Fandom Star Wars - Rogue 2 - A Fantastic Distraction [[CLOSED]]

[Funkybub]

Rushing into the spacecraft via the loading ramp, Ket slammed it shut. As it slowly shut, Ket let out a few more blaster rounds at the remaining Stormtroopers, hitting one and missing the rest.


Running into the cockpit, Ketrina sat herself down in the co-pilot/first mate seat, removing her helmet and placing it gently on the floor.


"First thing, we got some ground rules to lay down." She said,quietly as the spacecraft rose up.

 

[Bazmund]

"Lay them down, then. And quickly. We're going to have to work hard to not get shot down out here." He said as calmly as he could, as he punched in the Rishi system as their destination, set his ship to calculating their hyperspace route.


[[Come on dude I want to skip everyone to Rishi - they've all already left!]]

 

[Funkybub]

"One rule. When we fighting, don't call me Ketarina. Call me Falcone Ventini. Got it?" She said, standing up to walk back from the cockpit to the crew bay, knowing Darran was more than capable with flying the craft to Rishi. She guided herself to her armour, knowing she needed to fix various parts of it before they got to Rishi. Finding a box of what seemed to be waste components, she tasked herself with starting to fix her armour, un-denting and repairing the various systems destroyed or broken in combat with Darran.

 

[Bazmund]

**MAJOR STORY POST INCOMING**

 

[Bazmund]

Rendezvous Point - The Rishi System

​

In the light of a brilliant blue star, the Rishi system lies. Its moon is cold and barren and a waste, save for some Republic monitoring station ruins, and - of course - the quiet remains of a derelict Separatist Orbital Listening Post, where the rebels had been ordered to meet their new commanders, following a sudden and unscripted appearance by the Imperial Starfleet at their first point of contact.


It is a small thing, seemingly insignificant, but upon viewing of the preliminary scan reports, you can see that there are life forms aboard it, despite its dead appearance - and more oddly, that there is a rather significant power signature being emitted from one of the hangar bays. It's more in line with something like a small assault ship powering up its weapons than anything the rebels could have arrived in and/or managed to fit into a fighter hangar like that.


It worries you, just slightly.


But you're marked for death by the Empire now, and whatever has found its way aboard this place can surely be no worse fate than surrender to them, or forever running from them.


You dock, and are almost lost in the pitch black of this decayed spy station - until you stumble upon your teammates in main service corridor, which leads to the command deck.


But be wary. There is something breathing here that is rather different to both you and the Rebels.


And it has not had guests in some time.

 

[Phaeos]

(

Raider's Cove)

Planet Rishi


Rishi System
​

(the first part of this post is just my character's intro, MOSTLY unrelated to this RP. Its admittedly lengthy, so if you want to skip to my relavent post, scroll down til you see the picture of the ship, and start reading from below that)





[seven hours ago]


The atmosphere in the Blaster's Path cantina is loud, chaotic, and humid. So. Sithing. Humid. Perhaps that is the single major factor for the general moodiness of the cantina-goers. Those that aren't deep in their drinks, are deep into other things. Several gambling tables are running big games; already there had been two shootouts on account of suspected cheaters. Service droids chitter and zoom among the patrons, offering their wares, much like the whores, who are doing the same. The bartender, a surly Besalisk prone to making death threats and following up on them if necessary, currently has his hands full (all four of them) telling a drunk rodian that his tab was overdue and that he wasn't getting anymore drinks. Thus he doesn't notice the dark-blue skinned figure at the end of the bar reach over and snatch a long-necked bottle of dark green booze, then slip back to his own private corner, where two shabby looking figures wait for him.


"See?" Rando Jaks mutters as he approaches the table and reclaims his seat, "All it takes is subtlety, and patience." He pops the lid, and pours drinks for his companions and himself. "Speed and precision help, too. With the right balance of all four, most things in life can come easily."


The two men chuckle. One is a withered old human, eyes milky white, skin wrinkled like old leather, his wild gray hair falling around his head like bantha shag. Odd tatoos cover most of his skin, and his long wooden pipe is churning smoke like a Kessel exhaust vent, the acrid yellow fumes billowing from his mouth thick and sour. The other man is a muscular aqualish in tan combat armor, the entire length of the arms exposed, showing off black lines arrayed in groups of five. His tusks have been stained black by the oily looking plant he keeps stuffing into his mouth.


The aqualish speaks in a hybrid of gutteral aqualish and common, "Come not here for no reason, old venje and this one. A pricing was offered, for wisdom to be gleamed. Sly Rando is needing to set upon the agreement, or maybe wisdom he is no more needing?"


The old man nods his head sagely, a veil of smoke drifting up past his ancient face. His voice is dry and raspy, barely more than a whisper, "Six thousand, no less."


Rando Jakts stares at the two old pirates, silently contemplating his chances of bartering. Unlikely. And he didn't want to insult them. The aqualish is dangerous, physically anyway, nothing a surprise blaster shot couldn't handle. But the old man is an entirely different story. A gypsan shaal; half madman, half prophet, supposedly. He commanded much respect among the more superstitious pirates in this sector, making him a high shaman, of sorts. No, insulting or upsetting the old man would prove disastrous.


Rando leans back, pulling out a sack of clinking gems, and tossing it on top of the table, in front of the old man. "Six thousand, no less."


The old pirate lifts the bag, feels the weight, smiles and nods. He sticks the bag into his robes, then begins, "One question you have bought."


Rando nods, but in his mind, he screams, (ONE QUESTION? WHAT THE CHUBA! YOU FILTHY, WRETCHED, GREEDY, NAPPY-HAIRED PILE OF BANTHA SHI-)


The old pirate quits puffing, one bushy eyebrow raised, and frowns. Rando Jakts holds up his hands in apology, and sighs, "You are gracious, Shaal'leimorg. I know my question. The rebellion is the only hope left to defeat the empire, but will they win? Will they beat the empire?"


