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Operation Tempest
Rogue Jedi Order Overthrow of Corporate Sector Authority

Background:
Aargau was the original world upon which the infamous Corporate Sector Authority, a now-waning power which spans 30,000 worlds, was founded. After a seven day conference there, several wealthy Barons created the CSA, a faction which grew and prospered under Imperial rule- presumably because of Palpatine's corporate connections.

Recently, following the complete collapse of the Empire, the CSA has fallen into something of a disrepute. Weakened by the sudden lack of sponsorship, the corrupt corporation has begun to crumble from within. The abuse of the environment the company has committed has driven many citizens to form extremist environmental factions, and Aargau itself has become a cest-pit of rebellion. The Fortress World, which has been defended by strict garrison and military rule for decades, is now facing open rebel groups.

It is now that we will strike, and free the citizens of CSA's capitol world from their oppressive captors.

Mission Objectives:
1) Intelligence operatives form alliances with underground rebel factions on Aargau.
2) Division 2 (Pride Flotilla) temporarily inhabits nearby, largely uninhabited Seilor system. Division 1 inhabits Tryorp system, also uninhabited.
2) Fighter squadrons and Skipray Patols, based on Division two (Pride Flotilla) run recon missions.
4) Using our ROI liasons with the rebels, we execute a covert mission to disable all shield generators on the planet.
5) Division one (Tachyon Flotilla) begins extra-planetary assault. Abolisher fields layed.
6) With the shield down, division two (Pride Flotilla) enters system shortly before laying of Abolisher fields. Pride Flotilla places all Victory Star Destroyers in orbit, landing smaller ships. VSDs fire on military targets, landed ships drop troops. Imperial Star Destroyers and MC-95 Cruiser defends extremely-low-orbittal position.

Results:
After the capitol buildings in most major cities have been stormed, and the defending vessels in orbit have been defeated, the planet will likely surrender, with minimal civilian losses.

The Corporate Sector Authority will likely retaliate. This is acknowledged by tacticians as a 94% probability.
<hr>
Gash Jiren, motionless in his office, was a stoney figure of absolute concentration. The Rogue Jedi Order had seldom engaged in planned military actions; the military acquisitions of planets thus far had been largely free-form, unplanned actions. The defense of Asthentia had less been planned than it had been thrown together.

And now, the Jedi Master and High Admiral reviewed the flimsiplast document before him, debating the issuing of an order which would lead RJO to it's first planned armed conflict. By signing that form, Gash would be acknowledging the necessity and eventuality of civilian losses. He would kill, with the power of but one lasepen.

But what had his vows as a Rogue Jedi been? To do what was necessary to save the innocent? To indulge in minor acts of breaching the Jedi Code for the greater good?

But how many would die, in the resulting war? The Corporate Sector Authority would strike back.

How many more would die, under the oppressive military rule of Aargau? How many more planets destroyed by a corporation which cared not for human rights, nor the ceaseless rape of the environment?

Gash signed the form.

"Captain Tellien, contact Admiral Solo. Mobilize all divisions."

The beautiful Dragonbird Gardens, cascading plains that were true examples of nature at it's most magnificent. A sight for sore eyes for a traveler. Sadly, it was a sight that would no longer be seen. The gardens had been raped of all sense of glory when the Corporate Sector Authority had moved into place on the planet. Juven would have very much liked to have seen the spectacle, but alas, instead he was faced with the garish Reintel City Spaceport. Juven stood at the flank of the planet side spaceport, staring up into the sky to the array of defense ships that lined every section of the planets atmosphere.

“Refresher, sir?”

He glanced down. A young lad stood before him, offering a canister of what was presumably water to him. Juven smiled uneasily. Though he would have liked to purchase the bottle from the boy to quench his thirst and cool him down – for the climate on the planet was arid like the deserts of Tatooine – he had been given specific orders. Among these were to not stray from his mission objective.

“No,” he said, then adding, “Thank you.”

