The Rebel Faction

OOC: Again, posting on behalf of Mr. Kaine...


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> 256th..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


Admiral Jaiprenl had done a remarkable job with the mines as Kaine's ships started to follow the evacuees of the Rogue Empire's defending ships.


The Circumference Groups had doubled back and surprised the defenders by appearing on their rear flank. Had the shooting continued, they would have made short work of the Rogues.


The system was bottled at both the Chandrilla Route and Averam Route thus cutting the Rogue Empire's major hyperlane route for both civilians and military units.


As long as the Abolishers remained in place, the lane....that golden thread into the heart of the Rogue Empire, was cut.


All that lay left to do was to anchor the knife....


...to take Togoria.



Kaine had jumped the gun by dropping bombers, fighters and landing transports into the mix of evacuees from the defending ships that lay dead in space.

The evacuees could do nothing for their ejection pods were unarmed and planetary defenders would hesitate to fire on Imperial ships in the midst of their helpless comrades.


But Admiral Jaiprenl was not too far behind for his main concern (and rightly so) was the mines.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> 40% clear..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The Empire had gained a foothold as the mighty landing platforms touched down. The crew of the Rogue Fleet had fled from the presence of the massive buildup of the Imperial military presence.


General Kaine's command shuttle descended inbetween the shadows of two AT-AT's.


As his ships secured the perimeter of his drop point, he knew Jaiprenl's forces would also be securing their own location.


"Tell me what I need to know, Major." Kaine said without preamble as he entered the prefab temporary command post.


"Intelligence estimates fifty plus bases entrenched on this world. The Galactus is running a tactical scan of the planet to identify them all but it will take a few orbits."


"Engage more Star Destroyers to cover the planet in less time." Kaine said immediately. Have the Circumference Group secure the dead Rogue Ships and send specialized boarding parties to see what we can extract out of their navigation, library and computer systems anything of use."


"You think Director Isard will find something valuable?"

Kaine managed a grimace. "Isard always finds something valuable. That's why she's at where she's at."

"But we have time running against us. By now, Chau's Fleet will have engaged at Yaga Minor and from that transmission, it seems Grand Admiral Hyfe and Admiral Drakiss' forces were triumphant at Hoth."

"But?" The Major continued, as a Corporal came in handing the man a datapad on their deployment.

"I expected more resistance. If not here, then definitely at Hoth. They were constructing a Death Star! That's not a small construction site to leave unguarded."

"With the Rogues, who knows.."

"No one is that inept. No, I think this ties in to what has happened to "Fearsons".


"Yes, the Rogue Admiral never elaborated on that bit did he?"


"Well, enough specuation. Are the bombers softening the ground for us?"


"As you ordered, General. However.."


"However?"


"Well, Sir, the bombing pattern is rather curious."


"It is set in such a way that it damages planetary communications. We cut off portions of the whole and absorb the enemy."


"Knock them down to size, then?"

"Yes. Most of the time, it's not the enemy that defeats a person as much as it is that person's own fears."


"Fears, Sir?"


"Watch and learn. Have the Galactus transmit this over the bombing interference. I want them to hear me but not be able to respond."


"Aye Sir." the Major responded in a confused manner. "I have Captain Sveli of the Galactus. You're on."


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "This is General Simon Kaine. To the inhabitants and citizens of the defunct faction, the Rogue Empire, I greet you. By now you will have received word of your government's surrender to the Empire.

All military bases are hereby ordered to be abandoned and soldiers to disband.

Extensive scans are being conducted of Togoria so we shall have all your installation's locations shortly.

I am giving one standard hour for you to comply. Any bases that have not complied with this order will be considered hostile and dealt with harshly.

We are in a state of war with the Rogue Empire and this planet will come under Martial Jurisdiction of the Imperial Office of Intergalactic Affairs and the New Order's Military High Command.

Disarm yourselves and return to your families.

The one hour time limit starts now."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Turning his attention to the communications unit linked to the Galactus, Kaine started, "Captain Sveli, have the bombers continue their runs and ready the Star Destroyers main guns. Do you remember what we did on Sotel with the enemy in the desert?"


"Only with smaller guns."


"Not this time, Captain."


"Acknowledged, Sir. We shall be ready."


