posted November 16, 2000 08:35 PM               

Agent stood above Cosmic. He tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Cosmic awoke to find that he had two artificial legs and one artificial hand...

"Welcome back to the living, Cos."

"Sir? Is that you?" Cosmic tried to sit up.

"Yes, Cos, it's me. Just sit back. You'll be out of things for a while, but you'll survive. If you survived this...you can survive ANYTHING."

"Thanks, Sir."

"Don't call me Sir."

"Yes, sir. Sir?"

"What?"

"What should I call you?"

"Anything but 'Sir', Cos."

Cosmic smiled and lay back down on the bed.

"Well, that's one more man i've got in my squad...," Agent thought, "until the emperor attacks..."

Agent went out to help the battle preparations.

"Hotter'n hell out here, Ain't it..." Agent said aloud, brushing the immediately-forming sweat off of his face.

"Damn straight!" came the reply. Agent hadn't expected anyone to answer.

Surprised, Agent looked up to see Timber.

"So, what have you been up to?", Agent asked.

"Big battle soon. Gotta get ready."

"Well, let's go then." Agent said.

As they approached Daishi and Talon, they heard music...

"Wonder if that was the first thing they thought to fix..." Timber said...

"Knowing them, that's the ONLY thing they have fixed," Agent said with a grin. They entered the ship. "What's goin' on, guys?" Agent asked.

Talon gave him a response by throwing a screwdriver at him. "There's a lot of work to do on this ol' thing. Let's get going."

They set to work. Talon was right; the ship wasn't in very good shape, but with twice the people, the repairs would go twice as fast. They kept working. After what seemed like the entire day, the ship was nearing the same condition as it was before the battle, so they worked some more.

posted November 16, 2000 10:06 PM              

Somewhere on Vix the blue and red team gatherd all of the dead officres and troopers, they where burried on the battle field. All of them knowing these dead men are nothing, just a start to the slaghter that is about to happnen...

posted November 17, 2000 01:41 AM               

He quickly turned full pace, his shoulders jerking, bringing the two blaster rifles to rest in his hands, both locked on Exar. Timber dropped them back to dangling, a sigh shooting from him. "Don't scare me like that..." Exar didn't flinch nor step back, he knew he was safe. "I wasn't trying to, merely catching up with you." Timber turned half-sideways, "Oh? What's on your mind?"

(Tired, sleep deprived, you know what I mean Three. Anyways, I'm FINALLY going to bed! Goodnight everyone! Sorry for the pitiful post. Just trying to get my char back in it all. Heh, game on Exar)

posted November 17, 2000 01:18 PM               

(Sorry.)

Fury, DarkLord, Yillamien, and Jediwannabe had spent most of the last evening fruitlessly patrolling the surface of Vix for Captain TJ. Now, with a new day dawning, they awoke to a quick meal of rations, caffeine, and - for Fury anyway - a fresh inhalation of nicotine.

He looked around his battered team...and their battered equipment. Clean replacement armor mated up with carbon-scored, dented pieces. Even Fury's left leg armor was clean white Impervium as his specialized Elite armor piece was in the armorer's shop being remolded after the abuse it had taken. Everybody had a different form of blaster for the most part. PFC DarkLord had picked up a blaster carbine and was seeming pretty attached to the shortened blaster.

As for vehicles...that was yet another menagerie. There was a regulation Aratech speeder, one Mobquet Flare-S swoop, a Merkuun HoverScout with a blown-out windscreen, and the freshly re-loaded MobileMortar. Not a single one of these vessels were unscathed.

How on earth was such a force going to fight off three Imperial armies? They couldn't even find their leaders.

Well, Fury wasn't paid to figure out the big picture. He pretty much worked one mission at a time. Today - soon - he had to find CPT TJ. "Mount up squad. We're back on patrol."

Two hours later

"Hey Sarge," replied DarkLord, "I sort of have a comm signal coming five klicks from us...about NNE at our current direction."

Fury slowed down to a halt and brought up his macrobinoculars. "That's pretty rough terrain...should be safe from worms. Yillamien...anything on the bioscan?"

"That's a negative sir. Nothing but the occasional gnat buzzing in my face."

"Can the chatter...it's the best lead we've had all day. Let's check it out. DarkLord, see if you can figure out that message. Jediwannabe, race ahead and find us a good solid spot to park these vehicles. We'll most likely be on foot for awhile."

After patrolling the area for another hour, Yillamien still could not pick anything up on the biological scanner. DarkLord, meanwhile, had not yet deciphered the mostly static message, nor properly triangulated where it was emanating. However, it did seem to be a true signal. But without a direction the search, basically, was going nowhere.

"Okay, if it is CPT TJ, he may be hurt, hallucinating, in shock...be ready for anything. If he raises a weapon, stun him. Otherwise come to his aid as best you can. We'll split into groups of two. There are about twenty caves here. One person stays outside at all times so we can communicate...the other goes spelunking. We check back with each other on the hour. We have about five hours of daylight, so get to it."

TJ, play this one out how you want to.

posted November 18, 2000 12:37 AM               

Timber wasn't about to boost his ego, he already knew he was a force to be reckoned with. "I just like knowing I'm on the right side of that blaster in your hands." Exar gave Timber a slight grin and nodded.

