-=Bridge of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption, 06:00 shipboard time, 44:2:27=-


“Target the Gunship Maw, full power to deck guns; standby to fire on my command.” Fleet Admiral Kaz Falcion bellows, pointing out of the prow viewport at a slightly listing gunship that turns slowly back toward the Redemption in the middle of the pitched battle over Blerthmore.

“...Sir? The Maw is heavily damaged, I believe she’s turning to hyper o…” The Redemption’s tactical officer is cut off by a mere glare from Admiral Falcion that makes his skin crawl; his hairs stand on end…

“YES SIR! Targeting the Maw! Full power to deck guns!” He corrects himself, tapping furiously on his command console.

“Question my orders again… and I will eject you with the rest of the trash.” The Admiral’s head turns back toward the Maw, watching it traverse the length of his vessel’s hull. A deviant grin crosses his face as he watches light red laser blasts splash harmlessly against his vessel’s shields. His steely silver eyes track the Maw as it wanders close to the primary weapon batteries of his ship, and for a moment… something in the back of his mind nags him, prodding him to allow the gunship to escape into hyperspace…

‘Must have been bad fish.’

“ALL FORWARD BATTERIES OPEN FIRE!”

The Admiral’s silver eyes seem to light up with some sort of demonic pleasure as he watches the green blasts slam into the unshielded hull of the gunship. Burning red shards of metal erupt from its superstructure, flying away from the vessel moments before its primary reactor detonates. The fireball caused by its internal oxygen being set ablaze lasts for a mere second before dissipating in the blackness of space. Small shards of drifting debris pelt harmlessly against the Redemption’s shields as it plows through what remains of the Maw.

“Sir! Multiple hyperspace signatures detected… The Imperials are withdrawing!” An eruption of cheers resonates across the Redemption’s bridge, a smile across the sensor officer’s face spanning from ear to ear. Admiral Falcion merely shrugs, looking out of the prow viewport at the destruction before his vessel, disappointed there were no further targets to pursue.

“SENSORS!” He yells, the bridge going silent almost immediately. The sensor officer leaps back into his chair, shuddering as he looks up toward the admiral.

“Sir?”

“Scan the area, give me a full report.”

“Yes sir… one moment…” He looks at his console for a few moments, before speaking up again.

“Sir, detecting debris all throughout the sector, multiple ships are adrift and require repairs… and I’m reading nearly a hundred ejected pilots… most of them are not ours… Shall I dispatch rescue teams?”

“Oh, yes… Of course…” The Admiral responds begrudgingly.

“And what of the Imperial pilots?”

“…Bring them in for… Processing. I will see to this personally, escort our new guests to the holding cells.” The demonic grin crosses Kaz’s face again, before he turns back toward his crew, his piercing silver eyes boring holes through their very souls. “…Now.”

“YES SIR!”



-=Rebel Squadrons Domed Command Complex; 44:2:27:06:30 Local Time=-


Fleet Commander Dave Trebonious-Astoris wasn’t sure how long he’d been knocked out for, awaking in a bacta tank; suspended in the green-blue sludge. His vision swirls with black pinpricks, pain shooting through his head and extremities. He brings a hand up to his head, slowly, feeling along a gash running from the apex of his forehead down to just above his right eye socket.

‘Kriff… that nearly killed me…’ He thinks to himself, remembering the blackness surrounding him. He watches a medical droid skitter over to the tank, attaching a mandible to some sort of port on the outside of the tank; he couldn’t quite remember what it was for.

‘What is that droid doing…’ His thought is interrupted by a wash of relief over his system, his eyes fluttering shut.

‘Oh… oh that’s good, very good….’ He slips into unconsciousness; back to the darkness that he was becoming overly used to.



-=Tactical Briefing Room, Bridge of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption; 44:2:27:08:00 Local Time=-


“Has everyone arrived?” Brigadier General David Vaughan asks, seated at the head of the conference table with a small army of datapads arrayed in front of him.

He surveys the room, his eyes pausing for a moment on each of the people in the briefing room; the commanding officers of almost every division in the fleet; each of them battered or bruised in their own way from the battle that had just ended. His eyes fall upon Fleet Admiral Kaz Falcion for an additional moment and he identifies a sort of demonic tint in his eyes. David shakes his head, ridding his mental recesses of the image. He turns toward the Rebel Squadrons Executive Officer, General Michael Raven, whom was removing some sort of black helmet from his head, setting a rifle on the conference table. David wondered for a moment what Raven had been doing during the battle, but the wide grin on his face indicated that he had caused the Imperials his own form of hurt.

