Aliens on Atzerri

[Telan Desaria]

In Orbit - Nespit XVIII


Major-General Devereaux gave his tunic a tug, feeling it pull under the snug confines of his breast-plate armor. The men around him eyed him and were steeled by his confident glare out the shuttle's viewport. Could they see beyond the exterior, they would see a man anxious and nervous. Devereaux had held numerous commands before and to be sure he had executed the duties of his various offices with typical Imperial zeal. This, however, was to be his first front line command.


" We're landing now," squaked a male voice over the compartment's intercom. Devereaux heard behind him the shuffle of men as they readied weapons and adjusted packs before the roar of the shuttles engines drowned out all noise beyond their thrum. The General looked out and saw the Fleet's handywork and knew that the gunnery commander aboard the orbiting Victory IV-class Star Destroyer was immensely proud. Nearly ten square kilometers lay charred, smoking. Trees that had the audacity to survive the muderous cannonade from above stood out from the now barren hills, blackened.


The Sentinel-class Shuttle folded its aft wings up like its more famous sister, the Lambda. Struts extended, the camouflage top grey bottomed craft rocked slightly as she came in contact with the world's surface. The ramp shot down with a hiss, troops piling out onto the scarred dirt. Major-General Devereaux followed them at a deliberate pace, taking in the view. Hills rolled up and down into great valleys before rising again. Where the bombardment had ceased life thrived, trees flowers and bushes occupying whatever swaths of land Nature saw fit that had not already been overrun by waist length grass.


" General!" A black-uniformed officer came over and offered a running salute. Devereaux took measure of the man and noticed though his visor cap had been switched for the ubiquitious coal-scuttle helmet all but the stormtroopers used, he remained in duty uniform. He had no camouflage smock or breast plate. The General saw the Order of the Black Eagle dangling at his neck and finally recognized the out-of-place man - Colonel Regis, his Intelligence Officer.


" Colonel."


Devereaux and the Intel-man moved quickly away from the shuttle as it departed, all supplies off-loaded. " Report, Colonel."


Regis lead the General towards a hole in the ground engineers were already fitting out with sand bags and prefabricated steel walls. He assumed - correctly he would find - his command post was taking shape before his eyes.


" An enemy armored battalion was in this area but retreated when the bombardment commenced. We do not anticipate a counter-attack anytime soon."


" We should - - if they are to stand a chance they will need to hit us while we are mustering. What do you know of the enemy strengths and capabilities?"


Regis looked back, quizzically when they descended a dirt ramp leading into the largest space of the forming command post. " You were not briefed, sir?"


" Of course I was. I want to know what Intelligence knows."


The Colonel smiled tightly. " This world is ten times more appealing than Atzerri itself and has grown far beyond that its masters wanted it to be. As you can see, it's a nice planet and one worth defending. We estimate a total population of at least fifty million and at least a tenth of that militarily trained. Regular troops number a million with another hundred thousand New Republic regulars still here."


" I was wondering if you were going to share that with me. Well, Colonel, if this is all true, my division is not going to be anywhere near sufficient to take this planet. But we can do what we came here to do: scare the Sith into them until more of our friends arrive."

[Telan Desaria]

Nespit XVIII


“ No, General, I do not concur. My decision stands.”


Brigadier General Adler clenched his teeth and balled his fists; he could feel anger building inside him. His rage was impotent, though. On Nespit, he was the ranking officer of the disparate Republic forces but was subordinate to the commander of planetary forces, Marshal Voroshilov. Adler saluted brusquely and turned, departing the man’s office with an intentionally disrespectful haste. He knew what needed to be done – to rights, so did Voroshilov. They two men, however, disagreed on method. The younger officer of engineers wanted to strike the Imperial landing zone with whatever forces could be mustered while the Atzerri man would not commit himself to an attack until more than a brigade was on the ground.


“ He didn’t agree, I take it.”


“ Perceptive as ever,” Adler replied, throwing his coat at Lieutenant-Colonel Marimann, an officer nearly twice the General’s but who acted half his own. Sporting a mustache of grey scattered black with hair to match, he appeared every bit the mounted cavalryman. Nespit had a gravitational field that played pure hell with repulsor-drives letting the aged but effective mounted units flourish. “ His decision makes sense but I think the logic of his service will fail us.”


“ So what do you want to do?” Marimann hopped into the driver’s seat of the small wheeled staff car and gave a puppy-dog eyed glare to his superior who simply smiled, a mischevious glimmer about him The Colonel gave a toothy grin as he turned forward, the staff car rumbling as it bounced away from Nespit Command. “ Reconnaissance in force it is…”

[Teleran Balades]

ISD IV Nepharus En-Route to Sophano Secunda
T-Minus 5 minutes

“ Five-minutes to revision, Admiral”

“ Thank you, ensign. Guns at the ready, we’ll only have a few seconds of surprise to our advantage.”