Shaal'leimorg stares stoically into Rando's eyes, puffing slowly and deliberately on his pipe. After nearly thirty seconds, he speaks, "The rebels will beat the empire, but will they win? No. No, they will not win."


Rando's jaws locks in frustration. Unbelievable. Should've known better than to give this hokey crap a chance. Sithing hustlers. Rando speaks, coldly if not politely, "How is that a fair answer? How can they beat the empire, and not win?"


The old man squints hard and stops smoking, "One question you bought, one answer you were given. For another question, more expensive the price." He resumes puffing.


Rando stares incredulously at the decrepit pirate. The old bastard was senile if he thought he was going to get any more money out of this joke. Rando begins to stand, "I've no more money to offer, thank you for your time-"


Shaal'leimorg speaks, his tone serious, "No money, not for this price."


Rando stops halfway between sitting and standing. "No money? What then?"


The pirate smiles wickedly, "A memory, no less. One memory, one question, one answer."


Rando hesitates. More jokes. Damned pirate. A memory? What the sith does that even mean? Ok old man, I'll bite. Rando nods, "One memory, no less." Shaal-leimorg inhales his pipe deeply, then blows it slowly out towards Rando's face. Rando holds his breath, but the smoke unnaturally seeps into his nostrils. His face burns, eyes water, ears pop, brain siezes. A rush of images passes. He sees his father, showing him and his brothers how to properly spear a G'chabuu. He sees his first crew, and himself there too, all drinking and celebrating a recent payout. He sees himself handing money to a harbormaster, buying his first starfighter. He sees the day of the Boota Eve Classic, sees himself cross the finish line first, his arms raised in the air in triumph, his greatest achievment. The image lingers, and he sees Shaal'leimorg there, off to the side, surrounded by smoke. He inhales deeply, then exhales, covering the image, causing it to fade. Rando feels himself forgetting, despite his best efforts. In his mind, he flails, trying to hang onto the moment, the greatest moment of his life . . .


He stumbles backwards, almost tripping over his chair. He sees the two pirates sitting across the table, obscurred by the fading smoke. Shaal'leimorg is there, his eyes digging into Rando's. Rando tries to remember what happened. He retraces his memory of the images, all the way up to . . . . can't . . . . the BOONTA! He moves foward, putting his hands on the table, leaning across and looking fiercely at the old pirate. The aqualish whips out a blaster quick as a viper. Rando ignores the aqualish, "No! Not that one, any memory but that one."


The pirate stares, "It is done, sly Rando. A question is paid for." Rando stands there for a moment. Already, he has forgotten what he was angry about, though the feeling of despair remains. Rando sits down, still staring at this wicked, cruel man. "How will the rebels beat the empire, but still not win?"


"You call the Imperials tyrants, but you do not know tyranny's true face. So you will cast down the empire, and shatter it, and crush the broken pieces until it is so much more sand in this universe of dust. The republic will be reborn, wiser, hardened against the corrupting power of the wicked in this galaxy. The real tyrants . . . will come later. But they are not the empire. Nor are they from this galaxy. The outsiders will come, sly Rando, and they will not be beaten." Shaal'leimorg stands, his aqualish guard as well, blaster still pointed at Rando's face. The old pirate gives Rando one last stare, then turns and leaves.


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[seperatist Orbital Listening Post]


[Rishi System, Rishi Orbit]


Aboard the Void Runner, a soft, beeping alarm goes off, stirring Rando Jakts into consciousness. He was asleep in the pilot's seat, leaned back, several empty bottles of booze lying around. Rubbing his eyes, he leans foward, turns off the alarm, and looks at the scanner screen. Several ships were approaching the station. He checked the digital credentials; not imperials. After a minute or so of survelliance, he mutters, "Must be the others, it's about that time anyway." Rando stands and walks through the ship to the ramp. He leaves the ship, stepping into the dusty, messy, large open space that barely qualifies as a hangar. At least the atmosphere shields still work.


Rando had arrived at the station first, having been given the coordinates by his rebel contact, a pilot by the name of Antilles. Rando has worked for him on occasion, doing scouting runs and raiding imperial outposts. Antilles hired Rando to come to this system, and check the area for any Imperial activity. Once Rando had given the all clear, Antilles asked him to go to this abandoned listening post, and meet up with a team that was gathering there. Antilles explained about a crazy mission, one meant to distract the imperials, and piss them off. Rando agreed without much more info.


Rando waits for at least one other of the team to arrive, before heading deeper into the installation. In the main service corrider, they wait for the others, before continuing on towards the command deck.


(ill leave it there since I dont want to say what anyone's character does)

 

[Bazmund]

[[Alright, I'll say what everyone's characters do then.]]


Rogue 2 all arrived fairly close together, and in a short span of time were gracing the insides of a multitude of the station's hangar bays. Feeling lucky that it still had any semblance of life support or an atmosphere, they ventured into the main corridor - to be greeted by Rando, their soon to be pilot.


"Hello. I'm guessing you're here with the Rebels, am I correct?" Darran asked politely, his hand thumbing the grip of his half ruined vibroblade cautiously, the dead nautolan's lightsaber partially disassembled and tucked under his cloak - just like his own.


He didn't think that Ketrina had figured him out as a Jedi, but he'd been wrong before. Especially since he demonstrated some familiarity with lightsaber combat.


And still, there was a dark presence - or rather, a dark and terrifying lack of presence in the force - somewhere around the outer edges of the space station... and concentrated in the hangar bay with that ominous power signature.

 

[Red Thunder]

The Rishi System


Separatist Outpost - Abandoned?
​

As Darran and the rest had touched down, Rhia looked up. She'd been spending the waiting minutes sitting in her armor on the foot of one of her ship's landing gears, tapping the seconds on its leg by lightly beating her head against it. About time, she mumbled, and picking up her flachette launcher from where it sat beside her, fell in behind their impromptu leader. The figure who greeted them was...interesting, to say the least. She'd never seen an alien of...whatever he was before. And what was he doing on this Force-forsaken outpost? Surely he was Rebellion, as Darran seemed to surmise, but the galaxy was full of subtlety and deception. She set it nose down upon the deck and leaned on it, a little more comfortable in its powerful presence.