“I think so… where’s Dave?” Major General Anton Nels inquires, worried about the status of their commanding officer since last he’d heard Dave was in critical condition back at the command dome.

“Reports say he’s recovering in a bacta tank; took a support beam to the head, I have no idea how he survived.” Vaughan answers, looking at one of his datapads.

“Thank the Force he’s alive…” Anton replies, nodding.

“We’d be lucky if it had hit him a bit harder.” Kaz retorts; folding his arms across his chest.

“Enough! Lets get on with this, I have Imperials to vaporize…” Major General Heavy Pasiechnyk finally speaks, still in his flight uniform after having taken flight in his B-wing Starfighter during the battle.

“Right…” Vaughan says, lowering his head for a moment. “Let’s start at the top… As you all know we’ve just finished mopping up the Imperial forces that attacked Blerthmore. Dragon squadron pursued some damaged elements of the Imperial force and drove them off… the rest of the squadron is being debriefed now. We managed to bloody their noses pretty well, but they still have more firepower than we can muster, not to mention whatever they might have in reserve…” He sighs, picking up a datapad that lists casualties, closing his eyes momentarily to collect himself before beginning.

“Initial reports have indicated casualties are in excess of 41,485 people; including technicians, enlisted people, and officers; with an additional 8,283 injured.” He pauses, looking at the datapad again; he re-reads the numbers three times, not really believing them to be true.

“Including the damage to the Command Dome, and BASE Stalwart; we lost the Imperial Star Destroyer Wyvern, the Calamari Cruisers Stingray, Valor, and the Rebel Fist.” He pauses again, glancing in Anton’s general direction. “Frigates Rebel Vengeance, Grave’s End, and Shay’s Honour were destroyed either in dry-dock or defending it while the frigate Celestial Fury was destroyed in the interdiction zone. The Light Calamari Cruisers Kalinga and Madron were lost with nearly all hands. The Strike Cruiser Kayak was lost in the interdiction zone almost immediately; it jumped in far too close to the Imperial trap, and we also lost the Strike Cruisers Dragon’s Fire and Blood Fang. The Escort Carrier Krayt was bombarded to death by Star Destroyers with the loss of all hands, and the Corellian Corvettes Keeper and Warder were lost…”

He sighs, continuing down the list. Everyone’s attention is focused on Vaughan as he continues; none of the officers had expected the damage to be nearly this bad.

“We also lost over two hundred starfighters, most of them during the battle itself; swatted down by the Imperials fighters and frigates. BASE Castor was destroyed, though fortunately by some twist of fate most of the cadets were able to make it off of the base and hid on the far side the planet. BASE Raptor was also destroyed, taken out by the Tector-class Star Destroyer Satanic Rage during the course of battle… most of the personnel on that station were lost.”

Vaughan rubs his forehead, before rummaging for another datapad and picking it up; continuing to read.

“Injured personnel are being taken to Tarsonis for medical attention; and salvage crews are working on the remains of the Star Destroyer Severance, which crashed on the surface of Blerthmore near the command dome. They have found a few survivors that are being ferried to the Redemption for interrogation.” Kaz grins at that, cracking his knuckles and Vaughan’s right eyebrow raises, but he ignores the motion; there was work to be done. “The command dome itself sustained heavy structural damage, its shields are offline as are the ground based defensive emplacements; estimated cost of repair is over three hundred million credits.”

He stops, taking a seat to allow all of the data to sink in to the assorted officer’s minds. Anton lowers his head, shaking it gently and allowing a tear to fall from his right eye at the loss of his command ship and so many people under him. Heavy remains silent, his resolve as strong as ever as he adjusts his flight suit and speaks up.

“What kind of planning is underway for a counterattack?”

Vaughan rubs the back of his neck, being posed with the one question he wasn’t prepared for. He frowns, rummaging through his datapads again, brushing his right index finger over each display.

“Well; that’s the thing. We figured that they were going to regroup in RS space to try to finish us off. But... they’re gone.”

“What the hell do you mean ‘they’re gone’, you LOST a FLEET?” Kaz retorts, just looking at Vaughan like he’s crazy.

“Erm, well… yes. Technically. Dragon squadron chased down elements of their fleet at a location we thought would be their regrouping area. There were only some elements present, and they were heading toward a hyperspace bouy. We managed to destroy some of their TIE Advanced starfighters and gunboats before they managed to escape; unfortunately we were unable to destroy the Victory destroyer they were escorting. Intel is currently tracking their hyperspace jump vector to attempt to determine where they went.”

“…So until then, we sit with our thumbs up our asses?” Anton asks, his eyes locked with Vaughan’s.

