The Rebel Faction

Chamble
Imperial Droid Corporation
Mid Rim Office.

Colonel Jor Markus sat patiently in the small lobby of the former Bansche Tech building. He and lieutenant Peirc had meet with the Imperial representative two time now brokering the deal to provide new conduit to the forty odd factories on Chamble. The Imperial Droid Corporation was not what it used to be. And now with the galaxy and more importantly the mid rim in the shape it was in Markus knew the Imperials could not afford their offer. In fact they had inflated the offer just for that outcome. Yet here he was for a third time sitting in the offices of IDC Chief operations offcer Major Kal Thronton.

Thorton was like every other imperial Markus had meet outside battle. Smug and self absorbed. The man had boasted of his part in the battle of Endor more times than Jor cared to count. Jor had been at Endor to and he knew what part the Imperial major could have played was little if any. Both men would have been young and would have done well to survive the battle let alone have a part to play in the outcome. A female attendant walked through the doorway and smiled at the men.

"If you will come with me gentlemen Major Thorton will see you now."

Markus and Peirc stood and fallowed the woman through the doorway and down the short hallway to the executive offices of the IDC. They wee sent into a small officer where Major Thorton sat with his back to the doorway. Jor walked in and stood at the edge of the desk and waited to be recognized by the Imperial. He knew this was just a ploy. Imperials liked to make a show. Was part of the Pompt and all. Thorton turned and smiled at the two them motioned for the men to take a chair.

"Please gentlemen sit, I was just thinking about our last meeting. How are the kids mister Kranston."

Jor smiled in return and thought of the bull shit story he had fed the Imperial. Three kinds on Duro, a wife, even a maid. What a line, his wife died at the hands of Imperial soldiers. He had long ago got past the anger of it but inside he never would forget.

"Oh thank you for asking Major, They are fine when last we talked. I have not contacted them since our last meeting."

The Imperial nodded and continued to smile. He took a data chip from his desk and handed it across the desk. lieutenant Peirc took the chip and sat back in his seat. He plugged the chip into the data pad he withdrew from his satchel and began to look over the data. He turned and nodded to Jor and went back to looking over the data.

"I see you have looked over our offer. I take it this is some kind of counter offer?"

The Imperial's smile got broader and he placed his hands on the desk. He looked at both men in turn then spoke.

"Of sorts yes, Your offer while appreciated was far over what my analysts say should be market pricing. What you have there is what my people say should be the price."

Jor knew this was coming. He counted on it actually. The Imperial's were far from broke but they were not into throwing money around on worlds they had little use for and less contact with in a day to day affairs. Chamble was just taken so the rebels could not take it over twenty years ago. Since then production has feel by seven hundred percent and the world just manages to stay in the green. Jor took the pad and looked over the numbers. They seemed correct but in truth Jor had no real idea. He just did the dangerous stuff. The plans were left to the big wigs. Plans which included the pricing of their offer. He handed the pad back to lieutenant Peirc then sat back comfortably in the chair.

"Major, I understand your position here. You need to upgrade the electronics of the factories to keep up with the new technology being introduced. That is a story as old as the old republic. What you do not seem to take into consideration is my company is a subsidiary of Stellar Enterprises. We offer more than just the conduit. We offer service and a guarantee that the product lasts for a century. To be fair, yes we ask more than market pricing. We offer superior product, better instillation and the peace of mind that if anything happens in the next hundred years, Transpipping and in extension Stellar Enterprises will see to it your lines are not down for more than twenty hours."

The major looked over the data he had on the desk before him. He knew the deal was good but the price was still an issue. The Imperial resource distribution would never allow him to pay that for plumbing. He sat quietly for a moment looking at the man across the table. His eyes were as cold as any he had ever seen. They defiantly picked the right man to do their dealing. He had the eyes of a killer. Eyes like many a man he had tortured and killed in his service to the empire. He had no idea of the the man he commended for approaching the business deal like an assassin was only Seconds from being just that.