The grizzled aging Rear Admiral Caanos Toxim stood apart from his command chair, he preferred to direct his forces the head of the command walkway. In his experience soldiers had great respect an officer who would get as close to the battle field as possible. And Toxim standing at the fore of the viewport as his vessel plunged headlong into the thick of the fight was an inspiring sight indeed. Never in his long career in the Sovereignty Navy had he sown hesitance or fear, nor did he ever flinch if the transparisteel protecting him from the ice-cold vacuum of space took a hit.

No matter how powerful a ship you have or how well trained you are, a soldier will never put their complete trust in you unless you join them in the thick of the fight.

The admiral’s plasteel leg was a show of how faithfully he stuck by that revelation.

“ Revision in 30 seconds.”

The crew pits burst into a final flurry of activity as bridge crew and officers made the last scramble to their stations.

With a slight lurch the Nepharus and her supporting vessels dropped out of hyperspace, like a flight a mynocks streaming from their cave. Else where in the system small detachments were doing the same. The Sophano system was yet another of the dozens of systems in this sector. By this time, however, everyone knew of the Imperial presence and wear arming them selves. The larger portion of Toxim’s fleet had jumped to the system’s second planet, where a New Republic outpost had been hastily prepared.

“ Eight enemy vessels present. A pair of heavy cruisers backed up by frigates and gunships.”

Toxim narrowed his eyes, this was more than expected, but would by easy to deal with none-the-less. The enemy was arrayed in a haphazard box formation with the cruisers in the center. The Imperial fleet had arrayed itself in a cone with the Nepharus and a pair of Cuirassier-class cruisers in the lead followed by a dozen gunships and frigates.

“ Launch all fighter-craft, primary target: incoming ordnance and enemy support craft, we’ll deal with the cruisers.” Toxim kept staring straight ahead at the incoming fleet as fighters from his force streak past the command tower. Each one of them swooped in front of the bridge and waggled their wings in respect before streaking into battle.

From a distance it seemed as if a massive dagger was heading to punch through its victims heart. The tell-tale flashes of light from small-ship fire and launching torpedoes were the tip of the blade just pushing through the epidermis.

Toxim smiled as the first lances of turbolaser raced out.

[Telan Desaria]

Major Daxe was not the champion of his class fencing team for nothing – his reflexes were sharp and his hand fast. He demonstrated his worth when the command halftrack juked around a tree, throwing the men aboard about while he moved with deft speed to brace himself and remain standing. His radioman snarled when he picked himself off the cold steel decking rousing a quick laugh from the commander – Second Battalion, 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment.


“ Major! Lieutenant Ja-van reports a convoy of light-skinned enemy vehicles to his right. Requesting permission to engage.”


Daxe turned to his second communications officer, sitting almost peacefully at his console inside the halftrack’s open-air cabin. “ Any word from the TIEs?”


“ Negative,” replied Staff Technical Sergeant Gomit, a thin man whose skill with computers had guaranteed him a staff assignment.


“ Very well - -he may pursue for up to ten kilometers. Gomit – send a flight of TIEs to keep watch.”


The appropriate acknowledgements came from the busied soldiers so that the Major could look forward once more. Men walked on either side of the dirt road, the veterans distinguishable from the rookie soldiers by their spring-loaded postures, slightly hunched but ever alert. Most looked skyward when a diamond-formed flight of Mark III TIE Defenders screamed over head, each one wiggling its wings at their companion infantry – those squadrons detached to ground support operations often developed a type of comraderie with the so-called dirt-siders that most Fighter Corps officers never knew.


A pair of medium tracked panzers, each mounting a high velocity 128mm projectile cannon, lead the way, a dozen filled halftracks behind Daxe’s vehicle. They moved around a bend in the valley, the foliage thick in thin reeds and grass but nowhere near jungle-esque. Troops fanned out and scanned the summit of the rising hills – everywhere precautions were taken.


It was thusly suprising when an explosion rocked the valley.


“ Major - - Ja’van is dead. Missiles have taken out his command-tank. Enemy cavalry are inbound on the left flank!!!”


Daxe saw the TIEs change their course without orders and swoop down to wherever the call for aide had come from – he then saw a swirling mass of soldiers mounted on pradas, the two legged beasts akin to tauntauns that littered this world like cattle.


“ Get me command quickly - - all troops- - open fire!!!”

