"Hyperspace exit signatures detected sir. Its an entire assault fleet, counting five destroyer analogs, twenty frigate analogs, and one heavy cruiser analog."
"They brought more firepower then we expected." Gallear observed as he gazed out through the viewports aboard the newly deployed Star Destroyer, the 'Lord Vader'. Beside him, captain Thompson stood proudly, ready and by the look of him, more then willing to commit the ultimate sacrifice, for the glory of the Empire.
"Launch all TIE squadrons, deploy them in a defensive array around the shipyards and the Star Destroyers."
"Sir, the 'Shadowfox' carrier demands instructions." an officer lifted his head from the displays of his comconsole to look at Thompson.
"Order them to join the rest of the starships with defending the shipyards." Thompson nodded to the officer who gave the report.
"Captain, our sensors are picking up six wings of coralskippers at the very minimum deployed in a defensive swarm around the main taskforce."
"Very well. Imploder lance status?" Gallear requested.
"All four quadrants ready to fire at your command sir." the report came.
"Alright, order them to aim for the bigger ships, those destroyer and heavy cruiser analogs. We can handle the frigates on our own." Thompson nodded again.
"Distance?"
"Five clicks and closing sir."
"Alright, open fire when they reach the third click."
"Sir... Something is wrong. They arent going after us, they are going after the shipyards." the sensor officer reported as he gazed into his screen.
"What?!" Thompson roared.
"Im positive sir, they arent following the right vector, and their present vector leaves no doubt, the are going after the shipyards."
"Helm, bring us in." Thompson said without bothering to look at the helm officer.
"Sir, the heavy cruiser and the destroyer analogs have opened fire."
"What about the frigates?"
"Nothing sir."
"This smells fishy. Notify the front two imploder lance crews to disregard my orders, and to open fire as soon as the enemy is within range."
"Picking up strange emissions from the frontal three frigate analogs sir, they seem to be accelerating."
"What ships do we have in that area?"
"Corvettes 'Deimos', 'Phobos', and 'Halberd' sire."
"Alright, order them to strenghten their shields, and notify them to keep their eyes open."
"Sir, our TIE squadrons have engaged the coralskipper swarm."
"Casualties?"
"Seventy so far sir."
"Damn. Thats nearly a full wing. Coralskipper count?"
"three hundred and fifty or so sir." the officer replied as the frigates outside began to shoot.
"Sir, the 'Halberd' reports heavy shield damage!"
"Lieutenant, give me a scan of those front six frigate analogs, fast!"
"Nothing sir, they are accelerating."
"Quick, order the 'Halberd, the 'Phobos' and the 'Deimos' to begin evasive actions!"
"Sir?"
"You heard me lieutenant, thats a suicide run if I ever saw one!" Thompson yelled back, but it was too late. A frigate slammed into the 'Halberd' first, which was already damaged from the volley of of other frigates, causing a detonation bright enough to damage both of the flank corvette's shields, only making the job easier for the remaining two frigate analogs. A second later, another two detonations brightened the space in close proximity to the shipyards, before Thompson or anyone could do anything.
"Lieutenant, order the remaining ships to reinforce that area of the shipyard complex, we cannot afford more damage to the shipyards. No matter the cost." said Thompson.
"Aye sir. Our sensors are detecting that the main warship has began landing troops on the planet, shall I order the activation of the shield?" the officer asked.
"No, the commander will activate it when the time is right." Thompson said as the death-hailing beam of the imploder lance sliced through a pair of frigates and slightly damaging a heavy cruiser.
"Commend the imploder crew on their precision." Gallear said as another blip turned off on the screen, with ample proof of an explosion on the other side of the shipyards.
"Sir, report from the 'God of War' indicated the 'Mars' has suffered heavy damage and was destroyed by a coralskipper wing."
"TIE status?"
"We lost over two hundred TIE starfighters so far sir, the coralskipper swarm is now two hundred skips strong."
"It seems we tipped the odds. Damage report?"
"Two hundred and twenty two TIE starfighters, the 'Mars', the 'Deimos', the 'Halberd', the 'Phobos', heavy damage on the 'Darkest Knight', medium damage on the 'Oathbraker' and the 'Fearbringer' and here on the 'Lord Vader', light damage on the 'God of War' and the 'Shadowfox carrier."
"Alright, what about the ground?"
"The Yuuzhan Vong landed over a hundred thousand troops, mostly slaves. Estimated casualties on their side report that atleast fifty thousand Yuuzhan Vong troops were either lost or prevented from landing by the activation of the shield."
"Alright, notify the stormtrooper commander to protect the Yammosk project at all cost. No cost is too great for the Empire." Thompson said, mayhaps a bit piously.