The little boy moved on to the next bystander, leaving Juven to his thoughts once more. He rocked back and forth on his heels, keeping his hands tucked into his pockets. Dressed in all black as he was, he stood out a mile from the rest of the citizens. They had the foresight to buy white clothing so that the light from the suns wouldn’t cook them. His attire would no doubt be beneficial in the long run though, as whomever he was set to be meeting would need to spot him amidst the thick bustling crowds.

8 billion inhabitants on the one planet, and it appeared to Juven as if a full 4 billion of them were centered around the capital city of Reintel.

“Come on…”

He murmured to himself absently as he looked around. People walked past him as if he was not there, not even glancing up. Not once did he make eye contact with anyone, infact. It was quite peculiar.

“You there!”

A stern martial voice shouted from somewhere behind him. The Rogue Jedi Order Intelligence officer, Juven Koltsov, spun on the balls his feet, shooting a glance over towards the location of the voice. With the huge masses of people in the way, he couldn’t see fully who was approaching, but whoever it was they were parting the crowds in a rather aggressive manner as they advanced. Yelps and grunts of curses could be heard drawing closer and closer. Panicking, Koltsov began to pace backwards slowly, eventually turning to sprint off forward.

“Oh no you don’t!”

His head snapped forward then whipped backwards as a shovel of a hand grabbed the back of his collar, dragging him backwards. Struck dumb, he whimpered as he turned to look back upwards at the face of the one who had grabbed him …

… only to be pleasantly surprised. It somewhat rugged yet friendly looking face smiled down at him. The square jawed man nodded and mouthed something which Juven couldn’t quite understand before dropping him down to his feet and turning away.

“Follow me.”

"Andin?! Hand me that hydrospanner...and where's that box of coils? This Hornet is a mess, people. What do we pay you for?"
Cairo was mapping her way through the engine of a Hornet Interceptor when Captain Tellien found her.
"Admiral Solo."
She stuck her oil-smudged face up from between two busted rafiter coils. "Yes?"
Tellien executed a perfect saulte and informed Cairo of the situation at hand.
She nodded and handed the hydrospanner she had over to one of the mechanics, and climbed out of her workstation. As Cairo and the Captain strode back to her quarters, he informed her of the details of the mission...

------------------------------------------------------
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Meanwhile, down on Aargau...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

In a seedy bar on the "wrong side of the tracks", Yeri Suom---an agent for RJOIntel---was sitting in a back booth. Concealed by think smoke, loud music and voices, and the shadows, Yeri sat across from a leader of the rebel movement on Aargua. They spoke in low voices over jugs of stale ale about the upriseing agianst the CSA. The rebel leader explained that "his people" were tired of the CSA and thier evil, devious ways.
Yeri had heard this little speach a million times over. He had made his way here by talking with ensigns, cadets, sargents, commanders, and the like...and now he had to hear it from their leader as well? However, it would be worth it...for this was more than just heated conversation against CSA. It was a proposition...
RJO wanted to help these rebels in thier struggle, Yeri explained. The leader was quite interested. Yeri continued, explained---in brief---RJO's plans.
"Would you be interested, Sir?", the RJO agent asked.
The rebel leader looked contemplative as he touched his bearded chin in thought.
A few words were exchanged. Then the two men parted ways, descreetly exiting the bar.

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

Cairo had just exited her quarters, she was cleaned up and in her black and navy blue uniform, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She was nearly plowed down by a young ensign,
"Oh...um...Adimiral Solo!" The young girl gave a quick salute and stated just as quickly, "Com message for you, Ma'am."
Cairo nodded and went across the hall to the com station and answered, "Solo here."
The voice on the other end was Yeri, "Admiral Solo. This is 'BlackRaven'...the wave has hit the beach. I repeat, this is 'BlackRaven' and the wave has hit the beach."
A cheer went up in the com-room and Cario smiled. "Thank you, Sir. I'll relay that."
"Anytime, Cairo."
With that, Cairo cut of transmission and sent the ensign to go tell Gash that RJO was officiall united with the rebels.

