The Rebel Faction

Over the world of Rachuk...

The Imperial 1st Squadron arrived over the world of Rachuk and deployed into a lazy lower orbit. The fleet flagship, the giant and deadly Messiah Battleship Tormentor, deployed tens of shuttles, as well as three other ships in the squadron that had the capacity to do so. The shuttles descended to the surface of the planet, and headed for the stormtrooper training facility near the capital city of Rach. The capital city had recovered well after the Imperial bombardement, and the follow up strike from the terroist organization known as the Outer Rim Sovereiengty, since having merged with the Galatic Coalition. Admiral Kraken still had to shake his head over that, but since the Coalition had the senior rule of the merger, this meant that their officials could keep their forces in line. That at least was a bonus, meaning that the same type of massacre was not very likely to occur. As the shuttles approached the training center, Kraken glanced out the viewport to see the cemetery that had been erected in honor of those, militarily, and civilian, that had died both in the Imperial occupation, and in the Soveriegnty's later bombardement, of the world. In both operations combined, one hundred ten Imperial troops, thirty Imperial diplomats, and one thousand ten civilians had been killed, mostly in the latter attack when the training facility had been pounded flat.

But enough with it's history. It was now on to the present condition of the facility. It had been fully rebuilt, and extended beyond that to include training facilitys for Imperial Naval officers. Day by day classes of twenty and forty graduated the weeks long courses, and were shuttled off to either Vladet or Diamal to be stationed aboard a newly completed warship, or groups of newly completed starfighters. They circled the main complexes once, and then came to rest in a large open field. His personal lambda shuttle settled very near the base entrance, while ten Stormtrooper barges settled down in a neat line across the field. Emerging from the building entrance came an entourage of officers and commanders, those were in charge of the base. Among them Admiral Kraken recognized General Yokel, the man who had valiantly defended Rachuk from a ground assault by the Sovereignty, and stalled them off long enough for the fleet under Lupercus to arrive and intervene, saving the world from terroist rule. Others include Commodore Harrier, previously believed to have been killed, actually survived, but with a lot of body damage that even bacta couldn't heal. Although he could still walk, his physical abilities were weakened, and as a result, he was reduced from overall base commander to that of an observer. Finally, the last face he recognized was that of a young graduate with much promise, Rear-Admiral Klaxton, promoted on his graduation due to his incredible tatics.

With that, the first Imperial Army Battalion that would be uploaded, consisting of twenty platoons of stormtroopers, their fresh armour gleaming in the hot summer sun. In total there were eight hundred Imperials stormtroopers to be loaded up, and in all this day ten trips would be made from space to the surface of the planet to bring a grand total of one half a division, or eight thousand stormtroopers up to the Imperial fleet. Admiral Kraken wished them the best of luck in the upcoming campaign, for it was promising to be very brutal indeed. The enemy was formidable, both in the number of his starships and starfighters, but also in his ground armies. This was shaping up to be a nasty scrap. But, for now Kraken put that aside. Now, it was time for him to become reacquainted with old friends. For this purpose, he strode over to Commodore Harrier, and offered up a salute. He saluted back.

"Vice Admiral Park Kraken, how nice to see you again, once again, old friend. It was been many months, even years, since we last saw each other. Tell me now, I've been keeping track of you, and although early on you suffered some grave defeats, you have rebounded nicely, and scored many important victories, against the criminal bastards known as the outer rim sovereignty, and the terroists factions that have risen to replace them. Tell me, how have you fared?" asked Commodore Harrier.

"I have fared very well, Commodore Harrier. I am in great health for my age, and I am in great physical condition. Why, just the other day in the weightroom I achieved a new benching record of two hundred pounds. Something quite remarkable for a man of my size. Yes, I have rebounded very well after the battles against the Galatic Coalition over the world of Ando. Even though I didn't perform that badly, those battles were still dictated as defeats due to the fact that failed to conquer the world. Yes, even though I let you down over here, over the world of Rachuk, let me tell you that I didn't simply have the ships to spare to repulse his forces. I sent four frigates, it was all I could spare, and those forces were slaughtered by the criminals. But, as events unfolded over the world of Af'el, I avenged those sailors, and the ground forces, and civilians by mercissley bombarding to ruin a sizable Outer Rim fleet, destroying ten Star Destroyers in exchange for the loss of one of my own, and five gunships. It was a overwhelming and noteworthy victory. But tell me, off to the war and all, and back to our personal lives. How have you children fared, with you having been badly injured, and your wife killed?" asked Kraken.

"They, now at an older, more mature age, understand what happened, but still not why. I am not comfortable talking about this issue. Please, tell me, how has your wife fared? You know, your are quite a rogue at romance, you little devil you." said Harrier with a mocking, humorous tone.

