<font color=maroon>Out here, in the middle of nowhere. This is where our story begins. Who would have guessed that this story was one of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" types, the kind that good little boys and girls have. You press a button, and you can choose between two choices with two very different endings. Or sometimes, if things go a certain way, the same ending.

In the end, do not all paths lead to the same destiny?

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The arrowhead bow of the Star Destroyer Guardian pushed across the black, emptiness of space. This region, far outside the normal realm, was devoid of any kind of life, even of a star to light it. Any light that penetrated this deeply must have been a millenium or more old, travelling the great distances of space and time for generations before arriving here. And for what? To be noticed by the crew of a meger fleet, deployed to defend against an unseen enemy.

This was the fate of the universe, it seemed.



The image on the screen in front of him was not a pretty one. The man, if he could be called a man, was twisted... evil. He was a monster, a baby-murderer. And this was a man he called his friend.
"Lupercus. How... nice... to see you again."

Lupercus sat aboard the Blood of Hapes, his eyes quiet and contemplative. The pinhead personality had rescinded of late, and he was back to himself, or as much as one of Lupercus' insanity could be.

Lupercus himself was a paradox his beautiful exterior, shell if you will, covered a black heart which held a pleasure for pain. Many planets were credited with his personal mark.

Falleen, a Rogue Imperial World, where he crashed a captured ISD which was being used as a hosbital ship into the planets surface.

Gallinore, of Hapes, he had killed millions in its capture.

Rodia, Ukio and Democles also had felt Lupercus' touch. And now there was another name to be added to the list.

Garos IV.

"How good of you to continue to expand my business... Dirty work has become, lucrative of late..."

Frowning, he gestured for the details of the job to be brought through. He watched as the mission parameters were set, and a small grin grew off his face as he sensed the underlying meaning to his task of stopping Winger Mining Corporation from meeting its commitments in the mineral wealth area. He signaled his agreement to the deal with a nod, and cut the transmition. He had work to do.

Rising from his position, he gave orders for the rendeavoux with what was now called the Shadow Guard Fleet. It would serve the purposes of privateer well.

Hours later, unknown system, Nyarikan Nebula

The scores of ships were lined up in strike positions, flanks and centre being held by the Shadow Fleet, the reserves and command ships being held slightly behind the fleets lines. Suddenly, the ships were gone, their hyperdrives engaged sending them directly to Garos IV, soon to be pillaged planet of the New Lorell Raiders.

Garos IV

The sudden appearance of a battle fleet was not exactly a new thing, the Corporation being violated by Rogue Imperials many a times. Only this violation was going to be much more painful...

"Activate Abolisher field. Also activate our gravity wells. Lets get it together, launch fighters."

(OOC: Shadow Guard Fleet

Fleet battleline ships

Nemisis-class Star Destroyer Guardian
6 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
3 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Nemisis-class Star Destroyer Steel Blade
6 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
3 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Nemisis-class Star Destroyer Ice Spectre
6 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
3 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Eternal Hellfire
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Eternal Night
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Eternal Vigilance
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Eureka Maru
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Glorious Heritage
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Righteous Fist
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Balance of Judgement
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Pride of Kaldera
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Aegis II-class Star Cruiser Siege Perilous
2 Sqaudrons TIE Defender
Loronar Strike Cruiser Trail Blazer
4 Sqaudrons TIE Phantom
2 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Loronar Strike Cruiser Pathfinder
4 Sqaudrons TIE Phantom
2 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Loronar Strike Cruiser Lancer
4 Sqaudrons TIE Phantom
2 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Loronar Strike Cruiser Kodiak
4 Sqaudrons TIE Phantom
2 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Loronar Strike Cruiser Stryker
4 Sqaudrons TIE Phantom
2 Sqaudrons TIE Scimitar
Ghost-class Cruiser XP-001
Ghost-class Cruiser XP-002
Ghost-class Cruiser XP-003
Ghost-class Cruiser XP-004

Fleet Command and Reserves.

Nemesis Class Star Destroyer Hand of Fate
9 Squadrons Skipspray Blastboats
Imperial II Class Star Destroyer Flames of Vengeance
6 Squadrons Skipspray Blastboats
Imperial Class Star Destroyer Liberties End
6 Squadrons TIE Defenders
Imperial Class Star Destroyer Hammer and Sickle
3 Squadrons TIE Fighters
2 Squadrons TIE Bombers
1 Squadron TIE Interceptors
Victory Class Star Destroyer Blood of Hapes
2 Squadrons, Miy'Til Fighters
Battle Dragon Hapes Lost
2 Squadrons Miy'Til Fighters
1 Squadron Hetrinar Fighter Bombers
Nova Class Cruiser Razor
2 Squadrons, Miy'Til Fighters
Nova Class Cruiser Blade
2 Squadrons, Miy'Til Fighters
Interdictor Class Cruiser Love Lost
2 Squadrons TIE Defenders
Abolisher Cruiser Hyperspace Slaughter
2 Squadrons TIE Defenders

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Blood.

