Onslaught of the Empire

[stellarmagic]

Zaala nervously stood and glanced at Alyn before stepping toward the door. Before it had even hissed shut behind them she looked at the Jedi. "You said you had some sort of mission or something for us?"

Alyn blinked. "No need to rush him sithlet!"

"Ohhh... I just want to know what the frell I'm getting into." Zaala said quickly. "So how bout it?"  

[Sayla-girl]

During a brief break in negotiations, Thessa had adjourned to the stateroom offered to her by the Governor. There, she paced in annoyance and fumed about the state of affairs within the Minos Cluster while C2-N23 and Captain Basca Mai, the Cathar Commander of her honor guard and commander of her personal ship, stood by and watched the diplomat vent.

"That slimy rimward bag of filth!" Growled Thessa, the young woman pacing to and fro. "I saw the situation of the Moon coming in! I know where the money the Republic is sending to Minos is going! Right into his purse! Of course he doesn't want more Republic intervention! If we bring in more military, then the Republic will find out about his dirty dealings!"

"If he's lining his pockets with Republic Funds, I'll bet he's taking bribes from the Hutts as well." Captain Mai remarked out loud, her green eyes tracing the movements of her charge. "That would explain the missing 12% of Resource shipments from Minos. With that kind of money, he probably just pays pirate groups off to leave his worlds alone."

"UGH!" Thessa said, squeezing her hands into fists as she grit her teeth in frustration. "These double crossing backsystem rednecks! Why does the Republic even waste time dealing with them?! They can't be trusted!"

"That is a rather inappropriate statement to make, Mistress." Chided C2-N23 . "The Republic comprises many Outer Rim Territories that are prosperous, loyal, and successful members of the Republic. To regard all people beyond the core as uncouth rustics is to reinforce a negative stereotype. That would be befitting a diplomat of the Republic."

Thessa affixed a baleful glare at the droid and gestured at it. "N23, Play back Doros' remark about being a client state."

"Yes, Mistress." There was an audible click and the droid spoke in Governor Doros's voice, even mimicking the gesture of twirling a mustache. "We are fully capable of protecting ourselves, Ambassador. We have held off pirates and Hutt Cartel brigands alike. And as I said before, we really have nothing these renegades could possibly want. Any further Republic involvement would only invite them here. More bases, more ships, that would just drag us further into the Republic's problems. While we support Coruscant, Ambassador, we have no interest in becoming just another client state in servitude to your government."

Thessa lunged at the droid, grabbing it by the Collar of its chestplate.
"You listen here, you mynock!" She barked. "I know you're stealing from the Republic and you're not going to get away with it! I have proof from all over the cluster about your embezzling and bribery and I've already sent word to the Senate about the mishandling of the people of this sector! A Jedi Investigator is already on his way! So, if you want to leave office with ANY shred of dignity, you will sign the Treaty and then quietly step down from power. Otherwise I can guarantee you that you will find yourself occupying a republic Prison Cell before the month is out!"

Thessa took a few calming breaths and released the Protocol droid, then adjusted her outfit in the mirror.

"Thank you, N23. I needed that." Thessa said in a much calmer and more professional tone.

"Wishful thinking won't get the treaty signed, ambassador." Captain Mai observed. "We could take holorecordings of this mansion and it still wouldn't be enough to convince the Senate an investigation is necessary. Unfortunately, that would be about all the evidence we could muster on short notice."

"I know, Captain." Thessa said. "All we have are suspicions and rumors. No matter. I WILL get Doros to cooperate. The Republic needs to project a presence in this part of the Galaxy. Even a token Naval presence would reduce piracy in this quadrant, but we need a base to do so." She sighed, looked once more in the Mirror and then nodded to herself. "Alright, lets return to the conference room."
 

