"Three Imperial Star Destroyers, one Victory Star Destroyer, and nine Marauder Corvettes?"

'That was our appraisal, as well, sir.'

The Tachyon shook faintly, likely bucking in defiance to a minor turbolaser blast splashing on it's energy shields. Gash and Captain Tellien sat around the command console, it's largely crimson display portraying several small triangles making their way towards the geometrical mass that was the Rogue fleet. Gash chuckled... he needn't be on the bridge for this assault- better that he co-ordinate the next portions of the Etti IV siege quietly, than conduct a rather simplistic duel of numbers.

One of the opposition's triangles winked out.

"An Imperial Star Destroyer."

'Yes.'

From the corner of the table, a mild electronic voice entered into the conversation.

'Arriana Rezner is confirmed on the ground, Gash. She should be preparing for the strike.'

"And the captured Marauders?"

'Loaded with ground forces and approaching the Etti system.'

The six Marauder Corvettes swooped into the system, surveying what remained of the enemy forces. Captain Oreln remained at the head of what had been christened the Trojan, glancing with slight nervousness at his crew.

"Appraisal, sensors?"

'Two Imperial Star Destroyers and a Victory Star Destroyer, as well as several Marauder Corvettes.'

"Well enough, then. Hail Etti IV command."

The contingent of captured ships, broadcasting the CSA transponder signal unchanged from when they had been in the hands of the Corporate Sector Authority's criminal allies, continued it's swift and steady movement towards Etti IV, the large green world near the core of the Etti system. The response from Etti IV command came quickly enough, in the form of a clean-shaven corporate executive coming on screen.

'Damnit! I thought I told you Black Tooth bunch to stay at Hytvel, Hutt slime!'

Oreln's eyes widened, but he quickly masked his surprise. "Hey, we've got damaged vessels, here. Been fighting Jiren's boys... we're here for repairs and supplies. Part of our agreement, remember?"

'Bah... alright, you can land in docking bays 4-10. This better be the last time, though...'

The transmission cut off as the great green orb that was Etti IV came into clear view, surrounded by it's protector vessels. Unerring, the RJO forces marched steadily towards the unsuspecting planet, quickly closing the gap from 3000 klicks to 30, to 3. The green world grew large, to occupy all of the main viewports in the lead vessel, and Captain Oreln began to speak in whisper, as if too loud a word might alert their enemies to their intentions.

"Send the covert message to Rogue Squadron. Get them to move to engage us... make sure Etti IV doesn't pick it up."

'Yes sir... done. The Y-Wings are moving to false intercept.'

"Good."

'The minfield has been deactivated, sir. We're entering... now.'

"Alright! Open up the bay doors on all vessels, and fire the MT-AT pods at the planet surface at the following locations..." Oreln rhymed off a set of pre-made co-ordinates. Grey, metallic pods containing the massive MT-AT spider walkers blazed towards the planet, entering the atmosphere quickly and speeding towards the planet's surface.

'Rogue Squadron has entered the minefield.'

"Let's hope General Rezner gets us that target..."

“I don’t at all appreciate you having your ass in my face,” someone groaned.

What sounded like four other voices murmured in disapproval to this remark. The original voice pleaded for a few minutes then gave up after a sharp remark from one female sounding voice. Every voice was cranky, and not surprisingly. They had been climbing the same group of ladders for 15 minutes now, and the dark dank environment was getting to them.

Heading the troop of backpacked wanderers was the RJO General and NR Director of Intelligence, Arriana Rezner. The 6 had made rendezvous at the Free-Flight Dance Dome in the center of the city shortly before the full scale move on the planet had begun. Among the ‘fellowship’ were four NR employees and one guide, plus the Jedi herself. Each person had a specific job to do. The guide would take them to the tower, and each of the republicans would perform varied tasks in setting up the sensory and tracking equipment inside the tower.

“I don’t see why you didn’t want to go planet side.”

It was the same voice from before.

“If you hadn’t already realized, we aren’t too popular here at the moment. Within a moments notice, we’d be gunned down. So, unless you <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> want<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> your body blown to pieces, I suggest you keep quiet and stick to your job.”