The Lord of the Shadow Guard would today taste blood, as the forces of the Privateer Darksword and his own fleet battled over the dismal world of Garos IV.

A Corporation, one so poor and unimportant as the Winger Mining Corporation, did not deserve what they held. Their own incompitence, flying seventeen ships into Abolisher nets at Tava Yagen three months prior, was reason enough to bring the full weight of the Shadow Guard against them.



The Shadow Guard would rise up against the idiots of this so-called "Winger" and crush him. It was right. It was their destiny.

A tiny fleet of simple warships entered the system away from the abolisher field. The Azguard fleet. They had come to help defend the Winger Mining Corp for three reasons. 1. They were economical partners, and in the culture of Azguard that meant millitary allies. 2. They were their only trusted supplier of Tibanna gas which the Azguardians needed. And for those who think it is foolish to still fight, number 3. The Azguardians were honourable.

"This is His Lordship and Ruler of the AGM, we are here to aid the winger mining corps, but we are willing to open up a parley first." Said Supreme Lord Ourvix.

"We are prepared to fight you but first you should wait for the response of Mr Myn Winger."

(OOC: I havn't got much But here it is for what it can do)

1 Nebulan B-2, Yunos
1 nebulan b-2, Rocka Fella
1 Corellian gunship, Shadows and Dust
1 Corellian Gunship, Roderick
1 Imperial Class star Destroyer, Diamond Knife
1 Imperial Class Star Destroyer, Mike
1 Imperial Class Star Destroyer, Flare
1 Imperial Class Star Destroyer, Blade of Steel
1 1000 Class Cruiser, Gunner
1 1000 Class Cruiser, Hephastus
1 1000 Class Cruiser, Osis



40 B-wings
21 Tie Defenders
21 Tie Defenders
21 Tie Defenders
21 Tie Defenders
35 Tie Defenders

(OOC:Well heres hoping your not going to godmode and assume that if you made it by coming in out of my abolishers range you can jump right into combat. To be fair, how does 5 posts of you moving sound, the 5th being you reaching cappy firing range.

Also, i believe the daybreak is currently damaged and unable to attend thanks to the lost in space thread. Please remove it from your manifest...)

"Lup! We've got incoming ships, long out of range of our Abolisher fields."

Lupercus looked up and saw a pitance of ships emerge from Hyperspace. His small core reserve unit outnumbered then, let alone his battleline fleet.

"Shall we turn about?"

"No, look at that, well over a hundred kilometres away. Launch our reserve fighters to maintain a secure line behind us. Have our TIE Phantoms advance to scouting positions so they can run missle data back to our relay teams. Have them full cloak, no targeting enemies until everything is ready.

Our fighters should maintain a closed perimetre until the enemy shows themselves. Nothing gets through, and i mean nothing...

Ghost Cruisers go to full cloak, and move to engage this new threat with reserve fighter support."

Lupercus smiled and looked to his right. A holocom sat there, and in it sat Ominii, his contact.

"Ominii my friend, it seems we have some sport. Do you wish for me to land your men?"

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"Lord Ominii, new vessels have appeared on our scopes. Sensor data suggests unknowns, wishing to render aide to the Winger Mining Corporation."

The Lord of the Shadow Guard nodded slowly, his gaze not moving from the screen that showed the world of Garos IV below.

"Entertain them, and if they move to engage us... destroy them. Break the Ghosts away, Fusion Beam Cannons armed. Give them a spread shot of pulse-mass mines across the AGM exit vector. They made the mistake of visiting Mr. Winger at a bad time... they pay the price. Inform of that any hostile actions will be met with... resistance.

"Oh, and offer all parties a surrender. We don't ask much."

(OOC: five posts are good, but sorry about that Daybreak thing. I will edit it immeadietly, I had just cut and pasted my entire fleet manifest and missed that one out by accident. Also, you do not know who we are. besides afew random sightings by Jutraalians and the contact to WMC we are still unknown.

Unless of corse you were hired by Imps, then you might know of us from when we were in this sector last.)

