The Imperial Brass Protectorate Fleet IInd Division had completed it's ferrying of Tholatin ships from its territory, leaving the planet in the capable hands of the XVth Planetary Defense Flotilla. The Fleet had mustered, all three Legions waited for orders.

The marching orders had come down from Command, and before the final word of the transmission had arrived, the majority of the Division had disappeared into hyperspace.

The Fleet was one Destroyer stronger, and many times more preared for battle, its morale bolstered by the victory at Fondor.

The Fleet headed for its destination.

Battle.

And Averam.

* * *

The Fleet came out of hyperspace at the far edge of the planetary sphere, beyond the maximum range of any Abolishers or Interdictors. Any forces present for defense would be able to see the approaching armada with their eyes, but sensors would not have any luck, with the Shrouds activated.

Abolishers were kept off until their range could encompass the planet ahead. Even with the Abolsihers activated, an enemy flotilla could arrive outside their field and still wreak the same havoc. Their not merelysaved energy.

* * *
On the bridge, flagship <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Intimidatr<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

" Battle illumination."

The lights turned low and the the command deck was lit by the amber and emerald hues of control stations.

" Raise shields, power all weapons. Load all missile bays and deploy Force Alpha."

Every weapon was powered, and every missile and torpedo battery readied for war. Force Alpha, fifty percent of the attack fighters, swarmed from their launch bays and deployment racks into squadron formations scattered about the fleet.

The Abolishers were readied...and would be brought up when the fleet closed.

And attacked.

* * * * * * * *
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;;
Fleet manifest

Command Group:
Allegiance-Class Super Star Destroyer – Intimidator
Imperial-Class Star Destroyer – Rothgar
Imperial-Class Star Destroyer – Vengeance
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Ordos
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere – Detractor
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Aurora
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Thunderer
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Lightning
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Sturm
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-488
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-489
10 Vibre-class Assault Cruisers

Defense Legion I:

Patrol Group I (L1-BP2)
Reign-Class Star Destroyer – Merciless
Imperial-class Star Destroyer – Dutifull
Imperial-class Star Destroyer – Inexorable
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere – Glorious
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere- Matriarch
Victory-Class Star Destroyer – Thrasher
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Conflgration
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-484
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-485
10 Vibre-class Assault Cruisers

Patrol Group II (L1-BP2)
Reign-Class Star Destroyer - Immolator
Imperial-class Star Destroyer – Vanquisher
Imperial-class Star Destroyer – Conqueror
Attack-class Carrier Sphere – Mage
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere- Basilisk
Victory-Class Star Destroyer – Manitcore
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Pride of the Order
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Evarra
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Chatoica
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Abolisher-Class Cruiser

Defense Legion II:

Patrol Group I (L2-BP2)
Allegiance-Class Star Destroyer - Glorious
Reign-Class Star Destroyer – Vindicator
Imperial-Class Star Destroyer - Indomitable
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere – Tyrant
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere – Avenger
Victory-Class Star Destroyer – Irradication
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser- Dark Knight
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-482
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-483
10 Vibre-class Assault Cruisers

Patrol Group II (L2-BP2)
Reign-Class Star Destroyer – Praetorian
Imperial-Class Star Destroyer MK III - Sovereignty
Attack-class Carrier Sphere – Prominent
Attack-class Carrier Sphere – Uberkrieger
Victory-Class Star Destroyer – Hussar
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Tsar
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser- Ventilificator
Immobiliser 418-Class Interdictor Cruiser - Enshourder
Carrack-Class Cruiser-Eudaemon
Carrack-Class Cruiser-Warrior
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
10 Vibre-class Assault Cruisers

Defense Legion III

Patrol Group I
Reign-Class Star Destroyer - Krael
Imperial-class Star Destroyer - Imperious
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Spire
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Warrior
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Ventilificator
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Rage
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Illustrious
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Tormentor
Immobiliser 418-Class Interdictor Cruiser - Penetrator
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Drang
Imperial-Class Escort Carrier
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Fire-Class Light Cruiser
Lictor-Class Dungeon Ship
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-486
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-487
15 Vibre-class Assault Cruisers

Defense Legion II
Reign-Class Star Destroyer - Prosecutor
Imperial-Class Star Destroyer - Eternal Destiny
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Terra Kasar
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Dread
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Grossreich
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Imperial Majesty
Dreadnaught-Class Cruiser - Deveastation
Nebulon V Assault Frigate - Swift
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Imperial Destiny
Abolisher-Class Cruiser
Lictor-Class Dungeon Ship
Lictor-Class Dungeon Ship
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-490
Shroud Attack Cruiser M-491
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket

Central Deployment Group

Reign-Class Star Destroyer - Behemoth
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer (captured) Wrathful (renamed)
Attack-Class Carrier Sphere - Tikaria
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Interrogator
Victory-Class Star Destroyer MK III - Commination
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Vigilant
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Courageous
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Implacable
Victory-Class Star Destroyer - Brawler
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Furious
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket
Constrainer-Class Interdiction Picket

*damn. MY clock is a day ahead.

