:Accessing New Republic Intelligence Database:
:Authorization Aurek-Niner-Niner-Orenth-Cherek:
:Access Granted. Welcome Agent Yultac, Special Threats Division.:
:You have One (1) New Message from Tactical Analysis Bureau. Signed by Agent Das Itton. Subject title: Here is the file you asked for. Stop bothering me about this now Renia.
:Accessing Report #5793, authored by Agent Das Itton, Tactical Analysis Bureau:
Target Obelisk Stranger, aka Inquisitorius Agent 'Ninth Brother' within the internal ranking of the Inquisitorius. Exact Age, unknown. Home Planet, unknown. Real Name, expunged from the records.
It is most likely that the Target was discovered during the usual midichlorian scans the Empire conducts on infants and toddlers. Ergo the Home Planet can be placed in the Core, Colony or Expansion Region where such tests are most common. However due to standard Inquisitorius procedure, it is almost certain that the Target has no connections to his home planet. He may not even know its name.
Skill Level, we can assume standard Inquisitorius training in lightsaber combat and Force use. Individual skills outside of that are unable to be established due to the varied individuality observed within the ranks of the Inquisitorius. Possible speciality is possible urban combat based on recovered footage from engagements in the Western Reaches during the post-Yavin campaigns.
Target is in command of at least one Imperial-I class Star Destroyer. Following Endor it is likely that command has grown as part of the organization's efforts to grow its power base to contest other power blocks in the ruling junta on Coruscant.
Based on intercepted communiques and HoloNet transmission, Target has remained 'loyal' to the original Inquisitorius based in Coruscant. This fits the larger trend that has been observed. Inquisitors who bear the Numbered designations and those assigned to postings in the galactic south have shown a markedly more loyal temperament to overall Imperial command compared to those in the galactic north. (See the Report 5640 report series).
With the current state of affairs in the southern galactic core, it is likely that Imperial Command has retasked its loyalist cadre of Inquisitor's to double back into established territory to prop up loyalty to the junta on Coruscant. Trying to define the exact remit the Inquisitors operate under now would only be conjecture at this point.
Recommendation: Continue Director Cracken's policy of subterfuge and select assassinations to undermine wider Imperial Unity. Target Obelisk Stranger had demonstrated no unique danger to the New Republic at this time and it is the recommendation of the Threat Analysis Division that the target remain grouped with the wider Obelisk designation. It is also the recommendation of this report that the target be delisted from the galactic south threat folders and relocated to the Core threat folder based off gathered intelligence.
End Report #5793
Postscript Attachment: Renia this is as far as I can push this. Director Cracken will have this on his desk for review and maybe he'll bring this guy to General Skywalker's attention. I can't do anything else for you about this. So in my books, we're even now for that matter on Nothoiin.
As your friend, I'm asking you to drop this now, Director Cracken won't be happy if he figures out that you have personal interest in this guy. You have serious potential to get a commanding rank, don't fuck it up over small nerf like this.
Chapter 22: Battle of Ottabesk I39:7:5 GrS
Ottabesk, Ottabesk System, The Deep Core
Masal lept into action.
"Direct all power to the turbolaser batteries!" He ordered. "Scramble the fighter wings and recall the picket force! Have the Ton Falks fall back towards the planet and order our light cruisers into a skirmish line ahead of us."
He briefly glanced to be before I headed him off with a quick hand motion. I needed to focus on the actions of our enemies rather than setting us up for battle. Below the Adamant, the shields of the enemy star destroyer could be seen warping under the full strength of my three star destroyers. I gritted my teeth in irritation. The shields would hold for another minute or two, my intuition was telling me.
Either the rebels or the traitors would be within range to engage us by then. We couldn't stop hammering this star destroyer until it was destroyed however.
"Captain, have our bombers circle around and take out their engines. It may cause a cascade failure in their reactors that will speed this up." I called out. Masal quickly relayed my instructions to Starfighter Control and I watched a nearby monitor as a red square blipped out from the large triangle of the Adamant and swung to the rear of the battered ambushed star destroyer.
"Bombing run completed." An aide transmitted to Masal. Before he had the time to transmit the report to me, I felt the cry of many deaths in the Force. A millisecond later, the engines detonated in a blue tinged explosion that engulfed the star destroyer below. I could quickly make out the half-circle hole that had been blown out of the ship before the Adamant was rocked by the radiation of the blast.
"Damage report." Masal growled down in the bridge pit.
