The Fires of Exaron

[Hotshot]

OOC Thread Here

FIRES OF EXARON
The year is 4 ABY. After the fall of Hoth to the Empire, the Rebellion is scattered and on the run, trying to regroup to continue their fight against the Imperials. Around the galaxy, the Empire is tightening its grip and clamping down on various worlds, pushing people more and more towards the edge; one such world is Exaron. A heavily industrialized planet providing mechanical equipment for the Imperial war machine, the people of Exaron have long been subjugated and worked to the bone by Imperial authority. Its capital city, Vratokh, is a sprawling metropolis of smog and industry, with a seedy underground that is barely tolerated by the patrolling Stormtroopers.


Vratokh is divided into five main districts. The Imperial District is home to the central Imperial barracks and command centers, as well as housing for Imperial bureaucrats and dignitaries. The Naviar District is home to the rich elite, the heads of industry who have Imperial connections. The Killik District is a small residential district which houses the mid-level management and middle class of Exaron. The Tondar District is an enormous slum, home to the working class, as well as containing a separate ghetto where the alien population of the city, shunned because of Imperial rule, are located. Finally, the Industrial District, which comprises the majority of the massive city; the Industrial District itself is divided into ten sub-districts, denoted only by number.

The Imperial presence on the planet is massive, consisting of an above-average number of Stormtroopers and Imperial Army troops to keep the population in line and the machinery churning. A Moff resides in Vratokh, and is assisted by a General and an Admiral, who command the ground and naval forces, respectively. They have at their disposal Stormtroopers, a small number of walkers, artillery pieces, transport vehicles, speeders, speeder bikes, TIE fighters, Interceptors, and Bombers, an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, a Victory-class Star Destroyer, and five Carrack frigates.

The Rebellion has no official presence on the planet. Ten years prior, when Imperial rule on the planet was looser, they established a small cell to operate against the Empire. With time and increases in surveillance, however, the cell has become cut off from Alliance support, and has evolved into a dissident cell working to free Exaron, rather than to support the Rebellion. Their weaponry and equipment is a conglomeration of stolen Imperial weaponry and black market purchases, and their tactics consist of sporadic hit-and-run and harassment attacks. However, with the recent capture of an Alliance military officer on Exaron, the cell sees a chance to perhaps reestablish contact with the Alliance for support and put Exaron on a path to freedom.




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Major Patrick Rudder lay in the underbrush of the forests of Exaron, his breathing slow and shallow to the point of being inaudible. He peered through the 2x sight of his A280 blaster rifle at the lead member of the Stormtrooper patrol that was slowly approaching his position. Clad in camouflage fatigues and a boonie, and with his face and weapon both painted in similar camouflage patterns, he was all but invisible to the closing patrol. He slowly moved his index finger from the side of the weapon into the trigger guard and rested it lightly against the trigger of his weapon as he moved the red dot in his sight to the head of the second Stormtrooper. He took a slow breath in, exhaled, and then stopped his breathing completely. All of a sudden, an explosion rocked the forest, cutting down several members on the right side of the patrol. Patrick squeezed his trigger, sending a single blaster bolt into the helmet of the Stormtrooper he was aimed on, and in his sight saw two other Imperials be cut down in like manner. In a matter of seconds, the forest was once again quiet and the entire patrol was dead. Patrick waited, continuing to peer through his scope to see if any more Imperials would come. Then, in a slight whisper, he spoke into the mouthpiece of his wiry headset, “Alpha Niner-Zero, Alpha Six. Any tangos?”

“Negative, all clear for at least five zero zero meters.”

“Roger,” said Patrick. He slowly rose to a kneeling position, extending his hand and making an upward motion with it. Around him, fifteen men dressed in like fashion and wearing an assortment of helmets, hats, and other headgear got slowly and quietly to their feet from the brush. Patrick slowly made his way forward to where the Stormtroopers had been killed and examined the carnage. Three men on the right side of the patrol had been cut down by the antipersonnel mine the rebels had laid as a fire commencer, while six more were killed with headshots immediately upon the detonation of the mine. Turning back towards his men, he held a single finger up and twirled it in a circular motion. The men got up and quickly converged on him, while from further back in the woods two men wearing heavy ghillie suits slowly rose from the ground and walked forward, one carrying a long KiSteer 1284 sniper rifle while the other had an A280.