Seriously.

You'll hear this again in twelve hours.

ooc:just so you know the lates manifest of forces at Averam that I can finad are
Shields: 2 GenCore lvl IIs
Batteries:
Averam City: 100 Anti-Infantry Batteries, 20 SAMs, 30 Missile Pads
Other: 50 Anti-Infantry Batteries, 15 SAMs, 20 Missile Pads
Space Stations: none
Ground Bases: 50
Garrison: 2,500,000 soldiers
Fighters: 50 TIE Interceptors, 100 TIE Bombers

OOC

Telan get your dates right, this is the second day. You posted on the 15th, today is the 17th.

huh what are you talking about chadd?

OOC

Okie Telan I ask that you hold off and do NOT advance for at least another day because I am having difficulties posting right now.

I will post later though, okay?

But, if you MUST post again *rolls his eyes* the shield generators and whatnot you see there all become active, along with mines etc. and the troops beging getting ready and there are two Star Destroyers (Imperial-ClasS) with full starfighter compliments there.

The Fleet broke up into component Defense Legions, each one a force of two equally powerful Patrol Groups. One Patrol Group alone could defend a world from an attack long enough, and with sufficient firepower, for a relief force to be assembled an arrive in a week.

Together, they formed a mighty hammer which could smash apart the defense of one, and take it in the Glorious Name of the Empire.

With Legion II on the port, and I off starboard, Legion III, the Command Group, and Reserve Deployment force created a powerful center to attack with. And so they did.

Forward the ships moved, under the possible interdictor shields-none had yet been detected, but it was better logic to be safe, then dead. A mine field of fifty thousand confront the assault force.

" Admiral, we read fifty thousand of them. Orders?"

" Forward ships, commence full pinpoint firing-do not waste shots or time. Missiles only if needed; these can be brought down by our turbolasers."

From the prows of the massive Star Destroyers and the Attack-class carrier spheres pulsed a deadly, long range fire, felling thousands in a minute. Holes were opening in the net, but the fleet would dare not proceed.

To advance piecemeal would result in being destroyed piecemeal.

The holes were made larger, TIE Devils being deployed to aid in the widening.

Explosions dotted the space between the Imperial flotilla and Averam itself. Fighters buzzed about, assaulting mines in flights of four, leaving the expanding debris field to assault their first prey's neighbor. The genius of the TIE Devil was not its dexterity, it was its pilot, who sat in an expansive control room aboard his home ship with dozens of others, who communicated via headset and piloted what would normally be their craft by interactive holographic chambers. If it was lost, they launched another to replace it, its pilot having lived to learn from his mistake--and counter attack with an informed vengeance.

" We have holes big enough for our patrol groups now."

Pushed by a timetable by Imperial Command, Desaria acknowledged. " Send in patrol groups in formation, with the other behind. Assign the Devils to continue their attacks, and all ships are to fire as they pass."

He turned to his liaison officer. " Move the Command Group through first, then Legion III, then the Reserve Group."

Forward the ships lurched, their speed increasing the make the capture of Averam a lightning assault.

The lanes through the minefield were opening rapidly, the Devils and turbolaser enfilades creating a gap that the entire Division could saunter through. It was unneccessary however, as all legions had made it through and were fanning out over the surface of the planet.

An orbital defensive installation was on the opposite side of the planet, unable to manuever. The bulk of its weaponry would be within full effective range and over the horizon in eight hours. A wing of Scimiatr Assault Boomber and two wings of supporting, missile equipped fighters had gone to dispatch it, as well as the Reserve Deployment Group. THe fighters would keep it busy until the capital ships arrived.

" Admiral."

" Yes?"

" we've found it sir."

" Excellent. Relay the corrdinates to all heavy batteries, Command Group and Legion II and fire on my mark." Desaria turned from the bow viewpanes towards the aft control corridor where the targeting control center was located.

An Allegiance-class Star Destroyer, built as a command vessel, was equipped with the same tactical sensor arrays as the Imperial Mark XV Torpedo Sphere, of such fame smashing the remaining planetary shields at Caamasi, Dellin V, Tevvorl, and dozens of others: smashing aside planetary shielding. The beauty of that sensor array was it located weak points in planetary shields: including the seams between sectors. Such was the case with Averam. There were two shield generators on the planet, equidistant apart. Where they met they were weaker than a TIE, or in some cases, non existant.

A hole opened would allow fighters through to knock out the generators themselves, and the way would be open for the assault troops.

" Coordinates have been accepted and readied by all battereis."

