Sarzu

Return of the Force 2.

Ink Blood said
For the infantry training skills like sniper training and whatnot, do I have to buy the skill for how many snipers I want or just once to have snipers?

If you are referring to custom units then what you basically do is design your own unit, so if you add sniper training to them, then each unit you buy will have sniper training.

Basically you could make a custom units like this:
Mooks A:
Basic Blasters
Heavy Weapons

^ Those units are heavy weapons trained

Mooks B:
Basic Blasters
Heavy Weapons
Sniper Training

^ and those can both use heavy weapons and sniper training

Return of the Force 2.

In the life of two Sith and their minions....

Gra'tua returned to the bridge, lost in thought, he had just ordered Talinna and Tihk to grab a hyperspace capable craft and head for the Tapani Sector to protect Azazel. As he got into his seat he did not notice Kashiir waiting for him with a raised eyebrow. When he heard him cough however he looked up and saw the questioning look on his face, letting out a snort he answered the unasked question. "Azazel... is expecting twins."

Kashiir blinked and did a double take... and then let out a groan. "Please tell me they are not going to be as much trouble as your other offspring, she was quite... vexing at times in her youth."

Gra'tua just sat back in his command throne. "We'll see, there are other matters that we need to accomplish however... contact Lena." At a gesture one of the communications officers established a link and once she accepted he nodded to her holographic representation. "We are nearly there, what is our approach? Considering the fact that you told me the CIS might be present."

Lena was going over the little data she had of Teth when Gra'tua called, "Patch him through Verat." She asked of her Givin commander and then listened to Gra'tua. "Hello to you as well, as for our approach. While I do not rule out combat, I would prefer if a... diplomatic solution can be arranged with whatever CIS presence is there in the system. So I suggest we do not show any aggressive behavior unless provoked."

He let out a sound of disdain but nodded, "Very well, I doubt the CIS will be cooperative however, if they truly believe some of the ancient Mando'Ade hid a superweapon here then I doubt they will go quietly, but we will try your way first." He then turned to Kashiir, "Get the secondary bridge prepared, just in case." The Chiss nodded and went ahead to do just that. "Once we reach Teth it's your show Lena, but I will be ready to start... aggressive negotiations when called upon."

Lena stared evenly at Gra'tua. "That's all I can ask for I suppose. Well then I suppose all we can do now is prepare and see what happens when we reach the system."

It didn't take much longer to reach the Teth System and for the vessels to drop out of hyperspace a safe distance away. Nothing was immediately revealed on sensors, but at the extreme ranges a number of sensor shadows could be estimated to be approaching the planet.

Gra'tua leaned back, he and his command crew had relocated to the secondary bridge. "Slow and steady as she goes Kashiir, we follow Lena's lead for the moment..."

"Well here we are, approach the planet, make sure weapons are powered down, we want to try diplomacy first after all." Lena said to herself as she kept a eye on the sensors.

The approach to the planet was not the fastest, but finally the advanced sensors of the two flagships finally began to pick out the shapes of a pair of Lucrehulks and a Recusant Light cruiser as well as one of the two moons of Teth.

Now that some of the shadows had been identified Lena nodded to Verat who told the communications officer to open a line towards the CIS presence, once it was established on sending she started to speak. "Greetings, this is Lena, owner of a private business conglomerate, requesting communication."

A droid's voice came back over the channel. "This is Lucrehulk Battleship Task Group 7043. You are entering restricted space by order of the CIS Senate. Turn back immediately. Security Provisions 559.186 Subsection 11 have been issued and this is declared an Active Zone of CIS National Security. Private craft are not welcome. Do not approach." The transmission cut off immediately following and sensors revealed both Lucrehulks launching a half dozen squadrons of Vultures each.

She gestured for Verat to hold their position and then resumed talking. "I disagree, I am here representing the interest of Mandalorian Clan Gra'tua, who have reason to believe you are here to disturb heirlooms that are part of his Mandalorian heritage and culture."

The voice came back, still completely droid in monotone. "Mandalorian Claims are not Recognized by the Conferacy of Independent Systems. Turn back immediately." Sensors revealed more craft launching.

She frowned, "I repeat again, my name is Lena and I have a friend in the offices of Chancellor Bonteri herself, we are not showing any aggressive behavior and wish to come to a peaceful resolution. We will defend ourselves however, if aggression is shown."

"Who you are friends with has no bearing on CIS Security Directives. Turn back now." More bombers were launched by the Lucrehulks and now the Recusant that could be seen was beginning to break orbit.

"We are not here to fight, we only came here because the Mandalorian clan I represent wishes to restore the mandalorian heritage back to its people, I would imagine a Mandalorian view of things would be helpful but perhaps not." She turned to Verat, "Turn the ship around we are leaving."

As the Shadows Regret begins its turn the alarm klaxons on the bridge go off as a large number of vessels suddenly drop out of Hyperspace on course for the planet in a wall formation.

Gra'tua looked at the sensors. "Well... this has turned to poodoo. Launch fighters." Gra'tua growled as Kashiir started shouting orders and the ship become combat ready. "Lena, if you can hear me, I think we are about to get in the middle of a space battle, I follow your lead but know this, I won't let my ship be shot at without repercussion."

She looked at the sensors and silently cursed. "We are getting out of the way, Verat launch fighters just in case and hail those republic vessels." She waited for a moment and when told to spoke up again. "Republic vessels this is the private vessel Regret accompanying Mandolorian Vessel Kandosii Naast, we are neutral and are getting out of the way."

The response came over short and curt. "Understood, and wise decision Regret."

The response from the CIS was ... less ... polite. The Droid craft already flying redirected towards the Regret and Naast with orders to 'detain' the ships for questioning, the suspicious nature of the Droid Commander coupled with the Regret's republic shape and apparent willingness of the Republic Commander to consider them neutral caused it to correlate the data and assume the Regret had actually been some forward scout.

One of the Lucrehulks and all of the Recusants began heading for the Republic fleet. The other however took position over an area on the southern Hemisphere and began deploying its Landing craft.

She bit her lip and cursed again. "Steady as she goes, giving you input coordinates of a course." Once she gave them she saw Verat looking at her oddly but she had a look that booked no argument. With a sigh and silent muttering he gave the orders and the Regret started to move once more.
"What in the blazes is she thinking... just follow her, we'll see where this leads us."

The CIS Ships continued to make their run for the Republic Fleet as the Lucrehulk began spitting out squadrons intended for the Republic as the already launched craft continued on their attempt to stop the interlopers.

Lena looked warily at the approaching droid squadrons. "Pull the bombers back and send the interceptors to the fore... prepare anti-fighter weaponry. But only fire when fired upon or when sensors detect they are actively targetting us, we are not starting this. Make sure all data is recorded."

He about all but scoffed but relented, fine let the CIS make their move first, if they wanted a battle he would make sure to finish it by turning those droids into molten metal.

The CIS continues advancing when suddenly the Naast and Regret both being blaring with missile-lock alarms from the incoming squadrons. Meanwhile the Republic Fleet continues to advance up for a confrontation as the Lucrehulk continues to pour fighters into the fray.

She then looked at the sensors, rubbing her temples. "Open fire with spinal laser and concussion missile launcher at the enemy cruiser as well."

Gra'tua couldn't resist a chuckle, "Well here we go, Kashiir, the ship is yours." Gra'tua said, leaning back in the command throne.

Kashiir nodded, "Interceptors engage enemy fighters directly ahead, any anti-fighter weaponry open fire on targets, bombers and enemy missiles are priority targets. Open fire with spinal weaponry and proton torpedoes at enemy Recussant."

The laser fire from the Naast at the Vultures was less than impressive missing wildly before the battery overheated. And indeed, from both the strangers to their attacks fell short of their intended goals, the narrow form of the Recusant proving difficult to hit with their Spinal weapons at this range, only one squadron of Furies had any luck at all, and it managed to decimate one and a half squadrons worth of the Vultures as they concentrated on their attack run.

The Vultures turned their attention on the Interceptors as the Hyena's launched all their Concussion Missiles at the two interlopers as they moved to try and get behind and get a solution on the engines while the Recusant, having being attacked, returned the favour, its attention taken from the Republic ships for now.

The Vultures fire did little if anything of note other than maybe keeping enemy squadrons busy, as for the Hyena's they were more mixed. Two of the Squadrons struck the Naast with their missile salvos, but with its Hyper-Shield it barely even registered the hit. But one of the Hyena's missiles actually jammed.

The Recusants fire missing the Kandosii Naast.

"Starfighters attack enemy squadrons, move us closer and fire mass drivers and heavy weaponry." Lena ordered as she the battle progress.

Kashiir looked at the sitation with a calm demeanor, "Move us forward and open fire with all batteries at the Recussant, anti-fighter measures target isolated droid squadrons, have our bombers and Kad Fighters prepare bombing attack runs."

Suddenly there was a flash on both Capital Ships sensors. Observant men and women watching the Optical sensors would witness a massive ion pulse further away, the Republic testing some new anti-droid bomb?

The Regret's laser and flak weapons obliterated the Vulture Droid squadron leaving the second group of Fury squadrons expending energy at rapidly dissipating clouds of gas. One cheeky gunner firing a message to the squadron. "The Early Bird gets the worm." The third fury squadron managed to all but totally obliterate the Hyena's it was up against, though the Dark Wolfs had less success only killing two of them.

The Spinal laser of the Regret hammers into the shields of the Recusant, through them and directly into the weapon-well containing the Recusants own equivalent weapon trashing it as the Mass Drivers pounded against the armour allowing the Concussion Missile to bury itself deep in a starboard section blowing it out into space disabling another battery of the ships guns.

The Interceptors fail to get any real hits on target as their pilots fight to avoid being locked onto themselves but the much more numerous Droid Fighters, The Recusant didn't fare nearly as well with the Naast's Spinal Guns burrowing deep into the superstructure practically crippling the forward facing armament of the craft, though fortunately the rest of the Naast's armaments fell short of their aim.

The Recusant began to burn its engines hard as it aimed its prow for the Kandosii Naast, the damage turning out to be fairly close to terminal, the Droid Commander of the fleet seeing only one easy solution.

The Droid fighters and bombers however, had been redirected to the much more present danger of the Republics new Proton-Ion bomb.

Kashiir, orders the helm to begin evasive maneuvers, however the officer on duty interprets it beyond badly as "play chicken" with the Recusant and aims the Kandosii Naast's prow straight at the oncoming suicide ship with expectedly disastrous results.

The Recusant ploughs into the Naast the Hypershield and shields of the Capital Ship failing like a burst soap bubble the feedback actually destroying two of the smaller generators before it ploughed into the ship. In the first few seconds it looked like the armour would hold before the Spinal Superheavies failed, while not destroy their barrels were rent apart like so much tissue paper and the forward fifty metres of the Naast was crushed into the bulkheads behind it and the Recusant blew apart destroying every forward-facing sensor the Naast had brought to bear and compromising the hull integrity of the ship, it would not be capable of atmospheric re-entry before the damage was suitably shored up.

One poor Kad fighter that had been flying Cap, it turned out, found himself between the two giants at the wrong time. "Well shit..." was the last thing his flight recorder would play if recovered.

On the Republic Flagship one Captain turned to his second in Command. "Lieutenant, can you explain to me why that ship just tried to play chicken with a droid?"

"No sir. No I can't." The man replied.

Kashiir turned to the helmsman. "What was that about?" He asked tight-lipped.

Before the helmsman could answer a lightsaber was ignited and stabbed through his head before the now lifeless corspe was hurled to the side with a force push. "You are relieved." Gra'tua all but growled.

The Droid Squadrons unknowing all this unleashed their Proton Torpedoes on the nearest Venator the successive explosions blowing it to pieces.

Lena looked aghast at what she was seeing, "Someone write this down, I owe Gra'tua a great deal of credits... relay our sensor data to his bridge assuming our readings are correct that his sensors are completely gone on the front, don't want him flying blind, head in front of his ship. Ordr the Fury squadrons to engage enemy droid squadrons battling the Republic forces, right now the elimination of the CIS here must be achieved." She sighed again.

Gra'tua didn't say a further word after the execution of his previosu helmsman, simply staring ahead while Kashiir was giving the orders. "Power down all weapons, I want as much power to be diverted into restoring shield strenght! Now!" He shouted across the bridge, he let out a shiver... if Gra'tua had not insisted on them relocating to the secondary bridge.... he shook his head to clear it. "What are you all waiting for! Recharge the shields, now!"

The Interceptors engaged the Hyena's as ordered though two of the groups failed to do much while the other group managed to kill all its targets removing one group of enemy squadrons from the board.

The Squadrons now moved up and were engaged with the Republic the swarms preparing to overwhelm the Republic defense. Entire Salvos of Discord Missiles slammed out towards the Republic and now the outcome didn't look quite as certain with the small Buzz Droids within swarming over the closest two Venators beyond a Victory used the improvised Mass Driver to throw another Proton-Ion Bomb into the midst of the Droid Fighters destroying another three squadrons.

She chewed the inside of her cheek, "Order bombers and starfighters to make bombing runs towards the lucrehulk, all available weaponry also fire, make it stop from launching more squadrons so aim for the hangar sections of the arms if possible."

Seeing what Lena was doing thanks to her sharing her sensor record Kashiir ordered their starfighters and bombers to do the same. While their interceptors also went to attack enemy bombers as well.

The Furies had their typical effect, the first group obliterating its target with the other two faffling around, though group 3 almost got itself destroyed by flying near into the fire of a Vulture group. The Starfighters however didn't perform very well despite both Bomber groups pummeling the Lucrehulk with their guided munitions the shots smashing into the outer hull after punching a weakness into the shield on that side allowing the heavier concussion missile through to cripple the starboard launch bay.

The Interceptors carve a hole through the enemy Hyenas like a hot knive through butter actually obliterating two groups as they lead the charge on the hangars or expressed a desire to. But the Kad fighters made the most difference. Their torpedoes ripped into the guts of the Lucrehulk with incredible efficiency and secondary explosions began to ripple through the vessel as the core ship detached from its ring hoping to contain the destruction, a measure that saved the Core-ship, but that was all that could be said in their favour.

The CIS and Republic fleets meanwhile continued to pound one another, though the newly orphaned Core Ship began a long run to try and reach a safe distance to hyperspace out.

Lena clacked her tongue, "Very well, have our bombers and starfighters head for the lucrehulk in orbit of the planet, inform the Furies to resume their target practice but concentrate on the enemy bombers, I don't want them getting outnumbered and encircled by the enemy squadrons."

Kashiir looked at his master who just nods, "Interceptors resume attacking enemy fighters, Bombers and Starfighters, prepare attack runs on enemy recussant."

The first furies group does what it does best by now, the main Squadron Commander Emile Hastaven guiding her unit flawlessly in its destruction of another group of Hyena bombers before that Gra'tua's grubby animals could threaten her kill-streak. The other furies however seemed determined to just get in one another road and failed to achieve much at all.