The Major had begun to focus on the organization of the ground forces for the review of his General when something began to burst over the static and interference the bombers were creating.


"General...we are getting something but it's hard to make out.."


"Captain Sveli?" Kaine spoke into his comm unit.


"We see them General. The airways just lit up with signals. They must be trying to find someone in charge to make their decisions."


"It will be tough with the interference but not impossible." the Major commented.


"I don't want to stop them from talking to each other, Major." Kaine said. "Captain Sveli, pinpoint the origins of the signals and have the fleet insert their location on the tactical maps. Focus sensors on those locations. Best guess would be those are military installations trying to tap their chain of command for instructions. That transmission from Admiral Blackblade was genuine."


"Sir! We are getting a signal directed at us."


"Let's hear it, soldier and pinpoint it's origin."


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "To the invading Imperial Army.


Your threats mean nothing to us. We stand willing and able to defend our soil from any attack by a foreign power. We will not surrender to --"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"Sveli." Kaine simply said into his comm unit as the Rogue leader was getting warmed up.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "...standard hour to comply by withdrawing your troops.......>click< >click<... "<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


And the comm signal burst into static.


The Major was going to comment on the lucky timing of the enemy's power failure when he heard shouts outside. The commotion was enough to raise the the curiousity of the Major as he tore his eyes away from Kaine and moved outside.


Mushrooming up in the far far distance was a small cloud of destruction.


The fleet had homed in on the signal of the defiant leader and had silenced his courageous, if stupid, boasts.


As he walked back inside, he noticed the communications system setup for another annoucement by the General.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "As of now, Togoria is now protected by the Empire. Any voice out of harmony with Imperial interests will be considered traitorous and expunged.

Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, you are, in essence, citizens of the New Order.
Act as such and you will be treated fairly as is due a citizen.

You now have 30 minutes to disarm."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Kaine ended his transmission and the Major marvelled. "You cut their time in half."


"Actually, by about fifteen minutes." Kaine replied. "You see, Major. We do not have the time to waste with the outclassed, outgunned or inferior."


"But perhaps a more diplomatic course could ensure..." the Major said tentatively.


A cold smile came across Simon's lips. "If we were liberating this planet as we did with Muunilist or Carida, then yes, I would agree. But we are not liberating Togoria. We are taking a hostile planet from a hostile government that we are currently at war with. Our methods must be extreme. When you attempt to take something from someone at gun point, what reaction will you get?"


"Defiance."


"Yes, defiance. But as soon as you see that defiance, you slap them down. You cower them before such defiance is turned into action. Then their fears do the rest.


By giving them time, I fueled their confidence and they ate it up declaring their defiance hoping to sway the planet."


"Then we slapped them down."


"Yes. Had we done so after they acted, it would have made them martyrs. Now, they are just fools who couldn't see the warnings before their face."


"And now that everyone is properly cowed?" the Major asked.


"Sir!" interrupted a voice. "We are getting surrenders!"

"Sir! Galactus reports scanning evacuations of military installations."

"Cover them with Imperial fighters!" Kaine barked out before turning to the Major, and grinned a feral grin. "Now, we get their wallet."





<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Shrouds Patrol Group finished their run as TIE Devils and Fighters surrounded the shipyards of the planet. The fleet had begun to shut down the yards temporarily with their ion cannons.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->




Admiral Jaiprenl's forces....

Marschal Willam T'deria, Kommandant, Togoria Army Garrison.



The transmission from Fleet Admiral Blackblade could inspire only one thought and emotion. The thought that the comminque had been false. The emotion if the opposit was true was pure and unbridled rage:

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Traitor!!!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The Jutraalian Grand Inquisitor, an aristocrat named del Forza, a nobleman who had risen from obscrity to hold the highest Inquisitoriate position in the Empire, had spoke to the contrary regarding their military situation. While not all of the transmissions had made it to the besieged planet intact, enough had to give the troops what they needed:

The Will to Resist.

The small, three ship squadron stationed dropped two wings of TIE fighters to add to the defense, then leapt from the system when clear of the gravity wells.

It was of no matter, though. Victory or defeat for Togoria would come on the ground.

The outcome was hindered however, for the Jutraalians, as they had no shield protecting them from bombardment; only immensely thick bunkers and reinforced duracrete and steel fortresses could save them.

