Deep Space Rendezvous

"Sir message from the Sovereign Solace it's Vice-President Meer."

Commodore Welth swiveled his high-backed chair to stare at the Communications Officer.

"Display the message on my private screen. It's includes visual I assume."

"Yes sir, connection with Sovereign Solace in 15 seconds."

With a hiss a small screen rose from it's in-active position beside his chair to active position. With a flicker it activated, first displaying the symbol of the Outer-Rim Sovereignty Armed Forces with the words, SS Defender below it. Then as the small counter in the top right corner reached 0 it was replaced with an image of Vice-President Marth Meer.

"Commodore Welth, you are to take Task Force Falcon and proceed to the Dantooine system. Black Hand intelligence indicates that there are several production facilities there. You are to determine the accuracy of the report as well as determining defences."

"If it really is a location of production facilities then it will no doubt be defended quite heavily. Task Force Falcon probably won't be enough. Task Force Mosby would be better suited for the task."

"Unfortunately Task Force Mosby is getting ready for a possible strike against Hargeeva. There is a chance that Farfalen might try to enter this war and we want to make sure their fleet has nothing left to come back too."

"In that case sir. I must be off."

"Good luck Commodore."

"Thank you sir."

The words Transmission Over blinked on the screen as Marth Meer cut the transmission.

As the screen hissed back to the in-active position Commodore Welth contemplated for a moment before he made any descisions.

"Helm. Set course for the Dantooine System. Order the rest of Task Force Falcon to accompany us. We are to arrive exactly 2 minutes travel from the edge of the systems mass shadow."

"Yes sir."



Dantooine

All was quiet. 4 shipyards slowly orbited around the planet of Dantooine. There was no obvious signs of the war that was raging all over the galaxy. Suddenly the pristine peace of the world was violated. Task Force Falcon led by the Bakura-class Star Destroyer SS Defender appeared in system.


"Shields up! Sensors, get me a complete scan of the region. Concentrate on hyperspace anonamalies. Helm, plot an escape course in case needed. Full stop."

Captain Malkar Carriel, Lieutenant-Governor of Dantooine, glanced at the sensor readings. They were fuzzy; the enemy fleet was still outside the optimal sensor range. That didn't matter. The failsafes had been put in place long ago by Governor Theren Gevel.

"Shields up on defensive vessels," Carriel ordered, smirking slightly. Having been assigned as Lieutenant-Governor of a production world had had its advantages, in terms of increased authority, but combat assignments had been few and far between. "Prepare for combat."

Today would be a glorious day.

Dantooine System

"Sir. We have sensor reports of shields powering up in atmosphere. No word on numbers or types yet. We're running a computer enhancement program now. We should have more information within a couple minutes."


"Begin jamming all long-range transmissions. Allow them to communicate ship-to-ship but don't let them call for help. Order The gunships to form up around us. Proceed towards the planet at 2 MGLT."

"Yes sir."

OOC:

Bakura Star Destroyer-SS Defender
Ranger Gunship-RG01
Ranger Gunship-RG02
Ranger Gunship-RG03

"Sir the computer enhancement routine is complete. We have what appears to be 2 Corellian Gunships in the atmosphere."

Commodore Welth snorted.

"Not exactly the overwhelming force we've learned to know and love from the Imperials-"

"Sir, communications from Hargeeva. The Corellian Gunships assigned to Task Force Mosby are preparing to come and reinforce our position here. Also the remaining ships at the Rendezvous Co-ordinates are on their way."

Commodore Welth contemplated the news for a second.

"Alright. We will proceed into atmosphere to engage the enemy gunships. The Ranger Gunships will remain here untill our reinforcements arrive. At that point they are to come and reinforce us."

OOC:
Actions:SS Defender moves towards the planet preparing to engage TNO forces
Reinforcements(2 posts counting their arrival post):
6 Corellian Gunships
2 ISDs mkII

Malkar Carriel stood strong. "Deploy fighters," he ordered. "Get them to the front of the line, and order them to activate their shields."

Most commanders preferred to govern their forces during battle from a command craft, yet Carriel opted to command his from the ground. During the expansion wars against Gash Jiren's floundering Republic, he had held Aargau following its conquest for three months, against repeated assaults.

He knew that commanding from the ground alloted him a greater vision of the whole battlefield, without clouding it with the sounds of battle. He was nearly fifty, and the shouting and clammoring of young men during combat was no longer something he reveled in.