[Des Voh]

Raising his brow to the bluntness of the former imperial operative, he crossed his arms into the opposite's robe-sleeve as he turned."Well, thats a matter of some sensitivity. But unfortunately the only things I can say right now about it is that it will be dangerous. With the rate the Sith are taking worlds in the Outer Rim, the Republic wants some help taking them back and they've asked the Jedi to assist. I've come up with a few measures, but your help would greatly improve the chances of success." He would have liked to tell them more, but with the Marine standing there any attempt at secrecy would be moot, as he was sure Agent Issian had ordered them to recall anything they might overhear, and Republic Intelligence had holes just like any bureaucratically run agency.

"Sir..." The Marine said almost on cue with his thoughts, as to make a point of the urgency.  

[Skyeborne]

Minos Cluster, Support Group Alpha: Present day...

What Khyber didn't tell the AI, however, was that he too had misgivings about his actions on Ruuria. A Jedi was meant to use the Force to protect and serve the people of the galaxy, and he had used it to bring destruction. Sowing chaos and confusion into an enemy's forces, disrupting and demolishing their supply train, and even killing are all necessary evils of war; but at the same time, Khyber wondered if the justification for doing these things could lead to even greater evils. A slippery slope that inevitably would lead to the Dark Side...

Abandoning such introspection for the time being, Khyber stepped first off of the transport's loading ramp after it landed in the bay of the refitted bulk freighter, Minos Home. A squad of Republic soldiers was there to meet him, blasters at the ready. Khyber reached out to them through the Force, projecting calm onto the trigger-happy grunts.

An officer stepped forward, and began speaking with the leader of the Republic soldiers Khyber had rescued. Khyber stood off to the side, listening to them speak while looking around at the bay, noting possible escape routes, areas of cover, weapon emplacements, as well as other, minute details. He sensed another Jedi on board the ship, and made no attempt to hide his own presence. It had been too long since he conversed with another of his own profession...  

[ElladanKenet]

Ilia Nightwind was not pleased at all, nor was her mother when she finally managed to summon the elder Nightwind via holo. Silas had apparantly heard of Darth Vengean's move, and was incensed at the Sith lord's politics. "You do realize he's trying to get you killed, I hope."

Ilia nodded, pacing before her holoterminal in her room. "He wants me dead. He wants to weaken your grip in the Council. Vengean deliberately withheld information on the defenses of the Minos Cluster. I am confidant in my ability, but sending one battlecruiser against the capital is questionable at best. Especially when the response times of the defense fleet can have them in Travnin in two hours!"

"You know this for sure?" Silas asked. The Sith woman was the spitting image of her daughter, save older and a tad taller. She wore sith robes, and her cowl was pulled around her head.

"Yes, Mistress. It is the only thing that makes any sense. By withholding the information from the rest of the Council, he can convince them to beging the operation with a much lighter attack. The Twilight leads a very weak spearpoint that will be hard pressed to capitulate the capital before reinforcements arrive. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet takes every one of their targets. If I fail, it becomes a personal failure, contrasting against his pure victory, along with most likely my life and the loss of my task force. If I win, it proves that his strategy was worth the risk, and the Minos Cluster falls in a week."

Either way, it was a nasty situation. This was made even worse, since disobeying an order would paint Ilia as a coward, her forces as disobediant traitors, and her mother's standing a serious blow in the council. It wasn't quite a master stroke, but it was sure close. The real dissappointment was that Vengean was willing to risk the war for the sake of personal gain, even if it was a commendable Sith maneuver.

Silas nodded. "You sounded like your father just now. I will do what I can to deflect Darth Vengean. My personal task force might be able to assist you, if you can hold out for a bit. I will try my best. For your sake though, do not fail. Even if you retreat in a ruined ship, it will be better than failing in the mission. Do not dissappoint me."

Left with little choice but to do as told, Ilia bowed, before letting her mother end the transmission. Darth Vengean would pay for putting her through this, and woe be him when she came out of it. Her rage would fuel her and she would see to it personally that he paid for it.

