Irtar sat within the office he'd been allowed to use as a staging ground of sorts. He had promises to fulfill and if he didn't come through, he'd be screwing over not only himself but the Galactic Coalition to. He grumbled as he went over a variety of papers and requests that meant very little to him. Most of these sort of things were taken care of by Chao since he was the official politician and Irtar was just a diplomat.

Irtar was actually waiting for Chao to come back. The Sinsangese man had told him he would be bringing over a guest who could help him with his promise of terraforming Gravlex Med. Irtar was defiinitely curious of who it was. That's when Irtar heard the buzzing sound of someone at that door. Irtar pressed a button a small holo of Chao's head appeared.

"Hey, come on in!" Irtar said with a slight smile on his face.

With a nod, the Chao holo vanished and the door opened revealing Chao in his business suit. Behind him, was a man dressed in a simple uniform of a blue jacket with golden buttons and trim, and blue trousers. Irtar recognized the symbol as that of the Sinsangese Guard. The man himself was clean shaven and with his short black hair slicked back, and an expression stiffer than durasteel.

"Jedi Mal'Gro, I'd like you to meet Captain Chang Wu of the Sinsangese Guard." Chao said, introducing the Captain to the Diplomat. Irtar got up to shake the man's hand whom looked down at it for a moment before slowly reaching out and shaking it.

"A pleasure I'm sure." Irtar said somewhat dryly at the Captain's fairly cold treatment of him.

"Captain Wu and his men have been the leading the offensive against the pirates that have been raiding our transports. The Senate has assigned him as the escort for your terraforming to Gravlex Med." Chao said his very formal and stately manner. Probably formed from his years as a politician.

"Well... The ships the Coalition is sending to help us SHOULD be here sometime soon. I don’t know what they’re sending us with that war with the BDE going on and all, BUT we should get something. And with Captain Wu here helping out, I’m sure we’ll be just fine.” Irtar said with a smile that was attempting to be comforting but in fact just looked forced.

“So you don’t know what we’ll be getting!?!” Chao nearly shouted as his eyebrow twitched slightly. Chao had always been stressed out that the promises and inexperience of the young diplomat would undo his hard work.

“They didn’t know what they’d be able to send.” Irtar hurriedly threw out as he kind of backed into his seat.

That was when Irtar’s holophone began to beep with a Galactic Coalition logo appearing. Irtar hurriedly answered it, hoping it was specifics on the ships they were going to be given so he could keep Chao from doubling over.

((I want to post all the work I've done over in fear of my computer crashing again. Don't know why it would but I'm a fearful man! Anyways, enjoy the next lots of crap I wrote up in my moments of recent motivation! Yay for Irtarded peoples!))

The Coalition reinforcements weren’t that great and were likely taken from small planetary patrols. They had with them a couple of assault frigates, the Darian and the Grendel, to run the escort, along with Chang Wu’s Nebulon B-2 Frigate, the Wi-jiang, that was going to act as the flagship for the mission. The terraforming equipment was held on a handful of medium transports. It wasn’t that large of a fleet, but when compared to a merchant escort it was significant threat to overcome.

The shuttle ride from the surface was quiet, there was little conversation between Chang Wu and Irtar, just the occasional order to the pilot from the captain. Irtar was beginning to get edgy, because it seemed like the man was sizing him up. Evaluating him? Perhaps the man was spiteful because if Sinsang had joined the Empire, then it would have gotten a much larger military access than a Nebulon-class Frigate. Thankfully, there was a groan as the shuttle landed on the pad and Irtar was able to escape.

Irtar stepped off the shuttle and looked around the hangar. It was definitely a sight when compared to all the coalition vessels with their specially crafted, small nimble ships. The hanger was filled with an assortment of older and newer ships. As a planet that produces for a number of groups, it has access to an interesting mix. TIE Advanced, E-Wings, and B-Wings made up the main of the fighters. Irtar stepped carefully amongst the various wires and tubes that went with pre-flight checks and repairs. Deck crew called out amongst each other as to status and progress.