Togoria had been preparing for war: every planet in the Empire had. Togoria's was somewhat less along than its commander would have liked. Around tenf the fifteen major cities, there were networks of field foritifaction, makig sklled use of terrain and materiale.

Devaan was the most well protected, as it also housed not only a thriving space port, but garrison command-above and below ground. The city was almost twenty kilometers from one side to the other, with eighteen million people in beween. On two sides it was met by water...the other to gave way to sloping savannahs. The city itself was changd in that every person with some credits not needed for food had built a shelter in their yard or fitted a basement with extra struts.

Outside was completely different. Stretching from bay to bay wer kilometers of earthworks. Massive trenches ten meters wide and five meers into the ground ringed he city. From their wood and steel and rock reinforced walls were tunnels and bunkers for explosives and ammunition. On their forward walls were firing steps for troopers with blaster rifles and bunkrs fore and aft for repeating blasters.

Throughout the lines were the severed heads of AT ATs, mounted on turntables, their guns abe to point anywhere. Near them were light twin laser emplacements, aimed into the sky for any aerial threat that may present itself. In a pinch, they could be leveled, fired over open sights, and dispatch an entire platoon of unarmored infantry in seconds.

Each city that was deemed "neccessary for defense and planetary retainment" had a garrison of one hundred and fifty thousand: eight divisions of infantry, and thirty thousand gunners. More were support troops, engineers, and mobile assault fore crewmen, for each Division had a regiment of heavy assault vehicles, grouped together inside their defensive pockets to pinch off any breech.

A million more were in Armies for rapid defensive action. The remainder were all on laert as guards and outpost soldiers.

They were the ones who stood the smallest chance for survival.



The situation on the ground was not bad: that is to say it had not yet been ble to go bad, as there were no Imperial troops on the planet.

That would soon change. Every weapon that could reach high atmosphere was charging.

When the few former naval heavy turbolasers emplacedarond key targets were reay, their fired their deadly bolts at the descending Victory-class Star Destroyers.

The Defense of Togoria had begun.

Force:

Devaan: Fifteenth Jutraalian Army
T'mar: Seventh
Aldera: Thirty-first
Gintaak: Forty-eighth
Yadeel: Twentieth
New Fraal City: Eleventh
Raam: Ninth
Huruuhl: Twenty-second
Dramman: Fourtenth
Yigeerian: Thirty-Ninth

Armies of Assault:
Seventieth Heavy Assault
First Strike Group
Fifth Light Armrored Infantry Corps
Twentieth Army Group: (23rd, 25th, and 28th Armies)

And five mobile corps.

Reports were coming in pieces. What was arriving spelled doom for those soldiers still alive. Planetary defensive installations had been silenced by Imperial bombers, though their casualties were unknown before the surface to air batteries around them were pounded into submission.

Every assault army that had been planned to revitalize the defense and drive the Imperials from the world were either scattered or eliminated.

Most of the painstakingly built over the last months were tossed about as if the gods had took the ground in their hands and batted in from side to side. Cities behind the fortifications were in ruins, most of their civilian populations thankfully scattered into the countryside.

What had remained had all but ceased to exist.

Out of a garrison of one hundred and fifty thousand in Devaan, just over fifty thousand remained. Out of their two brigades of armored support, less than fifty vehciles, tanks walkers and speeders, were still combatant.

Bodies dotted the landscape and craters all else.

The Imperials considered this world theirs.

It would not truly be so until every last Jutraalian soldier was killed in the line of duty. For many, this was their home, and they would die before dishonoring it through surrender.

For the others, honor simply deemed death. Gloriously.

Four of the cities that had been heavily defended were left with a garrison that could mount an effective defense. Wth the rubble about them, bombardment and strafing would not kill but a dozen. An attack would be the only way to uproot the staunch defenders.

And fight they would. To the death.

One full light infantry battalion had been detached from the city of Devaan into the country where Imperial troops were reported to be gathering. They would arrive and wreak havoc in their staging area. They would be caught unawares, they could not see them coming. The composition of the mountains and thei knowledge of the terrain would preclude detection.

Until it was too late.

The cities themselves would be defended to the utmost. Every nook and cranny until the last soldier fell to the ground and the Banner torn from its post.