[Teleran Balades]

Captain Tancred collapsed into his command chair on the, blinking his huge bulging eyes and relished the second of rest. For the last several days the Republic had been scrambling to mount a defense against the tide of Imperial warships that mercilessly poured into the Sector. This was just one of the many systems in the direct path of the sovereignty scourge. The Mon Calamari captain, himself hadn’t slept in over 24 standard hours in the rush to fortify the system. All that was spared to this system was his own MC-60c Cruiser, a smaller cousin to the massive MC-80’s and 90’s that served as the Republic’s main heavy warships, Captain Alaric’s VicStar Duece, and several smaller ships.

“ Enemy contacts at 23 klicks.”

“ Incoming distress signals.”

Both sensors and communication officers abruptly spoke out, their words melding into a jumbled mess. Tancred snapped up straight, his moment of rest ruined. The gestured a flipper-like hand at the sensors officer.

“ What’s that?”

“ Imperial warships have entered the system. A destroyer, a pair of cruisers, and support vessels.”

Tancred burst into action, sputtering off a string of orders in reply to the sudden arrival of the enemy. The whole flotilla was in an uproar as people ran to get to their posts. No one had expected the Imperials to arrive this early, and they were paying dearly. Officers throughout struggled to enforce order.

“ Send a message to central command. Fleet full forward, deploy fighters.”

With a static lurch the Aquarius’s engines lit and threw the ship towards the Imperial ships. The other ships under his command filled in formation as they could. Tancred calmed down enough to assess the situation. He came to the grim realization that the republic forces wouldn’t be able to hold their own, the only thing they could do was hold up the main force long enough to give their allies time to prepare themselves.


Like two opposing waves hitting reach other, the two forces crashed headlong in to each other. Only it was all too apparent which was the bigger wave. The entire republic formation collapsed in itself as the enemy destroyer pushed through the fighter screen.

“ Open fire. Concentrate all fire on that destroyer. Gunships and frigates strafe her prow.”

Tancred reeled as the first volley of torpedoes from the enemy ships slammed into the Aquarius. He glanced up in time to see Alaric Victory SD’s own volley of warheads, severely diminished from fighters picking off missiles, connect with the Nepharus.

“ Captain, the frigates are cut off we’re on our own.”

A panic shout came from the engineering stations.

“Forward shields collapsing.”

Tancred stood up as if the action could speed up the pace at which his orders were preformed. “Re-route auxiliary power to shields.” But it was too late.

Tancred’s eyes widened as the shields opaqued and shattered. A second later a massive barrage from one of the Cuirassier impacted the viewport, easily turning the transparisteel into slag, leaving the bridge open to the hostility of space.

[Teleran Balades]

In orbit around Sophano Secunda
T-plus 23 minutes

Admiral Caanos Toxim stood at his usual position at the viewport on the bridge of the Nepharus. Aged, but keen as ever eyes surveyed what lay in front of him. At a distance one could still see the occasional flashes of light as Tie Defenders picked off enemy fighters that were still in-system and refused to surrender.

The space battle had taken less than twenty minutes, a fact made possible only because the opposing MC-60’s bridge had taken a direct hit from Lictor’s bow mounted Heavy Turbolasers. The Victory Star Destroyer was cut off from her support ships as the Imperial frigates and gunship surged past the larger cruisers to act as a wall, allowing the Sovereignty heavy ships to take the isolated destroyer unhindered.

Who ever was in command of the vessel knew what he was doing. The ISD had been shaken by the initial salvo of missiles from the Vic and had taken some damaged; a few turbolaser batteries destroyed and a minor hull-breach here and there. Later into the fracas the ship had put itself into a broadside position on one of the Cuirassier, a very risky maneuver, but had been able to a full salvo of 80 missiles into the imperial ship. The Lictor’s starboard port side was still awash in flame.

“How is the rest of the fleet faring?” Toxim kept his gaze straight forward.

“Local defense forces have been overwhelmed on all eight worlds and troops have landed on each. This planet is the only one untouched.”

The Admiral moved the communication station.

“Patch me through to the local government headquarters. Full Holo.”

The holo-projector whirred to life. A panic-stricken human face appeared above the pedestal, glowing a ghostly blue.

“I am president Telos. I..I..demand you to……”

The gruff Admiral cut the president off.

“Mr. President, I am on a tight schedule. Now I am a fair man, you can take my offer, or I will raze every square kilometer of your pathetic planet. You will surrender governmental and military control to the Imperial Sovereignty. A general amnesty will be offered to all people who denounce the Republic and their so called righteous democracy…..I assure you that you will be able to live out your lives as you did before, no, even better than under the Republic.”

The president’s face turned to exchange words with someone not visible.

“I will have to consult the counc…”

Toxim angrily shouted at the image.

“You will give me an answer immediately, I have no time for your time-wasting discussions....Guns target the capital city, I want to see every building on fire in five minutes.”

