Rendili

[Dangerous Wave's Corporation]

Vidown does not seem pleased with the orders to spend several minutes 'fooling around' as Masako so blatantly put it - perhaps this is because he recalls Jethro's knack for finding trouble...or simply due to his 'lets just get this over with' nature. Either way he crossed his arms with a surly look at Jethro after they had stowed their bikes alongside their companions.

"What?" Jethro asked him "Look this won't be like the time in Tatt... promise, cross my heart and all that school kid nonsense" Jethro stated in an attempt to relieve whatever it was that was bothering Vidown while they made their way over to Taaru and Miko. Vidown merely grunted out a gruff "we'll see" as they arrived.

Jethro shrugged slightly at the others as thought to say 'what can you do?' and glanced over at the object of their mission "Kind of an ugly building isn't it? I mean sure it's all glossed up and stamped with nifty designs to try and make it look important..but why can't people just build nice simple buildings anymore. I mean if the building houses something important does it really need to advertise it so much - you'd think the contents would speak for themselves"

*************************************************

While Jethro and Vidown grouped up with Miko and Taaru, Ras watched as Erika moved off to a cafe. It was a good position and he was rather irked that the women had laid claim to it first. Ah well, Sauntering over to the two Marines he pointed out what looked like a specialty store across the street, and knowing the love such people tended to have on playing jokes on their fellows was met with an enthusiastic reply. The trio wandered off in that general direction.

As Ras walked of with the Marines - something Telera was thankful for since she was done tormenting them and hadn't looked forward to amusing them any longer - she looked towards the only other person in their group who had yet to take off.

"Well looks like it's just you and me" she remarked to Aaron with "what the hell are we going to do with ourselves?"

[Taaru Masako]

Taaru leads the other three through a couple shops across the street from the open plaza on which the Astranav Bureau is located, selectively choosing tourist traps for the sake of appearances and even buying a few baubles, mostly for his own amusement: He had had the idea to keep some sort of record of this trip, and figured little mementos to be a good way to do it.

Eventually, he checks his chrono, and seeing that the time has come, motions to Miko, Vidown & Jethro to head on over to the Bureau.

They advance at a leisurely pace, taking some time to stop by the majestic fountains sprawled across the open area on their way there.

Taaru remarks to Miko on how different this city feels to Coronet. Something that can't be expressed in words, really. Miko's answer, being more of a city boy himself, is that all cities are different, and have their own essential character. <<A sort of meta-being, composed of everything and everyone that constitutes it. It's why some people feel more at home in some cities than others.>>

<<I guess that's why you like Coronet so much: It's as much of a rustabout and a rake as you are.>>

<<Pfff....such insults. I like to think of the city as a wordly madam, who's seen her fair share of imbeciles and knows how to take advantage of them.>>

<<Same thing, Miko. Same thing.>>

The conversation ends prematurely as they enter the building through a bank of several sliding glass doors at its front. Inside, they enter a massive atrium, with three tiers of balcony ringing around the atrium and turbolift access every few meters. None of them are carrying their weapons, having left them in their swoops, and trusting in Taaru's ability to keep them covered until the cavalry came a-running. This made processing through the modest security booth rather easy, though Taaru forgot to take his chrono off, and had to go through again, while Miko & Jethro displayed their personal terminals to prove they weren't cleverly disguised explosives.

The group then approaches one of the large, marble service desks towards the center the atrium, and Taaru is the one to address the attendant clerk.

He pulls a datacard and explains his (fake) position with the crew of the (fake) Tokyo Rose, and that he and his companions would like to file a request to access the database for star charts towards the end of the Rose's several week journey through the galaxy.

This is a routine request, and the clerk treats it as such, logging Taaru's (fake) information and directing the group to a terminal access booth on the second floor, where they can browse the database for the data they've requested.

Masako returns to the group with the booth allotment and motions them to follow. They take the stairs instead of the turbolift, as it's only the second floor, and soon find the designated booth: Nern Zero Resh.

They pile in, with Masako the last, and he shuts the privacy door behind them.

"Alright you nerds. Work your magic."

Miko rolls his eyes, and produces his terminal from a sling bag, boots it up, and begins to connect it with the database. So the others can watch his work, he interfaces his UI with the holo-table sitting in the middle of the room, which hums to life with a display of his work in progress.

[Aaron Starkiller]

Aaron parks his swoop among the others and lets it idle. Instead of getting off an moseying about like the majority of the group seemed to be doing, he chose to just sit on his bike. He held his hand to his mouth and yawned quietly before letting his arms fall loosely to his sides.