"I don't know what to do Exar. I'm just... angry. The armies are ignorant, they attack their own for what? For exactly what they themselves are doing! It is utter blasphamy!" Exar slightly shook his head, "None of us want to fight this war Timber. But we have no choice. They are coming, and it would be cowardice to run." Timber nodded, a sigh escaping him. "I understand... I just wish we didn't have to sit around, and wait... we can't plan cause we don't know where they will land. And what is our Navy doing? They should be scouting the area, and scouring around with Squadrons of TIE's to try and locate them, and at least decrease some numbers of Ground Troops that can even land."

He shook his head, anger rising at a rather rapid pace. He tried to shake it off, but he just couldn't. He just kept walking, glancing at Exar every so often, but not speaking a word. He'd let Exar break this silence...

(Someone post.... I'm bored as sin)

posted November 18, 2000 02:09 AM               

Daishi looked around the wreackage of the Royal Barkalonger and knew he would be out of the space battle to stop the incoming armies, all that could be done was make fortifications and get what repairs could be done while they still had time.

Daishi looked at the slant of the ship and was supprised with how level it came down and how remarkably good condition the Royal Barkalounger was in. Talon had taken to calling it the Barnaclle or something like that. It mattered not as this hulk would probably save thier lives in the coming days.

"Everyone ready for the restart?" Daishi asked as he stood by the engineering controls.

A collective yes came back from those who had come to assist him. With that power ran back through the ship. It still wouldn't even be getting off the ground for a while but it would still serve well as a forward command post.

"All right next on my to do list is to get at least my Scoped Lee Enfeild back or my Timbique Edition Zues if I can manage it." Daishi said as he stared straight at Agent who had his Zues.

"You know I haven't even gotten to test fire this thing yet. I know it is a slug thrower but why do you want it back?" Agent replied.

"Simple. With the advent of blasters armor has been developed to withstand energy weapons not solid slug weaponry. As such I am more likely to take someone's head clean off with that gun then with my double barreled blaster rifle. Not to mention you haven't dealt with the recoil of that particular gun and I left it in full auto mode." Daishi said back.

[Since I decided Agent has my Zues I think it should be up to him if I get it back and at what price.]

------------------
"Indecent exposure is fun." Sonatina

"If we have all knowladge then we would not wish to seek what we know, but if we had no knowledge how could we even ask a question?" Plato on knowladge.

posted November 18, 2000 02:53 AM               

UNITED!
--------------------------------------------------------

"Well," Said Agent, "When you put it that way... it's hard to put a price on something like this. Have any rocket launchers?!"

"Nope, they're all gone already."

"Flame-Throwers?"

"Nope."

"Giant man-eating rodents?!"

"Not unless you count the rats on the ship..."

"You're no fun," Agent finally stated.

"I know."

Agent looked around the ship. He struck gold. A whole bottle of vodka. "That and another decent weapon," Agent set the price.

"Alright," Daishi grabbed the gun from Agent.

Agent wouldn't drink the vodka...they had a battle to prepare for. But he knew he could make a hefty trade profit from it. Agent found a sniper rifle; a weapon he was quite skilled with. He also found a small blaster pistol; he had lost his in the battle before. It was a small amount of weaponry in comparison with all Daishi had. Both men satisfied with the deal, they left the ship to go catch up on the latest news of their impending doom...

------------------
"Sanity is a Full Time Job in a World that's Always Changing."
- Bad Religon
"There's only ONE way of Life and it's Your Own"
- Levellers
"I think i'm Dumb or maybe just Happy..... think i'm just Happy"
- Nirvana
"Don't play stupid with me. I'm much better at it!"
-#63 Polt; Double_Agent

posted November 18, 2000 10:58 AM               

Talon watched the trade that was going on. Even something like vodka meant nothing to Daishi if he didn't have his slug throwers. Talon snapped his fingers and jumped out the hatch in front of him... or maybe that wasn't a hatch, but a hole. ( J/K Dai) Agent and Daishi could hear a speeder bike switch on and go before it had any time to idle. Agent cursed as he ran to the hatch and watched Talon take off on his speeder bike.

--Two hours later--

Talon almost crawled into the Barkalonger with a long tube strapped to his back. After crashing on the box that he had surprised Daishi on, Talon unscrewed the lid to the tube and pulled out something in a cloth sock. Talon grabbed the small end and tugged the sock off to show an old, conventional firing sniper rifle. He pulled out another one to show another conventional rifle that was meant for closer combat. Daishi whistled as he looked at the rifles in Talon's hands.

Talon smiled as he said, "I had forgotten that I had packed these. Many generations back had saved these things, knowing that hard times would come and a weapon would be needed. They saved cases of ammo and the means to reload the bullets. It's just too bad I never knew them..." Talon became silent for a while as he set the rifles in a corner. The Vast Empire was the only family he had ever known. And now it was ripping apart at the seams and about to be wiped out by the man they served faithfully. Talon finally stood up and said, �Let�s get this crate fighting again.� Everyone either nodded or yelled in agreement and they went back to work on the ship that would hopefully save them.

posted November 18, 2000 01:34 PM               

Daishi held up the huge rifle he had just gotten back from Agent.

"This is something I recorvered on Eridani when I was leading the Intruder Wing's ground forces against a NR strike force. This thing has an insane rate of fire for how big the bore is and the large calliber. I tested it on a peice of AT-ST armor and it chewed right through it before I even got half way through the fifty round drum clip of high explosive rounds. In the process I was nearly knocked over from the recoil. Since then I have learned how to make rounds for this thing." Daishi said.

"Sweet." Talon replied.

"You ever dig any pit traps before?" Daishi said as he looked out over the open terrain beyond the thin tree line.