The president rocked back as if a physical blow was struck. His eyes wild, but head drooped in defeat.

“N..No. We agree to your demands.”

“Thank you, Mr. President, I’m glad you could see to reason.”

Caanos Toxim glanced at the mission chrono. T-plus 35 minutes, slightly ahead of schedule.

[Redic Scott]

The 1st Armored Regiment of the 2nd Army raced towards their objective. On each flank of the 24 Heavy Tanks was a Company of Mechanized Infintry. Their lighter rapid fire weapons would keep the Imperial ground troops away from the tanks as the tanks plowed through the Imperial formation. The key word here was speed though and the armored vehicles raced towards the imperials as fast as they could.

As the tank line came within range, their dual heavy cannons errupted. Along the horizon explosions flared signaling direct hits. The attack was staged at near sundown so that the New Republic units were all coming out of the sun, making them much harder to see. At this same time, the Imperials were much easier to locate. Since the enemy had landed not too long ago, they hadn;t the time to make proper fortifications or camaflauge their units too well.

About 3km away from this group, the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the 2nd Army had waited for the Imperials to move again the sent decoy convoy. When the Imperial took the bait, the lead recon groups had transmited their locations to the Cavalry missile teams. The Regiment had lurched into action as soon as the missiles were away. In one of the lead tanks, Colonel Hander looked through his thermal sight, searching for targets, but detecting burning wrecks. To this left an AFV cannon fired four times and a group of imperial ground troops disappeared, most vaporized. That was the Hell of War.

"Sir, Recon Two-Two reports TIEs. Looks like one flight."

"Finally. Alright, relay the message to HQ. Send word to Gold and Fox Flights."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over the mountain range, hugging the ground as if in love, came the 3 flights of New Republic craft. The first two flights were 3 X-wings each. These accelerated to full speed as they hit the top of the mountain. On the other side, 4 km forward as the Imperial landing site. The camoed fighters came in low and hard. They were the tip of spear and had a major job to do.

The first 3 fighters in Fox Flight gained altitude and instantly became visible to Imperial radar. Almost without wait anti-air site opened up at the 3 fighters. There were 4 of the sites fired at the moment and those were locked into the flights computers. The flight of fighters dodged the fire as best they could, strafing the ground as the flew over the Imperial Landing zone. One of the fighters noticed a drop ship on the ground, unloading, and fired at it, letting loose cannon fire as well as 2 proton torps.

It was also, by sheer bad luck, that this same fighter was hit in the back. It spirled down toward the ground, but the cockpit exploded out and the pilot flew out. Although he was done for this fight, his flight had done their job. While the imperial gunners were following the retreating fighter, the second element of Fox Flight let loose with torps against the anti-air sites. They stayed low to the ground, their ordinance following programed coordinates.

These fighter banked right and came around in an arc. They were being coordinated by ground controllers and in moments were at the TIEs Starboard flank. The two surviving fighters of the first flight were coming in on the TIEs rear. All at once the X-wings popped up, opening fire against the flight of Imperial fighters.

The Assualt wasn't done, however. As soon as the last flight of X-wings left the zone, 4 V-wing Bs flew over. These bomber variants carried heavy bombs that were tageted with information gathered by Recon units. They targeted the landing zones supply stores, troop location, anti-ground defense cannons on the left flank, and last, but definatly not least, the Command Center set up in the Landing Zone. This command center was located by analyzing transmitions coming from it. Although most of these were not decoded, the massive amount coming from one location gave it away.

As the V-wings passed over, their hardpoints released their weapons, allowing the small stealthy bombs to glide in on small wings. Two were targerted against the Command post. As the bombs came in, the V-wings flew overhead. They fired against anything that moved and against the command post, keeping the people inside it as the bombs came in seconds later. Bugging out of the zone, one of the V-wings took a missile hit that destroyed one of the wings, spining the bomber out of control.

This was the beginning of the New Republic counter offensive. The Armys around the planet were fortifying and called up all the reserves. Every available man or woman was pressed into servive. Guirrila warfare schools were being set up, as well as small hidden training centers. The Planet would need every one they could muster to hold the imperials off.

[Telan Desaria]

Atzerri Colony of Nespit XVIII


Major-General Devereaux had endured the attack with the common sense of a veteran soldier – the sound of the first close rounds brought his short form to the ground where it remained for the duration. Standing, he found his armor breast plate to be covered with dirt and a few leaves of grass that decided to accompany his vertical ascension. He was, however, alive.


Reports came in of the damage done by the Republic fighter sortie – higher than he had hoped but not near as high as they could have been. He made a note as he heard the reports to chastise Colonel Regis for his failure to inform any officer of the presence of enemy fighter units. Other more important matters presented themselves like the decimation of the 2te Battalion, 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment. Over half of its vehicles and a third of its infantrymen had been lost by an unexpected counter-assault. The enemy assault had run into the division’s fusilier battalion and been beaten back under a hail of fire – the day, though, had not gone well.