The Kad Fighters and Bombers attempted to engage the trailing recusant with torpedo fire and while the Kad Fighters salvo was accurate, the Recusants laser defenses scythed apart more than three quarters of the salvo before the remained ploughed into its shields threatening to overwhelm them, but the bomber group failed to capitalist on their attack leaving it intact.

Massive bursts of proton-ion bombs light up space annihilating more of the droid ships as the Victories fired about them, still nobody had launched any fighters, but the Bombers that were out of range engaged the Victory class Star Destroyers.

Their fire was devastating and one of the Victory's flanks burned from repeated torpedo strikes, though the other blasted its aftmost attacker with punitive effort. Meanwhile the Recusants blasted apart another Venator though one lost its own life as a Venator pounded the one weakened by Gra'tua's fighters to scrap.

At the planet, the Lucrehulk seeing which way the battle was going began to break orbit and flee.

She frowned at the Lucrehulk escaping, "Target the hyperdrive of that vessel." She commanded quickly in the channel opened with the bombers and starfighters."

The crippled Kandosii Naast continued merrily on it's way while the starfighters did their thing.

The Hyena's had exhausted their missile loadout on the Republic ships now and turned viciously on the Furies that had been harrying them but neither they, nor the furies, could manage to get on target this time both groups pecking away at one another fruitlessly. The Recusant firing at the incoming salvo of fire with slaving... ineffectiveness, little of the incoming salvo could be stopped before they slammed into the Light Cruiser crippling one of its engines and most of its port-side battery.

The weight of fire on the heavily damaged Victory finally proved too much with the Vultures and Hyenas strafing the damaged sections over and over the ship finally blasting apart damaging its neighbour, but the death eliminated well over half the attackers. The furies attacking the Bombers noticed at the last moment the way the Victory seemed to shake and hitting max thust to get out of the blast.

Both of the surviving Republic ships opened up with everything they had on the Recusant and pounded it to nothing more than scrap now outside of the vessels main weapons ability to fire back and its port-side armaments already crippled by the Kad Fighters torpedo salvo. With a burst of light it died.

But now...

Now the Droid Starfighters adopted collision courses.

The Dark Wolf squadrons broke off and went for a torpedo run on the fleeing center of the first lucrehulk before they would regroup with the bombers.

The Mandalorian starfighters turned and went to see if they could shoot down some kamikaze droid fighters while the bombers went for the fleeing lucrehulk center.

Once more Emile lead her squadron into the breach and combined with Fury Group 3 the last of the Hyena Bombers were cleaned up with almost a clinical perfection thanks to her beyond masterful flying and energising effect on her squadmates. Meanwhile the Dark Wolf Squadrons blasted apart the escaping Core ship before it could make good its getaway.

The Attempted ramming by the Hyenas fell short as they were cut apart by lasers or impacted harmlessly on the shields, but it wasn't over yet with two squadrons still on a collision course as the last Lucrehulk uses the moon to slingshot around for a higher velocity, it was only a few short minutes from escape.

The Dark Wolf squadrons went to catch up but the squadron leadrs of the Hornets decided to overclock their engines and speed up to catch their errant prey.

The fury squadrons meanwhile were getting barked on by squadron leader Emile to destroy the last remaining droid fighters before they became a threat.

Meanwhile the chatter of the Mandalorian squadrons was filled with exclamations how the hell some non-mandos were stealing all the kills and glory.

The Mandalorians it seemed were intent on proving that they were just as capable with the Interceptors and one Kad fighter group mopping up the last of the suicidal Droid Fighters. A message went out from the surviving Victory Class Star Destroyer. "Many thanks chaps. We thought that they might have made us spill our fresh pot of tea."

Meanwhile the Lucrehulk continued its high velocity escape vector.

Lena watched sensor readings. "Recall the interceptors." She murmured quietly and then focused on the bombers, willing them to succeed.

Gra'tua finally spoke up after minutes of silence. "Recall the squadrons, they did their duty... How are my shields... what is left of them Kashiir."

"Sufficient my lord." The Chiss replied after conferring with the shield operators.

"Good, bring power back to weapons and continue on as you were."

The Missiles screamed out, on group failing to achieve any lock of meaning and the other managing to achieve their lockon well enough. But the vast number of laser batteries on the Lucrehulk lit up the void with enough fire to swat every single missile from the void as it continued on its escape vector.

And with a flash of incandescent light, it engaged its Hyperdrive.

*Some time later...*

The Battle was over and the remaining Republic Forces were while relatively undamaged, they had not emerged unscathed, four Venators obliterated and one of the precious Victory class.

"Those CIS Chaps didn't seem keen to let you be neutral in that fight Regret." The Republic Commander transmitted. "Care to explain?"

Lena sighed and closed her eyes, calming down for a moment first, before she replied. "It probably doesn't help that I... have one of the first Victory prototypes thanks to some contacts I happen to have with Kuat stardrives, they must have assumed, in combination with your arrival that we were some kind of advance republic scout. I merely defended myself... and my Mandalorian companion... though I think eh rather enjoyed the fight, before the CIS vessel rammed him. Does that explanation satisfy you, commander?"

Kashiir had a moment of thought and instead of recalling the fighters, looking apologetic towards his lord, ordered the fighters to make sensor runs of the debris of the Lucrehulk ring and Recussant wrecks, for any salvageable systems, weapons or other scrap.

"Eminently my dear. My Second in Command James Curiosity is most happy with that response, the man lives up to his name all too often. In any case. We will continue our patrol of the system and an in-depth scan of the planet. Feel free to conduct your business, your aid was invaluable, when I find the imbecile at HQ that felt that it was a good idea to deploy an experimental squadron without their fighter and bomber complements i'll have the bastard up on charges." Without further ado the Communication ceased the Victory taking course to the wreckage of its sister-ship while the Venator continued its course to scan the planet.

Lena was relieved that this was not going to be a second battle and resumed her communications with Gra'tua, "I suggest we scan the planet's surface for the supposed Mandalorian Ruins."

Gra'tua let out a snort, "Already on it, with whatever sensors I have left... I am having Kashiir trying to find the locations of the CIS forces, that escaped vessel had plenty of time to launch landing craft..."

The scans for scrap yielded nothing worthy of the name scrap, though with the sensor damage they couldn't be 100% certain as the ships moved into orbit. As they began their scans Gra'tua couldn't help but hear the occasional curse from the sensor pit as the crew struggled to do their job with a crippled sensor suite, but the Regret managed to locate four of the CIS Landing ships deployed around an old dilapidated complex.

Lena looked at the data and mad sure to share it with Gra'tua, giving him a moment to go over with before asking her question. "Well, you are more versed in these kind of situations, what do you suggest?"

"Load up whatever troops you wish to bring along... I am going to do the same, with my starfighters and bombers leading ahead, possibly destroying some ground targets before we disembark the troops on the surface, with my most accurate weapons neutralised for planetary bombardment I feel that is the best course of action." He turned to Kashiir, "Inform Andrieke to load up all her men in the transport craft." After a moment of thought he added something else, "Ready the Basilisks for launch... including Goreamas."

"You heard the Mandalorian clan leader, Verat inform the Sigil troopers to prepare, tell the noghri to do the same." Lena responded after hearing Gra'tua out. "Also, if you don't mind me saying this Gra'tua, your sensors are somewhat... damaged so that is probably why you did not suggest it, but I will also commence planetary bombardment of the CIS transports and any troop concentrations we can detect on the ground."

He let out a dry chuckle and just gestured as if to indicate the planet below. "By all means." He then turned to Kashiir, "Set maintenance and repair crews to do preliminary work."

The preliminary shots screamed down into the atmosphere blasting apart three of the CIS Transports, the last missing by very little, showering it with dirt obscuring it from an easy second shot.

Gra'tua observed the sensor telemetry forwarded by Lena's vessel and had to grudgingly admit that her people were quite competent. "Well that's settled..." He turned to Lena's holographic face and then smirked and activated a command key that would connect him to the hangar where Andrieke and her troops were boarding dropships. "Begin landing your troops..."

End of part 1...

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

But brov- *gets stampeded by a rainbow ferret* nvm :p

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

Western Watchtower, a game of Sloth Chess

He cursed as he saw two of his wights simply get obliterated without any effort and felt a pang of concentration loss as the mental connection to them ceased to exist, which would explain his failed attempt at controlling the skeletal archers, or at least that's what he liked to think. He growled and turned to his third wight, commanding it in his native tongue. "Kill the demon." He said dismissively as his third wight started marching towards the Succubus who had lost her whip and was dazed by a hurled stone.

Muttering obscenities under his breath he leafed through his tome and found the relevant page again, muttering the incantations and drawing upon his powers once more and again brought into being and opened a small portal, through which two more wights stepped through, green balefire shimmering in their eyesockets. Naream took a involuntary step back and rubbed his forehead to get the beads of sweat off that had appeared there and he grunted. "Pace yourself..." He murmured slowly and shook his head. "You, guard me." One of the wights stiffened and brought his shield up, looking for threats headed for its master.

The other wight had a two-handed sword and waited for any commands from the necromancer. Naream gestured to the first succubus, "Go and make yourself useful and kill that one along with your fellow wight." He snarled and watched the wight go.... and then cocked his head and started to think. If the bodies remained... would a succubus... or that big demon... be available to be turned into undead? He was eager to find out.

Return of the Force 2.

In the life of a Jedi & Friends,
The Antar 4 insurrection saga

Tohkran and his apprentice-turned Knight Goddor were practicing, lazily clashing their blades together, slowly speeding up as they went through their usual routine with each other till they were almost a blur and then stopped, slowing down and eventually just stood still and turned off their lightsabers. "You have indeed mastered the blade."

The rodian jedi knight grinned and shrugged, "Thank to your teachings master, I hope I can be a good knight as well." He then frowned, "May I ask a question master?"

Tohkran chuckled and shook his head, "No need to be formal anymore, feel free to call my by my name, but yes. Ask your question."

"This system we are getting closer, the world Antar 4, do you really think Antarian Rangers are involved? And if so, what do you hope to achieve?" Goddor asked honestly.

Tohkran placed his saberhilt back to his cane and frowned, thinking. "To be completely honest... I have no idea what I will do if they are indeed Altarian Rangers. However they are a part of jedi history, they used to work with the Order centuries ago, and if they still exist, and apparently a jedi is leading them, or whatever resistance the Antarians are building against the CIS. I feel obligated to venture out there and find out."

At that point Thrall's voice came over the internal comms. "This is your captain speaking, we are about to exit hyperspace at the very edge of the Antar system, please note that we will go into stealth mode and have the cloak activated upon our arrival. There will be no walking through the corridors and please note that the 'do not smoke' sign is lit. Also would a certain beard-face come to the bridge, thank you and have a pleasant spaceflight."

Tohkran rolled his eyes and let out a amused snort. "He takes a curious kind of satisfaction doing that... well then, off to the bridge."

As the Illusion emerges from Hyperspace hre sensors watch and it quickly reveals a not insignificant fleet presence. Three Lucrehulks. A half dozen smaller ships and... the big one.

... Almost out of detection range near eclipsed by the planet was one Subjugator Class Heavy Cruiser. One of the Malevolence's cruel and vicious sister ships. Whoever was in charge of CIS affairs on Antar was no small presence.

Tohkran and Goddor reached the bridge just as the ship left hyperspace and the size of the CIS presence was revealed. Thrall nodded to Tohkran as he slithered around, "Well, they sure are serious, not a token occupational force, that is for sure. What do you want us to do?"

Tohkran frowned and then rose a eyebrow. "You are the admiral and captain of this ship."

Thrall snorted, "Damn straight I am, was just testing you if you still remembered that, worrying about you in your old day and all." He turned to the crew of the bridge. "Right then, take us on a course that makes us stay at a distance of those CIS ships, get us closer so we can make some covert scans of the planet, perhaps pick up some transmission as to explain what is going on on the surface of Antar 4 and this system."

Approaching the planet the scans begin to relay information as the passive systems work to pick up anything of interest. What they discover is... unpleasant... to say the least. The anarchic government has been totally suppressed with droids patrolling the streets in force. After some hours the picture only becomes worse, it becomes clear that whoever is overseeing the CIS interest in Antar has been shipping 'malcontents' and 'subversives' into working vast open strip-mines that have begun to appear. And the population being forced to work it is not small, thousands of men, women... and children as young as seven or eight, being forced to labour the mines.

Continued scans reveal that the vast majority of resources are all being funneled by armoured convoys towards a miniature city of foundries being constructed. It doesn't take the Illusion's bridge crew long at all to realize that they would be Droid and Tank Foundries when completed.

And that was when they got their first glimpse of the anarchist's fighting back against their oppressors when the Illusion detected the detonation of a Baradium Bomb that destroyed three Foundries under production.

Backtracking the sensor data reveals that it was a bomb truck responsible. And all indications are that it was manned by at least one humanoid.

Faces had become grim and worrisome as data started pouring in about the situation on the planet. "They are turning this world in a factory to produce more machines to bring death and destruction in this war of madness." Tohkran muttered, shaking his head. "This is a travesty."

Thrall coughed, "New information... a explosion took place there." He gestured to some of the mapping data they had made and indeed the sign of a explosion was there." Bomb truck... suicide bomber from what it looks like." He said without emotion.

Tohkran took it in silently. "They are either determined or desperate then... or both. Can you find out where that truck came from... or see if the CIS report of a region with the most 'anarchist' activity?"

Unfortunately, Thrall is incapable, or more specifically, the crew, is incapable of backtracking the truck. It had to have been moving down around the buildings outside of casual sensor detection.

However a review of the original data suggests three potential strongholds in the "rough vicinity" one, a hundred kilometres to the North the CIS reports suggest might be an Air-base for the insurgents, possibly an old illicit spaceport repurposed for the job.

The other two suggest a pair of bases somewhat to the south-west, there is not enough data to get any hard location though scans might reveal more. In the aftermath of the bombing sensors do however detect one of the Lucrehulks altering its stationary orbit and deploying four squadrons of Vulture Droids to overfly the attack. One of these squadrons breaks off and makes Northwards to try and, Thrall is lead to believe, make another sweep to try and find the hidden airbase.

Tohkran frowned taking it in and then contacted the hangar bays. "Marack, prepare your ship... load up a CIS cargo transport with your transponder array." He then turned to Thrall. "Bring us over the northern hemisphere of the world, keep track of that droid squadron trying to make a sweep there. Make a scan ourselves of that region... and just in case prepare the interceptors and starfighters for launch as well."

Thrall was already giving out the orders as the last word left Tohkran's lips.

The Illusion spends two hours in it's search pattern. And it's productive, incapable of spotting your ship you find the Airbase in the middle of a forest, a large open structure with a retractable roof. Your sensors are able ot easily distinguish the people working around the clock in a hurry. As your sensors indicate that the Vultures are coming close to detecting the base you see the roof of the structure wind closed and men and women rushing to duty stations when... before your very eyes... a forest appears on top of the airbase.

It only takes a few minutes to realize that they've engaged some form of hologram to disguise the base, and with your sensor resolution it doesn't fool you for very long anyway, but it might, just might, fool the Vultures.