An alarm sounded on Jors watch and he pressed the small device attached to his wrist and looked over at lieutenant Peirc. In that moment time stood still in the office. Jor turned to look at the Imperial officer with a much colder and far more serious look. He pressed a second set of commands into his wrist device then spoke.

"It seems Our offer is off the table Major."

Thorton paused for a second then looked confused. He looked into the eyes looking back at him and in that moment his Imperial Training kicked in. He reached for a holdout blaster under his desk but was too slow. Jor and lieutenant Peirc moved in unison and with lightning speed. Jor as across the table and on top of Major Thorton falling to the ground. They slammed into the carpeted floor and rolled out of the massive office chair onto the floor. Jor shoved a a bladed weapon into the mand throat and twisted the hilt. Major Thorton gurgled and coughed blood once then was gone. From outside the room the female attendant ran in to find she had made a serious mistake. lieutenant Peirc grabbed her arm and spun her around slicing her throat in the fluid movement. Jor looked at lieutenant Peirc and straightened his suit.

"You know what to do."

Lieutenant Peirc nodded and ran out of the office. Colonel Jor Markus picked the knocked over chair off the floor and sat down in it. The Imperial Droid Corporation was under new management.

Chamble
Imperial Droid Company headquarters.

Colonel Markus heard the first explosion at the Imperial fighter facility then the second at the Shield generator. The third explosion however did not come. He looked at his chrono then turned to look out the window. In the didstance he saw the smoke from the two explosions billowing up in the distane. The third explotion had been delayed which meant there had been a problem. He took out his transciver and called lieutenant Benza.

Lieutenant Benza knelt behind a duracrete wall firing across the road at the Imperial patrol which had come upon them as they tried to carry out their mission. All around him Chamble resistance and Alliance marines layed down fire covering the demolitions team as it set the charges. Across the road a group of Imperial Stormtroops hide behind the now smoking remains of an AT-ST which the marines had taken down only moments ago.


"Lieutenant, Why haven't I heard the fireworks from your side of town?"

Lieutenant Benzas voice sounded winded and in the back ground he could hear blaster fire.

"Colonel, we ran into a bit of a snag here on our end sir. Seemed to be two walkers and a squad of helments guarding the generator. We dealt with the walkers and have the troopers dinned down. The charges are set and were about to blow it now sir."

Jor let out a breath of relief. He had expected a far worse problem. It was nice to have one work out in your favor for once. The final key to stopping the planetary defense force was to cut the power to the Imperial garrison and the Fighter operations Once that was done launching the Tie fighters from their racks would be next to impossible. Even if the did it by had the time it would take to launch a single rack would be longer then the battle above the world would last. The Allliance had brough more than enough to the party to make it a short fight. He let himself drift off for a second but then realized he was still talking to Benza. The chair was comfortable was his last distracting thought then he replied


"Very well Lieutenant carry one."

Jor closed the and a moment later the third explosion rang out through the city. The plan was still on schedule as far as he was concerned. Now it was up to the Fleet and more so the Imperials as to what happened next. The Imperials were surely in a bad position both on the planet and in orbit. Lexington Carrier group has not a force you wanted to tangle with unless you had the good to do so. The sector did not have the resources at present to deal with Admiral Holts force. He hoped the Imperial in charge knew that also.