The Empire had been on Nespit for two days and it had been bloodied in its only action against the New Republic. Things had not boded well before the evening of the second day. A transmission from the orbiting Victory-class Star Destroyer had improved the outlook significantly. Major-General Devereaux had been relieved of overall command and returned to command of his division; Headquarters, Fortieth Army had arrived. Along with it came heavy armor units of the tracked sort and an entire battalion of AT-PT walkers. Before dawn on the third day, Devereaux’s division was one of three deployed with another eight awaiting a ride on the super-freighter caravan.


General der Panzertruppen Litus Sirelius, a short Caridan graduate wearing a monacle and the trouser stripe of the General Staff issued his first order before his shuttle had even landed - - expand the landing zone.

[Telan Desaria]

A regiment of the Imperial Guard mounted on wide-tracked SPWs lead the way into Frenigar. The town itself was little more than a spurt of houses on the plain where two paved roads happened to intersect, houses falling into the horizon as quickly as they had come. Moving through in an open-topped Kubelwagon staff car, Colonel von Rundstedt was pleased to note that a white flag had been run up from the spire of a local church, its spire the tallest position in the village.


“ Colonel,” said the old mayor with a deep bow, pronouncing every syllable without the alacrity of speech that pervaded most forms of Basic. Though the aged man wore civilian attire, he had on the breast of his suit-jacket he had pinned a crest of some kind, obviously a commendation won in his younger days. “ We would like to declare our town an open city and we ask that you move on with the assurance no resistance will result and no soldiers are harbored here.”


Von Rundstedt was impressed by the bravery of the old man who had obviously astonished those standing around him who were barely half his years at best. His request was sound and so he smiled – many an official, especially those of the enemy, trembled before the might of the Empire. This man simply stood and executed the duties of his office with courage.


“ Mayor – this is hardly a city. However, under the Articles of War, we accept. No soldiers will be stationed here and no fortifications will be dug up to two kilometers from the edge of town. I will however leave a squad here for security reasons with orders not to occupy any of the town’s buildings. We are soldiers of the Imperial Guard, Mayor. You may rest assured your people are safe. If you will excuse me, I am in a bit of a rush.”


Saluting an honourable man, the regiment’s commander hopped back into the staff car and departed. The 5th Regiment of the Guard placed its tracked personnel carriers back into gear and departed with due haste, only one such vehicle remaining behind until the armor about ten minutes to the rear arrived.


Moving across the plain, von Rundstedt was impressed by the beauty of the countryside and was not at all surprised that the colony had far outgrown its homeworld. He had once visited Atzerri on the staff of a passing General and was repulsed by the stagnation and corruption. He knew also, as it was such an excellent world, resistance would stiffen soon.


“ Sir, Captain Eismann.” Corporal Raban handed the Colonel a handset which he placed under the wide brim of his helmet. He could hear nothing until a squad of six AT-STs trudged by, the banging and clanking of gears and legs droning any attempt at communication.


“ Go ahead Captain.”


“ Colonel, we are on the reverse slope of Hill 203 approaching Highway 38. The city of…” – a pause resulted while the forward-most company commander consulted his map – “Tikrit is just ahead.”


“ And?”


“ Sir – they’ve fortified heavily. I can see about two kilometers of earthworks outside the city’s edge. I count four distinct forts on the periphery and connecting trenchlines. I can’t see any armor we have identified four divisions’ worth of infantry.”


Von Rundstedt had spoken none too soon. “ All right Captain – hold your position. Set up to drive up the Highway and reconnoiter their forward positions.”


Hanging up the receiver, the Colonel turned to his second communications officer. “ Inform command – Tikrit fortified. Reconnaissance in progress - - rear units to proceed in asap. Attention artillery units – prepatory fire on my command. Tell them toe stage the first arrived armor units there.” Von Rundstedt pointed to a knoll and removed his pistol from its holster. His magazine was full – he was ready for battle to be joined. Now he had to make his men ready.

[Redic Scott]

Major General Olan Pulamus rubed his 63 year old eyes as he stood before the holo map. At one egde of the map, a force of red was gathered and spreading out. There were lines extending out into the surrounding towns and areas. These represented the Imperial forces and they were advancing pretty much unstopped since the first New Republic Assault.

That action had been fairly successful. The NR forces took pretty light casualties and had bought time for more forces to gather. The only problem was there were still not enough of them to stop the imperials. The Government and the army was still argueing on what to do about the imperials and the planetary defense forces wouldn't be thrown into the battle until that was solved.

