element patrolling this hyperspace vector, it was a rather well equipped element, having lunched its combination force of Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings and Missile boats for a total of three hundred each. Operating at ten ships less of what they could normally carry, they still fielded an impressive force of star fighter power.

 

 

This last boon of Imperial strength in the rear of the Republic fleet was where the real heat lay. After all a single squadron of Star Wings could penetrate most medium-sized capital ships' shields with a single warhead salvo from each fighter. This was twenty five times that according to Avatar Hema's calculations. Yet that was only a small measure of the over all attack force of this initial assult. Both the missile boats and the k-wings were equipped with SubLight Acceleration Motors. Which only meant they could double their sublight speed. This allowed the Missile boats to time their missile volley to strike shortly after the Venator ships' initial volley struck. The secondary pair of warhead launchers equipped on the missile boats fired. Firing only half of their magazine capacity or ten per launcher, six thousand missiles streamed forward toward the Republic's attack fleet. Some were targeted to be coordinated attacks on ships surrounding the Venators' targets. Yet most were meant for one particular pesky fighter known as the a-wing. Using the confusion of the initial volley to their advantage the k-wing's closed the gaps between the two fleets faster than anyone else on the field. Their goal, to remove control of the indictor field from the rebels. They were on a bombing run, and they would be damned to let anyone stop them.

 

If Avatar Hema was capable of forming a grin, or understanding the need to make one, he perhaps would have barley been able to contain himself. Instead he focused his attention elsewhere. Coordinating with Scythe element was not difficult, as he was in command of all things. Jamming the system, he wouldn't make sure that the initial confuse the Republic had would stay just that. Confusion. Opening up his own secure channeled. He funneled Champion element in from the right of the Republic fleet. They would take a moment to engage, but once they were with in range, they would begin driving the Republic fleet to the left. Which would allow for Scythe element to link up with Champion element and form a line. Champion element would operate similar to Scythe element once in range, only their target would be the Nebelon B-frigates. A capable fighter carrier in their own right.

 

His sensors picked up something he had already calculated to happen at this moment. It was the organic Imperials of this system finally responding to the sudden appearance of the Republic's fleet. The organics had an impressive response time. Yet they were not and could never be as fast as him.

 

The Republic forces are not operating at standard fleet strength. It matters little. Opening move has happened. Awaiting Republic's response.

 

As Avatar Hema made his moves, the Imperial response was just as friendly as their fleet counter part. There were three T.I.E staging areas in the system, giving the Imperial a little under one hundred predator-class fighters to choose from. The last staging area was devoted to the scimitar bombers. Add to that the twenty four preds of the space station and its bomber squadron, and there was truly a fearsome fighter force, forming, that paled in comparison to the amount of fighters the Republic fleet brought. Still it was enough to protect the space station from boarders. Determining that to be their primary objective, as the fleet was more than capable of handling itself.

 

Just as the TIE fighters of the garrison down below were devoting themselves to the protection of the base, and of enemy bombing runs. It was incidentally this very base that a most peculiar conversation was taking place.

 

”œWhat they have attacked again? What is it about this bloody ice ball that attracts enemies off all kinds?”

[Aira Cadan]

I stood on the bridge of the Nemesis, out of the way of the crew but ready to serve if I was called upon. I wished that I had actually been through the academy and had skills that would help in this battle. No, you can help in this battle. Remember the training you do have; you are unique among this crew.

 

I took a deep breath and focused myself. I could already feel the harbingers of the death and destruction that marked the beginning of the battle, and I accepted them, then pushed them aside. I couldn't be distracted; I needed to be at the top of game today.

 

I started with our own fleet, focusing my thoughts on the mental state of the crew, gently and subtly calming nerves and brushing away stray fears with a gentle Force touch. When I was satisfied, I turned my focus down to the planet below.

 

It radiated with the Force, the millions of crystals each sending out distinctive pings of energy. It amplified my senses, and I felt a twinge of uneasiness coming from a particular area. I projected myself further, drawing more deeply on the Force in my own area of expertise. Something was wrong on the surface; the natural Force in the caverns, extremely strong and focused even during normal times, seemed almost distressed.

 

Suddenly, I knew. "General, the Imperials are preparing to destroy the crystals on the planet. We need to prevent that from happening if at all possible." I hoped he would listen. I didn't want to put the fleet at risk, but I felt it was my duty as a Jedi to protect the crystals. They were so much a traditional part of every Force user's journey. I knew that Slaughter didn't care for Force users, but I hoped he would see the benefit of protecting the planet's assets. Otherwise it would become nothing but a big frozen chunk of ice with little to offer the galaxy.

[Deton]

((Eh delete, Not needed))

[Sgt. Slaughter]

((IC, I do not know the names of your elements. This is so I don't go nuts trying to keep them straight..))

 

For a perilous second that seemed to last for at least a minute, the fate of the Third Fleet hung in the balance. In the condensed formation that they had chosen for their entry into the system, room for the frigates and cruisers to maneuver was limited””a few corvettes nearly came close enough to scrape hulls in their maneuvers to evade the incoming fire from the Venator cruisers of Scythe element. Within that second, General Slaughter's throat went from dry to desiccated.

 

But there was a reason why the Mon Calamari shipyards served as the foundation of the Republic's fleet. If nothing else, the MC90a was built to take a beating, to be able to fight on until its enemies reached into its innards and tore out its heart. The Mon Cals always built their ships with a devotion that bordered on unrequited love; every function that a warship needed to survive was reinforced with redundant systems, from shields, to engines, to communications.

 

When communications were cut off, automated lights along the flanks of each warship flickered with pulses that lasted microseconds each””all operating at fluctuating wavelengths beyond the human visual spectrum. Coherence was quickly restored to the fleet.

 

However, the starfighter squadrons were faring far better, especially the E-Wings. Why the Imperials had sent obsolete interceptors to duel a dedicated space-superiority starfighter, no one could understand. Even with the jamming in place (which was gradually being overcome), nothing could diminish the fact that the E-Wing was a far superior dogfighter compared to the Eta-2 Actis Light Interceptor. It went beyond even the fact that the Republic outfitted nearly all of its small spacecraft with shield generators””the E-Wing gave little ground to the Eta-2 Actis in terms of performance, but it boasted far heavier weaponry”¦ and it had a proton torpedo launcher.

 

This sole weapon allowed the E-Wing allowed it to engage the Eta-2 Actis from beyond the lighter ship's effective range. The ARC-170s posed a greater challenge due to its warhead launcher and greater survivability, but the fact remained: the E-Wing's performance far outstripped these relics.

