p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Serviceman Kigh looks down at the half a dozen screens in front of him at his comms station displaying the dozens of transmissions coming in from across the Sector. He sighs, bored out of his mind, kind of struggling keep his interest in the display in front of him, given how fast all the information flies across the screens./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"A small hologram of a woman in a Corsan Navy Dress Uniform appears on a projector pad right next to him, "Is everything okay, Serviceman?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Yeah, Briya just bored, why do I even need to do this? Shit like this is better for an AI like you! Fucks sake. I didn't join for this shit!" Kigh says, a little irate./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Your concerns have been noted…" the hologram says as it turns to face the displays. "Serviceman, you should look at this."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""What…? SHIT!" Kigh shouts as he immediately sounds the alarm, seeing a distress message from a colony in the Sector./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Rapid Response Task Groups and Sector Patrols have been notified," the AI says disappearing from the projector…/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"In orbit of the world designated as JO-6857 by Imperial cartographers, Fleet Admiral Gustha looks through the glass viewports in the front of his Star Destroyer's bridge. Although his crew is currently ecstatic, he is on edge. The lack of defences doesn't sit well with him. He knows little about the Unknown Regions, except that they're hostile and brutally unforgiving. No interstellar governmental organisation could survive for long without some sort of effective and efficient military apparatus. He's sent an after-action report with his concerns that a counterattack should be expected along the several systems they've invaded, and that the militias thus far encountered are not the primary fighting force of the Corsans, as at least one of his colleagues has ventured./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"On the topic of the militias they've faced, the Corsan militias have proven resourceful, even if their small arms have proven ineffective. Until large portions of the equipment sent down with the Stormtroopers started going missing, and casualties from blaster weapons started appearing in patrols. Even moving vehicles has proven problematic. Though Gustha contended that was due to the flaws of AT-ATs and AT-STs rather than any particular competency on the part of the local defenders./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Even still, he's developing a grudging respect for the militia below. They won't give up easily, despite the apparently hopeless situation./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Sir, we've detected an energy signature about 20,000 kilometres away, source is unknown," the sensor officer calls out./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Pull into defensive formation and move to medium alert," Gustha orders without hesitation. "Scramble fighters and ready gun batteries!"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Sir, I can't get a signal, comms are being jammed!" the communications officer says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Gustha glances out the viewports of the bridge, thankfully the other captains of his fleet have followed his orders already and have begun moving into position. He sighs with some relief that he'd thought to order his subordinates to prepare for attack in the event either communications or sensors are lost. He turns back to his sensor officer, "I'd take it we don't have sensors anymore either?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Yes, sir," he responds quickly. "Black across the board…"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Gustha grunts, he knew it, the counterattack is upon them…/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"He looks back out of the viewports at his battlegroup, six Imperial Star Destroyers, and two Victory II Star Destroyers along with numerous transports and escort vessels. At the fringe of his eyesight, Gustha sees a small light in the distance. Soon he spots several outlines. He grimaces and says, "All batteries prepare to fire!"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Admiral, they're hailing us. A Rear Fleet Admiral Jayni Uran of the Corsan Colonial Navy wants to speak with you," the comms officer says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Try and probe their signal blackout, find me a weakness and get a message back to Command. Also, put her through," Gustha says, just slightly hopefully. Maybe he can stall the Corsans long enough to engineer an escape to return with reinforcements. "Greetings, I am Fleet Admiral Tian Gustha of the Galactic Empire, what is it you wish to discuss?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""We would like to discuss your immediate and absolute withdrawal from this system and the others you have attacked. This is an open act of war on the Corsan Colonial League and will be treated as declaration of such if you persist in your current course of action," a firm female voice says with authority./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Gustha glances down at the comms officer, who shakes his head back at Gustha, "I'd remind you that the Corsan Colonial League has refused, on numerous occasions, to hand over fugitive Jedi who escaped during Order 66- "/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""I'd also remind you that no formal extradition treaty has ever been negotiated or signed between our government and yours," the Corsan admiral counters. "I'd also mention that said Jedi testified under oath and telepathic scan that they did not betray the Galactic Republic. Your presence here is an attack on our sovereignty and will not be tolerated. This is my final request, if you don't immediately order you men to release all prisoners and evacuate, we will open fire. May the Force have mercy upon your souls if we do. You have sixty seconds to comply."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Gustha sighs as he weighs up his options, should he retreat, and face the wrath of the Emperor or Lord Vader, or does he stand and likely face a battle that he is very likely to lose…/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""You have ten seconds…"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"At that moment, he sees several green bolts flash across the viewports at the Corsan ships in front of them. Gustha smiles, it seems Command realised something was amiss and sent reinforcements./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""So be it," the Corsan admiral says gravely./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Sir, they've cut us off," the comms officer says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""No matter, Gunnery Chief, prepare to fire, all TIEs are to remain in defensive position- "Gustha orders before being cut off by a massive flash of light. He shields his eyes and looks away from the viewports, looking back once it fades…/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"One of his Star Destroyers is no more. Where the mighty warship once stood, a cluster of small pieces of debris now stand, "How did they pierce the reactor like that? Focus fire on their largest ship!"