"Was he with the Rebellion?" Honestly. Of all the stupid questions. "Who else would be desperate enough to hide out on this rock next door to Wild Space, Darran? Not pirates or smugglers, and you can bet the Imps like their comfort. No, he's Rebellion alright." Hefting the huge weapon casually, Rhia stepped forward, hand extended. "Sergeant Rhiannon Trex. Pleased to meet ya."


@Bazmund @AbherrantForm

 

[Wintermute]

Helios had received a message from Bail Organa and he had been heading to the Rendezvous' coordinates on that silly canteen on whatever backwater space station it was on. However, as he jumped hyperspace and exited, the Freedom 2 was met by some familiar ships. A Victoria class Star Destroyer and an imperial patrol ship, to be precise. Also, as he looked upon the space station and the docking bays, he could see tumultuous imperial activity in the form of corvettes and dropships. So, the empire had figured out the rendezvous? If so, had the Rebels escaped? Well, that he could answer in another moment because now he had a different, more closer problem at hand.


Soon, an incoming call on an imperial channel came up on Helios' holodisplay. "Put them through R6." He said to the astromech droid next to him. It beeped in response and its arm extended into the ships interface port, spinning it. A recorded message soon sounded throughout the Freedoms loudspeakers.


Firespray-31-class patrolship, you are entering now restricted imperial space. An investigation is underway and all suspicious flights into the Space Station will be inspected before any permission to land is given. Scanning of your vessel will commence promptly.


"Oh boy. What have our friends been up to now." R6 beeped and wailed, sounding a little distressed. "Don't badger me, we'll get out of this just fine. We always do. We just have to stand by and wait for the ships faked reading to work." He smiled, sure of himself and the work he had done on the ship for it to pass perfectly as a transport vessel.


Moments later, a notification blipped on the screen and R6 turned the port again, making the message play.


Firespray-31-class patrolship, your readings are suspicious. Please stand by to be boarded.


The droid whistled ironically as Helios almost fell out of his chair. It was impossible to get the ship out of there in time because the hyperspace reactor was not fully functional yet and needed at least fifteen minutes to cool down enough. "Alright alright, so that didn't work. I'll have to find out the problem." He sighed and placed his helmet on his head and holstered his DLR-44. He pondered between trying to fly as far away as he could or fight. It was one of those fight or flight moments he had on his hands right there.


At that moment, a message appeared on the ships holodisplay again. It was encrypted and it took a few seconds to read, but he saw that it was clearly from the Rebels. Something in the meeting went wrong so the rendezvous was changed to an abandoned Separatist Orbital Listening Post. The message also said something about a female Cathar that he should look out for. He shrugged about the last part, having it in mind, and quickly punched the coordinates into the console and looked at R6. "Alright bud, the hyperdrive will be ready in about 5 minutes and right now we don't have an opening to jump through. The boarding shuttle will be here in about three minutes, so we have to evade those star destroyers any way we can." The droid whistled worriedly, but Helios smiled, confident in his skills. "Alright, I'm pretty sure I can pull this off." He got into the pilot seat and opened communications between the Star Destroyer and the Freedom. "Victoria Class Imperial Star Destroyer Tyranny, this is Firespray-31-class patrolship Freedom 2. I am afraid I cannot comply with your boarding orders since there has been a leak in my generator. I advise your boarding shuttle to stay a good distance away incase something goes wrong." He closed his channel to them and seconds later another message came through.


Received Firespray-31-class patrolship. You have five minutes to fix your leak and then you shall be boarded.


The message cut off abruptly and Helios looked at his helmets HUD. Five minutes, and they were out of there.


It was an excruciating five minutes but when they passed, a light lit up on the Freedoms control panel, indicating that the hyperdrive was hot and ready to go. He looked at R6. "Alright you junk heap, hold on tight." He said. The astromech responded in a offended whistle, but the thunk of its magnetic clamps engaging were quite audible.


Firespray-31-class patrolship, your five minutes are up. Prepare to be boarded.


"I'm sorry Tyranny, I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Helios said and pushed the ships throttle to maximum, making it shoot out, almost scraping the imperial boarding shuttle. "Hold on R6!" The droid beeped and wailed as the Freedom started to do a Half loop to get on the topside of the imperial ship, which was looming over them. "Alright, now jam their tractor beams!" He said and the droid got to work.


Firespray-31-class patrolship, stop immediately or we will commence firing!


"To Korriban with you and your shabla buir!" He yelled through the comms, and soon after blaster bolts from the Victoria Class ensued, grazing the hull of the Freedom 2 as it maneuvered. When he got to the height right above the Star Destroyer, he quickly jerked the ship rightwards and let loose a couple of laser bolts, effectively hitting the bridge. On his radar, he could see at least three TIE fighters surging from the ships hangars, and he decided he didn't want to prolong the firefight any longer. He released two proton torpedoes of which one hit the ships bridge, destroying the forward observation bay and the other hit the neck of the bridge, causing minor damage. "Alright, enough's enough." Helios said as he saw the TIE fighters closing in on him. "Effectuating the jump to hyperspace in 3...2...1... Jump!" He flipped three switches on the dashboard and the distinct elongations of the stars that hyperspace caused was seen in the viewport as the ship entered hyperspace. "Aaaaand we're off."


===================================================================================================

RISHI SYSTEM


RENDEZVOUS COORDINATES


SEPARATIST ORBITAL LISTENING POST



​

As the Freedom 2 exited hyperspace, the Rishi system's blue suns light reflected off of the durasteel object in orbit that was the Separatist Orbital Listening Post. Helios leaned back into the pilots seat and relaxed, finally. They were, hopefully, safe. "See R6, we made it. We always do." The astromech whistled and beeped enthusiastically. "Alright, enough of that though. Time to go meet our friends, and see what this mission is about. I recall something about suicidal, so that just intensifies my curiosity. Set course to the Station and land in the hangar bay, we should have clearance. I'll be down in the 'freshners. That lunch I had before encountering the imperials didn't go down too well." The droid beeped offensively, as if it was saying that that was unnecessary information. Helios chuckled and got on the ships repulsorlift, which took him to the first level where there was a small table, a cryogenic food containment unit- also known as a fridge -and a bathroom, the latter the one being his main objective.