"Array the defensive forces about the planet, and prepare for battle. Send out the message to all surrounding systems, that reinforcements may be required."

OOC:

1 Reign-Class Star Destroyer
4 Victory-Class Star Destroyers
5 Corona-Class Star Frigates

192 TIE Defenders

Dantooine -- Present Day

Captain Dak Gatterweld stood on the bridge of the Star Destroyer Bellicose. The enemy fleet -- for what it was -- was advancing painfully slowly towards the world the Imperial fleet defended.

"Status?" Gatterweld demanded, looking around the bridge. He was the highest ranking officer aboard, Malkar Carriel choosing to command his forces from the ground.

"The Bellicose is at your command, Captain. All systems operating at 100%."

"Very good, Ensign. Angle our deflector shields -- the enemy didn't bring any fighters with them."

The lack of enemy starfighter support meant that the Empire could route power into their forward shields without fear of an enemy at their back. All the ships in the defensive line did this, bringing a nearly inpenetrable wall of energy up in front of the enemy ships.

Captain Gatterweld could not take authority over the entire battle, but he knew what had to be done. He quickly relayed orders to the fleet that all missiles be primed and readied, and tagetting information layed in.

"Prepare for combat."

Dantooine

"Son of a @#%$!"

The exclamation echoed throughout the bridge of the Defender. Commodore Welth turned towards the Sensor Officer surprised at the breach of decorum.

"Sir, we have what appears to have been a sensor malfunction. Enemy manifest is being upgraded to 4 repeat zero-four Victory Star Destroyers, 5 that is zero-five Corona Star Frigates and 1 repeat zero-one Reign Star Destroyers."

"What happened to the Gunships we detected?"

"A sensor echo. Sir, we have enemy ships launching fighters. TIE Defenders count unknown."

"Recall the Rangers. They are to form a kill zone in front of us. If the fighters want to attack us they're going to have to pay the price. Send out communication to Hargeeva. Request any reinforcements available. What's the status on our incoming reinforcements?"

"They'll be here around the same time as the enemy fighters reach us."

Commodore Welth nodded knowing he'd done all he could.

"For those of you who believe in the force, may it be with you, for those that don't, believe in the power of this warship and be content with the knowledge that you're doing the right thing."

The forces arrayed in the defense of Dantooine continued to hold position, ready and waiting for the enemy assault.

OOC:Thank you Theren.

"Sir, the TIE Defenders have stopped coming. They've turned back to defend the planet."

"Excellent. Hold position."

Suddenly the first group of reinforcements arrived. Made up of 2 Imperator mk. II Star Destroyers and 6 Corellian Gunships they quickly took their place within the formation after powering up their shields.

"Sir message from Hargeeva. More reinforcements on the way."

"Good. Continue to hold position."

Current Manifest In-System:
2 ISD mk II
1 Bakura Star Destroyer
6 Corellian Gunships
3 Ranger Gunships

EDIT: Just removed the second list of reinforcements.

Malkar Carriel nodded, and tapped a button to disengage the holoprojector. The young lieutenant who had temporarily taken over his command, Fash Kilken, turned from the tactical display at the center of the command cabin, casting a questioning gaze his way.

“I’ve just spoken to Governor Gevel,” Carriel said, stepping around his desk and returning to the display, where two sets of green ships faced one another over a field of glowing red.

“And does the good governor have a plan?” Kilken asked.

“Always.” Carriel gestured towards the enemy forces. “That’s all of them now, then?”

“It would seem so, sir. It’s doubtful that they could possibly get any more here in time.”

Carriel smiled a little. He’d learned to trust few in his long years of military service, but he would trust his life to Theren Gevel. “Divide the TIE Defenders into two groups, and order them to move forward to flank the enemy at maximum velocity. Keep them out of the range of enemy fire.”

On the holographic tactical display, the starfighters shot forward, quickly closing the distance between them and the enemy, yet remaining outside of turbolaser range. Ahead of them, a dotted line appeared, charting their future progress. Once they’d cleared the enemy fleet, they would circle around and form up behind them, still out of range.

Carriel grunted, his confident smile faltering for a moment. A captain who had served on more starships than the Emperor himself was being tactically outclassed by Gevel, a man half his age? “Shit,” he muttered under his breath.

“What was that, sir?” Kilken asked.

“Nothing.”