Turning his head to face Telera Aaron quirks an eyebrow over his sunglasses at her. "What you do with yourself is your business," he says before looking off in the distance. "Just let me watch. Or film it and give me the holorecording."

[Dangerous Wave's Corporation]

Jethro likewise quirks an eyebrow at the nerd comment but refrains from commenting in the face of work to be done. Vidown keeps post by the door - presumably ready to knock any interlopers unconscious should they suddenly come rushing in if something goes wrong.

Pulling out his own equipment Jethro begins to set up the receiver/transmitter that will allow Lillith access to his personal terminal, as the programing and configuration for this has already been done prior to their departure by Jethro it is really only a matter of establishing the link which Faustus, although designed to be transmitted in a manner that is hard to detect the link is heavily encrypted as an added precaution.

Once the link between Faustus and Jethro has been confirmed, Jethro glances at Miko. Footsteps outside the privacy door make Jethro hesitate in voicing his confirmation and Vidown pulls himself up from leaning on the wall, silently eyeing the door. The footsteps fade as whomever it was continues along their way and Jethro turns back to Miko with a questioning look as Vidown relaxes back against the wall.

At Miko's answering nod they establish a connection between their two terminals, turning Jethros into the middleman between Faustus and Miko, a connection that the GA database would not be able to see - to the database only one terminal (Miko's) is actively searched for the information.

As the connection is established, the ground teams job is essentially completed as the Faustus' advanced AI in the persona of Lilith garners total control. Cruising through the database Lilith is able to gather the Astromaps the Corellian team is actually after and then erase the fact that she has done so - inserting instead a log file and download records of the information Tokyo Rose has requested and been given permission to obtain.

"Verification of starmap download incoming..." Jethro noted and a few moments later "Verified"

[Commander Natherax]

Two minutes from hyperspace reversion to Rendili:

Commander Natherax leaned with both hands on the Holographic Headsup Display Console. Watching the vortex of hyper light before him. Inside his mind he mulled over the oncoming battle plans for the 700th time, They were perfection, even the backup plans were perfection. But he was working work many men who weren't as tested as himself. The Three Gladiators re-named Wreaking Ball 1, 2 and 3. Were being captained by newer members, The Desperation, a ISD3 they recently acquired, was being commanded by the same Imperial captain who they had stolen it from. They were all variables in the battle plan, and Natherax had tried to count for them, so if they preformed at their best, then this would be, in the words, Perfection. He hoped all his hopes on the Darkside for this one.
He was nervous, not because this was a large scale attack by any means, just only the largest since returning to the Skyriver. He had to make a grand Entrance for his Master, the Naddist forces would have to show all its teeth in one bite to restore their name to this galaxy.
A voice brought him out of thought.

30 seconds to Realspace reversion Commander.
20..
10..
5..4..3..2..1.. Emerging now.
Before his eyes the Vortex of light vanished and replaced itself with a planet covered in orbital shipyards.
Clearing his throat he began barking his orders.
Launch Black Saints! Wreaking ball 1 Began attack approach, Desperation, cover northern poll. All system and communication jammers engage, Gravity wells on line! Launch all fighters now!

The Black Saints were a squadron of fighters from the Dragondorf, they would take out any orbital defense platforms and handle the capture of any capital ship in the shipyards.

Sir we have enemy retaliation, opening fire.... now!
The long range cannons aboard the Naysayer were enough of a drain the lights dimmed while firing.
Set Power level to combat! Do I really have to tell you that?!
The lights instantly changed again to a darker red glow.

Scan reports 4 ships completed and waiting in dock, there are 6 about mid-construction. Black Saints have taken down Dock defense and are working on the rest. Desperation has cleared the way for WB-1, WB-2 and 3 are moving in on the docks now. Sending Silron wing to assist WB-1 as it makes Atmospheric entrance.

Natherax smirked, things were looking good so far. Soon his forces would have the Shipyards and the planets surface would have no choice but to submit.
A Secondary alarm went off.

Sir we have incoming from the southern poll, defense fleet has made it to us. Engaging them now with long range cannons and Attack wings Slipstream and Dreadflight. Scanners reporting another unidentified vessel in the area, though it remains neutral for the moment, possibly a customer, its just out of detailed scanner range for now sir.

