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Post by Whill Shaman Xixo on Apr 5, 2013 7:04:25 GMT -8
*The misshapen, asteroid-shaped planet known as Kessel had a barren, rocky landscape. The atmosphere was very thin, with most of the air being provided by factories on the surface. Ancient tombs and ruins, possibly of Sith origin, dotted the landscape, haunted by skeletal avians.*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2013 13:45:34 GMT -8
Normally, the Resource Extraction Platform's descent to the surface of a planet would a treacherous & spectacular affair involving a fair amount of fire & noise. But in the extremely light atmosphere of Kessel, the REP made its descent without any of the usual fanfare. the descent did however take longer than normal, due to the less than stellar gravity of the 'planet'.
After settling softly down onto the surface of the over-sized asteroid, the REP began unfolding into its deployed state. Within two hours, the structure had gone from an ultra-dense, twenty-meter cube into a roomy, hundred & fifty-meter across, ten meter thick disc. The structure was raised from the rough terrain by a number of support pylons holding it five meters off the ground.
Though it almost wasn't needed here, the REP still raised its skyhook for the transfer of crew & equipment. In the low atmosphere, the cargo would be able to travel much quicker than in most other planets.
Here on Kessel, there was next nothing of value to collect. The only useful reason to be on the planet was either the spice mines, the various ruins, or as a remote research location. The spice mines were not MMC's reason for coming here, as they were too much of a risk to be profitable, not to mention the fact that the spice was illegal. So the REP would serve as an out of the way R&D station, as well as host frequent archeological digs at the ruin sites for valuable artifacts.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2013 8:41:57 GMT -8
The research base on Kessel was housed in one of the prefabricated garrisons that had been favoured by the Empire. This variant however, had been produced by Armature Apparatus & had a few differences from the older model the Empire had created. Additionally, the research base did not have the compliment of walkers that were usually found on an Imperial base, instead it had a larger fleet of speeder bikes & landspeeders, as well as two large vehicles that served as mobile research labs. Additionally, the TIEs had been replaced by 40 IRD-A fighters. Much of the base's quarters were used by the research staff, meaning that there were only four hundred SS assault troops on the base, not including the forty pilots.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 8:36:47 GMT -8
On the surface of the planet, the command staff stationed on the research base was alerted the moment communications with Central Command at the Citadel was cut. The standard orders were clear: all staff was to be recalled to the base & wait for support from the Citadel. A response fleet would probably be in the system with a few hours. Until everything was decided, the base would be locked down from anyone that wanted to get in.
Both of the mobile labs were currently deployed to different archeological sites on the planet. However, within thirty minutes of the fleet starting the jamming, both were headed back toward the station. A fair bit of the bulkier & more difficult equipment had to be left at the sites to prevent the staff from being exposed more than was necessary, but hopefully it would be safe unattended until the fleet made its desires know.
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Atia
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Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 29, 2013 13:04:17 GMT -8
The Acclamator "Big Bertha", and the two Victory class SD-s landed on the planet, a good twenty klicks out of the miners site and dropped their load, so to speak. One Prefab base was put down (and is still in building as the Iron Hide shows up) and a good load of land vehicles and some infantry.
50AT-AA-s
20 LAAT-s with verpine compliments, (600 Verpine drones)
20 A5 juggernoughts with verpine Compliments (6000 Verpine Drones)
25 AAT-s.
500 Slavers
1 Prefab Base
The Prefab Base was done with the frame when the Iron hide fleet came. They were putting together the different parts in different areas, so the site mainly looked like a Starwars geek childs room filled with star wars toy warmachines and an IKEA coffee table still in pieces. The comm relays were done, ready to be put up on the top when the top was finally ready too, so were the defence turrets, waiting to find their place on the base. Basically it all loooked like a well oiled and effective mess. The A5-s were lined up nicely, and the AAT-s were patrolling the area. THe AA-T-s were set on base defence. LAAT-s were running 5 unit CAP-s. High Readyness was in effect, and every vehicle was very combat capable as of yet because most of the crews didnt leave them yet. WIth the prefab base not yet ready, there were no cantinas open to party at anyways.
Troops were sent to two locations though.
Research Lab:
2 LAAT-s with 30 Slavers each speeded towards the Mandalorian installation as soon as they disembarked the Battleships. They were followed by four AAT-s, Two A5-s, and five AT-AA-s. The land troops would move a lot slower because of the slow AT-AA-s. WIth the range to the Research base, the main force would be 20 minutes from the Res Base when the Iron hide arrives.
LAATs would, of course, have landed a LONG time ago.
Edmund I Ardent-class Fast Frigate stopped with its portside broadside pointing strait at what now was confirmed as a prefab base. THey were gathering intelligence on the place before the LAAT-s got into weapons range. With no idea who was there, and what they were doing, the admiral wasnt so sure on how to approach, and his indicision went down the chain of command. THe Edmund lingered in high Athmosphere, waiting the order to strike.
Instead, the order to contact came in.
This is the Edmund One, Ardent Class Fast Frigate, identify yourself and your reasons of being here.
Mines:
THis was the main objective. Five A5-s, 10 AAT-s, 10 AT-AAs, 5 LAAT-s would be dispatched to this location. The A5-s would be packed with Verpine, while the LAATs would have slavers on them. All units would move in formation.
They would have arrived to their destination long before the Iron Hide would in orbit... and will write out what happened or happens there when Exi is about.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 13:59:00 GMT -8
Edmund One, this is MandalMine Collective Research - Kessel. We are primarly focused on archeological digs & historical research.
This station is under the defense of Starfire Security. Any hostile action will be met with force. Station defense have been activated. This is your only warning.
The Death Fence & attached minefield surrounding the research station had been activated. The death fence had been turned up to maximum, meaning that even light vehicles would be shredded by it. The three heavy twin turbolasers were focused on the ship floating high above, though the six heavy laser turrets where turned toward where the sensors had spotted a pair of LAAT gunships on approach. The four hundred troopers inside had already suited up & were prepared to do battle in the nearly airless environment outside. The pilots of the forty IRD-A fighters sat in their cockpits & waited for the order to launch.
A ways away, a pair of large walkers slowly made their way back toward the base. They would likely reach the station a good ten or fifteen minutes before the enemy troops did.
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Atia
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Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 29, 2013 14:16:44 GMT -8
For the second time in this story, and the first time cronologically, the commander of Edmund one had the thought that Admiral Edmund would think. Starfire Security? WHO WOULD HIRE THESE GUYS? Blackthorn, Second Sons, Golden Company, Blue Suns, The Exchange... all cool sounding security forces. Starfire Security? What do they have? Their ships are crewed by the Sailor Moon?
None the matter. Whatever name they own, they were tossing about Mandal Mines. The Captain forwarded the information to the admiral, and got back a quick response. Rerout the LAAT-s so they are in threat range of the two walkers, getting around the bases effective fireing range.
-Captain of Edmund I-
I see, well then chap, you have two ways to go from here. One would be to be obliterated from orbit and forgotten, or the second, you let our investigative squad onboard to make sure you have nothing to do with that awfull slaving business going on in the mines. Just a quick lookaround, and then we can talk about you being here and all that, now how about that Laddie?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 14:54:05 GMT -8
There was a short pause as the comm operator was momentarily surprised by the bluntness of the lie. There was absolutely no way that the people above were being honest. On the other hand, while the station & its fighters could probably take out this ship before the station's shields failed, the other in the fleet would be more than enough to dismantle it. It was time to stall for time.
Of course. We'll just launch our fighters to lead them in.
Without waiting for a reply, the fighters were already being launched. Meanwhile the umbrella shield remained firmly on, & the various weapons remained fixed on their respective targets.
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Atia
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Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 29, 2013 15:40:35 GMT -8
-Captain of the Edmund I-
"Like hell you are."
Starfire, stay far away from our troops and the same treatment will be given to you. Your walkers will be scanned, to make sure you are not actually mining spice with slaves. Stay inside your defencive perimiter and this will be painless for both of us.
The Two LAAT-s took a larger radious around the base and stayed at the minimum effective range of their scanners from the two walkers. The Edmund I started to rise into space.
In the meantime, the two Vics slowly started to crawl closer to the spot above the mines and the research base (and their own prefab one). Wonder why...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 15:49:55 GMT -8
Still hoping to avoid a firefight for as long as possible, the fighters settle into a holding pattern around the research station. The walkers could do nothing but continue their slow way toward the station.
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Galdaart Fel
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Affiliation: The Unfair Advantage
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Post by Galdaart Fel on Oct 26, 2014 5:17:17 GMT -8
Fel dropped the 'Military Surplus' like a stone, right to the deck, and hugged the contours of the rocky, arid ground like a mynock on a power lead. He maintained full thrust, and was truly enjoying himself at a speed that would have been for 90% of other pilots, suicidal. Melia punched in the coordinates of the rendezvous, and brought up the vector on Fel'd HUD display. They were just over 50 km away. Fel tugged at the control surfaces, dropping the ship down into a canyon, which opened into a vast chasm, with several gorges and canyons running off in many directions. piloting mostly on instinct (but with a map minimized in the corner of the HUD, just in case) he sprinted for a deep canyon entrance, and burned a hole through the atmosphere as the VCX rocketed toward their destination. Only a few minutes, and they'd be close enough to set down.
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Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Oct 28, 2014 6:56:31 GMT -8
Four IRD-A fighters receive orders to launch & intercept a possibly hostile shuttle. They managed to intercept in time mainly due to the shuttle flying nearly directly toward them. As the fighters closed at top speed they attempted a final attempt to forestall a fight. If it failed, the pilots would have time for a single attack before having to cut speed & swing around to fall in behind the shuttle
-Fighter Pilot
Shuttle, you are order to land immediately. Failure will constitute a hostile action. We are authorized to bring you down by force if required.
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Atia
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Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 28, 2014 7:38:43 GMT -8
-Newly opening paticipant in channel-
This is Juvex Import Exports Kessel Branch, Please, decharge your weapons, this new arrival is ours. New Arrival, please continue to the Mines.
Mandal Mine Collective, you will soon recieve a small extra payment for your vigilance in defences. We understand this little incident wont find themselves in any records, or... listenable or showable form, yes?
The voice was nice, like a buttler, with perfect coruscanty accent.
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Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Oct 28, 2014 12:04:00 GMT -8
While the fighters didn't change course, they did slow down enough to speak with the new voice.
-Fighter Pilot
Be aware Juvex control, The unidentified shuttle has displayed several conflicting IFF codes.
A moment later, a second new voice joins the discussion, this one a female.
-Operations Command
Juvex control, This is MMC Operations Command. We have been directing this encounter since first contact was made in orbit. Logs of all encounters are kept, regardless of outcome. Next time if you want to fly something under our scopes, don't have them burn lines across our front yard. Thrak, you are to return to base. Mission is Complete.
-Fighter Pilot
Understood, returning to base.
The four fighters broke off their attack run & headed back toward the base at a much slower speed than before.
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Galdaart Fel
Retired High Councilor
...not hiding anymore
Posts: 1,565
Affiliation: The Unfair Advantage
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Galdaart Fel on Oct 29, 2014 8:24:35 GMT -8
Fel didn't relax, breathe easy, or loosen his grip on the control surfaces. Fact was, his heart-rate wasn't much above 60. He was calm and collected, and would have done what was necessary. If the fighters had engaged, he would have destroyed them. Plain and simple. They would have been merely one more hurdle to rejoining his crew, or at the very least, warning them of the danger they were in.
He continued on his course, flinging the VCX through the canyon chain that he had discovered with an ease and practiced cool that belied the fact that he had never flown this model of ship before 12 hours ago, and never in atmo before two minutes ago. Fel was certainly not 'taking it easy.'
There.
It was the only word he said, but the meaning was plain. Just ahead the canyon became a fully enclosed small tunnel for a span of maybe 50 yards, a natural land-bridge created by the flow, ages ago, of some long-gone water source. It provided the perfect cover for the VCX, and Fel cut in the deceleration thrusters with not a moment to spare. The negative gee forces were tremendous. One moment, they were travelling at above mach two, and in a span of less than a thousand feet, had slowed to a crawl. Fel dropped the landing gear, and set down with minimal fuss. There was no fanfare, no discussion. The pilot cut the power, hefted his gun-belt, and moved aft. Surprisingly, Mel was nowhere to be found, and the planetfall ramp was already down. He didn't think too deeply on it. She had her mission, he had his.
Gaia. He brought up Bateman's coordinates on his helmet HUD. It was a little over a kilometer away. He started walking, punching keys on his wrist-gaunt which closed and secured the ship. He didn't look back.
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Atia
Member
Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 29, 2014 12:57:55 GMT -8
BloodPinguine, this is base, Bloodpinguine you copy?
THis is Bloodpinguine. Hear you clear Base.
We had an incoming, but it went off the sensors a couple clicks from your current. You are to divert from your patroll and check it out.
Seriously, Base? I just had three beers. Cant this wait?
No. Boss Lady wants you to release the bees.
Sounds serious *sound of a beer opening* Whats the parameters?
Are you still drinking, BloodPinguine?
Drinkin and drivin only kills if you drive something lighter then 150 tons. It kills in that case too, but mostly other people.
Keep it on the low-low Bloodpinguine. The Lady is in a bad mood. She is rounding up the ....workers. Something riled her up.
Sure sure. Parameters, Base?
Alive at all costs. High priority. Presumably two VIP-s. Report upon contact. Find the ship.
Roger that. Releasing bees, aiming in coordinates. Order recieved and is being implemented.
The A5 slowed down as it broke its way through the thin athmosphere basically making a road for itself in the hard rock of the Asteroid called Kessel. The coordinates for the lost sensory data on the ship was not very accurate. The Captain of the Bloodpinguine cursed and spit some beer on the floor of the warmachine, sending most command personell at base to all kinds of hells, and also officers school.
An entire canyon was ringed in and blinking wide gold as "Operational Area".
-Captain Mant Harram-
"Wake up you dregs! Gotta mount the bees."
The captain held his beer in an iron grip, kicking two laying bodies on their bunks. The Inside of these warmachines have been rebuilt a bit.... lets just say "Personalised" for the slaver companies and groups that were in the employ of Juvex Import Export. Same for the BloodPinguines. With their steady pay and this marvel of military technology, all they had to do was boring patrolls and the occational catching of escapees.
The two bodies grunted, and slowly got up, cursing themselves. A quick debrief of the above information, and the BloodPinguin A5 Juggernought came to a halt. The two newly woken mercs walked out and unhooked the speederbikes from the hull on the top, sat on, and sped off.
Mant Harram squeesed his fourth empty beercan and threw it on the allready dirty and littered flooring, and got to the cockpit and command deck. There, he could retrieve the fifth from the minibar beside his pilot, whom was plotting a new route to get somewhere between the big blinking golden ring and the base. The Kessel mines were the only point of interest for long long miles, and the most likely of targets of the lost VIP-s. He sat himself in the tattered leather seat in the middle, burped a long and rather majestic burp, a guttural and nearly artistic one.
He closed his index and longfinger on the right hand, and pointed forward.
-Mant Harram-
"Engage..."
The A5 roared to life again as the two speeders flew off, again carving its way through the landskape.
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Galdaart Fel
Retired High Councilor
...not hiding anymore
Posts: 1,565
Affiliation: The Unfair Advantage
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Galdaart Fel on Oct 29, 2014 17:14:59 GMT -8
He covered ground at a decent pace, and after ten minutes the Outlander crested a rise in the terrain and looked back at the ship, and found that he could barely make it out. Looking ahead, he saw what he imagined was his target: one of the many spice mines. Looking back one more time, more to see if there was any sign of Melia than to try and find the ship's position, he saw nothing of interest, and so continued on toward his target.