Not waiting for an answer Daishi grabed two shovels, a bunch of tarps, and an axe.

Daishi threw a shovel to Talon and gestured for him to follow.

The thicker tree line to the rear of the Royal Barkalounger was rocky and couldn't be made into pit traps very easily. It did provide something else though. Wood didn't seem like that potent of a weapon but it proved to be hazardous to AT-ST's on Endor. Also it would make good reinforcing for the large pit traps.

Daishi removed his Varneck Marine Combat Armor before leaving the ship and started into work. His first pit trap would be enourmus and would require a lot of reinforcing to do what he planned.

Daishi tested the trees as best as possible for strength and toppled many.

Next he started on the actual digging quite some distance from the Royal Barkalounger. When he was done he was going to have a pit large enough to trap an AT-AT, or at the very least topple it, and a lid stron enough to support pretty much anything lighter. This would require working for many hours just for this trap and Daishi planned to make several for the incoming infantry.

------------------
"Indecent exposure is fun." Sonatina

"If we have all knowladge then we would not wish to seek what we know, but if we had no knowledge how could we even ask a question?" Plato on knowladge.

posted November 18, 2000 11:21 PM               

Cosmic sat up and moved his artificial legs and arm. He blinked serveral times.
I just overcomed death. Said Cosmic to himself.
He got up and walked towards a door and opened it...The room in front of him was bristling with activity. He kind of limped a little because he was getting used to him artificial leg.
He tried out his arm...it worked well...in fact, it was stronger than a normal arm..his legs were stronger too.
He saw a soldier and walked up to him.
"What's happening?" Asked Cosmic.
Cosmic saw that he was a Private.
"Didn't you hear? We are re-arming ourselves!"
"What?!?" Cosmic was in shock.
"Why?"
"Because the Emperor...well, the dead Emperor, sent three armies toward us to kill us!..Red and Blue allike! I don't know what were gonna do!"
Cosmic rubbed his eyes.
"Darn! We must be terribly low on resources for such an assault!" Cosmic nearly yelled.
The Private nodded.
"Well, I'm not going to let the artificial legs and arm stop me..It appears that I'm stronger than before..I'm going to do something...." but what? thougth Cosmic.

posted November 19, 2000 01:18 AM               

They set back to work. The traps were extremely difficult work. They worked for hours and finally the work was done.

"How 'bout some of that vodka to celebrate, guys?" Agent offered.

For some reason, nobody felt like celebrating. "Or else...we could go eat now." The group seemed more agreeable with that suggestion. It occured to Agent that they had been working the whole day and that they hadn't had a chance to eat at all. Daishi pulled out some food from a refrigerator in his ship.

"Wow, I didn't know the Barnacle was luxurious enough to have a fridge," Talon remarked.

"Do you want food or not?" Daishi asked.

posted November 19, 2000 03:20 PM               

Exar Kun squinted his eyes scanning the distance. The dust trail of a speeder bike twisted up like a snake. Timber's breath quickend as the speeder bike countiuned to approch. The two Soldiers stood strong waiting for the bike to close the huge gap between them.

Exar slowly became more certin of the rider as he approched. The tall musclure body with two Lightsabers dangling off the hip could only belong to Talon.

Talon quickly turned off the enigne as he approched Exar, and Timber. Talon glided toward them with the last bit of momentem from his journey.

"What's up Talon?" Timber asked as Talon came to a smooth stop a few metors in front of Exar.

"We need you guys back at the 'base' we are fixing up the Dai's shuttle and we need all the help we can get..."

"Talon," Exar interupted.

"I need to talk to you..."

Talon dismounted his speeder and walked over to Exar just out of earshot of Timber.

"I have had a strange feeling comming from the force, somthing just barly there like a shadow of somthing..."

"Right" agreed Talon, "I have felt somthing too, but I can't put my finger on it. What do you think it is...?"

"Maybe we are just feeling the up comming battle... maybe it is just the future revealing itself... but it seems like more..."

posted November 19, 2000 05:25 PM               

He tilted his head lightly, and leaned against a tree, turning his attention towards Talon. "If I may ask, sir, what good is it to make the ship our Base? Do you not remember how easily it got toasted? And that was by a few tanks. And now... now we have three armies on the move, and you expect it to serve as a base? I highly doubt it will work, unless heavily defended. Which wont likely happen unless we put every trooper in defensive formation. Which, if I'm not mistaken, would defeat the entire purpose."

Timber let the silence linger a moment, waiting for a repromand of somesort. He let out a light sigh, and looked towards Exar... what was it they spoke of? And did it have anything to do with him... he shook his head slowly... he was angry at the entire situation they were in, and especially loathed the upcoming battle.

(Talon or Exar reply... domo.)

posted November 19, 2000 06:05 PM               

The blanket of darkness swalloed the desert worled, as Exar sat next to a dieing fire just out side of the barklounger. Most of the VE troops that were helping to build traps, and set up a base were fast asleep from the long day of work.

Somthing was tugging at Exar's mind that prevented his sleep, somthing else were, somthing just noticable.

Exar took a deep breath and rotated his head, a few quiet snaps from his neck slightly broke the silence. What could it be? Why was it such a bother to Exar?

Exar allowed his hand to brush against his Lightsaber as he rose himself from the ground. Somthing was not right, Exar never felt the force like this. It was like a nonstopping signle of danger.

The dark Jedi walked over to a line of Swoops, Speeder bikes, and land speeder. He could'nt stay here. Exar mounted a swoop and sped off into the darkness.