~

A few minutes later, it was ready. Colonel Theron had calculated that the bulk of the fleet was housed in the sector base, located in a space station orbiting the planet Eliad. Even on an immediate red alert, it would take an hour for any reinforcements to show up, due to having to travel around a few asteroid fields. They had an hour, maybe a little more, before they had to start wrapping things up.

One of the main dangers in the plan, which they were forced to commit to, was the oppurtunity that the sector fleet would get to rally and repel the invaders. While the Sith still outnumbered them by at least 10:1, they would be a lot easier to defeat in smaller forces than all at once. This meant that, in order for the strategy to work, they had to cause as much damage as quickly as possible, and retreat. If they pulled too much of the fleet in, they risked a strong defense in the future, and possible destruction for the task force. The best chance they had was to act as a raiding party, attacking the planet, and pulling back.

This in mind, the task force commenced the countdown, before leaping into hyperspace. It was a short jump to their destination, maybe a few minutes. The task force arrived in the Travnin system, the brown world sitting neatly below them.

Task Force Twilight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harrower-class Battlecruiser Twilight
Terminus-Class Destroyer Dusk
Terminus-Class Destroyer Midnight
Gage-class Transport Bantha Fodder
Gage-class Transport Red Rodian
Gage-class Transport Precipice  

[Sayla-girl]

Things were at loggerheads at the negotiation table, with the Governor refusing to compromise in the slightest. Only her diplomatic training and sheer force of will kept Thessa from an inapropriate outburst, and it was times like this where she wished she, like the Jedi, could just wave her hand and get her opponent to do whatever she said.

Going into another hour of verbal sparring, one of the Governor's aids entered the room and whispered in the governor's ear. The man stroked his mustache, nodded at the news, and then stood up.

"Excuse me, Ambassador, but urgent matters have cropped up that need my direct involvement. I will have to adjourn for today. Tomorrow, perhaps we can reach a better compromise."

With a rustle of his cape, Governor Doros left the room, followed by his aide and two guards. Thessa was puzzled by this, but shrugged and rose herself.
"I wonder what that was about." She muttered quietly.

"The Governor has many systems to oversee, Mistress. I'm sure what ever it is, this interruption is important. Regardless, I recomend we adjourn to the stateroom for the time being. I will contact Captain Mai to inform her we are on our way there."

"Of course." Thessa said as the two left the room. "It will be good to get out of these robes for a while."
 

[ElladanKenet]

Aurriana and her squad were about halfway back to their starting point when suddenly their radios erupted in alarm. Soundbox pulled his speederbike to his halt, shouting something into his headset, as the others pulled up. Dismounting her bike, Aurriana ran over to Soundbox, confused as to what was going on. "Soundbox?"

"The sith are here!" The whole squad grunted in surprise as the corporal relayed the news. They couldn't see it yet, but five Imperial warships had shown up and were fast approaching the planet. "Small task force!"

Aurriana cursed out loud. "Sithspit. We're heading back."

Everyone nodded, remounting and heading back to base, the current mission left behind now that their was trouble.

~

Lieutenant Drayson was barking orders back at the basecamp. They didn't have much time before the Imperial task force found them and was ready to attack the planet, including them. He didn't know all of the assets arrayed against them, but he wasn't taking any chance. "Communications, update!"

A man from a computer terminal called out, his voice shrill. "Five ships. A big one, like the ones seen at Korriban, and four smaller vessels. All daggerheads. They're launching smaller craft right now!"

Not good. They only had a squadron or two of fighters at their disposal, plus what Travnin had. They were going to be obliterated. "Launch all fighters!" Drayson called. "Pack up as much as we can, and move them into the capital. I want the Nest moving in five minutes, before those Sith get a chance to slap her down."

His orders didn't need repeating. A landed Thranta was a vulnerable Thranta, and noone fancied being stuck here for the next several months. Shouting could be heard everywhere as the company rushed about, preparing for the attack. Talon-class starfighters began to roar to life, preparing to meet the Sith starfighters in pitched battle.