Keep your eyes on it, I don't want it surprising us.
Another look over the HHUD and he felt very confidant about this mission.
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Aboard the Wreaking Ball one. Captain Collen Anders, Held his jaw tight as the Gladiator class ship shook on Atmospheric entrance, a whole new swath of alarms ringing out. Fighter escorts from the Naysayer had managed to clear their path while its own fighters remained close cover. They hadn't received a whole lot of attention but he knew that would soon change as they got closer to the LZ, and after the package was delivered. Back a week the Naddist crew at the Abyssal Waypoint had added Pod launchers to the belly of the three Wreaking Balls. Today his were the only ones loaded. With what he wasn't 100% sure, but that it was called Warmongers. He assumed it deadly and unfriendly, as most things in the Naddist Force had been since he joined on with the capture of Xo.

From his spot on the bridge he could see the Fighter Escorts peeling off and heading back to space as they approached the capital city of Rendili, just before they turned they launched torpedo's to bring down the city shield. And bring it down it did, though with the dropping of the shields they were herald with a wave of laser fire from the city. The WB-1's own fighters now surged forward to pick out and destroy the turrets below.

Activate the warmongers now Lieutenant!
With that the ship shook. As half a dozen pods were jettisoned away from the vessel. They were close to the planets surface now, so the pods didn't have much time to slow before crashing into buildings and street ways below.
Give me visual on any pods you can, I want to know the cargo made it.
Yessir.

The WB-1 reach its LZ, a large central park, the belly cannons clearing out statues and trees as the large ship crushed down into the neighborhood. The WB-1 was to act as a command station on land, and was also the troop transporter. As they soon as they landed he could hear the battle from outside, Rendili defense forces had been waiting for them. He didn't have much of an Attack force, From his point of view, he only had 250 at most. A few Sith though, they would make quick work of your standard defender.
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Azeroth stood at the top of a ramp way as his men rushed out past him, the Naddist forces he brought with him were classed as WotoF Chaos Bringers. Heavy infantry Armed with Power suits, heavy blasters, and Sith made swords. Many of them had customized their suits over the 10 years of battle with the Rak'ti, and used the bones of fallen comrades as decor, to bring the strength of the dead onto the battle field.

He mused a smirk as his fellow sith walked up beside him.
My brothers, let us bring glory to the Darkside today, And show this planet, the might of the True force!
With a roar the Three joined the Fray.
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In the outlying areas of the city, the Warmonger pods began to crack. Like a fruit that sat in the sun too long, the outer shielding peeled down, and the furious creatures within stepped forth.

Warmongers, gigantic black humanoid beasts, created and mutated with sith Alchemy. Their sole purpose was to bring havoc, Armour plated these beasts hardly needed it, their skin made to be thick and resistant to even blaster fire, they were armed with tooth, claw, and Blades forged into their armor. Some of the elite Warmongers carried Energy blades or even large blasters, though non-sentient, they were intelligent and pack hunters, they knew how to kill. And Kill they would.

[The Corellian Navy]

Piggybacking a signal through a pass-along system was a trivial thing for an AI, so when Jethro established a data transfer request signal with Faustus, Lilith simply had to extend her awareness down to the planet's surface and into the Astronavigation Bureau's database.

This process she delegated to a copy of herself: A little program she had improvised and shared with some of the other AIs in the fleet allowed her to make "dumb" clones of herself at whim, specifying conditions for their behavior and working parameters. Unlike the actual Lilith, or even the so-called "dumb" AIs, clones had no core logic, and thus none of the qualities that set AI apart from simple software...their quasi-humanity. However, though a clone was simply a program, it was highly sophisticated, and programmed correctly, could work as efficiently as any AI.

Thus, while the clone sifted through the records and altered log files to leave the trace Lilith WANTED the Bureau to have, the rest of her was busy with the ship's sensor suite.

It was a quirk of hers to spend periods of relative inactivity either performing self-diagnostics on herself or on the ship. When she wasn't doing this, however, she was learning: Access to local and hyperwave cortices & the Faustus' extensive sensor systems meant that she had near omniscient knowledge of the local system, and anything she didn't know she could find, if the ship was in a technologically advanced system.

She had just been "conversing" with the local hyperwave transciever station when she noticed a slight lag in outgoining/incoming responses....this worried her. Generally, such lags were not common towards the core of the galaxy, where the hyperwave network was well-established and maintenanced.

She cross-references this lag with her database, which consists of similar data gathered by herself and other AI in service with the fleet.

The temperature in her core logic jumps 2 degrees....tantamount to the animal part of her programming...the part of her that was born out of the flash cloned brain of her donor...receiving a sudden rush of adrenaline and dread.

"Captain Galor," the loudspeakers near the C&C's holo-imager announce, as Lilith's image resolves on it.

