Unknown location, near the Maw.
“… and that should inevitably see the issue resolved before our interests are truly threatened.”
Blackblade nodded as he listened to the offer. The cartel that was hiring him was entirely dubious, the Jutraalian had sensed that in a second, but the job itself (and more importantly the payment) was not. He only had to look out across the vast expanse of space to see that the payment was real, the gleaming daggers head indicative that these men meant business.
The mercenary sighed slightly before nodding again, this time in acceptance.
“I can commit the majority of my fleet for this contract, although obviously it will be the fortunes of war that decide on whether this succeeds or not. I will require one week of refit, in which time my ground units will be summoned and the fleet will begin its run-ups and planning.
Other payment can be made at your leisure, although be sure not to forget.”
He shot a quick glance to his adjutant as if to see if he wanted to add something, but Dmitri’s face was stony.
“Will you be sending along any observers or such?”
The question was one that would have to be fronted eventually, since each armchair general who Blackblade became involved with seemed determined to have his own hand in each engagement. One of the group nodded.
“A group has already been dispatched. They are more than capable of handling themselves. We simply ask that you refrain from sending them to their deaths.”
The mercenary admiral smiled now, knowing full well how some outfits treated their tag alongs.
“Of course. I already have men on the ground, as a coincidence actually. We shall begin immediately.”
The rest of the meeting past without incident, the plans elements being covered in their most rudimentary form for the satisfaction of his employers. As they left the pair were quick to comment on the strangeness of their hirers, but both cared not and the topic quickly died. With their shuttle docking aboard the Stormhawk, Dakkon was quick to act.
“Get in contact with Haise. I wanna see whats doing about this derelict station…”
Tibannopolis, one month earlier.
Captain Haise JMC (ret) struggled with his containment suit as their shuttle door dropped open with a decided clang against the hull of Tibannopolis. The entire place was deserted, much as Fleet Admiral Blackblade had predicted, but that didn’t prevent the former Jutraalians from staying on their guard. Who knows what could have happened to the place in the time it had been in the dead zone.
“Ryan, Iritak, get on the comms. I want to be able to call for help if @#%$ gets weird. Jayou and Kenyan, track down the armoury. Dendrickson, escort the master-chief to the reactor room. I want those repulsors up and running ASAP.”
There was a swirling of dust around Haise’s feet that caused him to look up to see the long thin body of another gallofree medium transport descend. Inside it bore the 3 key components of their mission, reactor and repulsor parts for Tibannopolis, two dozen sentry and patrol droids to scout the place out and a trio of Px-4 Mobile Command Bases. The sight of it spurned the former Marine Captain to action.
“Kransky, get your team back inside the transport and setting up those sentry towers around our unit perimeter. As the second unit of engineers arrive, tell them to link up with Dendrickson. Oh, and if you see Hale, tell him to start on those Tibanna reserves. Our primary mission is getting that gas! Everything else is secondary.”
It took the team almost an hour to get their landing zone in order, but by that point the sentry droids were already remapping Tibannopolis’s abandoned hull. Within that hour a pair of TIE fighters appeared, probably drawn from the Imperial garrison at Cloud City, their mission to track down the two transport contacts that had disappeared nearby. Luckily SOP prevented the TIEs from entering the deadzone, and so the group were safe. Or so they thought.
2 hours after the group had landed the crew of the gallofree quickly rushed up to Haise.
“Captain, we’ve got strange readings from above. Looks to me like a fleets just dropped in system and are moving in hostile formation towards the planet…”
Haise’s heart broke, he knew there was no way 2 transport ships could escape that. Although an entire fleet for 2 transports, that was mismanagement beyond the levels of the famed Imperial beaurocracy. There was no way in hell the Empire would bother doing that. Unless a lot had changed since Blackblades last Imperial hiring that is.
“It can’t be for us…
Keep me posted.”
Present time, edge of Anoat system.