The captain seemed to be holed up as the deck chief called him over to discuss something with him so Irtar decided to use this chance to reaffirm himself. He was just… on edge, like something bad was going to happen. Maybe that’s why Chang Wu was staring at him? That it was written on his face? After all, everyone knew that the Jedi had a resounding skill for sensing things coming. But what could it be? He had heard of some border skirmishes with the Empire and the war with the Dragons. But they wouldn’t have anything to do with this… Would they?

As Irtar pondered, his thoughts were interrupted by the sharp voice of Wu. “Ambassador Mal’Gro, let us be off to the bridge to prepare for the jump. We shall leave for Gravlex Med shortly.” Wu commanded of Irtar who nodded in return and motioned for the captain to lead on in his vessel.

The command center of the ship froze as they entered, and everyone turn to the captain and snapped to attention. “Captain on the bridge!” called one of the officers, and Wu returned the salute as Irtar kinda looked around, a bit daunted by the military types. The captain looked over to Irtar and then proceeded to stand with a group overlooking a sensor display.

“All ships accounted for… calculate the jump for Gravlex Med.” Wu said after a moment, and the helm officer nodded and entered the values into the computer. The captain sat in his chair as Irtar just found somewhere to stand out of the way and let everyone do their work. And soon enough, they were on their way to Gravlex Med.

-------------------------

Irtar sat in the quarters he was assigned during the course of this operation awaiting for the signal that they were coming out of hyperspace. It was a simple room, but it had a bed and was somewhere he could be by himself. He lay there, trying to do what Master Organa had taught him. To focus himself and try to read more deeply into his premonitions. Just… letting go of thought, of time, and concern. Trying let his emotions guide him to the truth.

After a time, he gave up with a sigh and took out his lightsaber to continue with his increasingly consuming hobby. He knew there wasn’t much more he could do in modifications, but it wasn’t like he had much better to do with his time than try to find new ways to use his gift to be as good a Jedi he could be. He wasn’t that adept at wielding the force but he was a DAMN good engineer.

He paused for a moment and looked at the crystals, for a flash the blood that washed them swept through his mind but he quickly pushed it past. He needed to focus on his task and not the crimes of the Sith. There would be time for that… eventually. He took out his tools and began to fiddle with a couple of the small wires, while doing calculations in his head.

He was in the middle of tweaking the power output by another couple of nano-volts when there was a sudden beeping sound. Irtar almost jumped a bit and scratched a lot of the work he had done on refining the beam. It was the signal. Irtar promptly closed the casing on his lightsaber and made his way to get up to the bridge.

---------------------------------

“When we enter the system, initiate standard yellow procedure.” Chang Wu said as he sat in the captain’s seat, watching the swirling vortex begin to change back to normal space. Irtar stepped onto the bridge just in time to see the shift back to real space. Gravlex Med sat before him, truly a wreck of a planet. Instead of like most life-giving planets, it had swirling clouds of poisonous gasses twisting in the atmosphere.

A squadron of E-Wings came from the Nebulon Frigate and feel back to the freighters as the fleet organized. The Nebulon took the lead and the assault frigates fell back to the rear with the mediums, who were going to stay outside of the planetary gravity well until they got the all clear.

“So… at least it’s not an asteroid field.” Irtar said as a joke, getting fully ignored as the crew went about there duties. He gave a sigh as he leaned up against a bulkhead as the captain carefully watched the planet. When the fleet was underway, he kept his eyes on a particular point, a space station that was slowly coming into view.

“That station shall act as our staging centre. It’s been abandoned since the Imperial bombardment and may contain sensor data of use for the terraform team.” Wu said without looking to anyone, his eyes not leaving the station. “When we’re on top of the station, deploy the marine shuttle to secure the facility. Take us in, three-quarters speed.”