Once the men were all assembled around him, Patrick kneeled down again and said, “Aright, people, we’re about one klick from the objective. Advance in column, fire team wedge, roger?”

“Roger,” replied the soldiers.

“Form up and move out,” said Patrick. The troopers quickly got into their formations and began their speedy yet quiet movement forward through the forests. These men were Rangers, elite SpecForce troopers trained specifically for fighting in woodland areas.

Fifteen minutes later, Patrick heard his sniper’s voice over his headset, “Alpha Six, Alpha Niner-Zero.”

“Go ahead,” said Patrick.

“Eyes on a single Bothan up ahead, three-zero meters at eleven o’clock,” said the sniper. “He’s hiding.”

“Roger,” said Patrick. “Any sign of the other?”

“Negative.”

“Roger,” said Patrick. He turned to his men, pointed to his eyes with two fingers, and then pointed ahead with one before waving side to side, indicating that his men were not to kill the man up ahead. They slowly advanced, weapons at the ready, and within several moments were only meters from the Bothan. Aiming his weapon at the man, Patrick said, “Freeze.”

“Who are you?” asked the Bothan in return. “Where are you?”

“Get up with your hands in the air,” said Patrick. “Are you armed?”

“Yes,” said the Bothan, slowly getting up, his hands raised.

Patrick motioned to one of his Rangers, who jumped up and rushed over to the Bothan, removing the blaster pistol from the man’s holster and giving him a quick pat-down. “Clean,” said the Ranger.”

Patrick finally showed himself, as did the rest of the Rangers. “Gath Laons’hir?” asked Patrick.

“No, Kolir Za’hen, Gath’s partner,” said the Bothan.

“Where is Gath?” asked Patrick.

Kolir looked down for a moment with shifty, embarrassed eyes. “He has been taken by the Empire.”
Patrick breathed out heavily, thinking. "Ok, what happened?" he asked.

"Not long after we made the call, they found us," said Kolir. "Gath and I split up to increase our chances. I used my comm equipment to hack into their communications, and I found out that they had captured Gath."

"Do you know where they are?" asked Patrick.

"Yes," said Kolir. "There is a facility not far from here where they are keeping him. We must rescue him and escape."

"Do you have the information we need?" asked Patrick.

"Yes," said Kolir.

"Then we're leaving, let's go," said Patrick.

"What about Gath?" asked Kolir.

"There's nothing we can do for him now," said Patrick.

"Please," said Kolir. "I have known Gath for many years. I have surveilled the location and there is a way to sneak in. We will only have to deal with minimal guards, and I know the SpecForce can handle it."

Patrick looked around at his men and then back at Kolir. "How many men?"

"No more than ten," said Kolir. "And we have the advantage of surprise. They will not expect us."

"Sir," said First Sergeant Shrinlock, Patrick's company sergeant, "Let's give this guy a chance to get his friend."

Patrick nodded. "Very well, but if we get there and I don't like anything about this place or the situation, we're leaving," he said.

"Of course," said Kolir. "Thank you. Follow me."

The men set off to the north, following Kolir for at least thirty minutes. The spy was just as good, if not better, than the Rangers at moving quickly while being silent at the same time; at some points Patrick nearly lose the Bothan in the forest, despite the man not wearing full camouflage. Finally, Kolir stopped and said, "The back entrance is just ahead. It is unguarded right now."

Patrick looked through his sights at the metal bunker in a clearing ahead of them. As Kolir pointed out, there was no one currently guarding it. "Alright, let's go. Linhoros, Galkin, you stay here."

"Yes, sir," said the sniper and his spotter.

Patrick, Kolir, and the rest of the Rangers got up and sprinted across the clearing to the wall of the building. "Can you hack the door?" asked Patrick.

