Imperial Ascension: Bespin

[Telan Desaria]

Forces involved:***Command Group
SSD3 Decisive-Flagship
*ISD II Interrogator
*Carrack Cruiser Eudaemon
*Carrack Cruiser Termagant
*CSG Commination
*CSG Dark Hand
*CSG Direption III
HCLC Hammer XXXVI
FCLF Fire I
FCLF Fire II

Command Destroyer Escort
Squadron I
*ISD II Thrasher
*ISD I Vehemance
*Carrack Cruiser Shadow Warrior
*Carrack Cruiser Edacity
*Corellian Gunship Avidity
*Corellian Gunship Asperity
*Corellian Gunship Excoriate


Heavy SD Group One:
ISD2 Ark Royal
-ISD3 Trafalgar
VSD3 Raze
IP I-100
FCLF Fire IX
FCLF Fire X
FCLF Fire XI
FCLF Fire XII

Heavy SD Group Two:
ISD2 Chatham
-ISD3 Watarloo
-VSD3 Eviscerator II
IP I-101
FCLF Fire XIII
FCLF Fire XIV
FCLF Fire XV
FCLF Fire XVI
YT-5700 57-66
YT-5700 57-77
IP I-054

SD Group Three:
ISD2 Sheffield
-VSD3 Discrepant
IP I-102
FCLF Fire I
FCLF Fire II
FCLF Fire III
FCLF Fire IV
YT-2400 Wheelbarrow III
YT-5700 57-11
YT-5700 57-22

Reserve Deployment Group:
ISD2 Kent
VSD3 Carida
INT Dissolution
ITC Barge II
ISC2 Strike-4
HCLC Hammer XXXIV
FCLF Fire
FCLF Fire
FCLF Fire
FCLF Fire
FCLF Fire
FCLF Fire
LF Lancer-2
HS-011
GMT Beast VIII
YT-5700 57-33
YT-5700 57-44
YT-5700 57-55

IC/

With Garqi taken, Fleet Admiral Telan Desaria was free to leave his assault force in the capable hands of his flagship's commander and his staff of strategic analysts, and move on to other prizes. Now, there were other planets to take, ripe for the picking in the wake of the Sith Empire's reclusion.

The Decisive was the largest and strongest of the Super III-class Star Destroyers in the Thyferra Sector Fleet, as shee had been built with two gravity hole generators in her hull. Now she was a seventeen point six kilometer long interdictor that could bring a fleet out of hyperspace and maul it. Though I doubt I'll get to use her on this run.

* * *

Task Force XIV, comprised of elements of the Ist Division, Thyferra Sector Fleet reverted to realspace above Bespin, the Destroyer squadrons assembled around the ominous dagger-shape that was the immense Decisive.

" Captain Voltaire, allign the fleet. The retaking of Bespin begins now."

The elder officer nodded to Desaria who sat proudly on his command chair, staring out at the tibannagas-producing planet. Many trillions would pour in to the Empire when they assumed control of this floating city paradise.

" Let the battle...commence!"

[Telan Desaria]

The destructive wrath of an Imperial Fleet was often unsurvivable, and Bespin was now in the sights of a flotilla of Imperial warships.

" This will be a difficult assault to make, Admiral," remaked Captain Voltaire, striding up the cawalk and handing a datapad to Fleet Admiral Desaria.

" Why do you say that, Captain?"

" The world as only a molten core and the rest is tibanna clouds. The seventy millions people on it live in repulsor-lift cities, much like on Mon Calamari."

The Admiral hummed his agreement. Then, without warning, battle klaxons sounded on the bridge, bathing the command deck in red light.

" Report!" Desaria and Voltaire simltaneously chorused.

" Sirs, there are three Corellian Action V transorts and a squadrons of TIE Defenders rounding the planet's southern pole."

The flesh at Desaria's eyes tightened. " It appears the Sith still have the capacity to resist...battle stations!"

Fleet Admiral Telan Desaria

[Telan Desaria]

Fleet Admiral Desaria watched the squadron of TIE Defeners creep around the axial tilt of Bespin with keen interest. There was a constant battle report station on the Imperial HoloNet, and from what Desaria understood, there was also Sith resistance at Fondor. It would be a challange to assault a world with an intact garrison.