"The shields were buffeted, but all deflector shields are holding at combat readiness. Ray shields did dip but are rapidly recovering. Radiation levels remained at normal levels. Pacer and Relentless confirm the same. " Was the quick response. I continued to stare out the windows as the three ships ceased firing at the now derelict enemy craft and rotated
"It would be best to avoid more of those for the time being." Masal said to me in a low tone, while keeping his eyes locked on the advancing wedge of gray.
"I don't foresee the need to ram the Adamant into a reactor any time soon." I mildly replied. "What are the rebels doing?"
"They've backed up for the moment." Masal informed. "Our scans aren't picking up the usual contingent of snub fighters, so they are most likely waiting for them to arrive. Teradoc has given four light cruisers to check their advance and the rest are coming at us at full combat speed."
"Are the advance ships back in formation?" I asked.
"Three of the frigates have fallen back into line. The fourth frigate and the Fist of Asgar are fighting a rear guard against the ships that had been part of the siege lines."
I looked forward to the charging Teradoc aligned ships and made a judgment call.
"Divert five squadrons to assist the rear guard in wiping out the picket ships, send four of corvettes along with them and the rest will guard the Ton Falks."
"And the rest of the fleet?" Masal asked, though I could sense he already had an idea of what I had come up with.
I smiled thinly, lips pressed together. "Bring the fleet into attack formation, captain. We're going right at them."
Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was ambition, or even plain battle hunger. Whatever it was, Masal did not decide that I was an idiot and subsequently try to relieve me of command -it would not have ended well for him- instead he grinned and nodded in agreement.
"We have more concentrated firepower than them. Put the star destroyers at the front of the line we can batter them enough to prevent the frigates from taking too much of the fire."
"I was thinking more of the star fighter advantage. We have them beat by at least a hundred and fifty with the three hundred that are remaining with us. Combine our pass with bombing runs and we might come out on top."
"With flying through all that anti-fighter fire? They've set up in an anchor formation with their star destroyers, we're going in top heavy as it is. It's very risky to strip our fighter escorts."
"High risk, high reward." I retorted. "Have the ion cannons focus on the destroyers anti-fighter batteries and our bomber squadrons can take the light cruisers. We need to break their push at least for as long as it takes the rebels to get involved. We can refocus from there."
"Fine." Masal said. "But the Ton Falks keep their fighter escort."
"Agreed."
In short order, Masal had transmitted the plan to the rest of the fleet. What followed was a surprisingly quick change of momentum for our side. We formed into a narrow battle line with our three star destroyers heading up the line. The Adamant was at the front, bow angled ever so slightly down to the port and starboard turbolaser batteries could be brought to bear along with the bow turbolaser battery. My two Victory classes, Pacer and Relentless formed up behind. The frigates and the light cruisers fell in behind them with TIE fighters buzzing through the formation.
Of course it wasn't a straight line, like this was a battle on the high seas of my old life. The ships were spaced up and down the z and y axis to allow the choicest firing solutions for when we engaged.
This was the hard backbone of the Imperial Navy tactics when dealing with fleet to fleet encounters. Arrange your ships in a line formation and sail right past or through the enemy formation, blasting at close range to take advantage of the great power of your turbolaser batteries to blow away the enemy completely, or weaken them enough for your massed fighter waves to finish the job.
It was a strategy that had won the Galactic Republic the Clone Wars two decades ago and the Navy hadn't deviated from it since. Now we were about to throw our line against Teradoc's line.
The arrangement of the ships on the line was confirmed and Masal gave the order to advance at full speed. I could see that Teradoc had matched our maneuver, and formed up his own line. His two star destroyers were anchoring the front and rear of his formation, with the variety of cruisers forming a soft middle. I deduced that he aimed to blunt our front heavy formation before turning about to cut into our rear, or keep going on to eliminate our rear line.
I sensed a similar amount of apprehension from Masal, who directed our forward batteries to begin probing the Lancet's shields. After the first volley of emerald turbolasers impacted on his ship, Teradoc returned the favor.
As the return fire splashed against our own shields and as the distance quickly ticked down, I felt the tension leave Masal. I looked over to see that he had straightened into a parade rest position, feet shoulder width apart and hands clasped behind his back.
"Is something about to happen that I am unaware of?" I asked, curious as to what had caused the shift in demeanor.
"No my lord." He said. "There is nothing more to do at this point but wait for the main engagement and trust in the gunners and the ship to see us through the pass."