"No need," said Kolir, walking up to the door.

"What do you...?" started Patrick, but Kolir simply pressed the door controls and they slid open to reveal a contingent of Stormtroopers waiting there with their weapons leveled at the Rangers. From around the corner of the building came more Stormtroopers, weapons at the ready.

Kolir turned to Patrick and shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"You bastard," muttered Patrick.

One of the Stormtroopers stepped forward and said, "Drop your weapons and surrender."

Patrick looked at his men, and Shrinlock said, "Sir, 'Surrender’ isn't a Ranger word.”

"My thoughts exactly," said Patrick, and he raised his weapon in an instant and fired a blaster bolt through the chest of the Stormtrooper officer. Immediately both sides opened fire, dropping all the Rangers and an equal number of Stormtroopers. Patrick felt a blaster bolt cut through his stomach and he doubled over from the shot. As he fell he saw his men being killed and shot, and as he hit the ground, the firing slowed and ceased. He heard a crack as Linhoros undoubtably felled an Imperial with a sniper shot, and several Imperials rushed towards the forest. Two Stormtroopers lifted Patrick off the ground and carried him over to an Imperial officer wearing a black uniform.

"Is this the leader of the group?" asked the officer.

"Yes," said Kolir, standing next to the officer.

The officer nodded. "Very well, take him back to the city. We will interrogate him there."

----------------------------------------------------

Across Exaron, the Imperial-controlled holovids broadcast the news immediately and often: a Rebel force had been wiped out, and its commanding officer captured.




((OOC: Hopefully that will give you guys a good place to start, with the news of the officer's capture being widespread. Post in the OOC if you have any questions or need help starting. For the Rebels, I'm going to need to be rescued. ))

[Mattmanganon]

Inuel was in a Cantina with a glass of Juma in his hand. he knocked it back and gave a deep exhale. he was about to get up when someone put another glass down. "Inuel Keff..." said the dark voice. Inuel recognized it immediately, but it was a voice that he hadn't heard in several centuries. he looked up to see another Talortai.

"Urai Fenn." said the Cyborg. "why have you dragged your sorry hide all the way to a dump like this?" he asked. Urai sat down. "are you still running with Zann?"

"Tyber is the reason i came." said Urai. "he has need of your services. a joint opperation with the Black Sun."

"sounds like your friend has finally lost his mind, we all know that Xizor will double-cross you at the first chance he gets." said Inuel.

"that's why want you, we want you as a little extra muscle for this job." he Urai, Inuel knocked back the glass of Juma and then put it down, he looked at the Talortai across the table

"can't." he replied. "i already have a contract with the Rebels. you know my word, until they have a substantial force in the area, i am stuck, plus the empire has impounded my ship. even if the Rebels were in control of the area, i would have to break in and steal my ship first because she cost too much and has been too good to me to just abandon her."

"i see... well, as soon as you are done here, i am sure that Tyber will be willing to pay for you to do some other job." said Urai. "i'll be going now... also, have you seen any of the others who left?" he asked.

"not since our last meeting." replied Inuel.

"oh..." Urai then left without another word. Inuel was just getting up when the local news began on a holo-projector.

"the local Rebel leader was captured by Imperial forces today. after a brief but violent struggle, Imperial forces were able to capture him and several other unnamed Rebel collaborators." said the Deveronian news reader, there was a constant dub over with several alien languages.

"damn..." said Inuel. he walked outside to be greated by R2-N3 who was waiting next to the door "come on, looks like we're going to have to return to base and help with the rescue of our glorious leader." he sighed.

"beep-dreeet-doot-bop." said N3.

"indeed." replied Inuel. he then got into his speeder as the little droids thrusters whirred to life and he floated into the seat next to him. they then sped away towards the Rebels secret hide-out.