"Aye sir." the officer nodded in agreement and turned to relay the message, as the front two imploder crews on the 'Lord Vader' fired again, one beam slicing off an arm from the heavy cruiser, the other surged through a frigate, forcing it to collapse inwardly due to the strain, and then brutally detonate in a shower of yorik coral.
"Sir, we cannot continue with the same intensity of imploder firing, or our generators will overload." the system officer reported.
"How many more firings can we afford?" Gallear asked.
"Maybe two more from the back imploders, but anything above that will cause our generators to overload." the officer said back.
"Alright, in that case order the imploders to stand down, but to be prepared to fire in unison on my command." Thompson said, looking at his officers as a trio of TIE's screamed across space outside the viewpoints after a coralskipper.
"Captain?" Gallear said as he looked into Thompson's eye, wandering what did he plan to do.
"Its time to gamble the 'Lord Vader' captain."
"You cant be serious. We will lose all shielding, and just that if we are very lucky. If the generators go down, we will be sitting nerfs." argued Gallear.
"Engineering, how long will it take to bring back the generators after they go down?" Thompson asked in reply.
"About four to six minutes sir,depends on the amount of damage we recieve from the generator overload. The whole ship could detonate."
"Then its time for the kintari spider death gambit. Bring us in, order the imploders to target the heavy cruiser alone, fire when they are one hundred percent shure they can destroy it, and remind them we only have one shot. Also order the 'Oathbraker' and the 'Fearbringer' to protect us until we can bring back the generators." Thompson nodded to the officer beside him.
"Provided we survive the overload in the first place." Gallear argued again.
"No price is too great for the New Order of the Empire. A leader should be an example to his men if he expects them to follow that."
"The Grand Admiral could be here any minute, sacrificing a brand new Star Destroyer, which Im certain costs far more then your wage, isnt what he will consider a successful defense."
"Sir, Imploders are ready to fire. What are your orders?" the officer looked up expectantly.
"Fire." Thompson said as his hand slid to the back of the chair. Outside, four beams of pure energy, hailing destruction and death in their wake, bursted from the 'Lord Vader', and as suddenly as they surged in their path of destruction ripping through the heavy cruiser, scattering yorik coral and bodies into the cold embrace of space, so all lights went out aboard the 'Lord Vader'.
* * *
"Is my admiral ship ready captain?" Thrawn murmored as they neared their destination, the besieged planet of Almania.
"The 'Inquisitor' is fully under your command admiral." Cayel supplied the formal reply as stars dissolved into points of light on a black background, a net of detonations spoiling the peaceful space around the planet. They have arrived. Suddenly four beams of shattering blue energy surged from one of the Star Destroyers, slamming through the voids of the heavy cruiser, slamming through the yorik coral, slamming through all which stood in their path until the ship detonated in a shower of yorik coral. All lights went out on the Star Destroyer, the glow of the engines died, and the great and mighty warship, once the pride of the Empire, now hung lifeless in space.
"Hail the Imperial forces in the area. Begin deploying TIE squadrons, order the 'Stasis' to activate their gravity well generators. None of the slime shall escape this time." Thrawn said, the fire in his eyes burning with a frightening control, holding back anger unknown.
"Aye sir!" the sensor officer said as a squadron of V-38 starfighters raced from under the 'Inquisitor's bow.
* * *
"Ready proton torpedoes. Divide into trio's, first designated target is the Yuuzhan Vong frigate X-012." Kowes mumbled as we surveyed the carnage. The frigate loomed closer and closer, as he unleashed first a burst of low-powered blaster shots, then began to mix low and high powered shots. Soon they began to brake through, and then he unleashed a pair of proton torpedoes - as did his entire squadron. The voids swallowed half, before letting the other torpedoes past the frigate shields, tearing through yorik coral, scattering air and bodies through space, with a detonation to shower the surrounding space with yet more and more debris.
"New designation X-09, save four proton torpedoes for the destroyer analogs." Kowes murmored as he eyed a far-away frigate, moving torward the inactive 'Lord Vader', drilling the hull with hot plasma. Before he could do anything or think anything, his gaze was drawn to a sole starfighter, showering the frigate with green spears of death. The nimble starfighter strafed across the hull of the frigate, and shooting out into space ahead, barely after gaining some distance it executed a loop, somehow managing to avoid a barrage of plasma, almost all of it. A bolt grazed the solar panel, and Kowes knew that the pilot was doomed. Suddenly, the comlink bursted in a voice, a voice Kowes know all too well. His voice.
"GLORY TO THE EMPIRE!" the pilot roared as he plowed his starfighter into the bridge of the frigate analog, the results were obvious as the frigate began to spin out of control.
"And all glory to you, pilot." Kowes murmored the farewell he spoke so many times over the past year, seeing yet another of his brothers lay down his life for the Empire. And every time one of them died... He was certain they died for the right cause.
He shook off the grim thoughts, and turned torward the battle. The Yuuzhan Vong shall feel his fury unbridled this time - not the other way around. The Empire shall show them the true meaning of warfare.