The helmsman nodded and set the course, and the fleet slowly approached the old, lifeless station. It was one of the few things left of the nearly extinct Anx culture. They had chose to stand against one of the warlords that came into being after the collapse of Palpatine’s Empire and suffered for it. Their homeworld destroyed, and most of their people killed, the insectoid race has simply being making by with most staying around the Raioballo Sector.

“Status.” Wu demanded of the bridge crew.

“Sensors coming up with nothing and everything reads green. The shuttle crew is waiting for the clear to go, sir.” One of the officers piped up in response.

“Permission granted, tell them to stay frosty. Lower shields until the shuttle is clear.” Wu said as a he got up and walked over to the sensor station he and some of the other officers were at before they left Sinsang. The new blip of the shuttle appeared on the grid, when all of a sudden alarms went off.

“Captain, we’re reading power registers from the stations. It’s hidden weapons powering up!” The officer called out the last bit in panic. Then another officer called out. “New signals sir, fighters launching from the station. Getting Z-95s and Y-Wings, sir!”

The ship rocked as the first volley from the station collided with the unshielded frigate. A number of explosions and alarms went off as Irtar went careening to the floor as the rest of the bridge crew braced itself. Sections of the hull sheared slightly under the impact of the large turbolasers that emerged from the station.

“Shields! Return fire!” Wu called out, his gaze going instantly to his military officer who delayed.

“The shuttle hasn’t cleared yet, sir.” The young officer replied to the stern captain as a second volley rocked the ship. More lights came on at a station Irtar could only assume was the damage control. Wu’s face became yet more fierce as he turned his gaze to the young man.

“I said shields, lieutenant!” Wu demanded, clenching his fist as the officer’s face flushed. He quietly gulped, and pressed the button to raise the shields. Another couple of blips came from damage control and Irtar was worried that perhaps the shield generators were hit in the opening fire. He nearly bit his tongue in fear of what was to come but… the rocking stopped. The shields were up!

“Sir… we’re getting no transponder signal from the shuttle. I think it might have been heavily damaged when we powered on the shields.” A young ensign in control of the sensors spoke up.

Chang Wu looked to the Comm. Officer, preparing to bark out the next set of orders, unphased by the prospect of having killed a shuttle of commandos. “Red Procedure. Order the assault frigates to come in close and have the patrol fighters come in and try to keep off any bombers that try to set up for a run on us. Order the transports to jump out back to Sinsang. Have the flight crew ready and get Lieutenant Jiang working on a plan of engagement. And helmsman, take us out of range of that station, we can’t launch out fighters under this kind of fire. And I expect fire control teams getting to work now. Have turbolasers fire on that station and weapons lock unto all enemy bombers trying to establish a run and prepare missile batteries to counter any ordinance fired towards this ship.”

“You all have your orders now get to them!” Wu shouted as he sat back in his chair and looked out at the sensor read-out as the various blips closed on each other. Now it was time to see what more these pirates could have up their sleeves….

--------------------------

Most would think that Z-95 Headhunters would be easy prey in this age of quickly advancing warfare. That such outdated technology from before the Civil War that tore the first Galactic Empire to shreds would be easily crushed like a bug. But even a flintlock pistol can still kill a man if in the right hands.

The Sinsangese pilots were outnumbered, and green, and taken completely by surprise. By the time they realized what was going on and the orders reached them of what they were to do, the Z-95s were already on them. Their pilots were hardened from battles and drills and knew what their ships could handle in a fight. It was all over by they even had the chance to call out a mayday.

The Z-95s pulled back to the Y-Wings, not pulling in close because they lack ordinance and would be easy prey for the lasers of the Nebulon. The Y-Wings brought themselves into a pincer run. Ten strong and in coming in two separate formations of five and loaded with torpedoes. The Nebulon had gotten itself situated, engines firing to bring it to the support of its allies and from the pounding laser fire from the not-so-derelict space station.

“Sir, incoming torpedoes. The counter-measures can’t get them all.” One of the officers called out as the Y-Wings let their payloads loose upon the ship.