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Aye, sir," one of the officers called out to him. He sees that Corsan fighters are closing with theirs. At least until he sees his TIE fighters getting blown to pieces by something. Something that Gustha realises is guided missiles, something that Gustha has rarely seen. Once the TIEs have reached dogfighting range, they immediately engage the Corsan fighters, though as far as Gustha could tell, they're going to be hopelessly outmatched. The Corsan fighters nimbly dodge the TIE's laser cannons. Not to mention simply outpacing them when turns so tight they'd shear a TIE in two prove ineffective. He's even sure he sees a Corsan fighter pull an Immelmann on a dime, bringing it to face the TIE head on and start flying in reverse to bring its weapons to bear on the pursuing TIE fighter./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Unknown to Gustha however, several squadrons of Corsan attack fighters close in on some of their escort craft. Gustha is made aware of this when one of his light cruisers goes up in flames from two successive attack waves. He also notices another Star Destroyer fall to the Corsans, while also noting that a second has closed with a Corsan ship, which Gustha surmises to be a cruiser of some kind baser on size./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"The Star Destroyer unleashes a withering broadside on the vessel, before its guns falls silent. Gustha curses to himself, the captain of the vessel ignored his gunnery orders to stagger their salvoes. Gustha almost winces as the Corsan vessel returns fire while the Star Destroyer waits for their capacitors to recharge. The Corsan vessel returns a consistent barrage of fire that the Imperial Star Destroyer's shield is unable to withstand for long…/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Once the particle shield collapses, the Corsan ships starts striking the surface of the ISD's outer hull, taking multiple guns with it and leaving the second salvo greatly diminished. The Corsan vessel's point-defence weapons then turn on the ISD and start firing on the hull, causing it to heat up and turn pliable, assisting the main guns in destroying hull./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Gustha growls as he looks out of the battlefield, just to see their last Victory go up in flames after a Corsan bomber wing consumes it. Gustha sighs, slumps his shoulders and looks down, "Calculate a Hyperspace jump back to base, this battle is lost."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Sir…" the navigator says sheepishly./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Navigator, you have your orders!" Gustha snaps back./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Aye, sir," the navigator says as he starts making the calculations. Gustha looks back to see one of the Corsan ships lining up its guns on his ship while several squadrons of Corsan strike craft begin to line up attack runs on his vessel./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Make it quick!" Gustha says nervously as he sees that he's one of two Star Destroyers left of the battle fleet. The rest of the Imperial ships are floating about as either wrecks or destroyed entirely, small chunks of debris being the only testament to their participation in the battle./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Just as the first bombers are about to line up their attack runs, they seem to stretch out into infinity along with the stars and all other objects in view, the ship lurches forwards and flings itself into the respite of Hyperspace. Gustha's shoulders visibly slump in relief. He turns to his bridge crew and says, "Analyse all data we were able to obtain and prepare a report for Command. I'll be in my office if anyone needs me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;"Admiral Jayni Uran stands in the Combat Information Centre of her Fleet Carrier with her hands clasped behind her back, looking into the emptiness of space in front of her where the Imperial Command Ship used to be. She expected more based on reports from The Twilight Sepulchre, the Galactic Empire had a tendency to fight to the bitter end, even if tactical retreats would be the more effective option. Though the reports about their mainline warships having no point-defence weaponry proved accurate, and Jayni would estimate painfully so for them after this./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""All enemy contacts have disengaged," the Sensor Operator. "Assault Carriers moving into position for deployment."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Good, get General Opkya on the line," Jayni says as she turns to see a full colour representation of the man in a navy blue jumpsuit and beret with the eagle on a field of stars, holding an anchor in it's claws under the fold of his headgear./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Admiral, how may I help you?" the somewhat gravelly voiced general says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Checking in, are you're boys ready for this?" Jayni, says smiling at him./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""The Corps is prepared for anything no matter what," the general says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Good to hear, are you sending in the Twilight Walkers we brought with us?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Warden Cyres and Lord Keesa? Yeah, seems like the best thing we can do with them, you read the same reports I did, they've got their own Force Users down there," Opkya says with a shrug. "If we did try and keep them up here, Keesa wouldn't stay put unless he wanted to. Right now we're designating them as Operation Commanders and they're leading the intial wave into the Planetary Capital. Right now, space ports and elevators are our primary objectives, we need to get civilians off this world so we can fortify it properly."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Yes, all going well, we'll be able to hold the Imperial forces at the border, hopefully even grind them to a halt in the hinterlands between us and Empire," Jayni says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""That'd be unlikely," a third voice says, as another man walks into frame. A man wearing a light combat suit, with what Jayni reckons is about eight lightsabers strapped to his belt. "This will be a long war, the Empire controls a massive portion of the Galaxy, and they can call upon all the resources therein."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""We all remember the Fracture, Jayvin, we know this will be like Tersia," Jayni says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Anyway, General, the Strategic Recon Squads have reported in, landing zones have been designated," Jayvin says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Understood," Opkya responds. "Time to send in the first wave."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Sir," Javin says, turning and leaving./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Bring me good news," Jayni says./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;" /p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.28cm; line-height: 108%;""Only the best," Opkya says resolutely./p