Arriana’s response shut the guide up. She really wasn’t in the mood for having to deal with him, as he’d been whining all afternoon; about his pay, about not getting killed, about wanting special privileges since he was helping the NR and RJO out. Up above, however, was her light at the end of the tunnel. The subterranean piping system that coursed through the planet connected the mine control tower – which the party were headed to – with a remote location on the outskirts of the capitol city. The pipe was used as a method of ventilation, and at regular intervals ice-cold air would be filtered through into the control tower to stop it from over heating. It was at least 20 minutes later before the pack hopped out into the main section of the tower. Their boots clattered down against the metal surface with a loud thud.

“Shh!!”

All went silent. Arriana cursed silently as she glanced about uneasily. There would be operators all throughout the tower, and the slightest hint of interference would no doubt lead to something terribly unthinkable for the small party. Signalling with one hand for the gohead, Arriana began leading the ground, crawling through lines metal corridors. If all was going to plan, the next right turn they would take would lead them into the second floor communications room. Up ahead, muffled voices could be heard. The officers maintaining the mines were scattered about the building, but the majority of them were in this one room. Upon turning the corner into the lead into the room, the group froze. Through the slatted gratings of the vent, they could see a group of six member. Each one wore proto-type Storm trooper armor, and carried a blaster. Not all wore there helmets.

“Sir…” One of them glanced about uneasily, “I can hear something.”

“Don’t be stupid, Frank. It’s all in your..!”

From above a jump-suited woman dropped upon him, knocking him clean to the ground before spinning a light saber into her hands. She held it forward and ignited two bright red beams. In a flurry of crimson she spun the weapon with a deadly prowess and looked at the amassed crowd.

“Alright then boys … who wants to go first?”

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It was all dark in the room. Five men sat gagged and bound. One whimpering, the other four sitting in a silent fear. They struggled with the ties that bound them, trying to break free. But alas, they were shackled professionally. The woman had turned their own blaster shots against them, and stunned them into submission before hauling their fallen bodies – with the help of the party she come with – into the store room. So now they sat, with all the supplies around them, freezing. Suddenly, the door swung open. There eyes widened as they saw the same woman, minus her saber.

“You gentlemen just sit tight in here,” she said with a wink, “I’ll be back for you lot later.”

As she swept back out of the room, the men all groaned. She’d promised to return for them at some point, whether or not she would they really didn’t know, but if they were brutally honest – they didn’t think she would.

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The team climbed out into the open through a circular panel. The had reached the top of the tower with superb ease. Arriana popped up with them a few moments later, a big grin on her face.

“Ok. All we need to do now is get the targeting equipment set up. Rogue Squadron will need this done quickly – so make it snappy.”

It took only a matter of minutes before the array of high-tech gadgetry had been set up. First the beacon – this was placed on the center of the top of the tower, and was rigged up to send out a high frequency signal that gave the location of the tower away to the RJO forces. In addition to this, Arriana had taken some motion-activated detonators and set them up at random locations in the building. If the bombing run by the ships didn’t go well, when the missiles hit within a radius of 20 meters the bombs would all pop off in a chain reaction.

“Alright, move out. We have about five minutes.”

And with that they slipped out of the tower, leaving behind their captives. They took the more direct exit route, straight out of the main entrance and tore off back towards the city center towards the liaison point – where their transport would be. Within a few moments of getting out of distance of the tower, a huge rumble ran across the city and a blaze of fire shot up in the air across the skyline. The space-mines fell deactivated, becoming nothing more than space debri.

Arriana smiled somewhat, nodding to herself.

“Nice work.”

The Alleigance-Class Star Destroyer entered the Etti system into what seemed to be complete chaos. Rogue Squadron, Hornet Interceptors, and a few Howlrunners whipped about amongst the Y-wings and TIE Interceptors of the Corporate Sector Authority. It struck Gash as interesting, as he surveyed the battle from the bridge, that there were now non-Imperial craft fighting for the CSA- clearly, the ongoing Battle of Aargau had worn down their reserves.

The Tachyon fleet was joined in a flash of hyperspace light by the Pride Flotilla, jumping into the system fresh from completing the battle the Tachyon Flotilla had just left.

"Admiral Solo, I trust that the battle was completed cleanly at Hytvel?" Echoed Gash's voice over the comm.

'Yes sir, Admiral Jiren.'

