RPlog:Operation Nova

Commander Calder steps up to take the podium at the head of a roomfull of her officers and senior NCOs. She clears her throat softly. Her expression is serious enough that almost instantly the various side discussions among her troops fade away, and all minds are turned towards business (even that of Sub-Lt. Rodo who was doubtlessly ogling the Commander only minutes before). "Marines, allow me to introduce you to Operation Nova, the first phase in a system-wide counteroffensive to liberate Caspia from Imperial occupation." A holo-emitter flickers to life as she talks, displaying a detailed contour-map of the Plaxton City area, as well as numerous red flags showing the locations of various Imperial units. Numerous phase lines and objectives dot the city. Three blue translucent blue flags show the possible locations of friendly forces in the western quarter of the city. "Our part of the effort is going to be an airborne/seaborne assault on Imperial Command, Control, and Communications facilities, logistics facilities... to generally behead and break the back of the Imperial forces operating in Plaxton city. We will be starting in the Western Quarter of the city, where the Imperial grasp is weakest," this is emphasised on the map by the fact that the are around the old swoop arena still shows as faint blue on the map, indicating at least weak CDU control, "Our three heavy infantry companies will be inserted by HALO drops from over the ocean into three Drop Zones. Ranger teams are already in the field, securing each of our drop zones for us. They will be awaiting our arrival by the time we hit the DZs." The imagery changes to show the deployment of the three infantry companies, "When we are doing our drop, a higher profile insertion of decoy emitters will be conducted in the Eastern Quarter, in the vicinity of the old Gov't buildings. Upon touching down, each company will assemble, make contact with the Ranger team at each of their drop zones, then move off to hit their first objectives. Bravo Company will move north to engage and destroy objective Indigo-1, an air-search sensor station, and its associated AAA batteries, enabling us to fly further resupply missions directly into the city. Charlie Company will wheel east, and hold at Phase Line Gold-1, while Alpha Company will turn west, and push back towards the coast to destroy any Imperial defenses overlooking Hideaway beach, allowing our armor to come in over the ocean. We will have air support assets, in the form of Wraith airspeeders assisting us in our initial objectives. With this completed, reinforcements will arrive to secure our beach-head, while we proceed into the city to attack the headquarters companies of each of the remaining legions, and to attack targets of opportunity. Move fast, keep the volume of fire high. We're not being paid to bring back ammo, and we want the Empire thinking it's being overrun by an entire bloody Corps for when Trinumvira garrison does its main breakout."	Calder pauses for a moment, then says, "Alpha Company, I'm going to be dropping with you, and probably sticking with you for the first part of the show. Other elements of the HQ company will be dropping with the other two rifle companies. The whole Battalion is in on this one. Marines, good luck, good hunting. You are dismissed! We launch in 90 minutes!"

Among those in Alpha Company is one redheaded bard. For days, Shenneret Veery has been holed up inside Trinumvera Base, awaiting whatever is going to befall the besieged planet of Caspar. She's been on edge and restless -- though for reasons she's never experienced before during the course of her life. Without fanfare -- indeed, without even anyone knowing -- she has reached her twentieth birthday in the middle of a war, and has been transformed by that one quiet event from teenaged student, former street rat, and bar singer to... well, she's still not entirely sure what she's become. As far as the Marines of Trinumvera are concerned, however, she's a brevet Private First Class. Accordingly, she's been entitled to participate in the briefings and training of anyone and everyone who can bear arms and armor, a right of which she's been making judicious use. And when the call goes out for troopers to fill the ranks of the companies slated to carry out Operation Nova -- the retaking of Plaxton City -- Shen makes sure she is among Alpha Company in the command of Tricia Calder. Even if this means she's going to be dropped from a positively dizzying height into the battle zone....

Somewhere high above the clouds, in the thinner parts of the atmosphere, a  flight of Marine troop shuttles makes its way towards its drop area. The shuttles themselves are actually well out to sea, but the payload of shock troops within the bellies of the shuttle is to land well inland at a drop zone near the swoop arena. On the ground, an ominous wind blows in from the seas. Somewhere far below, a team of Rangers sits waiting, dug into observation points at the edges of each DZ. Slowly, the rear ramp of each shuttle opens, revealing distant flickers of blaster fire well to the east, where a significant quantity of decoy emitters were dropped, catching the attention of every Imperial air-search sensor station in the greater Plaxton City area. After an ominous pause, the jump-masters call out their warnings, "Two minutes!" to the contents of each shuttle.

In one shuttle, a squad of Griffon SATs does final checks of their gear. The veterans are calm and somewhat serious, occasionally horsing around, while the younger troopers are nervously joking around, obviously scared.

On the ground, Webb is watching both the mission time, and monitoring his thermal sensors, watching for activity from the closest Imperial units. Save for a patrol of scout bikes that passed through 20 minutes ago, all activity seems light. If it doesn't stay that way, his team and whatever Close Air Support that he can muster will end up having to try to hold off whatever Imperial forces will show themselves.

From the roar of the shuttles, ropes are seen flinging out from them. The Jump Master counts down from within the shuttle. As the marines await the signal to jump. Commander Calder fingers her comm and looks around at the soldiers. She turns it on and start speaking, her voice broadcast to all the shuttles, "My friends, soldiers and alliances. Today is a very important day in  Caspian history. Today is the day we liberate our planet from the oppressed   tyranny of the Imperial. Many innocent lives have been lost throughout this   long and tedious war. Many homes destroyed. No longer are we going to stand   for that anymore. This is a fight, for our people, for our families, for our   planet and for our independence. This is the day we GET EVEN!" Finishing, she switches off her comm to look outside into the murky darkness awaiting the Jump Master's signal.

The Griffs hear that over comms and laugh a bit at the theatrics. Penta then hushes them and fingers the comms. "We hear ya, marines. Course, at least  here, the thought of simply kicking ass for Pride is pretty appealing." The Jumpmaster then signals them to get ready. by turning on the yellow light.

A yellow light comes on in each of the cabins, and the jumpmasters call out, "Yellow-light! Stand up!" There is an ominous pause as the troopers rise from their seats and turn to face the rear ramps. Finally, as the seconds tick by, the green light comes on, and the Jumpmasters are yelling, "Go, go,  GO!"

Sung stands next to Webb in her armor. Her eyes are skyward as she waits for the sight of parachutes to fill up the sky. She adjusts her rifle so the barrel is resting across her left hand is wrapped around the stock of  weapon. She turns her head to look at Webb and says, "This should be an  interesting night eh Jon," she smirks before turning her eyes back to the sky.

In the Griff cabin, the process is different. Jumpmasters call "Yellow Light!  First HOOKUP!" At that, the troopers stand, face the ramps, and the first trooper, a young private, hooks up. After a few seconds, the green light ticks on, and the Jumpmaster calls "JUMP!" in succession, as the troopers hookup and jump, one laughing maniacally over comms as he enters freefall, 3 seconds after hookup.

Penta jumps last, seeing his troopers off.

Her voice is loud and clear as she gestures to the marines and repeat the Jump Master's signal. "Roll out Troopers!" she orders. Almost invisible in  the darkness, little dots are seen coming out from the every single shuttle, each dot appearing in exact military precision. Commander Calder suits up her parachute and prepares for the jump, her eyes serious and intent as she awaits the last of the troopers before falling out with them. The first gust of wind blows hard against her.

The SATs jump before the marines, pulling the chutes on the mark EXACTLY.

Devyn runs out the back of the ship freefalling for a little bit before hitting the handle for the first chute

Shen Veery, brevet Private First Class, had thought that spending grueling hours training with her Sub-Lieutenant pal Jonathan Webb, learning how to move in heavy armor, and running simulation after simulation after simulation, would give her at least a clue or two about what it would be like to skydive her way into a battle zone. Shen, however, is rapidly discovering that she is quite mistaken. Simulator training or no, the reality of her impending plunge thirty miles to the planet below is more than enough to fill her with a nervous dread. _Great holy blazing suns, and I agreed to this why?!_ is her last thought, aside from frantically reviewing the training she'd been given on how exactly to do this over and over in her head, before she takes her turn to hurl herself into open air. The next trooper behind her might, just might, have shouted "Good luck, Bard!" -- but if he had, Shenner has absolutely no hint of it as she finds herself succumbing to the force of gravity in an experience she's only previously undergone in the simulators... and her dreams. _Get a  grip street rat get a grip deploy those chutes... okay NOW!_ And when the first of her chutes blossoms up over her, slowing her mad rush towards the ground... only then does she recover enough calm and composure to glance earthward and think in awe, _COOL._

Smoke markers appear on the ground to give a visual reference as the jumpers home on the signal transmitted by the Ranger team on the ground waiting for the jumpers to make their arrival. Free falling this far might to some be a  slightly unnerving prospect. Using the aerodynamic properties of a humanoid body to fly several kilometres inland is just a touch on the risky side, but then it's a lot more subtle than all of the shuttles just coming in guns blazing, and in a high antiaircraft environment like this, significantly safer. The grey/blue painted suits are invisible against the night sky as  they finally break through the clouds, hurtling towards the drop zone.