Chamble system
Endurance Carrier Lexington
Lexington Carrier Group

Admiral Holt stood at the forward observation ring looking out at space beyond the bow of Lexington. He cleared his mind and took in the scene before him. In the distance the world of Chamble sat slowly making its way around the massive star further off in the distance. The world seemed so peaceful and calm from a million kilometers. At this distance very little other than the world itself was visible to the eye. And even it was a small disk lit by the much larger star behind it. The world seemed quiet, almost like it was frozen in time. Holt knew better though. The Imperials had not put much value in the world after the need for droids declined. They had taken the world more so the Alliance or any other galactic power could have its production resources than for their own. Now that the central Mid Rim was less important to the Empire control over many of the worlds had grown lax. With the Empire recalling ships to the core and to more important Imperial worlds for defense and to fight in its war against the reavers worlds like Chamble were left with small defensive garrisons. Many worlds had claimed independence and where Imperial forces were weak enough even rebelled and broken free on their own. Here in the central Mid Rim the story was somewhat different. A single Imperial now ran the area. Supreme General Fossk was imperial but answered to known but himself now. He was a warlord all but in title. Intel had very little on the man beyond his Imperial data and as of the last year he had seemed to be a ghost at times. Now Imperial commanders like the one Holt knew was out there in the distance, debating his next move, were more or less left on their own.

"Launch Fighters Captain"

Holts order was simple and was carried out by his crew. The CAG went about assigning his wing commanders missions. The Assault Wing readied its bombers and heavy fighters in preparation to hit the defense station and what few ships were in orbit. K-wing and B-wing attack fighters lined the floor of the rear hanger. The superiority wing with its much faster and more maneuverable X-wing and A-wing fighters, would work as escorts for the assault wing and move to engage the Imperial fighters The massive internal hanger of the ship was a chaotic scene of men loading missiles and bombs and fueling fighter craft for the battle. Holt watched as the first squadrons launched. Silently standing at the head of the command deck as his crew did what they do best. His style of command was not like most. He believed his subordinates were competent and left much of the work to them. He had picked his crew and knew each of them was the best at what they did. He knew, outside Admiral Reshmar's personnel crew, his was the best in the alliance.

"Fighters launched Admiral."

Captain Morrison walked up and stood beside Holt. He stood silently for a moment and watched the attack craft speed off into the distance towards the planet. Rows of fighters formed up and moved off in formation Squadron after squadron launched and moved into its place in the attack group now moving to intercept the Imperial fighters. Behind them smaller flights of K-wings formed up into attack groups which would be escorted by the A-wings to hit the Star Destroyer. All together six wings of alliance fighters set off to free the world of Chamble. Each pilot ready to fight and die if need be to free a subjugated people. To the flanks of the Lexington the two escorting star destroyers of the group sat ready for commands. Each flanked by over a half dozen ships escorting them into fleet formation.

"Captain, Have the Roanoke, and Maverick move up in font of us. Have the defensive formation split and form two picket lines to our flanks. Lexington will take up the pocket position. Inform all commanding officers they are free to engage but not break formation."

Morrison nodded and saluted then walked away from the forward observation area and to carry out Holts orders. Holt returned his gaze out to the small ship in the distance. He knew it was a Victory class ship but at this distance it was only a spec. Soon the Imperials would be poised to defend the world. Holt knew it was a fools errand but he also knew Imperials. He had been one long ago.

Chamble
Imperial Flight Command

Major Doreint had received the order moments before the explosion shattered the glass to his command tower throwing him and the flight operations crew to the floor. He stood to see a nightmare. Seven Tie Interceptors now lay broken and burning in their racks.Debris had rained down on the hangers floor blocking most of the hangers entrance. His fighters were pinned in for the moment but he saw his crews working to clear the debris. The floor shook again below his feet as he heard a second explosion in the distance. He had no idea what was going on. Kriss had not sent any information down with his orders. The world of Chamble was revolting it seemed. He knew this day would come but he had hopped he would have been reassigned by then. His life as an Imperial had been less than glorious. After command school he had been bounced from command to command finally ending up here on Chamble. He looked around at his staff. Two for sure were dead and many others were injured. He was no coward but he did not join the military to simple sit around and wait till some anarchist or freedom fighter blew up his world. He had fight in him and today seemed to be the day he had been waiting for. Doreint ran to the lift and took it down to the deck. The hanger was clear now and the front rack of tie fighters was launching. In the distance he could see smoke billowing from the planetary shield generator. It must have been the second explosion he had heard. A third explosion rocked the hanger shacking debris los from the hanging fighters which had been destroyed. A three meter chick of solar panel just missed Doreint as he ran across the hanger floor. Then the hanger went dark. The power was gone. The Tie fighter racks stopped moving leaving the next rack stuck between storage and launch position. The crews slowly started to work again as flashlights and personnel illuminators ignited around the hanger. It was clear to Doreint that this was more than a revolt by the people of Chamble. They could have never pulled this degree of sabotage off. This was a full out attack on the planet. Doreint climbed into his fighter and prepared it for launch. He sealed himself in and rushed through his pre flight checklist. His Tie Defender had been on a floor rack with the other elite squadrons and now was moving out into a launch position. The twelve Tie Defenders shot out of the hanger in set fo two speeding off towards space and into glory.

