The Rebel Faction

A conference was held in the war room of the Imperial Star Destroyer Decimator following the unsuccessful attempt to rescue the Constrainer class Picket that had been captured by the Yevethan forces, requiring a pair of gunships to destroy it instead. That, and anaylzing tatics when the gunships that had been used in the abortive rescue attempt had fled the battle, with six of them being destroyed in the process. Present, by holocamm, was the Grand Marshal Simon Kaine, and three of Vice Admiral Kraken's Commodores, Huey, Barxus, and Carson, to be exact. The holocamm showed the gunships streaking in on the enemy corvette, with the three thrustships coming in on an intercept vector. The gunships fired a large missile barrage, and then opened fire on the corvette with their turbolaser cannons. The missiles hit the thrustship, but with little effect, destroying it's shields, and battering it's hull slightly, whereas the Imperial captian in charge of the attack had expected the enemy thrustship to be utterly destroyed by the more than one hundred capital ship grade proton torpedo barrage. Then they watched as the Corvette's shields actually held under the powerful turbolaser barrage. By the time the shields on the corvette fell, it was too late to save the Constrainer Picket, for the Thrustships had caught up. The Armadia class ships launched a thirty missile barrage, instantly destroying two of the Intrepid Gunships. Then the remaning six Intrepids launched all of their reloaded torpedo tubes at the Constrainer Picket Ship, destroying it utterly. Then they had tried to fled. Two to port, Two to starboard, and two more straight in reverse, or down on the tatical display map. One Thrustship took off in pursuit of each pair of Intrepid gunships. The two Gunships fleeing straight down fired their turbolasers on their pursuing Thrustship, which had lost it's shields, and anaylzers are still trying to figure out what the turbolasers had hit, when the Thrustship suddenly and violentley exploded. The other two Armadia class ships had launched their Tri-foil fighters at the two retreating gunships that had destroyed the one Thrustship, but the gunships were already well on their way out of the engagement. Then, in mere moments, the two Armadia class ships eliminated the other four gunships. The two Thrustships fired each four Gravity Bombs at one gunship each. Two gunships were immediatly destroyed in this manner. The last two were killed when the Armadia ships shuttled all of their batteries forward on the racks, and fired precision shots against the gunships, first blowing past their shields, and then impacting against the vital points of their hull, destroying them. With the four gunships destroyed, all that remained now were the final two gunships. But it was too late. With a flickering light, the two ships jumped into hyperspace.

And that was that. The Grand Marshal was the first to speak.

"So tell me, Commodores. It is apparent that the Yevetha are up to their usual tricks. Have there been any noticeable changes in thier strategy, tatics, or technology?" asked the Grand Marshal.

"Well sir, there is some change in their technology." stated Commodore Braxus, "Based on what the other various reconissance units have told us, Wakiza is now home to about four large ships, about the size of Imperial Star Destroyers in length, with about half as much again broadness. We are not wholly sure, but judging from the lack of weapons emplacements, we judge these ships to be carriers of some sort." stated the Commodore.

"Carriers? But what use would the Yevethans have for carriers? Their thrustships can carry three squadrons of Tri-foil fighters apiece." said the Grand Marshal.

Now, this time, it was Commodore Carson that spoke up. "Well sir, it appears that the Yevethan have developed a new type of bomber, similar to the New Republic's K-wing bomber. Imperial agents have managed to steal some blueprints for this bomber. It's a pretty big craft, but has powerful weapons, and engines. Big, Fast, and Deadly. But we do have an advantage in that it is easily destroyable." said the Commodore.

"And we have another problem, Grand Marshal." this time it was Commodore Huey that spoke up. "Based on some pictures taken by our scouts, it appears that the carriers are being loaded not only with these new bombers, but also with shuttles, and dropships. It appears that the Yevetha are preparing to launch an invasion. It seems that the target of the invasion will be N'zoth. It appears that the Yevetha want to recapture their so called spawnworld." said the Commodore.

"Very well. I am issuing new orders. Under my orders, all avilable Imperial units operationing in the Farlax sector are hearby ordered to converge on your coordinates. Then, under the leadership of you three, the assembled Imperial fleet will lead an invasion of Wakiza, and capture the planet. However, that goal is secondary. The main one is to entrap and destroy the entire enemy armada and their space stations." ordered the Grand Marshal.

"Yes sir." responded the Commodores as the Grand Marshal's holocomm signal disconnected, causing the holovision of him to disappear.........

The Imperial ships dove head first into the Yevethan formation, turbolasers and ion cannons blazing away at distinct targets while the Yevethan aim was constantly shifted from one ship to another, finally settling on the Imperial Star Destroyer Decimator. The Yevethan Star Destroyers were quickly being whittled down, while the Yevethan Carriers, although they were being pounded, were giving the smaller Imperial warships a good beating as well. Soon, one Yevethan Star Destroyer, was drifting through the Imperial formation, it's guns along with all the rest of it's systems having fallen silent thanks to the combined efforts of the Decimator and several frigates to disable it with ion cannons. When the shields on another Yevethan Star Destroyer buckled under the combined turbolaser onslaught of the Imperial fleet, the Imperial Torpedo Sphere Folly sent a full Proton Torpedo Salvo of 500 torpedoes at it, and in a blaze of light, explosions, and fire, the Yevethan Star Destroyer disentegrated, leaving two more to be dealt with. But the Imperials had suffered grevious losses in the meantime. All togehter, in exchange for the destruction of two Yevethan Star Destroyers, one Fleet Carrier, the Imperials had lost five gunships, a light frigate, a carrack cruiser, and the fleet flagship, the Imperial Star Destroyer Decimator, was having it's shields torn apart by the remaining two Yevethan Star Destroyers. Commodore Braxus was qucikly running out of options.....