“Those troops the cartel sent are really something else…”
Dakkons eyes caught Dmitri as he entered the room. His adjutant was ready for combat, but the lieutenant commander had taken to the newly arrived troops like a duck to water.
“…I can’t wait to see them in action.”
Blackblade nodded his ascent.
“The Lich craft are truly spectacular, rerouting the damage they receive back again through their weapons systems. Although I myself am more intreiged as to the Drhazi Dameun. How he handles his men in combat is what I’m interested in…”
The banter continued, focusing entirely on their new arrivals until it became apparent that the fleet was beginning its final jump approach. Quickly the pair made their way to the bridge.
“Officer on deck!”
The salutes past quickly, just as the craft accelerated to hyperspeed. Smiling, Blackblade settled himself into his command chair and immediately began his meditation. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to bother engaging in a mind meld, but he began the steps nonetheless.
Suddenly he distantly heard the voices of his engines crew.
Reversion on my mark in 3, 2, 1.
Mark.
His eyes snapped open in time to see the star streaks revert back to tiny dots as he paused in his mediations. Too many times had he missed the entire trip due to losing himself in his relaxation techniques, but now was not the time to dwell on the issue.
“Launch our fighters, shields and weapons to full.”
Before him lay Bespin like a rainbow gem set against black onyx. It seemed to sparkle with the colour of its own internal sun, although Blackblade knew its core was entirely solid and that such a belief was fallacious. Ignoring his own inconsequential thoughts, he returned his focus to the task at hand.
“Alpha hold the centre advancing at one third power. Bravo and Charlie advance on their flanks at one quarter, maintaining a .5 fire zone on each side of Alpha. Each units compliment should form up in a line abrest skirmish screen and have Delta move in to join Alpha.”
Calls came in as he issued orders to signify they had actually been issued.
“Oh, and have my personal fighter prepared.”
The old TIE Shadow aka the TIE Skipper had been with Blackblade since he had pioneered the design project under Emperor Fearsons. As far as he knew, it was the only craft of its type left in the galaxy, and even then it still wasn’t. The Magenta One had been so extensively modified (including replacing the double blind with an aeten cloak) that while it was the last skipper left, it was nothing like the production line craft.
Smiling to himself due to the fact the fighter tactician might finally be able to fly the skipper in combat, he sat back in his chair, his eyes on the horizon of space, waiting for enemy ships to appear.
“Orders are issued sir.”
He nodded, pausing before speaking.
“See if theres any way to contact the local authorities. I heard Cloud City got destroyed by the Sovereignty when they took the place, so maybe they’ve established something else, an orbital platform or such.”
“Aye aye sir.”
Fleet Manifest.
Assault Group Alpha
ISD I Reaver
IFAC (mod) Iridium
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
7 CGSs
Assault Group Bravo
ISD III Stormhawk
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
8 CGSs
Assault Group Charlie
RSD Thundercheif
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
8 CGSs
Support Group Delta
2 Interdictor Class 418 Cruisers
2 Invader Class 418 Troop Cruisers
1 Interceptor Class 418 Cruiser
2 IVP system patrol craft
2 CGSs
Fighters
24 Landing Barges
24 Dropships
39 Delta Class Stormtrooper Transports
5 Lambda Class Shuttles
36 E-Wings
24 K-Wings
24 D-Wings
24 H-Wings
12 B-Wings
220 TIE Defenders
248 XM-1 Missile Boats
36 TIE Scimitars
60 TIE Phantoms
48 TIE Advanced
72 TIE/ae Aerodynamic-Enhanced
6 TIE/fci Fire Control Interceptors
12 TIE/aq Aquatic Fighters
28 TIE/rpt Raptors
6 TIE/ew Electronic Warfare Fighters
56 TIE/lns
5 XG-1 Assault Gunboats
5 TIE Transports
96 Griffen Droid Fighters
84 Dragon Droid Fighters
“… and that should inevitably see the issue resolved before our interests are truly threatened.”
