Ask Dantooine Necessary Growing Pains

[Aeron Wulfheart]

The deed had finally been done. The Sith had been cut off like rotten flesh from the New Empire, preventing any more infection from spreading. Aeron thought he had been his happiest when he had been accepted by the Imperial Knights but he was mistaken. Instead, the announcement of the banishment of the Sith Order had replaced that and quite easily. While his enjoyment of his promotion had been immense, he truly felt that jolt of happiness when he knew the Sith could no longer harm his people. He had watched their abuse take place for years and finally he was equipped to intervene.

For his first assignment, he found himself in the capital city of Khoonda and accompanied by fellow Knights, totaling six. Aeron stood at the front of the column formation and paired with another Knight on his right shoulder, freshly offloaded from a shuttle and in an ISB compound. Their dark crimson armor earned glances from passing Imperials, it being their first time to witness their new peacekeeping force. Thankfully, he wasn't alone and had gotten to know the fellow Knight beside him. The most he could ever squeeze out of her was her last name, Kelrod, and she had only gotten his as a result but they trusted each other.

As they navigated through the metal hallways, Kelrod activated a personal link between her and Aeron, their voices nullified to outside ears by the helmet so they could talk in private. He caught the ping that someone had connected before he heard her voice questioning, "Wulfheart, catch any details about our assignment?" They been told they would be informed once they had gotten planet-side only.

Aeron turned his head slightly toward her before returning it to the front, revealing the only fact he knew, "Director..." That was about the extent he could get, the ISB naturally tight lipped around anything that involves them. His first assignment would likely be one he wouldn't forget as they were meeting the founder herself, at least supposedly they were. His relative silence was because of him trying to control his stomach and prevent it from do any more flips. They had been trained for dangerous situations but this was a whole different type of environment that could have proved even more lethal.

Even though he couldn't see her face, he could still hear her smirk before she coyly replied, "Game face." Despite her slightly playful tone, they both understood how serious this was.

The squad would eventually arrive at their designated waiting area, a large meeting space with a long table that extended down the center like a spine. Instead of seating themselves in any of the chairs, the six Knights would arrange themselves in an orderly line at the front of the table. Aeron took the corner, right beside Kelrod as each stood there patiently and nearly as still as a statue. An officer would arrive at Val's office shortly after, informing her of the Imperial Knight's arrival and where they waited.

@Malon

 

[Val Varthra]

Val arrived promptly minutes later, her uniform crisp and neatly pressed, a series of folders and datapads tucked under her arm. She set the materials down on the meeting table that had been prepared for them, then saluted the newly arrived Knights. She had not yet led a meeting of the Imperial Knights, though she was their de facto leader. It would be interesting to see how they behaved upfront and personal.

"Welcome, all of you," she said, beginning their briefing. "For those of you who may not know me, I'm Director Val Varthra of the Imperial Security Bureau. I'll be directing this mission today." She keyed a few commands into the table in front of her, darkening the room and bringing up a hologram of the nearby Khoonda Plains. A series of caves were lit up in orange light. "These, ladies and gentlemen, are our targets. As many of you no doubt know, Dantooine was recently conquered by the Sith; and we recently kicked the Sith out. It should come as no surprise that some of the locals want out. Want their independence once again."

"Put plainly: we cannot let that happen. And the reason," she gestured to the orange lights "are highlighted for you here. With the loss of the Sith worlds, the Empire has one reliable source of kyber. These mines. Your weapons are each powered by kyber from these mines. If we lose Dantooine, training new Knights becomes more problematic."

Her point made, she tapped the keys again. The orange lights went away, and a new yellow one appeared. "Recently, Imperial supply vehicles carrying fresh cut kyber have been ambushed by swoop gangs. They are part of a loose band of locals supporting independence from the Empire. And their operations are centered here." When she pointed to the yellow light, the hologram expanded, showing a large homestead on the Khoonda Plains. "Our mission is to capture this homestead, scatter the rebels, and refit their base into an outpost for you Knights." Her presentation complete, the lights came up again and the holograms vanished. "With a permanent Imperial Knight presence here on Dantooine, independence becomes less likely and you all get added job security."

"Any question?" @Orbit

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

Upon hearing the door slide open, all the Knights stood at attention, their gazes locked forward as there was only one person supposed to visit them. The Director stepped inside the room, introducing herself when there was really no need, each of them wholeheartedly knowing who she was as she would be met with respectful silence. When she approached the table after, two of the Knights in the center would step aside, allowing her through in order to start her debriefing.