"They brought more firepower then we expected." Gallear observed as he gazed out through the viewports aboard the newly deployed Star Destroyer, the 'Lord Vader'. Beside him, captain Thompson stood proudly, ready and by the look of him, more then willing to commit the ultimate sacrifice, for the glory of the Empire.
"Launch all TIE squadrons, deploy them in a defensive array around the shipyards and the Star Destroyers."
"Sir, the 'Shadowfox' carrier demands instructions." an officer lifted his head from the displays of his comconsole to look at Thompson.
"Order them to join the rest of the starships with defending the shipyards." Thompson nodded to the officer who gave the report.
"Captain, our sensors are picking up six wings of coralskippers at the very minimum deployed in a defensive swarm around the main taskforce."
"Very well. Imploder lance status?" Gallear requested.
"All four quadrants ready to fire at your command sir." the report came.
"Alright, order them to aim for the bigger ships, those destroyer and heavy cruiser analogs. We can handle the frigates on our own." Thompson nodded again.
"Distance?"
"Five clicks and closing sir."
"Alright, open fire when they reach the third click."
"Sir... Something is wrong. They arent going after us, they are going after the shipyards." the sensor officer reported as he gazed into his screen.
"What?!" Thompson roared.
"Im positive sir, they arent following the right vector, and their present vector leaves no doubt, the are going after the shipyards."
"Helm, bring us in." Thompson said without bothering to look at the helm officer.
"Sir, the heavy cruiser and the destroyer analogs have opened fire."
"What about the frigates?"
"Nothing sir."
"This smells fishy. Notify the front two imploder lance crews to disregard my orders, and to open fire as soon as the enemy is within range."
"Picking up strange emissions from the frontal three frigate analogs sir, they seem to be accelerating."
"What ships do we have in that area?"
"Corvettes 'Deimos', 'Phobos', and 'Halberd' sire."
"Alright, order them to strenghten their shields, and notify them to keep their eyes open."
"Sir, our TIE squadrons have engaged the coralskipper swarm."
"Casualties?"
"Seventy so far sir."
"Damn. Thats nearly a full wing. Coralskipper count?"
"three hundred and fifty or so sir." the officer replied as the frigates outside began to shoot.
"Sir, the 'Halberd' reports heavy shield damage!"
"Lieutenant, give me a scan of those front six frigate analogs, fast!"
"Nothing sir, they are accelerating."
"Quick, order the 'Halberd, the 'Phobos' and the 'Deimos' to begin evasive actions!"
"Sir?"
"You heard me lieutenant, thats a suicide run if I ever saw one!" Thompson yelled back, but it was too late. A frigate slammed into the 'Halberd' first, which was already damaged from the volley of of other frigates, causing a detonation bright enough to damage both of the flank corvette's shields, only making the job easier for the remaining two frigate analogs. A second later, another two detonations brightened the space in close proximity to the shipyards, before Thompson or anyone could do anything.
"Lieutenant, order the remaining ships to reinforce that area of the shipyard complex, we cannot afford more damage to the shipyards. No matter the cost." said Thompson.
"Aye sir. Our sensors are detecting that the main warship has began landing troops on the planet, shall I order the activation of the shield?" the officer asked.
"No, the commander will activate it when the time is right." Thompson said as the death-hailing beam of the imploder lance sliced through a pair of frigates and slightly damaging a heavy cruiser.
"Commend the imploder crew on their precision." Gallear said as another blip turned off on the screen, with ample proof of an explosion on the other side of the shipyards.
"Sir, report from the 'God of War' indicated the 'Mars' has suffered heavy damage and was destroyed by a coralskipper wing."
"TIE status?"
"We lost over two hundred TIE starfighters so far sir, the coralskipper swarm is now two hundred skips strong."
"It seems we tipped the odds. Damage report?"
"Two hundred and twenty two TIE starfighters, the 'Mars', the 'Deimos', the 'Halberd', the 'Phobos', heavy damage on the 'Darkest Knight', medium damage on the 'Oathbraker' and the 'Fearbringer' and here on the 'Lord Vader', light damage on the 'God of War' and the 'Shadowfox carrier."
"Alright, what about the ground?"
"The Yuuzhan Vong landed over a hundred thousand troops, mostly slaves. Estimated casualties on their side report that atleast fifty thousand Yuuzhan Vong troops were either lost or prevented from landing by the activation of the shield."
"Alright, notify the stormtrooper commander to protect the Yammosk project at all cost. No cost is too great for the Empire." Thompson said, mayhaps a bit piously.
"Aye sir." the officer nodded in agreement and turned to relay the message, as the front two imploder crews on the 'Lord Vader' fired again, one beam slicing off an arm from the heavy cruiser, the other surged through a frigate, forcing it to collapse inwardly due to the strain, and then brutally detonate in a shower of yorik coral.