Indeed. It seems to work, but the squadron of Vultures continues to make low, sweeping and methodical search patterns over the area for ten hours before being recalled to the Lucrehulk. The Lucrehulk however seems to show no signs of returning to its duty post and you realise why the deployment of ships seems so erratic.

The CIS simply keeps their ships close to the last strike. But finally the airbase opens its roof once more and a speeder emerges heading east, your sensors can detect it is travelling over maximum capacity on some errand and frankly dangerous speeds for its overloaded weight.

"Thrall, you have the bridge. Follow that speeder and keep it in sight, you are wizened enough to make your own decisions to whatever situation that might arise. I and Goddor will travel with Marack to the surface, see if we can land near that forest and make our way to that base on foot."

Thrall grinned, "Sure thing beard face, just to be sure, if you die, the ship and whole operation back home is mine, yes?"

Tohkran snorts, "That means the paperwork and administrative duties are yours too."

"I see, changed my mind, you better survive old man." Thrall said with a laugh and turned to attend to his duties as ship commander, while Tohkran and Goddor headed to the hangars to board the Killer Whale and head to the surface.

As the Killer Whale begun its descent under the false ID Marack picked up a squadron of droid craft closing, instantly identified as Droid Tri-Fighters... two Squadrons worth. A voice came through the comm panel. "Vessel TV-4930-ETB Swansong, your entry into Antar IV space is prohibited. System records show that you have not been through customs or processing and have appeared too close to the planet without inspection. You will head to the following co-ordinates, or be shot down. You have 20 seconds to comply with course-corrections." The droid voice intoned over the transmitter. They'd been detected.

Tohkran frowned and patted the shoulder of Marack. "Comply, we will find a other way." He said.

Suddenly alarms are blazing as records of multiple missile locks blare over the ships audible alarms and numerous missiles race up from the edge of the forest below. Marack throws the ship into a diving spiral as a quarter of the Tri-Fighters are annihilated by the Barrage, indeed, two of the missiles strike the Killer Whale, only Marack's piloting skills preventing more striking, but still those standing are thrown about the cabin by the unexpected evasive maneuvers...

And suddenly the alarms begin chiming, a second salvo of missiles is launched. It seems that, flying a CIS Transponder Code has the insurgents believing that you're being escorted willingly. Once more Marack prepares to evade.

Tohkran cursed, this was a bumpy ride for sure, "Marack keep evading... drop the transponder signal, let them see this smuggler freighter we really are... Goddor get into the gun turret and open fire at the droids." As goddor ran from the cockpit Tohkran himself went for the communications console and boradcasted to the surface below a simple message both with voice and text. 'Smuggler freighter, jedi aboard.'

The missile salvo killed another two of the Tri-Fighters and they peeled off before Goddor could even reach the turret, Tohkran found himself concerned, Marack still had the nose of the freighter pointed for an inevitable meeting with the ground as the missile Salvo missed striking the Whale. A third salvo was launched and Tohkran glanced at Marack. "What are you doing?"

"Rapid Surface Deceleration Manoeuvre." Marack answered.

"What?"

"Sounds better than 'deliberately smashing into something hopefully not made of granite to avoid being splattered across the landscape by missiles.' yeah?" Marack replied. And then it appeared, a hillock of rough dirt and the patchiest looking grass you ever did see. "Hold onto your seats and kiss your ass goodbye if this doesn't work."

...

...

Impact.

The Whale Juddered and her aft end lifted high as Marack killed the power instantly so that the engines didn't drive it any deeper. Fortunately the hillock was simple dirt and with the shields still up most of the damage was little more than a dinged up nose and some severe bruising. But the craft 'landed' after bursting through the Hillock more or less intact, though two of the men in the back had concussions after accidentally headbutting during Maracks Wyld Ryde.

But they were down, and the missiles lost their target detonating some kilometres away.

Groaning Tohkran came to his senses and used a little force healing to nurture his bumps and bruises. "Nice flying... I think."

Marack was still manning the controls and shrugged, "We seem to be mostly in one piece."

He groaned and checked to see if his leg worked, it thankfully did, at that point Goddor walked in, nursing his head. "Are landings like this normal for you?" He asked the Herglic.

"Stay on my ship for a while as I go places and find out." Came the reply.

Goddor winced and said nothing, leaving Tohkran to fill the void. "Well... that could have gone better... Did anyone respond to my message... or in fact any sign of anything? CIS or otherwise?"

Marack shrugged again, "Nothing at all, at least message wise, there are some speeders approaching though from the treeline. If its a welcome committee... well I wouldn't feel welcome."

Tohkran nodded, "Right... Marack power down the ship, but lwoer the boarding ramp." Marack nodded and proceeded to do so while Tohkran motioned for Goddor to follow, with Goddor standing in the ship Tohkran decided to wait outside for the speeders to arrive, but just to be safe he instructed Goddor to get a bubble of protection around himself while he did his more advanced version of force absorb, just in case.

As they closed it became clear there were three speeders on approach, two stopped well back and began setting up what appeared to be mobile launchers, and a pair of Mortars.

The other closed to within 200 metres and stopped, ten men emerging. They carried an assortment of weapons ranging from Blaster Carbines to Sniper Rifles and even a Flechette launcher. They closed on the Whale with extreme professionalism.

They noticed Tohkran standing outside and came to a half at a safe distance from them. Their leader seemed to pause considering the implications of what he saw. "You work for the tinheads." He finally declared. "Well you're prisoners now. Turn yourselves over and we'll only rough you up a little bit. Make it hard we rough you up more. We don't have time to play games with petty bureaucrats."

Tohkran raised a brow, "I do not work for the tinheads, but I and my crew will come willingly. Goddor get Marack please. No weapons, please hand me yours." There was a moment of hesitation and Goddor tossed his lightsaber to Tohkran who grabbed it, hearing the rodian knight head deeper inside to get Marack.

Turning to the spokesperson he showed the lightsaber and then placed it on the ground.

Tohkran allowed himself to be manacled, and didn;t bat an eye as one of them took his cane, he did spoke up at one point however. "I don't suppose you could get the ship into cover somewhere, out of sight of the CIS? If they bother to investigate. It would also lessen the chances of your own discovery."

Tohkran blinked and saw Marack's eyes bulge open wide and he quickly spoke up. "No, please listen to me. I do not work for the CIS, you must have heard that there was a CIS transport suddenly at these coordinates as if it appeared out of nowhere, look at that ship, it is of corellian design, not CIS. Therefore a smuggler ship of some kind, by the force I came here to offer my assistance, we are already coming willingly and that ship, might be our only way out to rendezvous with our people."

"He begs so nicely." One of the troopers remarked rolling his eyes. "Can we keep him sir. I'll feed him and take him for walks."

"Shaddup, i'm trying to concentrate." The trooper named Jax remarked before the leader held up a hand.

"Hold it Jax. Team 2, wire that thing to blow to pieces, then cover it with a camo-net. If this drek's lying to us I'll push the detonator myself. If he's not, well we'll see what the Boss says then."

Tohkran let out a sigh of relief, "You have my thanks." He nodded in, what he hopes it was, a reassuring gesture to Marack who relaxed somewhat but glared at the missile trooper and then the commander before letting out a grunt.

The leader looks at Tohkran. "Shut up, you've convinced me to delay the execution of that ship you arrived in. But speak again and I might just push the force forsaken button out of spite."

The trip took almost four hours, and despite all the techniques one might use to memorize a route by the time the speeders began to slow Tohkran and his team would have been thoroughly lost, that is if they hadn't already actually known where the airbase was.

Arriving showed cream coloured walls of the airbases interior and the open hatch above looking up into space with a number of ships all hauled back out of sight. Most of them look to be in adequate repair and some look positively as if they were off the showroom floor, though a keen eye would spot that it had more to do with a fresh coat of paint than any quality repairs. Designed to confuse the casual observer.

Rudely shoved from the speeders the teams captors emerged. "Get the boss."

Some minutes later a man emerges, a tall muscular humanoid wearing much the same camouflaged armour as the rest of those coming and going. His heavily tanned skin that spoke of much outdoors activity and a thick head of dreadlocks and a stripe that ran across his face below the eyeline. He looked harried, busy and not a little bit angry at being disturbed. His eyes widen imperceptibly as he notices his 'guests' and he turns to the team Leader. "Where did you find these."

"Beyond Marker 10, They bore a CIS Transponder and were under escort by CIS Tri-Fighters. We considered it an opportunity target, a transport under escort uncomfortably close to the Aerie. On firing their craft crashed and these surrendered to us."

Tohkran held his tongue and so did Marack and Goddor, Tohkran was observing for the moment, waiting to be spoken to.

The 'Boss' went over to the insurgent carrying the confiscated weapons and instantly picked the lightsabre from the stack his eyes glowing as he pulled what knowledge he could from the weapon his face expressionless and now that the man was using it Tohkran could feel a very strong force presence from the man. He turned to face Tohkran with a less certain expression. "Well... Tohkran..." He said as if trying the name on for the first time... "You've bought yourself ten minutes to explain your presence here."

Tohkran raised an eyebrow and let out a chuckle, nodding to the walking stick. "My lightsaber is concealed in there, if you wanted to use psychometry on that as well." He studied the man and nodded. "So you are the jedi I heard rumours about, very well, you already learned my name, and that I am a jedi, so is the Rodian with me. I got some reports recently about this system, that the CIS had taken over and that a insurgency was taking place and that a jedi was leading them, so I felt it required a investigation up close. Hence here I am. And after my ship did some scans of the surface I was considering offering my help, if you want it."

"How incredibly vague of you." The man replied. "Ranger Captain Pierce, take their belongings to secure room 1, Ranger Captain Kensi, inform command that I will have to delay the meeting with the Generals. Ranger Captain Shaundi, escort them to our 'guest quarters'. Ranger Captain Oleg, with me, tell me everything." The man turned away as one of the female insurgents indicated that Tohkran and company should move ahead of her.

*

Two hours later the woman, Shaundi, collected them from their 'guest quarters' which were little more than three metre wide cube with a door that lacked a method of opening from the inside.

Finally you're lead into a room almost twenty metres in radius, the round room had all the hallmarks of a Jedi's Meditation chamber writ large. And in the centre of it, on a cold marble dais surrounded by a small moat and a rock garden around that, carefully maintained, was the "Boss" that the others had referred to. After being ushered in, and pointedly forced to look at the sign that said 'stay on the path' the door hissed closed.

"You took a great risk in coming here Jedi. For even rumour of me to have spread far enough to be heard I seriously entertained the idea of having you all executed as CIS spies and your ship blown to pieces. I am still not yet certain that is not the wisest cause of action."

He turned to Tokhran. "I am Quinlan Vos, and you have precisely one chance to genuinely convince me otherwise."

"A question first, your people, did say they suddenly detected the smuggler freighter as if it appeared out of nowhere, correct?" Tohkran said, looking calmly at the force user. "It might validate what I have to say next."

"No they did not. They mentioned detecting your ship after it passed over their duty station on their targeting computers as a CIS Transponder Code and Identifcation with a Droid Tri-Fighter Escort." Vos replied looking into Tohkran's eyes.

"Ah, how unfortunate. Well the ship was launched from a capital class vessel, the Illusion of Grace, a ship with a fully operational and currently active stygium cloaking device. As for the CIS transponder, well your crew have seen the ship, if any of them have ever seen a corellian design they must have seen it was clearly not CIS. It belongs to the Herglic with me, Marack is his name and it has been modified to... well easily change transponder codes. Unfortunately the CIS patrol of droid fighters had no log of our arrival and demanded we had to turn to the capital or shot down, the rest of what happened after you know.

But ask me what you will, I have no secrets, you showed you can read objects, probably enhanced beyond what a Kiffar like yourself can usually do, I have several hundred Kiffu Guardians in my employ as it happens, so our weapons must have showed you that myself and the rodian are jedi."

Vos nodded. "They did. But Jedi working with CIS is not unheard of in these times of trouble." He answered. "Indeed. Talk is ripe that the Jedi and Sith are not concealing themselves as once they were, that they were... making a return. Why have you come here. Why do you want to help us." Quinlan said with a note of almost tired resignation in his voice.

Tohkran raised a brow, "Well I do not support the CIS, if you must know I have a more Republic leaning, if I could I would have shown you some of the republic clones I have in my service but I feared to be caught by the CIS and be executed by them as spies for the Republic, so I do hope you see the irony of the situation that you were considering executing me and my people as CIS spies.

As for the reasons of me wanting to help you, they were twofold at first but sicne arriving here I got three reasons. One, I wish to support any jedi I encounter, we are all in this together and should help each other if possible. Two, I know about the lore of Antarian rangers and their aid to the jedi when they were formed and wished to repay the favour. Three, my ship scanned the surface, I know what they are doing here, what they are turning this world into and are using its population for and I will not stand for it."

"You do know that you cannot help us overnight." Quinlan said suddenly standing his own lightsabre now hanging from his belt. It was clear it was not something he typically wore about the base, but now wore over his indecision over what should be done about Tohkran. "IF you truly wish to help you will be committing to a significant and lengthy campaign? Because bluntly, we are losing this insurgency, and of late our most effective strategy has been strapping bombs to our most dedicated men, women... and children..." He said finally with a tear in one eye, "And sending them out hoping to hit those damnable droid foundries and slow construction more. Trying to free the people of this world has been even less fruitful!" You could almost feel a seething anger beneath his rough appearance. "Not an hour ago a speeder we sent to try and free a number of our bomb experts that were captured and sent to the mines for their 'sedition' was bombed to nothing by Droid Bombers. Do you have the courage, the conviction... the resources to stand with us until the end?" Quinlan said marching up to Tohkran with long, light strides. "Because if you cannot. We can't use you. If you give us hope and then are called away by whatever else you have going then we will break. My people are not invincible. And without help...."

There is long minutes of pause.

"Without help, this resistance may not last a single month more." Vos said finally.

Tohkran looked at Quinlan, hoping the Kiffar force user could sense the honesty in his words, "For that reason, when I decided to come here, I loaded up some of my best troops on that cloaked capital ship I mentioned, and are ready to be left here and help you fight, as well as a small number of tanks and vehicles. Then when I saw what was happening here I started to consider to make contact, and offer a alternative plan, I still wish to grant you the use of my troops and vehicles, perhaps even a number of squadrons if you can use them, but also that I might see if some of my friends and allies can get together and combine our ships and troops and help out in a bigger way. Not to mention, as I said I have a cloaked capital ship and one of my friends is... well connected in way that might be a bit beyond the law and might be able to send in smuggler to deliver more weapons, ammunition, food, medical supplies."

He raised a hand, "I can't say it will happen but I would promise, on my life and that of the living force I serve I will try my hardest to do so."

Quinlan looked indecisive. "I will accept your offer Tohkran. One one condition." He left it hanging.

Tohkran frowned but gestured for Quinlan to continue.

"You remain here, personally, until we either succeed in freeing this world, or die at the hands of the CIS." Quinlan said dispassionately.