At least partially intact, Desaria thought.

Destroyer Squadron III had been deployed on Task Force XIV's right flank, and thus would bear the brunt of the Sith 'assault.' If Desaria's holographic memory had not failed him, a Corellian Avction V transport was a hundred meters long with three heavy turbolasers as armament. The TIE Defenders running with them would give them an added edge, but their attack would not pierce the defensive screen in place. Especially with the Lancer frigates and Fire-class Light Frigates deployed in the Destroyer squadrons.

" Admiral, your orders, sir?"

Desaria awoke from a trance he did not realize he hadn been in. " Order all ISDs to deploy two TIE squadrons. Order Captain Manchiso to turn his VSD and his two of his FCLFs to starboard to deal with the threat."

The Admiral stood and walked aft towards the plot table in the middle of the control corridor, which now was displaying the assault plans for Cloud 23, one of the largest floating cities on Bespin. Two Generals a Colonel, and a Captain were waiting. " Sorry to kep you waiting, gentlemen..."

[Telan Desaria]

"...Cloud 23, next to Cloud City, the most prominent of the colonies on Bespin. It is the key to Region 56-A. It produces spin-sealed tibanna gas in supplies which could increase the New Republic's self-reliance if they were to get hold of it. It is key, and needs to be taken swiftly and brutally," said one of the Generals, J'hav.

Fleet Admiral Desaria, his hands folded across his chest, raised his index finger and interjected. " What does-what did-the city posses in the nature of defenses, according to our Intelligence?"

" At last count," chimed the smaller of the two men," to control her population of seven million, a security force of eight regiments."

" A tad excessive, isn't it?" asked Colonel Gitadd, whose fighters whould escort the assault force.

" At first glance, yes, but Cloud 23 had a huge smuggling problem. After the infmay of Cloud City faded, and the Empire gained control of the world the first time, before Factionalization, crime shot through the roof. there are parts of abandoned living sections that even the troops won't go. we can expect that that's where we'll meet the toughest resistance."

" Very well then. Prepare your troops, General J'hav. The Starcrash Brigade should have the city in-" Desaria left the sentence open and waited for the other's answer.

Gulping, but not backing down, the officer replied," twenty-four hours, Admiral."

" Very well then. If you will excuse me." Desaria walked fore and watched as a detachment from Destroyer Squadron III began to trade shots with the Sith Resistance.

Fleet Admiral Telan Desaria

[Telan Desaria]

Slowly, and with what appeared to be great pain, Fleet Admiral Desaria blinked once as he gazed out through the transparisteel viewports at the right flank of Task Force XIV. The flesh at the corners of the young Admiral's eyes had hardened from the stress of too many battles and was now drawn taught as he squinted to see Destroyer Squadron III engage the Sith.

***

The VictoryIII-class Star Destroyer Discrepant, in the middle of the Fire-class Light Frigates Atara and Mivarium, headed towards the small band of TSE assault craft and freightors. At twenty kilomters distance, the Imperial warships slowed and trained their guns.

" Deploy the 716th and 717th" ordered Commander Arvin Hamora, sending the Discrepant's two TIE Devil squadrons into space. " Ready all foward missile battereis for flak fire: all turbolasers are to concentrate on the freightors. The Fires are to swat down those Defenders as soon as they come within range."
And seen if they can save me the trouble.

From the aft launch bay came twenty-four droid-piloted TIE devils, each one with the lethality of a regualr starfighter at the expense of a case of proton torpedoes.

" Range to target, one minute," said the tactical officer.

" Here they come," remarked the VSD's executive officer, eyeing his console intently.

The TIE Defenders screamed in to starboard amid the first bursts of hostile fire in the Bespin camaign-flak fire from Discrepant's starboard gun decks. Bright flashes of laser fire sizzled past the fighters, explosions dotted the sky, but not hits were scored. Then the Devils joined the fray.

