Main Site Forums Holonet Tools About
Forum Index Rules Log in Search Profile Memberlist Usergroups Log in to check your private messages Register
The Encounter at Selvaris Mineral Field
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Star Wars: Unity Forum Index » Inner Rim » The Encounter at Selvaris Mineral Field
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Daral Myrn
Cray


Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 5

 Post Posted: Tue, September 14th 2010 11:16pm    Post subject: The Encounter at Selvaris Mineral Field
Reply with quote

The broad field of rocks tumbled through space, many of the larger asteroids hosting Republic miners. This stretch of minerals had fueled the shipyards at Bilbringi, and continued to provide raw materials for many of the Republic’s building operations. The dull gray and brown chunks seemed lifeless, but Daral Myrn knew that the Republic was hiding treasures amongst the mundane.

His speckled hazel eyes studiously peered out from underneath the gray cap. The straight lines of the smooth, freshly-pressed uniform gave the captain an appearance of serenity, but the body beneath the fabric was anxious. He wasn’t fearful—he was anticipating the chance to take an asset away from the Republic. The victories under the Grand Admiral and Krauss had bolstered the Empire’s already-elated morale, and he could see it in his men.

Although their manner was furtive, the officers were unable to hide their eagerness. For many of the younger officers, this offensive on Selvaris was the first incursion into The Galaxy itself—many were born in the Redoubt Regions, and knew about these regions solely from textbooks and stories. The Empire had returned to reclaim its territories from the renegade stewardship of the puppet government established by Pellaeon.

Myrn’s small task force was his first command of multiple ships. While the more senior commanders were off capturing capitals and sieging shipworks, Myrn had the responsibility of quickly demolishing—or seizing—Selvaris’ material abundance. It would be an easy job, but Myrn took a little pride in understanding its importance: losing such a significant supply of resources would chip away more of the Republic.

The fleet, hidden on the fringes of the field, consisted of Myrn’s Victory-class Star Destroyer, several Galleons and Dragoons, and a pair of heavy Scythe-class cruisers. While the Dragoons would defend the attack with their fighters, the Scythes would be able to carve swathes across the surface of the asteroids; they would be able to burn the Republic bases into oblivion.

“Captain, shall I relay the order?” a question from Commander Brol interrupted.

“Not yet,” Captain Myrn advised, straightening his neat brown hair into its proper place underneath his cap. “I want to see which of these rocks has the most activity. We’ll start there first. Continue active sweeps and relay me the information… but stay on your toes, Commander. We’ll begin soon enough,” he said with a small smirk.

Tag: Zara
No Second Chance First Previous Next Latest
 Back to top »
View user's profile Send private message
Kira Daast
Zara


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 9

 Post Posted: Thu, September 16th 2010 06:07pm    Post subject:
Reply with quote

"Enemy ships in sector three-seven!" an officer stated the second Kira walked through the doorway. The bridge of her ship was bustling with activity, even more than usual since they had spotted Imperial ships coming out of hyperspace on the other side of the field. Not Remnant, either. They bore the flag of the True Empire, and weren't afraid to hide their colors. A dangerous foe to be had.

"Damn it," Kira cursed, marching straight up to her command position and immediately scanning as many readouts as she could. "Where are they heading?"

After a few seconds of gathering the proper information, the same officer spun around in his chair to deliver the news, "They're not attacking. Looks like they're running preliminary sweeps over the area. Reconnaissance."

It was a slight relief to hear, but Kira knew it was nothing more than a brief respite in the long run. The moment to breathe before the all-out assault would only increase tension and make the soliders nervous. The workers were another story altogether. In a matter of hours, the entire facility would be reduced to a floating heap of debris if the New Republic didn't intervene. The question was, could they stop them?

Two MC-90s, a few MC-80s and a handful of dreadnaughts was likely enough to stop them, but there were too many variables. Kira wasn't convinced she could take them in a straight fight, especially in the middle of an asteroid field. Worst of all, she didn't have the time to call for reinforcements. In such a situation, she needed more than numbers. She needed leadership.

"Sir, we can't just wait here. What's your order?" asked another officer standing beside Kira, eagerly awaiting their next move. As if dictated by the code itself, she turned and simply replied,

"We wait for engagement until we have confirmation from high command."

Kira quickly noticed that she had gathered the curious looks from those in the room. Even one of the Mon Cal technicians shot her a strange glance before going back to his work. She slowly scanned them one by one, prompting most of them to return to their stations and anxiously watch for their next order. An order that they weren't sure they had time to wait for.

"With all due respect, sir," came Captain Tonoz's voice as he entered the bridge behind her and took a position at her side. "You are high command."

That's when the realization hit her once more. She was. If anyone were to make a call of whether or not to attack, it was going to be her. They had no time for anything else, and the Imperial ships quickly closing in were anything but patient. For what felt like much longer than it should have been, Kira stared out of the viewports, watching the swirling rocks dance across an empty space. Although she couldn't see them herself, she knew they were out there, waiting to wrap their hands around yet another position in the galaxy. They were taking their chance.

