The Rebel Faction

Lucius was dressed to kill that faithful day. The standard officer uniforms of the New Order made him seem more like a gentlemen of the navy then ever before. He stood aboard the bridge, in a perfect stance; overlaping one hand over the other around his back, back straight, chest out, feet shoulder width apart. It strengthened his sense of superiority over those barbarians that raced into battle, blasters blazing. Unlike them, Lucius always maintained his cool in even the worst conditions. Now was the time, more then ever, as a collaboration of naval officials had been ordered to record and monitor his every move. He paid them no mind, as if they were wisps onboard his vessel.

The task to be carried out had one prime objective, and several small subordinate ones. First and foremost, the empire had to have complete control over Dubrillion before Lucius' time in the Braxant sector was over, by any means neccesary. A task which would force the officer to utilize his "negotiation" skills as much as his superior naval tactics. Though it had not been his first mission in his majesty's grand navy, Lucius treated his captains with the highest respect and even would seek meetings with them afterwards, on his homeworld of Coruscant.

One Imperial star destroyer, and several smaller vessels such as frigates and warships roared out of hyperspace. Lucius was stunned by the planet's majestic, beauty, never attaining the privelage of visiting it first hand. A primitive world with little hands-on war expirience, for the Braxant sector posed more of a threat as a whole, then Dubrillion's planetary defenses. The odd's were in their favor never the less; the element of surprise lead the captain to believe the scales of war were tipped in the empire's favor. Only time shall tell.

It took no less then a few minute's to deploy the starfighters and reactivate the shields, just as Lucius ordered. Sending ships out in the midst of battle would be a lethal mistake. The task force split up into squadrons and one command group. The first engagements were set to any rogue patrol ships and possible threats, and led by the warships and starfighters. Cruisers were to reinforce their fellow squadrons, and attack in a 3 point triangular formation. For the time being, it was the command squadron who would fortify around one another, and be ready should reinforcements show up.

"Make sure our defenders (tie) stuck close to the hull's of our capitol ships. If they dare retalliate with starfighters of their own, in which case they probally will, they will have to venture in close enough to attack..scrap metal for our frigate's to erradicate...", there was a short pause, before a squadron of starfighters soared over the bridge, "And don't forget to confirm the locations of the enemy's relay stations. I want them pin pointed to the finest degree. "

A few minutes passed, and the orders were already being worked out.

Hearing footsteps approach him from the side, Lucius could see the figure of a young, imperial bridge officer come into view. He remained stationary, without a word peaking from his lips for long moments. Lucius immediatly could tell this boy had not been with the service long. Not only is he hesitating to report, but he stood by glass, stricken with awe at the sight of the imperial task force in all its glory.

"I take it you have something to tell me?", piviting his feet till he was looking down at the boy. A slight grin slid across his face as memmories of his own first mission starting coming back to him. It was a call for reinforcements, and Lucius was quickly dispatched to the Imperial star destroyer, Tarsonis, a capitol ship to the veteran, Admiral Realon. The ships arrived no less then 2 hours later in the space surounding Vandelhelm, in what became a huge upset for the opposing forces. He absorbed all the information he could about the attack, especially from a veteran who would soon retire. Never before was Lucius able to expierience a battle on such a tremendous scale before, and too was first stricken by the scene before their star destroyer.

Alas, the officer had relized he was delaying the orders. "Yes, sorry sir..scanners have detected very few locations of the relay stations you have asked for, but not all are accounted. With the number of stations, surely they have more elsewhere waiting to be discovered. We must wait for our scanners to complete the search."

Lucius took up the datapad handed to him by the boy and analyzed it with the highest attention. A crushing blow to their long distance communications would put the planet in a critical state without reinforcements. They would have to be fast and decise to take out these key points. Only then would a strike on the planet be in their favor. But, as all imperial tacticians know, the empire purges their enemies through fear and threats. Lucius knew if there was a way to eliminate the possible chance of loosing imperial star ships, that path had to be taken. Why cause massive casualties to the land or even resorting to a planetary bombardment, when, on the other hand, the Dubrillion goverment would relize surrendering is in their best interest.

"Have these orders carried out, immedaitly, and report back to me."