“I suggest you brace yourself this time Ambassador Mal’Gro, and pray to whatever Gods you worship.” Chang Wu said calmly as he watched the sensor panel. As the blips came closer upon the center. One blipped out, then another, but the dots came closer. He knew there was no way the shields would hold and if they found home where those previous blasts hit from the station….

Irtar found himself somewhere he could steadily place himself and closed his eyes as the first collisions rocked the ship. Alarms pieced the ears as the first explosions came about. Lights flickered as power was being averted from damaged subsystems. Sparks shot from some of the consoles as shorts and surges blew components. And then, as the explosions continued to rock the vessel, tearing it to shreds, Irtar could no longer hold on. And it all turned to darkness and silence.

--------------------------------

Where was he?

He tried to open his eyes, but all Irtar saw was shadow. He tried to feel for ground but all he felt was the darkness of the abyss that enshrouded him.

What was going on?

“Only a passing, youngling.” Came a voice, as serene as pond but as strong as the tide.

“Are you saying I’m dead?” Irtar asked out to the shadow, and for a time he thought it could not hear him. That perhaps whoever it was so far in the shadow that it could not hear him.

“No, you are not dead. You merely have grazed it. Come to touch it. And I’ve been given this chance to talk to you again.”

“Again?” Irtar asked, his head thrashing about as if trying to throw a cover from his face. Trying to see through the shadow and find whoever it was that spoke next to him. “Who are you? What’s going on?”

“Do not forget what you have learned young Jedi, or you shall fall like so many before you and so many after.

When traveling through shadow never let go of the light….”

------------------------------

“-ild concussion. He should be alright given some time.” Came a voice from beyond the mist, piercing his ears like an arrow. Irtar opened his eyes and squinted his eyes a bright light shone right in his face. “He’s coming to. Ambassador, are you alright?”

“Hrm…? Wha-What’s happening?” Irtar stammered out, his voice strained. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton and the world looked like it was stained in grease. And his mind felt like it was being torn apart by an angry Wookiee. But he still felt like he was floating so far away… like his soul was still in that void.

“Don’t panic ambassador. You’ve just got a mild concussion. You’ll be alright.” The young officer said as Irtar nodded off again back into the abyss.

-------------------

Chang Wu floated through the ruins of his bridge. The corpses of some of the officers that were killed in overloads and collisions and moved like horrible lilies drifting along a bloody river. The captain looked over the manual gauges on the pressure and oxygen levels and found that at least the bridge still had some form of oxygen and was pressurized. Or those were damaged in the barrage as well. From what best he could tell, the ship was dead.

Flames came from what was the hangar. The forward V section was opened clear through in section. Flames erupted from various places where the hull was breached. And he could no longer really tell what was going on in the battle, as the Nebulon slowly drifted through the void of space. Occasionally he caught glimpses of laser fire, as it seemed the assault frigates have finally caught up.

At least the reactor hadn’t been breached yet as to cause the vessel to explode. There was nothing for them left to do but float in the void. Float and pray for something to rescue them from the shadow.

-------------------

Captain Gregory Bates of the Assault-class Frigate Darian took over command as the Sinsangese vessel was destroyed. They kept on the last orders from Chang Wu, to move up and try and take out the enemy fighters. They still had a mission to accomplish and now they had to secure the wreck of the Wi-jiang so that they could try to find survivors. At least until it risked them to.

“This is Captain Gregory Bates to Command. We’ve an emergency situation.” The round man said, as he activated his holo-link with his commander. It took a moment before the image of a very formally dressed and clean shaven man came on the screen. It was one of the Admirals of the Coalition.

“Sir, the Wi-jiang is down, we need some heavy tugs out here. And we might well need some back-up….” The captain said, slightly nervous talking to the Admiral. Bates was commonly asking for help, though it was never his fault he always told himself, and was afraid he was going to loose his rank.