"Sir, we cannot continue with the same intensity of imploder firing, or our generators will overload." the system officer reported.
"How many more firings can we afford?" Gallear asked.
"Maybe two more from the back imploders, but anything above that will cause our generators to overload." the officer said back.
"Alright, in that case order the imploders to stand down, but to be prepared to fire in unison on my command." Thompson said, looking at his officers as a trio of TIE's screamed across space outside the viewpoints after a coralskipper.
"Captain?" Gallear said as he looked into Thompson's eye, wandering what did he plan to do.
"Its time to gamble the 'Lord Vader' captain."
"You cant be serious. We will lose all shielding, and just that if we are very lucky. If the generators go down, we will be sitting nerfs." argued Gallear.
"Engineering, how long will it take to bring back the generators after they go down?" Thompson asked in reply.
"About four to six minutes sir,depends on the amount of damage we recieve from the generator overload. The whole ship could detonate."
"Then its time for the kintari spider death gambit. Bring us in, order the imploders to target the heavy cruiser alone, fire when they are one hundred percent shure they can destroy it, and remind them we only have one shot. Also order the 'Oathbraker' and the 'Fearbringer' to protect us until we can bring back the generators." Thompson nodded to the officer beside him.
"Provided we survive the overload in the first place." Gallear argued again.
"No price is too great for the New Order of the Empire. A leader should be an example to his men if he expects them to follow that."
"The Grand Admiral could be here any minute, sacrificing a brand new Star Destroyer, which Im certain costs far more then your wage, isnt what he will consider a successful defense."
"Sir, Imploders are ready to fire. What are your orders?" the officer looked up expectantly.
"Fire." Thompson said as his hand slid to the back of the chair. Outside, four beams of pure energy, hailing destruction and death in their wake, bursted from the 'Lord Vader', and as suddenly as they surged in their path of destruction ripping through the heavy cruiser, scattering yorik coral and bodies into the cold embrace of space, so all lights went out aboard the 'Lord Vader'.
* * *
"Is my admiral ship ready captain?" Thrawn murmored as they neared their destination, the besieged planet of Almania.
"The 'Inquisitor' is fully under your command admiral." Cayel supplied the formal reply as stars dissolved into points of light on a black background, a net of detonations spoiling the peaceful space around the planet. They have arrived. Suddenly four beams of shattering blue energy surged from one of the Star Destroyers, slamming through the voids of the heavy cruiser, slamming through the yorik coral, slamming through all which stood in their path until the ship detonated in a shower of yorik coral. All lights went out on the Star Destroyer, the glow of the engines died, and the great and mighty warship, once the pride of the Empire, now hung lifeless in space.
"Hail the Imperial forces in the area. Begin deploying TIE squadrons, order the 'Stasis' to activate their gravity well generators. None of the slime shall escape this time." Thrawn said, the fire in his eyes burning with a frightening control, holding back anger unknown.
"Aye sir!" the sensor officer said as a squadron of V-38 starfighters raced from under the 'Inquisitor's bow.
* * *
"Ready proton torpedoes. Divide into trio's, first designated target is the Yuuzhan Vong frigate X-012." Kowes mumbled as we surveyed the carnage. The frigate loomed closer and closer, as he unleashed first a burst of low-powered blaster shots, then began to mix low and high powered shots. Soon they began to brake through, and then he unleashed a pair of proton torpedoes - as did his entire squadron. The voids swallowed half, before letting the other torpedoes past the frigate shields, tearing through yorik coral, scattering air and bodies through space, with a detonation to shower the surrounding space with yet more and more debris.
"New designation X-09, save four proton torpedoes for the destroyer analogs." Kowes murmored as he eyed a far-away frigate, moving torward the inactive 'Lord Vader', drilling the hull with hot plasma. Before he could do anything or think anything, his gaze was drawn to a sole starfighter, showering the frigate with green spears of death. The nimble starfighter strafed across the hull of the frigate, and shooting out into space ahead, barely after gaining some distance it executed a loop, somehow managing to avoid a barrage of plasma, almost all of it. A bolt grazed the solar panel, and Kowes knew that the pilot was doomed. Suddenly, the comlink bursted in a voice, a voice Kowes know all too well. His voice.
"GLORY TO THE EMPIRE!" the pilot roared as he plowed his starfighter into the bridge of the frigate analog, the results were obvious as the frigate began to spin out of control.
"And all glory to you, pilot." Kowes murmored the farewell he spoke so many times over the past year, seeing yet another of his brothers lay down his life for the Empire. And every time one of them died... He was certain they died for the right cause.
He shook off the grim thoughts, and turned torward the battle. The Yuuzhan Vong shall feel his fury unbridled this time - not the other way around. The Empire shall show them the true meaning of warfare.