Gash sat in the shadowy command room of his Alleigance Star Destroyer, in front of the control console. On the glowing, holographic board, a roughly circular boarder pocked with dots represented the Corporate Sector. It occupied most of the screen, tiny dots representing star systems or groups of star systems in the thirty-thousand star sector.

"Zoom in on the Aargau region."

The holographic overhead view moved rapidly into place, several small dots enlarging to fill most of the screen. At the centerpoint of the display, a bright red spot represented the Aargau system. At this range, enough resolution was gained that each dot actually resembled the star it represented- tinted for ease of use. On a smaller dot around the red star which was Aargau's star, a tiny planet moved in perfect synch with the actual world it represented.

"Activate Aargau tactical display."

The planet in question grew to occupy the entire display, the pale orange light it gave off illuminating Gash's face. Gash tapped one of the small buttons on the metallic band which surround the display, rotating the world. Several green dots represented the last know positions of the Rogue Order Intelligence agents.

A few of them turned yellow, representing a solid alliance having been formed with the rebel groups. Gash tapped a few more buttons on his console, sending acknowledgements to the datapads of those operatives, accompanied by further orders.

The door of the room beeped, to signify someone awaiting entrance.

"Enter."

Captain Tellien, elevated to a position directly under Gash following the Thrawn fiasco at Ossus and the worlds which followed, entered the room, the pale glow from the corridor outside casting a near-blinding light into Gash's dark-accustomed eyes.

'We're approaching the Tryorp system, sir.'

Gash nodded, glancing down at the tactical display.

"Show Tryorp system and preliminary scans."

The view moved again, to show a single large, orange dot at the center of the screen, orbitted by two small, rocky worlds, and five large gas giants. The star was a main sequence giant, large among the mid-range sort of stars. Main sequence stars generally yielded the best, most inhabitable worlds. However, this star was one of the first to have been formed at the galaxy's conception, and it's hydrogen supply had begun to wear down. Though some remained, the star had begun burning some of the helium which it had created during hydrogen fusion earlier in it's life. That was the beginning of the end of this star; it had progressed since then. In a few thousand more years, the helium supply would begin to wain. The star would swell, enveloping the two rocky worlds, scorching the first of the gas giants and caused it's helium and hydrogen to combust.

A black hole would form from it, and the Corporate Sector would be completely destroyed.

An unpleasant thought, but what better reason could there be to change things now, while life remained? Gash glanced up to Tellien, nodding. The ship screeched, lurching, and out the single viewport of the room, the faint blue light ceased, and star lines became stars once more.</n>

"Deploy the Skipray Patrols, and launch two squadrons of Howlrunners. Broadcast a message of general warning to anyone in the system, and target and fire two shots on anything suspicious."

'Yes, sir.'

* * * * *

[b]Gash entered the bridge shortly there after, quick enough to see a Corellian Corvette streak across the viewport. Gash's quick eyes caught a strange symbol on the hull of it, but his fellow officers seemed to miss it.

"Target that cruiser."

Several officers looks back at the Jedi Master, who was flanked by Captain Tellien.

'Sir, it's probably one of our's-'

"Check your tactical display, Commander. All of our's are accounted for, and are sweeping the system."

'Yes... but that ship is broadcasting an RJO signal.'

"As are we. Do you think that the Rogue Order Navy is the only fighting force in the galaxy with slicers?"

'No, sir.' The communications officer looked down, apparently ashamed.

"Target it, and fire two ion blasts at it."

In the corner of the viewport, a small chart of a Corellian Corvette appeared as they selected it. Two green blasts leapt out from the Alleigance-Class Star Destroyer, and simultaneously, several hails from the other Tachyon Flotilla vessels came in.

"Inform our comrades that that vessel is a C.S.A. owned Corvette."

The first ion blast from the Tachyon errupted on the Corellian Corvette's shields, the sudden surge of power shorting out the ship's weak shields. The second splashed across the ship's hull, tiny sparks of raw electricity slicing through the ship's systems.