“Hrm… all we have on hand for a mission like this is a medical frigate. Do what you can save the ship and her crew, but don’t get yourselves killed in the process.” The admiral said, rubbing his chin in thought. “I’ll dispatch the support to you as soon as possible Captain. Good luck, and may the Force be with you.”

The captain saluted the admiral, and in a moment the blue image flickered and faded from existence. He took a deep sigh and reviewed the scenario. The two Assault Frigates should be able to handle the deployed fighters but there could always be more in that station. And what about the hidden weapon banks? They’re unable to get a clear sensor reading so who knows what hidden surprises were in store if they chose to engage.

But they couldn’t leave the Wi-jiang to rot. And so the order was given to advance and engage.

The Darian and the Grendel were more than a match for the fighters, who quickly fell back from the heavy laser fire that the assault frigates were able to lay down. The fighters fell into a standard holding pattern on the opposite side of the station from the frigates. To get to them, the assault frigates would have to cut past the station.

Unfortunately for the Darian and the Grendel, this enemy position could threaten any and all attempts to rescue the crew and salvage of the Wi-jiang. And so the order came to push forward and onward, to try and disable to the station’s combat ability. Full power was given to the forward shields as the two frigates made their way upon the station.

When the two frigates got in range of the stations canon, all in an instant the pirate’s full force came against their ships. The stations cannons opened full fire, focusing on the Grendel. The two assault frigates set up a firing screen as the pirate y-wings set full throttle, to try to set up an attack run with minimal enemy fire. Unfortunately for them, the Y-Wings are a slow bomber class.

With the bombers swept to the side, the two frigates set themselves up into a position to hammer the station’s shields. To force her to either surrender or to destroy her fighting abilities so they can board it and get their answers.

The pirate Z-95s at this point got into the fight. The fighters now that they had a distracted and more heavily engaged foe targeted the Grendel, who’s shields had been slightly damaged by the Y-Wing attack run. The fighters were nothing by the buzzing of flies since all they had were laser cannons, they couldn’t do to much damage to the shields. Unfortunately, the buzzing began to add up when combined with the hammering blows from the station.

Captain Bates began to get afraid they’d loose a second ship in this fight. He gritted his teeth as he watched the station’s shields slowly whittle, and the shields on the Grendel slowly fade. It was all a matter of what would give out first.

Thankfully, the Grendel was a bit more sturdy as they transferred power from their weapons to reinforce the shield generators. With the shields gone, the frigates began to carefully blow away the enemy turrets. Knocking out the turbolasers first. With the turbolasers out, the Darrian continued to work on the turrets while the Grendel began to work on taking out the enemy Z-95s. Soon enough, the situation was back under control.

The station had obviously been modified by whomever this unnamed force is with not just concealed weapons, but a lot of them. It baffled Captain Bates how this force managed to get such weaponry and other signature concealment technology. He gave the orders to keep a tight watch until the tugs and back-up arrives.

“So. What’s the scenario?” Lieutenant Madison said as he tweaked the controls on his combat rifle.

“Enemy space-station. Unknown hostiles, though assumed pirates. Extreme caution cause they’ve had prep time.” The crew’s tactical officer responded.

The men of the 43rd Commandos were called in as part of the breaching reinforcements to assess and neutralize the threat possessed by this installation over Gravlex Med. Apparently it provides some level of threat to all the people of the newly acquired Sinsangese and their shippings ops in the sector. Or so the 43rd have been told.

“That’s it? Fucking politicians… How are we breaching?” Madison grumbled as he and the rest of the crew continued suiting up. The Assault Transport was about ten minutes from contact.

“We’ve been ordered by the C.O. to breach by the third hangar bay. Blow it into space, then proceed with maglock environmental suits. Then from there, enter the installation and proceed until the threat is considered neutralized”

“What kind of back-up we got?”

“Well, two other squads of the 43rd that’ll breach from the other three hangar bays. Other than Bravo and Charlie, we’re by ourselves.”