"Right away, sir." The officer took the datapad into this company and rushed to deliver the orders.

On it described 3 starfighter squadrons and half a dozen cruisers deployed to travel to the waypoints listed, and anihalate the relay stations and their beacons. With being so few stations, they will have no problem moving on and pressing on with the assault on their military bases. The command squadron, composing of the imperial star destroyer and various frigates are to remain at the foothold from whence they arrived until the bulkhead of the enemie's communications and bases are eliminated. Secondly, the remaining cruisers were stated as having no problem securing enemy refueling stations as per star bases scattered about. Starfighters will assist in this task and stay close to the cruisers drawing their pilots close enough to be blasted by the cruiser's anti starfighter weaponry. Lastly, this phase deals with having one squadron of warships escort the cruisers on their task, and the second half to remain with the command squadron, as will the left over starfighters join the ISD wing of fighters. It was much to early to deploy ground forces until the airspace is first secured and essential enemy military bases are destroyed.

"One last thing, establish a connection with their goverment. Inform them we will bring their people and their planet no harm should they agree to our terms and conditions of surrender...We will see just how smart these people trulely are."

The time was now to engulf Dubrillion's skies with the might of the empire. Lucius' gave the last order of the phase with the first of the squadrons began to break throught the planet's atmosphere.

(OOC: Have no fears, I will be sticking to my very specifically discussed role.)

One week previous, Coalition Command Tower

Every day, without fail, the Prime Minister of the New Coalition recieved a handful of sheets from the CIB's chief of staff, detailing all the largest events going on in the galaxy. If a thousand miners died in a tunnel collapse, working for the Coalition, on a Coalition world that Regrad himself was on at the time, that might just be worth putting in the report - where most people considered a crossword puzzle with their daily newspaper, the Prime Minister considered the galaxy.

The confirmation of rumours about the Empire's intent to annex Dubrillion, as well as Dubrillion's intent to resist, was just worthy enough to denote a brief explination three pages in. It caused the Prime Minister pause, enough time to sigh and muse on what was practically a daily occurance - more forceful conquests made by a power he had no hope of challenging.

There was something about it, though, that stuck in his mind, and even as he set into the day-to-day work of running the Coalition, his thoughts kept coming back to it. Finally, he put in a call to Ferguson for more information.

He reviewed it calmly during his lunch break, and slowly, his train of thought began to move.

So these people intend to resist... He thought Despite the obvious futility of such a gesture, they've made every effort to do so. This was surprising. Certainly, many people had had no choice but to fight the Empire, and many a foolish organization had tried - including his own, he added guiltily - but it was rare when a planet so clearly outmatched chose to resist, barely gave a thought as to how doomed they were. They would be nothing but cannon fodder, lambs to the slaughter, and yet they resisted where his own government stood paralyzed to respond. That struck a chord with Regrad.

Finally, a plan formulated in his mind, and he put out the necessary calls. One to Howard, President of Fwillsving. Another to Viryn Quell, the Minister of Ethics. A third to one of the best soldiers he could have put in charge of a situation like this. Between them, the order was given, and Dubrillion leapt from page three of a daily report to the forefront of an expedition.



Present Day, Dubrillion system.

Jay, White Knight, Coalition Expeditionary Commander, and mighty Firrerro warrior. He stood on the bridge of the Longsword-class frigate Fatalist, the largest ship of the expeditionary force he was expected to lead. With him, Howard's most trusted confident had been selected as their war-time refugee expert, the grisly spacer Yukatan. All around, in hyperspace, dozens of sleek transport ships and smaller escort gunships flew in formation.

Jay had been shocked when the order was given - if they were going to muster this many men and ships, why not simply send warships and destroy the Imperial fleet? Still, he remembered his training, and his brief time spent with the wisdom of Regrad, and decided instead to trust in his commander. Still, he paced uneasily, despising the thought of being so close to battle and yet denied the chance to strike.

"When we arrive" said Yukatan "we play it smart. No hails of any kind. Don't answer any calls, don't fire any shots, and stay the hell away from any ships. The defenders will be so busy fighting their enemies they won't have any time to stop us landing. Once we're on the ground, that's when you can put in the evacuation call to their government, load up, and haul ass. You've got a lot more ships then I usually ride with, which may be a good or bad thing - sure you can pick a bigger fight, but it's going to slow you down and make you a bigger target. You're the boss though."