The only think Major General Pulamus did like, was the fact that his forces had been on the planet and training for the last four years. They knew all the in's and out's of the terrain and the scouts could hide and spy on the imperial forces without getting seen. As of now there were ten scout parties operating in Imperial held territory and they were all reporting the movements of troops and also their supply convoys.

As the General thought, his eyes and mind focused on the city of Tikrit. That was the main city in the region and was heavily defended. Over the past days, decoy position had been erected and while most of the troops had moved towards the side of the city where the imperials were moving, enemy scouts wouldn't suspect it. The movements were being conducted in tunnels and out of sight. The city also had a Heavy Brigade with 120 mixed tanks and a full support artillary battery.

As the map zoomed in on the area around the city, small green dots could be seen. At the edge of the map, moving quickly across it were 3 more dots. These were moving straight towards an imperial supply route.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 3 V-wing Bs hugged the ground as they sped towards the Imperial Convoy headed south toward the troops stationed near Tikrit. They came in, as always, fast and hard. At a set point, one of the bombers swung away and more to the south. As they came closer, their sensors picked up the laser designators from the recon team and tranfered the data to 4 large bombs handing on hardpoints.

At around 5km eight bombs relseased and dropped to only 50 meters off the ground. They glided towards the convoy and were only noticed when they flew over it and peeled. As the bombs flew over the convoy, they did it along its length so as to get all the vehicles. Their skins shattered and bomblets fell all around the imperial trunks and escorts. As all these grenade sized explosived fell, some had seeker heads that detected the heat and fired a rocket motor right at the vehicle. Shaped charges did the rest.

85% of the bomblets, however, were conventional and rained shrapnel over the whole area. Trucks were pierced like tin foil and exploded as their cargo took hits. The Recon team watched as imperial troopers vanished, shred to pieces. A few light armored vehicles could be seen exploding as the smart munitions slammed into them. As this happened, the 2 V-wings were already heading the way they came and out of the area.

The other bomber had an important mission as well. It was heading towards the Imperial Artillery batteries. At 1.5 km the V-wing was spotted and horrible barrage of laser fire rosed against it. The pilot jinked and dodged the fire with the skill of a veteran. However, the barrage was too massive and the bomber was hit more than once. The pilot looked at the picture of his wife and daughter taped in the cockpit and kissed it with his fingers. He released his 4 bombs as the lights inside went out and all the gauges turned red. As strearing was lost, he only pointed down and towards the imperial artillary pieces.

The explosion of the bomber and bombs could be seen for kilometers. Secondary explosions light up the sky as well and were felt by Recon One-One, a special forces unit monitoring the Imperial scouting party headed for Tikrit. Captain Junlo looked toward the sound of the explosion and back towards the scouts in front of him. His team was stationed on both sides of the path and had layed a nasty surprise for the Imperials.

When they entered the box, the man pushed the botton on his detonator, setting off four heavy mines right under the scouts. Two missiles at the vehicles as well, just to make sure the job was done. The site brought no pleasure the Junlo, he didn't want to kill, but was forced to. He did what he had to do.

"Move out." Was all he said before his team moved again. The troopers at his sides dropped the missile tubes on the ground and booby traped them before moving out of the area.

[Telan Desaria]

Major-General Devereaux watched as his former command post got smaller and smaller in his peripheral vision. The tracked assault gun through whose turret he stood rumbled along much more quiet than any of its turreted cousins. When he could no longer see the growing network of earthen fortifcations and anti-aerial installations, he brushed all thoughts of his tenure at higher command from his mind. He was again doing what he was trained to do - lead a division.


As he moved to the current location of what could be considered the front, he read the latest commuique sent in from Tikrit, the first city the Empire would take. While numerous villages and even some sizeable towns had fallen to the red and black Imperial Banner, the capture of the city would be a great boost to the morale of the exhausting men. He was pleased to see that his unit would have part in the offensive, moving round the far side of the city to cut off a route through which transports had been running supplies.


When the General reached the 'front,' he understood why his men referred so jokingly to the battle lines - there were none, simply put. Native Atzerri troops had fallen back before the Imperial assault, making whatever location the Imperials decided to stop the front.


" That's correct, Colonel. I want your walker battalion to stay on the extreme right and cover our advance. Your duty will be to intercept and defeat any counter assault so we can focus on our objective."


" Yes sir," the commander of the 3rd Infantry Regiment replied, resigned. He knew his duty and could not complain - he merely did not want to miss out on the glory of the assault.


Devereaux heard the rumble of guns in the distance - Imperial artillery letting loose another cannonade against the defenders of Tikrit. Lookin either way, he alternated the channel his headset was on.


" All units - - Firestorm."