“For fuck’s sake…. Alright boys listen up!” Madison called out as the crew came front and center from their suiting up for the official briefing. They were ten strong in total. “The plan is as simple as I can make it with the tactical information I’ve got. We’ll split into two groups of five. The objective is to advance towards the core of the ship, and flush this place out. If possible, take prisoners for questioning. Other than that, standard procedure. Don’t be a hero, and if you need back up, call for it! This is about getting the job done and not pride. Now for A squad, who’ll be with me we’ll have…”

-------------------------------------

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Madison’s eyes darted back and forth across the dim corridors.

There had been no foes waiting for them on the other side of the corridor. There was no sign of anything being around here for years. There were definitely boxes and crates scattered along the corridors but all them were dated pre-Civil War. If not for the damn near destroyed Nebulon drifting through space, one would think that this station was just what it was supposed to be.

What it seemed to be.

Lifeless.

The six teams continued to exchange what they’d seen. It still seemed that on the couple of levels they ran through that there was nothing but dust and shadows. They found a couple of corpses but they were long dead and it looks like they were killed back during the attack of Gravlex Med in the days when the Empire was splintered.

Then, it all started with just a simple noise.

Click.

All of a sudden around the team, the panels in the walls dropped and there they were. Humans in various patchwork body armor. With blaster rifles leveled at them. And that’s when the whole thing started.

Madison did what instinct demanded, he ducked for the nearest cover and returned fire. The comm. chat was nearly deafening from people yelling for retreat, and the screams of pain, anguish, and death. Madison sneered as he unloaded as much blaster fire as he could as the other members of his team were either writhing in pain or dead.

Vengeance is a wonderful way to drive people.

Round after round of fire. Madison felt the bolts pierce him but he kept shooting. Shooting until they’d blow the gun from hand or his head from his shoulders. He didn’t even see reality just anymore. He just knew to keep shooting.

---------------------------------------

“Casualties?” Bates asked as he sat back in his chair. Looking at the report in his hands.

“Eighty-five percent sir….” The second in command said, a hint of sadness coming to his voice.

“Then we’ve only one choice. Target weapons on life-support. We’ll let the bastards gasp for air until their dead.”

“That’s dangerously close to the core sir, you risk destruction of the whole station if you do this and-”

“I won’t send another team dammit! These pirates have obviously secured himself and force be damned we’ll clean out the lot of them. Whether we loose the station or not, we can’t leave them in there or else we risk the whole damned operation.” Bates shouted out as he sat back, his hand going to his head. He knew that this terrible loss was going to cost him his job.

---------------------------------------

It was with a sigh of relief that Chang Wu put his feet unto the solid floor of one of the shuttles that had cut onto the hull of the Wi-Jiang. Reports had begun to come in of survivors from other parts of the ship as well. It seemed that life-support was one of the few functions that had enough back-ups to keep running after the barrage. There weren’t too many of his crew left, but at least some had made it through the run.

Irtar was taken quickly to some proper medical aid to make sure the concussion hadn’t caused any major damage. And the bridge staff that couldn’t make it were solemnly place into the simple black body bags. The casualty reports Wu was hearing pained him to the core. After all, who else but the captain can be to blame for such a disaster?

As he and a couple of coalition techs made their way through the casualties of the disaster of Operation: Restoration, he finally made it to the control station. The pilots had just finished punching in the co-ordinates for hyperspace and were waiting for the jump. Wu straightened himself as the techs continued going over what had happened. Their words rolled off his back like water. He stood at the control station and looked out as the two assault frigates lined up their cannon in the station.

There was a flash of light, and then darkness as the last bit of the old Anx society was snuffed from the galaxy. The operation could continue but it’d take a bit longer and be more costly for the politicians.

But the cost of flesh has already been taken.

“Politics….” Chang Wu muttered as he looked out over the waste, as the shuttle shifted, then jumped into the swirling vastness of hyperspace.