Behind us, I heard the officers manning Flight Control give the order for the TIE squadrons to start their attack runs into Teradoc's formation. This was the big gamble. Our fighters needed to evade the anti-air batteries of Teradoc's forces and keep enough bombers alive so that they could cause chaos within Teradoc's line to give us the edge in the ship to ship engagement.
While avoiding Teradoc's fighters as well.
But as Masal said, nothing more I could do but trust in the ships and crews to carry us through this first pass. After that would come the time for more decisions.
TIE/sa Bomber, Callsign: Beta 3
"We've received orders to begin our attack run, Beta Squadron. Prime ion bombs in chamber one and proton torpedoes in chamber two." The words of Beta Leader squealed into Julian Tindar -better known to his flightmates as Beta Three- flight helmet. He scowled at the feedback. Nerfshit technicians told him that this had been fixed.
He'd tear them a new one later however, now Beta 3 had flying and killing to do, in that order.
"Beta 4, stick close to me." He rasped into the mic in his black helmet. "Our payloads need to overlap on impact."
"Understood Beta 3, we went over this in the briefing" Replied Beta 4, otherwise known as Ridden Burdo. Julian preferred to call him an annoyance.
"And your overlap rates still aren't where they should be." Beta 3 snapped. "We have a reputation to uphold and I won't have the squadron's report tarnished by you not using your bombs to their maximum effect."
As he spoke, Beta 3 fiddled with his targeting computer, setting its parameters to the battlefield conditions so that his ordinance flew straight and true onto the enemies of the Empire.
"Ah, still mad that you didn't get promoted to Leader's wingman?" Beta 4 stated with humor in his voice.
"Shut up and focus, Beta 4." Beta 3 said. He wasn't bitter about still having this joke filled buffoon as his wingman, not at all.
"Copy that, Beta 3. Ordnance is armed and I am ready to begin my attack run." Beta 4 chimed. Beta 3 grimaced at the overly happy tone but echoed the call to both his wingman and the squadron.
Then the order came, and the great mass of TIEs leapt away from the glittering formation of doonium like hunting hounds loose from the leash. Beta 3's world narrowed down to the space in front of him and the cockpit he inhabited. He no longer had limbs, he had dials and pedals. He did not have eyes, he had sensors and scanners.
Beta Squadron banked away from the fleet on its port side, joining a mass of what had to be hundreds of fellow TIEs based on what the scanners were picking up. Tens of kilometers below the fleet, they stopped flying down and leveled off from the dive. Now the pack of TIEs were charging straight at the traitor's own tendril of ships.
Beta 3 judged that his squadron had a place of honor among the great hunting pack of TIEs, his IFF tracker picking up the familiar numbers of Alpha Sqaudron's interceptors. He judged that such an accomplished squadron would have to be at the front of the charge.
"Listen up men, we have our target." Beta Leader announced into the squadron channel. "Targeting data is being transmitted now. Ion torpedoes are to be fired first, followed up by proton torpedoes."
Beta 3 watched as the profile of a Star Destroyer filled his targeting computer, the computer zoomed in on the main hangar on the underside of the Star Destroyer.
"Following our united strike, we're to break into the wingmen and take targets of opportunity among their smaller ships. Then its onto the second star destroyer in the rear of the formation if you have remaining ordinance. If not, head back to the Adamant for resupply." Beta Leader ended his orders with a rousing 'Long Live the Empire!'.
Beta 3 joined the squadron in repeating the chant with gusto in their voices. The kilometers left to the target were rapidly ticking down and Beta 3 could begin to see the details on the looming Star Destroyer they were targeting.
Now he could see, if he leaned forward against his restraints and peered over the lip of his cockpit, the first exchange of fire between the lead star destroyers as their main batteries finally drew into optimal firing range. The flare of the shields from the impact actually made his lenses darken from the brightness of it.
Then his proximity alarm began to ring. He looked at the scanner.
Enemy fighters were coming straight at them! Falling back on his training, Beta 3 and the rest of his squadron slowed their speed slightly, allowing the accompanying regular TIEs to surge forward to engage first.
A torrent of cannon fire erupted in a jagged ball in front of them as the engagement started. Beta Leader quickly identified a hole in the entangled dogfight and led the Squadron through it. A hit TIE tumbled into Beta 3's path and he had to yank upwards to avoid a collision. Right into the path of another TIE that the IFF pinged has hostile.
It was a race to see who could fire first and strike the killing blow.
The other TIE was quicker, a burst of cannon fired arched towards him, two flew high and low, the third hit him dead on…!