Chamble Orbit
Imperial Orbital Defense Platform Delta one

Commander Sidon looked at the threat assessment sent out by Captain Kriss with true and utter fear. He read a report that layed out a nightmare he nor Kriss could survive. Three Capital vessels and fourteen escorts now mover towards the planet. It was a suicide mission Kriss had layed out. Defending this world was not worth dying. He had family on the world below. He and his wife and kids called Chamble home. As did many on the station. He had been a kid when the Empire subjugated the world. Just old enough to be conscripted and put into service for the Imperial navy. He knew many unhappy with the Imperial rule. Even his wife did not like his job. She and her family had lost many to the Imperials when they took the planet. He had no choice in the matter he fought for the empire or worked in the mines as a prisoner. Now the world below was in revolt against the Empire. His people had risen up and begun to fight for their world and freedom. Now he was left with the tough decision of which side to fight for. He knew many of his subordinates felt as he did. They only served the imperial because that was all the could do. Service or death was more or less the choice he had been given so many years ago. Now he had another choice. One he was tempted to make but would not be easy. Many on the station were not from this world. Many had been transferred in just so the station had non Chamblean officers and crew. He would have to get around them if he wanted to help his people. In that he would need help and alot of luck.

Chamble System
Victory Mk II -class Star Destroyer - Ghilidon

Captain Kriss had the halo display magnified to show the group of ships now closing on Chamble. The formation had shifted upon entry into the system and now moved in an inverted wedge formation moved in lead by a fighter screen. He sat the two lead ships and the carrier tucked in behind them launching fighter after fighter. As they did another small icon appeared on the image indicating an attack craft. The numbers continued to add up and as the count reached one hundred Kriss closed the image. He was out gunned, out manned, and out of options. The Distress call had been sent but he knew there was no assistance to be had. Most of the Mytaranor Sector Fleet had been pulled away and moved to Deysum III to defend the Central Mid Rim HQ. Supreme General Fossk had pulled his forces close leaving a small group in the sector to patrol the boarder near Kasyyyk. Kriss knew what little help he would get would not be enough. Fighters now joined his defense group from the planet. He looked over the group and was surprised by their number. A full wing was on the world and yet he counted less than thirty fighters in the formation. He turned and walked to the communications station and listened in on com traffic over the loud speaker.

Doreint Lead the group of Tie Defenders which had now formed up with the other older series fighters. Upon reaching orbit he had reported insurrectionist sabotage on the world below. The planets shield generator was gone and any power the planetary defense weapons needed to fight an attacking fleet was gone. The world was a sitting duck for what ever force was out there breathing down on it. He had an idea but in his mind knew it was bad and would not work. But he had to give it a try.

"Lieutenant can we communicate with Major Thorton or anyone at IDC?"

The officer looked up and shook his head.

"Sir I tried Major Thortons office and got nothing. Lieutenant Vento reported the factory had lot power but as of yet had not been attacked."

Captain Kriss let the implications float around in his head. If Major Thorton had been taken out then his plan was far more difficult than before. Now he had to deal with a green lieutenant who he had himself assigned to the factory floor to keep him out of the way.