**********

The engines of the Swoop screamed as Exar sped throug the desert. Every minute he traveld the Stronger he felt the signle of warning, he had to discover what it was.

Finally after hours of travl Exar felt the force surge with warning. Whatever the signle was, it was getting stronger...much stronger. Exar de-activated the swoop and let it glide to a stop. His body begain to tremble, now instead of just feeling somthing, Exar could feel someone.

In the distance Exar saw a flicker of movment. He quickly dismounted his swoop and ran into the darkness becoming a shadow. Exar again saw a glimpse of somthing in the distance, then at once it was gone.

The thing in the distance was force-sencitive, Exar could feel the air clogged with the force that flowed around the figure in the darkness.

One more time Exar cought sight of the thing in the distance, this time it stayed. Exar quickly knew what it was. Another Jedi. Sent by the emporor Exar guessed, for some sort of spying. Exar wasn't sure, all he knew was that he had to destroy the Jedi that he saw.

The jedi was dressed completly in black, with a neatly trimed beard, and Black greasy hair. The man activated a Lightsaber, the glow from the blade was a bright white.

Exar also Activated his weapon, the red blade hissed to life as he begain to walk toward the man.

The lightsaber's hissed through the air as the two Jedi begain the battle. The blackness of the night was so complete that Exar could only see the blade of his opponet's. It appeard to be floating through the blackness, but Exar knew that it was being held by the other Jedi. Exar had to use the force to know exactly when to duck or to jump.

The searing heat of his opponent's lightsaber blade slashed overhead, nearly burning him. The air smelled of lightning

Exar raised his weapon and rolled to his left while his foe's blade came crashing down onto the sand beside him. Exar heard the sing of his opponet's lightsaber as he attempted a hasty strike motivated by irraition, and anger.

Sweet flowed down Exar's face as he battled on. Exar brought his blade up to block the next blow. The attacker's lightsaber hummend and whirled down. Exar leaped high somersaulting over his enemy's head, and thrust out his lightsaber where his opponet's heart was.

The man's lifless body fell to the ground in a heap, along with the feeling of warning Exar had gotten from the force.

posted November 19, 2000 09:58 PM               

I finnally just decided to put my IOC drawings on a website... there's about 8 or 9...

url is: www.vastempire.com/nix/ioc/ioc.asp

posted November 20, 2000 03:58 AM               

Exar was gone... that's it... now he would get his answer. He quickly grabbed a pair of nightvision viewscopes, and mounted a swoop and took off in the direction of Exar. He followed close enough, to keep him in site, but so that he wouldn't get noticed. And he just concentrated... and concentrated hard so that Exar wouldn't notice him. He saw Exar slowing down, and so Timber did the same.

Exar dissappeared as he dismounted his swoop, running into the darkness. Timber grabbed the viewscopes and placed them over his eyes... and watched as a two lightsabers ignited. And after a short time, Timber got a sick feeling in his gut... someone was going to die, and so he quickly brought one of the blasters to aim upon the man Exar was fighting... but then... the man jerked back as Exar drove his saber through the mans gut, slicing through flesh and bone, cauterizing it like a hot wire through clay.

Finally, Timber let a deep breath go as he dropped his blaster back to his side, and walked towards Exar as he took the nightvision viewscopes off. "That was amazing to say the least Exar..."

posted November 20, 2000 01:01 PM               

Squad 3 had finally discovered CPT TJ. It had taken a lot of work and digging through cave after cave, but he had been found.

Unfortunately he was not in the best of shape. Mumbling incoherently and grasping tightly to a blaster, he was quite a sight for a reduced squad of troopers that had seen a lot of them. Not having a qualified medtech of a jedi among them, the troopers did the best they could to extricate the captain from his weapon, then from the cave. Though not normally a spry vehicle, PFC DarkLord make great time with the speedier vehicles as they raced back to base, where the Elite officer could get treatment.

That was yesterday. A major sign of the dread that was filling the members of the Vast Empire was the total, utter collapse of military control present on Vix. Nearly every captured rebel trooper had been released and were roaming about the planet setting up static defenses. The major hub of activity was at the site of the downed YT-2000, the Barkalounger. Squad 3 had consulted with LT Anakin and were more or less doing the same thing.

PFC Jediwannabe had picked out a plateau 120 klicks from the main base. PFC DarkLord had scored a major coup. With PFC Yillamien's assistance, they had ordered an Imperial garrison outfitter set, which was even now being delivered and set-up by a droid contingent. Sure, it was probably illegal, but death usually covered up crimes of this nature. Fury still wasn't sure if this was a great target or a well-built fortress. Indeed, he really wasn't sure he would allow his squad to base themselves in the contraption.

Normally the first and last line of defense of any imperial occupation force, the garrison kit was a strong-hulled, shielded prefabricated base with heavy, automated weapons emplacements. It's hexagonal shape encouraged overlapping fields of fire. Normally it also came with a fighter contingent, but aside from five beat-up TIE Droids, there was no way to fool pilots with bogus, sliced orders like Yillamien had done with the central ordering network...so much of that had been done away with.

Fury was also busy trying to reprogram the tank droids they had brought along with them to attack multiple atmoshperic craft. They had done such a worthy job against a well-armored Corellian transport, that they might be able to take out a drop ship or two as well.

As the battered squad, and army, dug in across the planet, Fury really wondered if there would even be a fight. They had already fought a fruitless civil war our of pride. Would it even be worth the effort to fight Imperial legions out of the same rationale? Would it not be better, for dignity's sake anyway, to merely present themselves to the Emperor's envoy and see what might result from that?