After finishing, he got back on the repulsorlift and back to the control seat, next to which R6 was spinning the ships interface port.


The Station got closer and closer as the flight path, designated by R6, took them to the inside of the hangar bay, where he expected he would meet his fellow rebels.


The ship flew into the hangar and settled down vertically, as Firesprays do, extending its boarding ramp, down which a Helios, garbed in Beskar'gam, walked down. At his side was his trusty modified DLR-44 blaster pistol and slung across his torso was his WESTAR-M5, the standard issue ARC blaster rifle.


R6 came down the ramp with him and wailed at him worriedly. "A strange and powerful energy signature you say? Hmm.." Helios said, crossing his arms. He looked at the astromech and patted it on the head. "Get back on the ship and see if you can't find out what it is with the scanners and the sensors. I'll be just fine." The droid beeped and whistled reluctantly but made its way back up the ramp and into the ship.


Helios made his way to a service corridor where he heard voices. "Sorry for being late, ran into some unexpected trouble with our best friends." He said, leaning on the wall of the corridor, looking at the gathered Rebels. "What did I miss?" In the service corridor, as he looked around, he distinguished a female Cathar, which he supposed was the one Bail was mentioning in the earlier message, in white armor with red detailing. Very eye catching armor. He nodded to her, his helmet still on.

 

[Bazmund]

"We're here to provide a distraction for another team of rebels, stealing the schematics for some degree of Imperial Superweapon. To my understanding, our 'distraction' is going to be a series of impossible raids Imperial infrastructure." Darran explained, stretching his back slightly, and folding his arms through his cloak.


And then he looked properly at the newcomer's face.


He was unmistakable.


A Clone. In fact, if it were anything to go by, the fact that he'd survived as long as he had since the Clone Wars, and was looking so undeniably young for someone with accelerated aging... he was probably a Commando unit.


No. Definitely. That was the ARC service rifle he was wearing.


"Do I know you?" Darran said, to cover for his sudden eyeing of the man's... uh, everything.

 

[Funkybub]

Jadean had been present at the station for roughly 30 minutes when the rest of the ‘team’ arrived. He himself was busying himself with applying several different modifications to R2-B9 as well as attempting to repair the damage inflicted during the daring escape from the Cantina.


No serious damage was inflicted, just a chip and a dent here and there. He hoped. R2-B9 was one of the only things Jadean could trust and personally considered him a friend. He hadn’t anything he’d consider a friend since that incident on Kiffu.


The same incident which haunts his nightly dreams. Every time he sleeps, the thousands of bodies plague his mind.


Following her newly found ‘ally’ Ket was now in her fully functional armour. During the short journey, she had managed to fix the filtration system and the ventilation system.


Her improved and repaired armour made her look more masculine, something she preferred, knowing the common thought of a female bounty hunter. Along with the voice changer, she was perfectly disguised.


During the back end of the journey, she laid out the ground rules with Darran. She doesn’t talk unless needed and she gets referred to as Falcone. She asked him to inform the rest of the team as well, since she rarely liked to speak aloud, especially to a bunch of folks she’s been forced to work with.


Standing by Darran’s side, her eyes scanned the new arrival of the team.


“Doran died. He’s the first fallen Rogue 2 member.” Ket said in her metallic genderless voice.

 

[Phaeos]

"Hello. I'm guessing you're here with the Rebels, am I correct?" Darran asked politely . . .

Rando nods to the cloaked man with the vibrosword, "By affiliation of employment, mostly, though I regard any enemy of the empire a friend."


A red and white armored soldier speaks,

[QUOTE="Red Thunder]
"Was he with the Rebellion?" Honestly. Of all the stupid questions. "Who else would be desperate enough to hide out on this rock next door to Wild Space, Darran? Not pirates or smugglers, and you can bet the Imps like their comfort. No, he's Rebellion alright." Hefting the huge weapon casually, Rhia stepped forward, hand extended. "Sergeant Rhiannon Trex. Pleased to meet ya."

[/QUOTE]
Rando takes the handshake, "Rando Jakts, pleased as well."


After some more banter and a couple late arrivals, the cloaked swordsman gives a rundown of the intention behind the formation of this team. Rando leans against a communications console with a dark, dusty screen and listens. No numbers or data are on the screen; most of the systems and functions of the station arent operational, from what he could tell. Only the vital systems seemed to still be powered; life support, atmosphere regulations, the such.

"We're here to provide a distraction for another team of rebels, stealing the schematics for some degree of Imperial Superweapon. To my understanding, our 'distraction' is going to be a series of impossible raids Imperial infrastructure." Darran explained, stretching his back slightly, and folding his arms through his cloak.

Rando speaks up, "Iv'e spent the last few years raiding and reaping the Imperial's mid and outer rim operations. Gotten rather good at it, if I do say so. Built up a pretty good Imperial Bounty, fifty thousand, last time I checked. Unfortunately, I've been hard pressed to find anymore crew to be my gunners. So any of you who don't have your own ship, are welcome to ride with me. I've got space enough for half a dozen, but only two turret stations. I've also retrofitted a composite beam-laser anti-infantry turret in place of the bottom mounted dual laser cannon. I typically operate the top mounted cannon myself."

 

[Bazmund]

"Actually, I think the rebels are intending us all to ride together - and if my instincts serve me as well as they always have, you're likely to be our pilot." Darran nodded slowly.


"Anyway, shall we go to the control room? It seems to me to be where they're most likely to want to meet us. I'm sure everyone else can catch up if they haven't already arrived."