Her eyes are closed and her arms outstretched as she freefalls. The wonderful feeling of the wind gushing against her second skin -- her armour -- is giddying. Her violet eyes open as she reaches the mid-altitude point, and she yanks onto the first chute. The chute opens, jinking her into position. Carefully and slowly, the brevet sergeant Whitney steers herself closer to the target of the drop zone. Free as a bird, as she glides towards the correct position.

The Griffs find time to admire the scenery as they drop, and one even sketches the view, getting a laugh from the other SATs as they drop expertly and pretty much perfectly. Penta hits the comm, laughing. "Now, now, ladies and  gentlemen, just because he needs to focus on the mission isn't something to   laugh at him for. Private, they do have a point though. Put the sketchpad   away, please. Now, SATs, head for the smoke as briefed. Remember thy   training: Squat and roll on landing. No injuries, got it?"

Calder continues the long free fall. An experience that never fails to awe her. She looks ahead at the marines filing down and mentally files away the this scene beneath the recesses of her memory. History in the making today was as it was many years ago. The memories of her sister filing her mind briefly before she shakes it away, retaining her composure. Solemnly she speaks to herself, "This is for you, Reannon." Her eyes become cold and hard as flint as she awaits the task away. Just at the final minute, she yanks her last chute, allowing the progress to slow her down as she approaches the ground.

Penta, along with the other members of Lion squad, releases his chutes with the marines, flaring in the nick of time, and coming down silently.

After correcting her position, Whitney jettisons her chute and continues her freefall. The ground rushes up towards her, swiftly and quickly. A brief look of uncertainty crosses her face as she continues falling. 1000  feet...900 feet...800 feet...750 feet. She yanks the chute in advance. Nothing happens. A bead of perspiration forms on her forehead as she yanks her chute again. The ground rushes towards her...700 feet...nothing happens. Biting down in her inner cheek, she gives the chute one last yank. With a  sigh of relief, the chute opens, yanking her back slightly as it slows down her progress. Approaching the ground....she jettisons the chute and makes use of the jump jets to slowly hover down.

Once she gets over the initial surge of fear and shock, Shenner can't suppress a urge to sing to herself, giddily, a snippet of some children's teaching song she picked up gods only know when: "Down, down, down, down,  grav-i-ty-y-y-y..." Okay, steer into place, check altitude, is it time yet, jettison that first chute! Continue that breathless drop towards the still-distant ground. Deply the second chute. Drop... drop... drop...  jettison the second chute, kick in the jump jets. Warble out breathlessly, "I am a vi-ictim of gra-a-aviteee...!" And then, impact!

Webb mutters to Sung, "Yeah... interesting indeed... I think we got company  incoming from the east, bearing 087, 4 degrees high. Range..." he hesitates, "700 metres. Movement on that rooftop. Not stormies... Maybe regular  Imperial Army scouts." He taps Sung twice upon her armored shoulder, "Better  knock em out... quick."

As Alpha Company hits the ground in their enhanced armor, Raj immediately has the parachutes supplementing the jump jets for a soft and safe landing disconnect from his suit. The infrared vision has been on for some time, and scans the sky as to make sure another trooper isn't going to land on him. Seeing that one isn't he moves 100 meters westward to the rally point and waits for the other troopers to hit the ground, which they do quite rapidly. Soon they're moving westward in an assault formation, on alert for the first patrol to stumble across them.

Okay, down! Jump jets off, orient to get location, make sure she's not going to get flattened by anybody else coming down... all clear? Good! Now that she's safe on the ground -- well, as safe as you can get in a war zone -- Shenner shoves the shaky feeling of her knees into the back of her brain. Focus, street rat! Though she's still getting down the rhythm of battle, she's falling into place with the rest of the troopers already on the ground. The bard is all business now, weaponry at the ready, her pulse racing in her armored chest as she makes herself move as quickly as she can with the unfamiliar weight of arms and armor on her slender frame.

Whitney lands on the ground silent. She pushes on her night visor goggles and peers around the area. Her arm outstretched, the blaster ready as she moves quietly and swiftly westwards with the rest of the troopers to the rally point, keeping a lookout for any sign of activity as she moves. Looking upwards as she tries to spot the close-air support, shaking her head, now is  not the time to let your personal emotions interfere. Her objectives fully in place, she stares straight ahead awaiting her orders.

What starts as a deep rumble soon escalates into a full-throated roar, a small squadron of Z-105 bombers roar disturbingly close to the ground overhead, unlit but for the burning glow of the thrusters.

Making a perfect landing on the ground, Commander Calder disposes the remains of her parachute swiftly and makes her ways swiftly over to the Rangers. She approaches Webb and curtly nods towards him, "Situation Report, Sub Lt  Webb." Watching the inky blackness in front of her. Calder's eyes narrows into slits as she clenches her armour fist reflectively. "Time to retake the  planet..." she murmurs quietly, to no one in particular. She waits for the Rangers to finish their situation report before making a decision. The marine troopers and Griffons troopers were gathering quietly at the rally point, facing westwards as they await the signal to begin.

Rabid kneels atop the lead repulsor tank in an armored column. Five other craft line up behind, all of them bearing a Star-in-Shield flag fluttering from their communications antenna. Hustling along beside the tanks floating out of the arena, are at least three platoons of StarShield Marines. "Nova  Prime, this is Pulsar Actual...hold the column at the street, I'm going to   have a talk with the Caspian in charge here.", Rabid can be heard saying. He  turns away, and pushes off from the turret, igniting his jump pack and landing near where the Caspian troops are deploying, gracefully settling to  the ground. "Who's in command here?", Rabid's authoritative voice asks.

A sharp hiss of a missile being expelled from its launch tube by the cold launch motor (a puff of compressed nitrogen), before its rocket motor flares to life. The missile streaks off into the distance, wobbling slightly before it dives down onto the rooftop in question which Webb pointed out to  Sung, where the two had detected at least a pair of Imperial Army troopers. Obviously, in these night conditions, the sensor pod mounted on the left shoulder of Sung's suit has sharper eyes than the Imperials who were looking back at them. Motioning for Calder to lower her profile, he says, "We have  activity about 1.5 km to our east. AT-STs, by the looks of it. We have our   armor hitting the beach in 12 minutes. Suggest we make for it at all speed."

Alpha Company has begun their march, encountering several Imperial OPs by the sound of the sporadic weaponsfire and than silence...And then the process repeats itself. Soon they come across a company of Imperials...But they are eating dinner, not the best activity to be doing when a company of heavily armored Marines comes across you. Some mortars go in before the sound of  heavy machine gun fire is heard, and small arms. The Imperials give little or no return fire, and are soon obliterated. The Caspians pay little attention to the carnage they have left and continue right through the Imperial camp. An occasional burst of fire is seen as they pass through, dropping Imperials that managed to survive and were stupid enough to remain. They now eternally guard their camp.

The lead craft calls in. "Voodoo 1 to Ground Pounders, We got imperial armor  on our scopes...looks like AT-STs. Call your shots."

_Now_ she's getting into the rhythm. After days on end in Trinumvera Base spent brooding over her first battle, Shenner finds that she's rather calmer than she expected going into her second. Fighting alongside the more skilled troopers that flank her, the musician turned freedom fighter focuses on  laying down cover fire for those who know better what they're doing out here in the battlefield, supporting those who have the experience to make more daring assaults on the troopers the company ambushes. Once, though, she downs a stormtrooper herself, and as that trooper goes down in her sights, Shenner is gripped by a dark and peaceful calm. Later, perhaps, she'll brood again. For now, she's entirely focused upon her one small part in the overall war.

At the sound of the missile launching, Whitney looks up from her position to  see the yellow flare of the missile heading towards the watching Imperial scouts. A slight smile crosses her face briefly before she returns back to  her vigilance at the rally point. Finally it was beginning as she felt her adrenaline kicking in..

Listening to the report, Calder turns back to the comm and speaks into it  briskly, "Get ready to move out, troopers." as she looks up in the direction of the coast. She turns towards the Griffon addition and asks, "Ready  Griffons?" Receiving the affirmative signal from the Griffon, she returns back to the marines, "We have 8 minutes to clear the beach, soldiers, let's  get to it!" She cracks the order over the comm, picking up her shotgun and signalling them to move forward. She turns towards the Ranger Webb and barks out another order, "Brief the civilian, Lieutenant." her eyes disapproving slightly before she shoves pass him to follow the rest of the marines and troopers.

