Seeds of Victory (Wor Tandell)

[Nintega]

Pulling out of hyperspace just out of reach from their target planets range, the attack force, consisting of the Black Mist, four FAF's and four fighter squadrons formed together, waiting for phase two of their plan to commence. Out of the black mists hanger a squadron of (12) TIE Executioner MK3 's emerged, closely followed by a squadron of TIE Executioner MK4's and a two-squadron group of DIE Reapers.

Captain Nintega, who was leading the attack, nervously glanced over to his officers around him. Being his 1st mission, he was looking to prove himself to his superiors. Calling up the intership intercom he instructed his group to continue to Wor Tandell, where the Black Mist would follow them in 20 minutes. As he severed the connection the four FAF's and the four star fighter groups disappeared into hyperspace, leaving the Black Mist to wait.

Two minutes later the group arrived at Wor Tandell's light side. As instructed, the group split into two. The four FAF's took the squadrons of DIE's with them, and headed down towards the planets capital and military outpost, Gendon. Imperial intelligence had provided with them with a brief layout of the planets defences, which were believed to consist of two Ion batteries, 3 groups of TIE interceptors and an unknown amount of troops. However Intelligence isn’t always right..

The other group, which consisted of squadron of TIE Executioner MK4 's and TIE Executioner MK3's headed after the planets orbital shipyards and manufacturing plants. Flight leader, Zak had been ordered to keep Captain Nintega informed of the battle, and any surprises they, however unlikely, may come across.

[Alexi Kerr]

Alexi Kerr sat behind the command console of the lead FAF as the four ships made their way to Wor Tandell. He was growing impatient, but he kept the emotion from showing. He needed to learn composure, for in the Empire composure was a necessary tool. Without it there would be chaos...and chaos was very un-imperial. He resigned himself to simply smile. This would be interesting.

The planet that was growing in his viewports directly ahead would be anything but a challenge. Two measly ion cannons and three flights of tie interceptors were the only thing that stood between him and victory.

The ships were descending into the atmosphere now, the bump that shuddered through the ship leaving nothing in doubt. Below them Gendon sat, the planets main military outpost and the location of the two Ion batteries. As they neared the surface, the batteries opened up, but were slow in tracking them. They easily manuevered around them, each ship having been told to concentrate on evasive manuevers at first. Alexi turned around in his seat and looked toward the nearest gunner.

"Gunner please target the nearest ion battery with 2 of our firestorm missles."

The gunner simply nodded as he carried out the orders. Alexi smiled as the ion battery directly ahead exploded in a wall of fire. While the shields of the battery would get the brunt of the blast from the first missle, the second easily pierced through turning the once mighty battery into scrap. Alexi knew that any second now the Tie Interceptors would be scrambling to meet them. His assumption was confirmed by the beep from the sensor officers console.

"Sir. Tie Interceptors on a direct course toward our position. There appears to be only two squadrons."

Only two? Apparently intelligence had made a mistake.

"No matter, notify the DIE's. They should be able to deal with them."

It was true. The Dual-Ion Engine Reaper was a superior fighter piloted by the gifted pilots of the Imperial Federacy. These back water slobs would pose little threat. With a casual glance at the viewport Alexi focused his attention on the bigger problem, the remaining ion battery.

"All FAF's fire at the final ion battery. Lets make this quick."

Deadly rays of light sprayed down on the cannon, the shields unable to stop the onslaught. With a loud boom, the base of the battery exploded.

"Sir. One FAF is reporting difficulty from there engines. Apparently they were struck by an ion beam."

"How bad?"

"They are going to have to land sir."

Alexi allowed his disappointment to show.

"Fine. We will land as well. The other two frigates will aid our DIE's in the air."

[Alexi Kerr]

Alexi forwned as his ship touched down on the surface of Wor Tandell harder than he had anticipated. Much to hard for his taste.

"Sir, the damaged FAF as touched down near us, and has begun repair procedures."

Alexi simply nodded.

"Fine. Notify the other the remaining FAF's to knock out their Interceptors."

In the air the FAF's opened up their guns, targeting the elusive Interceptors with rays of deadly energy. One by one they fell.

"Sir, the planetry officials have begun to hail us."

"Good, its about time they did. Patch me in."

With a burst of static the shaky voice of a man in obvious fear exploded throughout the FAF.

"This is Officer Dewan Jared of the Wor Tandell defense league. What is the meaning of this?"

Alexi cleared his voice before speaking:

"The meaning Officer Jared? The meaning is quite simple really. We are of the Imperial Federacy, and have arrived here to take over your planet. I think even a simpleton like you could understand the situation. I believe that it is in your best interest to surrender now.”

He allowed the last word to trail off, putting the man on the other line in a situation where he must respond.

"I...I must talk to my supervisor." In the background he heard the mans footsteps as he ran away quickly.

Alexi frowned. This was taking much to long.

[Sean Piett]

War Tandell, an industrial planet that had been one of the Galactic Military Alliance’s first holdings, had not sided with any of the chief warlords when Viscera left for the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. Alexi Kerr and Nintega, who were spearheading the Imperial Federacy annexation of the planet, had met great a great deal of surface resistance. Exasperated, they requested the aid of another ship, as well as its onboard military. Upon Imperator Sevon’s request, Sean Piett began making his way to the planet.