'Disabled, sir.'

"Dispatch a team of Cobra and Panther Battledroids, and capture that vessel. It may be useful."

'Yes, sir.'

'Incoming transmission, sir,' Spoke up the communications officer. 'The system is secure.'

"Good."

It had taken the couple only quarter of an hour or so to get out of the densely populated streets.

Following the mountain of a man, who had labeled himself ‘Turk’ in a sort of grunting greeting, lead Juven snaking through the streets. People stepped aside for Turk, of course, because of his size. Juven imagined that the spindly horns donned upon the mans head also benefited his aura of danger, after all you would tend to steer away from a 6 foot 5” horned man with fists like boulders.

“Where are we going?”

In the gargle of the crowds, Juven’s voice was but a murmur. Turk heard it though, and glanced back with a shake of his head. They spent the next ten minutes doing it, and the following five were composed solely of Turk trying to remember exactly which way he was going. In the end though, they made it to the destination they were aiming for – a small club. From behind the door a loud bass thumped out heavy techno-metal, to which Juven cringed.

“This is it. The rest are inside.”

The thugesque man pushed the door into the club open only slightly, allowing for decibels worth of sound to plummet out into the street. In an instant, he slammed it closed again.

“What’s the code word.”

There was a very short silence, in which Turk looked at Juven with a glare that could have bored holes through his head.

“Carpenter.”

The door opened again, and Turk offered a smile as they stepped into the strobe lighted darkness. All around bodies writhed and moved in time with the repetitive chime of the music. Their movements were hypnotic. A group of female Twi’lek snaking in motion together held the Intel officers attention for half a minute before he eventually realized his companion had headed off without him. After walking for the length of one song, he entered a small dark room in the back of the club. Before him sat 8 men around a table. Turk moved to the back of the room and took his seat also.

“This is the RJO liaison.”

Two other men at the table bore RJO insignia on their person. They both gave a courteous nod to their comrade. He didn’t recognize either of them, though he assumed they were here for the same purpose that he was.

“We all know why we’re here, so let’s get right to it.”

The one who had been talking, a rather gentile looking Zabrak, rose to his feet and unrolled a large sheet map onto the circular table. The gathering all strained over the sheet, which depicted the areas in a locality of at least 100 miles. Within this distance was today’s target.

“As you can see, the main shield generator is connected to four other sub stations. These four sub stations are located in a square around the spaceport, within a 50 mile radius, each at least 20 miles from each other. They were built this way so that if anyone wanted to take out the shields, they’d have to move from location to location to do so.”

Another man spoke up, he seemed more humanoid, but then you never could be sure.

“This is where the clever stuff comes in. We’ve worked out that by taking out two of the opposite generators we can cause a chain reaction which will successfully blow up all four of the sub-generators, therefore shorting out the main station and taking it out also.”

Turk snatched up the map and rolled it into a tight cylinder, handing it back to the Zabrak.

“A small unit of men had been dispatched and are preparing to begin the assault on generators A and C. Very soon everything will come into place … they will rue the day they ever came to this planet.”

A unanimous chuckle of approval rose up from the council of chaos as Juven looked around – he really did hate jobs like this.

"Admiral Solo. We're approaching the system."
Admiral K. Cairo Solo stood on the bridge of the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel's Way<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, a MC-95 Star Crusier and the flagship of RJO's 'Pride Flotilla'. Solo's eerie Bormean eyes glanced down at the datapanel that showed the Flotilla's approach to the Seilar system.
"Bring us out of hyperdrive."
The officer nodded to Solo and the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel's Way<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> lurched and slowed as streaking starlines once agian became dots on a black field. The rest of the Flotilla also slipped out of hyperdrive and stayed in perfect position behind the MC-95.

"Captain Huyo. Prepare to do recon sweeps of the system." the captain nodded to Cairo as she went to check in on the rest of the Flotilla...