And Kira wasn't going to let them take another.

"Have communications with the facility been jammed yet?" she barked toward one of the comm attendants.

A woman with short brown hair spun around, taken a little by surprise by the sudden order. After taking a second to collect her thoughts, she turned back to her station and quickly shouted back, "Not yet, sir, we still have a clear channel."

"Then tell them to ready any defenses they have and launch every fighter they can find. I want to see those hangars empty."

"What orders do they have, sir?"

"Fire at will. Draw the enemy fleet further into the field and keep their eyes focused on that rock," without missing a beat, Kira turned to one of the men surrounding her and threw out a commanding finger into his chest. "Get in contact with the foreman. Tell him to ready the evacuation of all non-essential personnel from that facility immediately."

After giving an acknowledging salute, the man rushed from the room, leaving them to their work. The entire room seemed to teem with a newfound energy. Everyone was excited and looked to Kira with some level of confidence. Even if they didn't believe she deserved the rank, they couldn't deny that she knew what she was doing. She didn't, but at least she could hide it well enough.

"Sir, what about us? And the rest of the fleet?" Captain Tonoz prodded.

Perhaps he ahd finally realized that she had issued no actual orders to the fleet itself. In reply, she simply turned to him with a sly smile and stated, "We're going around."

Maybe she did know what she was doing.

Tag: Cray
No Second Chance First Previous Next Latest

_________________
 Back to top »
View user's profile Send private message
Daral Myrn
Cray


Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 5

 Post Posted: Fri, September 17th 2010 01:05am    Post subject:
Reply with quote

“Sir,” Brol’s bass voice sounded from the pit. “The bases are launching fighters. Our scans are detecting surface weapons emplacements are being activated. They’re aware of our presence.”

Myrn bit his lip. He examined the dull field beyond the viewport, seeing the specks of small rocks skipping happily around their larger cousins. He now understood that those tiny objects weren’t rock particles, but Republic fighters. He didn’t know what error in the Empire’s intelligence had led to the Republic detecting Myrn’s presence. It should not have been possible; some intelligence analyst would be lynched for such an oversight.

Fine, he thought. The Republic was defenseless out here—those fighters would affect no possibly hint of victory. They might have been able to take refuge in the larger asteroids temporarily, but that would not matter. Myrn had hoped to seize the facilities intact, but it was not essential to his mission: vaporizing the Republic’s assets was just as acceptable. That was the plan, now.

“Signal the fleet and move us into the center of the field. Tell the Dragoons to launch their fighters—their orders are to flank the general area of the Republic’s deployment.” He paused, his eyes prodding the field, as if he could produce the answer to a secret from the inanimate matter. “Tell them to keep close to us. They may fire at will to obliterate the asteroids: preferred targets are those housing bases, but any flight obstacle to the rebels’ fighters is acceptable.”

The fleet lurched forward into the heart of the asteroid field. Myrn clasped his hands behind himself as he witnessed the fighters issuing forth, leaving the capital ships behind and scattering throughout the asteroid field. Soon, intense jade beams linked the Scythes with their bulbous targets, and chunks of rock issued forth from the swathes cut into the masses’ exterior. Some of the smaller hunks fractured entirely.

“Shall I relay our situation to Command, Captain?” Asked Commander Brol.

“Of course not,” Myrn snorted. A incongruity between intelligence and actuality was supposed to be reported in every instance, but there was no need now. He did not want to bother the High Command with trivial matters when they were busy establishing a beachfront at Muunilinst and salvaging Bilbringi. He was entrusted with Selvaris, and he would carry out his delegated responsibility. “Our first report will be the news of our success.”

Brol nodded an acknowledgment and stepped out of sight. Myrn looked on, no hint on his face of the smile he felt inside.

Tag: Zara
No Second Chance First Previous Next Latest
 Back to top »
View user's profile Send private message
Kira Daast
Zara


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 9

 Post Posted: Fri, September 24th 2010 02:35pm    Post subject:
Reply with quote

A silence unlike anything they had experienced had overtaken the bridge of the Ambition. The various sounds of computer and mechanical equipment still working filled the void, but not a word was spoken. Kira could barely feel her own breathing as her hands tightened, almost painfully upon the railing she was leaning over. Everyone was stationed exactly where they needed to be, but everyone was simply waiting. Waiting for the order they all knew was coming.

The station had been taking heavy hits, and their fighters were being shot down like flies. They didn't stand a chance on their own, but even with a Republic fleet backing them up, it was a careful operation. One slip-up and Kira would be responsible for the loss of an entire mining facility. A burden she didn't need hoisted on her already weighted shoulders.

"Almost in position, sir," an officer relayed, almost whispering.

"Keep our energy signatures down as much as you can," Kira commanded. "I don't want them knowing we're here until they see us from their viewports."