Hands clasped behin his back, Desaria strode down the catwalk, the view of Averam in the background. " Open fire."

Thousands of torpedoes, missiles, and heavy turbolasers commenced a rain of destruction on the barrier around Averam. The energy dissapated, washing the invisible wall in neon flashes of radiance. Projectiles exploded about the grid of assault, fire and debris consuming space around them. A crescendo of fire not seen in that system for many, many years.

All this behind the imposing view of the black haired Desaria, strolling from the bridge with the conflagration illuminating the view.

The lack of an enemy response oddified Rear Admiral Desaria.

However, with the facts at hand, it was understandable. What enemy fleets were not reported engaged were obviously planning a counterassault. If they realized their defeat, their best course of action would be to make their pain felt by their attackers.

Averam, Desaria imagined, must not have been important enough to defend. In space, that was. Below the shield sat two million experienced line troops, supported by armor and heavy defensive installations. Breaking the shield would be a breeze compared to pounding the enemy defense into dust.

Ahead of the fleet, gaps in the shield had opened, and two TIE Scimiatar squadrons had been sent in to knock out the shield generator stations. Having an inadequate knowledge of enemy defensive installations, over half of the assault bombers were downed by heavy anti-fighter fire from emplaced bunkers and fortifications.

The dozen deaths, however, served to map out every aerial combat capable location in the vacinity of the generating stations.

" Send orders to the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Commination<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> to move forward, grid five, position three. I want a full Tritan barrage into the sheild. Target the generators. "

" As ordered, Admiral."

In less than five minutes, the VSD III had made its way the forefront of the Imperial formation. Twenty kilometers out from the forward ship, she let loose a hail of projectiles from all forward facing missile launchers, a total of eighty. From them emerged longer-than normal concussion missiles. Instead of standard MerrSonn manufactured munitions, special Sienar designed missiles departed the tubes. Each was four meters long and almost half a meter wide, carrying a heavier payload than all but the infamous Diamond Boron missile.

They were rarely used for their ridiculoulsy high cost of production; there was a droid brain in the body of the missile. To use them against a fighter was a waste. They were built for a purpose: maneuvering.

A Tritan had the ability, once assigned a target, to skirt around obstructions, just as the Galaxy Gun torpedoes: save these had no armaments other than themselves. This included going through an indicated breech in shields to head on, unimpeded, to their destination.

On the missiles headed, towards the gap in the Averam shields. Through they went, speeding down towards the surface at almost faster than light speeds. They were still visbile though, and every Jutraalian with a weapon fired at them. Not one was scathed.

The projectiles rocketed over coeans, plains, cities an savannahs. As they grew closer to their targets, fingers were crossed tighter on the Imperial warships above, their hail of fire still pounding at the shields, expanding the existing breaches.

None of the finger-crossing in all of the Fleet's warships could help their course, only their design could bring that to fruition. And it did.

The first equitorial station off the port side of the Imperial fleet was hit hard. The massive bunker complex, deep inside a mountainside, was rocked to its foundations. Twenty missiles blew away chunks of the rockface, until the duracrete was all that was protecting the generators. Another ten tore off tonnes of armor plating and duracrete. The last, slower missiles, finished the task, most of the last penetrating the casing and spewing death and flame into the cavernous facility: those that did not penetrate did their job well enough, sending debris flying from the walls and shredding cables as well as the reactors themselves.

The generator off the starboard side had been lain low as well, albeit two minutes later.

An unsolicited cheer erupted over the bridge of the ASD <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Intimidator,<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> not quashed by the departmental commanders. Joviality and excitement was all that kept men sane in prolonged battle.

When the joyous tumulty had died down, the Rear Admiral even exchanging pats on the back, orders were again relayed.

" Commence saturation bombardment on everything that moves. Installations hit with missiles, and let everything else feel our turbolasers. Deploy the first fighter wave and ready the first assault contingent. Fighters will go on my command."

The way was paved. Around it, however, were the mines of the Jutraalian Army.

" Roger that."

The TIE Defender " Dora", 3rd Flight leader, 75th Squadron, CCCLXXIVth Planetary Assault Flotilla wrestled slightly against the dusk breeze over the island continenent of Delloran. Below the racing fighter were rolling plains and the occassional clump of trees, tall at twenty meters, and strewn with gold and amber leaves. The scape was typical of the south-western hempisphere, its climate almost always like fall.

Behind Dora lay the other three Defenders of his flight.

Around lay the entire Three-seven-three as it was known, one of three dedicated planetary straffing wings assigned to various ships in the Brass Protectorate Fleet. Seventy-two TIE Defenders, armed with heavy, free fall proton bombs in place of their torpedoes and a light turbolaser in place of the linked ion cannon. Their added ventral armor and weapons made them less suited or space combat, but were still more than a match for most Republic fighters.