Well, he was a buck sergeant, and only a temporary squad leader. Nobody had asked him to make policy, just to enforce it. If command told him to fight the Empire, he would do it...no matter how crazy that sounded.

posted November 20, 2000 02:46 PM               

Daishi knew that as soon as the envoy arrived there could only be death following. After all no one organized three armies, even massively understrength armies, and didn't use them. All he could do now was tell old war stories and hopefully boost morale until all hell broke loose.

------------------
"Indecent exposure is fun." Sonatina

"If we have all knowladge then we would not wish to seek what we know, but if we had no knowledge how could we even ask a question?" Plato on knowladge.

posted November 20, 2000 04:42 PM               

Talon had just finish bracing on of the sides of the huge pit Daishi had him digging when a thought came to him. He laughed as he jumped out of the hole and ran past the sweating troopers. Agent had a perplexed look as he followed Talon with his eyes, back to the Royal Barkalounger. Agent looked at Daishi and the two thought for a moment, and then when back to work. Ten minutes later, Talon came out of the Barkalounger with the tube that he had his rifles in over his shoulder. He had a few tools in his hand and was still smiling as he got to where the pit was still being constructed. As he walked by he grabbed one of the shovels and kept walking. Agent and Daishi got up and followed Talon to where he knelt. As Daishi peered over Talon shoulder he could see that he was rigging the tube with high explosives. He started laughing again as he dug a small trench between two large rocks and place the tube in the trench. Daishi saw what Talon was doing and helped cover the tube up with dirt. After Talon was finished laughing he explained to Agent and clairified with Daishi that his thought was to place explosives in the ground without any metal parts to it and shoot it when anything was on top of the explosives. Daishi ran back to the Barkalounger and Talon and Agent followed closely behind. They came out with lots of hard plastic containers packed to the lids with explosive material. The placed them all around the Royal Barkalounger between landmarks so they didn't forget where they were. When they were finished, they were all sweating more than a wookie on Tatooine. By then the largest of the pits was almost finished by the troopers who had come to help, but continued working on the pits when the three officers ran off to play.

[Traps are fun >=c)]

posted November 21, 2000 01:30 AM               

(Imagine that was Snagglepuss and you'll get my drift there.)

Fury looked over at the garrison freshly completed, armed, and stocked with weapons, supplies, food, medicine...and one keen selection of vacuumed-sealed smokes. Even a bottle of Corellian whiskey.

Probes droids were up. Yillamien had totally turned a garrison AT-AT into his own personal comm station. It was dug in and camoflagued about nine klicks east of the garrison base, named Epsilon, since the Barkalounger was being designated Delta on the readouts Fury was getting.

Tank droids and automated artillery stations dotted the garrison territory in a six-klick radius. Anti-personnel mines, attack probots, traps, pits, and a clear, worm-filled path surrounded the base.

Command had been strangely silent. There were troopers running all across the planet, most of them dedicated to putting up defensive structures...others on the run for a place to hide if that would be necessary.
All of them looking at a grim situation. There probably weren't any orders that would change the outlook. Fury didn't miss it much really, it just confirmed everything he already knew. The Vast Empire would fight to protect it's dignity. If branded traitors, they would fight rather than be herded into cages without a struggle.
It made the performance he had seen over the past three planets seem a lot closer to home, regardless of the reasons why.

There wasn't a lot left to do but make sure the damn TIE Droids were capable of flight. PFC DarkLord had just about his fill of that task, and Fury had spent too damn long fixing Preybirds and Miy'til fighters back in his less-reputable days to push the trooper too hard.

Besides, there were steaks over a fire, nothing on the scanner screens, and an open channel to command should anything untoward happen. With whiskey in one hand and some of the Empire's best nicotine in the other, Sergeant Fury and the rest of Squad 3 were relaxing for the first time in weeks.

No armor, no massive weaponry other than the odd blaster and ready access to speeders. Just some comrades who had gone through a lot together, who would likely see the end of their days come sunrise. With such grim tidings staring them in the face, with preparations for that uncertain fate as complete as humanly possible, it was time to reflect on life. To know that they had done everything as best as they could, no matter what the final outcome would be.

It was time to prepare one's self for death.

posted November 21, 2000 02:28 AM               

Exar and himself had spoke for a short time, before Exar decided to head back. Timber just wasn't ready to go... there wasn't that much time left before the armies would arrive... and they were all sitting ducks. It seemed that everything they did was futile in his opinion, but that was just it, his opinion didn't matter. So much anger, and hate for the Emperor... at his flat ignorance. Timber walked slowly to the swoop, his helmet half-cocked on the seat. Sweat was building heavily on his brow... and it was freezing without the sun... he had been on edge since seeing Exar fight that man.... THAT MAN!

Timber turned quickly, dust and sand kicking into the air and shooting behind him as he sprinted off to the man. Exar had just left him there, and went back to the base... Timber kneeled down beside the man. It was a horrible site... his eyes were open, his jaw ajar. Timber rested his hand on the mans face, and dragged it down, closing his eyes. Glancing down, Timber saw the man's lightsaber.... grasping it and pushing to his feet... it was a glorious feeling holding the weapon so tightly. With a flick of his wrist, there was a crackling snap-hiss as a white blade illuminated to life. Waving it slowly in his hand from side to side, it was so very easily manuevered. A weapon so simple, yet so deadly. Beautiful...