"Good. Accelerate to full, and prepare to open full fire on the enemy- ion, laser, and turbolaser. Assault with discrimination- keep casualties as low as is possible."

The comm connection was cut off as the two fleets sped towards the green planet, the opening salvo of shots beginning to be fired as they came into viable range. Turbolaser blasts errupted against the shields of the enemy Star Destroyers, the ion cannon blasts dancing across the bow of the ships and disabling critical systems.

The fighters of the Rogue Order Naval ships were deployed, joining the swarm of dogfighting starfighters and giving RJO forces numerical superiority.

At the edge of the system, another flash of light errupted, and five Imperial Star Destroyers streaked into the system with ungodly speed. They seemed to have been modified- some kind of Mark IV version of the ISD. Thirteen hails errupted on the communications officer's console.

'Admiral Jiren, our vessels want to know... why didn't you lay the Abolisher fields? We've got five contacts, coming in hot-'

"Inform our fellows that the purpose of this battle goes beyond capturing a single world; that we must continue to pull unwitting forces of the CSA into an unblocked system, only to be defeated."

'Sir! Three more Imperial Star Destroyers, coming in fast!'

Gash chuckled, drawing disbelieving stares from the crew.

'Admiral Jiren, Captain K'ren of the MC-95 Somir wishes your audience.'

"Put him on."

A cleanly shaven face with almost demi-Imperial arrogance flashed onto the primary display system, the eyes of the General rife with rage. 'Jiren, how can you expect the RJO forces to defeat the CSA if you're going to allow them to continue pouring assets into this system?'

"General, am I correct in thinking that you wish to speak to the leadership aboard the Tachyon?"

'Well...' The General appeared confused. 'Yes, of course.'

"Then you have, in fact, contacted the wrong vessel." As if coinciding with Gash's words, a great flash of light errupted close to the battle. What may have been thought to be an explosion quickly dismissed that possibility; for there, where the flash of light had occured, swept a majestic, massive shadow on the black-white background of space. Dark, tinted with navy blue, a vessel standing tall above the size of any other participant in the Battle of Etti IV lumbered into the midst of the combat.

A Super Star Destroyer.

'M-my God...' K'ren bumbled, 'That's a...'

"Yes, General. The capture of Aargau served more purpose than conquest, you know; it funded the creation of the new Tachyon; the new flagship for our fleet."

'Yes, sir!'

"Fight on, then." The communication winked off.

'Admiral Jiren? We're recieving a communique from General Rezner. The ground siege continues, and the Capitol City has surrendered it's defences...'
<hr>

The battle for Etti IV continued, unrelenting, even past the planetary government's complete surrender. The Executor-Class Super Star Destroyer, the newly christened Tachyon, continued it's prowl of the system, striking hard and fast whenever necessary. The defeat of CSA was unquestioned; and yet, they continued, their Imperial Star Destroyer Mk. IVs pouring into the system despite their perpetual defeat.

Gash found that more than a little disturbing.

Operation Maelstrom had, of course, been signed off as a success, it's file placed on the shelves of the Rogue Jedi Order archives. And yet, the Jedi Master could not help but feel that the case was anything but closed; and for reasons other than the ongoing space battle.

Captain Tellien approached Gash, as he sat silently in the command chair of the Tachyon. Wreckage littered the system like renegade asteroids, a minefield of destruction and death, a graveyard of the Corporate Sector Authority. Tellien was solemn, this time, unlike his unjustly ecstatic mood following Operation Tempest.

'The last of the renegade cities who refused surrender have given up, sir. Nine percent civilian casualties.'

"Fairly good numbers."

'Yes.' Tellien glanced at Gash. 'Why don't you come below deck? There's no reason to sit and watch... this.' The last word was spat with a note of distain.

"I am thinking, Captain Tellien. You see, there, another CSA craft enters the system... why do they persist even when they fail so utterly? Even when we had the Abolisher fields raised, they would sneak in through backway entrances."

'They feel they can wear us down, I suppose, sir. You suspect otherwise?'

"The CSA is evil, Tellien. They are not stupid. They know that with this Star Destroyer, such feeble attempts are pointless." Gash paused. "There is something more, here. More than we can see, more than the men on those Star Destroyers know."

'What?'

Gash glanced up at the Captain. "I do not know, yet, Captain.

"I am not sure I want to."