The Nihilist-class Star Destroyer stepped out of hyperspace relatively close to the planet. He released a few automated probes, to ensure that no one escaped the planet though some un-observed corridor of space. He made contact with the present forces, giving brief orders. As he broke off a communiqué with an officer on the surface, an ensign softly told him that a few freighters were attempting rising to the high atmosphere on the dark side of the planet. They were, of course, attempting to flee.

“Deploy two squads of TIEs. Intercept and capture, if possible.”

The underling turned and briskly walked off to relay the orders. The pilots, having been sitting ready in their cockpits since four minutes before the Luna Eclipse exited hyperspace, set out with the utmost haste. Having only been told to launch, they received their orders as they were launching, to save even the smallest fragment of time. Hopefully the freighters’ nav computers were not military-grade, or the fighters would be about two minutes late.

[Khendon Sevon]

The majestic figure of the Crimson Wake, the only operational Sevon-class Star Destroyer, fell from hyperspace with a grace onto its own. “Activate communications arrays, route all traffic through our boards, link our sensors to the fleets so that they can use our more advanced systems. Prepare all batteries for fire, prep all squadrons for immediate launch,” said Khendon with an ease developed from years of constant conflict.

An eruption of blue signaled the activation of the magnificent engines on the Crimson Wake, but was quickly dissipated by the dampening fields and particle reintegration valves. As the massive, powerful, sleek weapon of war hammered forwards, all weapons faced towards Wor Tandell. “Comm., send greetings to the fleet.”

“Aye, Sir,” replied an officer quickly, his eyes locking on the holographic data before him as his mind did the processing and transferring of data, he spoke swiftly into a mic attached to his throat then went about checking systems and verbal traffic.

“Set her at 10,000 kilometers from the planet’s atmosphere and open hangar bays. Enable defensive grid and offensive grids. Do a full bounce back sweep of the area and return all readings, print anomalies and analogs to my display.”

This time no officer replied, at least not verbally. Khendon received a feeling of recognition from his CTS implant and was content with that. The system had been designed to allow non-verbal communication, but Khendon felt it was more personal to give direct orders, though in a hot situation, he would rely on his technology rather than verbal communication.

“Sir, we’re in position.”

[Sean Piett]

"Sir, the fighters have engaged the freighter craft that were attempting to flee the system. Executioners are firing their cannons, now employing missiles. First of three frieghters has been eliminated. Second down. Third. The freighters are done for, sir."

"Good, good. Have one squad return. They may return in four hours."

Piett looked down at Wor Tandell. Though he beleived it would be an easy take, he was concerned about the military base, Gendon. Her Ion Cannons destroyed, she had no reason not to raise her shields and prepare for a lengthy siege.

"Send a probe droid to the surface, Gendon base. Scan shields, terrain, and the report on the progress of our military there."

"Affirmative, sir. Probe deployed."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon chewed his lip and allowed his face to tighten and contort as he thought. “Fighter Command, launch all fighters, have them generate a perimeter around the planet, relay to Piett my intentions, I’m going to organize the fleet in a blockade of the planet.” Khendon looked at his screen, “Tell him he has permission to drop troops and that my legions are at his disposal. Also, load all onboard shuttles with five MI troopers and ten naval police officers, have them take up holding patterns with each squadron, one per six fighters…” He continued giving orders and organizing the situation, preparing for counter-attacks and the like.

The FAF’s of the fleet were recalled and put on patrol around the inner sector of the planet as the [/I]Black Mist[/I] moved equidistant from the planet to the Crimson Wake on the opposite side of Wor Tandell, providing a refueling station to the shuttles and resupply to fighters.

“One other thing, activate the gravity well tubes. Set them to full power.” Khendon’s orders were swiftly carried out and fighters, followed closely by shuttles, began belching forth from the massive craft. The force took up strategic positions and began the blockade of Wor Tandell.

[Sean Piett]

"Probe is now returning information, Sir. Gendon Base is very heavily shielded. We cannont bombard it."

"And surface defenses?"

"Trenches, artillery, anti-infantry emplacements, and a lot of anti-air guns. They're niched into the mountain range, and we can only attack from the front."

"Are there anti-air emplacements at the rear of their base?"

"Yes, sir. We would not come off well trying to punch in with fightercraft."

Scrap that idea, then.. Piett was a little stressed. He did not like sieges.

"Begin landing our forces two kilometers east of Gendon Base. Have them build up earthworks and trenches."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon tapped his steel soled boot against the dark durasteel floor plates of the bridge, “Sensors, have you discovered anything with the short range PRAM system?”

“Sir, no, Sir,” said an officer, his eyes flickering to Khendon’s for a moment before returning to his board.

“Sensors, increase to maximum PRAM distance and capacity, divert all power from engines to sensors.”

“As you command, Imperator Sevon,” declared the officer as he controlled the craft’s sensors through his implants.