A surrender? They would not have come here just to surrender.

"All guns online, prepare to fight with honour. fighters, stay behind and close to the capital ships, charge the Ion cannons And prepare to engage enemies. Yunos guide us."

The Azguardians slowly drifted towards the enemy fleet, on an almost certain suicide mission in the name of honour.

Myn glanced out the viewport as enemy ships came out of hyperspace.

"All shields power up. Power up all weapons. Launch all fighters. Send a message to all our allies. And tell them about the abolishers."

"Yes sir."

"Azguardian fleet incoming."

"Tell them about the fact that Abolishers will have to power down after a few minutes. Get all ships to come around the planet, stay in a group, and stay out of weapon range from the enemy ships. We don't have the ships to do a head on attack. Tactics are called for in this situation."

"Yes sir."

"Wait. How close are they?"

"Only a couple clicks away."

"Get the mole miners up here now. All ships prepare for combat. Move forward towards the enemy. I want the fighters infront as a screen. Captain I have an idea, one that just might turn the tide in this battle. But it will be difficult."

"What is it?"

Myn whispered his plan into the ear of the officer. They both broke into smiles. The enemy fleet, still unkown, would receive a wonderful surprise, thansk to Winger Mining Corporation.

"And get some reinforcements here from Nkllon. Warn them about the Abolisher Field. And contact this com number, asking for help, tell them about the Abolisher Field."

"Yes sir."

The call were made, the fleet advanced, and the battle was about to start...

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"Commander?" The voice was smooth, soft. It was that of a man that had, in his time, murdered hundreds. Thousands. Even millions, of people. It was that of Ominii, Lord of the Shadow. The Ultimate. The Overlord. As far as these people were concered; God.

"Sir?"
"Did you say that these are expert miners?" The Commander, a young man who had proved more than compitent on many occasions in the past, nodded.
"Miners, sir. Experts, I dare not say. Their incompitence in the past, at Tava Yagen-"
"Thank you, Commander." The Dark Figure turned and cast his gaze across the bridge.
"Guns, be wary of any mining craft you may detect. Let us not forget Grand Admiral Thrawn, and the Battle of Sluis Van."



The battle would begin soon. Blood would be shed. The Lord of the Shadow would be made happy as the blood of thousands of incompitents was drained.

The Ghost Cruisers, invisible to the enemy vessels, shot forward through the night that was space and opened fire, the first shots of the day.

To each of the monolithic Allegiance-class Super Star Destroyers two went. Their mamoth Fusion Beam Cannons pulsed out fire, eery green lines in space that opened the hulls of those great Star Destroyers to space.

And in the wake of the Ghosts, the Privateer's fleet came on...

Approximate Damage Sustained
ASSD Myn's Pride - Structural damage and hull breachs
ASSD Myn's Joy - Structural damage and hull breachs

Lupercus grinned as Ominii sent out his instructions.

"Not yet, those Ghosts are best used against the main bulk of their fleet, the others are still too far away and would be unsupported."

Lupercus turned back to his helmsman and nodded, the signal to send the Ghosts in on the right flank to their unsupported ISD. Meanwhile, on the left flank, the phantoms not supporting the ghosts got a lock on the Alleigance holding that flank. With a smile, Lupercus saw the missle lock data being transmited.

"Deseminate that lock data to our VSD and NSDs. Also have half the Aegis cruisers target it."

Suddenly another beep sounded as the Ghosts sent their own firing solutions.

"Send those to the other Aegis Cruisers?"

Lupercus nodded, and watched as his centre and left flank rippled with torpedos and missles. In the centre, the TIE Defenders were closing in on the Missle Cruisers, the Scimitars slightly behind them. Following them was the heavy strike unit of Skipsprays targetting the other Alliengence. Other fighters swarmed around them in escort positions. SUddenly the TIE Defenders heavy rockets arched out and the flight broke up as the scimitars unleashed their cargo. Finally the Skipsprays fired almost in tandem with the backline of Aegis Cruisers missles. As the alleigence prepared to evade, the charged Fusion Beam Cannons on the Ghosts Fired, the powerful 8 metre beam ripping through shields as if it were plastboard, the total 16 FBCs heavily damaging the ship while the other targeted the nearby Freedom Cruisers, each being impacted by 2 of the deadly beams.

Meanwhile the bridge crew were watching as Lupercus spoke.

"All laser crews at the ready, we still aren't in turbolaser range, but get those missle reloaded, the FBCs recharged and watch out for mole miners. I think they might be trying to copy Thrawn in a pathetic kind of way."