Another flick of his wrist, and the blade shot back into the hilt, Timber came to a decision, and clasped the saber to his belt. He quickly turned, and made his way back to the swoop, slid on his helmet then slid the nightvision viewscopes over it and took off back to the Royal Barkalounger.

Reaching it, Timber said nothing to any of the others, only made his way into the ship and started scavanging through a few of the extra parts laying around, and grabbed a bunch of things, including a large amount of glow-rods. He carried them and loaded up the swoop. Exar walked to him, and set a hand on his shoulder; "Timber... what are you doing?" Timber shot Exar a glance, looking him straight in the eye's; "I have a few things to take care of before it's too late. I'm sure you understand Exar." Without another word, Exar merely watched Timber get a few things and hop onto the swoop. "I'll be back... I have to make sure nobody get's any shots in on you after all..." An unseen grin formed acrossed Timbers lips, and he shot off on the swoop.

Reaching the area were the two had fought, Timber thought it a suitable place and grabbed all of the materials and set down next to the swoop. He turned on a few of the glow-rods and unclipped the saber from his belt. He slowly took the saber apart, and looked at everything that was within it.

Timber sat working until sunrise, making a new lightsaber. He had used the crystal from the Jedi's lightsaber. It was a glorious site when finished. 4/6 of a meter in length, not including the three circular spikes at the top of the hilt... smooth on the inside, coming to piercing points. Coated in a smog-hue, Timber had managed to add a vertical switch... extending the blades length with the glide of a finger. He sat in silence, slowly coming to his feet, and hoped. The flick of his wrist, and that familiar snap-hiss brought the crimson blade to life. After what he had done... it was a glorious thing. The sun came up, and Timber slid off his helmet. Drips of sweat beading down his face, and falling to the burning ground below. He deactivated the blade, and attached it to his belt. Soon it would be time to defend the onslaught... and now Timber felt ready. Two blasters, grenades, and blaster recharges in tow. And a lightsaber at his side. He would not go down, without adding numbers to the death count... and he would make sure he got more than his fair share.

Timber left all of the extra glow-rods he had went through, and the excess unusable parts laying on the ground, and mounted his swoop. Heading a back way to the clearing where Daishi and Talon had fought. He went in as deep as he could, before he reached the traps the others had set up. Parked his swoop, and backstepped a bit... to keep his swoop well hidden, in case of emergency, and sat behind a tree, setting up a little spot... the sweat was beginning to build up profusely now... his mind was on the present... everything he had done up until now meant nothing... they had to win this war... at all costs. And he wasn't going down without a fight, it was simple as that.

(Well... let's hope Crysus will let us fight soon!)

------------------
PFC Timber Saden
Elite Iron Horse Squad
ETRP/PFC Timber Saden/1SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE/
[IOC]
Ore wa kisama taosu mono da yo!
Ore wa kono youji de kisama o korosu
Kore wa bata no hocho watakushi no mono desu yo
Mandi utsukushii totemo desu
Anata wa zeri no donattsu desu yo

posted November 22, 2000 08:26 AM               

"Frak!" Fury yelled as he saw the readouts of the Battle Analysis Computer in his hands. The ground-to-air artillery and tank droids had managed to take out an even three score of drop ships, but that was a mere drop in the bucket compared to what was assembling planet-side. Between the efforts of the fleet and the various ground forces, no more than 700 troopers would never make planetfall in any form other than cinders. Others may be wounded, but that left a healthy amount numbering around 17,000 to contend with.

Which only meant trouble for the beleaguered Stormtrooper Corps. Fury was punching up numbers, data, and references to find some answer, some hope, some way out of this predicament. History, thus far, had been no help at all.

He shrugged and figured he'd better tell the others. "Alright squad, here's about all I know. We are currently being jammed, but since these guys are straight-forward Imperial troops, Yillamien has already sliced their frequencies and we have piggy-backed access within our squad. You will notice that Mr. Yillamien is not with us today. He is holed up in that converted AT-AT with about all the SD-9 warrior droids that we could pull out of storage from the Devastator.

"I might as well say this now. No force has ever overcome odds like we are facing. We've got missiles, rockets, mines, probots, droid tanks, and automated artillery all ready to punch a whole in whatever opposition heads this way. It appears that the Empire is moving out in three directions. We just happen to be one of them. Call it about 4,000 troops headed to us, same to Bravo, same to the Barkalounger encampment. That leaves about 5,000 in reserve.

"Here's what we're gonna do them. We know their tactics. We also know small group, hit-and-run tactics very damn well. They stick to doctrine. We work around it when necessary. We have the same basic training as they do. But we have something they don't - a whole hell of a lot of ingenuity, innovation, and experience. That won't win this fight, but it may keep you alive when all else fails - and it probably will today. We also are without leadership until the comm situation balances out. They have to wait for instruction at times. My orders to you are easy. Don't give them a target to shoot at. Hit and run. We won't survive if we stand and fight.

"Details? Okay. That garrison we had brought down will be one hell of a target. It needs to be. We have cached half those supplies in twenty places on this planet. You all have the maps to those. Use them up while in motion. Let those troops raid the garrison and waste some time and material. Hopefully the guys at the other bases do the same.

"Next, our opposition is about to learn some dangerous truths about this planet when they encounter packs of worms. We've all been seeding a large area with remote sonic mines these past couple days. No doubt those will attract our buddies the worms when set. PFC Yillamien also has access to troop movement info. He'll know when to set each mine off for maximum advantage.