"Open me a channel to Lieutenant Vento."

The communications officer did as orders then let Kriss know he was ready. Kriss wasted no time and gave the man his orders.

"Lieutenant, I need you to get the droid fighters online and program them to assist in our defense."

The lieutenant laughed at Kriss then was silent for a moment. Kriss was in a rage, the man laughed at him. He would have ordered his death if there was anyone on the ground he could have found to carry it out. The lieutenant spoke after the second or two of silence and insulted him again.

"Listen you arrogant milk bag, We the people of Chamble no longer cower to you or Supreme General Fossk, or the entire Imperial order. Our world dis free as of this day. If I was you I would take a shuttle and get the hell out of here."

Kriss cursed and turned away from the image on the com station. His last ditch plan to use droid fighter to assist his fleet was not gone. He had less than fifty fighters total and the two escorting corvettes would do little good in fighting an entire fleet.
Behind him Commander Lanch stood awaiting orders. Kriss looked at his crew and then to Lanch. The man stood at attention back straight and hands at his side. He reminded Kriss of some posted he had seen for the Empire long ago.

"Commander, take us into battle. Gunners free, target as convenient."

Lanch's expression changed. The man now looked away at the other men and women of the crew. He raised his head back to Kriss and drew his blaster.

"Captain I am afraid I can not do that. I nearby relieve you of command."

Two officers stood and grabbed Kriss by the arms and restrained him before he could draw his own sidearm. He was in shock, how could his own XO do this. The man had served with him for over a decade. Anger which had been brewing up inside him now exploded. He fought to break free of the men now restraining him. He screamed out.

"This is treason! You will be executed for this commander! All of you will be court marshaled and shot for this!"

His crew turned away from him as the men drug him of the bridge and stowed him away on a room. Commander Lanch nodded to the communications officer and he opened a channel.

"I am acting Captain Lanch of the Ghilidon, All Imperal forces stand down. I repeat all Imperial forces stand down."

He nodded to the communications officer who then opened a second channel and split the transmission to both.

"Invading fleet, I am acting captain Lanch and I hereby wish to offer a cease of hostilities between us. I have ordered all Imperial forces to stand down and will take my crew and any other Imperial who wishes out of the system. The world of Chamble is yours."

Lexington Carrier Group
Lexington

Admiral Holt stood motionless and silent as he listened to the Imperial all but surrender. He was glad the Imperials had seen reason. He never wanted to fight if he did not need to. Any life even an Imperials was far to valuable to throw away. If the Imperials had been crazy enough to try to push the matter Holt would have struck out with his entire fleet and ended the imperials will to fight. He was relieved it had not come to that.

"Captain, put our fighters on a holding pattern. Take us in slowly but do not target the Imperials. If they mean what they say we will let them leave safely."

Captain Morrison nodded and turned and gave the orders. He did not trust the Imperials and if it had been his cal the would have forced a surrender rather then let the leave. But it was not and he would fallow Admiral Holts orders to the letter. The Imperials would leave and survive to fight another day. The coms channel was full of transmissions from Imperial groups on the ground requesting amnesty and protection from the now evacuating Imperials. Much of the planetary defense force were conscripted Chambleans who wanted to stay on their home world. Each would be detained and vetted but if the Imperials wanted to desert the Alliance was more than happy to count them among the people in the galaxy not against them.

The sun slowly went down over the horizon on a war now free. It had a long way to go before it could call itself Independent but it was free of the Imperial grasp which had been tightly clasp around it for so long. Over half of the Imperials stationed on the planet stayed behind to call Chamble their home. The Imperials had evacuated to their ships and left the system bound for who knows where. I guess it did not matter where they went one day they would be up against the same battle they just ran from. As long as thee was injustice and tyranny the Alliance would fight for the weak. Be it the empire or any other group who would force a population to servitude they would one day face the Rebellion.