 

[Funkybub]

Ket just sighed and holster her rifle, slinging it over her back with some force. She was the first one to walk to the control room, passing the large ‘creature’ who had identified himself as Rando.


“My bounty is still more than yours.” She mutter quietly but was loudened by her voice translator. Passing past the rest of the crew, she leaded the way to the main control room, feeling slightly uncomfortable about being on this abandoned listening post, she felt a bad presence over all of it.

 

[Wintermute]

RISHI SYSTEM


SEPARATIST ORBITAL LISTENING POST
​

Helios eyed the ragtag group of Rebels in front of him and he understood that while the organization could have been better, everyone in the service corridor was skilled in their own way. He spotted out the Cathar female, a tall creature that in that moment he didn't realize what species it was, another two human males, one in bounty hunter-looking armor. Although he wasn't exactly sure of the latter ones gender, his intuition told him that he, or she, was not who they made out to be.


One of the males there spoke out to him, after having looked him up and down very thoroughly. "Do I know you?" He said. Helios in turn took his time to answer, analyzing the mans, pose, body build, eye movement and attitude. There was something extremely familiar about him, but he couldn't get a grasp on it. The clone wasn't force sensitive, but he had an intuition to boot. "I don't believe you do, although you might have seen my bounty around, talking about bounties. And honestly, I wouldn't go boasting about bounties, its not the best idea." That part he said to the other two members. As they started walking down the corridor to the control room, he eyed the Cathar female in the white armor with red detailing. A very nice set of armor indeed. Helios wondered where she had got it from. He then looked at the male that had asked him the question. "And do I know you? You seem really familiar. A very familiar attitude. You remind me of someone." He said to him, and then extended his hand for a handshake. "I'm Helios, nice to make your acquaintance, comrade."

 

[Bazmund]

Darran shook his hand as they walked.


Well, yes. Of course he knew him. In fact, he ought to be more than familiar.


They had served together. Fought battles together. Probably saved each other's lives more than once, also. He was an ARC Trooper, and Darran had been padawan to a Jedi who had, however briefly, served with the ARCs. Darran remembered very well, now.


Then again. He might not have been with his unit. But that didn't mean they didn't know each other through the war. After all, all Jedi share a certain set of traits, and all Clones might be individual, but ARC troopers always tended towards similarity.


"Do I? I've gotten that before, my friend. Apparently, I look like everyone." He joked.


He did not doubt that the trooper would remember, once he saw him wielding a lightsaber - and Darran had no illusions that he wasn't going to end up doing that, now that his vibroblade had one foot in the trash heap.


They kept walking, until the reached the command room.


Commander Aleksandra, another two rebels, and a pair of representatives from the tentative alliance between Smugglers and Pirates were in the middle of the room, loading something into the hologram projector.


The Commander smiled, her wrinkled face displaying a wholesomely toothy grin.


"It's good to see that you all surv-" Her face fell.


"Where is the Nautolan? Doran, his name was."

 

[RIPSaidCone]

"They got..away?" Were the words to slowly emit from General Xeli's mouth, hands behind her back as she looked over the command bridge of the Imperial-II Class Star Destroyer, the Innovation, her black Stormtrooper Corps Officer uniform on as regulation would require. The young woman's head slowly turned round to look at the two lower ranking officers nervously standing in their place, one of the two nodding quickly. "They managed t-to take out a rather large portion of the Stormtroopers we sent..m-ma'am." And with this Xeli turned around, and slowly strolled towards the two officers, stopping right in-front of them as she took in a deep breath and sighed. "Anything else you wish to tell me?" She asked quietly. "The Tyranny also reported that they suffered damage from an unknown vessel." Xeli nodded slowly, humming to herself. "Leave, before I have you both sent out of an airlock." And with that the two officers nodded and quickly walked out of the command bridge.


"Ma'am, the 2nd batch of troopers that you sent, they're recovered the remains..of a Jedi." An officer called to Xeli, as she turned around with a raised brow. "Did you just..a Jedi.." And then a grin came to her relatively features. "The Inquisitor wasn't all that useless then after all, speaking of..send him in." And within moments, the broken and injured Inquisitor was dragged in by two stormtroopers, as Xeli shook her head. "Not so strong now..are you? Lord Vader himself commanded that we dispose of you for your failure to kill a bunch of pirates." The Inquisitor looked up at Xeli. "There were not just pirates there, there were rebels, and Jedi, two!" The mention of two Jedi, and rebels caused the entire bridge to go into silence as Xeli glared at the other officers, letting them know without words to get back to work, and they did. "There was another one? Hawkins, notify Tarkin of this immediately, and get this failure out of my sight." An older Intelligence officer nodded at the order to notify Tarkin, and began working on his console. And the two stormtroopers lifted the Inquisitor up and dragged him out of the command bridge. She hated having those force freaks on-board her ship, they always gave her a..funny feeling, not that she could explain it, she just hated it, and she hated them, always thinking they were above everybody else. Well clearly, they weren't.


"Contact High Command, tell them we need an additional platoon of riot control stormtroopers ASAP." Xeli said impatiently as an officer at his console nodded. Xeli then leaving the Bridge and heading down a long, gray metallic corridor as two stormtroopers instinctively followed her for security purposes. She headed to her dormitory/office. "If anyone asks, I'm busy." She told the two stormtroopers, that nodded and stood guard outside her door, Xeli walking in and locking it behind her, before throwing herself on her bed. Sighing, she rubbed at her forehead and looked up at the ceiling, she was having those feelings again, ever since the orbital bombardment of Layais, a backwater outer rim planet, she'd been feeling strange from time to time, not a lot, very rarely actually. But enough to notice. />"Madam General, an incoming transmission from Admiral Piett requires your attention."</ Was the announcement to come over the speakers installed in her dormitory, from the Bridge. Xeli groaning angrily as she got up from her bed and left the room, the two stormtroopers standing at attention and following her back into the command Bridge. "Put him through, what does he want?" She asked with little patience left.