“Well… no. That’s the other thing to discuss. With the tremendous losses to both the Renegade and Intrepid starfighter groups it will be necessary to consolidate RS forces into a smaller, more compact, more elite strike team…”

“And I have the name; the Vigilance Starfighter Group…” A voice resonates from the back of the room as Major General Rekio Corsair steps into the conference room. “…Let the Imperials and all others know of our mission and our cause…”

“To come up with utterly ridiculous and moronic names for our strike forces instead of forming a plan to hit back, sounds about right.” Kaz retorts, scoffing.

“And what would that be?” Vaughan pointedly ignores the Admiral’s comment, looking toward Rekio with a quirked eyebrow

“To not rest until the people that attacked us are annihilated.”



-=Temporary office of the Fleet Commander, Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption 44:3:02:16:00=-


Sometimes, it paid to be prepared. This was most certainly one of those times, deep within the recesses of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption, Fleet Commander Dave Trebonious-Astoris sat behind a large desk, tweaking the upcoming proposal for the Subterrel strike force before its presentation to High Command. Standing in front of the desk were his logistics officer; Brigadier General David Vaughan, and his Executive Officer; General Michael Raven. Both had been assisting him in fine tuning the more technical points of the proposal; while well versed in diplomacy and the art of speaking, Dave was not nearly as well versed as the two of them in the technical matters of the proposal.

“It’s settled, then,” Dave said, “I will lead the majority of our forces to the Subterrel Sector to find out what the Imperials are doing there. A token force will be left behind here as the Greeop Defense Force.”

Vaughan took a deep breath, having known the admiral would choose to lead the strike force himself. He pauses for a moment, before speaking. “Admiral, I believe it would be more appropriate for General Raven to lead the strike force to the Subterrel Sector while you remain in Greeop.”

Dave’s eyes narrowed, but he otherwise showed no emotion. “Do not be ridiculous. The place of the Fleet Commander is at the head of the majority of the fleet. The Rebel Squadrons IS the fleet. I cannot stay behind while it goes into battle.” Dave glanced at Raven, but his Executive Officer was not showing any response.

Vaughan had expected that. He continued patiently, “Yes, I understand that, but these are not normal times. The Battle of Blerthmore was the biggest setback in the history of the Rebel Squadrons. Our forces have been decimated, Blerthmore is out of action, and when the Subterrel Strike Force has left, the sector will be nearly undefended. We need to show the people of Greeop and Cadrel that we are still devoted to their safety. Leaving you with your Peril in charge of defenses for our home territories will do that. You alone have the diplomatic and political ability to fill that role.”

Raven nodded almost imperceptibly at this.

Vaughan pressed on, hoping to seal the deal, “Admiral, we need you here to ensure that the Subterrel Strike Force has a home to return to after this campaign is over.”

Dave sighed heavily and there was a pause that seemed to last forever. Finally, he looked over at Raven. “I have confidence in your tactical and strategic abilities, Raven. Do you feel that you are able to lead the Subterrel Strike Force?”

Raven nodded. “Yes, and I know that it would be impossible for me to do the job Vaughan is asking you to do here; I do not nearly have the… tolerance… for the diplomatic requirements of remaining here.”

“I guess that is the way it will have to be, then,” Dave mused. “We have responsibilities to the people of Greeop and Cadrel, and if the only way to fulfill those responsibilities is for me to stay behind, then that is what I will do.” He turned to Vaughan. “I want to give Raven and the Subterrel Strike Force the best chance of success. Let’s formulate a plan that sends the bulk of available ships to Subterrel and only leaves a few with me at Greeop.”

Vaughan allowed himself a smile. “I’ve already put together a suggested strike force roster…”



-=Primary Conference room of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption 44:3:02:16:30=-


“Hell of a proposal we’ve been handed; the Vigilance Starfighter Group seems as if it’s going to… or at least try to… solve most of our problems at once. What do you think, Raven?” Fleet Commander Dave Trebonious-Astoris says as he turns toward his XO, General Michael Raven. Seated around him are the men and women that make up the Rebel Squadrons’ High Command; the very people that make the gears of the Rebel Squadrons’ war machine turn.

“I suppose.” The General replies, seated to the Fleet Commander’s right. He adjusts his officer’s cap, sighing to himself; he hated High Command; these meetings in his mind they were nothing more than a waste of precious time he could be spending doing something more constructive… blowing things up.

“Don’t sound so excited, Raven.” The Fleet Commander replies, he hadn’t quite gotten used to the outright cold attitude of his Executive Officer.

“…I’ll strive to calm myself down.”