 

One female pilot, known to her comrades as ”œTabby”

[Darth Furion]

Wrapped neatly in darkness, Ezra broke hyperspace far above and behind what most using this particular hyperspace lane would choose. A chance to fully appreciate the situation before rushing into action. Though sensors were everywhere, Republic and Imperial both, none pierced his veil. To them he was as if space itself, empty. Safely removed from the engagement, he fell back into his seat with a heavy sigh, hesitation leaving as he stretched his awareness outward. As his fingers slowly shifted from one bead on the rosary to the next, he fell into a steady breathing regimen, deep powerful breaths, long and controlled, with equally controlled exhales. He pulled the Force in deep, with every breath and every soft spoken utterance. Slowly he began to see the space around him. Ships here, ships there, each clinging to a united crusade against the other side. Farther still, the Sith master began to feel the presence of a Jedi in the hearts of every soldier. Battle meditation of some sort, though it seemed to only work on one side as the Imperial forces seemed to be operated by an artificial intelligence.

 

The Jedi was what caught his attention most. This wasn't the Republic seeking to claim a resource. This was the Jedi using the Republic to get what they wanted. However, it was odd that they would mount such a large scale offensive for a resource they didn't need that much of. Even thousands of crystals would only fill up a single commercial size freighter. This operation would have been better suited for a much smaller scale extraction team. Why the show of force? Are they outright trying to take the planet from Imperial grasp? To what end? No one lives down there...well, not anymore thanks to him. Ilum's only purpose is its resource, one which could easily be extracted under subtlety, even synthesized if the Jedi would only look past the absolutely meaningless value of naturally created crystals. Synth crystals were just as effective, just as capable of being tuned to the essence of the user, if not even more so. Julio's crystals were flawless, compressed and culled and polished to an absolute, and they were so because he made them personally.

 

The entire engagement was stupid. Lives, resources would be lost for no reason whatsoever other than another notch on the Republic's belt. The Jedi were throwing lives away for something they didn't need. Gor'ram the hypocrisy!

 

Julio couldn't help but become furious at the prime example of a Jedi's flawed method of planning, or how they didn't even stick to their own code. They did as they will, but stuck to the 'Holier than thou' attitude to their very last breath. Did they really convince themselves that what they were were true beacons of light and justice? However the Council brainwashed their underlings, they did it superbly.

 

As the Jedi broadcast herself upon the Republic forces, he was surprised to notice that she was not only reaching toward her comrades, but the planet itself. Would she feel his work from long ago? With such a broad connection, she opened herself to all sorts of things. The possibilities were endless.