[Crushinator12]

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The sounds of Zero's E-11s Sniper rife fills the air of the shooting range, as he practices his already excellent marksmanship. He realoads and takes aim, as a Stormtrooper walks in.
"You are needed for a reconassnce mission sir" The Stormtrooper says, saluting and handing him a holo-pad containing all the information needed.
"Very well, tell the engineers to ready my speeder bike." Zero replies.
As the Stormtrooper walks away, he gathers his equipment from his locker and walks over to the hangar.
"H-here's your speeder sir!" says a nervous looking local engineer, " All fueled up and ready to go!"
"Thanks." Zero replies, as he gets on his speeder bike. Flying through the city, Zero can't help but wonder what this city was lie before the Imperials tok over. He quickly dismissed that thought as he arrives at his destination, a derelict building overlooking a possible black market/rebel cell building. He parks his speeder bike behind a dumpster, and climbs up the 4 stories of stairs. He sets up a position and prepares for 48 hours of a stake-out that may or may not be completely fruitless.

[Rope]

"The local Rebel leader was captured by Imperial forces today. After a brief but violent struggle, Imperial forces were able to capture him and several other unnamed Rebel collaborators."

The news were stirred countless emotions. Lordo had wanted to join the rebel cause since the day the Empire stormed the factory. In that sense, he was excited. The dissident cell was there, it was known. Most citizens of the slum had heard of them. They were the small faint light that kept madness at bay. The small thing what kept most people sane in these dark times. They were the hope that, however small, one day, the Empire would lose its gripe over Exaron.

But they were hard to find. This however, would prove considerably easier. If the small dissident group still held links to the Alliance, then they’d surely try and save the rebel leader. All that was left for him to do was to find where he was detained.

What scared him though, was the inevitable conflict. There’d be a fight and as much as he wanted to free Exaron, the last battle (if it could be called a battle) he had been a part of almost cost him his life. And he still wanted to live. He wanted to see new worlds, and live outside the clutches of the Empire. He wanted to taste juicy fruits, run in a field, and fly in the emptiness of space. He wanted to see Coruscant , the city world. Although, he had to admit, he had had his share of city life.

Even so, he was afraid to die. With all these wondrous things to see, he couldn’t just waste it, could he?

But to taste life, to taste freedom, he’d have to fight. And so he got up, and hid his blaster down his trousers. He could only laugh what a mediocre smuggler he’d make. His gun, an E-11 blaster rifle that he stole during the fight in the factory, was clearly visible through his pants. Whatever he had found funny half a second ago started to make him nervous.
"If I’m seen walking around with a weapon on me, I’ll get arrested…"
The thought made him fear the simple act of walking. Here, in the slums, it wasn’t that bad. Not that many patrols passed through, and he could easily conceal the weapon when needed. Now though, he didn’t doubt that he’d have to go through many bored soldiers looking for just…They were bored, perhaps they wouldn’t be that alert ? He could only hope so. He didn’t doubt the rebels would be held captive in the Imperial district. So that’s where he headed. Most likely the most courageous thing he’d ever done…or the craziest. He’d have to find out.

[Hotshot]

The pain in Patrick's side was intense, even as the Imperial medic applied bacta gel to the wound and began to bandage it. He was strapped to a stretcher in the back of a speeder, with a Stormtrooper guarding him while the medic worked. As he lay there, he could hear the vehicle commander of the speeder speaking with his superior back at a base about their route.

"We'll be leaving momentarily, Four-Six," said the commander. "We will head along the main access route back to Industrial Four, and then make our way to the Citadel from there using Route Green."

There was a pause, and a crackle of static, and then a voice came over the radio, "Roger, One-One, Route Green is confirmed clear."

"Roger, moving out, Four-Six," said the commander. "All vehicles, this is One-One, move out."



((Hopefully that will give the cell something to work with.))