Tohkran rose his eyebrows in surprise, but then slowly nodded after a moment of thought, "Agreed, but Goddor and Marack are free to return to my ship, especially Goddor... I have a number of younglings in my care and if I am to stay here, he has to take care and protect them along with my other eldest padawans. My friend who is in command of my ship can contact my friends, inform them of what is going and perhaps see about more reinforcements. Is that acceptable? And if so, where can a cloaked ship perhaps enter the atmosphere and start offloading troops and material."

Quinlan nodded and left the room indicating that Tohkran should follow. "Bluntly, with this blockade I do not believe it is possible for you to do so at all, we have no access to weather monitoring systems and we do not even dare use commlinks or other transmitters, you were only spotted by the passive fire control sensors on the teams anti-air weapons systems." He said continuing down a corridor. "I do not know how you are going to get your aid to us, but unless we are able to take a weather scan station bringing your capital ship into the atmosphere would be suicide, they would detect it's entry and the Malefactor would speed up its orbit and fire on your ship, from orbit." He entered a mess hall and waved at the chef, a Sullustian, to prepare some food. The alien got to work.

"Then there are the Lucrehulks and the other escorts, the blockade is not even as they send ships to try and scan when we attack, but it is effective enough to give them a virtually total skyscan capability."

"I see." Tohkran said, tracing through his beard. "How well are the weather stations guarded?"

"Very well. They're guarded day and night, it's why our fleet of smugglers is grounded, after the CIS realised we were using the, then unguarded, stations to direct our own smugglers bringing us weapons, they took the facilities and now guard them day and night. We're talking at least a couple of hundred droids per station, more if it's near a sensitive area. Hell if we tried to reach the one in their new industrial park we'd have to pass through a couple thousand droids, just to get a look at it." Quinlan admitted before sighing. "A situation made worse by the CIS getting closer to discovering our strongholds with ever raid."

"Hmm... well I am trained to conceal myself, even from the sensors of electronic surveillance, including droids. I could potentially try and sneak my way into one of these stations but then what would that accomplish after that." Tohkran murmured out loud.

"We need access to at least one of those Weather Stations if we're to bring your ship down at all." Vos said taking a plate with some food on it that had the indecency to still be wriggling. "It'd be even better if we had permanent access to some sort of weather monitoring so our smugglers could operate again."

Tohkran suddenly got an idea though, a Nu class loaded with commando's storming one of the weather stations via a ram-raid. It'd probably be a write off... but if Vos could provide a way to exifiltrate... it might, just might, work. Tohkran frowned, stroking through his beard and turned to Quinlan Vos. "I have a idea... but it is somewhat crazy... I am considering... contacting my ship, load up one of my vessels with a bunch of commandos... and ram it inside a weather station of our choosing, as for permanent access... the commander of my ship is quite a gifted slicer... perhaps he can install a program, that remains hidden... but gives your people remote access to 'blind' or otherwise influence their readings for your purposes."

Vos sits there watching without any overtly obvious reception to the idea. "And what exactly do you need from me."

"Provide the relatively easiest target, perhaps a combined ground assault if they are distracted by the sudden commando ram-raid in their nerve center, use the weather station for our purposes, install a program so the resistance here can perhaps keep manipulating the weather station through a slicing backdoor and extract us all."

"If we could afford to commit to a ground assault of any sort I wouldn't be strapping baradium bombs to my youngest and most loyal." Vos remarked plainly. "Certainly not against somewhere so well fortified."

Tohkran frowns, feeling there was only one option... he however decided to ask something else, "These CIS droids, are these the one that can act on their own or do these need a central control that gives them directions."

Vos sighed. "The first generation needed a droid control ship. But our jamming and attacks caused enough disruption they pulled all those out. Now they're all independent units."

He was expecting that answer but he still sighed. "I see, unfortunate... well... do you have a secure transmitter at least with which I can contact my ship?"

He shook his head emphatically. "No, after losing four of our strongholds to Hyena bombers due to communications being detected I had runners take speeder bikes and reach each place I have left and...."

He pauses...

"And I ordered all communications devices destroyed." He finished.

After dishing out some more of the minor details Tohkran frowned and rubbed his temple. "It will be difficult... but not impossible..." He looked at Quinlan Vos. "I need to return to my ship and discuss this with my people." He raised his hand to interupt Quinlan before he could make a object. "I gave you my word and oath I would stay here, and I will, but I know my people, Thrall will not go along with this unless I have told him of this in person and my decision to stay."

Vos looked up from the display that he'd provided. "Remember. When exfiltrating do not retreat southwards, at a minimum there will be three units of AAT's converging towards your position. And upwards of three units of Droideka's, we don't have any exact information, this map is only what we can confirm. The AAA Emplacements are of unknown strength and we're not entirely certain of their position. If resistance on the way out is too intense. I recommend taking up a stealth posture and begin heading for this emergency exfil point, it's a sewer, and we can't support you. Regardless of which you end up using head towards these co-ordinates, we'll try and have some speeders to pick you up."

Voss looked at Tohkran a moment longer. "But you will have to leave someone here. As proof of your noble intentions. I believe you, but the Jedi are not infallible as the last four hundred years shows, and my men and women will want some assurances."

Tohkran nods and gestures, to Goddor. "Goddor, I'd like to ask if yo-"

Goddor cut him off and nodded, "I'll stay. No need to ask ma-" He paused and smiled, "Tohkran."

Tohkran snorted but smiled back, nodding and turned back to Vos. "Goddor has recently been raised to the level of jedi knight, he wishes to stay. Knowing Thrall he will be back in orbit around the spot we launched the freighter, wondering what the hell has happened and why we haven't made contact with him yet. If you want you can assign a observer with us on the ship." Tohkran paused for a moment. "I don't know if it is a sensitive topic but... I know what the name, the clan name, Vos implies... can't the Kiffar offer assistance if asked? I could have my people ask aid in your name."

"No, this is not their fight." Quinlan said. "You offered to help. As I offered to help these people when the invasion happened. I am one of them now. Shaundi may return with you as an observer." He said and turned as he began preparing to send forces to help them escape.

Some more minor details were discussed and in the end Marack, Tohkran and Shaundi were brought back to the Killer Whale and managed to lift off and dock with the Illusion of Grace without any apparent trouble.

The trouble began when Tohkran explained what happened and the plan they had made with the resistance forces... as well with the minor fact that Tohkran was going to stay if the mission was a success.

Thrall's eyes bulged. "Are you insane!? Well of course you are, you are a frigging jedi but this is a whole other level of crazy." He raised up his hands and groaned, "Why am I even bothering you already made up your mind, haven't you?" He snorted when he saw the guilty look on Tohkran's face and shook his head. "Right I will have a Nu-shuttle prepared for the task.... and I am coming along too... you have any idea how hard it is to make a program like that without knowing the security? I am coming and that is final." With a snort and smirk he turned around and slithered away to set things in motion.

Shaking his head, but somewhat amused by all of this Tohkran turned to their observer. "Will you be coming along too? And if so, what are your specialties?"

"My specialties are killing." She responded without any excessive description. She removed a weapon from the holster on her back. A VES-700 Pulse Rifle.

"Good to know..." Tohkran said evenly and then proceeded to make a few personal and private messages to his various friends and some of his most trusted crew. Eventually Thrall came back, "Nu-shuttle is prepared... and ship is heading to the location specified, let's hope this works."

"So do I thrall, so do I."

The sluissi snorts, "Just so you know, if I die, I may not be force sensitive, but I will haunt your ass even so!" In response tohkran laughed and was still smiling as they all boarded the shuttle. He made a point to thank each of the commandos, who volunteered for this potentially suicide mission and after that it was time for them all to strap themselves in and prepare to be launched.

Shaundi climbed in and strapped herself into place while keeping her weapon on her lap.

Tohkran was meditating, or trying to when the command to launch was given and the Nu-shuttle sped away, to make it's ramming approach of their objective.

+++++

The shuttle began its deadly descent the near-suicidal plan was... detected almost immediately but the plummeting course was meteor-straight and powerfully accurate as it ripped down through the atmosphere. The AAA opened fire on it as soon as it entered range, rippled missile fire tearing up towards it, but its terminal path was unbelievable and so the course prediction algorithms failed to lock on properly before, with exceptional skill, the shuttle plunged down in the square and through the front of the weather monitoring station, the armoured walls tearing the fuselage near to ruin. But it was down. And nobody has died.

Tohkran groaned and released the safety harness, getting out, hearing grunts and voices checking in they were ok, Thrall was the loudest of them all. "Still alive! No thanks to this crazy plan!"

Taking a deep breath Tohkran checked in... and then lowered the hatch door, lightsaber in hand and pulled up a bubble of protection around himself to see what might lie in wait for them if the CIS responded quickly.

The reaction was fierce. While the shuttle had "safely crashed" into the buildings the reaction from outside was instantaneous. Fire from the B2 Battle Droids across the street instantly began slashing into the building, of the nearby tanks and B1s there was no immediately obvious response, though Tohkran could feel that they were already responding.
Somewhere in the distance, alarms began to chime.

"Everyone out, I will take point, Trianii, Thrall, Marack and Shaundie follow behind, Cathar you watch our rear! Let's go we are on the clock!" And with that they marched out and headed for the main frame.

Two squads of Trianii remained behind, they would follow but had a other task, booby-trapping the crashed shuttle and placing other obstacles in the way of any droids who would pursuit in the direction the main group had gone.

The Trianii worked to booby trap the shuttle but the B2 Battle Droids fire continued to disrupt the operations, though it was not enough to strike the targets expected, the sounds of B1's moving up and the AAT could be heard.

So far the point team had yet to face any direct opposition yet.

Running out of time the Trianii try to do their best before the CIS became too much of a trouble at their position.

Tohkran was still leading the others, hoping his senses woudl warn him in advance of any trouble as he led the others deeper into the building.

Outside an AAT fired at the building trying to strike the crashed shuttle within as the B2 droids continued firing salvos into the building while the B1's prepared to storm the structure. The commando's fighting around the shuttle too occupied to trap the transport or fire back with much effect.

Meanwhile Tohkran, Thrall and Marack are shoved aside, the first two by commanders, the last by Shaundi, as Droid Commando's burst from the spaces they'd concealed themselves and opened fire. The Commando's return fire, and Shaundi's dropping two of them with excellent skills.

One squad of Trianii urged the other to leave while they remained behind, still rigging up the shuttle to blow but now with the intention of taking as many droids with them as they could while those of the squad not rigging explosives would do their best to snipe targets.

Tohkran ignites his blade and mvoes to attack, Marack wit hhis massive vibro-axe and the cathar commandos following suit while the Trianii and Thrall follow Shaundi's example and fired with their blasters at the commandos who would not be entering the melee.

As the team ran to catch up with the others, unfortunately the unit of B1 Battle Droids assaulted the entrance killing three of the commandos in their opening.

The B2s however did not fare so well at the fire that unit had sung out with killing three of the clankers as the Tank fired another shot that came too close to striking the downed shuttle.

Marack cleaves two of the droid commando's in two as Thrall and Tohkran are pushed back by them your own commando's doing very little more. Shaundi managed to kill another of the droids.

But precious time was being taken.

The remaining two commandos took a decision, gathering all explosives they had and prepped them, both holding a detonator... and waited, for the right moment as most of the droids seemed about to overwhelm their position.

Tohkran moved back and frowned, reaching otu with the force to perhaps make the commando droids freeze in stasis, giving his people a easier time of neutralizing them.

The commando's remaining at the shuttle nodded in accord before turning out to wait for the droids. "Oh shit." One remarked as the B2's leveled an absolutely devastating volley that cut them apart before a pair of AAT's came into view and blasted the shuttle, and what remained of the two commando's into ruin.

One of the remaining three commando droids was frozen by the stasis and was blasted apart with another of them by Thrall and Shaundi, the last retreated further into the structure it's own fire killing three of the Cathar in as many seconds.

Tohkran frowned as only one squad returned, givign a quick report of what happened and he felt a pang of guilt and shame before shaking it off, he knew casualties were likely. "Right enough time wasted, we continue with the mission, hurry!" He shouted as they resumed their running to the weather station mainframe.

Unopposed so far Tohkran knew it in his bones that outside the Droids would be closing in but it only took them a minute to find one of the main observation centres.

Tohkran turned to Thrall, "You are up Thrall, everyone else set up position... Trianii... set up explosives, as if we were about to blow up this mainframe."

Thrall moved quickly, but not quickly enough, it took him almost four minutes to get through the CIS military grade firewalls, but they weren't standard, someone had altered the coding to make it harder. But after a good four minutes Thrall finally managed to get in.

Meanwhile the Trianii worked to place the explosives.

Thrall cursed as the re-coding gave him trouble. But it had only taken a minute so far before he hit a block having to start once again.

But now weapons fire sang into the room as the rogue Droid Commando returned.

And it sounded like B1 Droids were only a minute behind them.

Marack, Shaundi and the commandos responded at once to keep the CIS droids at bay while Tohkran drew upon the force to activate his force valor ability to enhance the resistance and fighting prowess of his people.

The Commando's fire suddenly took on a far far too accurate tone, five more commando's fell under its fire before it was itself destroyed by fire from the others and Marack's Vibro-ax.

Thrall however fought to ignore the battle going on and managed to write the program necessary. It was time to bury it, and then remove all trace of access.

Tohkran nodded to Thrall, "Do what you can." He walked out, he would be the first to meet the next wave of hostiles, his lightsaber at the ready while the remaining commanders took up sniper positions and Marack just grunted and lifted his axe, preparing to charge.

Thrall manages to bury the program where the CIS couldn't find it with the tap in the landlines Vos indicated was needed, The Commando's managed to gun down the unit of B1 Battle Droids, but they came very close to wounding the Jedi bringing down his protective abilities.

Tohkran shivered and renewed his protection, that had been close, standing in the crossfire. "Thrall! We are running out of time."

"Oh keep your damned pants or robes on, I am working here!" Thrall shouted back and then ignored the beard face.

Thrall finally managed to disguise the fact that he'd ever accessed the computer. Maybe it'd be wise to trash the room and get out. The sounds of droids closing in grew richer. It could not be wise to go out the way they came in.

Thrall let out a sigh, whipped out his blaster and made some scorch marks on parts he knew wouldn't harm the function of this place but might jsut look liek a desperate last attempt at sabotage. "Right I'm done! Let's go, start running you bipedals, see if you can keep up!" He shouted as he started slithering away... before being roughly picked up by Marack who started carrying the sluissi, while Tohkran and the others also started running, hoping their extraction point was still secure.

The retreat out of the back of the structure seemed to go well, but not unnoticed. "There they are!"

"Roger roger!" Can be heard as the team emerges from the back of the building.

In response some of the Trianii pulled out droid poppers and threw them down the alley the sounds of droids had come from while they all still kept running. They had not time to waste.

The grenades bounced down the alley as the team retreated, the blast slowing down the droids as half their unit dropped. But it was a fair bet that reinforcements were now closing.