Jay simply grunted, and continued to pace the bridge, waiting for reality to stream back towards him.

It was sudden when it came - as always. The brilliant and mezmerizing lights of hyperspace vanished into the blackness of space. The Empire had already begun attacking Dubrillion, luckily far, far, away from where the refugee-rescue forces had appeared.

Jay gave orders quickly and concisely "Get the entire fleet towards the planet immeadietly - but keep our escort forces in orbit! Their defences are minimal, so just cut through the atmosphere and wait for permission to land. Don't send any hails until you're through, I don't want the Empire to know what we're up to, yet."

The Coalition fleet moved as one, a wave of small ships swooping towards the planet itself. Jay could only help the Empire wouldn't get to him fast enough.

" How dare they - - hit them! Hit them!!!"


President Aleric moved about the terminals and consoles of the chamber with great haste and alarm, doing more to instill panic with his exhortations to action than imbue any bravado or sense. He was as most politicians were who dabbled in the military affairs of which they were ignorant: a nuisance.


The cavern as a whole shook with the impact of a dozen proton-bombs. TIE Scimitar Assault Bombers strafed back and forth over the capital city, though not one twisting expanse of the chamber collapsed. While they could not make weapons worth the steel their casings were stamped from, the natives of Dubrillion were expert miners.


" General, we have re-established contact with orbital control. Only one ship remains - the Imps have bypassed it since it's heavily damaged. All fighters are listed as missing in action. Orbital batteries have been knocked out."


Teth'al expected as much and was quite enjoying thinking of the chastizing the Imperial commander would receive - it had taken them a good while longer than anticipated in disabling the space-borne defenses. The toll had been high but they had rendered one of the escorting frigates useless and forced one cruiser from the action. Time to even the odds a little. I refuse to die here and let me reputation fall with it. The General nodded to Colonel Marx who moved from the Dubrillion console he was manning and removed his personal comlink.


Above


The Imperial ships had changed course and let the debris of what had been a valiant but futile defense scatter amid their ion trails. Engines presented themselves to the world below while deployed fighters carved a broad swath of destruction like locusts over the capital city and its environing villages. Their sensors had been fooled by an expensive masking system paid for in a dozen wars. To the dismay of every technician watching his station, a warship truly worthy of the name moved from the shadow of the middle-orbiting moon.


A thousand meters from stem to stern she was recognizeable as an Invincible-class Cruiser, but only barely so. Modifications such as maneuvering vanes and gunnery sponsons dotted the hull and two wings spread gracefully out along the centerline. The cylindrical ships had been phased out almost a century ago with the last vestiges of the Republic but were powerful vessels in their own right. Strongly built, they today presented the perfect chassis for any mercenary force - such as that which Teth'al commanded.


Moving with deliberation, the lone warship followed behind the now-occupied Imperials. The ship bore no markings - certainly not that of Dubrillion under whose pay its crew fell. She listed to starboard and brought her guns online - and fired.


- and fired again. The entire Imperial formation suffered from a fiercesome cannonade from behind where its shields and armor were weakest. A frigate's deflectors collapsed and flame consumed the paltry vessel. A light cruiser only kilometers from the flagship lost attitude control and dropped from formation. The guns continued to track the smaller vessels which aptly turned - but they fell just the same. They were buying time - time the battleship would need to face its newest enemy. It was the only enemy that could delay the landing of the ground troops that would seal Dubrillion's fate.

As time went on, Lucius could begin to see two separate maneuvers come alive. He watched from one direction as the Advocate and it's warships made way for the heart of the Coalition fleet. On the other hand, a mysterious cruiser of some sort began trailing shortly behind the command squadron. He found this quite humorous and took the time to inform his star fighter squadrons to pull back from the cities. They would then be redeployed as Lucius saw fit.

"How pathetic..how dare a fleet show up to a arena and not expect to join in."

For the time being, it appeared the Coalition was more concerned on protecting the cities and its people. Lucius would allow them to roam like a pack of wounded animals, while the true enemy is dealt with accordingly. The merciless captain ordered one squadron of warships take to the cruiser, and the second to assist in the assault on the Coalition escort ships. They must be able to break through their barricade of ships, as Lucius had no intention of backing down now.