Webb is speaking into his comlink as he gets the order from Calder, "Roger  Voodoo Lead, we are lighting up targets and handing them off to you now." The targeting aray fitted to the left shoulder of his suit is capable of  designating and handing off six targets... enough to assign targets for each of the large missiles on board Voodoo 1. He has two teams of four Rangers in  this area. As his jumpjets cut in, boosting him up to a nearby rooftop, he  switches channels to talk to Rabid, "Welcome to the party, Mr. Fox. Must   say, you've got a heck of a drop zone here. Two of our companies are busy   taking out sensor/CCC facilities as we speak. The remained of our force is   going to cut towards the beach to clear the Imperial defenses. Then our   heavy armor is coming ashore. After that, we're driving straight for their   heart."

Voodoo Squad continues its tree top skimming as it circles in and around the roof top where the Marine plays lazer tag. Voodoo Lead uses the lazer 'reflection' to target the 6 AT-ST walkers. Handing off the now fixed targets to his wings, Voodoo Lead calls out, "Targets Painted...thanks for  the fix....Voodoo group, FIRE! Trax, Lace, clean them up," Six of the fighters each launch one missile from there bays. The missiles dash out of  there tubes with a bright flash and scream, and for just a moment the hulls of the Z-100s are lit up. As the missiles scream forward, they move slightly to adjust for wind and home in on their targets. As they impact, 5 of the six walkers erupt into fireballs, however the 6 is thrown aside by the cuncussion, and its targeted missile goes wide. The last two fighters make quick waste of the now crippled AT-ST as well as the surrounding troopers, as  red lances of death spear their way into the enemy armor and flesh. Circling back around, the Z-100 flies back to cover the Marines. "Voodoo 1, regroup  and stack for close support. We want to keep those AT-STs away from the   Ground Pounders."

At the use of the term: 'Civilian', Rabid's eyes narrow slightly and he snorts out a breath. "Understood", he says into his suit's radio microphone. "I'm  going to deploy my troops along the northern flank of your advance, so   they'll...hold...." Rabid's voice cuts off and nothing is heard for several moments. "I've got big Seismic readings off to the east...they're consistent  with a good number of AT-STs. It seems that until your heavy armor arrives,   my Avengers are the biggest guns you've got. I can have them fan out along   the front, and screen your infantry against Imperial Walkers, if you want."

The Marines are already well in motion, moving out in long, low, surface skimming jumps, staying grounded only long enough to fire precise bursts of  fire. "Roger that, Fox," comes Webb's voice over the comlink, "I'll keep a  team of Rangers back with your armor to designate targets for our air   support. You'll be getting help from our Centurions and Wraiths." He  switches channels and says, "Commander, we got the rear covered, suggest you   mop up that beach posthaste." Indeed, the air support situation, with the Empire deprived of its ISDs is most definitely in Caspian favour. The few planet-side Imperial fighters are rapidly finding themselves cut to pieces by the technologically superior Griffon and Caspian fightercraft.

[Once everyone is down, the troops advance upon the beach, bent on clearing it out for tanks to come ashore so that an eastward assault through the city square can be launched. And in short order...]

The Z-100s of Voodoo group are virtually unharassed by the Tie Fighters, and those that do get on their tail are quickly dealt with by a rear launched SCREAM. The fighters fly in close support to the marines. Skimming just above them, and lancing any imperial trooper that happens to be getting to  close. After a pass, the Z-100s circle back out and towards the square.

On their way out, Voodoo Lead calls in "The beach is all yours, were going to  go aid the front line armor. Give us a holler if you need."

Cursing under her breath, Calder turns her head as the Voodoo fires loudly at  the walkers. Mumbling something under her breath about, "lousy timing". The element of surprise was lost but they could still take advantage of their disorientation. Quickening her pace, her loud baritone voice ringing out through the communications, "Front line, prepare the grenade launchers and  fire once you get the target in sights. Griffons, smoke launchers. We're   going to smoke them and fry them." She smirks to herself. The Griffons SATs prepare their smoke launchers in preparation to be fired simultaneously with the grenades. Calder makes her way swiftly to the front row and shouts, "Let's move them, viva la Caspar!" as the target rolls into sight for the marines. Well Commander Calder is known for some theatrics in battle, it  amuses the troops but adds to the morale. Short blasts were heard and smoke trailing as the launchers fired their artillery towards the beach, the soldiers all prepared for the attack. The marines and Griffons thrust forward onto the beach in a wave of almost immutable force as a roar almost perpetually rises in their ears. The soldiers were fighting for Caspar now...and Caspar it will regain!

The main defensive feature that needs to be removed from the beach to allow the armor to get ashore, are a series of pre-fabricated heavy gun emplacements that have been placed atop the bluffs. Unfortunately, or  fortunately, depending upon your point of view, these emplacements face towards the west, and lack any kind of heavy gun defense facing to the rear... not that the heavy anti-armor weapons would be able to catch the nimble Grenadiers, who are, quite honestly, crashing through the hastily assembled infantry defenses, and making for the main targets. Webb touches ground briefly, drops down on one knee long enough to rake a long burst into the left flank of the Imperial trench which he just bypassed, and pops off another grenade before leaping forth in another jump, kicking up a small sandstorm with his boosters, before he lands directly atop one of the Imperial emplacements. Into his comchannel he reports, "We gotta work fast  here. Fox is reporting Imperial AT-ATs and AT-STs in the square, trying to   push west towards us."

Devyn leap frogs with Raj up the embankment and makes like the gift giver along with Raj. Jetting right along dropping incendiaries into any foxholes leading towards the target, the heavy gun emplacement next nearest Alpha Company. Upon reaching the top he drops to a knee and awaits Raj's signal. Raj shoots a few artillery officers who saw us and tried to flee and gives the signal. Raj no sooner has his hand up when the fwooosh of a rocket's  engine can be heard exiting its canister atop Devyn's armor. It impacts above the magazine and sends metal shrapnel down into the pit.

Voodoo group, now flanked by two A-Wings, drops in from high altitude. As the approach the beach, Voodoo lead calls out. "Hey Ground Pounders, I got a  report. Theres a group of AT-ATs and Chicken walkers directly east of the   Square....Looks like you guys are in it deep...need a hand?"

And here Shen was a little worried about being a rookie in the middle of all this. As far as the redheaded musician is concerned, there is a kind of  simplicity to what she's seen so far of war: find a target. Try to destroy the target. Hope like nine kinds of hell that the target doesn't try to take you out first. She's a little slow on the reaction time for some of the heavier weaponry she's carrying on her, though, and it gets her a close call when a near-miss gets her a scorch on the side of her armor. Just barely, she manages to dodge, and she bellows out a thank-you over her commlink to  the nearby trooper who'd yelled the warning that reached her just in time. No... there's no particular elegance to this kind of fighting -- just noise and furor and smoke and destruction. But then again, most of the time there's no particular elegance to Shenneret Veery, either. She feels almost right at home.

With the Commander's orders ringing into her ears, Whitney prepares the grenade launcher, aiming carefully at the targets as they approach. Her hands were firm on the launcher so it does not move as she fires at a group of Storm Troopers converging on the beach. Biting down on her lip, she punches the air in exuberance as several of the grenades hit their mark, forming red fireballs onto the beach. The skies glowed red briefly from the explosions. Snapping down her optical visor, she aims her blaster and start firing, clipping some StormTroopers. The group of marines she was with moved up towards the nearest emplacement. Swiftly they rigged the emplacements with explosives. She nods towards the recruit, "Let's try to get a domino  effect." as she twirls the wires around the adjourning emplacements. Blaster fire sounding overhead as the marine engineers worked swiftly before moving away. The whole process takes barely 2 minutes as they detonate the explosives. The ground shakes as the explosives rock the area around the emplacements, blowing up a trio of them and leaving a crater from where they once stood.

Dyrna leans in hard, sideswiping around one of her nearby troopers. In all fairness, she's doing mostly a cover kind of work, assessing the scene for any imminent threats to her compadres and then taking them out. Up until now, she's gotten three or four troopers that got a little too close for comfort. Now she's zeroing in on one that seems to have slipped through a  blind zone.

Jairen crouches in the trees just outside the beach, hidden in the shadows as  he watches the ensuing battle to land the armor. He grips his axe in one hand as he observes and smiles to himself. The battle will soon move to a  more opportune place for him to join. Quietly, he moves back through the sparse brush towards town.