Once the Director's back was turned, both Aeron and Kelrod would throw a subtle glance toward each other. They had spent months of training, all of them, and they were finally about to apply their skills out in the galaxy. It was time for their words to no longer be empty but instead carry the great weight of their deeds. This was their purpose and they would carry it out fully. Through their nervous and tense feelings of meeting the founder, excitement began to build just as fervently.

As Val began to speak once again, the Knights would turn towards her, each removing their helmets to reveal their faces. There were three males and three females, all within the age spectrum of 20-23. There would be the typical variation of humans between them, from brown to blue eyes, black to blonde hair. The only pair that stood out would be Aeron's, his optics a deep purple that seemed older then they appeared. Despite his young age, alll of them would be at attention equally, listening to the report about what was and is taking place on the surface of Dantooine.

After Val finished her report, all of the Knight's gazes would immediately begin to scan the map, retaining the information while also combining it with what had been shared. There would be a few moments of silence until eventually, Kelrod would be the first to ask a nessecary question, "What are the defenses of the Homestead?"

Shortly after she asked her question, Aeron would then ask one of his own, his eyes mostly transfixed on the caves before he lifted them towards the director, "With this involving the locals, does any of the garrison of the caves share descent with them? Its possible routes are being leaked, especially with the confidence they are attacking." People would do anything for their home. He knew that all too well.

@Malon

 

[Val Varthra]

Good questions were why Val preferred working with soldiers to speaking with the media. And her new position gave her ample access to both. Within a few years, though, these Knights-in-training would be leaders of squads or the minds behind the defense of the Empire. She would be sure to pay attention to who proved useful and likewise useless.

"Don't be fooled by its appearance," Val said, tapping buttons again to bring up a more full view of the homestead. "All four corners of the homestead are protected by automated laser turrets. They're older models, likely pre-Empire, but they'll still grind you to dust all the same." She gestured next to the roof, where the holographic stand-ins for a trio of snipers were positioned. "Our scout droids have reported snipers taking shifts on the roof. They're mostly there to keep out rival gangs and looters hoping to score some of the stolen kyber; but make no mistake, they'll shoot at us all the same.."

She let the hologram linger as she continued, the light casting dancing shadows across her face. "Interior defenses are less known and our estimates about the number of men inside are in flux. There could also be droid defenses inside that we haven't seen yet. Homesteads like these usually have a garage towards the back where droid controls are stored. Of course, we're usually talking about farming droids, but we know what kind these rebels are likely harboring. That should be one of our objectives in securing the place."

Here, she finally switched the holos off again to address the second Knight. "The Imperial garrison here is unfailingly loyal. Military protocol calls for off-world occupation forces for several rotations after a conquest. Those protocols were still in place when the Warmaster and I ousted the Sith." She sighed here. "But we have had reports of patrols going missing. Their armor with them. Assume the insurgents are using tactics from their history lessons about the old Rebel Alliance. There may be rebels disguised as our own, thus explaining the leaks."

She took one last sweep of the room, taking note of faces, eyes, levels of attention.. "That should about cover it. Unless anyone else has questions."

Should there be none further, everything was prepped for them depart for the Plains at once. But Val was always prepared to answer more. After all, it was her job.

@Orbit

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

The rebels managed to disguise their fortifications well as the homestead portrayed a meager appearance. Just like the old Rebels, they attempted to be wolves in sheep's clothing but they had overreached too quickly. Val filled them in quickly, both painting quite a picture of the storm of bolts they could face and that there was indeed possibilities of there being leaks. It was a difficult situation but this was exactly what they had been trained for.

When the Director offered no suggestion of an assault after a few quiet seconds, the Knights immediately started to craft their own plans with the new information. Kelrod, as always, was the first to speak up again as she peered at the structure, "Open field on approach. That will make things difficult with those snipers." The combination was deadly. The snipers could slow them down and the turrets tear them to pieces. She glanced over to Aeron, "What's your take Wulfheart?"

Aeron's attention had returned to the map halfway through the Director's answer, continually studying it until Kelrod questioned him. After the gears in his head grinded for a moment, he answered, "The turrets and droids will require a lot of power. Our scouts got close enough for these scans. Were they able to get energy readings?" One of the Knights pressed a button as the map switched its filter, highlighting two prominent energy sources in the homestead. One was in the main building, most likely the droid center and turret controls. The other was in what appeared to be some type of dutch barn, separate but close enough not to cause a hindrance. The young Knight would point there with a gloved finger, "We strike there and take out their main generator. If they're coordinated enough to leak information from the mines, then they're most likely coordinated enough for a backup generator. We take that out, I say we have thirty-seconds to a minute before emergency flicks on and those turrets come back."

Kelrod glanced between him and the map before questioning his plan, "Approach?"