Aralee, who had been conversing with the XO, turns sharply, somewhat distressed by the tone in Lilith's voice: For an AI to show emotion in this way meant something very serious was happening.

"I have reason to believe there's a formation of capital vessels moving towards Rendili. The lag patterns in hyperspace communication suggest cruiser sizes and larger."

Aralee's gaze flits to the sensor booth: The second Lilith finishes her sentence, a technician stands and informs the captain local-net hyperspace sensors have detected something akin to what Lilith has just discovered.

"No freighter fleet has ships that big. Is it a detachment of the Alliance fleet?"

"No ma'am, at least not on regular assignment. I double-checked with the PlanDef net, and they aren't expecting a flythrough until next week."

The captain's eyes narrow as she mulls this over. Finally, she comms the communications officer: "Actions stations, condition 2."

[...]

The PA system of the Faustus blows the high and low note combination announcing a general message throughout the ship. A comm technician makes the following announcement: "Action stations, actions stations. Set condition 2 throughout the ship. Multiple cruiser sized ships on approach vector in hyperspace transit. Prepare for silent running."

[...]

"Lilith, do you have the star charts?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just confirmed a few seconds ago."

"Get our people off that planet. Have the freighter rendezvous with them at the Astronav Burea if necessary...." she looks up at the sensors booth, interrupted by a technician there, just as Lilith confirms her order and disappears from the holo table.

"Captain, multiple Cronau bursts above northern pole. I'm reading one ISD-3, three Gladiator SDs and one unknown classing at 4000 meters."

At this announcement, the background noise on the bridge elevates a few decibels.

"They're launching fighters. One of the Gladiators is matching an orbital for surface activity."

Almost without thinking, Aralee begins barking orders: "Set condition 1 and release point defense systems to AI. Prepare for silent running, and spin up the FTL."

The XO and OoD, as seemingly jolted as she is, ensure her orders are carried out.

Given a split second in which the crew waits to see how things unfold, Aralee makes one more decision.

She comms MSgt. Victor Laszlo, currently the acting CAC while the Marine CO and XO are planetside: "Captain to CAC, suit up your alert team and get them on a dropship. The away team may need their guardian angels yet."

[Taaru Masako]

Taaru hovers over Miko and Jethro, while keeping an eye on the door. As the starmap upload is completed, he claps Jethro on the shoulder.

"Good work. Now we can-"

He is interrupted by a deep tremor they can both hear and feel....the trembling bass sound of what an experienced soldier would know is an explosion.

Miko, who has just shut off his terminal and began packing it away, looks up at the ceiling, then to Masako.

Before anyone can say anything, the power to the building blinks off, but quickly reverts to emergency lighting. A general announcement is made over the PA system for anyone in the building to exit and seek immediate shelter in one of the city-wide shelters. Miko, Taaru, Vidown and Jethro are already down on the atrium floor when the message begins to repeat, making their way through a slightly agitated crowd which had not quite grasped the propensity of what was about to happen.

The building shakes again, the sound of thunder closer this time. Masako comm peeps for attention. He checks the incoming address before answering, then motions to the others to dial their comms to his so they can listen in.

"Masako here. Lilith, what in the 12 Trials is going on?"

"Major, Faustus detected hyperwave exit of an invasion force 20 seconds ago. A Gladiator-class ISD is engaging in surface activity over the city. Get your team back to the freighter ASAP. Faustus is making for immediate----"

The signal is suddenly broken by bursts of static, before completely falling dead.

"Frell," is Masako's response.

"Why did-?" Jethro begins.

"Whoever it is, they're jamming communications. They don't want the PDF to get a distress call to the Alliance fleet," Taaru finishes and comms the whole team, to include the ones across the plaza. "I assume all of you have gotten the lemons from Lilith already. Let's see if we can't make them into lemonade and get back to the ship before the new landlords evict everyone. Meet at the swoops."

He clicks off just as the small group makes it out the doors, the crowd spilling out with them. The extra space opens things up a bit, and they are no longer being jostled.

This gives Miko a few moments to reorient, and he points out the small lot the group left their speeders in.

"There....let's get the hell out of here."

The sky is rent apart by the deafening sound of a city defense shield collapsing under a bombardment, the "pop" of air rushing into vacuum magnified a million fold, and a gale force wind blows through the buildings.

The group holds their ears in an attempt to blot out the thunder, so they can't hear the monstrous howling and eerie siren's call of the gust blowing through the city's towers right away.

But they do soon, and they look up to see one of the galaxy's most recognizable shapes: The grey triangular profile of a star destroyer, hovering over the city.