Watching as the marines and Griffons charge into the fray, with their blasters blazing. Commander Calder smirks in satisfaction as she blasts a nearby Storm Trooper to oblivion. Bravely standing in the middle of the assault, her sharp eyes scanning the area as she barks some orders into her comm. Dodging some blaster fire, she gestures to the soldiers around her to provide some cover to allow the engineers and the rest of the grenadiers for the assault to the emplacements. She takes another glance at her watch and states clearly into the comms, "1 minute more to clear the area!" With militant efficency, the marines and griffons troops finish off the last of the emplacements that was present, leaving only charred remnants behind. Listening to the news on her comm, she nods her head and comms in, "We've  cleared the beach, proceeding West towards the fountain square now."

Seeing no more point in covering the beach, Voodoo group heads West, towards the approaching Imp armor.

 A pyre of flame shoots forth from the hatch of the pillbox which Webb has selected for his target. Two of its former occupants burst out, bodies ablaze from the incendiary grenade which he dropped into the ventilation system. As he leaps clear, he appraises the situation, then reports back to  Calder, "That's all of them, boss!" Elsewhere on the beach, the Grenadiers are mopping up the last Imperial resistance. If the Imperials form a  defensive strong point, the Marines bypass it, dismember it, annihilate it. Or they go right over it, coming down right in the midst of the enemy, vibroblade hacking, guns blazing. Steadily, the sounds of weapons fire and explosions taper off. Several trails of spray appear out to sea, kicked up  by the propulsion jets of Caspian armor rushing towards the shoreline, skimming over the waves on their repulsorlifts. The tanks and infantry fighting vehicles make the transition from water to sand, engines pushing them steadily up the slope, before they crest the top of the dunes, meeting up with the infantry force which cleared the way for them.

[The advance is underway. The companies of Marines bent upon the liberation of Plaxton City press on to the east...]

"War is Hell", is a statement that could aptly describe the scene. Battle wreckage and bits of flaming matter are generously scattered throughout what is left of the square. Moving westward, though the burning remains of their brothers, a small grouping of AT-ATs pound their way forward. Upon looking closely, one can see several dark figures attached around the knees of two of the walkers. These figures jump away from the mighty war machines, jetting away only a few moments before thunderous explosions rip through the legs of the walkers. One tilts to the right slowly, quickly gaining speed as  it nears the ground. The other machine pitches forward violently, appearently after having both of its forward knees crippled, and impacts the ground...exploding upon landing.

The flight of Z-100s soars overhead again, this time, diving right into the ensueing imperial armor. As they approach range, missiles from all 8 fighters are seen blasting forth from their bays, and flying on into the helpless prey. As they circle towards the South, their flight grows slow, and low. "YOUR NEVER GONNA BELIEVE THIS!! Theres a group of civis! They've swarmed an  Imperial Legion of Troopers!! WOAH!!......Hey, you guys got Troopers storming   in fast...."

Moving in from the south...a band of Civilians have massed to horde off the Imperial troops. They are now armed to the teeth as they have taken as much as they could from the fallen Imperial troopers. Emerging from Alleys and backstreets, this group of civilians 'Storms' the Troopers from their left flank. Taking an old style of fighting, This group stacks....some prone, some kneeling, some standing. These ranks open fire upon the unsuspecting Troopers. But when they return fire....The civilians have no choice but to  run. Smoke grenades go up in front of their positions and the Civilians make a HASTY Retreat to the South. But their damage was done as the whole left flank of the Trooper legion lays mostly dead. Those that return fire now, were what could have been called the center of their ranks.

The first announcement that the 10th Caspar Grenadiers has come to Rabid's aid is the sound of the side-armor of one of the massive AT-AT's straining under the first shot of the Hammerhead tanks converging upon the scene from each flank, followed by several more massive blows in rapid succession, each seeming precariously close to knocking the massive walker over into the one on its right flank. The walkers attempt to turn their guns on the new threat, but in the tight confines of the city, the massive beasts simply cannot traverse their guns far enough. Finally, with a sound not unlike that of sheet metal being pounded through with a sledgehammer, the thick armor of  the walker breaches, spilling inwards, shredding the occupants and delicate innards of the walker, leaving it suddenly standing motionless. Darting from rooftop to rooftop, hundreds of smaller shapes can be seen, rapidly converging upon the boxed in walkers.

The hundreds small figures become larger...and larger as the battalion comes into view, showing the varied amount of Caspian Marines and Griffons soliders armed to their teeth. Blaster fire streaks across the square as  they stormed into action. Commander Calder runs in, her by now familiar baritone -- baritone? -- voice sounding, "Let's secure the square, soldiers. Leave no stone unturned!" Letting herself getting carried away by her theatrics again. She dodges behind a pillar to fire at a nearby Stormtrooper. The soldiers form a steady stream into the square as they lend their support to the resistance.

Webb mutters into his comlink, "Commander, you might want to get that comlink  of yours checked out. You starting to sound like Darth Vader with a chest   cold." He chuckles faintly as he skims in to a landing atop the burned out hulk of the former Sandbar, and opens up with the weapon pod on his right arm, pouring a three second burst into the nearest formation of  stormtroopers.

In the midst of the troopers under Calder's command, Shenner comes bursting into the Fountain Square -- and the proximity of what used to be the bar where she sang each night not so very long ago gives her a new sharp and potent surge of energy. Her grenades are exhausted. But she's still got a  rifle, and she applies herself to using it, blasting out slices of fire into one... no, two stormtroopers that get within her range. The second trooper goes down, firing with a determination to match hers -- but it's the trooper who stays down, and not the battered, armored form of the young bard.

Whitney leaps over the remnants of the walker as she swirls around to shoot at  an unfortunate ST. Running along the square to join her fellow marines in   their firing, she did not notice a wayward AT-ST bearing onto her until the very last minute. The blast catches her by surprise as it hits squarely on  her back, sending her flying forward through the ground. The enhanced armor starts sounding alarms throughout the entire system, as she opens her eyes. A bright light fills her vision as she mutters quietly, "So this is what  heaven looks like." before she slips into unconsciousness. The stasis system of the armour kicks into action as it starts the bacta treatment to heal her battered body.

Inconspicuous. Not generally an adjective used to describe Dyrna, but that is  precisely what she's attempting at the moment. By remaining so, the troopers that come in on the fringe gunning for her buddies don't notice her...or the rifle shot that takes them out. It seems to be working for the moment as she skirts around the perimeter of her outfit, almost doing sniper work. As is  generally the case however, her luck /does/ run out. Three trooper converge at once on one of her friends nearby. That soldier was too busy with the squad of troopers coming from the opposite direction to even notice the vibroblade that slides in behind her. If Dyrna'd been half a second quicker, she might have been able to get all three. As it was, she missed the one that did the killing. "Damnit!!" she screams at the top of her lungs, whirling around to take out her frustration on the one that got away...even as it is too late to do anything about her friend.

With the battle in full swing in this area now too, Jairen Windchaser no  longer feels much need for utmost stealth. Instead, he moves to the aid of a  small pocket of civilian fighters that have been pinned down by three STs behind some cover. Making his way around the rubble on the fringes of the conflict, he holds his axe ready in one hand, drawing his vibroknife in the other. Suddenly, he calls out a war cry and falls onto the small next of  enemies, sinking the knife into the back of one's neck and slashing another one with his axe. The third is quick enough to respond, but the swordsman is  too close for fired weapons to have great effect and enters a melee with him.

Aidon finally has to retreat from his pile of rubble; entirely too many hundreds of people coming at it. So it's back towards the remnants of a  place he had a couple of drinks now and again, firing as he goes. He still shoots like the gunner he once was, making every shot count, but still taking more shots than most people would. Several STs go down under his fire. He's acquired a slight limp somewhere, but appears otherwise undamaged.

Rabid and most of his contingent of troopers settle down behind the besieged Stormtroopers. Pissed-off civilians to the front...Pissed-off armored troopers to the rear...not a particularly good combination. The StarShield CEO and his 'Dragoons' wade into the fury, blasting and slicing their way through the rear elements of the Legion. While Rabid wields a bulky BlasTech A280, repeatedly firing at extremely close range into the white-armored troops with, another power-armored trooper beside him slashes through the Imperial ranks with a vibro-blade, sending halves of Stormtroopers to the ground. A grenade launcher held by another 'Dragoon' sends a quartet of  stormies flying in all directions, adding to the carnage that only elite troops can create.