[Laxace33]

Edessa hated the Tondar district; she preferred the Industrial district instead. It was too chaotic, too noisy, perfect for smuggling, but that was not what she came here for. She was meeting her contact at the bazaar, but he was late. A late contact was never a good thing, it meant that either he was losing a tail, was scared off and quit, or worse was discovered and killed. After a few minutes she spotted a Rodian walking towards a food stall. He pulled out a credit and dropped it, that was the signal that he was alone, so she walked up to him and said in Rodese “It’s best to keep a firm hand on your credits my friend; it can easily be taken in a place like this.”
He replied “thank you stranger, but I seemed to have left my wallet at home could you spare a few creds?”
Edessa nodded and asked for two nerf sausages and two glasses of Corellian ale. They took their food to a table not too far off and sat down. She glanced around to check if it was safe to speak then asked “What’s the word on the streets Leeko?”
“Rumor has it that a rebel officer has been caught” Leeko replied.
“Ha” she laughed half-heartedly, “that’s not a rumor, it’s all over the vids, I’m not paying you to watch the news for me Leeko.”
“Alright, Alright I’ve got some good information but it will cost you”.
“how much?”
“2500 extra”
“that’s steep Leeko, I’ll tell you what, I will give you an extra 500 creds, and if I like what I hear I’ll give you 3000”
Leeko lulled it over for a min it then said that was fine. She handed him 750 credits and sat back to listen what he had to say.
“The cell is mobilizing, and in an orderly fashion. This is not for some random attack; I think they are going to try to rescue the rebel office en route, possible near the citadel.”
Edessa sat there for a minute not moving, then she got up and without saying a word put 1000 credits on the table along with 2 death sticks, then she walked away.
She went into a cantina and turned on her PAC20 visual wrist comlink and called the General. A few minutes later he answered
“Operative Rand what do you have for me?”
“The cell is mobilizing sir, they are going to try to rescue the rebel officer en route, possible near the citadel.”
“Thank you Operative, keep up the good work and you might be able to have your ship back sooner then you think” he replied and signed off.

[Erreul]

(Will post later today, hang tight Hotshot.)

[Hotshot]

((No worries.))


"Victor One-One, this is Four-Six," said the voice over the speeder radio. "We have intelligence suggesting a possible ambush of your route once you leave Industrial 4, over."

"Roger," said the vehicle commander. There was a pause as Patrick knew he was no doubt looking at his options. "Once out of I-4, we will move along Route Blue back to the Citadel, over."

"Roger, Route Blue confirmed and clear," came the voice from the radio. "We're also diverting two bike patrols to meet you in I-4, callsigns Raptor One-Two and Raptor Two-Four, over."

"Good copy, over," said the vehicle commander.

"We should be at Industrial Four in twenty minutes," said the driver to the vehicle commander in person once the radio was silent. Patrick leaned back, wincing slightly as the medic continued his work at cauterizing the wound.

[MelonHead]

The ambush was well placed, ready to eliminate vehicles which may be escorting the captured major. Rarek had organized his men well, although he was absent from the actual ambush himself. Sadly, the Imperial's had already heard about the cell's plans, most likely from an informer who was too stupid to tell the imperials the actual location of their headquarters, and instead just told them where they were going to attack.
So, the ambush failed, the men returned to the headquarters disheartened and pretty much ready to quit, about half the cell did, and returned home to sell bread and cakes, and whatever else civvies under the control of the empire do.

[Rope]

Lordo arrived on the Blue on the Blue route unscathed. In that he’d been lucky as can be. Four patrols had gone by him, not noticing the weapon in his pants. He’d gain a little confidence out of it, but no more, now that he was in the Imperial district. The number of patrols was astonishing.

‘’So many’’, he thought.

He stared, dazzled at the military monument before him. His doubts swarmed over his mind in a heartbeat. This was suicide. The sheer number of imperials was enough to simply walk over any rebel resistance. He realized that he couldn’t move, paralyzed by sudden terror. He would wait here. Maybe he’d see something from there, without having to walk right in the wolf’s mouth.

The smog filled air filled his lungs. In many ways it tasted like despair. Where was the damned cell? Maybe with a few hundreds behind his back he wouldn’t be so afraid. Or maybe it wouldn’t change a bloody thing. There were way too many Imperial troops here.

Lordo sat down on a pipe. Vapor was coming out of it. Hopefully something would happen soon. This was his only hope.