"Helena is doing very well. I'm suprised you heard that I had married her in the midst of the war with the Coalition and Soveriegnty. But then again, I do know about your high sense of curiosity, damn it." said Kraken with a slight sneer that degenerated into laughter.

Yes, it was good indeed to become reacquainted with old friends........

Park Kraken reached the shuttle, and ordered it's ramp lowered in preparation for boarding. He was suprised that the shuttle door hadn't already been lowered. Finally, it started to come down, but then stopped midway, half open, half closed. A crew member of the shuttle came down, and started stomping on the ramp. Finally, it came the rest of the way down, but Park was yet to enter the shuttle, for he didn't like disfunctional ramps. Instead, he turned about, and ordered a contigent of troopers to switch their shuttle with his shuttle. With that done, he entered the Sentinel Shuttle, and was seated along with his entourage. With that done, they were off.

Oh One hundred hours in the Sat'Skar planetery system......

The little probe droid emerged from hyperspace well within the system proper, and began to scan the surronding area for any and all warships, freighters, commercial traffic, and any other activity going on at the time. It noted seven large captial ships orbiting the planet, identfying them as four Defender class Star Destroyers, one Nebula class Star Destroyer, one Endurance fleet Carrier, and one Republic class Star Destroyer. It transferred this information back to headquarters as it moved on down the list. Seen in orbit also was a squadron of six Escort Frigates, flying together in close formation. It took note of their orbits, and markings, before moving on to the next set of ships. Flying in scattered orbits and various patrol lanes constituted eighteen corvettes, most of the Marauder class, modified, and twenty five gunships, all of the Warrior class. Also very many starfighters were seen, including squadrons of up to four or six squadrons apparently out on training manuevers. Ten shipyards were sighted in orbit above the planet, most of them filled to capacity with Defender type Star Destroyers, most of which were past the 50% stage of completion. Also, groups of starfighters were under construction in the last two shipyards, totalling some one hundred twenty ships of the E-wing class which were nearing rapid completion. With this information transmitted, the probes job was completed, although it hadn't gotten to the commercial freighters, and civilian traffic yet. It's primary job of updating enemy squadrons was completed.

With this information transmitted to the Imperial fleet, the fleet was ready to finally make it's move on Sat'Skar.

The Imperial fighters engaged the four group of enemy ships as the Imperial capital ship armada proceeded torwards the enemy capital ships arrayed against the Imperial fleet. In one group, composed mostly of rookies, and with the Imperial fighters being near elite status, the enemy fighters were quickly decimated, losing twenty fighters in exchange for three Imperial fighters damaged. In another engagement zone, the Imperials weren't faring so well, having novice pilots going up against a fighter group mixed up of veterans, and near novice pilots. In that engagement zone, the Imperials had lost ten fighters, in exchange for eight enemy fighters destroyed, and one damaged. And in the middle fighter versus fighter engagement zone the enemy had suffered twelve losses, in exchange for five Imperial fighters destroyed, and two more damaged. Finally, in the far off zone off to the Imperial armada's port side, the Imperial fighters engaging the marauder corvettes had suffered three losses, all TIE Defenders, and in exchange each Marauder corvette had so far suffered at least fifty percent damage to systems and hull capacity. So far the battle was going well, and Admiral Kraken had a feeling that it would stay that way for most of the battle. Then something unexpected happened. Four new reversions from hyperspace were detected, right in the middle of the Imperial fleet. Admiral Kraken ordered his fleet to emergency battle stations, and ordered that the new vessels be fired upon immediatly. The four new arrivals were all Marauder Corvettes, in off from patrol duty. Kraken breathed a silent sigh of relief, and then turned his attention back to the overall battle view as the new arrivals were being swiftly dealt with.

In short order of five minutes, the battle was swung in the Imperial's favour, with the four new arrivals already destroyed, and three of the Marauders in the original squadron destroyed or disabled as well. Of the more than one hundred enemy starfighters originally involved in the delaying action as it was now being seen as, seventy of the enemy fighters have been destroyed, in exchange for eighteen Imperial fighters destroyed. The enemy fleet had been decimated by deserters, enemy fighter squadrons, and even an Defender class Star Destroyer deserting the fleet and fleeing to other systems.

Ten hours later, it was all over. After a brilliant manuever executed by the Imperial fleet under the direction of Park Kraken, the enemy squadron was decimated, eighty five percent of their numbers destroyed and the remaining numbers fleeing the system, a couple of frigates and a couple of corvettes and sparse units of starfighters, being hassled by the remaining Imperial fighters, and skirmish ships. In all the Imperials had lost one Illustrious cruiser, a first in the Imperial fleet, being first weakened by concentrated fire, and then being rammed by an enemy Defender Destroyer that had been badly damaging, the two detonating in a titanic collision and fireball. Other losses had included a couple of skirmish ships, and some forty starfighters.

And then finally, after some three days of seige, the planetery system of Sat'Skar was in Imperial hands.