“You really need to lighten up, you know that; right? Anyway…” Dave stands to address the entirety of High Command.

“There are two proposals on the table at the moment; the formation of the Vigilance Starfighter Group… and a battle plan for our counterattack on the Imperial fleet which attacked us.” He says, activating a holographic display in the conference room. A multidimensional map appears in the center of the conference room, mapping out what is known about the Subterrel sector.

“Intelligence has tracked the Imperial fleet to here; the Subterrel sector. As you can see, we know very little about the actual placements of Imperial bases and fleet movements in the sector. The battle plan calls for the newly formed Vigilance unit, with strategists, tacticians, and commanders from the Righteous Indignation Division to begin recon missions here… and here.” He indicates two locations on the map; both relatively distant from each other in separate regions of space.

“Long range sensors have detected energy readings in these two sectors that are along the magnitude of the output of starship reactors, so we will start our recon around these energy emissions. Along with the most sizeable detachment of Rebel Squadrons’ forces to date, the fleet will be spearheaded by the Imperial Star Destroyer Redemption; with direct command of the vessel remaining under Admiral Falcion. After a… lengthy… debate internally, I have decided to remain here; with temporary command of the Rebel Squadrons’ defense forces being transferred to the Victory II-class Star Destroyer Peril. Therefore, I have chosen General Raven to lead the Subterrel strike force in combat as the commanding officer of the strike force for all tactical and strategic considerations.” He pauses, glancing at the other officers in the room; he could tell that some of them had wanted the command themselves. To be honest, Dave wanted the command himself. It had taken a very passionate debate with Vaughan to convince him to remain here for the overall good of the Rebel Squadrons.

“There you have it, people; both proposals are spelled out on your datapads. Questions?”

He pauses for a few moments, glancing around the conference room; he had almost expected something common, an objection, an argument that would last far into the night, something. What he received instead was nearly unknown to the command structure of the Rebel Squadrons’… complete solidarity and a singular goal that nearly everyone wanted to see brought to fruition.

“Well then…” He says, blinking once in near disbelief. “…I believe at this time we will bring both of these issues to a vote.”

Passing unanimously the Subterrel strike force and Vigilance Starfighter Group were born, both with a singular purpose: Revenge.



-=Bridge of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Redemption 44:3:21:21:00=-


"Shouldn't you be balancing the RS checkbook or something instead of taking up valuable space on MY bridge?" Kaz’s distinct voice resonates through the bridge as he walks toward the prow of the craft, looking toward general Raven. The general, standing in front of the Redemption’s prow viewport with his hands clasped behind his back, had been there for nearly two hours; merely watching the stars.

The two lock eyes for a moment, causing some of the officers in the crew pit below to noticeably wince. Raven was the first to look away as he returns to his star gazing, his dead obsidian eyes stoic against the backdrop of space. "I can do that from the bridge of your ship just as well as anywhere else, Admiral, but no, since you ask.”

Kaz glowers at his lower ranking counterpart, letting the silence remain for a time, before finally breaking it. "Fail." He says, while shaking his head slightly. "You clearly fail. Seriously, go mooch around the engines or something, I'm sure you'll have fun counting the bolts and rivets while down there."

Raven turns, this time his expression changing just subtly enough to show his dissatisfaction, "If there's a failure here Admiral, it is in your ability to form a grammatically correct sentence.” He sighs, looking the Admiral up and down, pausing; he continues. "I don't like this any more than you, but we've a mission to accomplish and a war to be won."

Kaz seemed to soften slightly at this, "You're right. You may be stating the obvious, but you're right." He sighed softly, then arched his left eyebrow. "Alright, as you were, we've a mission to complete and I suppose I can stand your bean counting during it. Just, don't countermand my orders and always remember, on my ship, I'm king."

Nearly immediately, several of the junior officers below spasm into involuntary salutes. Kaz looks down on them, his mouth forming into a feral grin as he does so, "I do so enjoy being king." They twitch again as he walks off and Raven returns his gaze to the stars, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.

“Well then… Let’s begin this assuredly interesting trek. Tactical, launch starfighters for recon duty; standard search pattern. Communications, I want a channel open with them at all times; and inform our friends back home that the Subterrel strike force has arrived.” He pauses. “That is of course, unless the… king… has any objections.” Raven grins slightly, glancing at Kaz; who had just taken a seat in his command chair.

“Oh no, no objections here, I think I’m going to just sit back and enjoy the ride.”

“Very well then, launch fighters.”



At this point, the VSG 1.02 XWA and XvT Missions will begin. The RID mission will begin soon after those two platforms leave to commense operations. Good luck.