"Ah, General Xeli, it's been a long time." Piett said, with an exaggerated enthusiasm as his face appeared on the holoscreen on the Bridge. "Apparently not long enough, what do you want?" She questioned with a brow raised skeptically, the Admiral scoffing as he shook his head. "You always assume that I want something, General. No, this is a warning, we have a hunch that the Rebel Alliance may be planning something, we don't know what, but as head of Counter-Insurgency for the Outer Rims, we expect you to be on-top of it, understood?" He asked, Xeli nodding. "Entirely. My stormtroopers are top of the line, and my intelligence is second to none, we'll stop whatever they're planning, Admiral. Just you count on it." The Admiral nodded at that. "I will, and as a side-note, we have strong inclination to believe that rebellion is likely on planet Rishi, deal with it." And with that, the transmission was disconnected by Piett. Xeli turning to her Naval Intelligence officers to the left and saying. "I want troopers on Rishi as soon as possible, set up a Garrison Base, I want that rebellion crushed before it begins." Xeli left the Bridge again.


The Tyranny and Justice Star Destroyers exited hyperspace, arriving near the Planet Rishi, in the Rishi System, deploying multiple Corvettes & Transport Craft to the planet's surface, the small task-force set up by Xeli unaware of the Rebel presense in the System. Upon arrival on Rishi, a force of 800 Stormtroopers, along with hundreds upon hundreds of Support/Intelligence personnel, and pilots arrived, and quickly set up their IM-455 Garrison Base, before the order was given by Xeli for the crackdown on rebellious activity within the area, towns were intimidated with looting and mass-arrests, even shootings, and Empire propaganda was set up. A fresh-foothold on Rishi was set up. -- Back on the Innovation, Xeli was in her dorm, still contemplating on how to handle this new pressure, along with her recent mind-pains and the other symptoms, she hadn't told the medical staff yet, and didn't plan to, as it was too strange to explain properly. Yet she was sure she'd fix it by herself sooner or later, but the job came first. And this new "threat" had to be investigated with more detail.

 

[Christopher Pyne MP]

The Rishi System


Four hours earlier.


Stowing away aboard a trading vessel hadn't been Maxon's greatest idea in retrospect, having run out of credits and luck, he couldn't be stuffed trying to barter his way aboard the Steadfast Dragon and instead hid in the cargo hold among spices and food destined for the isolated colonies of the system. As the ship jumped out of hyperspace, Maxon took his knapsack and rifle, before crawling through the tight ventilation system to the escape pod suite. It'd been about three days since he'd met the rebel agent, who'd offered him the job. She'd ensured him that his "ultimate goal would be fulfilled" if he joined the rebellion. Though she kept tight lipped about what his goal was, Maxon assumed it was the same one, the death of Whiluff Tarkin. She'd given him the coordinates to where the rebels planned to meet, and Maxon agreed, finding a ship destined for the system and then stowing away on it.


The escape pod suite held four pods, all primed for launch. Maxon looked out of the viewport at the Rishi system, and then at his small hologram communicator which displayed the coordinates, now was as good a time as ever. He climbed into the pilots seat and took hold of the latch which detatched the pod from the Steadfast Dragon, sending the ship hurtling towards the nearest planet. "Oh, for the love of Sith!" he curses, attempting to reroute the ship towards where the outpost sat. "Oh you bastard, don't you bloody dare!" he snarled as the pod continued to hurtle towards the planet, Maxon quickly looked around the pod for someway to stop his rapid decent. Thats when he saw it, a knob which appeared to control the thrust of the pod, he changed it to the maximum setting, before being thrown from his seat by the explosive new speed he was hurtling through space at. "Oh, oh no!" he grunted, realizing he was still in the same direction, on a crash course to the planets surface.


Feeling a new sense of urgency, Maxon tried to leap to the pilots chair, failing twice before he saw it, a lever.He didn't know what it controlled put hoped for the love of all that was good and glorious it wouldn't make things worse. Since it was halfway to the pilots seat, and his current precarious situation. position, he'd hoped that it would help him gain a foothold. Maxon leaped, pushing off from the wall he was pinned to, and grabbed the black lever. The pod dramatically changed directions, slamming Maxon once again against the hull of the pod, he'd activated one of the manual controls for pods flaps. "Finally!" he grunted, sitting in the cockpit and angling the pod for the listening post, it was in sight now.


The only problem now was momentum, Maxon wasn't sure how to stop the now speeding escape pod, he began mashing controls, trying to find someway to escape its speed. Maxon, turned back, and activated the emergancy flaps which had saved him before, hoping it'd save him again. He turned back with several hundred meters until he hit the hangar, hoping he'd make it in, and making the final adjustments for his crash landing. The pod entered the hangars force fields, clipping the side of the hangar and spinning out of control before landing at the back corner of the bay. Maxon collapsed on the bottom of the pod, vomiting before opening the door, "Fuckin a..." He groaned, stumbling out of the pod, and trying to find his way to where he was meant to go.


Rishi System


Seperatist Orbital Listening Post


Maxon stumbled into the meeting, still knocked up from his adventure in the escape to where the others had gathered. "Hey guys..." he said in a faint voice, "Sorry I'm late, I-I was busy..." he said quietly "Some crazy stuff happened and I'm totally sorry if I destroyed your ship back in the hangar." he then leaned near a wall and watched everything go by, he was still dizzy as all hell.

 

[Phaeos]

Rando quickly pulls out his comm, not trying to hide his urgent concern, "R3, is everything ok there? Any . . ." he looks at the dazed newcomer, " . . . issues?" A short series of beeps and chirps is his reply. He sighs in relief, pocketing his comm. He smirks at the newcomer, "Your a lucky man, no signifant damage, some scratches from debris is all."


@Bullet Tooth Tony

 

[Red Thunder]

"It's good to see that you all surv- Where is the Nautolan? Doran, his name was."

"That's a good question, actually." Rhia glanced toward Darran, her otherwise expectant face hidden by the darkened visor of her helmet. "Not that he looked like a great combatant, but I imagine he had skills that no one else had here."