 

~~~~

 

...Aira...

 

The voice was in the back of her mind, beyond the cusp of her attention.

 

...Aira...

 

It sounded like a young boy, maybe eight or nine. There was no urgency in his voice, no desperation or pain. He simply called to her, beckoning her to a place in her mind that she didn't seem to recall.

 

...Aira...

 

There was nothing dark or malevolent about this voice. It simply was, calm and collect. It simply called to her, deep, deep down to a part of her mind she had forsaken long ago. The voice held a wisdom in it, despite its youthful nature. It felt as if it held an experience beyond his means.

 

Aira. The voice was no longer a whisper, but spoken as if three feet away, directly behind her. Whether she turned to acknowledge it or not, a young boy stood before her, and only her on the bridge of the Nemesis. It seemed to be a Force Ghost, though it may not be known if the Jedi had ever experienced or read up on them. He wore child size Jedi robes, brown, like his hair and eyes. In the center of his chest was a single round hole about an inch and a half in diameter, through and through, cauterized upon impact.

 

He killed us Aira. He killed us all.

 

In her mind flashed a previous engagement between the Empire and the Jedi base once stationed on Ilum. A single Sith, masked and fully robed, marched his way down the crystal halls, cutting down any who stood in his way. Though the temple wasn't fully staffed, several dozen fell under his blade that day. Most of them were younglings, building their first lightsabers.

 

We can't leave, Aira. He wont let us leave this place.

 

The ghost seemed to haze for a second, struggling to keep this bond she had opened up just a little longer.

 

Please....please Aira....We can't....hold out much longer. Soon....we will be devoured....

 

And it was gone. Upon inquiry, records would show of a previous attack on the Crystal temple. None survived, and since then none have made the attempt to rest the souls of the younglings butchered and maliciously bound to the place of their death. They would not be allowed to become one with the Force.

 

 

Ever.

[Aira Cadan]

Surrounded by a while of green, red, and yellow starfighter icons, I stood on the bridge of the Nemesis, my mind reaching out until I felt I was no longer on the ship, but on the planet, and in a fighter, and behind a comm station.

 

But then I felt a pull, quiet at first, barely noticeable. It steadily grew stronger and louder, and I fell back into myself. The voice””for that is what it was””was calling my name. The voice was young, but carried a strange heaviness with it, a deep wisdom that should be foreign to a being that young.

 

Suddenly, the voice came from directly behind me, and I whirled around. Before me stood a young boy, eight or nine years old. He was manifested very clearly, yet there was a distinct blue light defining his outline. I knew then that he was speaking to me from another plane of the Force than the one I tapped into.

 

I opened my mouth to inquire who he was but he spoke, more urgently now, yet calmly and without fear.

 

He killed us Aira. He killed us all.

 

Before I could ask what he meant, a vision flashed through my mind with the speed of light. I caught images of a firefight, the distinctive white of stormtrooper armor. Then the vision seemed to pause, lingering on the image of a dark masked man striding through the halls of what was clearly a Jedi temple, slaughtering adepts and younglings with gleeful abandon.

 

The vision faded and the boy spoke again, wavering and flickering as his time in my world reached its limit. He pleaded with me, telling me that they were trapped and couldn't leave. Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, the specter vanished.

 

With a jerk, I become aware of myself again. Slaughter had spun to face me, his form filled with the tense energy of a caged beast, and ordered me to report to the hanger and prepare for a ground mission. I acknowledged””though he probably didn't hear me, as he had already turned away””and hurried off the bridge.

 

As I walked, I pulled out my datapad and drew up a report of the previous engagements on Ilum. It didn't take me long to find the one I wanted. I hadn't known there had been a Jedi temple on Ilum once, and as I read the report, the frown on my face deepened. No Jedi had survived the assault and the temple had been obliterated, but there was no mention of people being trapped.

 

I puzzled over the meaning of the boy's message, and slowly, the Force revealed the answer to me. They had been killed and their souls had somehow been prevented from becoming one with the Force. My blood turned cold at the thought. It was a horrible deed, beyond the ordinary evil. I couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of existence these spirits must be trapped in”¦it was an unspeakable crime.

 

I looked at my datapad again. There were no clues as to the identity of the Sith butcher I had seen in the vision, only a few glimpses of a hooded figure caught on the security holofiles. I knew there was no way I could track him down””and besides, I told myself firmly, revenge is not the Jedi way. Even if I did want to string him up and gut him for his atrocities. But I knew there had to be some way I could free the spirits of my brothers; otherwise the boy would not have reached out to me.

 

As I reached the hanger, I snapped myself off that train of thought. Right now, we had to protect the crustal caves. After that was done, I could help them. But until then I needed to be alert.

 

I donned the special forces armor Onderin had given me back on my first mission. I added several extra clips for the blaster on my hip, and clipped my lightsaber to my belt. The hanger was full of elite ground troops and spec-ops soldiers, loading landing craft with weapons and equipment.

 

I pulled up a map of the main crystal caves on my datapad and quickly identified the key spots we would need to defend, thanks to a mixture of Force intuition and my own careful education. I called over the squad leaders and gave them a quick rundown. ”œIf the Imps are smart, they will plant explosives here and here,”

[Deton]

New republic forces were in short order doomed. By Avatar's Hema's calculations, the coming onslaught by his forces would be enough to wipe out the rebel fleet. As he had completed the first objective. It had begun with the fighters. Granted the fighters had been older but, that was why they had been chosen. In using the older superiority fighter, there was more than enough room to load up the advanced CPU while still being able to deliver the payload. When one considered that the Empire in terms of just fighters from the fleet alone outnumbers the New republic's fighters 3:1. As well as considered the massive neural and tactical network, they operated in hunting in packs and able process data far faster than any human can. The museum as they had been called, was actually far more dangerous than they initially appeared. A fact found out on the New Republic fighter forces as their cocky nature allowed them to be separated from each other, and destroyed.

---

The arrival of the second wave of New republic forces was nothing to scoff at to be sure. Dropping out from hyperspace, they immediately set themselves up against Scythe element. However, it was to the determent of New Republic forces, as it only really played into Imperial hands.

 

As all the fire could only hit them broadside from the top, The shields were re-enforced by drawing away from what would have been an exposed undercarriage. This allowed them to withstand the carnage that was being unleashed upon them if only for a short time. Couple that with the fifty two Point-defense laser cannons per Venator class star ship and that the eight heavy dual turbolaser turrets on each ship could rotate full in three seconds, and the sudden missile barrage of the New Republic quickly fell short. Devoting much of their attention to the negation of the barrage from the k-wings, many of the missile boats and gunships, were able to either use their vast ordnance to blow the k-wings out of the sky. The other fighters did their part as well to significantly reduce the potential damage done by the k-wings, and the Venators did the rest. The few unfortunate few missiles that made it through the screen were spaced far and wide apart, due to a combination of speed of the Venator, and the strategy used to destroy the missiles. Though the would only be able to last a short time under such a barrage it was all the time they needed however, as Champion element, made its move. Having opened up on the Nebelon-B frigates, with both fighters and their own capital weapons, they had at last arrived to link up with scythe element and form a concentrated from of power at the back right of the enemy fleet.

 

Part one of encirclement complete

 

As the equally massive number of fighters of the Champion element came into play, the six Venator class starships now formed an above/below front against the enemy ships. Having torn into the flank initial of the wedge the New Republic forces soon found that the weakness of the wedge was being exploited. First and foremost, it had been hit hard, in the place weakest in its formation. Now with the added front of six Venator class starships , their ability to simply turn tail and run was higly cut off, and even though they had devoted two of their three mon calmari cruisers to the threat that was behind them, they were still out numbered capital ship wise 3:1 a common theme in the battle so far.

 

Switching focus from the Neblon-b frigates, the new Venator class starships began to focus their intense fire power on the Revolution. couple that with the fire from Scythe element and the shields would buckle in mere moments, after all if anything Venator class starships where used to tearing through shields with ease.

 

As the A-wings turned their focus on the two superior ordnance fighters out on the field it was almost as if they were playing into the Imperial's hands. While they had little to no hope of out dogfightning the A-wings due to their speed, the Missile Boat were easily more than a match for the A-wing. The Assault ships quickly adapted the tactics of their younger star ships, and as anger and rage blinded the a-wing pilots, they were shot down with cold, mechanical efficiency.

----

Now came the part of the calculations that were helped along by the New Republic's decision to attack Scythe element with two of the mon calamari cruiser's granted to it. As the New Republic had come in on a wedge formation, Avatar Hema had immediately come up with the counter strategy to be implemented. It was a simple enough one in theory but in practice the most difficult maneuver to pull off. A complete encirclement.

 