"We're loosing one too many ships."

He turned as if expecting a reply from a lieutenant or officer. Instead, the only sound he heard was the hymn of his heavy breathing.

"Damn it, am I not the only one seeing this?"

If they were to deal with these presumed "mercs", the imperial force would need to attack together and coordinated. He continued barking orders. It was his command the remaining freighters to flank the cruiser coming up away from the planet, while the remaining frigates worked to get alongside the cruiser. If all possible they were ordered to board and confiscate the craft for their own, but only as a secondary objective.

"I will not stand here and watch as they ruin our plans."

In a heavy, tactical assault the captain deemed it the proper time to commence the ground occupation of the capitol city. The ISD, as it held orbit, would deploy its ground forces as would other nearby craft. But they would not proceed unarmed. In fact, he saw to it they had full protection of over half the Tie Defenders in the fleet and three frigates as escorts. Now as the nicotine began setting in, lieutenant Renegan noticed his captain's nerves were a bit uneasy.

"I wanted them on the ground a half an hour ago. Arrest the politicians, kill the rest. I want to see their president's face when we execute his own people before his eyes. Oh sweet, Dubrillion. How we ache for you now."

It had taken every ounce of concentration Jay had not to charge after the Invic as it had began to fall apart - he was a warrior, born and bred, and to sit back and watch as others fought the good fight was agonizing. He clutched the rail until it seemed to creak under his grip. No, we have a mission.

The Imperial fleet was huge, and still heading this way. Hurrying over to the Tac-Ops screen to check on the status of his forces, Jay took in the battle at a glace - the transports were heading for the valley, the fighters were giving them cover, and the enemy fleet had split to destroy him and land troops. Luckily, the division in the large Imperial fleet would make it more manageable - only half their soldiers would be able to land in the first wave, buying them time.

"Sir... enemy cruisers closing fast." said the scanners operator, biting his lip. "They'll be in firing range in no time..."

"It is time to teach them the folly of dividing your forces." said Jay "Not to mention the folly it is to send your soldiers one way and your flyers another - no defence against troop assault. Load the Boarding Torpedoes."

The Coalition fleet had one Longsword-Class frigate, their biggest ship and it only measured five hundred meters. To make up for that, though, it's side sported four tubes each, loaded with a special kind of ordnance. These torpedoes burrowed into enemy ships and delivered a payload of troopers. Still vastly outnumbered and outclassed, it was a maneauver that just might work.

"Before we move, quickly, tell me where Yukatan is now." said Jay, relishing his chance to strike.

"It appears Yukatan has directed the transports to the valley, and is organizing the relief efforts there."

"Good." he said, adding mentally One less thing to worry about. Someone was handling it, he could focus on battle.

The Longsword may have been the largest, but it was the fastest of the fleet - a new vessel the Empire had never faced before. Leaving Enforcer and Corellian Gunships in it's wake, it led the charge, firing off rounds from it's heavier Mass Projector Cannons. The shots shattered shields of the enemy frigates, whose armour was racked by volleys from the smaller, faster ships. The enemy tried to bring their numbers to bear, tried to overwhelm the enemy, but so long as they kept moving quickly and nipping at their foes, it was hard to trap them in one place long enough to bring Turbolaser batteries to bear.

Finally, the Longsword began firing it's boarding torpedoes, burrowing into the larger Imperial Cruisers. The Coalition ships then took it as the cue to scatter, flying off in all directions before regrouping and outpacing the Imperial fleet, back over the site of the transports they were defending. The captain onboard the Longsword turned to his bridge crew. "Did the Torpedoes make it?"

"Yes sir, our Knightly Commander is intact."

The captain nodded. "Excellent, he should keep them busy long enough for our transports to load up. Prepare for another running assault, though - I want shield recovered and weapons repaired."

The captain turned to look at the battle again. They were still obviously outmatched - there were simply too many Imperial ships - but the enemy had yet to committ their whole force to their destruction. Tactics, hit-and-run, and a little luck might be enough to hold them off for now. Failing that, a heavily armed Firrerro loose on your ship will usually keep someone busy.