The Devils screamed in from behind the Destroyer, firing away at the sheilded TIEs. The Defenders massacred their Imperial counterparts, with a hail of concussion missiles. An entire squadron was laid low by their first barrage. But, to avoid the debris, the Defenders had to come about. And when they came about, they turned into the firing arc of the Atara, a frigate designed to eliminate protect Star Destroyers from fighter attacks, just as had happned those perilous times at Yavin and Endor. The Atara, and the Empire, had their revenge, as the Defenders shields were whittled down by the fast-firing laser cannon of the Fire-class frigate. Only one limped back towards the freightors, which were burning hulks in space, made worthless by the mighty guns of the Destroyer.

The fighter shot off away from the battle, around Bespin and back towards its base, un harassed by its Imperial tormentors.

***

Fleet Admiral Desaria stood on the Bridge of the Decisive and watched the battle unfold, all thirty seconds of it. " Have Squadron III regroup. Prepare to assault Cloud 23..."

Yes sir." replied Captain Voltaire.

[Telan Desaria]

Admiral Desaria sat, alone on the bridge, thinking of the brief engagement on his right flank. Those ships must have come from some where. I doubt that one of the cloud cities is acting as a garrison for an efficient military force. There must have been a Destroyer or cruiser to survive...

" Prepare to search the planet. Command group and Destroyer escort Group will follow Decisive around the planet. We'll conduct a search of Bespin. I want to know where they came from..."

[Telan Desaria]

The Decisive, her accompanying command group, and the Command Destroyer Escort Sqaudron departed from the main formation of Imperial warships, turning to starboard of Task Force XIV. Whever those fighters and those three paltry frieghtors had come from, it had not been the planet. As it stood, Task Force XIV was over the primary congregation of repulsor lift cities and it had detected no launches. There was either a Sith Remant Fleet in orbit beyond the senor range of the Imperial flotilla, or an even nastier surprise that Desaria did not want to think about.

Under the Command of Commodore Xan, a Dysorian officer of thirty years' Imperial Fleet experience, the Task Force ;launched its transports and fighter escorts towards the planet as Cloud 23 became the target of an Imperial assault. Often unsurvivable, Desaria thought, thinking of the wave of asault shuttles and transports heading towards the surface. Unfortuantely, due to the nature of the repulsor cities and the risk of sending it crashing into the molten core below, there coulld be no preliminary bombardment. Only TIE vehicles of various specialties could be used for pinpoint fire support, and then they would be vulnerable to ground fire.

Fleet Admiral Desaria had every faith in his Generals and Commdore Xan. Now, he watched the bow of the massive Super Star Destroyer and the ships around as they slowly orbited Bespin, launching droves of probe droids.

Then, without warning, the Decisive rocked from side to side as her inertial stabilizers came on line. A bright flash encompassed her bow, then subsided. " What the frell was that!!!" the Admiral raged.

He turned to Captain Voltaire, who had taken up psotion in the port crew pit. " It appears there is a small platform near one of the cities fitted with an orbital turbolaser. She locked onto us. Ventral shields holding. But, another hit of that intensity..."

" Just waht I need," the Admiral mumbled, not loud enough for anyone to hear. " Guns, lock onto that platform with all port and ventral heavy turbolasers and torpedo batteries and fire at will. Knock it out of the sky."

" Aye sir," came the standard chorus. Within seconds, as the lives did depend on it, a staggard torrent of proton torpedoes lanced from the dagger-shaped hull of the Destroyer and into the atmosphere. The hundred projectiles slammed into the repulsor platform and rocked her. The images that were fed to the bridge via probe droid ellicited cheers of joy from the crew as the unshielded platform slowly broke apart.

" Begin damage control. Let's continue on, one quarter speed. And deploy four Executioner squads to comb the surface. I want to be notifed of any more...surprises..."

[Telan Desaria]

Assault on 23...

The ride down to the planet was bumpy, the assault shuttles and small transports getting bumped about as flak fire exploded about, the repulsor city throwing up ranged concussion missiles that the small armada was trying desperately to avoid. A few were unlucky, crashing towards the the planet below. A scant number of those had been lucky enough to hit the small city itself, strewing the surface with wreckage.