From the west, comes the rest of the StarShield troops. Speeding along about fifty feet above the ground, are a half-dozen 'Avenger' repulsor tanks, arranged in a loose 'V' formation, and screening the advance of StarShield infatry as they flow along with the Caspian troopers into the square. The tanks loose missiles and heavy blaster cannon bolts at remaining imperial armor, as the troopers slowly, but determinedly press the enemy infantry back.

Circling around once more, the Z-100s expel a dazzling display of Blaster fire as they unleash into the Imperial armor....However, this time chance does not favor them as a pot shot from a damaged Walker strikes the Voodoo leads wingman. "Lace! PUNCH OUT!! PUNCH OUT!!" His screams are futile as the smoking fighter careens into a standing AT-AT. At least she got the last shot! The AT-ATs 'head' section bursts into a fireball, killing the occupants. However, its massive body still tromps uncontrolled. A small amount of debris flies into the surrounding area. The remaining 7 of the Z-100s come to bear again on the troops before dropping a last load of proton bomblets against the Last 3 of the AT-ATs, destroying two of them.

Calder taps on her comm link lightly as it fizzles and cackles and finally, her obviously feminine voice comes through it, "That all right with you Sub  Lt?" she asked in a rather sarcastic tone and you can hear the muttered words, "Smart ass." uttered through the comm. Sweeping her arm with the vibroblade swiftly cutting through a Storm Trooper as she forges by. Barking orders back and forth, she gestures to a small company of marines, signaling to them. Understanding, they hurriedly rigged a wire across just as an AT-ST walker passes by, sending the walker toppling to the ground as it crosses. Giving the thumbs up towards the marines, she runs swiftly over to the Rangers shouting, "Bravo and Charlie, What's your position now!?" Looking around, she bends down to a fallen civilian and calls out, "Medic!" before rising and continue her run towards the Rangers, awaiting the respond from the two companies. "Right behind you, Commander!" The officer in charge of Bravo Company, "Area  secured and we are coming in!" as a new group of marine troops filed into the square in preparation for the final assault. "Targets destroyed, Commander!" Charlie comms in, "Awaiting further  instructions, Commander!"

Webb chuckles grimly into his comlink as he says, "Roger that, Commander," in  response to her accusations of Webb being a smart-ass. He rubs the back of  his head for a moment, the gesture visible to Calder... a silent reminder of  Calder's playful habit of whacking him with datapads whenever he acts like a   pain in the ass. One last AT-AT is left floundering among the ruins at the edge of the square, wounded from several anti-armor blasts from the Hammerheads. It might actually seem as if its crew is suddenly trying to  retreat, but where to escape to? "Suggest we keep to the high ground,  Commander," Webb comments dryly, "And once we get this tin can taken care   of, we push straight east." He gestures to several nearby troopers, including Dyrna, to get her attention as he kicks in his boosters once again, leading the attack on the final walker to keep it from escaping.

When she'd been allocated her armament and weapons, one of the useful tidbits of information Shenner had been given is the operation of her armored suit's  external speakers. Fun little devices, those. Her fellow troopers have already been calling her 'Bard' -- and now, deep into gun-to-gun combat with more stormtroopers than she ever expected to see in her thus-far two decades of life, the redheaded musician earns her nickname all over again. Stormtrooper helmets can't exactly relay surprise on the faces of their wearers, but when a few bars of "The Last of Grand Moff Tarkin's Crew" -- as  performed by Shenner, the now-deceased Rekkie Sheldon, and the rest of their band -- peal out over her suit speakers, a split-second's worth of 'Buh?!' is marvelously visible in the double-takes done by the troopers nearest to  her. It's just long enough for Shenner, now delightedly singing out at the top of her lungs over her own rifle fire, to help her compatriots take their enemies down.

Nothing much that Whitney can do...she's unconscious. Her limp body is carried off from the battle field by the medics ops as they stretcher her back to  the base for extensive medical recovery and she might need some organ transplant too.

Dyrna kneels for a moment over her fallen companion, hoping against all hope that it was not as bad as it looked. No luck. The redhead grimaces and retrieves her vibro-blade from the body of the fateful trooper just as one of the smartasses from her company flash by. "No time for waterworks,  Kaleph," he yells sarcastically over the din. "F**k you!" comes her polite retort. She swings up from her heels, wheeling around to take out a luckless stormie that happened by. Just then, she notices Webb in the distance and streaks out to follow his lead, muttering curses all the way.

Hand to hand combat. Stormtroopers receive extensive training in this area amoung others. The last remaining trooper is confident, especially since his opponents weapons are embedded elsewhere or not drawn. The trooper steps forward with a vicious swing of his rifle towards the swordsman's head. However, little does he know that while he's had a few months of training and a few years of experience, that Jairen, while young in his race's eyes, has been doing this sort of thing since before the trooper's  Great-grandfather was born. The Warrior is not taken off guard. Instead, he  drops, leaving the axe and knife where they lay, drawing the sword at his side and slashing. The ST was not quite expecting this and finds a sharp blade between his armor plates and drops like a rock. However, his friends in the area take a dim view of this and approach Jairen with weapons at  ready, bolts flying in his direction.

A piece of debris from somewhere, maybe that last explosion, sizzles past Aidon's chest and embeds itself in his upper arm. "Damn," is his only response. Then he continues firing, laying down the same steady pattern that's taken out a good dozen STs. When he catches the refrain floating across the Square, his eyes light up and suddenly he's moving in that direction while he fires in that methodical way. Several of those crisply precise bolts give Jairen a hand with his current opponents.

While his luck is extensive...like his bank accounts, Rabid finally overdraws. A single blaster bolt to his left side proves this, and sends him spinning to the ground. It's only moments before the others with him notice and pull back from the fight, putting down as much suppressive fire as possible. Hmmm...maybe Rabid just got a loan of good fortune, though, as his regular infantry appears through the smoke of battle, surging forward and past his position, sending the remaining imperial troops falling back against the onslaught.

"We hear you on that one...We'll cover you from up high." As Voodoo flight blasts back towards the battle, it splits. 3 move up and high right. The others drag in from low and to the left. Taking careful aim, they each unleash blaster fire at the retreating storm troopers, Many of which fall in  the see of laser fire. With the way to the AT-AT cleared...the Marines are home free. And to aid in its destruction, the three that flew high now streak in....attacking what's left of the AT-ATs gun wells. Comming in during Voodoos reform..."The AT-ATs helpless and Allll yours. Don't have too much  fun....hey guys...Im picking up sporadic fire in the allies.....probably   stragglers...you might want to leave a company back" Voodoo flight now regroups ready to lay down fire for the advancing troops....

Calder notes the Ranger's gesture and smirks to herself. Unfortunately, her armour does not cater from any datapads. She nods towards the marines coming in, "Bravo, get to high ground and prepare for the final assault, hit them  with everything we got! Charlie, stay in position, we're coming in after we   deal with this. Prepare for us. We are going to take these Imperial scum   down!" She almost gets side-winded by a brave Storm Trooper. Snarling as the Commander dodges the blow, she swirls around and lets off a blast at the Trooper's groin. As he crumples to the ground, she kneels down and thrusts the vibroblade through his neck, muttering, "Lights out for you." "Roger that, Commander, Bravo Company out!" as the officer in charge of Bravo signal to his men to move higher up in the area. "Charlie Company hearing you loud and clear, Commander, remaining in position  and ready to kick some ass!" He states exuberantly.

The clanking of Olumic alloy against the armored hull of the Imperial walker spells its death-knell, for once attached, the Grenadiers cannot be shaken off by the lumbering walker. Its commander unbuttons the hatch and peers up  at the sky above, before bursting out, pistol drawn, firing wildly, only to   go limp as Webb's vibroblade stabs clean through the side of the walker's   kneck. He makes a hand gesture towards Dyrna, and speaks through the speakers of his suit, rather than cluttering the comchannels, "I'm all outta  heavy ordnance. Whatcha got in stock?"

Three troopers flanking Shenner, picking up the girl's particular form of  Imperial-directed defiance over their own armored suits' sensors, merrily chime in with the impromptu musical number. The result might be staticky and tinny as relayed over speaker systems, but the intent is nevertheless there: three more massed voices to join five of the recorded six with which Shenner's treating her opponents. Shen's own voice is echoed, her recorded lyrics lent extra strength by the live words she's now singing over her external mikes.

I was told we'd just show up and the Rebels would fall, they never would fight But I'll tell you! I'm a broken wreck after what I been through The last o' Grand Moff Tarkin's Crew

And so Alpha Company charges on, cutting its way eastward across the square. Shen can spare breath for singing -- she knows these words well enough that she can sing them in her sleep -- and so she's got enough attention to scan the square before her as she goes. Stormtroopers and civilians and blaster fire and... wait. One figure she recognizes; two? The recorded song cuts off for a moment, and she can be heard to holler "Jairen?! Aidon?!" over her speaker system. An infuriated stormtrooper -- taking particular issue with the subject of this song, maybe -- seizes an opportunity to send a blaster bolt zinging far too close to the musician-turned-soldier. Sparks fly as the bolt glances off the armament on her right shoulder.

