[19 BBY]
[Yorik-stronha Silent Shadow, MZX33291 System, Kanz Sector, Veragi Trade Route, Outer Rim Territories]
The yorik-et accelerated towards their prey Tu'Shraid saw, the filth before them launching their abominations to oppose them. Hatred burned alongside eagerness within his core as they struck and prepared to silence yet another foe; something so very rare as they silently stalked amidst the void of the stars, preparing the way cycles distant. These prey had thought they had hunted another, lesser prey; one slain earlier when they had blundered upon his Yorik-stroha looking like one asteroid amongst many. Idly he had wondered if they had even realised their doom before it struck?
"Brenzlit"
"Dwi, Brenzlit" he agreed with his subordinate as the abominations serving their prey held back. Too timid he saw that as just like Nu'tanra did, making the fight even poorer he expected as the Yorik-et closed rapidly upon the filth "Do-ro'ik vong pratte"
"Dwi, Khattazz"
As he had expected his warriors tore apart the mechanical monsters these ones called droid-fighters, a poor performance as he had expected. Unfortunate in a way, that such rare engagements must be against such vile thing, such weak foes, but for now he must play the Harla, the trickster, and learn all that must be learned of the void between stars here. So often they had to avoid such foes at all costs, but now that their base on the fifth world had been likely discovered...it was time to move once again, leaving naught but dead ships, rumours and ghosts in their wake.
A Recusant Light Destroyer the natives, the slaves, called the thing dropping more filth from its launch bays; the worst kind of abomination, and his rage burned hot even as he exulted as his yorik-et squadrons used their dovin basels effectively. There was so much to learn, and many of the other scout groups had been less than successful so far, dying warriors' deaths perhaps, but more was needed. It was the will of the Gods that they conquer and drive the horrors from the stars, that they bring their truth to these lands and have the shapers turn all to the what was glory.
But first small battles must be fought before the great ones could even be conceived of, to test and probe at the strength of the prey. A test these ones failed; righteous destruction falling upon the fools and their abominations with swift ruthlessness that prevented any escape, any word of warning. Soon all trace of their presence upon the world nearby, Bimmiel the locals called it, would be gone and they would resume operations elsewhere once the wreckage of the slaughter sent into the local sun. The current chaos of war between the prey made matters more difficult than when they had arrived as their poor excuses for warriors investigated where they had not before. Still, it would not be enough for them...
--
[19 BBY]
[Confederate Naval Lucrehulk-class Battleship Winds of Commerce, Kashyyyk Subjugation Fleet, In Orbit Kashyyyk, Kashyyyk System, Mytaranor Sector, Mid Rim]
Commodore Mar Tuuk watched as the ground invasion of the Wookie homeworld began from the bridge of his flagship. Personally he had significant doubts about the cost-benefit ratio of this entire operation, but he had voiced them already, and his part of the operational plan had been completed successfully. For now at least, as he was sure the Republic forces that had retreated from the system would return in raids in the coming days, as well as those enemy ships sheltering under the planetary shield. Providing fire-support for the Republic forces of course, however limited it may be.
"All units to begin concentrating firepower on the following coordinates" he commanded his crew of organics and droids with an easy calm as he indicated the locations on the weak planetary shield. Likely the result of the fighting between the Republic forces before he had arrived he imagined, and now he had located those weak-spots perhaps it was doable to eliminate the groundside generators and defences. What Ion canons and other systems the defenders possessed had been arranged around the most defensible areas and the major population hubs, but not covering these area.
'We should blockade this world and offer terms, less costly than attempting to dig out a dozen Jedi and their apprentices all eager for a Glorious Last Stand I imagine' he thought watching the assault driven down towards the planet relentlessly. Placing a Super Tactical Droid in charge of the assault, and conquest attempt, was likely to be a good idea when facing so many Jedi and their strange mind-bending powers. It seemed Count Dooku had been correct about the Republic being secretly ruled by the Jedi based on everything that all sides of the dawning Republic Civil War were saying.
Even the Supreme Chancellor had admitted on Kuat he was a Force User...one of these 'Sith' as Count Dooku had claimed to be. A lie Mar Tuuk knew; the manipulative Republic's leader was nothing like the noble martyr that the Count of Serreno had been, lies the Republic attempted to spread about him aside. The Shadowfeed had done its best to correct such obvious efforts he had found, and his home of Neimodia stood firm against both sets of Republican tyrants.