Vice Admiral Kraken strode to the front viewport of the Star Destoyer he was on, an Allegiance class vessel. Due to other conflicts dividing the Empire's attention, the operations to capture and secure two other worlds of the Koornacht cluster had been cancelled, but since this operation was under way it was decided to carry on, and qucikly capture it so that operations elsewhere could be focused upon. A large operation against the Outer-Rim Sovereignty was about to begin, and Admiral Kraken wished to devote as many resources as possible to the operation. For now he turned back from the viewport, and headed down to the war room in order to breif his other commanders on the operation that was about to be launched.......

Meanwhile, above the Yevethan world of Wakiza

Commodore Braxus observed as the drop ships, and shuttles, escorted by the TIE Fighters, and Bombers, descended into the atmosphere of Wakiza. The ships were carrying the Imperial Seventh Army, the main army of the Mid-Rim, as well as several companies of the First Army from the Empire Proper, which would garrison the world after it was captured, and added to Empire Proper. The world contained nearly a million Yevetha, of which an estimated one hundred thousand formed an army, and another fifty thousand had formed a colonial militia. The Imperial Army that was being lowered to the surface consisted of four divisions totalling eight thousand men, as well as twenty All terrain armoured transports, and thirty all terrain scout transports. Although slightly outnumbered, the Imperial troops were better motivated, and much better equipped than their counterparts in the Yevethan army. As for Yevethan armour and support, numerous artillery places were noted, and should soon be flattened by TIE Bombers making their runs on the facilities. As well, reports were coming in from spies disguised with captured Ooglith Masquers that the Yevetha had Ultra Light Assault Vehicles, and numerous Hovertanks as well, of a superior type than most found throughout the galaxy. In case the Imperial Army should need help in dealing with these threats, Imperial fighters were on hand to help deal with the Ultra Lights, and all the Imperial Army had to do with the Scouts was radio up coordinates for a planetery bombardement.

The Imperial Army had reached their destined landing field, in a forest not far from a Yevethan city of moderate size. Already four Ultra Lights had been detected moving out from the city and over the forests, heading for the landing field, while numerous groups of Yevethan Commandoes were deploying into the forests. A squadron of Imperial TIE Fighters swooped in, each group of three fighters targeting a ULAV with their twin laser cannons, and blasting them as they swooped by with a resouding roar that shook the forest. Laser Artillery emplacements in the city, as well as the ULAVs, fired back at the Imperial fighters, sending two into the forest with flames and smoke trailing from their engines, and forcing a third to withdraw with wing damage. But all four ULAVs were destroyed from this assault, their remains crashing into the forest floor below. Then, a loud roar defeaned the local part of the jungle, and the town. Spotting something coming in from above, the artillery emplacements in the city swiveled upwards, but far too late, for a squadron of TIE Bombers dive bombed from above, each one releasing four concussion bombs before winging away. A large series of explosions, followed by earthquake like effects from the concussion blasts, leveled a good part of the city, and silenced the artillery emplacements forever. From a high tree near the Imperial beachhead, an Impeiral Commando that had a laser sniper rifle with a laser pointer trained on that part of the city smiled, radioing a job well done to the bombers before debarking off of the tree and joining his comrades as they advanced forwards. So far the Imperial operation was going well, but the Imperial troops could not forsee the slaughter about to occur in their ranks...........

The Imperial army pushed forwards, and captured the city with relative ease. The other Yevethan troops were unaccounted for, which worried the drop commander. Then, a series of frantic messages from the landing site told the drop commander where the other Yevethan troops had gone. With most of the Imperial army marching forwards, the Yevetha had moved around the army in a wide loop, and had now launched an attack on the dropships, and the garrison base that was being set up. TIE Fighters quickly zoomed in, their twin laser cannons firing repeadetly as they strafed the forest floor, blowing up multipule Yevethan tanks, and ground infantry. Elsewhere around the planet, the Imperial army was suprisingly successful, except in the captial city where much heavier resistance was being offered than originally estimated. Commdore Braxus attributes this easier time to the now realized fact that much of the Yevethan army had been loaded onto the carriers in preparation for the counter strike, and hopeful recapture of N'zoth.

Still, Imperial casualties ran high, and by the end of the first week, ten thousand Imperial personnel on the ground had met their deaths. But in the end of the first week, 74% of the planet had been conquered. Garrison bases, and starfighter pads had been set up all over the place, and reinforcements of fighters, bombers, walkers, and infantry was continually forthcoming from the Empire Proper protectorate.

Finally, on the ninth day, Wakiza was secured, and was now ready to be officially added to the Empire. Cleanup operations had now begun. Finally, the three Commodores could relax, now that they had carried out the task required by Admiral Kraken. But it wasn't long before Admiral Kraken would call for the return of the ships to use against another enemy above a planet called Af'el........