[Teleran Balades]

Hyperion IV- Republic Held Stronghold

Rocks, high cliffs, and gorges of unfathomable depth. That was all that covered this section of the primary continent of Hyperion IV. The Republic had chosen a well-placed position for their fortress on this world. Spread among deep rift valleys and shield unsurpassable granite peaks, it would be nigh impossible to take this stronghold. A thick field of energy arced above the complex, the generator hidden deep below the, protecting the complex from orbital and artillery bombardment. Bunkers hewn into the cliffs themselves kept a watchful eye on all passes leading to the base. At a moments notice, defensive turrets and vehicle bays could emerge from the most inconspicuous of places.

This was the place where the opposition to the Imperial Jihad for a dozen systems was organized. If the Sov wished have to launch a full-out assault on this world if they wished to proceed with their war.

And General Deneen understood this perfectly. As did all of the Republic soldiers stationed on the dismal rock. The veteran soldier stood surveying the rugged peaks from the enclosed, and heavily armored, terrace overlooking the primary surface complex. The low structures, some carved from the granite itself, spread over two square kilometers, but that was nothing compared to the subterranean labyrinth.

Deneen grinned in anticipation; the Sov was on its way, that was inevitable. But when they arrived, they'd have hell to pay. Even if the guardian fleet orbiting the planet, the base, along with a good deal of the civilian population, could hold out for several months. And, if it actually came to that, reinforcements would show up well before then.

"Sir! General!" A younger lieutenant skidded to a stop, bents over with ragged breaths. "Long range sensors have picked up Sovereignty ships massing at the edge of the system." The man paused, wheezing.

Deneen gazed skyward, as if trying to see the enemy millions of kilometers away. "And so it begins."

[Telan Desaria]

General Sirelius stood atop his command vehicle, field glasses clutched firmly in-hand. He swiveled his frame from one side to another to take in the whole of the battlefield: the city of Tikrit on either bank of the old and winding Mipus River made a scenic picture if one erased the slit trenches, bunkers, firebases, and wire entanglements.


Firing had stopped from the six batteries if field artillery brought forward, allowing the light winds of the Nespit steppe to clear out the shroud of smoke Imperial high-explosive shells had given birth to. A significant portion of the suburbs around the city-centre had been reduced to rubble although orders had been issued concentrating fire to the outlying belt of earthworks. What grass remained stood alone among craters and shattered battlements.


“ Captain Penzance,” Sirelius barked, turning to his left. An officer looked up from the digital display atop his pad. “ 20th Regiment of the Guards to advance. Aerial support – hold for three minutes, then move in.”


Over the open space of the savannah, transmissions rushed to their intended recipients. From soft leather-lined earpieces and through the minds and mouths of communications personnel, the final authorization codes were broadcast. Engines revved, throwing up clouds of grayish smoke into the blackened air.


Moving quickly, the 20th Regiment of the Guard shed all its defenses, passing over the rise of the small hillcrest protecting it from incoming fire. Armored personnel carriers both tracked and half-so rumbled on behind a screen of short and squat AT-PTs. Clanking as its four legs crushed dirt under immense weight, an AT-AT laughed off all shots ringing out at it. Towering over the field, the behemoth was not missed by expert Atzerri marksmen who sat behind light anti-armor emplacements: the thickly layered plate held, most shots not evening scratching the grey surface.


The surburbs of Tikrit stretched out along the river, half-tracks moving through deserted streets, their defenders having retreated many minutes before. The infantry had gone but a determined battery of anti-tank artillery had stayed. Their tracked mounts hidden in the rubble of destroyed homes, the large barreled guns opened fire as the first wave of personnel carriers was among them. The guns fired in the kind of quick succession only veteran units could muster. Before the Guards’ commander could radio for help, twenty of his halftracks were smoking on the streets approaching the city limits.


“ Bring me air support now!”


The whine of Imperial TIE Defenders approached with amazing speed and deafening intensity. Roaring once over the field, they returned and rained fire into wherever death was needed. Red stripes on the wing identified the craft to the attackers as fellow Guardsmen and the Arrow-laden Imperial Crest on the fuselage gave all who saw a boost in pride – Brigadier-General Kurt “Defender” Meyer was flying.

[Telan Desaria]

Artillery hounded the center of Tikrit, smashing buildings and fortified positions into oblivion. The sound of 350mm howitzer rounds roaring overhead shattered what windows remained, many of the residents below then realizing that the oft-repeated phrase ‘thunder of the guns’ was no misnomer. On the far right, elements of the Guards pushed forward into the outlying suburb of the city-proper, supported by accurate fire from swooping TIEs. The left was not quiet either with the 5th Regiment of the Guards pushing forward alongside the 25th Panzergrenadier Division’s heavy-panzer battalion.