Blackblade nodded as he listened to the offer. The cartel that was hiring him was entirely dubious, the Jutraalian had sensed that in a second, but the job itself (and more importantly the payment) was not. He only had to look out across the vast expanse of space to see that the payment was real, the gleaming daggers head indicative that these men meant business.
The mercenary sighed slightly before nodding again, this time in acceptance.
“I can commit the majority of my fleet for this contract, although obviously it will be the fortunes of war that decide on whether this succeeds or not. I will require one week of refit, in which time my ground units will be summoned and the fleet will begin its run-ups and planning.
Other payment can be made at your leisure, although be sure not to forget.”
He shot a quick glance to his adjutant as if to see if he wanted to add something, but Dmitri’s face was stony.
“Will you be sending along any observers or such?”
The question was one that would have to be fronted eventually, since each armchair general who Blackblade became involved with seemed determined to have his own hand in each engagement. One of the group nodded.
“A group has already been dispatched. They are more than capable of handling themselves. We simply ask that you refrain from sending them to their deaths.”
The mercenary admiral smiled now, knowing full well how some outfits treated their tag alongs.
“Of course. I already have men on the ground, as a coincidence actually. We shall begin immediately.”
The rest of the meeting past without incident, the plans elements being covered in their most rudimentary form for the satisfaction of his employers. As they left the pair were quick to comment on the strangeness of their hirers, but both cared not and the topic quickly died. With their shuttle docking aboard the Stormhawk, Dakkon was quick to act.
“Get in contact with Haise. I wanna see whats doing about this derelict station…”
Tibannopolis, one month earlier.
Captain Haise JMC (ret) struggled with his containment suit as their shuttle door dropped open with a decided clang against the hull of Tibannopolis. The entire place was deserted, much as Fleet Admiral Blackblade had predicted, but that didn’t prevent the former Jutraalians from staying on their guard. Who knows what could have happened to the place in the time it had been in the dead zone.
“Ryan, Iritak, get on the comms. I want to be able to call for help if @#%$ gets weird. Jayou and Kenyan, track down the armoury. Dendrickson, escort the master-chief to the reactor room. I want those repulsors up and running ASAP.”
There was a swirling of dust around Haise’s feet that caused him to look up to see the long thin body of another gallofree medium transport descend. Inside it bore the 3 key components of their mission, reactor and repulsor parts for Tibannopolis, two dozen sentry and patrol droids to scout the place out and a trio of Px-4 Mobile Command Bases. The sight of it spurned the former Marine Captain to action.
“Kransky, get your team back inside the transport and setting up those sentry towers around our unit perimeter. As the second unit of engineers arrive, tell them to link up with Dendrickson. Oh, and if you see Hale, tell him to start on those Tibanna reserves. Our primary mission is getting that gas! Everything else is secondary.”
It took the team almost an hour to get their landing zone in order, but by that point the sentry droids were already remapping Tibannopolis’s abandoned hull. Within that hour a pair of TIE fighters appeared, probably drawn from the Imperial garrison at Cloud City, their mission to track down the two transport contacts that had disappeared nearby. Luckily SOP prevented the TIEs from entering the deadzone, and so the group were safe. Or so they thought.
2 hours after the group had landed the crew of the gallofree quickly rushed up to Haise.
“Captain, we’ve got strange readings from above. Looks to me like a fleets just dropped in system and are moving in hostile formation towards the planet…”
Haise’s heart broke, he knew there was no way 2 transport ships could escape that. Although an entire fleet for 2 transports, that was mismanagement beyond the levels of the famed Imperial beaurocracy. There was no way in hell the Empire would bother doing that. Unless a lot had changed since Blackblades last Imperial hiring that is.
“It can’t be for us…
Keep me posted.”
Present time, edge of Anoat system.