Dyrna runs up on the scene just in time to be able to hear Webb. Even in her disconsolate mood, she manages a wry grin at the thought of watching Imperials go boom. "Here," she yells through the speakers, tossing a nicely sized satchel charge up at the waiting Marine. "Give my compliments to  Palpatine, stormy," she throws in for good measure and then steps back, adding as an aside to a nearby soldier, "I like to see things explode." She grins for a half-second before returning to the combat at hand.

Jairen hits the ground and rolls to the side as blaster fire sprays where he  just stood, though less than expected thanks to people like Aidon shooting the bad guys before they shot him. Coming up in a crouch, the axe is in his free hand again, but soon leaves it in an end over end throw that catches a  ST in the mid chest area, slicing through the armor and knocking him to the ground. His partner is quickly felled as Jairen is suddenly on top of him, flicking the blade through his neck. The ST's still occupied helmet hits the ground with a thud, followed by the body. Jairen takes a small bit to pause and bow to Shenner, smiling before continuing.

That bolt to Shenner appears to make Aidon take notice. He takes a long moment to take breath, then takes out the stormtrooper who caused the damage. It  messes up his pattern, and three STs who'd been held at bay advance on him. Two go down as he returns to his pattern. The third gets a shot off and Aidon has to dive out of the way. Not quite quickly enough; burns will add to the problems with his arm and shoulder.

Rising from her position on the ground, Commander Calder watches as the last straggling remains of the Imperial resistance are crushed by the combined efforts of the marines, Griffons and civilian forces. Teamwork does indeed work. Speaking into the comm channel, "Alpha, Bravo, take a moment to re-arm  and get ready to move out east to join Charlie, final phase of assault!" She orders as she activates her jump jets to glide swiftly eastwards to head the attack, re-arming her arsenal as she moves.

Webb gives a thumbs up to Dyrna, and arms the satchel charge with a 10 second delay, before ramming it down the hatch with the dead body of the vehicle commander. He slams the hatch shut, and fuses it with a single blast, before firing his jump-jets to get clear, sailing off to the east to follow the advance.

[It's hard going. But the battle eventually surges its way into what's left of the Government Plaza...]

Reforming up to proceed with the assault on the government plaza, Voodoo 1 makes a short comm trans...."We're in position. Let's go Kick some imp  ass...And while we're at it...do you mind if me and my boys drop a few on   the Embassy?" A loud southern laugh can be heard over the comm as the Z-100s strafe a few STs. Meanwhile Lon Cotaar and a few civilian fighters charge in from behind the Marines lines. Finding a group of Marines on the line, Lon takes aim with his rifle, and lays down cover fire.

After taking a scant 45 minutes to pause while the rest of the Caspian advance catches up, the 10th Caspar Grenadiers leads the charge eastwards. Many of  the suits look slightly battered. Some have slate green patches of armor welded over weak points. But they are re-armed and advancing once again, tearing through the night sky from building to building, clearing out waiting Imperial ambushes before they can manage to fire on the vehicles approaching down the streets. Most resistance is simply swept aside. The Imperial forces are in retreat, disorganized... some are even trying to  surrender. Finally, the force bursts into the area that used to be parkland about gov't plaza.

Moving in from the west, the battalion of marines stream steadily into the parkland. The Imperial flag flies on the flagpost, a totally unappealing sight. Remaining Imperial troopers start firing upon the steady flow of  marines as the area is filled with blaster shots zinging past each of them, some finding unfortunate targets. Charlie company was already there, the marines holding firm as the defend the attacks. Flying in from the West, Commander Calder takes the form of an avenging angel as she hovers around the entire battalion of mixed Caspian, civilian and Griffon soldiers, "Its  time to retake our home! Alpha, frontal assault, Bravo, the flanks and   Charlie, ready the rockets for the heavy armory. Let's roll!"

The Imperial flag has already begun to burn, lit up by a stray blasterbolt from the advancing Marines. Webb has stepped into the role of one of the wounded Platoon leaders (by some coincidence, Dyrna's). His armor seems more pock-marked than many suits, dented from spinning fragments, carbon scored from near-misses, with a plate burned away on the left hip. A crack can be  seen in the faceplate, though not enough to make it impossible to see through. "3rd Platoon, by sections advance! One section covers, second  section jumps," Quickly the staggered line of troopers closes the gap with the Imperial forces, clearing the way with rockets, grenades, and blaster fire.

Okay, _now_ the battle has gotten a touch more personal, now that Alpha Company is closing in on its intended final goal -- and now that Shenner has spotted two friends over whom she'd been spending a good portion of the last few weeks worrying. One of them is accounted for, and the deadly, disturbing vision of speed and grace that is the axe-wielding, sword-wielding form of  Jairen Windchaser has become a lithe companion to the rifle-toting armored musician. Perhaps later Shen may think to shiver at the picture he presents with blood dripping from both his weapons. Later, not now. It's her other friend she's more worried about at the moment -- Aidon Semmes, who she swears she caught sight of back there, firing shots on her behalf before she had to move on ahead in order to keep ranks with the rest of Alpha Company. She lags behind a bit, too, as the troopers surge through the plaza in a  line of explosions, trying to keep an eye out for the man whose acerbic wit she's come to rather appreciate -- not that she's about to tell _him_ that. "C'mon, Bard, get a move on!" somebody yells. And she snaps her attention to  the here and now. The flag is in sight!

A disturbing vision of speed and grace is an accurate description, if not entirely complete. Jairen has been called many things since he arrived on  Casper several months ago, a swordsman, a scholar, a musician, a warrior but now he is merely death incarnate. The centuries old warrior holds his axe with his left hand and sword with his right, cutting down trooper after trooper, any enemy that strays too close. He sticks by his young bardic friend, watching her back as she watches for her other friend. His vaunted code of honor, however, still at least partially guides his actions as he  doesn't kill outright those that can no longer defend themselves, such as   the mortally wounded and incapacitated. However 'warrior' is no longer a  term that can describe him fully. Those that see him know truly know his real vocation.... killing.

Aidon staggers along behind everyone else, still firing as well as he can. His arm is still useable, but it isn't all that pretty. Oddly, he hasn't managed to lose nor break his spectacles yet. That's probably next. When he's close enough to the action to do some good, he climbs to a decent vantage point and continues his methodical destruction of anything and everything in  Imperial white armor. He seems to be firing a little more slowly than he  was, but otherwise is unchanged. His fire still covers Alpha Company's  movements more than any other part of the battlefield, if anyone cares to   notice. Opponents over near Jairen and Shenner go down before they can do any harm.

Voodoo's job at this point is slim....the close quarters rules out bombing, and the fast movement of allied troops would make friendly fire casualties a possibility. Instead, The flight simply rolls over inverted, spreads out...and calls out target for the Infantry and Armor divisions. Using their on-board radar, targets that are around corners are easily illuminated for the ground troops. Meanwhile, Lon and the three new civis with him move straight in with the Marines..at first on the hover cart that brought their supplies...even their pace is obviously slower however they manage to keep fairly tight with them. These civilians were not trained...but they obviously could hold their own. Fire erupts constantly from Lon's barrel, smashing into several troopers. Guess that time on the range paid off. Dismounting the cart briefly the civis move to the side of a Marine. Lon calls out, "Give us an order and  well follow it till we breath no more, Marine. Only when he looks over at   the Marine, he is shocked to see who it is...."SHENNER?!?" Turning his   attention, only briefly away from the task at hand, Lon now focuses his   attention back to running forward, as the line he was with is once again   gone. Got to keep movin' Lon But at this point, the Marines move to fast   for him. At this point Lon settles with hitting stragglers....those imperial   scum that couldn't hack it with the rest. At one point, a bolt from one of   the troopers rifles just barely misses him....only to turn his own rifle on   the troopers head. Getting back on the cart, Lon and the civis attempt to   keep pace with the lightning quick marines.

A whoop of joy, and Miss Bunny Slippers reels back from some of the fighting to appreciate for a moment the fine explosion. Giving herself just the instant of respite, she grins like an idiot and then rushes headlong into the fray, catching up eventually to Webb. "You were saying about smart-assed  redheaded Corellians?" she yells through her speakers to him as an aside, twisting nimbly to brush off an annoying trooper that managed to get too close. Then she spins and gives him her patented grin.