Animal fear grips Taaru and he is momentarily lost in a world of private horror, as he relives a cultural memory deeply ingrained in all Thruvarans....for a second, he entertains the thought....So this is what it was like ....

The sudden flush of adrenaline through his system subsides enough for him to regain his faculties....just in time to recognize the sounds of anti-air defenses pouring light into the sky in the wake of the shield's collapse.

He looks at Miko, who clearly has experienced something akin to what he has just now.

A glance to Vidown and Jethro confirms their next plan of action.

They run.

Scratch that. It looks like hell just came to us.

[GA Employee]

The Rendili Home Defense Fleet was a tiny collection of six old mothballed Deadnaught-class Heavy Cruisers. Rendili's planetary government had skimped and saved a few credits by slaving five of the ships to the bridge of the sixth. It was one of these that had happened to be near the incoming fleet when it came out of Hyperspace and had returned fire.

The ship that had engaged the enemy fleet, the Provence, had been controlled by the flagship, Bretagne, until the comm was jammed. At that point the ship continued on the orders it had already been given, to fire at the approaching fleet. Unfortunately for the govvernment, with out communication or a crew of its own, the ship couldn't manuever and thus sat in space all but completely still in space firing at the foreign transponder codes.

The Bretagne was ordered by its Commander, Captain Cedric Holland, to relay new orders to the remaining four droid ships via line-of-sight data streams. It took the engineers a bit to get the communication smoothing, but when was the ships moved perfectly as if it were the way they were designed to be controlled. He command the ships forward with the Bretagne center and forward with two more, Dunkerque and Strasbourg, following to starboard one above and one below and the remaining two, Teste and Surcouf quite a bit farther to port and headed off toward the shipyards to engage the enemy already there. Once he had identified a course to take and verified that it was being done he started to demand answers to his questions, so unnerved he was almost panicing. "Lieutenant! Who are these people? Fierfek, we need to get the Navy here! How can we break through this kriffing damn jamming?" he screamed.

The officer being yelled at started to respond, when another man interupted from across the bridge, Captain Holland! I suggest we release the fighters to engage the those in the shipyards."

The Captain turned back at him confused, "Huh? What? Right, fighters, release the TIEs. have them engage the enemy." He slouched down in his chair, his face in his hand. He didn't think that it would be possible to get out of this engagement alive.

Meanwhile on the goround there is little in the way of resistance. The only organizations that are arrayed against the invaders are the police forces of the majors cities and the security forces of the major corporations. These pathetically armed individuals are no match for the Warmongers and would quickly be decimated when the packs moved into the cities.

[Dangerous Wave's Corporation]

When Jethro is a bit slow to move after glancing up to see the triangular mass in the sky Vidown quite literally grabs him by the scruff of his clothing and hurls him towards the speeders where Taaru and Miko are already headed.

"MOVE!" He bellows at the man's back and shoves him along with a hand on his back as Jethro scrambles to regain his footing and recover from this unexpected turn of events. With Vidown as always watching his back Jethro quickly recovers and sprints towards the speeders with the others, Vidown hot on his heels.

Even as this drama is playing out Ras and the Corellian Marines he had accompanied to the joke shop finally manage to elbow their way out of the store and take stock of the situation. "There! Go!' He directs the Marines after catching sight of Jethro and Vidown sprinting towards the speeders on the heels of Taaru and Miko. Following the Marines down the steps and across the road - which was getting pretty hairy in the mass panic they manage to reach the speeders at about the same time as the others.

Telera who had never left the speeders - having been attempting to have a conversation with Aaron cursed as things went from 'going great' to 'what the hell?!?' in less then a minute. Grabbing her own speeder she glanced at Aaron, it seemed she hadn't completely forgotten his comment...despite the hell raining down on them. "You know..I don't even know why the Diktat is so damn bent on keeping you around, but I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble - I'm fairly certain she meant 'don't let him run off with a local'...but that seems to be the least of our worries now." She noted settling her glassed back down over her face as the others came up.

"Ras..what the hell is going on?" She asked him as he and the Marines joined them. "Lilith said the planets being attacked' Jethro chimed in as thier group arrived.

"...Obviously" was Ras's remark to that little gem of information. 'Weapons out and on your bikes people..we have a freightor to get back to in this mess" He told them while motioning to the chaos that had taken over the streets.