“Those troops the cartel sent are really something else…”
Dakkons eyes caught Dmitri as he entered the room. His adjutant was ready for combat, but the lieutenant commander had taken to the newly arrived troops like a duck to water.
“…I can’t wait to see them in action.”
Blackblade nodded his ascent.
“The Lich craft are truly spectacular, rerouting the damage they receive back again through their weapons systems. Although I myself am more intreiged as to the Drhazi Dameun. How he handles his men in combat is what I’m interested in…”
The banter continued, focusing entirely on their new arrivals until it became apparent that the fleet was beginning its final jump approach. Quickly the pair made their way to the bridge.
“Officer on deck!”
The salutes past quickly, just as the craft accelerated to hyperspeed. Smiling, Blackblade settled himself into his command chair and immediately began his meditation. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to bother engaging in a mind meld, but he began the steps nonetheless.
Suddenly he distantly heard the voices of his engines crew.
Reversion on my mark in 3, 2, 1.
Mark.
His eyes snapped open in time to see the star streaks revert back to tiny dots as he paused in his mediations. Too many times had he missed the entire trip due to losing himself in his relaxation techniques, but now was not the time to dwell on the issue.
“Launch our fighters, shields and weapons to full.”
Before him lay Bespin like a rainbow gem set against black onyx. It seemed to sparkle with the colour of its own internal sun, although Blackblade knew its core was entirely solid and that such a belief was fallacious. Ignoring his own inconsequential thoughts, he returned his focus to the task at hand.
“Alpha hold the centre advancing at one third power. Bravo and Charlie advance on their flanks at one quarter, maintaining a .5 fire zone on each side of Alpha. Each units compliment should form up in a line abrest skirmish screen and have Delta move in to join Alpha.”
Calls came in as he issued orders to signify they had actually been issued.
“Oh, and have my personal fighter prepared.”
The old TIE Shadow aka the TIE Skipper had been with Blackblade since he had pioneered the design project under Emperor Fearsons. As far as he knew, it was the only craft of its type left in the galaxy, and even then it still wasn’t. The Magenta One had been so extensively modified (including replacing the double blind with an aeten cloak) that while it was the last skipper left, it was nothing like the production line craft.
Smiling to himself due to the fact the fighter tactician might finally be able to fly the skipper in combat, he sat back in his chair, his eyes on the horizon of space, waiting for enemy ships to appear.
“Orders are issued sir.”
He nodded, pausing before speaking.
“See if theres any way to contact the local authorities. I heard Cloud City got destroyed by the Sovereignty when they took the place, so maybe they’ve established something else, an orbital platform or such.”
“Aye aye sir.”
Fleet Manifest.
Assault Group Alpha
ISD I Reaver
IFAC (mod) Iridium
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
7 CGSs
Assault Group Bravo
ISD III Stormhawk
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
8 CGSs
Assault Group Charlie
RSD Thundercheif
AEGIS II x 3
Protector 418
8 CGSs
Support Group Delta
2 Interdictor Class 418 Cruisers
2 Invader Class 418 Troop Cruisers
1 Interceptor Class 418 Cruiser
2 IVP system patrol craft
2 CGSs
Fighters
24 Landing Barges
24 Dropships
39 Delta Class Stormtrooper Transports
5 Lambda Class Shuttles
36 E-Wings
24 K-Wings
24 D-Wings
24 H-Wings
12 B-Wings
220 TIE Defenders
248 XM-1 Missile Boats
36 TIE Scimitars
60 TIE Phantoms
48 TIE Advanced
72 TIE/ae Aerodynamic-Enhanced
6 TIE/fci Fire Control Interceptors
12 TIE/aq Aquatic Fighters
28 TIE/rpt Raptors
6 TIE/ew Electronic Warfare Fighters
56 TIE/lns
5 XG-1 Assault Gunboats
5 TIE Transports
96 Griffen Droid Fighters
84 Dragon Droid Fighters