Letting the others lead ahead Tohkran remained behind and watched for signs of pursuit, preparing to once again use stasis if any droids followed, slowing them down further.

As they pulled back and Tokhran held, the Jedi could only bear witness as two units of B1 emerged into the quad. And moments behind them a unit of Droideka deployed and their shields raised. The team retreating also found itself pursued by a unit of Droideka who deployed with a unit of B1's not far behind.

The trianii retrieved more droid poppers, hoping to take out the droidekas with them while Marack put Thrall down, engaged his shield and charge, vbiro-ax raised.

Tohkran looked at the opposition, he had managed to use the force to stop several of the B-1 droids, not liking his odds however he ran to get out of view and use force concealment to shield himself from them.

The Droid Poppers did little good though they did drop the shields on two of the Droidekas, Thrall killed both of them with a single volley and little effort. The other Droideka's return fire failing to do anything of any import whatsoever.

And then, somewhere on the other side of the city a mushroom cloud rose over the structures and the blast shockwave of a Baradium Bomb detonated. And suddenly the majority of the droids had new priorities.

Tohkran would realise almost instantly that it was near the sewer exit Vos had mentioned. It seemed one of the few men the Jedi could spare as backup to help them get out had sacrificed himself to buy you time.

Tohkran looked back and sighed, shaking his head but ran to try and regroup with the others.

Thrall blinked, "Ok... right enough silliness, Marack, ya big oaf pick me back up, we are running ladies and gents! Really, really fast now!"

Without further pause, the Droideka's recieving recall orders retreated towards the blast.

Tohkran returned to the attentions of his team as they ran for the exit. Seemingly unopposed.

He was glad to be back with the others but frowned, urging them to stop as they made sure they were not followed.

Finally they found the cleft in the wall that Voss had spoken of and number of speeders beyond the wall shrouded by camouflage netting and a handful of Voss's men ready to pull them out.

"RIght everyone out, I will be the last to do so."

Thrall snorted, "Now wait just a mi-"

"Marack drag him out of here, I will be last." With a curse Thrall tried to get out of the herglic's grasp but it was futile as Marack held on and did as he was instructed. The commandos following suit, Shaundi doing what she wanted naturally.

Without further issue, the team, or what remained of it, and the Speeders began their retreat, unwatched.

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

Western Watchtower, a game of Sloth Chess

Naream blinked and then frowned, he knew this board, it was from that surface game... Chess... or was it Checkers... possibly both, either case it was no matter, both games were loosely based on supposedly 'simulating' combat, warfare. By making the players think of various ways to beat their opponent and stay one or multiple steps ahead of their opponent, well he knew of a other way that could influence combat. He pulled up his spell tome and leaved through it, gritting his teeth when one of them made a move, starting the game, without making a strategy... and then she blathered about food? This was one of the Queens Blades? He frowned, silencing his thoughts to concentrate, after all perhaps that one had abilities he had not yet witnessed.

While leafing through his spell tome he spoke up, almost casually mentioning it. "There is a barrier preventing us from escaping this board... also, the girls book, it is the source of the barrier and potentially the entire magic that made this game board appear." He then let out a delighted sound, finding the right page, cutting his thumb and placing it on the bloodied mark on the page. The thing was with wars and strategies... one can have all the cunning strategies he or she wants, but sometimes...

He let out a shout, speaking in a mixture of Drow and arcane words and then let loose with the magic and opened a rift between this world and the pocket-plane his amulet was linked to and from it marched three wight warriors, armed with shields and swords, moving protectively in front of Naream.

He grinned and closed his spell tome, sweeping off a bead of sweat from his forehead, sometimes, it was not about the strategies, but about the reinforcements one can bring to the field...

"No fairrr!" The twelve year old pouted. "Stop being such a meanie!"

"I will stop being a, as you say, 'meanie' when this game of Sloth Chess has been won, with me preferably still standing, thank you very much. Now be a good young... human... girl? And hand over that book, or my pawns will have to get it for me." Upon those words two of the wight moved together in formations, shields in front and started marching in unison, they would head for the closes enemy pawn, that was not a skeletal archer. Naream had other plans for those as he instructed the third wight to stand guard over him while he tried to wrest control over those skeletal archers to his own control.

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

Been trying to come up with enough material that is more than 3 lines... but basically what Naream is doing is observe what is happening next/maybe the surroundings now that the 'game cahllenge' is accepted by someone.

Return of the Force 2.

In the life of two Sith & Their Minions

Leaving hyperspace Gra'tua allowed himself to relax somewhat, they had managed to get through Saleucami space without too much trouble, upon entry he had simple assured the local forces that he was Mandalorian and neutral in the greater galactic conflict and that if they were smart they would allow them passage unless they wished to have the Mandalorian clans back their enemies. Kashiir approached them, "We are now at the edge of Hutt space, I would advise to go around it, following the route directly to Teth. I would be... unwise in my opinion to startle the Hutts with two warships traveling through their domain."

Gra'tua nodded slowly, "I suppose you are right, but we are here to assist Lena, so it is her call to make." He turned to a communications officer and got his attention. "Contact the Shadow's Regret, let's discuss it with Lena directly."

She accepted the incoming hail and looked upon the visage of her fellow sith, she smiled. "Gra'tua, you keep surprising me, I expected you to blast our way through, not using words to persuade them." She left out that she might have contacted some of the CIS command through her channels that she knew someone very high and in the Chancellors office but his own attempt to allow them go through was also helpful in it's own way. "I assume you call to discuss where we go next?"

"Indeed, I dislike going through Hutt space so my man Kashiir here." He gestured for Kashiir to approach so his image would be broadcast to Lena as well. "Suggested to just go around Hutt space, takes a little bit longer but we won't have to deal with any of the Hutt clans or other organizations making their base in that space."

Lena thought it over, she had some contacts there but in this case, it might be best to stick to the regular routes. "I concur, best to stick to the edge of Hutt space, who knows what we might encounter on the way there. It is a favourite holding ground for pirates after all." She mused out loud.

He laughed in response, "If you say things like that I might reconsider, this journey has been... well not boring... but I could use some excitement." He smirked behind his mask.
Gat: At roughly the same time both vessels picked up the approaching flarestar class shuttle on their sensors, the vessel appeared to have the markings of the Ohnaka Gang painted on the top, but both had been scuffed so as to be barely recognizable.

Lena frowned at the interruption but asked to have the ship brought up on a screen so she could take a good look at it. Raising a brow as she recognized it by it's markings, it belonged to the Ohnaka Gang but it also had the unique markings of one particular person, she decided to hail it. "Shahan Alama, this is Lena. Fancy meeting you here."

When Gra'tua was informed it was a pirate vessel he was already about to order weapons to be armed for some target practice but when Kashiir warned him Lena send a hail he delayed those orders, frowning as he waited what might happen.

The line was silent for a moment before Alama's voice came back over the comms. "Lena," The Weequay bounty hunter said in a cheery tone. "A little mynock told me you were in the sector. Thought you might be interested in helping me with a mark I've been tracking?"

Lena shook her head, this Weequay always was familiar but she did not mind, he knew when not to ask questions, this is why he was still alive after all. "I think I can help, I am not travelling alone however, but I think that is actually better, more help, depending on who or what you are hunting?"

"Well its not so much the who I need assistance with, if it was just the guy I'd be fine and you know I usually work alone." Alama said with a small chuckle. "You mind letting me dock to give you the details, invite your friend too, their ship looks like it could deliver a small beating, that could be quite handy with the mark I'm after."

She was intrigued now, "I see, you are cleared to dock then." With she ended the hail and then resumed her conversation with Gra'tua. "My apologies Gra'tua, the man aboard the approaching Flarestar is a contact of mine, apparently he has a proposition for me, which might benefit you too, if you could come over we can see what he has to say."

"A proposition you say? Well I suppose there is no harm in listening to it, expect me shortly." He turned to Kashiir, "Prepare me a Kalikir, I will visit Lena's ship and see what this contact of hers has to say."

Alama brought his flarestar in smoothly to land on the Shadows Regret's hanger deck, making shure to lock the attack shuttles systems, more out of habit than any lack of trust, before powering the vessel down and walking down the cockpit ramp to find lena.

Lena nodded to the Weequay bounty hunter and then watched as Gra'tua also arrived. "And there is my other guest." She waited for Gra'tua to join them and then she gestured. "Gra'tua, Mandalorian clan leader, meet Shahan Alama, bounty hunter."

He clasped his hands behind his back and studied the hunter for a moment before he nodded, deciding to go straight to the point. "Lady Lena here tells me you have a proposition?"

“Direct aren't you, a man after my own heart.” Alama said with a slightly mocking tone. “Alright whatever. I've been tracking a mark for the past few weeks, finally found where the guy has been working from. Problem is he's running a battlecruiser, bit more than I can take on with my shuttle.” Alama said as he looked between Gra'tua and Lena. “I don't suppose we could take a seat somewhere a little less, informal, before I give you all the details?”

Lena hid a smile and gestured for both of them to follow and to cut off any rebuke from Gra'tua that might be coming. "I think the officers lounge will do nicely." Moments later they were all seated and she even had provided for some refreshments. "So... a battlecruiser? You must be hunting someone interesting, who is it and what has he or she done to get a bounty?"

Alama leaned back in a chair and popped his feet up on the chair next to him before he answered Lena's query. “The who is a former captain in the Black Sun by the name of Tej H'darr that somehow got his hands on the battlecruiser he flies and decided to go solo. Black Sun in particular didn't like that, specially seeing as he stole a large sum of credits from them on his way out the door.” The bounty hunter took a drink that was offered by one of the zeltron women that had brought the drinks and took a long drink before continuing. “Course if it was just Black Sun the bounty wouldn't be as high as it is. Tej fancies himself a pirate and has been attacking pretty much everyone except the republic and CIS since he split, so the whole syndicate is on his ass by now as well as a number of more legitimate corporations.”

"Well that explains that... and I guess you have tracked him down near here and then saw me exit hyperspace and figured we could help out?" She said with a smile as she sipped from her drink.

“Not exactly,” Alama replied. “Found Tej's home base a few days ago, its in the next sector over, knowing there was little I could do on my own I reached out to a few contacts and a mutual contact of ours told me you were headed this way. So figuring you'd pass though Boonta I came here to wait.”

"I see..." She murmured to herself and then looked to Gra'tua. "Well you wanted excitement, so what say you? Shall we take this task?"

He chuckled and shrugged, "Well it sounds exciting... but we also have to worry about what awaits us at our final destination in this region of space..." He looked at the bounty hunter. "What does this pay exactly? Credits does sound nice."

“Well, the bounty is at present the bounty stands at three million credits, minus my 30% finders fee naturally.” Alama replied casually.

He blinked behind his mask, "That sounds... like a adequate amount of money... I am in."

Lena rose a eyebrow. "You want us to fight a battleship, perhaps you should only get a 15% finders fee, me and Gra'tua here will do most of the fighting after all fro mthe sound of it." She said, beginning to haggle.

Alama smiled as he took another drink. "And how will you find Tej without me, I'm one of the best trackers around and it took me weeks to locate the slippery Manka cat. without me there is no bounty for you to collect." He took another quick drink, draining the glass, before sitting up straight. "You haven't done wrong by me in the past however so for you Lena I'd be willing to drop my fee to 25%"

She grinned, "You still need us for the heavy fighting, 20%."

"Too true," Alama replied, "My little shuttle doesn't stand much of a chance against Tej's battlecruiser, and while the bounty is for the man, he is rarely seperate from the vessel. Alright, I accept your 20%."

He let out a grunt, "Well the if the negotiation phase is over with... shall we pay a visit to this Tej?"

Lena nodded, "You can stay aboard my ship Alama, with me on the bridge while you lead us to Tej's location. Do you need him alive or dead? And if the latter recognizable or will ship sensor logs suffice if his ship is disintegrated or something similar?"

“Well there’s a four hundred thousand credit bonus if he is brought in alive.” Alama answered with a shrug, “But disintegrated works too so long as it can be proved he's dead one way or another.”

"Well I heard enough, I will be on my ship Lena, I think it's best we keep a line of communications over, send me all the details you can about that ship and one of my people might see if he can spot a weakness of sorts." With that he nodded his head respectfully at Lena and left for the hangar to return to his ship.

"We'll stay in touch." She said to the Mandalorian sith lord's back and then turned to Alama. "Let's head to the bridge and prepare for battle."

Alama stood and followed Lena to the bridge, opening a data link to his shuttle so he could transfer the related intel he had gathered to Gra'tua's ship from the comm station on the bridge. included were the location of Tejs base, which he also gave to Lena's navigation officer and specs for the battlecruiser, a little dated as they didn't show any modifications Tej might have done to the vessel but they were pretty close.

Some time later they were en-route through hyperspace and Gra'tua let Kashiir talk, both to himself and to Lena who was listening in as he relayed his findings after some study of the data provided. "Hmm we shall keep that in mind then, you have done well Kashiir. Perhaps we can lure it to power one side and then quickly move out of the way so it will have wasted charging it's weapons while we attack the undefended other side."

"We will see, best advice I am hearing however is to just keep away from it's broadsides. I can prevent it from escaping to hyperspace." She paused and listened. "I have just been informed we are about to enter the system, good hunting Gra'tua." She said and then turned back to Verat. "Is my ship ready for battle?" The Givin nodded. "Very well, return to your station." She addressed her whole bridge. "Prepare for battle stations."

When the Shadows Regret and Kandosii Naast dropped out of hyperspace near the world of Akrit'tar, where Alama had located Tej's staging post the sight that greeted them was rather ordinary, and also fortuitous. A small space station sat in orbit of the barren world with a battlecruiser matching the schematics Alama had provided docked with it. They had apparently caught Tej in the act of resupplying or offloading plundered cargo. As sensors came fully back online however they registered a number of small craft being launched from the battlecruiser. Sensors registered them as common commercial Z-95 headhunters but detected no life signs in the cockpits.

Gra'tua turned to look at Lena with whom he was still on call and then nodded to Kashiir, the Chiss took the sign and turned to the bridge. "Charge weapons and bring power to the Hyper-Shield!" Weapons were being charged as orders came from the gunnery crews while the hyper-shield became active and was being powered up as well.

Gra'tua contacted the hangar bay. "Latesh, report."

The voice of the Chiss sith warrior came over quickly. "The Kalikir gunships are ready and filled alor, sixty commandos and twenty assault warriors ready to board if required. Myself, Talinna, Canderous, Magog and your illustrious guest Goran will be under overall command of Andrieke."

"Very well, I will inform the pilots to launch when a window of opportunity presents itself." He then turned to Kashiir. "Launch the squadrons, let them follow in our wake while we approach the cruiser from it's aft section, keep the broadsides away from us. I also want target solutions of our laser and flak weaponry on those approaching fighters, fire when ready." Kashiir nodded and gave the order, leaving Gra'tua to lean back in his command throne. "Lena your ship is slow but do try to catch up or otherwise offer support with your longer ranged weaponry if you have them."