"Kriff" Jethro remarked looking at the traffic lanes 'It might be faster to walk" Vidown just scowled, while Ras glanced at Taaru "Whats the orders boss?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth then the astronav courtyard - whose fountain they had been admiring only minutes ago was destroyed by the arrival of a giant pod, the landing of which shook the ground they were standing on. As the pods skin peeled back and the beasts stepped foreward even Vidown had to say something."What....in the 9 hells of Corellia are those"

[Jet Almeara]

Jet who is still engrossed in her card game with the remaining Dangerous Waves Mercenaries, suddenly set's her cards down and glances up, seemingly through walls and in the unerring direction of Rendili. An icy feeling shivers across her skin and a rush of adrenaline rockets through her system...Jet can smell war the way a vornskyr can smell blood, and something bad is about to happen.

"Darren.." She speaks after a few moments "Take the rest of your team down to the hanger, and make sure your asses are ready to get on any transport that leaves. You will find Erika and the others and ensure their safe return - above and beyond any other orders you might receive, understood?"

"Understood" Darren remarks and although these orders do not make much sense at the moment he none the less drives his people into a flurry of motion just as the ships first chimes go off - all of the Mercenaries have been with Jet long enough to know better hten to ask how she sense this turn in events.

As his team filed out the door at a run for the hangers Darren stopped long enough to glance at Jet questioningly. "I'll be in the Bridge, if I'm seen on Rendili, Corellia will be blamed for whatever is happening." she answered his unasked question in a low tone, Darren nods and turns running after his team.

As Darren leaves, his steps fading out down the hallway Jet over turns the table closest to her and lets out a deep breath, being withheld from a battle due to what boiled down to political nonsense irked her far more then any comment Aaron could possibly come up with. So much for an easy mission.

Ignoring the mess of the overturned table Jet stalked out the door and towards the bridge. By the time she made it there she had calmed somewhat - or at least she had talked herself out of throttling the captain and any other official who stood between her and the planet of Rendili.

Indeed by the time she walked onto the bridge she seemed quite outwardly calm, despite the inner turmoil. "Captain" She greeted Aralee after taking in the general feel of the Bridge. "Do we have any idea just who these mysterious ships belong to yet?"

Perhaps they would get lucky and they would belong to one of the factions Jet had some pull will, She didn't care about the fate of Rendili one way or the other...but safe passage for her people would be nice to garner.

[Commander Natherax]

Between the Naysayer and the Desperation, the old dreadnoughts did not stand much of a chance, the prowess of the Naddist Star-fighters was unmatched by the defense fleet. And the Black Saints were crushing orbital platforms. Reports began streaming back to Natherax informing him that the space battle would soon be over, and ground resistance was almost nil so far.
Any news from WB-2 and 3 on the status of the commandeered capitals?
-Yessir, they just sent word. They are getting the systems online and running as we speak. They are cold starting so it will be almost and hour until the Droids are able to program navi's back to the Waypoint.
And what of the other ships under construction?
-Probes are reporting three other vessels near completion enough the the WB's should be able to tug them out with us.

Seven vessels, that would be a good score, and if the ground teams got their hands on schematics as well as other Intel, this mission would prove a success.
-Sir the unknown craft has gone dark, we no longer have a lock on it.
Keep an eye open for it. Get me Sarkon.
-Yessir.

A moment Later the Captain of Desperation appeared before Natherax.
"Greetings Commander, It would appear all is going as planed."
So it would Captain. We have lost track of an Unknown vessel in the region, it went dark just a few moments ago. I want you to Move over the ship yards to provide cover, The Naysayer will handle the rest of the Defense fleet.
"As you wish."

The holo blinked out and Natherax turned to Navigation.
Helm, Bring us broad side to the remaining Dreadnoughts, give them a taste of vacuum.
-Yessir.

The commander watched as Desperation pulled away, moving closer to the shipyards near WB-2 and 3. And Saw the damaged defense fleet to its fullest. Again the lights dimmed another level as all starboard cannons opened fire. A fury of red and green turbo lasers engulfed the space around them, he watched as micro explosions of Starfighters failed to get clear in time. A price they would have to pay.
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On the Surface Azeroth, Leader of the invasion, slashed his Lightsaber in a long horizontal slash, three bodies of security guards fell in six different ways. The hum of his red blade snapped off as he surveyed the now empty room, security and secret service men lay in different corners of the room, they had tried to ambush him as he came through the hallway and failed, Suits and sunglasses were no match for a Sith.
Resistance in the Capital building had been minimum, standard security, a few droid guards, but nothing he couldn't handle alone.
the Other two sith were with the bulk of the ground forces raiding Law enforcement buildings and the local Military outpost.
and the Warmongers were doing an excellent job at disrupting everything else.
Lifting his comm-link in gloved hand he hailed the WB-1.
This is Azeroth. Send in the Data-miners. Its all clear.