And were absorbed and dissipated by his shields.
The chime of his target computer informed that he had a lock. He fired. He hit and the other TIE did not have shields
"Hah!" He barked out in grim amusement. A year earlier and he would be dead, but now these shields were proving their worth.
Amazingly, Beta Squadron half dodged and half fought their way out the dogfight without any casualties. Then they were right within striking distance of the traitor's lead star destroyer.
"This is Beta Squadron, beginning our attack run." Came the call. They all threw their engines into overdrive and raced straight into the oncoming anti-fighter fire from the star destroyer.
Beta 3's world narrowed further. Now it was just him, the controls that he gripped with all his strength and the target.
He and Beta 4 juked and weaved around streams of viridian fire. The distance to the target was ticking down.
Beta 3 felt the g's from the spin he had to throw himself into to avoid a kill shot race into his bones and settle in the marrow. The pain grew as he had to spin hard again the other way to dodg the follow.
Not yet, the ion torpedoes needed to be fired closer for the best effectiveness.
His shields took a brace of glancing hits and his controls started to whine at him, telling him without speaking that he couldn't take another hit.
Not yet. He primed the launcher and impulsively moved his thumb to hover over the firing stud. Any millisecond now.
"We're in range. Firing!" Beta 4 yelled. Beta 3 followed his wingman's words and slammed his thumb on the firing stud. His TIE shuddered as the mechanisms next to his cockpit engaged and fired their deadly payload.
"Firing proton torpedoes!" This time it was Beta 3 who made the call and he saw the familiar glow of reddish-purple projectiles race towards the ventral hull of the enemy star destroyer, which was currently wracked with arcing streams of blue light.
Beta 3 didn't have time to parse the next actions he took.
He and Beta 4 broke their attack run, not bothering to see and report the effectiveness of their attack run, changing their angle to take them over the lip of the star destroyer then along the superstructure, weaving this way and that to dodge enemy fire.
Then they were clear of the imposing gray bulk and into the space that was ripe with targets. Around him buzzed the other TIEs that had made the attack run. The black horde broke into several streams that flew around the engine plumes of the Lancet and towards the weaker cruisers.
Beta 3 saw Carracks, Arquintens and Nebulons. Beta 4 made the call, they were hitting a Nebulon on their right.
Beta Leader and Beta 2 joined their attack run, and their massed proton torpedoes snapped the spine of the Nebulon. Beta 3 hadn't seen any enemy fighters attempting to intercept them since the initial dogfight they had passed through. The cruiser's frantic attempts to intercept them with turbolasers were as deadly a substitute as any.
They had just enough time to put a few holes in the triangular frame of an Arquintens before Beta Leader made the call for the entire squadron to regroup. The reunited squadron flew up, out of the general melee of bombing runs and strafing attempts. Beta 3 didn't have time to see if they had lost anyone, but he made sure to confirm that Beta 4 was still with him. He was.
With the enhanced view of the engagement, Beta 3 could see that their side had decided to leapt on the weakness that had shown in the enemy's formation and had swung the formation into that weak middle. They were crossing the T of the enemy fleet!
Beta 3's adrenaline swelled in anticipation. They had them! All they needed to do to wipe these traitors out was to cripple the star destroyer at the rear of the enemy formation and they'd have lost all their hard hitters.
"Alright, now's the time boys! Prep the rest of your ion torpedoes and follow me!" Beta Leader gave the command and swung the squadron down, clearly aiming for the bridge of the rear star destroyer.
Then he died in a fiery blast as red cannon fire struck down at him from on high, destroying his shields and then the craft exploded in turn.
"Break, break, break! Enemy above!" The squadron channel came alive with the calls. Beta 3 swung hard to the left, Beta 4 following him. Beta 7 went right and died in the follow up fire.
A X-Wing zipped through the middle of the scrambled formation, followed by another X-Wing, then an A-Wing, then five X-Wings and more and more and more.
Beta 3 didn't have the time to count or even estimate how many rebel snub fighters had just passed by him but he knew that there were a lot of them, and they were going straight for the Adamant.
Not good.
A/N: Part One of the Battle of Ottabesk is here, aiming for three parts in total for this segment. So I hoped you liked this one.
Beta 3 and Beta Squadron first appeared in Chapter 10. They are part of the Adamant's TIE contingent and are flying TIE bombers. I figured that it can't be a big star wars battle without some good old fighter combat.
So the rebels have made their play into the mix, how will the combined Imperials respond? Find out next time and all that.