However, just as the shuttles and transports came under fire, TIEs came screaming in from the clouds and broke into flights, strafing the gun positions that were giving the troops hell. Concussion grenades and free falling proton bombs rocked the Sith Remnant forces loose, forcing whatever were left to retreat into the depths of the city. With the TIEs providing cover fire, and the rest escorting them down, the shuttles began landing on what was now a metal pock- marked surface. It was smoked, and some smelled of burning flesh, but the sotrmtroopers could not be bothered, their training and their armor protecting them from the horrors of war.

They charged into whatever orifice had been opened up by the bombing or could be pried open by the troopers themselves. At the urging of their Fleet officers and their indoctrinated trooper officers, theyr advanced under fire, the first ones being dropped, the rest stepping over the bodies of their comrades and securing their objective in true Imperial fashion.

Some, however, who had followed their officers exhortations, chose tactics over numbers, and won their skirmishes through brilliance. In a matter of a half an hour, the first four levels were secure. Reports coming into the Decisive and the Ark Royal were promising. Both Admiral Desaria and Commodore Xan were confidant of victory. If the troopers advanced they would win. But that's where Xan and Desaria clashed. Desaria favored thinking and tactics, and Xan the old-school Tarkanian method of chrage and fire...

who would triumph?

[Jamie Throwe]

Huh
*Jamie was piloting a cargo ship leaving Cloud 23 and heading toward what he thought was open space. But what it turned out to be was an Imperial fleet. Infact if the daunt captain of the flagship hadn't locked on a tractor beam to the cargo ship he was in, it would of crashed into it. Not a very good thing for a smuggler who was trying to avoid detection from TSE, but Jamie bet that whoever had turned it on would soon be hating life..

Soon the ship was pulled into the Flagship Decisive's hanger bays. One of many on this SSD3, but that thought was not racing through Jamie's head, rather he was looking at his weapons, wondering which ones were right for the job, but with the mounting numbers of Stormtroopers outside his ship changed his mind. After all maybe a more diplomatic solution was required...

So with that Jamie Throwe walked out of the ship, and right into the line of fire of several dozens of Stormtroopers. He stopped and raised his hands, and smiled.*

I'm sure you would rather hear about a way to get your troops into Cloud City with out taking about half of it out.

[Telan Desaria]

Things were not going well on Cloud 23. According to General Westlyan's estimate's half of his troops should have concquered over hald of dorsal mining complex, while the other half took the living quarters that had at one point been assigned to the stations immense population. As things were turning out, Stih Remnant resistance was stiffening. Plasma and proton grenades were tearning holes in every wall and floor, and his men were advancing gallantly, his officers finally able to take control of the old Tarkinists, but things were still going badly. E-web repeating blaster nests in little bunkers made out of debris and mining equipment were tough to ferret out, and a soon as the 'stormies' had, another one cropped up. It seemed as they had an unending supply of men, and that was not what Desaria wanted to hera. the Starcrash Brigade was unquestionably the best in the First division, from which Task Force XIV had been drawn, and the Admiral was not going to see it destroyed needlessly crashing against the rocks of a wall it couldn't scrape.

" Sir, General Westlyan is requesting permission of Commdore Xan to call in the 1000th " Millennium" Fleet Battalion."

Desaria knew that was not as good sign as the communication officer read the report. If the 716th and 715 Stormtrooper Assault Regiments were taking beatings, then resistance had to have stiffened ominously.

No, no no!!! There must be another solution, Desaria thought, pacing the bridge as, out of the corner of his eye he spyed a lone freighter being drawn in the the awesome power of the Imperial Tractor Beam. Right now, Xan will be consulting with General J-hav. That should buy me some time.

Desaria stood upon the catwalk, an island of thought and tactical probability. Through his mind raced a thousand possibilites, None of which were acceptable. Then, like the recapture of Coruscant, a miracle occurred.

" Admiral, Lieutenant Commander Ea'rha from the frimary docking bay. He says the commander of the captured freightor has a way into Cloud 23."

The Admiral slowly turned his head, maintaing his compsure in front of his men. " Belay the order from Commodore Xan. I am assuming command of the Cloud 23 operation. Adn have that freightor pilot brought to my office...