the Data miners were a group of droids and technicians, meant for information extraction, from machine and Beings. Current galactic events could be obtained simply by watching the holonet news at 6 and 11. But for real information one needed to really get into the system. And they were yet to find anything on the shipyard schematics. Azeroth mused those were kept on the station built into the shipyards them self, But the Black saint would be there to find that then.
He turned at the sound of the rolling of the Data Droids and the feet of his lab techs.
Break everything apart until you find what you need.
-You left no one alive sir.
Theres a room two doors back where I stuffed a few government people, the door is sealed shut, but I have no doubt you'll be able to get it open.
-Yes my lord.
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A few blocks away a task force of warmongers landed in a small plaza. The 15 grays rushed out first, toward the group of speeder bikes and swoops parked out front. The 4 Blues dropped to a knee and opened fire with their hand held cannons. First blasting the sidewalks where civilians ran for cover away from the pod, them gradually toward the group of Speeders and their riders.

The Golden Elite Pushed forward and lifted his Energy Saber into the air with a roar. The energy Saber, much like a Light saber, was slightly shorter and had a 'flatter' appearance, There was also two prongs to it, it glowed a Light blueish hue that shown brightly off the Gold Armor of the alpha Warmonger.

[GA Employee]

Due to the efficient and deadly barrage of the Black Saints, the las t of the orbital defense platforms were eliminated. The similar treatment of the Defense Fleet by the Naysayer and the Desperation was taking its toll on the ancient ships.

"Captain! The Dunkerque's shields have collapsed, sir!" Yelled one of the younger crewers.

Captain Holland upon hearing this came out of his fit of depression induced catatonia. He jumped out of his seat and began to pacce the bridge. "Have the Strasbourg move forward and take position immediately afore the Dunkerque. Increase shields and engines to maximum power. I want those two ships to break the back of the ugly, slime-covered, Hutt of a ship." He ordered refering to the Naysayer.

Meanwhile the Teste and Surcouf continued on there mission toward the docking facility. They were tasked to deny the ships underconstruction to the enemy at all costs. unfortunately for the Rendili Government that cost would likely be the entire Defense Fleet. These ships, while not under as significant a stream of fire as it's sisters, it was enough to cause the limited droid brains to calculate that the ships would be destroyed before the enemy. They therefore stopped firing at the enemy and sent barrage after barrage at the most complete of the ships in the yard as well as the main station of the yard which contained the scehematics and technical specifications on all of the ships available to Rendili Star Drive and its affiliates. The only other place to find that information was divided up amongst multiple locations including private homes of senior company officers and the main planetside office in the capital.

[Aaron Starkiller]

Almost immediately after making his rude comment to Telera Aaron's face turned towards the sky. A brief moment later the city's shield collapsed causing his ears to pop as the rush of wind nearly toppled the citizens around the group of Thruvarans and Corellians.

"...but that seems to be the least of our worries now," came Telera's voice, although Aaron's only reaction was to stand up off his swoop and walk out from amongst the bikes, his face still turned towards the sky Star Destroyer in the sky. Removing his glasses he simply stood out in the middle of the lane as speeders veered away from his their horns blaring as people started to panic.

The Destroyer was now trading fire with Rendili's anti-air turrets and soon the air filled with the acrid smell of burning duracrete and melting durasteel all mixed with the electrical scent of laser discharge. Numerous sparks seemed to breakaway from the ship but any knowledgeable person would know these were not simply sparks. They were missiles or even worse... pods.

The first real reaction from Aaron came when the pod destroyed the courtyard's fountain. Even so, all the Praetorian did was bend his knees to absorb the shock from the impact of the pods crash landing. He raised his arm to shield his eyes from the fire and peered at the warmongers as they emerged from the pod.

"What....in the 9 hells of Corellia are those," said Vidown.

"Sith warbeasts," said Aaron simply as he turned to face the group. Blaster fire hit the duracrete all around him as the Warmongers opened fire. "I suggest you leave."

Aaron turned back to the Warmongers and took a few steps toward what seemed to be the leader. He looked up at him, his face emotionless. He let out a deep breath as the creature roared and lifted it's blade. Aaron responded by holding his hand out towards the ground in front of the Warmonger and suddenly a black line burned into the duracrete before its feet. "I dare you," was all he said. He wasn't sure the creature understood basic but to be sure he used the Force to drive the point home and put his hands on his hips as if he were scolding a child.