With the Scythe element forming a back right group, and the champion element forming more of just the right group, a half circle field of fire had been established, in the half diamond shape that had been formed by the ships. Driving them left the second goal had been to stop the point and or tip of the wedge. This had practically been done for him as one of the two mon calamari cruiser stop to held unleash its barrage onto Scythe squadron. With the spitfire Having turned around to cover the now weaked and still vunerable back side of their wege formation, this would have left only the Nemisis to go it alone against the rest of the Imperial forces in front.

 

Shadowstalker element quickly approached from the top left of what would be the encirclement formation. Dumping all 108 arc fighters into the field at once. The nine Dreadnaught carriers were over kill for a volley against the Nemisis After all it only took three to five Dreadnaught-class cruisers to outgun one Imperial-class Star Destroyer. Swooping in as they did, they would be the first thing the wedge formation would have ran into as they tried to escape from the Champion and scythe element. However, they wouldn't be the only thing. Forming up as a solid front of its own Death Shroud element formed a strong left front. All three Acclamator-1 class assault ships were more or less across from Champion element in terms of position. A bit slower than the Venator class ships, it had taken them a small while to arrive fully into the fray. Yet arrive they did, and with their own significant pay load to boot.

 

Their fighters left their bays with a quickness to rival the speed of light. 59 arc fighters per ship but more importantly 49 k wings per ship.The K-wing assault starfighters quickly formed up to preforming bombing runs onto the midsections of the closest Nebulon-b frigates. As the Arc fighters ran interference and escort for the K-wing assault starfighters, their bombing run was augmented by the volley of proton torpedos launched by Death shroud element. Twelve torpedos each targeting a bridge of a nebulon B frigate streamed forth from the three Acclamators. A second volley with the same game plane was launched shortly afterwards. Which meant that a mere twenty four of the potential 300 proton torpedo payload had been unleashed. Cycling in for a third shot, they advanced steadily forward to hem the New republic forces in.

 

Yet if it hadn't been for Hellstorm element there would have been a potential hole for the New republic forces to slip through. They were the compliment of scythe element. The left flank to the Scythe's right flank. The catcher mit, for the ball that Scythe threw called the New Republic's fleet. As pretty much everything was in range of the Venator class starships. They moved with a quickness equal to Champion element. Perhaps a bit further away, they still were able to unleash their entire payload of fighters as they moved into to help attack the mon calamari cruisers. Yet it was not the Revolution that Hellstorm element aimed for. Instead it was the Spitfire Capitalizing on the fact it had taken time to turn around and cover the hindquarters of the New republic fleet. Allowing it to be well with in range to begin unleashing devastation across its bow.

 

Yet there was an added benefit to this particular set up. As while undercarrying their max load of fighters, by linking up the nine Venator class Star destroyers a total of one thousand two hundred thirty fighters had now been unleashed, into the flank of the New Republic. Though their wedge formation had set up for anti-star fighter defense in the back, the Empire knew full well what it was doing. With interceptors and Arc fighters to protect the Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings and Missile Boats, the space was quickly filled with missiles. Mainly due to the massive volley of missiles unleashed again this time three fold into the ranks of the enemy fleet. With and equal volley aimed toward the pesky A-wings and any other ship, attempting to stop the onslaught of Imperial forces.

 

Avatar Hema 'watched' as the battle unfolded before him. He felt his own ship shutter, as he began to engage with simply turbolaser fighter at his acquired target. He and his element after all where the final piece of the encirclement. Overlord element the combination of pretty much everything on the field sported by the Empire. Their target, the remaining point of the wedge that had not turned back to help. Their position, directly in front completing the full circle. The Nemisis and her escorting ships, quickly became under fire as the last of the fighters moved forward to take down the enemy. Coupled with the Overload element itself, the forward point of the wedge was soon to be blunted.... significantly

 

By his calculations the Starfighter complement of 4,740 was more than enough to overwhelm New Republic forces. After all there were now one thousand, Eta-2 Actis class light interceptors and ARC-170 starfighters each along with an equal number of Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings and Missile boats. Only the K-wings entered lightly at seven hundred forty ships.

 

Check!

-------

 

As the soon to be landing parties from the New Republic fleet traveled to Ilum, they would find a strong opposition to their attempted landing. The Forces of Ilum were still a strong force, and between a lurking Imperial Star destroyer, hundreds of Fighters and bombers, and the Garrison's own fighters, it would be an impossible screen to overcome with landing craft alone. Not even a Jedi God would be able to slip past so many ships.

[RC-7417/0477]

Jaeger patiently waited in one of the Scythe elements' ship's hangar, boarding his ship, the Skip, with three other individuals who doned the gray plastoid armor which resembled his beskar. The rest of the group were split into teams of twelves in the LAAT's- him and his squad separately in his ship.

 

The hangar of the ship opened, and his ship went out first- he comm'd the other ships and told them to dispatch exactly a minute and a half after the last, to not get blasted in one go if all things went to osik. The space was filled with explosions and stray turbo-laser shots, one of which went dangerously close to Jaeger's ship. He banked sharply and sped around a nearby friendly Venator class ship, the carrier ships following sharply and quickly in pursuit.

 

"Approach the ship now- do not get bogged down in evasions, or the like. We probably won't be graciously accepted as guests to the ship, so helmets on, and the droids drop off first. If things don't go as planned at first, wait for my commands.."

 

Jaeger made another steep turn and approached, then passed one of the Nemesis' guard ships, some turbolasers hot on their trail, trying to work a bead on them. A flood of adrenaline went into his body as they passed the last ship before approaching the Nemesis itself. He issued orders for the LAATs to disrupt the hangar area- taking shots at the defending turbolasers and the like that fired at their group.

 

The Skip made a wild loop, and the squad inside were thrown around in their seats as the ship took shots at the hanger and Tav calculated the little information he could about the ship, and it's specs.

Tav said, 'There. Go there.' and Jaeger banked and fired a quick burst from the ship at the edge of the hangar, then, sent an ion shot to follow up, then another quick burst of fire. The rest of the ships focused fire around the same area and a large hole right next to the hangar's opening opened up, Tav's speculations of finding a weakspot were exact. Good. He commed one of the LAAT 's to fire missles into the gap- the hole widened.

 

Laser fire from the ship itself began to intensify as they approached- Jaeger commanded that yet another LAAT fire one of it's missles at the hole- this time, at a slanted angle facing the hangar's side. The explosion ripped as it hit an important mechanism that helped lock the hangar- and the hangar's opening opened slightly, just enough for it for the LAAT's. The squad in the Skip checked their weapons and several seconds later, Tav reminded Jaeger:

 

"They'll fix it any minute now, and they'll close the doors or open them and dump us out-"

 

"I know." Jaeger replied, and nodded. He fired at the nearby defence turrets, before diving at the gap, the Skip's tail lasers broken off and lost in space as he landed. The LAATs followed in suit, crash-landing into the hanger, the hangar's emergency lockdown door sealing them inside- for the moment. The squad immediately rushed out, going to the side where they blasted the hole from outside, earlier- to Jaeger's surprise, as the last few LAATs crash-landed, the one ship with the droids broke in fire a few seconds after it's landing- he commed one of the nearby squads, "Get them out- Pilots, figure a way to jam and open the doors-do NOT stay in the hangar for now. We've got a small amount of time- if we don't manage to get the bridge, we'll need the ships." In medium-sized groups the group six-score followed Jaeger quickly- when the enemy began to retaliate and a wall of blasterfire met them. They were pinned, for the moment- Jaeger and his squad began to cover the rest of the group as they approached, a small passage-way with a large steel door being opened by Tav.

 

Jaeger fired a small burst at the enemy group with his E-11B, along with the numerous normal stormtroopers, shadow troopers (Whom, was his first time fighting with), and special close-fire droids. The droids, being closest to the hangar's entrance door (Not exit), unleashed a large flame that engulfed the door and the security droids and personel, and they took turns repeating the process. Satisfied, Jaeger lead the rest of the team through the door which Tav just recently unlocked, albeit, taking a little more time than expected. As soon as they reached the other side of the door, they were in a maze of hallways, and it seemed to be more of a path to someplace, rather than an important part of the ship itself. He executed orders through his comm once they reached a fork- one shadow trooper squad was to stay behind here and booby trap the place and make sure no one followed- he then ordered one platoon of storm troopers to go through the left, which, by the way he read things, lead to the turbolasers, the other platoon heading for the main cause-way of transportation in the ship. Jaeger and the remnents of the group- three squads of shadow troopers, and his own squad, waited for a minute or two, more or less, as Tav found directions to the bridge.

 

"Jag- through the causeway for us, a few confusing turns here or there, then past the engine room, and a little more from there, our target." Jaeger nodded, placing away his E-11b rifle for his close-ranged flamethrower. He lead the group of troopers and commandos through the cause-way, each and every soldier fingers on their triggers, looking around as they sped through, surprised yet certain that their luck of not finding any hostiles since the hangar would end any moment.

[Aira Cadan]

((I was going to let it slide, but I just can't))

 