Drayson then called out to his communication officer. "Get me the Governor on the line. I want him and whoever he has in charge of defense. We have to hold the Sith off until the sector fleet shows up." In the back of his mind, Lieutenant Drayson knew that the Company was on it's own for at least the next hour.  

[Sayla-girl]

As Thessa and N23 continued on their way to Thessa's quarters within the palatial mansion, the droid turned its head to Thessa, drawing her attention.
"Mistress, I have been unable to contact Captain Mai or the ship. There is an unusual interference disrupting local communications."

"Perhaps that is what is occupying the Governor." Observed Thessa. The Ambassador paused however, as she caught sight of something peculiar. Two of the Governor's men were watching the doors to her quarters. Not her personal guardsmen. This, coupled with everything else that had just happened, seemed awfully suspicious.

Moving quickly, she dragged N23 with her around the corner and out of sight of the guards, clasping a hand over N23's vocabulator speaker.
"Something is wrong." She told the robot. "Mai would have contacted us if she was shifting personnel." Concerned and wary, she glanced over to her droid. "N23, listen very carefully..."

A short time later, N23 marched down the corridor in the ambling manner Protocol droids always seemed to possess, drawing the attention of the Travnin palace Guards.

"You! Droid! Where's the Ambassador?" One of them demanded.

"Mistress Thessa?" The Droid responded. "She told me she needed to escape, so she sent me down here telling me to distract the two of you so she could flee out the servant's entrance unobserved."

The two men cursed and dashed off down the hall with all possible haste. The droid turned to watch them depart, then waved over Thessa who had concealed herself around the corner.

"Excellent job, N23." Thessa said as she worked the keypad for the door.

"I am unsure of that, Mistress." The droid said in a worried tone as it looked over its shoulder. "It might hurt the image of my model and manufacturer if it were known I was involved in such a deception."

"It was for the good of the Republic." Thessa remarked. The door opened and the two slipped inside, closing the door behind them. Inside the stateroom, Captain Mai and two of Thessa's guards were unconscious and tied up. Quickly Thessa moved to rouse Mai, who came around in a manner similar to waking up hung over.

"Ughhhh..." The Captain groaned. "They jumped us....stun blasters....didn't see it coming..."

"Don't worry." Thessa said as she started to untie the Cathar. "We gave them the slip. N23, untie those men."

"I'm sorry, Ambassador." Muttered the Captain. "We won't fail you again."
"Save your embarrassment, Captain." Thessa commanded, freeing her guard. "Right now we need to get out of here and get back to the ship. Then we can figure out what is going on."
 

[Sayla-girl]

NPC
Governor Galban Doros

Doros, meanwhile, was adjourning with his staff to his personal escape craft, a Skyhopper with civilian markings that would quickly shuttle him to the other side of the moon. There he could launch in his spaceship and escape Travnin before the Sith started slaughtering everyone. There was no point in sticking around after all. This moon was doomed. The Sith had brought a massive warship no doubt swollen with Sith lords and Imperial soldiers, eager for conquest, and even with the paltry republic force there was no way to stop the Empire. They would be overrun.

Doros had always suspected he would need this escape plan. The ride could only last so long. But he never expected his reign would end with a Sith Invasion.

Once aboard, the Skyhopper shot up and out, cruising low and quick over the planet's surface.
"Contact the Sith." Doros ordered a cronie, who promptly started working on the Holocom. "Tell them we wish to discuss terms of surrender. Best we try and keep this as bloodless as possible. And keep our signal moving. I don't want them finding out where we are."  

