Prelude to fire 9.088

[General Forlon]

General Forlon sat quietly watching the command crew of the War Eagle preparing to drop out if hyperspace. He men and women of his command were hand picked by himself and were second only to Admiral Reshmar command crew within the 3rd fleet. Most were former Imperial fleet disenfranchised by the Emperor who joined the Alliance before Endor. Some were CorSec Volunteers and others were even former Pirates who had shown Gumption as Admiral Holt had put it. Who ever they were before now they were part of III Corps.

Founded by Admiral Reshmar upon taking command of 3rd fleet, III Corps was a Spec Ops task force assembled to be 3rd fleets Force Militant. Drawn from every regiment and division the men and women of III Corp were a small effective force of Marines trained to take the fight to the Imperials any where they may be. This was the reason for their trip to Sluis Van, training. The marines of 3rd fleet were taking the fight to the shipyards of Sluis Van in preparations for a mission none of them knew was coming.

The ship shuttered then the massive hull of War Eagle exited hyperspace near a massive shipyard in the outer most orbit of Sluis Van. Several other yards could be seen in the distance. Many ships damaged at Sullust had found their way here and were under repair. Other smaller freighters and cargo haulers docked to trade good and deliver parts and supplies to the orbital yards and battle stations.

“Captain, Take us in slowly. Tell Sluis Traffic control we have arrived and will be proceeding to the ore assigned orbit.”

Forlon sat back once again to watch the goings on in the system. He could make out a Munificent docked in the next station over. Small dots moved around it welding and repairing the ships hull. Many people had died at Sullust. Many more dead were still laying crushed below the planets surface. There was no way to know the true death count. It may never be determined just how many died.

“Sir, We have clearance to make orbit.”

Captain Ferran said as he finished the conversation with Sluis Traffic control. He ordered the ship to maneuver into orbit ten kilometers from the massive ship yard closest to War Eagle. A small ship neared and docked in the port amidships hanger.

“Sluis customs enforcement are aboard and doing their inspections sir,”

Forlon said nothing and continued watching the ships coming and going from the shipyards and the planet below. The visit by the worlds customs patrol was a mere formality. Of course they would find weapons aboard the ship. The only reason they had come aboard was out of protocol. They would look at the hanger and look over the ships jump log and be on their way. Standard procedure for any alliance world now. Five minutes had past then Captain Ferran walked over and sat in the seat beside Forlon. From the corner of the forward view port the small customs ship passed by moving on to inspect the next ship on their list of new arrivals. The War Eagle had a mission there. One that would shape the future of a top secret world targeted for liberation.

[General Forlon]

"Sir, we have received a message from Sekaj L'vehl. He welcomes us to Sluis van and sends his regrets he could not join us."

Forlon had meet the snake briefly over Sullust. They had not spoken but he had listened briefly to the things speech about civic something he could not recall the title the creature had hissed out. Forlon had decided it was an endless garble of grandiloquence political talk and corporate Rhetoric.

"Thank the Representative for me and ensure him we will be gentile to Sluis Van Property."

The captain smiled then relayed the message and closed the comm channel. He walked over and sat once again in the seat beside Frolon.

"Sir I think the good Representative does not like our being here."

Forlon let out a gruff chuckle. That was an understatement. He had not protested to the plan for training at Sluis Van. After all it was the closest world that suited the training profile. Sullust would have been a better choice before the attack but now the space around sullust was filled with rescue and defense ships. and there were no ship yards left. It was known Representative L'vehl did not like the idea of using Sluis Property for war games. He was very adamant about letting the fact be known. But in the end he could not argue that it was the best location and would have no real impact on the economy or defense of the world.

"Yeah, I did not expect a welcome basket. Captain I am off to the station to get it ready for the operation. You have the con."

Forlon stood and walked off the bridge. This day was going to be a long one.

[General Forlon]

Forlon walked out onto the forward Hanger deck and walked the lower catwalk to get to his shuttle. Below fourteen Kartarn Boarding Shuttles were prepping and fueling for the mock assault. The six hundred and fifty men and women of the 1st division 3rd battalion were lined up awaiting their commander to brief them and load the shuttles. In the distance he saw Colonel Connors talking to the pilots and crews of the shuttle giving them their last minute instructions. Forlon walked down the steps to the floor of the hanger and over to where Connors and the pilots had just wrapped up their briefing.

"Colonel, I will be handling the defensive side of the exercise today personally. The 28th has already boarded the station and will be setting up defenses. We can begin operational status in two standard hours. Give your men one last briefing then board the shuttles."

[Aaron Nomarr]

Aaron Nomarr was, as usual, on the bridge of the Salvation. The Dauntless cruiser was streaming through hyperspace, the starlines flashing by in a hypnotic pattern. At the moment, Aaron was too engrossed in the data pad he was carrying to pay attention to the outside world. The message he was scrolling through was from Admiral Reshmar, ordering him to attend a practice assault at Sluis Van, which would help give the Alliance troops practice. He was supposed to attack the transports, giving them the experience of being under fire. Apparently, the practice would be with starfighters, not with the larger cruisers. He was ordered to use the training lasers, which would do no real damage to the Sluis Van shipyards.

"Sir, we will be exiting hyperspace in 90 seconds." Lieutenant Fisher had appeared almost magically beside Aaron, giving him the update from Navigation.