She smiled, "I am aware of my ships limitations Gra'tua, we will follow in your wake and assist in what way we can with longer raged weapons, I am also launching squadrons that will join your own. And I have boarding craft ready with Noghri and several of my disciples and colonels."

The Z-95's slow as the Kandosii Naast approaches, outside of small arms fire and seemingly taking up a 'defensive line' of sorts a quick count reveals eight such squadrons were launched from the battlecrusier. Sensors on the sith vessels detected spikes in the Battle cruisers power levels as it apparently began charging its guns and shields, it was still attached to the station however meaning it was unable to manoeuvre and as such only about 25% of its main guns could be brought to bar on the approaching vessels.
Sarzum: Gra'tua watched the sensors, seeing Lena's squadrons catching up to his own fighters... catching up fast, her fighters were frightingly quick it seems. "We are in range for the spinal lasers my lord."

He looked up, Kashiir waiting expectantly. "Very well then... open fire, try target the engines... and Kashiir if our crew cannot hit a unmoving target then I will have words with them... Lena what you do with yours if they miss I leave to you." She just nodded and gave the response she would also fire her spinal laser.

While the Kandosii Naasts shots both went wide enough to miss both the battlecruiser and the station behind it the crew of the Shadows Regret were at least competent enough to hit the broad side of a barn, the blast however despite clearly hitting the vessel appeared to do no damage. It also appeared that clearing the cargo airlock was taking longer than it should have as the battlecruiser maintained its position with its engines powered down.

"The Shadow's Regret is lagging behind ,as expected and we are ahead my lord." Kashiir reported, looking as some people started to shout out. "We are in range now for our torpedo launchers and at the edge of our mass driver range, ready to fire."

Gra'tua growled, "They better hit this time... that was a shameful display before..."

Lena resisted a smile and calmly spoke to Gra'tua. "I suggest we also now bring our fighter squadrons into play?"

He nodded in response, "Agreed. Kashiir inform the squadrons to loop around attack the station, cruiser and it's fighter escorts as agreed upon." A moment later the fighters went off, two of Lena's interceptor squadrons still behind Gra'tua while the other squadrons traveled in a small swarm on a designated path. Lena's squadrons would prepare to attack the cruiser when in range while the mandalorian craft would attack any weapon points on the station. The interceptors would engage any enemy starfighters that would move in to intercept the attacking starfighters and bombers.

While he saw this both sith vessels opened fire once more.

The second shot from the Regrets spinal turbolaser managed to repeat their earlier successful hit though once again there was no visible damage from the strike. The two hits that followed from the Naasts spinal guns however visibly shook the battlecruiser and large spikes were detected in the cruisers power generators as the deflector shields flared into the visible spectrum. As impressive as this was the followup shots from the Naasts mass drivers followed a similar trajectory to its original spinal shots and the ordered torpedo's never launched, instead they had misfired in the tubes and would need to be cleared before another volley could be fired.

At this point a number of small explosions were detected on the far side of the battlecruiser as apparently tired of waiting, the cruiser destroyed the cargo airlocks connected arm and powered its engines.

Gra'tua raised his eyebrows, "Well... this pirate is eager to get away from it's station, willing to attack it to get loose, Kashiir, also make a note, whoever is responsible for the maintenance of the torpedo tubes... tell him he is now in charge of the ship latrines. Inform my squadrons, ignore the station, focus on the cruiser alongside Lena's squadrons." The orders were relayed and then Gra'tua simply smiled when he heard they were now in range with their heavy weaponry. "Fire."

"Missiles are just barely in range, launch when you have your target, align target vectors and..." Lena barely listened to it all, she did not have the mind for these things like Verat or even Gra'tua and just hoped her crew would do their best to carry them all through this event.

Apparently the Regrets spinal gunners were getting complacent and one of them spilled their cup of jawa juice on the targeting controls and in their rush to clean up the shot was taken and was well off target. Thankfully the targetters fast clean up prevented any damage to the controls themselves. In direct contrast the gunners on missile control launched a flawless volley that passed within a few dozen meters of the Naasts bridge tower as they shot past the mandalorian warship and streamed towards their target on a shockingly accurate course.

The Naasts spinal gunners were apparently figuring out how to get a target lock rather quickly, that or being closer was helping more than it should have, as the vessels spinal guns spoke again they slammed into the cruiser and once again caused the shields to flare and the power to spike but strangely damage was minimal again. The Naasts heavy turbolasers erupted with a scattered array of fire that ultimately did nothing but put on an impressive light show while the Mass drivers followed suit of the torpedoes earlier and misfired, one of which took out the end of its barrel which would make targeting with it tricky until repairs could be made. The Ion cannons however stopped just short of overloading when they suffered a similar misfire, 2 batteries had their circuits heavily ionized as a result and would likely need some serious polarizing when the battle was over before anyone dared try firing them again.

Six of the Z-95 squadrons began moving toward the Naast as the Regrets missiles were detected before they made a sharp turn and began heading back towards the battlecruiser, intending to stay just ahead of the Naasts anti fighter weaponry while the remaining two squadrons took up something of a guarding position towards the cruisers rear apparently having detected a large mass of strike craft heading around the battle zone. The cruiser on the other hand opened fire with its broadside of heavy weapons at the Naast having focused on turning over speed as it cleared the station in order to play to its main strength. Several batteries on Heavy Ion cannons and Turbolasers lanced out towards the Naast.

The fire from the turbolasers rained down on the Naast joined by the second ion barrage, damage aboard the Naast is negligible aside from a 5% drop in hypershield strength. The first Ion barrage however failed to fire at all revealing that the previous spinal turbolaser strikes had stressed the vessels power conduits as they strove to keep power to the shields of the cruiser.

At this point a powerful jamming signal spread across local space, likely emanating from the battlecruiser filling comm channels with white noise.

Gra'tua cursed as he saw the missiles fired from Lena almost impact on his bridge, at the same time the enemy cruiser opened fire but the damage was wasted against his hyper-shield. "Lena, are you trying to..." He trailed off as the communication suddenly was terminated and noise erupted over the channel. "Turn that off! Are we being jammed?"

Kashiir nodded with a frown. "On all frequencies, we no longer can contact Lena or our starfighters, or the enemy cruiser for that matter."

"Hmm, a shame, well the fighters have their orders, resume firing on the cruiser, I want more than shield fluctuations this time, I want to see those shields gone." He said with determination, then with a hint of anger. "Assuming my gunnery crews can actually hit something!"

Lena blinked as communication faltered and turned to Verat. "What is the meaning of this?"

The Givin was already looking for the cause, "We are being jammed, interesting, he was a pirate so such equipment would be useful to him, if we can destroy the communications array then the jamming might be lifted."

Lena nodded, "Do it."

The Naasts gunners once again show their superb training... or lack of it as the remaining functional ion cannons, the mass drivers and the spinal turbolasers manage to miss the battlecruiser completely, the shots sailing under the large vessel. The heavy turbolaser batteries however tried to pick up the slack and delivered a withering barrage against the cruisers shields but registered little effect. While a volley of torpedo's from the freshly cleared tubes headed quickly towards the battlecruiser.

The previous volley of missiles fired from the Regret homed in on their target while the six Z-95 squadrons that had broken off previously tried to intercept them, they succeeded in stopping two of the 4 while the sixth squadron managed to shoot two of its own members instead. The remaining two missiles struck the battlecruiser with solid hits to the rear section causing one of the six primary engines to flicker and die reducing the vessels overall maneuverability.

Another volley of concussion missiles launched from the Regret but sensor analysis of their flight path showed they would be highly unlikely to strike their target. The spinal turbolaser and mass drivers however did manage to strike out with success as they impacted the battlecruisers shields and caused them to flare as the previous strikes had the sensors on the Regret began showing curious data about the battlecruisers shields as the strikes hit as they flared power conduits right across the impacts side of the cruiser surged while there was almost no power activity on the far side of the vessel to speak of at all.

The two squadrons of Z-95's hat were standing as a rearguard put power to their engines and started racing towards the oncoming mass of strike craft despite they being massively outnumbered. Trying to compensate for its damaged engines the battlecruiser gained more distance than turn rate in along their planned course and as a result one of its turbolaser groupings was unable to be brought to bare. The remaining however continued to target the Naast. However only one of the heavy ion groupings managed to score hits dropping the Naasts hypershield by a further 5%

Verat studied the sensor data on the enemy vessel, discovering something. "No power..."

Lena frowned, "What was that Verat? I did not hear what you said."

Verat turned, "There is no power activity going on on the other side of the ship... not just no weapons charged, but no power that might implicate that the shields are active on that side as well, if we could strike there now, we might deliver some serious damage."

Lena frowned, "But we do not have the speed for it... or can contact Gra'tua or our squadrons with thise... resume firing on the communications array and report to Gra'tua at once when able." She resumed studying the battle as best she could herself.

Gra'tua was staring daggers at Kashiir. "Care to explain the ineptitude of my crew?"

Kashiir coughed, "We have never... actually had a real battle with this new ship since its construction my lord. Most of the weapons we are firing for the first time since their installment."

Gra'tua growled, "Apology, for the moment, accepted, now have them hit something we are practically on top of it now! In fact... FIRE EVERYTHING!" The last two words he screamed in frustration at his crew, glad at that moment communications with Lena's vessel had failed.

The spinal Turbolaser on the Regret flashed the shot going clean over the top of Tej's battlecruiser the mass drivers had more luck as they impacted on the shields near the location of the battlecruisers comm array but alas did no lasting damage while yet a third volley of missile was launched though sensors showed they would be unlikely to hit the comm array, though they might be lucky to strike elsewhere on the ship.

Of the Regrets launched interceptors that had moved to engage the two squadrons of Z-95's 1 scored a brilliant run and reduced the squadron it faced by over 50%, the squadron it was partnered with however had less luck.

The Naast was showing the error of not having been through a proper shakedown cruise apparently as even at close range the spinal turbolasers missed, the remaining heavy Ion cannons missed, the lighter ion cannons had half its batteries follow the same path as the two heavies did previously 1 of the laser cannon batteries overloaded and all six of the flak cannon batteries spontaneously exploded in a dramatic display of engineering incompetence.

On the other hand the mass drivers and light turbolasers scored average hits causing the shields to shine while the heavy turbolasers caused the sensors to start registering the same high spikes in the power generators that had been detected before as power surged along the impacted side of the vessel. The biggest success came from the torpedo operators and a few of the laser cannon crews, with the anti-strike craft weaponry in range the Z-95's started taking evasive action to avoid the incoming fire and as such did not have the opportunity to try and intercept the proton torpedoes fired previously or the new volley, both sets of torpedoes struck the vessel with the latter pair damaging a cluster of the battlecruisers anti-strike craft weaponry and disabling a second engine.

As the two attacking squadrons of Z-95's tried to retaliate against their much faster and better armed opponents they were quickly overwhelmed. The remaining three that had been intercepting missiles retreated closer to the battlecruiser and took up station to try and shoot down further missile strikes as best they could.

The battlecruiser on the other hand opened fire in much the same way as the Naast had firing every anti- capital ship weapon it had at the self damaging mandalorian vessel. Some of the gunnery crews joked that they didn't even need to fire and the enemy would destroy themselves.

This did not however stop the heavy turbolaser crews from delivering a devastating barrage of fire upon the Naast causing the hypershield to drop below 80%. at least one set of the heavy ion cannons managed to stay on target dropping the hypershield by a further 5% with their assault. Of the light turbolaser cannons one set blew out its own power relays as a surge of power rushed by to feed the shields in that sector while the other three sets failed to do more than impact shields or go wild and have little to no overall effect. One of the light ion sets also scored solid hits and weakened the hypershield further.

Kashiir turned to Gra'tua, some worry now appearing on his face along with a bead of sweat. "The.. ah, flak batteries are gone my lord, all six of them. But we are now practically on top of them now."

Gra'tua stared hard at Kashiir and nodded, "Very well... I accept my part in this disaster... nto wanting to give the ship a proper shakedown cruise... but Kashiir, if we get through this... I will hunt down the contractors that installed them." He gritted his teeth, "Continue as we are headed and keep firing with what we have, ignore the fighters, they are occupied as it is." He said looking at a hologram scene of the pitched dog-fighting taking place around the ship. He frowned and then turned to Kashiir, "What is the station doing..."

"We are now in range with our heavy weapons, shall I continue to target the communications array?" Lena nodded in response studying the scene, while Verat gave the order to keep firing.

The Naast continued to unleash upon the battlecruiser, except for the ion cannons which for some reason sat dormant, perhaps their gunners were timid about what had just happened to the flak cannons happening to them. While many of the weapon shots continued to miss the target they were much closer than previous misses with the Heavy turbolasers doing the majority of the work while the mass drivers contributed their firepower to the effort. The laser batteries in the mean time fired a devastating barrage into the interceptor melee, somehow managing to avoid hitting friendlies in the process.

More strikes from the Regret quickly followed as the spinal turbolaser and heavy turbolaser batteries concentrated their firepower on the comm array the focused power managing to slip a few shots through the momentarily weakened shield before power could surge along the ship and close the gap. The white noise jamming the comms began to clear ever so slightly as those few lucky shoots managed to damage if not disable the battlecruisers comm array, communication was possible now, but it would be patchy at best.

As the Z-95s began to get overwhelmed the battlecruiser opened fire with its own laser batteries against the enemy interceptors as it strove to keep its broadside on the rapidly closing mandalorian vessel. Between the firepower from the Naast, Lena and Gra'tua's interceptors and the battlecruisers own batteries opening up the Z-95's were quickly lost. Their sacrifice was not in vain however as one of Lena's interceptor squadrons obliterated by the barrage of laser cannon fire and a second reduced in numbers by a third.

The battlecruiser also continued its barrage of the Naast with every capital class weapon it could bring to bare on the vessel, hoping to slow or stop its present heading. Approximately half of the heavy weaponry fired had an effect the heavy turbolasers and heavy ions combined reducing the Naasts shield by an additional 10% while the light turbolaser batteries did little but impact upon the shield or fly wide of the target.

"We have limited communications back my lord." Kashiir reported, "It seems Lena found the source of the jamming and has delivered some damage."

At that point point Lena's voice came over. ""Gra'tua, no power *---* the other side *---* the vessel, none *---* its weapons, *---* shield make it *---*, strike with everything *---* can, now!" Came the garbled message.

"We need to have those lines of communication properly restored... are we in range of the other side of the cruiser?"

"Not exactly but the squadrons are making their attack runs now."

Gra'tua nodded, "Very well... launch the boarding craft."

Down in the hangars the boaridng parties were waiting anxious and then a alarm was heard and they made sure they were strapped in secure and were launched. In total there were 4 Kalikir Gunships and all 4 sped to hull points i na attempt to to latch on and start cutting through the hull.

As the Naast passed under the Battlecruiser its mass drivers reoriented to follow the target and opened up with a shocking result, it appeared they fired on a weak section of sheild as there was very little resistance to their barrage as the projectiles sunk into the battlecruisers hull with devastating effect. The following proton torepdos seemingly finishing the job as sensors registered multiple secondary explosions and a dramatic loss in power across the vessel as the hypershield protecting it simply vanished.