[ElladanKenet]

Task Force Twilight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harrower-class Battlecruiser Twilight
Terminus-Class Destroyer Dusk
Terminus-Class Destroyer Midnight
Gage-class Transport Bantha Fodder
Gage-class Transport Red Rodian
Gage-class Transport Precipice

After nearing the planet some, the Twilight immediately focused on jamming communications. Though Travnin had probably gotten a message or two out, and still might get some out, the majority of comm traffic would be intercepted and blacked out. They'd also managed to unload a significant amount of fightercraft, about two wings worth, between the five ships: 120 Imperial Starfighters. With them was a squadron of Fury-class Interceptors, larger and stronger gunships. A single Fury had the firepower of a small corvette, while being fast and light enough to go toe to toe with other fighters.

The screen of fightercraft divided into two groups: one roaring toward the planet, intercepting satelites along the way and taking them out, systematically removing intelligence gathering information for the enemy, and the other half defensively patrolling around the task force, in case any fighters got through or reinforcements arrived. What little freighter traffic was in the system was quickly evacuating before the storm of Imperial might.

Within another minute or so, the craft reached the upper atmosphere. Waiting for them were the two squadrons of fightercraft from Falcon Company, ready to defend the planet at all costs. In the distance, an aging Hammerhead cruising could be seen hanging back, not at all interested in rising up to challenge the invaders. As one, the two sides collided in a hailstorm of green and red laserfire as the larger ships approached bombardment range.

All in all, 15 minutes had elapsed.  

[stellarmagic]

Zaala glanced at the marine and frowned slightly, it seemed the Jedi didn't trust his own underlings. She sighed. "Fine, tell me more when you can." She growled. "Now then could you say something? I feel like someone's dancing around an issue or something. If you want our help you have to earn our trust Jedi."

Alyn stared at her for a long moment. "Easy there Sithlet, no need to start a fight."

"I need to do something! I'm sick of being cooped up in kolto tanks, let alone this tin can!" She kicked the bulkhead. "I'm going to go stir crazy, and people not being straight with me doesn't help either!"  

[Nelowulf]

Lieutenant Warren McJump
Location: Minos Cluster
Personal Location: Bridge of the Indefatigable
Accompanying ships: 2 Wayfarers.

The whirling blue fields of hyperspace surrounded the clear glass that made up the bridge of the Indefatigable. Making their rounds, the task unit of the system's naval forces designed for anti-piratical acts had begun a tour to head towards the capital planet. Even Travnin wasn't immune to the local acts of boarding parties and the need to be policed. The green lagomorphic Lieutenant, effective Captain of the ship and this particular force, stared into the wave silently with his hands behind his back, nibbling on his inside cheek in pensive thoughts.

"Prepare to return to realspace in three... two.. one... mark," said one member of the bridge crew, returning the trio of ships to the bleak blackness and stars outside the window. For a single moment, the ships were once again in the calm of space, before the sights of explosions and lasers of both red and green colors flashed in the close distance. Warning klaxons sounded off from the strange proximity to various gravity wells.

"Sensors indicate foreign vessels in dangerously close proximity sir. Identifying them as hostile. Unknown bogies in sector four, energy readings far greater than-" the bridge crewman was cut off with a handwave. Warren McJump was not entirely a fool. He could tell just by the amount of firepower, plus a lack of ships, that this wasn't entirely the standard firefight between local forces and a bunch of uppity pirates.

"There's only five of them. Activate ship communications," his voice said, staring out into space. He took a half step back, pointing towards the battle in front of him as a batter points for a home run. "Attention all hands, battle stations. Get ready for some real righteous action. We're entering battle with hostile military forces."

Luck was on their side, as the glowing engines of the fleet was in front of them, about fifty degrees off the starboard bow, an easy turn for the frigate and her sisters in arms, as the common sounds of the power being diverted from non-essential areas to the shields and weapons sounded. "Tell our escort to hold back and begin communications to the parent fleet. Target the smaller picket craft on the right flank. Ion batteries, begin charge, tell the forward missile batteries to load up."