Unfortunately for the Mandos and their boarding party, they hadn't counted on the fact that the hanger was full of spec-ops and ground troops. My team and I had been in our landing craft, prepped and on edge, waiting for the launch signal to begin our run when the hole in the hanger doors burst open. As the boarding party flew through the gap, my mouth dropped open, but I quickly adapted to the situation and jumped into action.

 

”œOpen fire!”

[Darth Furion]

It had been some time since Julio had been at a conflict to such scale. And what a delicious conflict it was at that. All before him, fighters erupted like a miniature supernova, life simply snuffed out. Green and blue and red coursed through the calamity, assuming this vision of the very flow of the battle. With each shot fired, he could feel the intent it carried with it, and further still the impression given by the one who ordered the shot. Thousands of individual little streams, trickled off for one just larger. Further still the tide ran, and more now could the Sith begin to see a larger picture. Command reigned down from on high, orders and decisions as the very life's blood of the engagement. This was the raw power of the Force, life itself projected in decisive acts of communication. Struggle between two wills was at the center of every battle. No matter how many troops present, or how many fighters and warships moved amongst one another like chess pieces on a board, there was always a single will at the base of it all. To follow that flow, to trace that chain of command, one would fine the embodiment of such will.

 

Still in meditation, he let himself drift with the flow. The ship, linked to him through his neural implant, was like an extension of himself. Were he capable, it would be as if it were simply him drifting unnoticed through this conflict. No sensor reflected off of the ship, nor could the naked eye see him in this oblivion. Even in the force he was non-existent. He was as an outside observer, merely feeling the tide was over and around him.

 

His ship drifted onward, caught by the current of the Rebel will. He drifted over a star cruiser now, one of few present on the battle field. What made this one distinct, however, was the unique flow of it. All information flowed in here, the major commands stemmed from here. It was only a matter of finding the source. Something which the tide would bring him too soon enough. For now, however, he simply meditated and listened to the flow, drawing ever more present while remaining completely removed.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Watching the battle unfold from the bridge of the Nemesis, Bruce Slaughter felt a dreadful shiver crawl up his spine as his flagship's shields withered under heavy bombardment from the Dreadnaughts. Power was immediately diverted from less pressured sectors of the ships and redundant shield generators were activated to compensate for the damage, but many of the turbolaser blasts penetrated the protective barrier of the shields and lanced into its armor. How those ungainly ships had managed to enter the fray so soon, the Republic's commander had no idea”¦ Even from the bridge, he could see that the damage was minor””few of the bolts actually exploded against an exposed subsystem””but unless something was done quickly, the damage could become catastrophic.

 

Spitfire was reporting her own difficulties, as it was suffering heavy bombardment from three other Venator-class Star Destroyers. Even more fighters were entering the fray. Huge swaths of them were simply being mown down by the anti-starfighter screens and their concentrated missile barrages were being neutralized by the new countermeasures, but if this continued for much longer, the Third Fleet would get bogged down and picked off one by one.

 

It was time to turn this engagement on its head”¦ again.

 

On the opposite side of the sensor boards in the center of the bridge, Bryygo spoke calmly. ”œThat's the majority of the Imp fleet. They are attempting to surround us.”

[RC-7417/0477]

((Oh well. Wouldn't be surprised if Jaeger ends up dead, but this is the first time being attempted to get killed w/ a killshot. Defence post this is, am I right?))

 

The entire group was flown backwards as the heavy, thick hangar doors opened. Some of the gunships were strown around and hit the door and exploded- throwing Jaeger around like a ragdoll for a few seconds.

 

Even if you make it through this, you're a di'kut and owe all those lost a lot.

 

Although he was expecting it, being thrown around and dumped from the hangar was a big shock- it was.. the second time in his life that this happened, this time on purpose; instinctinvely he tried to move around but reached nowhere- he was meters away from the hangar door. He floated for a while and blocked out all the cries that were coming into his comm- he supposed there weren't many left. He saw that his squad were thrown around him- Ron was clutching at one side of his body, seeming in pain- bad sign. Joron was right below Jaeger, so, awkward-attempts to clutch at his wrist Mando-style failed. He tried one last time and grasped a bit of it- Joron sort of 'leaped' and got his full grip as well.

 

Jaeger looked over where he was slowly floating to and he was going back towards the ship. Osik. He tapped his back and ignited the small, black-jetpack strapped onto his back. He thought he had a minute or so of fuel- and they approached the ship once again, oblivious to the ships, lasers, and explosions around them. He switched his course, -and as he did so, Joron heaved Tav and pulled and 'threw' him so to speak towards the hole the gunships made before they went into the hangar- and went towards the hole.

 

He looked behind him and he saw way more bodies than he expected to be doing the same thing, trying to squirm towards the ship; those with grappling lines that were close enough or jetpacks going towards the hole. Before Jaeger approached himself, he waited as Tav reached and got his E-11B out, aiming around and making sure nothing was aiming at them for now, finger on the trigger, about to open fire on anything thing that wanted to give them trouble- if the rifle could do much to it.

 

Jaeger caught on and threw him a grenade-launcher attachment, and stopped short of Tav and he had to reach for it and hastily attached it, and continued to aim.

 

Jaeger covered the last gap of the ship and him with his grapnel line- Joron and Ron doing the same, the latter still clutching his side. They stepped over the rubble and floated through the hallway, any and all doors now locked.

 

"Whoever's alive, call."

He counted a little over a dozen men- he sighed in relief and guiltily, grenade-launcher aimed towards the doors.

 

Tav was the last one to come in and observed the remaining men- a dozen, without his squad. He saw most of them were shadow troopers- one normal stormtrooper ((With modded armor obviously, seeing as they were going to conduct an attack on a ship the hard way.)), and the two mandalorian merceneries who'd they contracted earlier on. He went back onto the comm channel and everyone was silent. He could see them all staring at him for a couple of seconds, and he commanded orders once again- and asked Ron if he was alright. He responded that he was, and once they were able to, he'd apply bacta to what seems to be a concussion he got from glancing the hangar door.

 

Joron took out the hydro-ram, which then Tav came and tapped him away- he approached one of the doors, which the rest of the group covered, and spent almost a minute to open the door. He opened it manually- and he fired twice with his grenade launcher inside the room, just to make sure.

 

Jaeger shook his head sadly, then went in first. The group filled the room quickly and he quickly closed the hatch- he wanted to get out of floating so damn bad. He looked around and it seemed like a plain hall-way, seemed to lead to the.. Ah. Turbolasers. he'll stop by, it seems.

 

Tav hastily hacked into the nearby key-pad that locked the door and resumed cracking the code- the party, once again, covering all points of entry and exit.

 

Just as Tav fired his two grenades into the new room- a weird like droid opened fire on them before being blown apart. Several blaster-bolts streaked the room, and as soon as the vacuum thinned and the room they had had operational gravity, he barked orders and everyone was on alert now- Jaeger himself hefting his flamethrower towards the nearest door, Tav resuming his work yet again, approaching the turbolasers.

 

((Alright. So we wait for the mod now and see what the verdict is?))

[Darth Furion]

As Imperial ships enclosed the Rebel fleet, enemy tactics changed drastically. Fighters and warships alike lashed out in one great push against the Imperial line. While Rebel frigates and gunships ran at Imperial fighters like mad devils, hellfire in their engines, their fighters ran the trenches of the Imperial capital ships. Of the fifteen hundred rebel fighters, there were equal number Imperial capital ships, leaving roughly a hundred per capital ship, assuming the fighter attack was spread evenly. Outnumbering enemy fighters three to one, the Imperial fighters immediately responded to the lashing attack like a kicked bee hive. What fighters weren't already deployed were shoved out of their carriers' hulls as quick as they could. The fighters met the Rebel's own in a terrible and messy fray.

 

The Dreadnaughts crept slowly into the middle of the chaos, using their many weapons and hefty armor advantage to jealously target out enemy frigates and gunships, while Imperial fighters took on enemy fighters two to one.

 

During this chaos, Imperial capital ships began to draw back, centralizing to make a great killing field between themselves and the buzzing cluster before them. Their missiles were doing no good against the enemy capital ships, stunted by some anti-missile defense. So instead they were reserved for self defense, all missile and laser batteries reserved for any ships breaking free of the great fighter screen. The game here was sheer numbers advantage. By creating the great fighter screen composed of both enemy and friendly ships, the Imperials effectively negated the engagement's capital ships.

 

However the Rebel capital ships were not ignored. With only the Marauder corvettes in their way, seven hundred Imperial K-Wings flew low on bombing runs on the three capital ships. With as few corvettes as there were, the MC90's wouldn't have enough small point defenses along their surfaces to cover such great numbers.

 

The Scythe Element was taking a heavy beating. They were taking too much focus, and a vast majority of the fighter support tossed in the great fray, the element realized that their time was nearly up. Pushing all power to forward shields, the wrecked Venator ships opened fire with everything that had at whatever was in front of them. Every missile tube emptied at once, and were reloaded as quick as the frantic crew could manage. If they were going out, they were going out with a punch.

 

At the end of the maneuver, the undamaged Imperial capital ships had fallen back and formed a wide spread line of capital ships, now rather well removed from the fighter cluster.

 