For just under three hours, the twin Guards units fought stoutly, suffering horrendous casualties before linking up near the city’s tallest structure that – amazingly – remained standing. There they took the surrender of the twenty-five thousand combat able troops in the embattled fortress and their wounded. No time was wasting in continuing the advance.


The Landing Zone


Colonel von Rundstedt turned and yelled a hearty thanks to the freighter-commander who had brought his long-awaited requisition. Having already heard the Army officer’s praise, the Naval officer simply smiled and waved as he walked into the near-glowing yaw of his super-freighter. Rumbling along away from the boxy ship were twenty-two Berus-type Assault guns. Tall and a bit slower than any repulsor-lift vehicle employed by the Empire, they made up for their deficiency in firepower. The tracked titans mounted a 128mm hyper-velocity main gun and four-repeating blasters.


“ A bit much, aren’t they?” asked Captain Eismann, who was himself getting reacquainted with his beast, not having sat in one since training on them almost six months before.


“ Not here. Our regiment has had one of its battalions upgraded to a Panzer-Abteilung and these are the best tracked vehicles we have. Shot for shot she can go up against anything the enemy can throw at us.”


Eismann mumbled something as he keyed his receiver, five tanks forward. “ These guns only rotate fifteen degrees to either side. Repositioning requires much more than our other tanks. I personally would be happier in Sabres.”


Von Rundstedt laughed. “ So would I, my friend, but their repulsor-lifts would not work here. We might get a couple of kilometers with them before we started crashing into one another. And trust me, if they made a tracked panzer with side-by-side main guns like the Sabre, I would have ordered it!”


“ So you thing we’re going to run into Rebel armor?”


“ No, but I think we’re going to run into Atzerri armor! The Republic units left here have Mechs.”


“ Thank the Gods for our walker detachments, then. I just wish we had more of them.”


“ We’ll be fine,” von Rundstedt replied before switching to the HQ comm-circuit. Secretly, he wished they had more AT-ATs, too.

[Teleran Balades]

Surface of Hyperion IV

“ Under heavy fire. Repeat unde…”

“ Lead, six is down..

“ Where in hell is that fire coming from?”

“ Twelve, get this guy off me.” “Almost there..almost there..” Boom “Yeehaa, you owe me a drink, eleven.”


Colonel Barret kept a tight grip on the control yoke of his Tie Defender III, a jagged landscape of granite cliffs and canyons dominated the viewport. Emerald and crimson beams turned the dry mountain air into a blistering inferno. Fighter craft danced around stone arches and spires of rock, all the while trading blows with each other. At the same time, torrents of auto-laser fire streamed out from canyon walls from bunkers hewn directly into the cliffs. Those however were the least of his worries, the main threat came from flak turrets built into the deepest recesses, out of reach from Imperial lasers.

Through all of the chaos, the leader of Reaver Squadron struggled to pick out the information from the chatter that came over the comm in an unending flood. It took all the concentration he could muster to keep his head clear and not run into any craggy outcropping while evading flak shrapnel.

The high pitched beeping of the warhead lock warning suddenly filled his cockpit and instantly turned into an ear-piercing scream as the hidden enemy fired the missle. Years of training and experience took over Barret’s logical thought processes. Without a conscious thought, he shoved the blocky construct that his the ship’s control device forward. In a true show of the Tie/D’s prowess both in and out of atmosphere, Barret sent the craft into a steep dive into one of the gorges that creased the mountain range’s surface, warhead in tow. As quickly as he had preformed his earlier action, Barret cut power to his engines while yanking back of the yoke. Not a second later the pilot pushed the throttle to full, the force of the acceleration overriding the inertial dampeners, and slammed back into the chair. The effect however was unmistakable as the Defender, in less than two seconds, darted forward at 90 degrees its original course. Barret winced from the tremor of the missle’s detonation against the valley floor.

“ We’re getting chewed to pieces down here, control. Where is the Hammer”

Before the colonel’s hails could be answered, the defender shook a second time.

“What the hell?”

Even as Barret raised his eyes the canyon’s lip, emerald beams of energy the width of a landspeeder, rained against the rock wall. High above, gently descending like a whale through water, a ship that shouldn’t have been able to even enter the atmosphere without breaking apart slowly floated down through the sparse cloud cover.

“ Our apologies, Reaver One, we had to wait for the ImpStars to carve a path for us.”

Barret smiled in appreciation at the behemoth of an assault ship. “ Hammer that’s the most beautiful sight I’ve seen all day.” A chuckle responded “You haven’t seen beauty yet colonel.”

With that final message, the Anvil- class Assault Ship’s heavy weapons emplacements strobed again, wreaking havoc among groundside weapons platforms.