"We also know that this planet sucks for walkers. That leaves a lot of heavy weapons out of the picture. We are trying to 'paint' as many repulsorlift vehicles we can for a missile attack later today. That should take out the bulk of the vehicles.

"Also, we've got five damn TIE Droids operational thanks mostly to the efforts of PFC DarkLord. They aren't much, but if we take out a lot of their artillery, they may count for something. Remember, their navy is duking it out upstairs as much as our's is.

"This may be the last time we are all assembled together. I just want you to know how proud I am of your performance, and how honored I am to have served with you. We should be lighting off a slew of missiles here in about forty minutes. It would be advantageous to your continued survival to be the hell away from here when that happens." Fury got up and saluted his squad, "Good hunting...and may the force be with you."

posted November 22, 2000 04:17 PM               

The Elite Viper squadron blasted out of their hiding spots a little too late and watched the landing craft complete their landing.

A young officer sat in the back of a mobile laser turret as it hovered out of its carrier, reading the specs on the planet as he muttered along with his reading. He looked up when he heard a familiar whine of TIE engines. An entire squadron of TIE Advanced blasted their way through the atmosphere and blazed strait at the groups of landing ships. Without warning, the TIEs opened fire on the camps, throwing missiles and laser blasts at anything infront of them. The Emperor's trooper couldn't even track a gun on them, before the straifing run was finished. AT-ATs and AT-STs were reduced to burning shells and troopers lay on the ground charred.

"Good job Viper." laughed PJ as they sped away for reloading.

posted November 22, 2000 04:34 PM               

PJ approached the small command deck which housed what was left of the the Vast Empire's commanders.

He walked up to Athran, saluted and asked him if he could gather the Vast Empire's command staff, because he had an idea...an idea that could change the odds of this new war drastically.....

~*In the Meeting Room*~

PJ watched as the commanders gathered into the room and took their seats. When everyone was seated Athran stood up...

"I've gathered you all here, because PJ here has an idea that might help us. PJ..." Athran sat.

"All right," PJ announced as he stood up." The way I see it, there is now way we can defeat these armies hand to hand, gun to gun...Frankly, I don't believe we would survive the night. I say we take this fight to the air, from what we've seen they don't have any fighters or other spacecraft with the exception of of their landing craft. You have seen our co-ordination in the search for the location of Syhs fleet and now a few bombing runs and we might be able to cut their numbers in half. That is if Syths will ally." PJ looked at Syths,"Sir?"

"Sure why not, Blaze and our other squadrons are all yours."

"Great, so what do you all say?"......

posted November 22, 2000 04:52 PM               

Exar Kun pourd the water into his mouth. Like putting bacta on a wound the dryness in his throught quickly left. The desret planet took mosture out of anything, making water a #1 priority.

Exar looked down at the ground, the soft sand was layerd from the wind. Now and then sand wound be thrown into the air from a gust of wind, cousing the overlaping on the grond.

Soon would begin a terrible battle that would take many years to recover from. Exar doubted sirusly that anyone from the Vast Empire would survive this. All he could do was pray that it would be over quick.

Exar rose himself from his sitting place next to the royl barklounger, and walked off into the desert, not carrying if a 'worm' took him. His lightsaber danced on his heap as he walked through the endless desert. His dark tunic was sightly moist from sweat. The sleeves hung past his hands an inch just conceling them.

Every step Exar took he sunk into the loose sand, making balance diffucult, however since his stay on Vix, Exar along with everyone else had long become use to this.

Exar pulled his head back as he walked, looking at the darkening sky. One by one stars began to appear into the night. Suddenly the ground under Exar crumpled and he fell into a deep dark pit.

Exar Kun landed on his back with a thump, knocking the wind out of him. He pulled himself up to rest on his knees, trying to regain his lost air. Slowly his breath came back to him, and he looked around the dark pit he fell into.

Exar switched on his lightsaber, and watched as the blackness was quickly attacked by the light from his blade. Exar held his weapon high, and saw that he was not in a pit, but it was a tunnel.

Exar looked around the tunnel and quickly assumed that it was one of the tunnels that the worms travl through.

posted November 22, 2000 06:23 PM               

With Fury acting as forward observer, "painting" various motor pools for the launchers, PFC Yillamien had a fairly accurate picture of much of the battlefield. The nearest Imperial grouping was designated Green Two. Green Three was aiming for Bravo Base, leaving Green One assembling to attack the Barkalounger sector. The main landing zone, was Green Prime. Judging by the air traffic in that area, this would be a primary target of opportunity. If they could take the food, water, and medical supplies away from the invaders, the Stormtrooper Corps had a chance of maybe bringing the battle to a draw.

Across the sector that Squad 3 had seeded with weapons were a few dozen artillery implacements protected by mines, light cannon, and CoMarr TriTrackers in case any pilots got involved in the activities. Most of them would be taken out by return fire, but the first strike was always the deadliest in Fury's experience. By setting up Apex Incisor emplacements wherever he went, Fury was planning to contribute to the chaos by targeting repair facilities.

Once certain he could go no further - or closer - without being spotted, Fury pulled a swoop off of the gravsled he had been manuevering around all day and keyed a sixty-four key sequence to Yillamien's hidden command post. He would have loved to stay and see the show, but things were about to get very dangerous near the Imperial forward emplacements.

Yillamien's slicing were now paying dividends. He had assembled quite a mass of machinery, and droids to operate them. Each artillery battery was composed of a mixture of Leveller missile launchers and more conventional Speizoc v.188 and Golan M102 artillery pieces. As an added bonus, a few Golan DF-9 anti-infantry pieces were mixed in. Thousands of missiles and hundreds of shells were enroute to groups Green Two and Three. Currently the location of the other groups were out of range. The movement of the batteries might change that fact depending on the results of the attack.