~~~~

 

Julio felt compelled to take action, yet could not pull himself from the tide of this battle. Chaotic chords plucked at his heart strings and brought his awareness to staggering realities. Fear, anger, viscous desperation played as a symphony in his mind, and he could do nothing but fall into it. He seized this music, took it in, made it his, and sang his own song to hearts and minds of the Rebel pilots. Death became the only thing in their vision, each terrifying second passing before their eyes another twisted perversion of their death, over and over. The strong could look past this, use it even to empower themselves, but the weak would be consumed by it. War was no place for children.

[Jidai Geki]

Caira vs. Jaeger:

 

Jaeger: wrong time, wrong place. You were fairly unlucky to board in a hangar filled with boarding craft about to disembark, and you paid the price by taking some fairly heavy losses and being blown out into vacuum. However, good preparation in having the squad wear vacuum-sealed armour, and whether it was luck or foresight, the hole you blew out of the ship near the hangar saved the lives of you and your remaining men. You conceded a fair amount of damage, which is always nice to see, and you've managed to avoid having to go straight back into the hangar and right into those guns again.

 

Because of the nature of this killshot: against a PC and a squad of NPC's- the ruling does not fall under 'foiled', 'countered' or 'successful', but rather is partially successful; Jaeger's squad is reduced to a mere dozen men, plus himself, and they are now located in an area close to the hangar, but not in the hangar. Caira is aware that not all of the boarders are dead, but have made their way back to the ship, due to the hangar door still being open. Caira takes no casualties, being protected by the thick hulls of the boarding craft and taking the boarders by surprise.

 

KILLSHOT PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL- JAEGER HAS 12 MEN REMAINING, CAIRA TAKES NO CASUALTIES

[Aira Cadan]

It was clear to me that not all of the boarders had been killed by their unfortunate mistake, but the Mandos had clearly taken heavy losses. I forced myself to remain open to the Force as I felt the deaths of the living troops, as much as I hated the feeling. But I had ordered the attack on those men, and it was only respect for me to have to feel the agony of their deaths in the Force.

 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, recentering myself. I had to decide what to do next. I could order some of my men to pursue the invaders, or I could follow orders and remain ready to launch at any moment. I knew there would be plenty of detriments to prevent the dozen remaining troops from getting to the bridge or critical systems of the Nemesis, but I had studied the Mandalorians intently in my younger days, and if I had learned anything about them, it was never to underestimate a Mandalorian warrior.

 

I stretched out with my senses to see if I could get an idea of the state of the battle. I could feel the simmering violence and the pounding heartbeat of the fight still in full rage around me, but could gain no specifics. I made up my mind. The hanger door slid closed as the fire suppression system realized there was no longer any fires in the hanger. I opened my comm to one of the Valkyrie-class landing craft that the Republic was currently using a troop transports.

 

"Carrier GHY-756, discharge half of your troops to track down those Mandalorians and their troops. I don't want them to be able to damage the ship from the inside or get to the General." There was an affirmative, and 25 elite Republic ground troopers boiled out of the ship and hanger, following the invaders' last known path.

 

I commed a commander and got Major Strathorn. I quickly filled him in on the situation. "Sir, about a dozen of the Mandalorians and their troops escaped into the main part Nemesis. I sent about two dozen of my troops in pursuit."

 

((OOC: You didn't specify on your character sheet how many troops these transports carry, Slaughter, so I assumed they had about 50, which is less than the Imperial Sentinel-class ships))

[Darth Furion]

((OOC Note: Since it has been three days, and the effects of my battle meditation were not addressed by the only other Force User in the thread, I proceed as such.))

 

The Sith became feverish, the tide of battle streaming from him as if he were its composer. The bloodlust of a Commander fresh on the scent of a wounded ship, the desperation of a hyperventilating fighter pilot with three on his tail, fear, anger, hate. These were all things sewn deep into the heart of every man. These were the things soldiers were trained to ignore or will to submit. Yet these were the things that the Sith felt so vibrantly. No amount of training could completely subvert these emotions, none were completely guarded against their own feelings. Here in war, a man's true nature is shown in the way he fights. After all, combat was one of the purest forms of self expression one could experience.

 

His body had become hot in the process of pulling together all the notes of the battle, struggling to reweave the song to tell a terrible tale to the Rebel soldiers. As one note was pulled with the rest, each became aware of the other. Slowly the minds of the soldiers began to piece together the horrifying impression, feeling only dread, seeing only death. The symphony struck soundly, chaos and confusion saturating every sweet note.