A few moments later the same officer looked at Khendon, “Sir, sensor readings indicate a large asteroid near sector limits, metallic objects with silhouettes of roughly frigate size are clustered around it, estimating 6 craft of 150-370 meters.”

Khendon bit his lip then took action, “Thank you, Sensors. Engineering, activate Veneration architecture main combat hull enforcement, equal power routing throughout the ship, and bring up all emergency data backbones and secondary data backbones. Defenses, set bank network to scan mode and bring main shields up to ¼ power. Weapons, activate power interface to main battery ports, manipulators, sensors, and network interface, prepare for targeting solutions. Helm, set course for that asteroid, Communications, relay my intent to Piett,” Khendon thought for a moment, “Half a squadron of DIE Reapers and half a squadron of Executioners are to form up on us, Fighter Command. Make it so.”

The bright engines of the Crimson Wake came to life momentarily before the dampening fields and reintegration pipelines absorbed all the traces of the engines’ output. The dagger shaped craft shot forward towards its goal at a speed easily enviable.

[Sean Piett]

"The entirety of our forces have been deployed. Our men are setting up our own trench system, and it should be complete in four hours."

Just after dusk.

"Have the men prepare a proper command facility for me. I will be directing the assault from the surface of the planet."

"I will see to it, mi'lord."

This would be his first siege in a very long time. Generally slow-paced and boring, sieges were not a favorite task of many commanders, and Piett, relatively aggressive, had an even more difficult time dealing with them.

"Has anything entered or left the base?"

"Something of a caravan arrived as the assault began. They left within half of an hour."

"Continue to monitor traffic. Jam all incoming and outgoing communications, if that hasn't already been done. And try to find the source of that caravan."

"Communications are already jammed. Attempting to locate the caravan."

"Notify me when my headquarters on the surface is prepared," said Piett. He pushed himself out of his chair and exited the bridge, heading for his personal quarters. As the Admiral advanced, he pondered his connection with the Force. It had been some time since he had furthered his limited talents.

After some half-kilometer of navigating the ship's congested halls, he reached his personal quarters. He swiped his hand over a translucent black sheet of duroplast, and a dull red light flared. The plain metal door silently coasted to the left, and Piett stepped in.

As he entered, ceiling-mounted lights switched on, dimly coating the walls. He cut to his left, entering the small refresher. He filled a small metallic cup to the near brim and then exited the cramped room.

He continued walking until he reached a second door that sat at the far end of his entryway. Quite familiar with his surroundings, he stepped in. The simple room was quite bare, and with no lights, not including a viewport that looked out at the spread of stars. He usually arranged for this room to be facing the stars when he entered a new system.

He came to the middle of the room and set down the water. After shedding his shirt and tossing it behind him, he carefully lowered himself into a cross-legged position on the floor. He put his hand into a pocket of his trousers and withdrew a dull red pod. Raising it above the glass, he cracked it, and a fine power slid out. He then dropped the pod into the cup, and both dissolved.

He beckoned the cup into his hands using the force, where he lightly gripped it with the thumb and forefinger of each hand. He raised the liquid to his lips. Bottoms up.

The metal cup clattered to the floor as his eyes snapped back into his head, revealing only the white underside. His jaw fell open and a little saliva dripped down. Fire raced through his blood. His breathing accelerated.

His eyelids slid down. Unfamiliar images flashed as he strained to catch them, slightly in control. Voices spoke in languages not familiar to him.

After some time, seconds or hours, he opened his eyes and stood. Sliding his officer's tunic over his shoulders, he managed to wrestle control of his breath rate from the drug. He left the cup on the floor, still on its side. He would rinse it out later.

In his foyer, he collapsed into a comfortable, plush chair. Sleep took him.

[Khendon Sevon]

The Crimson Wake banked sharply, angling in for the kill. “Activate our full stealth arsenal, now!” commanded Khendon. As Khendon said this, the craft began to blur, its lines becoming hazy and darker, melting in with the blackness of space. After several moments the entire craft had taken on the appearance of space, disappearing in the endless star field.

As the craft approached its destination it slowed until it was only several hundred meters away from the asteroid. As Piett’s ground forces were being dropped, the enemy craft pounced, leaping forth from their den like mountain lions pouncing on a distracted rabbit. The Crimson Wake shed its cloak, a full broadside of electrified plasma, high energy beams, and torpedoes and missiles of all types flew freely from the side of the craft, colliding with the formation of enemy craft.

The first craft to be hit, an old Neb B2 frigate, was struck by a wall of electrified plasma, severing the ship’s main artery, the connection between engines and fore. As this happened, a missile collided with the bridge and landed in the lap of the craft’s commander, igniting in passionate, ionic brilliance. The old, scrap worthy craft erupted internally and shed energy that was absorbed by the nearby craft’s shields.

Next an ancient Correllian Corvette was hit, the high-energy beams of the Sevon-class Star Destroyer colliding with the craft’s shields, forcing a massive overload throughout the system. The craft’s shields fell and the lightning like beam collided with the craft’s hull, cutting clearly through it. Firestorm missiles ignited in space, a wave of fire expanding around all of the craft as a second barrage of electrified plasma was hurled forth into the throng.