The bridge communications officers in charge of each ship began to relay orders as fast as Warren could announce them. "Attack pattern Aurek, engage the pickets on respective sides. Use our Wayfarers as additional firepower and fighter screens."

While the imperials floated in a traditional line of battle, the small anti-pirate fleet hit it's engines, designed to chase after plenty of wanted folk, forward into the fray. Warren gave a small smirk, knowing that the bulk of the fleet in front of him was far more powerful; that didn't mean he couldn't annoy them and give their commander a bit of the old tactics that he had mastered against...


~~~~




Knight-errant Jian Yakamura
Location: Thule
Personal Location: Canyon of the Long Winds
Accompanying People: None
Current Attire: http://phoenixlu.deviantart.com/art/Taoist-priest-146500461

A number of minutes had passed since Jian finished humiliating the Acolytes. Even if the one had gotten away, some part of him felt it was the right thing to do, even if in his head, he knew it was a bad precedent to start. Survivors meant witnesses, and witnesses meant people knew what he was and capable of. Even with suppressing his energies, the acolytes were too clumsy to be there on their own, which meant someone was bound to be knowing of what they were here for, and possibly what to find. The fact it was several acolytes may suggest that it wasn't anything vital, however that was merely supposition, not fact, and Jian hoped that perhaps he would finally get lucky... Even if as a Jedi, such things were taboo to believe in.

The crunching sand beneath the soles of his shoes lead him down a trail, somewhat hurried, in order to save him the trouble of being found easily. According to the journals he scanned, this was the Canyon of the Long Winds, a refreshingly non-lethal and non-hostile name considering sith territory. In fact, it almost sounded ironic, docile. Perhaps it was a native's original name for the place, though Jian settled on the fact that it was probably a sick joke from the masters. In reality, it wasn't a true canyon like our own Grand Canyon, but rather a series of hills that seeped down further and further into the river basin, with large archways and stone ziggurats poking up around the backside of the academy. The closest archway was where he really sought to go, and entered it with a flap of his clothes, into a well formed, carved out room, lined with stone and etched with runes. Taking a quick snapshot of the runes on the outdoor, Jian descended into the room. Non-descript as could be expected, stairwells were the only thing that broke the sheer monotony of the cube and its walls, spiraling downwards into various sections of darkness. Jian lit his saber, picking to head down the rightmost stairwell, using the glow as a source of light to see by.

Upon reaching the bottom of the well, the young jedi could only give a sigh of disappointment, as the room seemed almost impossible to fathom. Sure he had made almost ten rotations around the stair's central axis, but the arches that lined the sides of the room seemed to go on for ever. The only noise that could be heard at the moment was the sound of ancient stone being trod upon by fresh visitors, mainly him. It only reminded him back into his training beforehand as a youngling, giving only the slightest bit of confidence he knew what probably was coming next. Stone figures lined the walls, lying horizontal, some in peace, others obviously scared.

"Curious..." he said, peeking at one pairing. "The master buried himself with the slave... save for the slave still being alive at the time. Fascinating...." Like a tourist without a sense of dignity, this too gained a snapshot from the camera. His mind silently cursed the darkness, as he shut off the lightsaber to try to get a better grip. With the light gone, ancient runes began to glow red, giving off a light which was magnitudes greater than his mere lightsaber. Jian gave a small smile, marvelling at the impressiveness of magic (or luminescent bacteria) which went into the construction. Despite all that could be said about the sith, sometimes their engineers could be brilliant...  

[ElladanKenet]

Captain Phaelan watched as five squadrons of fightercraft collided with the two squadrons of defenders. It was almost laughable. They were far outmatched, even if they were using the newer Republic fighters. Already he counted two of the Talons down and no Imperial casualties.

"Captain, transmission from the planet. The Governor is requesting a ceasefire."

So soon? The Captain almost had to laugh. The Hammerhead cruiser hadn't even bothered to assist the Talons. "Is he now? Put him on comm. I'm in a negotiable moo-"

"Sir, we have new ships inbound!" The radar officer called out in alarm. This was certainly unexpected. "One frigate of unknown designation, and two Wayfarer corvettes, inbound on our 8'oclock. Approaching the Red Rodian!"

Well, this was unexpected. It was far too soon for any response to have been arranged. This group must have already been in transit, Phaelan reasoned. "Have the second group of fighters and the Furies rise to meet them. Tell the Dusk to provide cover fire for the Red Rodian, while Midnight attacks the Hammerhead. Redirect the Twilight to intercept the incoming craft. Bring all guns to bear." If they wanted to join the party, they'd be in for a rude awakening.

Already he could see that the Red Rodian was taking some hits, though nothing major. It was more than strong enough to take it's share of punishment.

Task Force Twilight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harrower-class Battlecruiser Twilight
Terminus-Class Destroyer Dusk
Terminus-Class Destroyer Midnight
Gage-class Transport Bantha Fodder
Gage-class Transport Red Rodian
Gage-class Transport Precipice