" Seven two, break off for targets on Hill 327 and 375."

The Flotilla commander, a decorated officer who wore the Empire's highest decorations for gallantry with pride and, issued his orders from a command assault shuttle attached to the wing. He could not fly any more, having lost a limb in the occupation of Freughte. He chose to keep it off for showmanship's sake.

With that, the squadron commander and leader of one flight issued the appropriate commands to the boys in his squad. " Three flight, take 375. One and Two with me to 327."

The squadron of fighters, already near the port edge of the massive, swarm like formation, peeled off and began the half-minute journey to the pair of strategically vital hills: each gave mutual protection to the other while both guarded the entrance to the Droon Valley, where the regional command bunker was located.

" Dora"'s pilot, Mikel Wittmann, turned off of the rest of the squadron, the majority of them heading of to starboard, while his other three Defenders followed close behind in a tight diamond pattern.

The four fighters stayed in formation as they approached the smaller of the two heavily fortified hills. Laser flak batteries were being elevated into position as they drew near, their high pitched whine growing louder and louder. From holes inn the terrain where deep earthworks had been built, came the ominous four barrels of the Sienar Mobile Torpedo Launch System, a hover platform with a battery of proton torpedoes abaord. The Jutraalian Empire has obviously not spared for defense, as those systems were horrendously expensive, but not the most effective against fighters; their purpose was anti orbital. Men with shoulder mounted models would have stood and equal if not better chance of hitting the Defenders.

A thousand meters out, the long range heavy flak models opened up, their large bore blasts exploding about but having little more than nuissance affect, for the Assault Wings' Defenders had been modified with ground fire in mind. As such, their ventral shields were strongest, as was their lower armor.

The range counted down, and then opened, up, the four craft completing their one pass recon, making out what threats were and where centres of resistance would originate. It was on that pass that the TIE pilots saw the threat of the two hills. From the inner (valley-side) edges of the hills jutted the fifteen meter long barrels of the Kuati-VIII Siege Cannon. Each hill had a support battery of two pieces, which would spell doom for any assault on the valley. The weapons had a range of ten kilometers and a blast yield that could decimate an entire company; evena a direct hit on a Walker would destroy anything else in a fifty meter radius.

Luckily the mounted assault force had landed fifteen kilometers out, which gave the hover tanks, carriers, and walkers less than fifteen minutes until they arrived, and less than three until the guns could open up on them.

" Mohnke, Wittmann, Sepp: take the hill. Sepp, scatter their men while you boys suppress the flak. I'm going after those guns."

A chorus of ayes responded, and the four 'boys' looped about. Kurt "Defender" Meyer in his always faithful Dora looped wide to come in right down the barrels of the guns, never even close to a threat to fighters.

At a thousand meters, the flak batteries opened uo, their quad barrels firing small darts into the afternoon sky. A scant few hit Defendermeyer's shields, but what did posed no threat.

At finve hundred, the sound of the Sienar abtteries loosing a missile from its hoverplatform launcher could be heard even in the cockpit of the Defender. The missile raced up four kilometers in the span of seconds and turned for the Defendermeye's TIE. The torpedo was closing, but so was The TIE to the bunkered barrels of the guns. The bombs were charged and the taregtting computer not activated. The members of the 72nd never used them, relying on instinct and guts to get the job done. While they had a high mortality rate, they were also the most decorated fighter unit, bar none. The fighter jockies could hold a candle to them, but the 72nd outshined them all noticeably.

" Ready...Drop!" Meyer yelled, cursing as he did, for the torpedo had exploded, timed for distance, its controllers hoping the shrapnel would do more than a direct hit.

They were correct, for as Defendermeyer soared over the hill, the bombs exploded below the edge of the bunker, the guns unharmed. Below him, all but a few of the flak batteries had been suppressed and crew and infantry alike were scurrying about to be free of Sepp Dietrich's keen eye for destruction.

" Comin around for another pass. Sepp, keep those missiles off me!"

" Sure!!!" sepp replied, his characteristic malaise present even in the thick of battle.

Dora turned on her heel, spinning in several ways, before she raced overthe guns to range again. Sepp ws lagging behind and firing as he went. Defendermeyer made his run again, but no flak fire came his way. Wittmann and Mohnke had taken over the job of putting to flight the enemy infantry.

The range counted down, and the bombs were off. A titannic explosion could be heard as the Defenders raced to distance. The primary magazine had been hit, a horrid flaw in the design of the guns: an autoloader shaft led uninterrupted from the magazine to the gun. Any explosion would go right through.

It had, and the inferno ripped apart the hill, literally throwing trenches, bodies, and materiale into the sky.

" That's that!"

The flight did a victory roll over the emplacement and saw that their squad-mates had done an equal job with the other.

" Let's get them!"

The squad formed up and roared into the valley.