Aaron set the data pad down on the tactical as he awaited the exit of hyperspace. "When we exit, open a comm channel between us and General Forlon." He ordered the lieutenant. The short man scurried over to the holo, ready to open the channel.

"Exiting hyperspace in thirty seconds." Aaron shifted nervously, glancing down at the data pad again. He had absolutely no experience with this type of combat, and it would be interesting to see what would happen.

"Exiting hyperspace in 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...hyperspac e succesfully exited." Nav reported in the final countdown, and Aaron nodded to Lieutenant Fisher, who opened the channel.

"Put us through to General Forlon." He announced, and the lieutenant keyed in the comm sequence. "Good day General. I have been ordered by Admiral Reshmar to help you in the practice today." He recited the conversation that had been going through his mind for the last hour, trying to make a good impression.

[General Forlon]

Forlon looked over the man in the holo image and rolled his eyes. The admiral sent his a boy. He couldn't be any older than his daughter. And the man sat on the command seat of a Dauntless. This must be that old coot Holts doing. He eyed the man again then spoke.

"Captain, deploy your fighters to section one. Have them run strafing drills on the Transports once they depart War Eagle."

Forlon lowered his head thinking about the boy in the display. He better be as good as Holt thinks he is. He would be watching the young captain like a Hawk.

[Aaron Nomarr]

Aaron gave the General a small salute before shutting off the comms and turning back to the tactical display.

"Ops, launch all fighters" he signaled the hangar, watching as tiny dots representing the fighters started to appear on the screen as the X-Wing pilots launched their craft.

"Okay everyone, training lasers only. We don't want to be blowing up anything today. Now, organize into your original four squadrons and line up in a row parallel to the War Eagle. When the first shuttle comes out, X-Wing 1, use a Gamma Cross Strafe on the shuttle twice and then a Scatter. X-Wing 2, the same for the second shuttle, and so on and so forth.' Aaron gave the commands, then watched the War Eagle, waiting for the first shuttle to be launched.

[General Forlon]

General Forlon stood looking out at the War Eagle and Salvation in the distance. The massive form of the ship yard streached out from his vantage point in all directions for kilometers. His people were in place and ready to repeal Colonel Connors Assault force. He looked over the last minute updates then sent word to Connors to begin. Moments later the first of the Kartarn Boarding Shuttles left the hanger and began its attack run on the yard. Just as it left fighters from Salvation were on it like flies on bantha dung.

"Major, have the 28th ready for boarding action."

[Colonel Connors]

Connors saw the first thirteen transports off then boarded the last with 1st company. The hatch hissed then pressurized. Connors sat and buckled in as the others then waited for the ship to lift off. A shutter in the hull plating below and the sound of the repulsor coils working to lift the massive transport let him know the ship was off the deck. Then a moment later the ship shook as low powered energy bolts struck the ship. The chop was nothing like it would be in battle but the simulated chop was bad enough. The ship shook violently as it made the trip from the hanger of War Eagle to the shipyard.

"Three minutes"

The docking officer held up three fingers as he shouted out the three minute warning. The chop was bad now. Captain Nomarr's fly boys were giving the assault transports hell.

[Aaron Nomarr]

"Okay X-Wing Squad 1, reform into the squadron and fly four attack runs at the transport, then split up and X-Wings 7-12 fire on the fifth transport, and continue to run crossing attacks. X-Wing Squads 2-4, follow suit."

Aaron scowled at the transports emerging from the ship. With only the four squadrons,he simply didn't have enough fighters to fully simulate an attack. At the best, he could split up each squadron into three flights of four fighters, attacking twelve of the thirteen transports, but not with much power.

First, he would have to allow several runs on the first eight transports. After about a minute or so he coul split up the fighters once again to engage every ship.

[General Forlon]

Forlon watched the practice battle outside on the holo display from the shipyards command room. Captain Nomarr's fighters were doing a good job of making things difficult for the marines in the transports. If the battle had been real four of the transports would have been destroyed by the groups second attack run. As it was all were about to lock onto the hull of the station and cut their way through the hull. Nomarr was one of the shining stars of the new generation of Commanders. As bad as Forlon hated it he had to admit the mans record was impressive. But he was still young. He had plenty of time to break down and mess something up to dull his shine. For now he was the Best hope for the future. Forlon guessed he should give the man some slack.

"Open a channel to the Salvation."

The communications officer did as he was ordered and let Forlon Know the channel was open. Forlon paused then spoke. hating every word that was coming out of his mouth.

"Captain Nomarr, Your wing has preformed admirably today. You may recall your fighters and stand down. If you like you and your command staff can tie into my personnel holo feed and monitor the boarding action."

[Colonel Connors]

Conors stood and walked to the forward hull bulkhead. The pressure door was sealed and the light was red. He pressed in a set of numbers and the light went green. The Docking officer nodded then waited for word from the pilot. Connors grabbed the overhead handles and held on. A buckle in the hull and a thud on the front of the transport indicated the craft had made contact with The target.

"Go for insertion, all lights green."

the pilots voice came from the speaker and the boarding officer went to work. An image on the screen and he ignited the plasma cutting laser. The hiss of the laser cutting through the hull of the station filled the hold of the transport. It took fifteen seconds for the laser to cut through and with a loud band the breaching charge went off opening the hull of the station and clearing the way for Connors marines to board. The hatch hissed and slide open giving Connors his first look inside the station.

"Into the breach, Cover pattern gamma seven."

Connors men stood and formed into squads them made their way to the boarding hatch and general Forlons defenses.