Many years of experience has taught Calder not to underestimate the enemy, keeping a steady stream of fire towards the Imperial troopers, she moves around the area, keeping an eye out for any ambushes. A wire! Almost tripping over, she neatly executes a somersault across it, comming in  through her speakers to the surrounding marines around her, "Hidden ambush   at the side!" as she raise her blasters and fires upon the hidden Imperial troopers, catching them off guard. A stream of Marines follows her as they start firing upon the supposed ambush party. Smirking slightly to herself, she makes her way closer to the government plaza of the area, her gaze intent on the burning flag of the Imperial. _Uprighteous, arrogant scum,_ she thinks, her eyes narrowed, _they deserve to burn. Burn fire burn!_ Clearing the area as one would swat a fly, the Caspian, Griffon and civilian resistance continues to plow its way through, obliterating any and every Imperial in sight.

A single blaster-bolt rings off the chest-plate of Webb's armor, cutting away a scab of the thick alloy. Instantly, Webb's weapon arm whirls towards the target, and fires a quick three shot burst, prompting a Stormtrooper to  vanish in a spray of crimson as the more powerful weaponry tears the hapless Imperial apart. At reaching the side of the old government building, Webb fires a grenade through the blasted open window, before flattening up  against the wall, waiting for the second section of his company to catch up   before he proceeds inside to clear the building, "See you on the rooftop   Commander! I'm going low, you go high! Don't raise that bloody flag without   me."

Somebody else shouting her name? Startled anew, Shenner whips her armored head around in Lon's direction, and what pops into her head by way of reply to  the young man's request for an order is a bellowed "DUCK!" over her suit speakers. She's out of grenades, but the Marine next to her isn't. She throws herself down and sideways, trying to get out of the way of both her armed comrade and the swordsman who's been keeping her company. While her fellow soldier flings a primed grenade over the heads of Lon and his resistance fighters, Shen lands and rolls heavily along the ground. No time to figure out how the _hells_ to get back to her feet. Fire her rifle at a  small knot of stormtroopers executing a desperate charge at her, her part of   Alpha Company, Jairen, Lon, and Lon's companions. She can see the flag still flying overhead, and as an Imperial looms over her all too close, blocking her view of it, she fires upward into the white armored chest.

right into the edge of one of the stormtrooper's vibro-blades which sinks in  past part of the armor and creates a nice gash in her arm. With a yelp that is more surprise than pain, she jumps back clutching at the bleeding wound. That did it. A murderous glare flashes in her green eyes and she brings her rifle around to bear with her good arm, picking off as many as she can, slowly and surely, as she follows along with the rest of her platoon.
 * Slash** Her luck not holding too well, Dyrna spins around in her maneuvers

Jairen stands defiantly against the charge of ST against the small little group he's begun fighting with. Again, he deals death to any foolish enough to get within range of the weapons he holds in his hands, the blaster at his side remaining untouched throughout the entire conflict. However, he also manages to keep himself out of the way of most of the blaster fire coming in  as well. That is, until a ST appears out of nowhere from around a piece of  rubble, rifle primed and aimed. But not for him. For the prone Bard. "SHENNER!!" he yells, the characteristic melodic soothing tone gone from his voice as he leaps over his friend and comes down on the ST with both weapons, cutting him into three pieces. However, this has left him open on  other fronts, and he is knocked to the ground as a bolt catches the side of   his leg and twirls him around.

The trooper over Shenner gets hit twice, once by her and once by a bolt from Aidon's rifle. Then several others go down in quick succession. In the resulting lull, Aidon slides down closer to Alpha Company, jarring and swearing and bumping his way as well as he can. He gives a storm trooper a  bashing on the side of the head when one gets too close, and continues his limp towards where Shen and Jairen went down.

Victory! The remaining Imperial troopers were slowly and systematically eliminated by the power of the resistance. With the fall of the last Imperial trooper, the mixed army looked at each other in bewilderment and surprise before it dawns on them. A roar starts out softly and it increases in volume as the civilians, armoured personnel and their Griffon Alliance starts cheering. Tough soldiers collapsing onto the ground, weeping...for the Victory was a hard fought one. Griffons and Caspian soldiers shaking hands. Marines patting the backs of the civilian resistance members. The roar from the crowd intensified as the familiar sight of the fleet of  Caspian whizzes past the skies, their wings dipping slightly to signify their victory in the skies. Double Victory! Well prepared for this moment, Commander Calder makes her way to the flagpost of the government plaza. Her jump jets propelled her upwards as she rips away the remnants of the burning Imperial flag from the post. She retrieves the Caspar flag with the familiar green and red Vector Apex on it and awaits the people to gather around her.

"Inside is clear, Commander!!" calls out Webb as he clambers up through one of  the roof access passages. The last Imperial forces had fallen back into the core of the building, barricaded themselves into one room, and prepared to  make a last stand, before the Webb's platoon simply cut through the side walls and torched the room with flamers. For his troubles, the left thigh actuator on his suit seems to be running a little rough, thanks to a burned hole in that particular component. Still his suit lurches forth towards the flag-pole.

Waiting until Webb finally reaches her, "Taking your sweet time, Lieutenant?" as she smacks him on the back of his head as a last gesture. She ties the flag to the pole and finally hoist the flag up. Turning around to face the cheering people, her voice magnified through the communication she shouts, "VICTORY FOR CASPAR!" throwing up both arms in the air.

The sight of the Caspar flag is truly amazing...it fills Lon's eyes with a  sense of happiness and sadness at the same time. He stands slowly looking at  it, half ignoring the sparatic blaster fire. ~We've done it!~ But now a new sense fills his sole...its a sense of duty, and honor. The fact that he  helped raise that flag...even in a small way...is so important to him. For the first time in years...a tear comes to Lon's eyes as he grabs the shoulder of the civi next to him with his left hand. And with his right, he  raises his rifle high in the air with a quiet cheer, almost breathless..."victory.....victory." He looks down at his companion. The same look is in his eyes as he seconds Lon's cheer with the same enthusiasm....raising his helmet in the air, "VICTORY! For Caspar!" Soon the small band of civilians joins the spreading chant.

Death from two different guns, an axe, and a sword is not only death; it is, in a word, overkill. Shenner, flat on her back, is sprayed with rather distressing remnants of stormtrooper, and for a few long moments she's  frantically wiping at her face shield with one gauntleted hand, trying to   clear her vision and forgetting entirely any briefing she might have received about controls built into the thing to clear the shield for her. Something begins to filter into her awareness, then: she's not getting shot at anymore. The explosions have stopped, at least in her immediate vicinity. And a new noise is swelling across her suit sensors: cheering.

Screw trying to mop off her face shield. Shen pops it open, revealing her bemused, tired, wide-eyed face. And she breaks into an enormous grin as she lumbers up from where she'd fallen, torn between adding her voice to the building cheers rising up from those who have fought to liberate the planet -- and looking around in all directions for the friends who have been fighting at her side. "Jairen?! Aidon!" Unaided by her suit's systems, her voice comes out on her own strength alone, hoarse and a little hard to catch over the swell of joy from countless throats.

Calder continues speaking loudly through her communication system, "Good  job.....all of you! Victory Party at the Base!" as she activates her jump jets and bends down to retrieve a datapad from the floor and smacks Webb on  the head with it again, "You're treating me." and with a self-satisfied smile, she makes her way towards the base.

Jairen climbs to his feet, hissing at the bolt-wound in his right leg, weapons still in his hands, still dripping blood as he scans the area, covered in  gore from dozens of enemies. Limping over to Shenner, he nods and smiles to  her. "I live... you did well, young one." Glances again over the dead and the dieing, an uncharacteristically sad expression on his face. The melodic tones are back in his voice, for they never truly left, but the soothing quality is still gone. "Those that were once my allies are now my  enemies..." he states to himself, though Shen can probably here him. "And  many who needed not, died this day. The stars are dark indeed."

Webb cocks his head to one side at being smacked by a handy datapad and turns to face Calder as she jumps away. He chuckles and peers up towards the flag, before he opens his faceplate and calls out towards the retreating form of  Calder, "Not a bad day's work!!""

Helping his companion back onto his feet, Then onto the cart. Looking over to  Shenner, and her poetic companion, Lon can't help to smile. "Do y'all  need a lift back to base?

Aidon slides to a stop at about the place where he thought Shenner went down with someone wielding... a sword? A sword. Right. His rifle is still held at the ready, cradled in his arms like a baby might be in someone else's.  Seeing Shenner alive and apparently mostly whole, he nods. Just once. "Good," he says quietly. Then he offers a hand to the swordsman. "You look  like you need a cane."