~~~

Ilia meanwhile was in her room. The lights were dimmed and the woman was sitting crosslegged on her bed, deep in concentration. Her presence was pouring out in battle Meditation, hardening the skills of those on the bridge, increasing response times and moral. It was almost unneeded, but every edge counted.  

[Sayla-girl]

NPC
Governor Galban Doros

Finally getting a hold of some representative of the Empire, Doros straightened his outfit's collar and cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Yes. Captain, I am Governor Doros of Travnin. In the interests of the people of Travnin and to end this bloodshed, I am willing to offer up this moon and step down from power if you cease attacking our home and our forces. Our military is no match for yours and so we wish to cut our ties with the Republic if it means ensuring the safety of our moon."
 

[Sayla-girl]

Thessa, N23 and her retainers stole through the Governor's mansion, wary for guards as they attempted to make their exit. Only Mai and her cohorts were armed with blaster pistols. Thessa's own weapon, a hold out, had been left on the ship, for no good diplomat brought a gun to the negotiation table. The soldiers, however, were confident in their marksmanship enough that they felt they could protect their charge, and they were more than eager to make up for their earlier blunder.

Passing by a window, Thessa paused, bringing the party's movement to a halt.

"Ambassador, we have to keep moving." Captain Mai told her.

"Look!" Thessa said, gesturing out the window. Her retinue did just that and were stunned to see what was occurring outside. High overhead, starfighters were dukeing it out, Republic Talon fighters dueling with an unknown fighter design. Flashes in the sky beyond them hinted at something even in orbit going on, and it was now clear to the Ambassador and her men that the moon was under attack.

"Could it be the Sith, Captain?" Asked one of the guardsmen.

"Doesn't matter who it is." Mai responded. "We need to get the Ambassador to safety." She suddenly spun and fired in the direction the group were advancing, gunning down one of several of Doro's guards who had come upon them in the hall. Mai's soldiers opened fire as well, their M-44 pistols casting orange energy at their opponents who proceeded to return fire, their shots lacking the precision of Thessa's guards. Within moments, however, Doros' men were defeated, and Mai's team rushed forward to take their rifles.

"R-56's." Mai muttered as she examined her new acquisition. "Solid design. Doros armed his personal staff pretty well." The Captain passed her pistol off to Thessa, making sure she was armed as well. The Captain the gestured to the weapon's settings. "This is a Military pistol. Safety is here. Output dial is here. This is the stun/kill selector. This is your charge indicator. Now this pistol pulls slightly to the right so you have to correct. Do you understand me, Ambassador?"

"Yes, but are you-"

"This is for your own safety." Mai said, the Cathar cutting the Ambassador off. "The Planet is under attack and Doros' men have turned on us. The time for talk is over."

Thessa looked at the gun in her hands, nodded and the group pressed on, heading for the vehicle bay to secure a ground transport.