Aeron looked over to her and then to the map once again, giving an upward nod towards it before speaking, "We take a transport as close as we can without being spotted. See what we're dealing with in person." The other Knights had no objection to the plan, accepting it as their plan of attack unless the Director desired something else. With nothing else needing to be added, they all offered their salute to the Director before each of the Knights would slip their helmets back on and depart.

They would arrive at the hanger and enter a land transport that had been designated for them. The Knights would file in one by one, taking a seat upon the wall or standing in the center. Aeron would be in one of the seats, his eyes trained downward as he felt his heart race faster and faster. This was it, it was time to finally utilize all that he had been taught or face death. The transport's engine would rumble as they did final preparations before taking off.

@Malon

 

[Val Varthra]

Val nodded, once again glad to be part of a conversation where her words were a contribution to a larger discussion. As the ISB Director, she frequently had to give orders and give suggestions without any in return. These Knights were turning out to be the best of the best. In a few years, they would rival the Jedi Order. She was sure of it.

Moments later, they arrived in the hangar. A flash of red and movement out of the corner of Val's eye caught her attention. Another Knight arriving. One she was only vaguely familiar with. The woman was tall. Almost as tall as Val herself, with braided hair and tattoos that signaled she was of the Delucalian tradition.

"You're late," Val said. "You missed the briefing. Wulfheart here will have to get you caught up on the details." She gestured for the lady Knight to board the transport. "See me afterwards. We need to have a chat about your punctuality."

Val stepped aside to let the woman board the ship, then cast one last nod at the the departing Knights. "I will be on comms to guide you," she said as the ship began to pull away, the back hatch rising to seal. "For the Empire."

@Oribit

 

[Asera Valfreyja]

Sera was indeed late.

Dantooine was not a planet she had ever had the misfortune of visiting and Khoonda — described as a city, but really little more than a ranch — was still somehow a maze. She ignored the Director's attempt to chastise her. The woman known as Val Varthra was well-known to despise Force-sensitives. She was playing nice with the Knights, but Sera was not under any illusions about the woman's true feelings. She still harbored hatred for them — most of them former Sith.

Well, no one said they had to like each other.

She boarded the ship without a word, occupying a nook towards the back of the spacious transport away from the other Knights. She didn't know anyone in this group and she made no attempt to socialize. She had only accepted this mission because of orders, but she found the whole operation useless. They should be out there fighting Sith, not farmers on arid plains.

The transport lurched as the docking board closed behind her and the ship soared into the air. Since she had missed the briefing, she had no idea where they were going. But it was enough to know that she was going to get to use her lightsaber soon. Myabe then she could vent her frustration.

@Orbit

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

Before the Knight entered onto the transport, one of their own emerged and prudently joined them. The Director did not fail to miss her, quickly outing the woman to the rest of the Knights. Aeron felt for the woman, his experience with Val limited but the stories surrounding painted quite a picture enough to give an idea about how that conversation would go. When he was ordered to fill the new arrival about their plan, he gave the Director a nod before turning his attention to Asera as she neared toward him.

When the helmetless Knight drew close enough, he was at first struck by her beauty as his mouth partially opened to introduce himself but nothing came out. He was thankful for the helmet and its ability to disguise his mishap. Asera was striking but Aeron realized how unprofessional his thoughts were treading and refocused them. Within speaking distance, he first spoke to ease any tension, "Just in time." They were just leaving and he could easily brief her on the way.

As he was about to introduce himself, the Asera just silently walked past him and entered the transport. Clearly, she must have been having a bad day as his head cocked slightly to the side for himself before he walked in after her. After he cleared the ramp, he spun on his heel, repeating the last line the Director issued to them, conviction mired in his words, "For the Empire."

The transport would drive off once the hat was sealed. The lights would be shut and instead replaced with low-light substitutes, a red hue painting the inside. Once they were fully on the road, Aeron would walk toward the back and approach Asera, first taking off his helmet, tucked into armpit as he lowered himself on to one knee. She would be at first be able to see he was younger then her, barely above twenty as he hardly had a scratch on him yet. Despite the lack of scars, there was a certain hardness to his eyes from what he experienced.

This time, the conversation was straight to the point, his tone more matter of fact. "Our target is a rebel-occupied homestead," a holo-pad was pulled out and projected the 3D map of the landscape. The homestead would be highlighted in the center. "Four-point turret defense system, droid garrison, snipers, and the rebel themselves. Our objective is take out the generator, wiping out the droids and turrets long enough for us to actually destroy the control center." That was the entire summary and enough to catch her up. Aeron would stand back up to his full height as he peered down at Asera, "Any questions?" He wondered how severe her vow of silence was.