A prompt salute was given as the man spun in his chair and went to work. Although only a handful of seconds passed, it felt more like a short eternity before Captain Tonoz resumed his place next to his commanding officer, giving her a salute of his own upon arrival. Kira didn't bother trying to pry her hands from the rails long enough to return the honor, though Tonoz barely seemed to notice as he mirrored her posture as well.

"The fighters are ready for launching, sir. We're as ready as we're going to be," he stated, neither of them actually making eye-contact with one another. For a long while, she didn't respond. Her mind was going over so many factors, it wasn't clear whether or not the report had even penetrated her ears. Sure enough, just as Tonoz was opening his mouth to repeat himself, she turned to him and gave a single, solid nod.

"Thank you, Captain," she said.

Just as the room was sinking back into an uneasy quiet, the navigation officer's voice shattered it as he spun to meet Kira and deliver his latest announcement, "Sir, we're in position!"

The slightest hint of a smile spread its way onto her lips as her posture seemed to ease a little. However, it was short lived, since she knew the next step was all the more difficult. "Take us right behind them."

"How nice of them to punch a hole into the field for us to follow," Tonoz said sarcastically as he found himself smiling as well. Things were going well. Too well.

"Don't get too certain. If they want to run, then they're going to have to come back through us. And we all know how dangerous a cornered animal can be." After a moment to collect herself, she turned once again to the Captain for reassurance, "You're sure everything is ready?"

"On a hair-trigger, sir."

Her eyes flicked back and forth as the massive rocks tumbled about the empty space beyond. There was no telling whether or not they were actually getting the drop on them. Maybe their own trap was only set to spring one of the Empire's own. It was all impossible to tell, aside from her instincts. However, as if knowing her own thoughts, one of the men manning a station near the front of the bridge piped up,

"Still no indication that they've spotted us on their scanners."

Kira didn't reply. The navigation officer spun around once more soon after, grabbing her attention from the viewports with another update. "Engine output is growing with our speed. If we keep that up, then they're sure to spot us approaching."

"I know. Get us up to attack speed as soon as you can," she stated, letting her determined gaze float across the rest of the room before settling once more on the field outside.

"Y-you know? Then sir, what are we waiting for?"

"To see who shoots first."

Tag: Cray
No Second Chance First Previous Next Latest

_________________
 Back to top »
View user's profile Send private message
Daral Myrn
Cray


Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 5

 Post Posted: Thu, October 14th 2010 11:37pm    Post subject:
Reply with quote

Another rock shattered with incredible force, its stony contents fragmenting in every direction. The triangular Victory-class slid in the wake of the asteroid, the smaller chunks vaporizing harmlessly on contact with the behemoth’s particle shields. The flanking Scythes were carving a path through the field, and the fleet followed closely behind, ready to target the Republic’s bases with the same piercing energy.

The fighters buzzed around the rocks like a swarm of insects around a bulb. They would dance and exchange flashes of light, congregating at a given asteroid, then soon the battle would leap to another location for a few more seconds. Both teams of pilots strove to use the asteroids to challenge their opponents’ dexterity. Not seldom a small puff of fiery plasma appeared on the surface, heralding the death of another young man or woman smashed against the face of the rock.

Myrn glanced down to his navigator. The lieutenant had already explained that the asteroid field was wreaking havoc on the accuracy of the sensors. In fact, they only had a vague notion of where the center of Republic activity lay: there were many large hulks, and there was no guarantee that the chief mining asteroid was also the origin of the pesky fighters. So far, the fighters posed no real threat; if the Republic was saving a second wave, then the Imperial fleet would at least be able to determine the provenance of the enemy.

“Sir,” said the lieutenant, his voice uncertain. “Something else is showing up on sensors. There’s a lot of noise, but…”

The man trailed off. Myrn, eyebrow upturned, strode over to the station, looking over the young man’s shoulder. There were thousands of blips, similar in shape and size, an incomprehensible chaos to anyone’s eyes—except for the trained eye of a navigator. Myrn gave up trying to interpret the readout, and instead prompted the lieutenant to continue, saying, “But what, Lieutenant?”

“Well,” he began, stalling as he tried to mentally aggregate the various sources of information, trying to back up his gut instinct. “There’s something else out there. It’s not an asteroid, or a fighter—but I can’t determine its composition, and they’re getting eclipsed by the field.”

The captain frowned. The lieutenant had not led him astray before. There was no possibility of reinforcement or a trap—his fleet had just arrived, and there had been no prior indication to the Republic that an attack would occur on Selvaris. He could not imagine any of his crew smuggling messages to the enemy. But there were no paradoxes; there were only bad assumptions.

“Bring half the fleet about,” he turned quickly, his mouth abruptly biting out the words to Commander Brol. “Another guest is joining the party.”

Tag: Zara
No Second Chance First Previous Next Latest
 Back to top »
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Star Wars: Unity Forum Index » Inner Rim » The Encounter at Selvaris Mineral Field
Post new topic   Reply to topic All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum