Roleplaying: Mercenary Mission One

[mad. What is he trying to do?" Adenn felt like punching someone. Lieutenant Commander Plaschk had re-organized Adenn's battle plans for his part of the attack group, appointing new orders and appointing un-qualified pilots to squad leader positions. " Kadara, get Plashk on the com. Now!" The young Zabrak bolted into action, pressing a series of buttons before Plaschk's face appeared on the bridge's holoprojection. " Commander. I'm rather busy preparing for battle..." [/b[b]]" Yes, busy utterly destroying the battle plans that I've prepared. We leave for hyperspace in a matter of minutes. What, may I ask, in the name of the Force are you doing?"

Plaschk's Twi-lek lekkus twitched furiously. " I'm sorry if my minor changes have upset you, but let me remind you I have been in a command position much longer than you, and have lead the Tempest Flight and our fighter squadrons through more victories than you ever will." Plaschk had infuriated Adenn now. But he kept his calm. What would Commander Wil have done? " Lieutenant Commander, if you try anything else, I'll have you removed from command. If someone dies because of the changes you made, I'll kill you myself. Understood?"

Plaschk switched off his comm unit. Arrogant fool. I'll have his head if we fail because of this. I have enough to worry about with the Imperials. Adenn sat down to triple-check the Imperial intel on the cargo fleet. A few moments latter, the doors to the bridge hissed open. He turned his head and immediately recognized Keenan Ackbar, a hard-headed fighter pilot who had been one of the officers resistant to Adenn' elevation in command. Kad sighed and stood up. Ackbar saluted. “What is it, Ackbar?"
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Keenen stopped the salute as soon as he thought he could get away with it. He would only show this man respect if he had to.

"I've taken a look at my datapad concerning the instructions of the Pearl squadron. There seems to be some error; it has my name under squadron leader. Shouldn't Hert Jostwood hold that position?"

Knight Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 170 Location: Cloud 9

Karis finished checking her ship and put her tools away. She pulled out her data pad and looked for data on the Dawn Flight. She found that Gavin Vendar would be commanding that flight. She had been told that Nova flight and Dawn flight would be combined and used as a squadron if necessary.

She then looked up her own flight. She found her flight crew over by one of the other Nova Flight ships talking to each other. She walked up to them and cleared her throat.
"I'm Karis Jorvin," She said firmly, "Your new captain."
They looked over at her skeptically. She didn't blame them in the least.
Then she had them each introduce themselves. She was silent for a moment, then continued. "I will be conducting an inspection in 5 minutes, make sure your ships are ready." She was about to turn when Aloss Breck stepped forward.
"What in Correllia makes you think we'll take orders from you?" He spat.
Karis straitened, "Because I am in charge of this flight." She said without flinching.
"Are you kidding?" The man said. "Your a kid, I should be in charge, not some rookie that hasn't even been in action with us yet."
Karis crossed her arms, "Perhaps Adenn Kadd sees things a little-"
"Adenn Kadd? Why is he even in charge?" Said Breck "If you ask me-"
"Nobody is asking you." Karis interrupted raising her voice. "Like I said, 5 minutes."

Breck rammed his fist into his hand. Then he turned to the others. "Lets get going." He hissed. Then, more to himself he said: "Kadds going to regret putting that kid in charge."

Karis made her way over to the Sanguine Dawn "I'm looking for Gavin Vendar."

" Is see," said Adenn. " Just a moment..." Keenan stared at him skeptically. The man was open about his apparent hatred of the newly apointed commander. Adenn turned around and sat back in his command chair, then accessed the Skar'Kla's member roster. " Ah, I see you've had a rather sudden promotion. Our Lieutenant Commander Plaschk is responsible for this. I'll inform Hert Jostwood that she, officially or not, will still be commanding the squadron. Although Adenn guessed that was why Keenan had come, he somehow sensed a part of the flight officer that was dissapointed that he hadn't actually been promoted. " You didn't actually think I would give you a command position, after the trouble you made when I was appointed Commander?"Keenan opened his mouth to say something, but Adenn cut him off. " That is what you came here for, isn't it?"

Keenan didn't even bother saluting again as he walked rather briskly off the bridge. The man was a good man at heart, but his rudeness towards commanding officers was going to get him in trouble one of these days. Sometimes Keenan needed to be knocked down a few notches.

Adenn needed some time away from the bridge before the battle started. " Captain Tistell, you have the bridge." Tistell snapped compliance as Adenn walked from the bridge and into his ready room. The room wasn't nearly as comfortable as his officer's suit, but it had its uses. One was its walk in armory room, which was located in the back of the L-shaped room and locked with the best security system that Adenn could buy. After scanning his eye and his finger Adenn keyed in his twenty digit code and doors swung open. The room was small, probley four by four feet, and was stuffed with all the military goodies Adenn had picked up over the years. One wall was covered with a rifle rack. A large locker lined the other wall, and was filled with all sorts of carbines, pistels and explosive devices. A suit of Katarn armor lay bundled into a tight sack on the floor.

Adenn pulled a Verpine sniper rifle from the rack. He smiled. He'd bought the weapon shortly before he had signed on with the Skar'Kla Commandos, and it had cost him nearly three years of his pay as a starfighter pilot. After carefully shouldering the rifle by it's carrying strap, Adenn reached inside the locker and pulled out a bandolier holding spare ammo cartridges for the Verpine. Verpine rifles couldn't use tabana gas canisters or crystals like normal blasters could. They required solid projectiles, which had cost Adenn quite a bit of money when he had used the rifle frequently.

After using the turbolift, it was a short walk down to the ship's holographic shooting range. Adenn sat down at an uncomfortable chair and loaded the weapon. The safety fields that absorbed blaster shots of regular blasters should be able to keep a Verpine projectile from puncturing a wall. They had in the past, when Adenn had come here to practice. Through a datapad inset into the room's wall, Adenn qued up a set of moving targets. It wasn't that he really need the practice. In fact, he was one of the best gunfighters in the Skar'Kla commandos. After becoming Commander he found it relaxing to come to the firing range. It reminded him of his early days in the Skar'kla Commandos, boarding ships and engaging the enemy in close-quarters combat. Of course, target practice didn't even get near the exhilaration of real combat, something Adenn missed.

Five targets squares, each a different color, shimmered into existence. Adenn settled into the firing station and relayed the Verpine's scope to his helmet's HUD. He aimed and fired, and the Verpine silently dispensed a small, marble-sized projectile that shattered the holoprojection or a target. In four more quick shots, the rest of the targets shattered.

Adenn keyed in the course to a harder level. Twenty holoprojection targets appeared, frantically moving around in random patterns. Adenn grinned.
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Gavin was talking with Flight Officer Zak Bendall -- Dawn 2 -- when he heard someone ask for his name.

“Looks like the new leader of Nova Flight is looking for you Cap.” Said Flight Officer Bendall, looking at Karis Jorvin skeptically “What possessed Commander Kad to put a rookie like her in charge of a flight I’ll never know.”

“Commander Kad has his reasons I’m sure. After all he’s a Mandalorian so he wouldn’t put someone in charge unless he was reasonably confident in their skills as a warrior and leader. Karis Jorvin is going to have her hands full asserting her authority as commanding officer in her own flight though. Don’t make her life harder than it has to be Zak and give her the respect befitting her rank, even though she is a rookie, alright?”

“Understood Cap.”

“Good. We’ll be launching soon so you best attend to any final things you need to do.”

With that Gavin walked away from Flight Officer Bendall’s starfighter towards Sanguine Dawn. “I’m Gavin Vendar. What can I do for you?”

Ferno mostly stayed in the cockpit of his ship, the Century Arrow, aside from pacing every once and a while. When he heard that Keenen Ackbar was in charge of the Pearl Flight, he didn't know what to think. He had a bad feeling about Keenen ever since he first laid eyes on him. Last he checked his chrono, there was only five hours till the mission. All he could do was wait.
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Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Keenen walked back towards the docking bay, highly frustrated. That idiot! Why they let a man like him in charge, Keenen couldn't guess.

He had been in charge! The leader for once. That would be the first time he was in control since before the pirate attack. Then, when it seemed possible, the mandalorian fool stripped it away!

Had he really wanted the job? Minutes ago, he had been trying to convince himself it wasn't possible. Now however, he has extremely distressed.

As he reached the site of the Pearl squadron, he saw the Bith that had been reinstated in the position he had owned for ten minutes. Jostwood was checking the starfighters in her flight, assuring himself that they were properly prepared.

Keenen went and stood next to his fighter, The Star Wing. He let out an obvious and pointed sigh a Jostwood approached him.

I should have that spot, he thought to himself. Lieutenant Commander Plaschk, who he respected far more than the scum that had been named Commander, had put his name under Squadron Leader for a reason.

He stopped himself. Why was he thinking this? He had made a new rule for his life after years of it were spent searching for the pirates. Just get money. Don't get upset. Don't waste time. Just get money.

Still...a position like Jostwood's was sure to recieve a bigger pay check at the end of a mission than he would. He looked around, wanting to confirm his facts. He couldn't ask Jostwood himself, he was currently underneath the Star Wing running an inspection.

Keenen glanced about for another squad member. He saw the burnt pilot, sitting alone like usual. He wouldn't bother with him. He turned to his left, and spotted Magenta coming. She was one of the better members of the Commandos, in his opinion. He slowly walked over to her.

Magenta decided that she should check up on her ship, the Liquid Fire, before they took off on the mission. She would need to inspect her ship, and maybe some of her crew mates were even there. She would like to speak with them - especially Keenan. Magenta wondered whether or not he was as surprised as she was that he was squad commander? She shrugged. She would know soon enough, hopefully.

A few minutes later, she finally made it to the bustling hanger. Magenta immediately went over to her beautiful ship and brushed her hand along it's fine edges. She had had this ship for years, and through her time with it, had made it completely her own. She would be devastated if she ever lost it.

Before she could really get started on inspecting it, she spotted Keenan Ackbar coming over to her from a distance. She cocked her eyebrow in surprise, but then that quickly went away. He would no doubt want to get to know his crew before they took off on their mission....

Once Keenan approached her and was close enough for them to greet each other, Magenta spoke the first words. "Greetings Commander. Just inspecting my ship before the mission."

Knight Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 170 Location: Cloud 9

"Captain Vendar," Said Karis, "I'm Karis Jorvin, the new captain of Nova Flight." The title still sounded strange to her.

"I understand that the Dawn flight will be working closely with Nova Flight. Is there any information you need me to know prior to the start of this mission?" She asked. As soon as she was finished talking with Gavin she wanted to hurry and make her inspection of the Nova Flight.
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Adenn had spent no more than twenty minutes in the firing range before depleting all the ammo he's brought along. After depositing the nearly priceless Verpine rifle back in his small armory, he searched through his locker and pulled out his constant companion, a highly modified DL-44 blaster. He pulled the bulky gunbelt, a brown leather belt which held the blaster and several power packs, around his waist and clicked the lock shut. After leaving the armory, Adenn strode back onto the bridge to find a very nervous looking Jace Kadara staring at him.

" Sir, Captain Iyniri says the Republic convoy is ahead of schedule and has already left from Corascant. He says we need to leave now or we're going to miss our chance." Adenn sighed. There was no use fighting the man. And the mission had to be completed. He set aside all his animosity towards the man as he opened up a comm channel. A very distressed and annoyed Captain Iyniri appeared as a holoprojection. "Commander, I'm sorry to inform you that the Republic fleet has already jumped to hyperspace. If we leave within fifteen minutes we can still make the interception point. I highly suggest you listen to me on this." Adenn nodded. " Absolutely. I want this mission done as much as you do, Captain; just for different reasons. Our forces should be ready to jump within ten minutes. Is the Inevitable ready to jump?" Iyniri nodded.

" We're ready when you are, Commander." Adenn sat down in his command chair. " We'll send you the signal in ten minutes. Stand by." He gave Jace a hand signal, and the comm officer switched off the connection.

Ten minutes went by rather fast when you were a commander. The Glitterclaw's starfighter squadrons were ready to launch. The gunship, capable of hyperspace, were arrayed in delta formation in front of the Skar'kla's flagship, ready to do a synchronized jump. Adenn watched the chrono count down, and then opened the comm back up to Iyniri. " Jump when we jump, Captain. To the rendezvous point, and then we'll start powering up that ingenious little device you have..."

Adenn opened up the ship-wide comm unit. " Skar'kla's, prepare for hyperspace in five, four, three, two..." The Glitterclaw's pilot, a Sullustian named Pyro for a reason Adenn didn't know, pulled the lever. The Glitterclaw jumped into the streaming lines of hyperspace. It seemed rather peaceful to Adenn.

In four hours, space was going to be any peaceful for the New Republic.
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Saul felt the deck shutter beneath his boots as the carrier launched into hyperspace. The vibrations evened out after the jump, and Saul made his way over to his starfighter. He had a few hours before the coming battle, plenty of time to load his ship's missile ordinance.

Let's see...a full load in the main launchers ought to do it. He typed in some commands on the loading droid sitting next to his ship.

The droid wheeled over to a trolley of concussion missiles and latched on. It then towed them back over and began loading them with a long boom arm.

Well that's 20 missiles for any fighters I come up against, but what about the heavy stuff. According to the intel there wasn't anything that the carrier and gunships couldn't handle, yet Saul always liked to be prepared. Better load up one...no two heavy space bombs and six heavy rockets.

It was more than enough to give his fighter some serious punch, but he really hoped he wouldn't have to use it. The payload that he would be going out with represented about three months worth of pay.

"I sure hope these Imps pay better than are previous employers." Saul muttered as he kept a close eye on the loader droid.
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“Pleased to formally make your acquaintance Captain Jorvin” said Gavin trying to be polite and hide his skepticism of having a rookie command a flight.

“I trust that you’re aware that our two flights purpose in this mission is to assist the fighter squadrons and gunships depending on which needs help the most at any given time?” Karis Jorvin nodded

“Good. I’m going to be holding Dawn Flight back to screen our gunships and carrier from any enemy starfighters that slip past our fighter squadrons. I recommend you do the same with Nova Flight, however as their commanding officer you may order them as you see fit.”