The following strikes from the Nasst and Regret tore into the vessels far more standard and weaker sheilds dropping them to approximately 20% and on the edge of failing themselves while doing numerous secondary damages to the battlecruisers systems including the comm array which was vaporized by a stray shoot.

Gra'tua watched the display and smiled for the first time since the engagement, "Extra black ale rations for the Mass Driver crews Kashiir..."

"Well, that was impressive." Came the voice of Lena, "Their shield, their hyper-shield is gone and so is their communications array as you may notice Gra'tua." She studied the scene, "What do we do next?"

Gra'tua laughed, "Watch me... Kashiir tell the bombers and starfighters to break off their attack run and disengage, disengage! I want tractors on that cruiser and lock ourselves against it now! All troops report to whatever airlocks to board that cruiser, I will be with a boarding party myself." He stood up and stormed off not bothering to wait for any of Kashiir's warning about this.

The chiss just watched his lord go and then turned to Lena, "I.... yes, another challenge I suppose." He turned away from the hologram of Lena and addressed the bridge crew. "Carry out your orders... and may whatever gods or the force be with us..."

With its hypershield down and the Naast out of the arc of its powered weapons the Battlecruiser began firing on the Regret with its heavy weapons while it started the process of transferring power for the lighter weapons to the left side in an attempt to keep up the fight against the Naast when it reemerged. Unfortunately most of its fire impacted harmlessly against the Regrets shields or missed entirely with only one of the ion groupings having any effect as they dropped the regrets total shield strength by 15%

Kashiir winced when he heard that the operators failed to get a tractor lock and shook his head, he already had doubts it would have worked anyway, comm reports did come in from the Kalikir gunships, successfully attaching themselves on the hull and cutting through and within moments the force of Mandalorian Commandos, Assault Warriors and their designated commanders were aboard.

Andrieke taking command of the operation. "Goran, Talinna, Canderous and Magog with me and twenty of the commandos. We will head to the bridge." She then turned to the chiss sith warrior. "Latesh, you and Bo divide up the remaining 40 commandos and head to engineering, make sure it is ours! A squad of assault warriors remain here with each ship to make sure we have a ride off this ship if things take a turn for the worst."

It was possible the worst idea his lord had ever done but he cleared his throat. "Continue working on those tractor beams... we shall not fail our alor and master." He gulped, and hopefully not damage the ship while doing it.

Meanwhile the boarding parties already in place went in search of their objectives, one main group heading to the bridge whiel two others were headign for the engineering section to shut it all down.

Lena watched with concern, "That Gra'tua is a madman at times... Verat we stay where we are, open fire on the far side of the cruiser so we won't damage Gra'tua in the crossfire."

The Regrets spinal turbolaser and mass drivers continued to lash out at the battlecruiser with deadly aim as the mass drivers brought down all but one of the primary engines and the spinal struck the hanger bay the Z-95's had launched from causing a rapid decompression of the bay as the air shield failed. The heavy turbolasers strafed the battlecruisers weapon emplacements and knocked out several batteries of heavy ion cannons which the concussion missiles... well three of them exploded in the tubes as the launch doors failed to open properly while the 4th slipped free of the tube but lost thrust a few moments later and began drifting.

As the three teams spread out they encounter battle droids at numerous points of the vessel, the bridge team eliminating the first group they found with little trouble and were only held up when 4 destroyer droids presented themselves at the end of a corridoor leading to the bridge. The 4 droids opened fire down the corridor suppressing the team around a corner. the schematics had shown this was one of the few ways to reach the bridge and that going around would likely give them time to fortify the other access points.

The Battlecruiser kept up its volley of fire at the Regret but the battle was taking its toll on the cruiser and none of its shots were terribly effectual.

Kashiir saw this method of boarding was just insane and would ultimately do nothing, perhaps even damage their ship! "Ignore lord Gra'tua's last order, move to the other side of the cruiser and open fire with all but the heavy weaponry."

Meanwhile aboard the cruiser Andrieke was vaguely listening to reports from the other two boarding parties, what was currently the problem for them however were the destroyer droids blocking their path. "Canderous go, Commandos, throw in some droid poppers!" As the commandos reached for the anti-droid grenades Canderous got out of cover and opened fire with his modified heavy E-Web.

Lena saw what her own missiles had done and cursed softly. "Stop firing, we will either do more damage to ourselves or we might hit Gra'tua... activate the Gravity Well generator instead."

Noticing the Regret cease fire that weapons that could be oriented to fire on the ventral surface of the battle cruiser started firing on the Naast once more, they were few however and little damage was made besides some chance hits against the turbolaser batteries during a momentary cycle of the Naasts hypershield. The Naasts ion cannons however countered with brutality and soon even the few guns that could still fire on the Naast were disabled.

The boarding teams were having mixed luck in the mean time. The engineering teams were more or less stalled by the defenders with Bo's team being pushed back somewhat. The bridge Team on the other hand were much more successful, the commandos deployed the poppers with a skillful action that would have put many lawn bowls professionals to shame and Canderous managed to keep the droids distracted long enough for the poppers to go off before slagging the 4 disabled droids.

The Bridge team advanced some commandos taking time to make sure the destroyers were properly executed they were nearing the bridge at a steady peace when the leading warrior stopped the advanced and motioned for Andrieke to come forward and witness what lay ahead.

She frowned upon seeing what was waiting for them, fortified positions in front of the security door leading to the bridge, Destroyer Droids, B2 Battle Droids, as well as a mix of the first sign of organic crew... and a spider droid.

She turned back to the group. "More droid poppers, Canderous, Talinna, see what you can do about that spider droid, everyone else... blast away at any hostiles." She said while making sure she had both her blasters in her hands. Talinna was nervous but then tried to put soem determination in her steps as she saw about perhaps force crushing parts of the spider droid so it wouldn't be a threat.

An enterprising crew member with a highly modified sporting rifle took aim on Andreika as he stepped out to try and put down some of the defenders, Magog, Canderous and Goran all pick off a few targets with their own fire, canderous sufficiently distracting the spider droid enough that it took a step back and knocked over a B2 behind it. The B2's wristlaser went off at an errant signal and destroyed the servo on the leg that had knocked it over rendering the spider droid immobile.

Meanwhile Talinna's efforts were... well... unnoticeable. While the commandos droid poppers failed to rach their targets and went off harmlessly in the no-mans land between the two sides. The Defending B2's returned fire succeeding in little more than flooding the corridor with blaster fire and suppressing the commandos. Then the crew member with the rifle took their shoot. Which dropped Andrika's personal shield with a single well placed shot.

Andrieke's eyes narrowed as she picked out the one who had shot her and fired several shots in his general direction. "Press forward!" She shouted while the commandos tried again to be a bit more effective and everyone else continued what they were doing. Canderous seeing the spider droid was immobile gleefully advanced relentlessly, squeezing the trigger of his weapon the entire time.

Meanwhile out in space Lena watched what was going on, her ship and the Kandosii Naast had stopped firing for the time being. "Make sure we move behind that cruiser, if Gra'tua deems he needs reinforcements for his boarding parties then he can call for such aid." She crossed her arms and smirked at Kashiir's holographic form. "Though I bet he would prefer the 'glory and honour' all to himself and his mandalorians?"

Kashiir smiled ruefully, "I think we are doing fine, I am monitoring Andrieke, our commander of the boarding parties, on the comms, she is nearing the bridge it seems. I will let you know if we need assistance."

The two engineering teams made some headway towards their destination, albiet no thanks to their leadership. At the bridge however the battle between the troops under Andrieke and the bridge defenders was heating up. A few destroyers and a B2 or three were disabled by the droid poppers while Magog and Goran took another B2 each. Talinna on the other hand had the most success as her assault with the force caused the spider droids legs to crumple severely limiting its field of fire.

Hearing the Droid Poppers were now all out Andrieke just smirked, "Up close and personal! For clan Gra'tua!" She shouted still firing her blasters while the commandos followed suit, either using blasters or the special weaponry of flamethrowers and toxic darts.

Magog and Goran were fighting side by side, the Mandalorian doctor flanking the guest to the clan as they fried and advanced step by step. Elsewhere Canderous was laughing as he kept up the stream of fire while Talinna decided now was the time to bring up a bubble of force protection around herself and moved her attention to crushing any remaining destroyer droids.

Despite Andrieke still not having much luck hitting the target of her enmity the Commandos following her lead proved they could shoot as well as throw poppers. As the majority of the B2 droids fell under their fire. The Spider droid, down but not out, fired its weapon in an apparently vain attempt to take down some of the attackers. The shoot hit one of the fortifications the organic crew were using and exposed the sheltering beings to mandalorian fire. The back blast from the shoot also did severe damage to the barrel of the droids blaster rendering it inoperable.

Tilanna found herself the target of the self same sporting rifle wielder that had previously popped Andriekes shield, the result was much the same as no sooner did she raise her barrier of the force to protect herself, than she felt it disperse accompanied by the bright flash of a blaster bolt bare inches from her face. Canderous on the other hand was having great fun as the power of his weapon dropped the shields of a destroyer droid with its sustained fire and destroyed the destroyer in short order.

Aboard the Naast Gra'tua received a small data burst from a crew-member on the bridge, a simple text message encoded for the sith lords personal communicator. It read simply; 'Kashiir is disregarding your orders my lord.'

Gra'tua looked at the text. "HE DID WHAT!?" With a growl he stormed away fro mthe troops ready for a boarding opportunity that would not arrive it seems as their alor headed to the nearest elevator to return to the bridge.

Andrieke saw they were making progress and decided to try something, shouting out to the defenders. "Lay down your arms and surrender! Or face the wrath of the Mando'ade!"

"Get slimed!" The man with the sporting rifle shouted back.

Not particularly fond of that answer Andrieke, Goran, Magog and Canderous turned their weapons on the man with the sporting rifle and fired.

Talinna had her eyes wide and quickly put another bubble of protection around herself, hoping this one would last longer.

Between the combined firepower of Canderous, Magog and Andrieke's shooting the man with the sporting rifle promptly found a lot of carbon scoring on his respectable looking armour and a few large-ish holes where his chest used to be, he only had a few moments to notice this however before he expired and dropped like a sack to the decking. The commandos meanwhile mopped up the remainder of the B2 and all but 2 of the organic crew while the spider droid, still functional if not useful as a weapon any longer, rotated its head too and fro in an idle fashion. Its barrel, or what was left of it manage to trip up the last remaining destroyer droid which was quickly dispatched by the watching commandos before it could rise and raise its shield again.

The two living crew wasted no time in following Andrieke's previous command to throw down their weapons and surrender, especially seeing what had just happened to the man that was obviously leading them.

The engineering team under Bo was making good progress in the mean time and were almost at their goal, like the bridge they had come to a fortified position baring the entrance to engineering but the commandos were making quick work of the defenders, again no thanks to their leadership. Bo in an attempt to lead a charge caught a shot to the leg causing her to stumble in the attempt and land on the deck as the defenders and commandos traded shot over her head.

Andrieke walked calmly towards the incapacitated spider droid and put several shots in it's armour before turning to the crew of the ship who surrendered, "What awaits us on the other side of that door." She said gesturing to the security door to the bridge.

"Ah... " one of the two began stuttering before the second punched him in the arm with an angry look in his eyes.

She raised her blaster and shot the second in the face. "You were saying?" She asked the one who had begun to stutter.

"The Captain and a skeleton bridge crew!" the crewmen blurted out almost immediately, there was a clear dark stain spreading down the side of his pants leg in the meantime.

"Your cooperation is appreciated, stand aside." Two of the commandos shoved the crew member out of the and Andrieke knocked on the security door while looking for a itnercom or some other means to communicate with those on the other side.

A holoprojector at the top of the door flickered to life and the image of Tej H'darr appeared before the strike team. “I don't know who you are, nor do I really care. But would you kindly get off my ship and withdraw, you've caused a considerable amount of damage as it is that will take me months to fix.”

Andrieke stared at the hologram, "I am a warrior of the Mando'ade, we do not withdraw that easily, I am giving you this one chance to surrender with some grace and dignity or we burst through and take your bridge by force, you know you have been boarded, you cannot escape due to one of the vessels attacking you having a gravity well generator and last I heard your defenses are down to the weapons of our ships, so as I said, one chance to surrender."

The holographic image started laughing at the speech obviously highly amused by it. After a few moments Tej quieted and spoke in a very serious tone. “And this is your last chance to get out of here with your lives. You see I will not allow you to take me back to the Black Sun.” He turned to someone outside the image for a moment and gave an order. “Tractor beams now! And start the failsafe.” he turned back to look at the holo imager with a dark smile on his face.

One of the two tractor beams targeted at the Naast latched on while the other emitter simply exploded apparently having suffered damage during the battle. Both beams targeting the Regret however locked on holding the vessel in place.

She shrugged, "I see... does your crew, who are not wanted by black sun, share this suicidal conviction of yours? If any of you can hear me over there, we will spare your lives if the captain is handed over to us, preferred alive, but dead and recognizable is acceptable as well." She then turned to Talinna. "Use your universal cutting tool." The sith disciple nodded and activated her saber, approaching the door with determination.

"You waste your breath." the holoprojection of Tej H'darr replied, "You've had your warning, now leave if you'd prefer to live."

Meanwhile on the bridge, Gra'tua stormed on. "Kashiir! How dare you-"

"Not now!" He shouted, not caring at the moment. "We are caught in a tractor beam and I need to focus on whatever plan these pirates are up to."

"Who are you to talk to me like tha-"

Gra'tua began but a furious Kashiir turned around to face him. "Captain of the Kandosii Naast, appointed by you to be the master of this ship in battle, you give suggestions but I give the orders in a space battle, as laid down by you now shut up! My lord."

Lena blinked, "So... we are being held by that ship... and you are telling me explosive devices are being armed, as well as the reactor is showing signs of activity which you guess would be a overload?" Verat nodded. "I see, Kashiir if you can hear me over the argument you have with your master, I kindly request your squadrons destroy those tractor beams."

Talinna started cutting and Andrieke shook her head, "You are a stubborn one, alive you can still grovel your masters for forgiveness and your life, dead you are just that, dead. We plan to take you alive, you are perfectly willing to blow yourself up?"

She then turned to Goran, Magog and Canderous. "Take half the commandos and return to the ships, she then called out to Bo and Latesh. "Progress updates, where are you both now."

"I don't grovel." Te'j H'darr replied before the holoimage flickered out.

Kashiir stared his master down for another second before turning back to Lena. "Certainly, inform the squadrons to make attack runs on the tractor beam emitters." He then turned back to Gra'tua, "Can I resume doing my job?"

Gra'tua growled, "For now."

"Thank you." Kashiir looked aroudn seeing most of the bridge crew staring at him. "WE ARE IN A BATTLE! Get to work!"