The Skipray Patrol leapt into the system in a single fluid motion, immediately recovering from the momentary shock of being dumped out of hyperspace, and forming into a cohesive wing. The idea of a patrol of Skipray Blastboats had been an idea native to the Rogue Jedi Order. Following the discovery in combat of their surperiority over normal fighters, and their effectiveness when working in pairs, teams of four began to be issued into combat. When working as a cohesive unit, a team of blastboats could annihilate an entire wing of enemy fighters.

For now, Chey Reign and his three comrades flew into the Aargau system under the Corporate Sector Authority transponder signal acquired from the captured Corellian Corvette. Chey tapped his commlink, attracting his fellow pilot's attention. Their ships were specially outfitted for the Rogue Order Navy to take only three to fly- a pilot, a gunner, and a sensors officer- so each of the twelve men heard the message.

"Fly casual, boys. Remember, we have to look like we've been here before, and we know what we're doing."

'Even though we don't. Damn, Jiren's one sadistic boss, ain't he?'

Frejin Gre'mek, the Bothan pilot in the Skipray Patrol. One of the few Bothans to have escaped the current Sith rule of his homeworld, Frejin was consequently more than a little arrogant.

"Cut the chatter, Nightfox."

'Acknowledged, Cutter.'

The four vessels adjusted course slightly, moving in perfect unison. One contact came up on all of the fighter's consoles, the first sensor officer to detect it broadcasting it to each of the fighters.

The ship was a TIE Interceptor, a dagger-shaped outline on the backdrop of the orange glow of Aargau. The planet gave off a similar aura of unnatural light to Coruscant's, giving the world a very intimidating stature. Further away, larger vessels loomed fearsome in defence of Aargau.

Most of them were Imperial in nature, but information from the steady feed given by the four sensor officers gave the impression of great dilapidation. Similarly, the incoming TIE Interceptor appeared to be exerting 100% of it's ion flow, but only achieving 82% of the maximum TIE Interceptor speed. The vessels had obviously been given to C.S.A. during Palpatine's rule, and had recieved very little upkeep in the chaotic years following.

The TIE Interceptor hailed the Skipray Patrol. It hadn't opened fire yet, and that was a good sign- but the broadcasting of a Corporate Sector Authority signal was only a method of buying time. They would be discovered, but probably only after the sensor officers had been given enough time to gather all the necessary information.

'Unidentified Skipray Blastboats, you are broadcasting a CSA signal... state your operating codes and your intentions.'

"Kriff."

Chey looked back through the Skipray at his gunner, Sheil Yuntor, who shrugged back at Chey. Apparently, Jiren wasn't all-knowing. The pilot looked to the sensors officer, Yillin Vang. An Asthentian, the young man was very good at what he did, and his hands flew frantically over his keyboard.

'A few more minutes.'

Chey activated his comm. "TIE Interceptor Alpha 3, our operating code is 304001001 through 304001005. Our intention is refreshing and refueling."

The TIE Interceptor executed a full rotation around the Skiprays, apprently inspecting them. A comm silence followed, as the TIE apparently contacted it's ground control.

'We've got it. Full scan, Chey.'

"Thanks. Sheil, if you would."

'My pleasure.'

The four Skiprays pulled a sharp turn, and Sheil let loose a barrage of laser fire on the Interceptor, destroying it in a blaze of fire and durasteel. They left the system before they could be followed, jumping to the Seilor system in a twisting hyperspace route.

The four dots identifying the Skipray Patrol leapt into the cluster of dots which signified the Seilor system, and Gash nodded as the console flashed. A steady flow of information from the recon run poured to both the Tachyon Flotilla and the Pride Flotilla.

It was almost time...

For this, Gash was on the bridge.

The Jedi Master watched, stoic, as the swirling blue mass that was hyperspace suddenly reverted to the normal, black canopy of space. The Tachyon Flotilla leapt into a battlefield much like the one Gash had outlined in his briefing, yet on a higher state of alert. Fighters ran on their patrols, some of which stopped dead at the sight of the mammoth Rogue Order fleet dropping in from hyperspace.