Gavin paused and looked at Karis Jarvin with his most stern expression “Even though this job has been sold to us as a milk run do not let that go to your head. I’ve seen too many rookies get cocky because they thought the mission would be easy and as a result got themselves killed. I don’t want to see your name added to Skar’kla’s casualty report, and if I can help it your name won’t be. However, if you take unnecessary risks I can promise two things will happen: 1) I will not bail you out because I am not going to put Dawn Flight needlessly in harms way and 2) even if you survive you will find your flight will trust you even less as an officer because you will have demonstrated reckless tendencies.”

Gavin then smiled at Karis, trying to reassure her. “I’m sure you’ll do fine Captain Jorvin, Commander Kad wouldn’t have put you in command of Nova unless he was confident in your abilities. Now is there anything else you would like to talk about?”

Adenn starred out his ready room's large, wall-to-wall viewport, watching the glowing streaks of stars as the Glitterclaw traveled through hyperspace. Once they made out of hyperspace, a few lightyears from Klavanor system, they would power up the Imperial's intradictor cruiser, array into a attack posotion, and wait until the Republic convoy was pulled out of hyperspace. After that, hopefully, they'd smash it's inadequete defenses, board it with Imperial shock troopers and bring the seized prize back to Grand Admiral Thrawn.

But Adenn had his doubts about Imperial intelligence. It seemed too easy. The convoy was far to large to have the small protection that the Empire's intel claimed had jumped into hyperspace with it. Either this was going to be a milk run or it was an ambush. They'd just have to wait and see when they pulled whatever it was from hyperspace.

Adenn, being a former New Republic fighter pilot, was beggining to have his doubts about siding with the Empire. No matter how much they payed, they seemed to have they're own agenda, which didn't seem to include the wellfare of the Skar'kla Commandos. Of course, he knew, the Skar'kla Commandos were just an expensive tool for Thrawn. Then there was the matter of killing his former comrades. He sure hoped he didn't see any of his old friends in this battle. He tryed to remind himself that the Republic had left him to die when his A-wing was blown apart, but that had been the doing of the fleet commander, not his fellow squad mates. I sure woundln't mind seeing good ol' Captain Aheir again. Shake his hand. Adenn smiled. Then blow his brains with my Verpine rifle, which I bought with three years of a pilot's salary. You left me and my squadron to die, you barve, just so you could save yourself.

Adenn tryed to forget the past and focus on the future. No matter what his past was with the New Republic, he was one in a couple hundred people who depended on the money the Empire was paying them. He had made the decision for them.

He would try and remember that as he watched his starfighters slaughter the two squadrons that were guarding the cargo convoy. He'd have to try real, real hard.
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Knight Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 170 Location: Cloud 9

Karis shook her head. "I think that will be it, thank you very much." She said when Captain Vendar finished. He was probably as uneasy about her being in command of Nova Flight as her own crew was. But she was glad to have some reassurance. She hadn't heard anything positive from anyone concerning herself since she had arrived.

As for the mission, Karis had had no intention of treating it like a milk run. Although it seemed easy, that didn't mean it would be easy. She had learned to treat even simple things very seriously. Toying with things because it looked like you were in control was always a very bad idea. She had no intention of putting her crew or herself at any unnecessary risk.

"I can assure you Captain, will do my part to make sure this mission is carried out efficiently and smoothly. To the very best of my abilities." She said, still with that same seriousness she had been using since her arrival. Then she relaxed a little. "I truly appreciate your support Captain Vendar, thank you."

"If you will excuse me now, I have an inspection to complete. If you need me I'll be over with the Nova Flight." said Karis. Then she turned around and walked back to where her flight was docked. She was not looking forward to conducting her inspection.
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Gavin watched Karis walk back towards Nova Flight. I remember my first inspection of Dawn Flight on my first day as their captain. It wasn’t easy then, and I had had a little time to at least establish a reputation as a competent soldier and officer among them before being put in command. Karis hasn’t even had that chance to establish a reputation, which means Nova Flight will likely base their entire opinion of her abilities on her first mission. I’d better watch them extra careful to make sure they don’t pull any stunts to deliberately put her at risk in order to test her mettle. We’ve already had enough casualties since the battle Wil Af'fliey died in and don’t need any more needless deaths. Gavin shook his head and walked up the boarding ramp of Sanguine Dawn. In side Privates Jensen and Ulrand busy stowing gear and making the last preparations for combat.

“I’m going to be in the crew quarters getting some sleep – wake me if anything happens before launch.” Gavin said to Jensen with a yawn and wandered off towards the crew quarters.

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