 

~~~~

 

The Rebel fighters and warships, well ensnared into their own brawling attack, were struggling against the outnumbering Imperial fighters. Add to that the several hundred K-Wings had managed their bombing raids on the Rebel capital ships, with moderate losses on squads. On top of all of this, something seemed to trouble the Rebel soldiers. They were...off, distracted by something.

 

While the bee hive buzzed in front of them, the Imperial capital ships continued to back up just the edge of their weapons range, creating a great rift between the two. Instead of firing upon the Rebel capitals just on the other side of the chaotic fray of smaller ships, the Imperial Capital ships simply sat back and watched, firing only when Rebel ships were foolish enough to break from the relative safety of the cluster and attempted to attack the Star Destroyers head on. In the precious few minutes of fighters swarming one another, the Imperial ships calculated enemy flight patterns and poured information into the Imperial fighter squads.

 

Once the capital ships were properly lined, Imperial fighters and gunships broke, pulling far above and below the plane the Rebel and Imperial capital ships were on. As the fighters pulled above and below, aiming to move their unified force against the very few Rebel capital ships, Star Destroyers opened fire. With their fighters out of the way, the Imperials now had a clear shot into the Rebel caps. Missiles, rendered useless against the capitals due to some anti-missile defense, were aimed at the Rebel fighter and warship cluster in front of them, turbolaser and ion batteries firing toward the fray blindly. Even if they missed the fighters and warships, the Star Destroyers were lined up so that their shots would end up in Rebel capital ships. Any smaller ships caught in the barrage were either lost to the mass firing of lasers, or watched as said lasers sailed harmlessly by to collide with the MC90's.

 

((Post Two))

 

<>

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Bruce looked up from the sensor boards and gave the officer opposite of him a long glance, followed by a nod from Colonel Bryygo. Something had changed, and as a result, the Third Fleet had lost all of its momentum. Somehow, the lumbering Star Destroyers had managed to escape from the lighter gunships that nipped at their heels; somehow, the vicious screen of E-Wings around the fleet had become ineffective; somehow what should have been a victory for the Republic was threatening to turn into a disaster.

 

When the objective was a target that posed little value to the Republic, there was no shame in running to fight another day.

 

The General picked up the comms receiver and growled orders into it, signaling the entire fleet. ”œK-Wings, combat landings. All ships, retreat.”

[Sasori]

A light freighter ejected from hyperspace above the Imperial world of Ilum. The ship named The Grey Avenger came out of hyperspace streaming one of the codes the Emperor had designated for him to use for any of his Black Sun operations he needed. The code would order immediate stand down by any blockade or ship of any sort with an Imperial stamp upon it. This and the fact that the Emperor was working with Sasori's comrade at the current time should ensure the Black Sun is treated properly on any Imperial world they decide to travel to.

 

Inside The Grey Avenger were two Black Sun Operatives, Sasori Soren, Steward of the Black Sun Citadel, and interim President of the organization while Piccolo and Smash Daisaku were both unable to take their deserved positions, and the other was Vothe Kyrik, a man who once tried to kill Sasori when Sasori was an assassin for the Hutt Cartel. The two were on a mission to Ilum to collect crystals the Jedi Order could not, and sell them at exorbitantly high prices to the Jedi in prices that would make the Black Sun rich, and with tariffs to take the crystals off the planet, the Empire would make a nice profit as well.

 

The ship slid down to the planet below and Sasori reached into the Force for a second to find the largest of the Crystal caves. He was able to find it with ease, and it was tainted with all sides of the Force creating shades of grey in of itself. Many have died for this place, and now it is like some sort of Holy Ground held by the one group who had no need for it and no appreciation for it.

 

Landing near the cave, Sasori threw on his snow outfit and opened the ramp walking out into the blizzardy cold of the planet of Ilum. He stood out and waited for Vothe to join him, looking out into the snow not able to see an Imperial in his line of sight.

 

Doesn't help that those snow suits blend so easily though Sasori looking at his own black suit with white shoulder and back and feeling oddly out of place yet more stylish.

[Vothe Kyrik]

Vothe took a look around the ship and borrowed something think enough to keep him warm, then followed Sasori down the ramp. Thankfully, Ilum wasn't nearly as cold as Hoth, which was only survivable on the equator and even then only during the day without shelter. However, coming from the comfortable late spring warmth of Gala, it was a bit of a shock to the system to walk down the ramp into a foot of snow. Of course, the unusual body system of his people meant he didn't experince cold in the same way that most species did, as he had no natural body heat, but that wouldn't exactly make Tirius more comfortable here.

 

Presently he stretched out with his senses and very clearly detected a cave full of the Force-sensitive lightsaber crystals not far off. Soren had picked a good landing spot, and without a word Vothe set off towards the caves, somehow his footfalls not even making the familiar crunching sound that treading on snow usually caused. He was totally silent and pretty well camouflaged, and from what he had read about Ilum, it wasn't a bad idea to try to go unnoticed.

 

As he walked, he tried to get a better sense of what was ahead, though it was difficult to search for life forms when the crystals had such a strong aura. He wasn't sure if they would find Imperial troops guarding the caves to keep Jedi from sneaking onto the world and harvesting them, or if they would be absent and instead the pair of Black Sun agents were going to stumble upon one of Ilum's natural dangers--like a hunting Gorgodon that had found its way into the mountains.

 

Not that it mattered. Vothe Kyrik was prepared to deal with any eventuality, even if he was armed only with a borrowed lightsaber.

[Sasori]

((Gave the Empire enough time to respond to our arrival))

 

Sasori used biometric scanners and his own Force senses to attempt to find anyone in the vicinity of the cave, however, to his surprise as someone who is very security conscious, he found nothing waiting for them at all, and in his surprise he began to move forward and used a comm. Within his parka's hood to contact Vothe letting him know it was safe and that they could move forward to the cave entrance which lied only a few hundred meters away.

 

Trudging through the snow began to become difficult the closer they moved toward the cave entrance. One would think that the snow would decrease the closer they got to the high entrance of the cave and that it's mountainous peak would block some of the blizzard, but it seemed that when they got nearer the snow moved in a circular fashion as if the Force within the cave was using this as a natural form of protection to keep those of lesser will out. This did not phase Sasori and in fact made him press on harder at such an epiphany until he had reached the slippery surface at the cave's entrance before he was able to see the stone like intricate grand hall.

 

His eyes were wide, and the Grey Jedi lowered his hood as he looked in amazement at the ancient architecture within this place. As he looked closer he saw that the smooth lines were jagged and apparently handmade. Such crafts were not of beings of Force using nature, but of some sort of native species. Sasori took it all in, and rose his datapad to record the runes and patterns to analyze later.

 

He turned around and began to speak, not knowing if Vothe was even there.

 

”œMagnificent, isn't it...”

[Vothe Kyrik]

Vothe had not been deterred by the snow outside the cave. He had learned over many years how to deal with natural or semi-natural barriers--that not actually fighting them, but by moving through them using their own strength was key. And so he had let the snow push him toward his destination, and only at a key moment had he applied the force necessary to slip through into the caves.

 

The caves were... academically interesting, but nothing that Vothe hadn't expected. The Jedi had been here for millenia, and the crystals were so powerful in the Force that these places were said to often cause visions during meditation. Some Jedi would bring the materials they needed to build a lightsaber here, enter a meditation trance, and when they emerged, they had a complete weapon, even if they were completely unaware of the actual building process or even the selection of their crystal.

 

Of course, Vothe and Soren were here only for the crystals themselves. When prompted, he silently took the goggles and put them on, then quietly nodded when Soren offered him the lead. As he slipped ahead down the stairs, he took a moment to try and wrap his head around the phrase Soren had used--you and your people. It still didn't seem to fit him correctly. Tirius was striving to become a Jedi Knight, but Vothe Kyrik wasn't certain at all that that was his destiny. It would take time to figure out just where he would be when all this was completed.

 