Once he was within half a kilometer, he activated his internal helmet comm to the frequency Bateman had contacted him with previously: an insignificant little band at the very end of the spectrum his helmet could receive. Sure, there were transmitters and receivers that could broadcast at a higher frequency, but who would be there to listen to it? This was as out of the way as any incoming transmission he had ever heard of, which is maybe why Fel even bothered remembering the freq. He knew there could possibly be only one pair of ears listening to his transmission: his contact.
Or maybe he was unzipping his fly. Time would tell.
This is 'Military Surplus,' looking for the Earth Mother. Over?
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Atia
Member
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Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Oct 31, 2014 12:42:46 GMT -8
Bloodpinguine here, Someone calling themselves Military Surplus is hailing. You copy, Home Base?
Yes, we are getting it. Might be our lost VIPs. You got them?
We got some lifesigns up ahead, if thats what you mean.
Yah, that... might be some escapies around. Had a cavein, we are down with three workers. Keep your eyes open.
Great.... Whats the location?
Around your position.
Superb. Well report in when we get one of them. VIP or not so VIP. Bloodpinguine over.
-Bloodpinguine A5 on 'Military Surplus' Channel-
No dirt mom here, trader, just a taxi. We got you on sensors, will be there in a jiff. I recommend not getting close to the mines... there are... mines. Not the producing kind, got my drift?
The A5, feeling rather stupid turned around from their target (the canyon) and headed for where the sensors pinged 'Military Surplus'.
Thats dandy-oh... but Mr 'Military Surplus' would just hear something.
See, Fel was standing beside some minor cracks in the barren wasteland called Kessel. The ground is filled with them, and they are mostly harmless. Not this one.
there were souds of digging, frantic removal of dry earth, and suddenly, like taken from a horror vid, a gloved hand reaches out... not five meters from the smuggler.
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Galdaart Fel
Retired High Councilor
...not hiding anymore
Posts: 1,565
Affiliation: The Unfair Advantage
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Galdaart Fel on Nov 13, 2014 11:39:48 GMT -8
The motion was met with momentary puzzlement. You just don't expect someone to burst through the crust of a planetoid. But that momentary indecision was replaced with the sound of oiled leather and steel being drawn, and aimed as Fel leveled the DL-22 at the hole in the ground. Rock-steady, he watched and waited as the arm became a shoulder, and as the head appeared, he spoke.
That's far enough, 'dirt digger.' Flat on your face, arms out, palms up. One twitch in a manner I don't like, and I'll blow a smoke-ring right through your dinner, clear?
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Atia
Member
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Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Nov 13, 2014 12:12:38 GMT -8
The crack, was not a natural occurance. Hours before there was a missfortunate explosion underneath, with a nice little earthquake and the like. Dozens of guards and slaves had died alike, thousands of credits of equipment (including explosives) had been lost. All accounted to a misscalculation and lack of good geologists whom would have pointed out that there might be a pocket of natural gas somewhere around the blast area. Or the likes, investigaiton and rescue attempts were still in full action underneath.
A freak accident, but that accident left said mine with a faulty Slave Containment Sistem. Basically, Lucky Mr "Dirt Digger" could crawl up through a sufficient crack without his spine blowing up. Slave chips are nasty things.
None the matter, this man was now named 383. Before, he had a name, something along with Jod Garba, a slave trader, and also an abusive one. Those are the kinds that end up on Kessel. He was sure he had a slim chance getting out of the mines, but as he spotted stars through the crack, his hopes grew. Now, he only had to have the luck of not threading on a mine, and get to the only civilised place on this rock, and with even more luck, maybe, hopefully, in some way depart to freedom.
Untill he had a gun pointing in his face by a rough stormtrooper.
He was shocked.
A STORMTROOPER? WHERE THE HELL DID HE COME FROM?
No. He was a merc, with a fascination for Empire hardware. 383 lost all hope, put his hands on the edge of the crack, and just held hiself there. Unmoving.
He brought down his head, exhaled, and it was clear. All hope gone with that breath. He just waited for what was to happen, and complied with said guntoting fascists command.
Also, there was a vehicle coming their way, with strong lights. A big vehicle.
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