Gash turned to his sensor's officer, utilizing the few moments before all but rudimentary sensors were jammed by their enemies.

"What is the reading on the shield, Commander?"
<hr>
Aargau, Imperial City, Shield Generator C

Lieutenant Retien, flanked by a rag-tag militia of Rogue Order Military, intelligence operatives, and Aargaun rebels, charged through the hole the thermal detonation charges had ripped in the barricade. It was about 2300 hours. The small wall surrounding the tower which held one of the planet's 4 shield generators was obviously not built to withstand much of anything- the belief that the planet's shields and fleet would keep out any and all attackers allowed the Corporate Sector Authority military to sleep at night with such rickety defences.

Several dark shadows, barely perceptable sillhouettes on the fluid black backdrop of night, charged towards them, and the glaring searchlights of the four defensive towers around the shield generator burned on.

"Keep running! Treop, Fyne, and Delray, deal with the towers! We'll take the defenders!"

In an instant, crimson laser fire errupted from the two visible towers, as the covert squad charged on towards the 200-meter tall durasteel building. Square, opaque, and featureless, the place was obviously designed not to attract attention.

Several men fell around Retien, but he paid it no mind. The squad fired back upon those defenders on the ground, cleaning dropping them in a hail of blaster bolts. They reached the door, showering it with fire, kicking it in.

Two of the men who the Lieutenant had assigned to kill the men in the towers returned to the rest of the squad as they rushed inside the building.

'They got Treop, sir!'

The continued laser fire blared from both inside and outside of the building, as the squad began to engage the hostiles within the tower and continued to lay down cover fire outside of it. Retien pointed his blaster carbine out the blasted door of the station, firing three bolts into the chest of an onrushing defender.

"Stay calm, Delray!"

The three stormed into the building, calling the rest of the men inside and ordering two to guard the door. The blare of blasters discharging still wailed as they stepped over the bodies of the fallen- friend and foe alike. They began a rapid ascent of the stairs, to the upper level of the power generator station, where a large, blue cylinder struck through the center of the room. It reached up through the ceiling and below, through the floor. Lieutenant Retien glanced around at his panting comrades.

"How many losses?"

'Five,' Muttered one of the Aargaun rebels.

Retien nodded, laying and setting the charges on the side of the mechanics-covered blue transparisteel cylinder. Contained within was a hydrogen fusion reactor, generating enough power out of two atoms of hydrogen to power an entire quarter of the shield for two minutes. The Lieutenant laid the charges at precise points, as had been dictated by his surperiors at the briefing.

Two minutes later, the squad stood outside of the wall of shield generator C, as the upper half of the building errupted in a firey display, shedding millions of fragments of durasteel, and four larger chunks of metal. Retien barked into his comm.

"Strike group Alpha, is Hit Point A down?"

'Yes, Lieutenant. Is Hit Point C down, Ceta squad?'

"Acknowledged."
<hr>
The sensors officer glanced back at Gash.

'It's down, sir.'

"Excellent. Move the fleet forward, deploy all fighter craft. Order all vessels to fire one opening salvo in the direction of our enemies, then engage the enemy at will."

'Yes, Admiral Jiren.'

The fleet began it's move forward, inching, creeping towards Aargau. When they came into range. a thousand crimson bolts of pure, energized light leapt with untold ferocity from the Tachyon Flotilla, racing out to strike at the Corporate Sector Authority forces ahead of them. Several of the bolts struck home, illuminating the enemy forces as their shields were torn apart. One Marauder Corvette's hull was struck at the neck between the ship's bridge and main hull, tearing the head of the vessel off to float listless in space.

'The fleet is engaging, sir.'

"Good. The Pride Flotilla should be in shortly; order the Abolishers to lay down their gravity fields the second they arrive."

'Yes, Admiral Jiren.'

After leaveing the Seilor system, Pride Flotilla jumped to the Aargau system...they made it just under the wire and moved in <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> just<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> before the Tachyon Flotilla laid Abolisher fields.

Cairo stood on the bridge of the Flotilla's MC-95 Star Cruiser---<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel's Way<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->---barking commands to hurrid officers and troops. "You know the drill boys...lets move out, do this, and be home in time for supper! Hop to it!"

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

By her command, all the ships, except the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel's Way<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> moved in closer to Aargua. The Flotilla's two Imperial Star Destroyers---the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Black Velvet<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Legacy<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->---stayed in orbit.
The Victory Star Destroyers---the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Godsend<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Emerald Jade<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->---along with the other small ships, slipped into Aargau's atmosphere.

From the ground, enemy ships were launched to attack Pride Flotilla's VSD. The ISD's began returning fire and takeing out any hostile opposition. The VSD's, once in position, began fireing on ground turrets and any other military entities.

Once the ground turrets were busy with the VSD's, the Flotilla's Heavy Dreadnaughts---the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Klain<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Salvation<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->---moved in, protecting the 3 Corellian Corvettes and the 3 SoroSuub Liberator-Class Cruisers carrying troops.

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

Admiral Solo watched all this with narrowed Bormean eyes. From her position on the bridge of the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel's Way<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> she monitored her flotilla's actions...
"Everyone's in position, good. Sargent Chan? Relay to the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Corellia's Pride, Talon II, Corellia's Dream, Star Chaser, Star Kicker,<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Star Killer<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> to land and launch."

"Aye, Ma'am!" Chan turned to his workstation and relayed the commands, via com, to the 6 ships. Almost immedatly, Cairo's datapanel indicated, with high-pitched <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> bleeps<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, that the 6 ships had landed and the troops were being deployed. She checked back on the ISD's and VSD's...VSD's had finished thier job and moved back slightly. The ISD's were still covering the VSD's back, just in case.

When the three Corvettes and Liberators had emptied out thier troops, the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Klain<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Salvation<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> also landed and released troops, to relieve and refresh the earlier-sent ground forces.

Admiral Solo smirked slightly...her Flotilla had done well.
"Chan? Tell the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Black Velvet, Godsend,<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> and <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Emerald Jade<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> to re-position with the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scoundrel<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. Keep Captain Tio and the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Legacy<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> where they are to cover the Corvette's, Liberator's, and Dreadnaught's ascent..."

Gash held the handrail as the Tachyon shook with the force of the incoming turbolaser blasts. Just as the recon runs had suggested, the defending force was made up primarily of Marauder Corvettes and Imperial Star Destroyers- about ten of the former and five of the latter. All Imperial designs, all given to the Corporate Sector Authority during the height of Palpatine's power.

The Alleigance-Class Star Destroyer from which Gash commanded the Rogue Order Naval Fleet was now aggressed upon by the Imperial Star Destroyer whose transponder identified it as the Virulant- an appropriate name for a vessel owned by those who were a plague to everything they came across, from planets to people.

"Thrusters, full forward, adjust course 345,21,12! Have the starboard gunners fire on the Impstar as we pass! And order all of the Corellian Corvettes and Liberator cruisers to focus on the Marauders, one at a time. Have our Impstars and MCs attack those other three Star Destroyers!"

'Yes, sir!'

Gash glanced at the officer who had replied, a man who spoke with excitement and pure, unquestioning loyalty in his voice. His rich, cultured accent, almost Imperial in nature, identified him as Asthentian.

The Tachyon thrust forward, to the left side and down from the Virulant. The gunners on the side of the vessel let loose a blast of gunfire, splashing across the vessel's shields. As the Alleigance Star Destroyer passed, the shields of the enemy vessel collapsed in upon itself.

"Focus on that shield breach!"

The order was relayed by the bridge's officers to the gunners on the decks below, and the green turbolaser fire began to direct itself into the hole in the energy shielding. Crimson fire errupted from the torn hull, as the turbolasers sliced viciously into the ship.

'The Virulant is surrendering, sir. Two of the other Imperial Star Destroyers have been neutralized.'