The Cathar hoisted her cannon onto her shoulder by way of a point.


"But if he turned coward, all the better that he isn't here. One thing we can't have is a damn yellow-belly. So what have we got, Commander? What's the big scheme?"

 

[Bazmund]

"Uh, coward is not what he turned. He took on an Inquisitor, and... did not match up to the task. Had too much faith in his battle droids too, unfortunately. He's dead, and in more than one piece about it." Darran said quietly.


He had known Doran for many years - even if he had not seen him in most of them.


He always was annoying, even back at the Jedi temple on Coruscant. So much faith in his machines, not enough faith in the living Force.


"The big scheme is very simple, Sergeant. You make enough noise to make the Empire forget all about the possibility of another team, ie, Rogue 1. They steal the superweapon plans, we analyse them for weaknesses, and some lucky rebel explodes it - ideally before it can be used. In order to do this, you're going to have to kill a great many stormtroopers, and destroy a great many things Imperial."


"First target, Desolation Alley, a maximum security detention facility, out in the middle of nearly-nowhere, on the asteroid Oovo IV. Entire base is surrounded by the vacuum of space, with only a fairly thin atmosphere provided by the kinetic shield surrounding the structure itself. The shield has one zone in particular that is somewhat weaker than the rest, because that zone can be selectively de-activated to allow Imperial supply shuttles in."


"Plan is, you hide nearby, and then follow one of those shuttles into the base in the four minutes it takes the shield to fully reactivate. To do this, we've provided you with an extensively modified corellian YT-1400 freighter... or something. Rando here will know the specifics, because he's the one piloting it. Her shields should be enough to have you survive the laser cannons on the base's turret mounts, at least until you can dock in the hangar and begin the rescue operations."


One of the pirates tapped another button on the projector base, and a number of portraits came up.


"I recommend that you study these images quite highly, rebels. These are your targets."


He pointed to the first fourteen.


"Rebel agents and Officers. Probably more than willin' to die for their cause, but their higher-ups want 'em back."


He pointed to a young man, whose hair seemed too good to not be styled, but also like he didn't seem to put any effort into it - and he was grinning, despite his situation in Desolation Alley, the mightiest detention center this side of the galaxy.


"Jem Soren, the smuggler." The Smuggler added.


"And that," The Pirate said with a proud smile, pointing towards a woman with an eyepatch and scowl on her face, "Is my captain, Moda Svelta, the pirate."

 

[Wintermute]

RISHI STAR SYSTEM


SEPARATIST ORBITAL LISTENING POST


MISSION BRIEFING
​

Helios was silent for the most part, listening intently to the commander and the pirates talk as the briefing started. The mention of the already dead member of Rogue 2, or so he though would be a fitting name for the group, made him frown. An inquisitor had discovered them? The only reason for an Inquisitor to tag a team of Rebels was because of the presence of a... force user, or force sensitive being. He looked at Darran, and the familiar feeling that the man gave him made him shiver. There was just something about this person that gave off a distinct type of energy that he had felt countless times before, albeit a long time ago.


He cleared his mind of the subject and concentrated on the briefing, noting that they were a distraction team- an elite one at that -but a distraction team never the less. When the commander explained the mission to the team saying that they were to infiltrate a maximum security prison and free the prisoners as their first mission, Helios let out an audible grunt of non-enthusiasm. It wouldn't have been the first infiltration mission that he had done, but in that moment, he hoped to never have to do it again. Oh, the irony.


To him, the plan itself didn't seem that solid. However, he guessed that it didn't have to be. After all, they were the distraction group. As the images appeared on the holoprojector, he uplinked his gauntlets own integrated microcomputer to it and started downloading them all. After he finished, he carefully inspected and analyzed every feature on the portraits. "So" he said out loud as he scrolled through the images on his gauntlet, not looking at the commander. "let me see if I got this straight. Our task is to infiltrate a maximum security prison in a freighter that Imperials will definitely not find suspicious at all, make a lot of noise, free the prisoners and extract our shebs out of there before the whole Empire comes crashing down on us with a squad of... what are we, like six or seven people?" As he finished, he turned the holographic projection on his gauntlet and looked at the Commander. "Seven people against the whole of the empire? Now ma'am, those are the odds I like to play with. When do we depart?"

 

[Funkybub]

Standing beside Darran, Ket placed her blaster rifle at her side. She wasn’t sure about this ragtag team of rebel. She wasn’t sure if she could trust them. Or if they could trust her. Paying attention to the basic outline of the plan.


And then she heard the name of the prison they were to be raiding.


‘Desolation Alley’


Chuckling to herself, she knew why they wanted her so badly. Well, she was wanted by them for the murder of 12 Imperial officers as well as the destruction of a number of their space-craft fleet. But she was also what many would consider a bounty hunter for the Empire, bringing bounties directly to the planet. Off course, she didn’t deliver people in her armour, since she had an extremely large bounty with the Empire.


“I’m guessing I’m going to a guide, since I know my way around this super prison.” She said, the voice being changed as always into a gender-neutral metallic voice, breaking the silence which had slowly fallen on the room and the squadron.

 

[RIPSaidCone]

Imperial-II Class Star Destroyer, Innovation


Outer Rims, near the Rishi System


"Has the Inquisitor been sent off?" Xeli questioned the Intelligence Officer standing stiffly in-front of her, the Officer nodding firmly and replying. "Yes ma'am. Lord Vader requested his presence immediately for punishment." And with that, a smirk spread across the features of the short haired woman, it was satisfying to imagine all the terrible things happening to that cocky little shit. She nodded in thought and said. "Good, good. What's the situation on Rishi?" She asked, walking down a long, metallic corridor, two Stormtroopers following her and the Officer as they talked. "Our troops have set up the Garrison and are deterring the populace from rebellion just as you commanded Madam General." Xeli and the Officer paced into the Command Bridge, as the Stormtroopers stood guard outside. "Good. I want it done as visibly as possible, with any luck we might draw out a Rebel Cell or two." She studied the blankness of space ahead of her out the view she was given from the Bridge as she spoke, the Officer behind her nodding. "The Tyranny is conducting scans of the Rishi System, just in-case there is any suspicious activity, and the Justice is deploying regular patrols of Corvettes to patrol the area around Rishi."