Andrieke finished listening to Bo reporting heavy fighting at engineering and then from Latesh that she was still far out, ordering Latesh to withdraw she urged Bo to keep pressing forward but to leave the engineering crews alive. She then turned to Talinna, "Almost through?"

Bruised but still alive Bo followed after her men into engineering after they, her men, took it by swift storm, looking at the captives she then gestured to the generators. "Power down the reactors, keep gravity and life support systems intact but weapons, shields, anything that might be charged to blow up the ship, turn it off if you want to live."

The engineers looked at one another, clearly worried but apprently resolute not to do anything to help the attackers.

Bo frowned, "Do you all honestly want to die like this? Going down with the ship with a condemned man?"

"W we... we cant..." one of the engineers replied, "H'darr holds our lives in his hands..." as if to emphasis the point th engineers head promptly exploded and the other 4 started cowering more than they already were

She looked unfazed, "I see. If that was the case why aren't you lot dead like that one." She gestured to the headless corpse, "This is a intimidation tactic, if you lot value your lives then take a chance and stop this reactor overload that's building up, show some damned courage. Or do you prefer if my people start shooting you four with ion weaponry?"

After a few moments one of the engineers stood up and moved towards the master control console for the reactor... surprisingly to the other three engineers his head didn't explode...

The reason for this was likely because the security door to the bridge was showing a large molten core on the bridge side o the door, it wasn't supposed to be doing that and as a result H'darr had taken up a defensive position behind a control console while the three officers on the bridge did likewise, all they had to do was hold out until the failsafe was ready... or get themselves killed in the fight, they had resigned themselves to death either way.

As the door opens Talinna steps through the door she opened, lightsaber lit in her hand reaching out with the force to lift up any bridge crew she could see while Andrieke and some commandos burst through behind her.

Andrieke saw that Talinna lifted two people in the air, the bounty not among them and she shouted out. "Your bridge is breached, we have a force user with us, just surrender already with some dignity remaining, if not you then maybe some of your officers." She raised her blaster towards Tej but did not fire, "Or are they afraid of exploding heads, how interesting that not all the engineers my commander encountered were killed, such a cowards tactic to keep your crew in line!"

“I needed their knowledge of this ship and they weren't going to work for me willingly.” Tej replied with a shrug while he stayed crouched in cover.

"Your fellow officers included? Will they be interested to hear that some engineers are not suffering a case of exploding heads and are in fact working on neutralizing your failsafe?* Andrieke replied, watching for any move of Tej, her blasters switched to stun. "Surrender and you will have some good last days, unless you can somehow convince your former bosses to spare your life with whatever deal you come up with before you are handed over."

“Bastards...” Tej muttered as he glanced over the cover for a moment at a console near the rear of the bridge. “Well... “ He said a moment before he nodded to the other officer not floating in the air. The two of them leaned out of cover together and opened fire on Talinna together. Tej's shot marks its target and drops Talinna's force protection but the officers shot misses and fails to take advantage of it.

Andrieke and the commandos took that cue of opening fire on Tej and the officer who had just opened fire.

Their shots failed to hit the targets however as the two of them ducked back into cover as the mandalorians opened fire. Waiting for a moment of 'less' shooting happening the two popped out again at different points of their cover to take additional shots.

Talinna felt her instincts warn her and dropped the two officers, whipping up her blade at the same time to quickly deflect both blaster shots heading her way, the officer got hit by his own blastershot and managed out a surprised grunt before dropping to the floor, Tej had more luck as he got over his surprise and dived out of the way, exposing himself.

With a snarl Andrieke drew a knife and dove towards Tej in a attempt to subdue him while the commandos surged forwards to subdue and capture the other two officers.

Talinna meanwhile felt stronger in the force... but not stupid as she tapped into her reserved and once more put a bubble around herself while she too approached Tej.

As she approached Tej Andrieke called out to him as updates were given to her. "Your engineering deck ahs been taken, your reactors are being turned off and our ships are getting a safe distance away, you even give us a glorious death in battle, you are finished!"

“Poodo!” Tej said as he raised his blaster and snapped off a quick shot at Andrieke as best he could. The shoot glanced her armours shoulderpad but otherwise did no damage.

With a hiss she closed the distance and at the last moment dropped her knife and punched Tej between the eyes and again and again till finally his head rolled back she saw the other officers were subdued as well and marched towards them, Talinna approaching with her lightsaber still active. "Right your captain is down, a fellow officer of yours dead, your engineers are working for us, now you lot turn off that failsafe or we shall show you how deadly that blade of this force user is." To emphasize the point Talinna approached and let the saber hover over their heads. It did not take long for one of them to break and quickly deactivate the failsafe. "Good." She let out a silent sigh of relief and contacted the two sith observing from space.

"This is Andrieke, the ship is ours, I repeat the ship is ours."

Kashiir closed his eyes and slowly turned around to watch his master, fully expecting some kind of reprisal but he was shocked when Gra'tua just let out a chuckle. "Well done Kashiir, you have a good head on your shoulders, be sure to keep it." With a smirk hidden he turned back to Lena. "We have taken the ship it seems, I shall send some troops over to make sure it stays that way."

Lena nodded, "I must admit your Mandalorians have acquitted themselves quite well Gra'tua, do you mind if I send a craft to pick up Tej?"

Gra'tua shrugged, "Not at all."

Later, Lena walked down the corridors to the brig with the cell containing their new guest, Gra'tua had kindly handed him over to her and now she was going to pay him a visit, and see if he was awake now after that one woman in service of Gra'tua, Andrieke, had knocked him out. When she entered and approached his cell, she saw that the human male was sitting upright, her hands clasped behind her back she coughed to get his attention. "Hello, and welcome."

“So my captor has come to gloat then?..” Tej said as he studied Lena. “What happened to the Mandalorians? You don't seem to fit with them...” he said after a few moments with a look on his face that made it appear he was figuring out a puzzle.

"They are in the service of a friend of mine." She simply said and studied the man, "And I am not here to gloat just... trying to sate my curiousity, wondering what kind of man it takes, to turn his back on his organization and go rogue."

“Why do most people do what they do, Money and Power.” Tej replied with a bored looking shrug as though her explanation had taken all the fun out of the previous puzzle.

Lena looked dissapointed for a moment, "So not a difference of opinion or of creed. You just wanted money and power?"

Tej leaned back against the rear of the cell and laughed a rich and clearly amused chuckle. “Does that surprise you, were you expecting some lengthy tale about how the black sun tortured and murdered my family in an effort to have me fall in line, or how I started out in the slave markets before rising to where I was in their ranks ad was angered by how they endorsed slavery. Or perhaps you expected me to spin some tale of love for an honest woman that ran afoul of the Black sun and was executed despite my pleas. Is that more what you were expecting to hear?”

Lena tilted her head and then shrugged, "I suppose not." She frowned, "Why the bombs in your crew? Were they loyal to Black Sun or were you just incapable of controlling them by your own means or charisma?"

“They were pretty simple really, they were the ships original engineers, part of the team that designed and built it, they didn't particularly wish to come along willingly when I was tasked by black sun to steal the ship, after I took the ship for myself I needed them to maintain it. The explosives were a simple and effective tool to ensure their cooperation.” Tej replied.

"A tool, if I loan the words of my friends among the Mandalorians, of a coward and petty little man." She sighed and turned away. "Enjoy my hospitality while it lasts, I think I have heard enough." Two noghri who had been waiting in the shadows now stepped into view, silently staring at the prisoner while Lena started walking away to find the bounty hunter.

"Could I at least get a decent meal!" Tej shouted after lena as she left.

She ignored him as she continued walking, when it was time for his meal he would just have to eat whatever it was.

Alama waited at the enterance to the detention block, casually cleaning under his fingernails with a small knife he kept on his person while he waited. Looking up at the sound of footsteps he saw Lena approaching the and the knife pomptly vanished into his clothing. "Curiosity sated?" he asked casually.

She nodded slowly, "It is, just curious why one would turn from a organization, knowing they must have wanted to hunt him down for such desertion. Do you require assistance, getting him transferred to your shuttle?"

“If you could loan me the use of a med sled to get him to the hanger, I'll just stun him and keep him sedated for the trip to his reunion with the Black Sun.” Alama said as he patted the blaster on his hip. “So I take him in, collect the reward and then wire it to you minus my 30% then.” Alama said with a smile. “Its always a pleasure working with professionals.” he then added.

Lena raised a eyebrow and waggled a finger. "You are mistaken... it was 20%, though I think, because of the trouble we went through, not to mention that they had somekind of failsafe in place and almost blown us up me and my associate need some more compensation, so maybe you should get 15%. Especially if you are trying to cheat us, hmm?" She smiled, crossing her arms.

Alama had the good grace to at least look taken aback as he put on a mock pout. “20% are you sure.” He said before he started to grin. “Well can't blame a guy for trying surely. 20% is fine, after all if it were me I'd have shot the guy rather than taking him captive in the first place, but since your friend went to the trouble of taking him alive I won't take my cut out of the bonus, is that acceptable?”

She mulled it over and the nodded, "Acceptable, pleasure working with you again... one last question, I don't suppose you might have heard about a CIS expedition heading for Teth? Perhaps offer us some information? Since we are such good friends and business associates after all." She asked casualy.

“Can't say I know much about the movements of the CIS I'm afraid, not unless there's a bounty attached at least.” Alama replied. “If I were to hear something though what might it be worth to you?”

"Depends on the information, but I always pay my debts." She said with confidence.

“Then I'll keep my ears open and pass along anything that may be of use.” Alama said with a slight but flourished bow. “So then,” he added as he straightened. ”A medsled?”

She smiled and shook her head at his antics and called up the medical bay for a medsled to be brought to the brig, but without any medics. "Just make sure it has straps to secure the prisoner." She finished saying and then turned back to Alama. "It's on the way, I also will have some of my Noghri assist you. But the moment you stun him, he is your responsibility."

"I'd prefer a carbonite gun but they're not cheap to get ahold of, Stunning and keeping him sedated for the trip works just as well really, just needs a little more monitoring." Alama said as he started heading into the detention block. "Don't worry though, I'll make sure you get your credits." he said as he smiled back over his shoulder at Lena.

She watched him go, shaking her head, this had been a pleasant, but perhaps costly diversion, though she hoped violence was not required at Teth, on that note she contacted Gra'tua, his voice coming to her a moment after the request. "Ah Gra'tua, how goes it?"

"Very well, I finished transferring the troops that will make sure the crew aboard my new ship stay in line, they will limp back home as fast as they can, wish we could stay put and conduct some repairs here and there but we are still good to go if you are." Gra'tua replied, eager to continue the journey.

"In that case, let our navigators get together to calculate a joined hyperspace jump towards Teth and continue on our journey." She smiled and finished the call, heading to the bridge to oversee the flight.

_________________
Summary:
360 SP reward, split into 2
Gra'tua Ship gained
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoEAvL_ihp0GdGpSb1l2SUdMR0FRX0R4U3Y5ZTBtaHc&usp=drive_web#gid=1
^
Hypershield need extensive repairs, SP and time to get it fixed or upgraded.

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

West Watch Tower

Naream looked unimpressed at his fellow 'Queens Blades' the entire time they were travelling together, for a brief moment he had been intrigued with the other Drow that were present but when he found out it was just a priestess bitch and associated lackey he ignored them, the giant walking and telepathic scarab was also a interesting oddity, but his interest in that one was more on a... academic level, he wondered if that shell of his would stay intact and strong upon death. Such musings passed as a familiar face came out of breath to the column of Queens Blades, Mikan of all people, out of breath but telling quite the tale of a mad illusionist with a sinister plot for the town where the two queens were located.

He listened to the descriptions of the 'hot zones' in the town and ultimately just shrugged, if goign along with this meant he was eventually going to get what he wanted... if it wasn't some carrot on a stick they held out in front of him to lure him. If that was the case... well he was Drow, revenge and savoring how to do it was a trademark of his species. Eventually he walked towards Mikan while some of the others already divided on where to go and he nodded to her. "Mikan."

The green haired girl turned and blinked, before smiling wide. "Naream!? You are still alive?" She let out a giggle and grinned at him. "And you became a Queens Blade? She then frowned and pouted, "Wait, why didn't you came to see me? Or was Mikan not worth your time to visit? Hmm?"

He just smiled and shrugged, "I would love to have seen you after I escaped that place my master send me to, before I stabbed him in the back, but I had more pressing concerns." For a moment the look on his face got dark and twisted with anger before he shook it off and just shrugged. "Princess- I mean Queen Kouri had decided to take that precious book from my master, by rights it is mine, my heritage and inheritance. So when I heard it was in the capital I cam looking for it there... funny thing about breaking into the mage guild with an all powerful and ancient mage residing there, they don't take well to stealing, even if the property is mine to begin with." He raised his hands and showed the shackles that kept his hands together and then looked down and shook his feet to make the chains there jingle and jangle too. "So got a choice, if you can call it that, execution for being a necromancer and a burglar, who might or might not have wounded, allegedly killed a couple of mage students or join the Queens Blades."

Mikan grinned, "Oh is that so? So you decided to join up, huh? Well good for you."

He decided not to say he had chosen execution at first but then changed his mind when they came with the carrot on a stick, that if he served with loyalty he would get the necromantic tome, which was still rightfully his to begin with! Instead he just smiled and shrugged, "Pretty much... so would love to help, only." He showed the shackles again, "Care to help me remove these?"

She just grinned and winked, "Aww but I could have such fun with you in shackles and chains, don't you agree?"

He shivered seeing that smile again after so long and let out a cough, before quickly shaking his head clearing it of any images of what she could do to him while he was in chains. "So... I am guessing those slu- I mean assassins are still in the picture, because I guess that comment about chains is their influence?" She just smirked and instead of answering came out with some tools and within seconds had the shackles and chains removed, leaving him rubbing his wrists to keep the blood flowing, well one of his wrists, since the other was rather devoid of blood vessels, or muscles, or any flesh for that matter. "My thanks. Right then I won't hold up any of your time and head to this western watch tower, sounds fascinating."

She giggled, "Have fun."

He frowned, "Say aren't those two Queens, Kouri and the werewolf, in danger? Yet you act so..."

She kept grinning and shrugged, "They have been through worse, you should know you were there for a few of those times, so I don't feel the need to worry, besides." She smirked, "I believe in them. Now off you go, have fun and make some friends, alright?"

He looked at her and blinked, shaking his head. "You are a strange individual... oh well." He just shook his head and went on his way, chuckling.

When he arrived at the tower some others were also already there and he just looked at it for a moment... and then shrugged, he had seen more impressive buildings in his time and instead looked around for any potential danger, looking carefully at the ravens, ordinarily he liked ravens, carrion birds were a normal sight around his preferred method of working after all but these... these looked rather intelligent out of their eyes, a bit too much. He looked at the other Queens Blades present, he opted to wait and observe for now, no sense in being the first to suggest something or stand out, that was not the Drow way.

Legend of Renalta 2: Reborn

Yeah.... though she would probably stab you with a knife and go 'heal bitch'....