As the fighting dies down and the cheering fires up, Dyrna reaches up to pop off her helmet, freeing her slightly damp red curls to fall down her back. With her good hand, she tersely brushes away at some of the perspiration dotting her brow and dripping from her eyelashes. After giving her eyes a  good rubbing, she glances up at the flag, astonished by the fact that she feels absolutely nothing about it being there,...other than the obvious happiness that the Imperial flag is no longer there. Still, she takes a deep breath, and scans the area quietly, much of the fire gone out of her momentarily.

As Aidon and Jairen both come into her line of sight, Shenner just stops there for a moment, stunned by the sight of them, humbled by the knowledge that the two of them -- she's sure of it, she knows what she saw even in the heat of battle -- have taken shots on her behalf. And as both of them address her, the young woman abruptly shoulders her rifle and clomps over to the two of them, wanting to hug the both of them and holding back only on the grounds that a) they look a bit battered, and b) she's not at all sure how easy it is to hug somebody when you're wearing kilos of armor and weaponry. So she settles for wrestling her gauntlets off, for she doesn't want to touch her two companions with the gore-splattered gloves. And she reaches one hand for each of their shoulders, green eyes full, astonishingly old in comparison with her young features, as if something of Jairen's mood has touched her. Looking intently at the both of them, she rasps out a single word: "Thanks."

Webb turns back towards Dyrna. Dark rings of fatigue can be seen about his eyes, as if this one day of battle were the equivalent of living a year. Actuator still grinding in protest, his suit limps over towards Dyrna, and he pats her lightly on the shoulder, and says solemnly, "Not bad..." He eyes Dyrna's wounded arm for a moment, before commenting, "Better get you back to  base to get that looked at," all too calmly.

Jairen looks over at Aidon. "Thank you, but no, I will be fine." Smiles at  Shenner as she clasps him on the shoulder, then proceeds to clean his weapons and put them away, picking up a vibro-knife from a dead ST for the one he lost. Looking over Shenner again, he simply states, "I suppose I  shall have to quit calling you 'young one' now... you have earned your   Clip." He seems very proud of the young woman, the odd reference probably a  compliment. Turning to Lon, who's offered him a ride, "Thank you m'lord, but  I do not go to celebrate this battle... this had no glory, no honor," looks over the scene again, "only carnage..."

"Damn bunnies," Dyrna replies, glancing back down at her arm. "Knew I should  have worn my slippers." She casts her grey-green eyes, a little duller than normal, up at Webb and wags a finger at his chest, "I warned you about them,  but nobody believed me." Sighing, she attempts a weak smile and then climbs slowly to her feet from the rubble she was resting on. "Care to escort a  lady?" she asks blithely, but before he can answer, she adds straight-faced, "'cause if so, I'm sure I can find one for you."

Aidon nods at Jairen, then his glance rests on Shenner. The look in Shen's  eyes... that's one Aidon knows well. He nods to her, recognizing the change for what it is. For just a moment, his own eyes look maybe a little sad. "You're welcome," he says to her. "We'll talk about this --" he gestures, meaning the whole thing, the battles and the tactics and her reaction and the music and everything, "Sometime. I'm glad you're all right." His hand comes up to clasp her shoulder in return, the strength of it the only indication of his feelings.

Shenner _still_ doesn't understand Jairen, not entirely -- though in this particular moment in time, it seems to the young bard that she now has come as close to getting a handle on the swordsman as she ever has in the months she's had his acquaintance. She flicks a small lopsided grin at him as he  turns to attend to his weaponry and answer Lon, and his last word to the latter begins to make an impact upon the young bard's psyche, portrayed vividly as it is up and down the length of her armored frame. Carnage.

Aidon Semmes is rather easier for Shenner to comprehend. She turns to him next, still holding a bit of that grin, and to the former soldier turned soldier again, she nods just once. "Likewise, but I think I got through this  a little better than you," she surmises, green gaze taking on a tinge of   concern as she takes in the evidence of the abuse his body has taken in the course of this fight. "But... yeah... I'd like that. Talkin', I mean."

And with that, Shen Veery turns her attention round to Lon Cotaar, remembering him, and hoping to convince Aidon beside her to take Lon up on his offer. She's certainly going to.

"Yeah pal," she calls over, "I'm in. Gimme a lift home, huh?"

Webb manages a weary chuckle towards Dyrna, then removes the right gauntlet from his suit, reaching out to muss her hair as he did the first time he  encountered the peculiar excuse for a Marine. He sighs faintly, and mutters, to Dyrna, to himself, or to no one in particular, "Damn, I'm  tired..." in a decidedly hollow tone of voice.

Before Shen can get on the wagon, Jairen takes her arm and stops her for a  moment. He reaches around with his other hand and removes the jewelry that holds his silver colored hair back. Opening her palm, he places the clip into it and closes her fingers around it. Staring straight into her eyes, he  says with deadly seriousness. "Let it be known that Shenneret Veery is now a Warrior-ess of the Jaer of the Tribe of Windchaser in the Clan  CloudStrider and holds rank of Initiate in the Order of the Grooved Blade.  Bear these titles well, Young Warrior, for they are heavy burdens." With this, he simply turns around and limps off, heading roughly towards the remains of the forest.

The swordsman's hand upon her arm stops Shenner readily enough. But what holds her is his gaze meeting her own, azure to emerald, and the words that he pronounces as he curls her fingers about the ornate silver clip he's placed into her palm. So utterly taken by surprise is she that at least for the span of time it takes Jairen Windchaser to utter his proclamation and a heartbeat or two after, she can't think of a single thing to say. All that flashes into her mind is the memory of Dane Noth taking off his helmet in her presence -- and Paul Nighman's voice remarking, "Do you realize how much he respects you?" Something in what Jairen has done feels to her akin to that gesture of honor the Mandalorian had shown her before, and she finds herself just staring in wonderment after the now-bloodied figure of the pale-haired warrior as he vanishes off through the throng of jubilant soldiers and resistance fighters.

"'Bear these titles well' -- wha?" someone nearby, a Marine even younger than Shenner herself, pipes out. "What's with the refugee from a holovid set?"

An Alpha Company veteran swings a mock blow around to whack the rookie on his armored shoulder, scolding lightly, "That refugee from a holovid set  took out more stormtroopers than you did, kid -- _and_, I might add, with  those archaic weapons of his!"

The rookie sallies back with a lively insult in exchange, and two more Marines jump into the fray as well, calling out their own commentary. But the spirits of Alpha Company are soaring now, and the elation and triumph beneath the exchanged jibes is unmistakable. In the midst of it all, as the men and women with whom she'd fought revel in the moment, Shenner watches Jairen go until she can no longer catch even a glimpse of his silvery hair. Only then does she carefully and solemnly place the clip into a pouch at her side for safekeeping until she gets back to the base. And only then does she turn again to Aidon, remembering that he, too, is wounded.

The wounds on Aidon's arm, shoulder, and leg seem entirely unimportant to him as he snaps to attention at Jairen's words. He holds the stance until Jairen turns away, then glances at Shenner. A single nod, laced with approval, is  his reaction. Then he relaxes as much as he ever does, hefting the rifle onto a shoulder. His only words are, "Did someone mention a ride? Don't  think this leg is much up for walking."

To Aidon's casual remark, Shenner grins a small crooked grin, meeting the man's eyes as he speaks and then silently moving to help him into Lon Cotaar's  transport. Perhaps later, this final act of Jairen Windchaser in the battle to retake the city might be included in what she lets herself discuss with this acerbic, seasoned soldier... perhaps. But perhaps not.

Lon looks to the sword wielding warrior, and with a solemn nod, Lon conveys that he understands his point completely. Then looking over to the rest of  the small group, Lon gestures them onto the cart. "Let's get out of here,  ehh? I've seen enough blood to last me a life time. Climb on...." With that, Lon waits for everyone to climb aboard, gives one last glance to the Caspar flag, and powers off towards the base.

The news of the success of Operation Nova gets back to the base before the Marines and the resistance fighters do -- along with the accompanying news from the forces who had engaged the Empire in space. Between victory on the ground and victory in the stars, the exhausted soldiers and civilians who return to Trinumvera find themselves quite literally bowled over in a tide of exultant sentients barely patient enough to let them get out of  their transport vehicles, much less inside the base itself, before engulfing them in joyous embraces. In the midst of them all, a cute little cherubic child kneels into the ground and carefully starts digging into the ground. She takes out some seeds from her frock and pours it into the hole before solemnly covering it up. She smiles toothily up to a weary-looking middle-aged woman wearing makeshift armour and proclaims, "Mommie...I  pwanted my seeds." The woman nods tiredly before she throws an arm around the child and hugs her. The period of rebuilding has begun...