"Cease fire. Have one of the Liberators dock and board the vessels which can be captured. Ensure medics are on board those ships."

'Yes, sir.'
<hr>
The Dreadnaught touched down in the ruined superstructure near the Aargaun capitol building, where once a military barracks had stood. Around, mild chaos roamed, as people rushed across the elevated catwalks which ran between buildings. The streets, too, were crowded, with the fleeing, and the wounded soldiers of the CSA. Aargaun rebel freedom fighters engaged the enemy on the streets, on the catwalks, and in the buildings, beginning to be assissted by RJO troops.

Aargau's skyscrapers reached only half as high as those of Coruscant, and consequently, the streets of the completely urban planet were still used and accessable, even serviced. Yet the sight of the towering buildings was awe-inspiring, nonetheless.

As the hatch of the Dreadnaught's troop compartment slammed open, a thousand ground soldiers, robot, Asthentian, Ossan, Wookiee and more, rushed from the hold. Immediately engaging the enemy below with their blasters, Hrenballa, a female Wookiee, rushed down the sloped landing ramp.

Her squad leader, also Wookiee, barked an order to her.

[General Rezner reports that most of the defending troops have been driven from around the capitol building! We're to storm the capitol immediately!]

[Yes, sir!]
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Gash surveyed the wreckage orbitting Aargau with a heavy heart. An Imperial Star Destroyer, sliced in two, it's hull charred, sat silent in space, the screams of those dying inside never to be heard in the vast, airless, cold of space. One of the Imperial Star Destroyers had been completely destroyed, the other three sat as wreckage. Various parts and pieces of Marauder Corvettes literred the battlefield, a morbid reminder of the damage inflicted.

Captain Tellien, however, was looking quite pleased with the victory, as he walked jovial across the bridge to his silent commander.

'General Arriana Rezner reports a complete victory on the ground. Only around 10% losses have been reported, and around 200 civilian casualties.'

"Yes..."

'I don't know where you found that General Rezner, Gash but those statistics are amazing. All of the enemy craft has been surrendered or neutralized. The Aargaun government has turned over control of the planet to the Rogue Jedi Order.'

"That's good..."

'Four ships, two Imperial Star Destroyers, a Marauder Corvette, and a Victory Star Destroyer, attempted to jump into the Abolisher fields. They've been destroyed.' Tellien's tone was still upbeat.

"I see. We can take those fields down. Order some civilian medics into the system, and begin scouring the wreckage for survivors. Bring some medics planetside, as well. All enemy soldiers will be given quarter and medical assistance, and returned to the Corporate Sector Authority."

'Are you sure that that is wise?'

Gash turned a stoney, ice cold glare upon Tellien. "And you do not? What was their crime? The crime of any who died this day? That they followed orders? What do we expect but loyalty from our men?"

'Their crime is lending aid to a corrupt, evil corporation.'

"Perhaps." Gash sighed. "Perhaps those who died deserved their death; but we will never know. It does not matter- the knowledge that those we killed had participated in slavery and environmental destruction allows us to sleep at night. But killing or imprisonment of the captured will not win this war. It will not win us anything, but a bitter people empassioned to hate us as some kind of demonized attacker."

Tellien, coming out of his victory-joyed daze, seemed to finally notice Gash's saddened state. He stared, regretful for his words and tone, for a moment, before speaking.

'Gash... we got what we wanted. We fought for good, and won. We've freed trillions of people from the Corporate Sector Authority. Why aren't you happy?'

Gash continued to stare at the wreckage outside of the Tachyon's viewport for a second, before turning to Tellien again and responding in a quiet, subdued manner.

"Because, Captain, knowing what innocent blood may lie on our hands today, and knowing what is to come tomorrow, this is a hollow victory for me, indeed."

The two continued to stare out the viewport at they damage they had done, the reality and truth of Gash's words sinking slowly into Captain Tellien.

And slowly, so slowly, Captain Tellien began to understand why Gash's eyes had always borne the look of a man haunted by what he had done in the pursuit of good.