* * *

There he, in the darkness of the Admiral's private lair. There was a lamp on the port wall which cast an ominous grey light on the ceiling, but not the floor. There was a rectangular window behind the Admiral's desk, behind which the Admiral sat, his hands laced with great care. His dark grey uniform and black trim all immaculate as a Grand Admiral's his face bereft of hair.

On his desk were two crystal sheets and a datapad, no doubt for recording what the two occupants of the room were to say. The Admiral spoke first.

" I am Fleet Admiral Telan Desaria, Supreme Commander of the Thyferra Sector. And you are?"

The pilot returned." Jamie Throwe."

" You'll pardon me if I skip any more pleasntries, but my men are dying as we speak. How can you help me..."

[Jamie Throwe]

Well, well, well. You have people dying at Could 23, the people of Cloud 23 are dying, and you ask me for help?

Strange, it seems you went into the dragons mouth this time. It seems to me that Cloud 23 was created to be a defense base of some kind and has many troops guarding it. But it is isolated and really not needed if you take Could City itself. See while Cloud 23 has many solders on it, Cloud City has the familys, supplies, and everything esle. The moment you take it down, Cloud 23 will surrender. So really the trick is to gain control of Colud City.

Don't you agree?

[Telan Desaria]

The Admiral regarded the pilot for a moment, then mumbled something in ancient Centaurian. As it stood, he had no great choice. If the pilot was indeeda smuggler and did in fact know the weakness of Cloud City, the largest of any of the the repulsor cities, then perhaps he was correct. Without a brain, maybe the legs would die...

Admiral Desaria stood from his desk and remvoed something from the left side of his belt, scaring the young pilot for it could have been a weapon in the dark light of the room. The Admiral aimed it at his desk, and brilliant, mutil-colored projtecion of Cloud City shimmered into being. Desaria pressed another button, and the moving holograph stopped, and five arrows lanced in at the station from different points.

" do you kno what this is?" Desaria asked.

" Cloud City?"

Desaria gave a rare smile in the presence of someone he didn't know. " You're half correct. Those five arrow indicate the Imperial plan of assault for Cloud City. It consists of using five regiments and two additional assault battalions of shock troops. We had aplnned to take the platforms around the city before we his the central one itself. What you propse is contrary to that theory. Now, you propose that I risk five regiments and two battalions-thats twelve thousand assault troops. Now, You came to me because, if I quote the duty officer correctly, ou know a way into Cloud City. I expect you to furnish me with that piece of evidence. Do, and you shall be rewarded with more wealth from this ship alone than you have seen in a lifetime. Don't and go in with the first wave of my assault troops...

The smuggler gulped and considered his options. Desaria allowed the holoprojector to thrum as he sat back down. He never gambled with the lives of his men. Actually, he'd never talked like that before. It was quite a different officer than the one he used to know...

He waited.

[Jamie Throwe]

*Jamie put his hand to his chin and thought for a second.*
The people who run the air control there know me. After all a man in the profession that I'm in needs all the friends he can get.

I can give you callsigns that will get you in, which you can test at Cloud 24 or Cloud 21. Once you give the call sign you can fly below them to the maintance area. You know thats there because of the diagrams you have in your ships computer. So I really don't see what is the problem, if need be I'll pilot the ship.

[Telan Desaria]

Admiral Desaria studied the young male pilot for a moment considering his options as the roles were ironically reversed-himself now in the exact situation they had taught him to avoid at both the Imperial Military Academy and the Centaurian Academy for Military Science and Tactics. What you rpopsoe is to take a ship into the permimeter of Cloud City and land a small, say company-sized team of insurgents in the maintenance area of the station, and then have you fly away without a care in the world. Perhaps with your ship filled with Beruuvium Diamonds, or Silicon from the Mines of Delfonn. But what if he's telling the truth. And the team can bring down the stations' defenses just long enough for the main force to come down and take the rest of the City.