Jedi or No Jedi the Republic's tyrannical rule had to come to an end, even if it meant distasteful tasks such as Kashyyyk and eliminating the Grandmaster of the Jedi, the one suspected to have coordinated everything against the Separatists. Only through the luck of the Republic's chaos and MIND CONTROL CHIPS had stopped their coup. Mar Tuuk shook his head at that again. MIND CONTROL CHIPS. Spirits of Credits and Fortune, what kind of monsters were they fighting that would treat organics as if they were mindless, soul-less, droids?
--
[19 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, In Hyperspace, headed towards Gerrenthum, Greater Javin Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"Hmm, a mission you say?"
I nodded to Asajj as I drank from the water bottle after our spar "You can turn it down if you wish, in the past I'd have done it myself, but well..."
"Moving up in the galaxy" I shrugged at her words. It wasn't quite that, but I had too many responsibilities now to be running off and micro-managing like my visit to Malachor, to Ossus, and other worlds before that.
"Somewhat, hard to just disappear off, so I do believe you would fit the bill nicely for negotiating with our...friends...the Hutts, and investigating the purchase of this particular item. It could be nothing, but that's why a Force User is ideal, and I suspect you would be interested in a potential Sith item, or treasure as some call it, and it shouldn't be a long mission in that regards. Fast ships there and back, we are under the clock here after all"
She nodded, wiping the sweat off her then nodding again "What support are you proposing?"
"You, either Naa'leth or Karis, not both by the way, along with a squad of our Jump Infantry and three squads of droids for ground support. Two of our modified Gozanti refits, or equivalent if you've a better choice for speed or armour for transport;- with a Consular or YT-refit for sensors. I'd rather keep this low-key, especially since our dear Eluw'niri has something to send to her sister"
Asajj snorted at that "Her Hutt Masters you mean?"
I nodded "Essentially, and they for me. They're manipulating us of course, but beggars can't be choosers"
The Dathomiri gave me a look "We are hardly beggars"
"No, we're not, but our position is less than ideal with the Hutts, so we play along with them as long as they play along with us. Not with them dealing with this Darth Imperious, and currently keeping the Separatists off their hyperlanes. So we show respect...but also a firm hand, hence why you're ideal Asajj my dear"
She smirked "For both my beauty AND, more importantly, my winning personality with the lightsaber"
"Yes, beauty and murderous skills, useful for certain business deals..." I agreed politely "...and in this case dealing with any idiocy about a former Sith artefact should this Jebble Box be Darth Dreypa's Oubliette in actuality. I do not want it opened if it is vaguely hinting at been a Sith artefact, not on Nar Shadda...at least not outside a fortified research lab on a barren world - with me, you, the dynamic duo, and a large number of combat droids around. Force traps, diseases, and others such dangers often come with real Sith artefacts"
She shrugged "None have been able to open it so far"
I nodded "Probably Force locked, maybe, but it could just be another scam. I'll assign a protocol droid with Sith language primers and runic notations as well to help you with the task. No matter, its a secondary to the information exchange, so acceptable?"
"Acceptable, I'm going to shower now"
"Okay, I'll brief you once I've freshened up as well" I replied taking a deep drink of the cold water. It had certainly been an exhausting spar, but that was the idea behind them in improving my aggressive sword forms to a better standard. Standing and frustrating the enemy was all well and good, but Dooku had been better, and once Ventress focused she was deadly. The whole mission would be useful test of her self-control on whether she could resist the temptation to simply grab some Sith treasure, or Dark Side nudges, or focus upon the long-term benefits here. That would decide whether I'd start pushing her to establish, well, re-establish, herself as the Lady of Rattatak for one, and whether I could assign her task-forces in the future. Only time would tell...
--
[To: Office of Confederate Naval Intelligence, Raxus Secundus]
[From: Centrality-Cron Drift Analysis Desk[Priority Alert Level: Low]
We have observed the situation of the Centrality continues to decline, with a large uptick in piracy outside of Hutt space. The Hutts have showed limited interest in the region, but we must report the appearance of three refitted {believed} battlecruisers over Tund for several days under the aegis of 'The Empire' with believed presence of suspected enemies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. We believe this may indicate a potential avenue for, which one{s} remains unknown, members of the Hutt Council to destabilise the Centrality further.
We would recommend deployment of a squadron of warships to the region to both hunt down these suspected mercenaries in the Hutts employment, and to ensure the Centrality be encouraged into closer cooperation with the Confederacy as the Mon Calamari liberation operation begins. Emissaries of the Mon Calamari government have been observed on certain Toong colony worlds, but have received little success from the accounts of our sources. Regular monitoring timeline is attached with this document, and beyond these notification no further unusual activity has been report. Long live the Separatist Alliance!
--