[Taaru Masako]

Masako, Reglia, Jethro & Vidown arrive at the rendezvous seconds before the pod destroys the courtyard fountain, the force of impact rattling their bones. Masako, who's first action was to grab his blaster & saber harness, including weapons, and strap it to himself, sifts through his priorities and decides on the details of their next few moments together, and thus answers Jethro's question.

"Everyone on your bikes, get airborne. Telera, comm the freighter. Set up a rendezvous that'll get us out of here as fast as possible. Jethro, I'm riding with you."

He completes this as he snaps the harness buckle across his chest and looks back at the newly arrived pod, which has begun to open and vomit its contents onto the plaza. Masako is also glad to see Aaron is where he wants him to be, though somewhat dismayed at the brash showmanship.

Jethro, meanwhile, gives Masako a puzzled look, trying to figure out why Masako couldn't use his own swoop.

This question is similarly answered, when Masako turns to his swoop, draws his weapon, fires into its energy core, holsters, wraps two hands around the front steering vane projectors, braces his stance, and physically slings the speeder at the approaching group of ungulate reptoids.

The Golden Armored Warmonger, its attention focused on Aaron, and enraged by the challenge the "weakling" human had issued him, is blissfully unaware of the several thousand newtons of force being projected at it on a parabolic arc until the speeder wraps itself around it's torso and breaks its spine (along with many other bones), before exploding. Resultant shrapnel insures the Golden warmongers dishonorable defeat at the hands brute force, and gives the rest of it's attendant litter something to think about as they are showered with superheated fragments of the swoop.

Jethro is first to offer an opinion: "How did you know it was going to explode after impact?"

"Didn't," is Taaru's response, "Get on your kriffing swoop."

[The Corellian Navy]

Cpt. Galor's nerves are already stretched, so Jet's mysterious arrival is not greeted with much great courtesy.

"The IFFs aren't recognized by our database, and we're only getting the basic information. Visual scans aren't turning up much either, though the Gladiators and ISD3 are obviously repurposed from other navies. Whoever it is, they're no better than warlords."

Aralee indicates a screen on which Lilith has been running algorithms to attempt to identify the vessels based on hull markings and other tell-tales.

However, Lilith's usual spot at the holo-dias is filled by a different avatar. For lack of better words, the full color display shows a red haired librarian with expansive sideburns and a rakish demeanor, contemplatively stroking a pointed goatee. His clothing bespeaks a taste in clothing several hundred years prior to the modern age...and thus, very formal. For now, he ignores Jet...or at least doesn't address her....as he seems to stare at the holographic UI, which is now mostly in deep shades of red, as is the lighting. The Faustus has gone into silent running.

Aralee continues: "I'm sending the alert marines to the surface to aid in extraction, in case the away team can't make it back to the freighter. I'm also entertaining the notion of hulling that ISD3 and delaying whatever invasion plans these vermin have...."

Almost as an afterthought, she adds: "...to help get our people out of there, of course."

It wasn't their fight, true. The Faustus, beyond getting the away team back, had no stake in Rendili's future. But the military code of ethics that had made the Corellian Navy the envy of its peers for thousands of years called for a helping hand, especially when the aggressor was using the tactics generally left to uncivilized fringe elements without formal declarations. Sneak attacks on the high seas were ruthless and base....thus so in deep space, and Aralee was exercising great restraint in not ordering the obliteration of as many of these intruders as the Faustus could manage.

[...]

Meanwhile, the Faustus has moved into an orbit that will take it past the ISD3, currently engaged in surface activity. Running silent, her EM signature relatively nill and her adaptive camouflauge displaying whatever is behind her (depending on point of view), is relatively invisible save to the most scrutinizing detective.

Aralee has ordered tis new course to bring the Faustus as close to the capital city as possible, thus reducing the time for the soon to depart marines and their surface-bound wards to make a round trip.

The new vector will also bring the Prowler within maximum effective firing range (in atmo) for the ISD3. The second the FTL had been spun up to jump capacity, reactor output had been increased to the massive bank of capacitors that powered the magnetic accelerator cannon that compromised the ship's primary anti-capital offensive weapon.

Aralee was simply waiting to get within the range where atmospheric drag wouldn't effect the fired rounds' efficacy.

She was also waiting for Jet's permission to involve herself in the affairs of others. This was the only stipulation in her command where superior authority was vested in the Diktat....a decision she had hated when High Command had informed her. Now, literally hours after the Faustus had been launched, it was already being put to the test.