The Fleet Admiral drummed his right hand on the top of his elegant desk. He opened his mouth to speak, and then said nothing. He opened it again, but this time spoke. " The plan shall be as follows: You will pilot a Inarri Five Transport to the station, carrying a company from one of my shock troop battalions. the 78th. When they are abaord the station, they will begin disabling the automated defenses of Cloud City. You will then pilot the ship back to the Decisive. When you clear sensor range of the City, a squad of TIE Executioners shall escort you. And when safely aboard, you shall be my guest upon the bridge to watch the battle's unfolding. No matter the outcome, if I feel you have not betrayed us, and if my analysts agree, you shall be sent on your way, laden with the goods you desire."

The Admiral tapped a keypad on his desk and the doors to his office parted with a swoosh of air. Two Fleet Troopers entered, each burly and taught faced as if they had been bred to battle and enjoyed their task behind their masks of stone. " Corporal, get Mr. Throwe a crewman's uniform. He's just been enlisted by the Empire..."

[Telan Desaria]

The Fleet Admiral sat upon his chair of silent command in his office, watching as Mr Throwe was escorted out the room to the crewmen's quarters by the primary 'guest'hangar where the transport he had been 'assigned' to was awaiting.

" Commander Vollariat," Desaria said into the comlink built into the right wing of the desk. " Have Delta Companie, 78th Battalion moved tino the Inarri transport that will be departing from the main hangar bay. "

" Will be departing sir? We don't have any scheduled departures, sir?" replied the second officer, as both the Captain as the Exec were in a debriefing.

" Our guest will be leading the assault. Inform General Rallam that I want all his troops in their transports and ready to assault in ten minutes. I will give the word for final assault launch myself, but I want all preparations completed. "

" Yes sir."

" And Commander, ready a TIE Executioner squadron to escort the transport. And another wing to escort the attack."

" Aye sir."

Desaria swittched off the comm and waited. Soon the transport would be on its way and the final assault would be complete-if Mr Throwe was correct. If not, then Cloud City would just be another stepping stone in their campign to liberate Bespin. Desaria erected himself and headed for the bridge, unsure of this battle, but confident in ultimate victory.

[Telan Desaria]

Admiral Desaria stepped onto the bridge and received reports on various datapads from rushing communications techincians as if he had stpped into a whirlwind of chaos. He had been orded to return to Coruscant-and no doubt, to his execution. His assumption of command of the Imperial Navy at the beheadst of his own power ahd obviously not ben well received be High Command. Too bad, he thought.

Captain" he said, striding forward to where the commander of the Decisive stood. " I want all COMPNOR officers and INTEL officers brought to the main hangar bay and executed immediately. Or, execute them them on the spot if they resist."

The Decisive's commander looked on in horror, for Desaria had never uttered a dishnorable word before,-this was the first Imperial order he had issued. " Sir?"

" My execution ahs ben ordered. I am seceeding from the Empire. I am taking my Fleet from the Empire and leaving. I will take Bespin and every crewman that wants to come. If any of these ships and their crews wishes to remain loyal, I want them to stay. Any that resist, Is free to leave."

Captain Voltaire stood, silent for a moment, teh drew his blaster and aimed it at the Admiral. The Admiral stood, just as ilent, the rest of the bridge quiet and in awe. Voltaire turned his aim to the COMPNOR officer at his station and loosed two green bolts into the black tuniced man's chest. The stormtroopers moved into the crewpit and dragged him away. Even they were loyal to him. Undyingly so.

Desaria noded, giving another rare smile, and sat in his cahir of command, waiting as the rest of his spur of the moment plan unfolded...

* * *

Throughtout TAsk Force XIV, COMPNOR officers were executed and their bodies jettisoned into space, along with Intel officers, a few transported onto a FCLF that refsued to abandon the Empire and disappeard into Hyperspace. Desaria watched with glee.

" Inform Mr Throwe that we won't be needing his services any longer. Load his transport with 1000000 credits and send him on his way-with a tracker, of course. Commence the assault on Cloud City, along with the concerted assault on 23, 24, and 36. The last ones should fall along with them.

* * *

Another hour later, the Fleet had been purged of all. Task Force XIV was loyal to Admiral Desaria.

[Darth Viscera]

OOC: I ask that a moderator temporarily close this thread until a judgement can be made on the legality of this action.