Even walking down the stairs, Vothe Kyrik was silent. But as he entered the caves, he had to admit that he was somewhat surprised by what he found. Ilum's lightsaber crystals were dense. The walls sparkled with them, so frequent that they seemed as common as the stone in which they were embedded. He had expected to have to search long and hard for each individual crystal, but Ilum apparently had no shortage of them, even after all this time.

 

He glanced over his shoulder and nodded an all-clear at Soren, then descended the stairs the rest of the way, opening himself to the Force to drink in the powerful sensations that accompanied this room. The feeling was nothing short of astounding. It was like being parched in a desert and then standing under a waterfall, or eating something that tasted so good that you simply couldn't eat fast enough to satiate your desire for the sensation. But it was so much more than that, and Vothe could not think of words to describe it. It also brought to his mind his very biological thirst, and he yearned for a moment to satiate it so much that he glanced at Sasori. But he had been resisting for months, and he would have to go a little longer.

 

There was something else in the Force, too. The echoes of the Jedi that had been here before... hundreds of them at various times. He could actually hear some of the words they had spoken, feel some of what they were doing in the Force. It seemed that they were stretching out as he was, but they were looking for something specific. Vothe wondered at this, but as he reached around himself with his mind, he got the sense that each Jedi was looking for a different specific object, something that they expected to find... no, were destined to find.

 

Of course... Vothe thought. He turned his mind on Soren and spoke telepathically to him. "I know you are hesitant to listen to the will of the Force, but without doing so, you will never find the right crystal. But there is a crystal here for you, if you look for it." As he finished, Vothe felt his, like a beacon, coming from deeper in the caves. Completely absently he started to wander that way, still too taken by the very sensations around him to fully focus on where he was walking. He simply knew that he was walking in the right direction....

[Sasori]

Sasori was able to see perfectly within the initial darkness of the tunnels, following Vothe toward the center of the mass of energy they both felt within the Force when they arrived. Sasori had allowed himself to feel the Force since they were in the atmosphere of the planet so that he could land his ship where they did now. He had not felt the need to put more control on the Force's guidance, and he could have easily led on, but as Vothe was the Jedi here, it made sense for him to have the honor in Sasori's mind.

 

At the edge of the first entrance of the crystal caves was an unspeakable darkness, and Sorne felt a twinge of darker feeling ahead. Sasori was unsure of the intent to the feeling, but shrugged it off as a momentary lapse, possible passed over an area where a Sith or Dark Jedi was destroyed in the past. Yet as he took another step into the tunnel, a bright light took over him and Sasori was surrounded by thousands and thousands of crystals jutting out from the cracks in the caverns walls. A mangled combination of Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow and all other sorts of colors meshed around and continued into more brightly lit side tunnels leading from the primary formations. The Grey Jedi was astonished and moved and listened to the Force as Vothe had thought would be best in this part of their quest.

 

The voices were a mosh of different tones, voices, dialects and languages, some which Sasori recognized during his assassin days when he was nearly required to know several languages, and the others ancient sounding and not intelligible to Sasori in the least. It was quite a while before he was able to find a particular voice speaking to him, and Sasori spun around in a circle for a bit, looking a bit skiddish before he stopped as a swooning voice came over him.

 

”

[Vothe Kyrik]

Vothe wandered deeper and deeper into the caves, marvelling at their light but focused now on finding the crystal that was to be his. The complex turned out to be quite extensive, and soon he was out of an earshot of Sasori, only in touch via comms. This did not concern him--he did not sense any danger in the Force, and Soren had the task of collecting extra crystals, so it wasn't like he would be waiting on Vothe to leave. Even if something had been concerning about it, however, it would not have stopped the Black Sun agent from moving steadily through the rooms, pulled by some call imperceptible to any but himself.

 

Then he became aware that he was near to his destination. His footsteps slowed as he reached around himself with the Force. But he did not immediately pinpoint the exact location of the crystal--instead, he came upon a startling discovery. I'm not alone... His instincts served him quite well at determining when he was being followed. It was somewhat unusual for him to even be noticed, but clearly anyone that was this deep into such a sacred and forgotten place had to be looking specifically for someone like him.

 

Dropping silently into a crouch by the wall, Vothe grabbed the only weapon he had on him--his borrowed lightsaber, and looked carefully around. When he spotted the one who was following him, now walking calmly into the room with no attempt at being covert, he blinked. That can't be....

 

It was Nikkos Sariss, a figure from Vothe's long and somewhat recent adolescence. Nikkos was an Anzati who had taught him much of what he knew about the arts that had made him successful. There was perhaps no one that Vothe respected more in the galaxy, for what would he be without the instruction of this man?

 

Vothe stood. "Nikkos?" he breathed. "What are you doing here?"

 

Now that he got a better look at his instructor's face, he could make out his expression. It was one of disappointment, even disdain. "Vothe, what do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice quiet an ethereal despite the accusation in his tone. "A Jedi Knight? Really?"

 

Internally, Vothe grimaced. "It's not quite like that."

 

"Is it? Tell me, do you believe in the Force now?"

 

The words cut right through Vothe's argument even as it was forming in his mind. The Anzati did not believe in the Force. It was just another theory developed by younger species than the Anzati, and was no more correct than the dozens before it. Even if Vothe becoming a Jedi Knight was not as it seemed, faith in the Force was something he had picked up along the way, completely genuinely. "What would you have me do?"

 

A faint flicker of approval passed over Nikkos' face when Vothe did not attempt to defend his actions. "Come back with me. Tell me what you think you know so you can see your error. I knew you were too young to leave the homeworld."

 

Vothe studied the older being's face--Nikkos was probably close to seven hundred years old at this point, but he looked as vibrant of a human of only thirty-five years. "No, I'll handle this myself. You made no mistake," he answered.

 

Nikkos nodded approvingly again. "Good. Then go back to Black Sun and sever your ties with the Order."

 

"I would consider that choice carefully," a third voice spoke from the shadows behind Vothe. He turned to face it and found Master Kitt Fitt, the new Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. "You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order, one not easily broken." As Kitt spoke, he twirled something in his fingers and walked forward. The light caught it and Vothe noticed that it was a blue lightsaber crystal, fine and beautiful.

 

Vothe met the Jedi's eyes... a Jedi so much younger than him but seemingly so much more wise. That fact alone was a strong argument for the reality that was the Force. Vothe's belief system had been altered, whether Nikkos liked it or not. But could he really uphold his commitment to the Jedi Order? He had always been a free spirit, and besides, what could would Nikkos' teachings be if he became a Knight? The two paths before him seemed almost mutually exclusive.

 

"Vothe, the only decision is to give it up, or you will deny your heritage," Nikkos said, producing from his pocket a small, orange crystal that Vothe assumed was from these very caves.

 

"Tirius, serve," Kitt said.

 

Vothe looked at each in turn. "I will make my own decision," he said at last. "Begone, spirits."

 

He had guessed right. The apparitions disappeared back into the Force. He almost found it amusing that Nikkos, such a non-believer in the Force, had been manifested in such a way. Vothe put his lightsaber back onto the clip on his belt and felt an unusual bulge in his pocket as his hand brushed by it. He reached in and pulled out the most beautiful lightsaber crystal he had encountered. It was perfectly clear and seemed to have been cut by a machine, so perfect were its planes, though he knew that was not possible.

 

Vothe was heading back out when he got Sasori's message. Speaking back telepathically, Vothe responded. "On my way," he said.

 

A few minutes later, he reached Soren and gestured to the cave mouth. "Ready when you are."