"Very good. If they find anything, let me know immediately." Xeli said calmly, as the Officer nodded once more, heading to exit the Bridge as he was called back by Xeli. "Wait. Did the Jedi's body arrive on time?" She asked with a brow raised, still facing the Bridge, hands behind her back. "Yes ma'am, we pieced it back together on your order." Another menacing smirk came to Xeli's features, it was certainly a good thing that she could say her forces killed a Jedi. "I want the Rebel Alliance to see it. Is Naval Intelligence aware of the frequencies they use?" Another question was raised. The Officer responding. "Our Intelligence indicates that they are currently using 1.02.4 to 1.09.8, however the Rebels do change their frequencies very often, in-order to avoid detection." Xeli chuckled as she nodded. "I want a picture of the dead Jedi transmitted across any and all communications networks that we suspect the Rebels are using. As a warning, and a message. That General Xeli is not one to mess around." She enjoyed her job, she really did. But not out of loyalty to the Empire, but more to her own ego. "Of course ma'am, it shall be done." And with that the Officer left the Bridge.


Minutes later, the picture had been transmitted, in an attempt to reach the Rebel Alliance. In what could only be called a scare tactic on the Empire's half. Xal Xeli had retired to her Quarters once again for some personal time. Laying there on her bed, she let out a sigh as she rested her hands on her stomach, given her job, sleep was something that came rarely to her. Solitude was also something that came rarely to her, and so she took whatever free time she had to just be alone, and try to get to sleep, at the very least just think to herself. "I've got this under control. The Rebels will see that picture, and they'll know to back off..they have to." Xeli whispered to herself, truth be told she was always frightened of failing her task, as the Empire didn't take too kindly to failure. And Xal didn't take too kindly to herself mentally if she ever failed. I'm always so hard on myself. She thought. "I can do it. They're just a bunch of unequipped backwater idiots.." But they did have another Jedi with them, and Jedi's weren't easy to kill. She felt another breeze in her mind, a breeze of something she didn't fully know, she shook her head and rubbed at her forehead. She'd have to see the doctor about that sooner or later.


Jaelo Village, planet Rishi


Rishi System





Meanwhile on the planet Rishi. It was another ordinary day for the people of the Jaelo Village, a village that was well known for it's habit to produce insurgents that always posed a threat of some kind to the Empire's foothold on the planet, which had just been reinforced by General Xeli's 800 Stormtroopers. "I'll have to look at it further to see what kind of parts we're dealing with." A small time trader said to a customer as the two discussed a pile of spare, ship parts lying on the table in-between them, at what appeared to be a Trading Post within the village. When all of a sudden a hut across from the Post exploded, the terrifying sound of a TIE Fighter's passing being heard overhead as the people of the Village went into panic, running in different directions as red hot blaster fire began raining down on them.


"All units open fire!" A younger Imperial officer yelled to a large group of around 40-50 Stormtroopers as they all began gunning anyone in their sights down, the force slowly making it's way through the village, leaving no one alive in their trail. TIE Fighters swooped in and out, destroying many huts and establishments in their gun runs. Within 10 minutes, a large part of the village was destroyed, and a large sum of it's population was dead. The remaining townsfolk all being forced into the center of town, as Walkers began patrolling the area, a few Speeder bikes passing by as well. The Imperial banner being raised onto many of the huts in the village. People were being lined up against the wall, as multiple piles of bodies were being stacked up in the center of town by the Stormtroopers. "Attention! Rebel supporting scum! I am Lieutenant Drayder of the Outer Rim Counter-Insurgency Fleet, you are to understand that from this day on. The Empire will be in-control of you, and your lives! Any attempts to resist will be futile, General Xal Xeli is in-control here now!" And with that a few more townsfolk were executed, some of the stronger men that were giving glares to the Stormtroopers, they seemed like troublemakers, and so they were executed.





Within another 10-20 minutes, many other villages in the area experienced the same fate. All being violently taken over, despite the planet technically already being Imperial territory, these villages were still reluctant to the Empire and it's ways. Along with this being General Xeli's plan to try and lure any possible, nearby Rebels out of hiding to try and help these people, that were being subjugated and executed in the hundreds. It wasn't pretty, but it was necessary.

 

[Bazmund]

Suddenly, Darran felt a faint twinge in the air around him, and an encroaching darkness.


His connection to the Force had been... weakening in his most recent years, what with his denial of the path of the Jedi, and his subsequent turn to women, wine, song, and violence in order to forget the past, and stay under the Imperial Radar.


But he was not weak in the Force, and he could feel it.


The disturbance in that energy field that surrounds all living things that he linked most closely with fear, war, and death.


He turned his head slightly to look at the wall beyond which lay the surface of the planet Rishi, and his mouth opened slightly in horror. He had not felt it this strongly since the last few battles of the Clone Wars, when the Separatist Droid Armies had been ordered to do as much damage as they could before their inevitable defeat - when they had taken to massacring the innocent, instead of holding them hostage.


The Imperials were on Rishi, and they were butchering the people.


"Jadean..." He said quietly, his voice muffled in the feeling of loss he had almost managed to forget.


"Jadean." He said more strongly, calling for his friend's attention. If any of them would believe his instincts without him revealing that they were more than instincts, it would be him.


"We have to go. I fear the Imperial fleet has now followed us here, and is focusing on Rishi. It will not be long before we detect that energy signature we've already noticed, I'm sure, in the hangar bays, and move to investigate - or simply destroy - this station. We have to go."


But there was something else. Something Darran could not feel.


Because the Force only lives within those things that are, themselves, alive.





And they were sharing the station with something rather dead.


**MAJOR STORY POST INCOMING**