For the moment, Fury didn't care as long as nobody was hunting him down. At the top of a ridge, he stopped to look down on the devastation. He also triggered four of the Apex Incisors that he had planted near this encampment. Preliminary results from the Battle Analysis Computer showed that the attack was a success thus far.

Of the contingent of AT-STs brought forth this far, 45 of 60 were destroyed or otherwise incapacitated. Repulsorlift craft were reporting upwards of 130 of 200 damaged or destroyed. His Incisors had done a number on an ammo dump and one med shelter. Additionally, a mass of cargo transports were in flames. No food, no ammo, no medkits = no army. This would not stop the conqueror's, merely slow them down. And hopefully it would cause them to stop and think about what they were doing.

Fury put the BAC in the cargo compartment of the swoop and turned away from the battlefield. If anything, this would make the Imperials fight smarter. Such was the payoff for a complete and totally successful surgical strike. Probably a few thousand dead, at least 70% of their primary weaponry out-of-commission. The opposition artillery barely got off a shot. That meant that most of Squad 3's batteries could be moved and do this all over again. The only response to continued bombardment was to break up into smaller groups...and that only worked to the Vast Empire's advantage.

posted November 22, 2000 08:15 PM               

United

*2 hours Before landings of troops*

Zsinj stepped off the transport with a few weapons that he had had from before his academy days and started to look around at the carnige created from civil war and headed out to talk with his squad leader and be briefed in.

*3 Hours later*

Zsinj was assigned to a remote lookout post and be ready to get information back to command as soon as he started seeing the scattered groups coming in...

posted November 22, 2000 10:34 PM               

PFC Cosmic was already done with the Dai and heard that the Emperor's armies had arrived.
He ran over to the Base and headed towards Athran.
"Sir! Awaiting orders sir!"
Athran turned.
"Got your weapons loaded and ready, soldier?" He asked.
Cosmic nodded.
"Yes sir! I'm ready to kick the Emperors's armies butts too!"
Athran smiled and chuckled a bit.
"Good. Now, I'm sending you to a look-out post where Zinj will be waiting for you. He is there now, all by himself and I want you to accompany him."
Cosmic nodded.
"Yes sir."
Athran nodded and Cosmic saluted. Athran returend the salute and Cosmic ran towards the nearest Hover Bike.

Cosmic saw the outpost. He slowed down about 1000 feet away from it and brought out some binoculars. The outpost was a very tall tower...about 100 feet in hight.
Cosmic saw Zinj standing watch with his binoculars searching the area.

Cosmic put his binoc's away and sped towards Zinj.

Zinj saw him and waved.
Cosmic waved back as he rode in the sand.
Cosmic stopped his bike and climbed the steps to the top of the tower.
His Stormtrooper Rifle, Sniper Rilfe, and rocket launcher were hanging on his back.

Cosmic saw that Zinj had the same equipment.

It was early in the morning and Cosmic watched the sun come up from the dunes.

"Another day of battle." Said Cosmic.
Zinj nodded.
"I know that you haven't been fighting, Zinj, but I tell ya...It's hard and...well scary."
Zinj nodded.
"I understand sir. I know what you mean."

Cosmic looked at his watch. Five am.

Cosmic was wearing his stormtrooper uniform and his helmet was on a chair...just waiting to be put on a head and ready for battle.

posted November 23, 2000 02:25 AM               

------------------------------------------------------------

UNITED!

"They should be here within 2 hours," Agent stated. "Then we see if our little toys will work..."

"Can't wait," said Talon, slightly less enthusiastic than he was before they set up the traps, though he still secretly had a deep-down desire to see things blow up from high-explosives. Like a child at christmas, trying not to show his anticipation for the "presents."

Daishi sat inside the ship with the gun he had gotten back from Agent. He inspected the gun carefully, making sure every part worked perfectly. He could not afford it not to work.

They were all ready to do some carnage.

Agent, like most of the time, used the extra time to think about their advantages. He could come up with only one.

"You guys ever played pool and nearly cleared the table while the other guy has tons of balls to shoot for? Well, we're definitely the guys with all the balls! That should make it easier for us."

For reasons Agent couldn't figure out, the others started laughing histerically. He couldn't recall telling a joke... Then it hit him. The entire group of men in the ship laughed hysterically. They did not stop for a long time. A few minutes of laughter among men doomed to die within the next day. They were sitting ducks. Smart ducks, with big, exploding traps. But smart hunters, and lucky hunters, could get past the traps. They could only sit and hope that their work over the last few days had paid off, that they were well-trained and "McGuyver-ish" enough to pull a decent battle out of their rears, and, failing that, that they had made peace with their gods.

In the distance, they could hear the sounds of the approaching army. With it's menacing, unceasing clamor, it sounded to Agent like Hell's Bells ringing, playing in the electronic orchestra of their death.

Agent looked out upon the open desert to see thousands of men in straight, uniform, disciplined lines, stretching all across the sands.

"Hope you're all ready," Agent said, "cuz they're not gonna wait for us to get to that point." Agent shook Talon's hand, and Daishi's, too. "It's been a pleasure fighting with you, gentlemen. I hope we will live to fight together again, as unlikely as it may seem."

With that, the men readied themselves for whatever may lie ahead. The other team had the advantage, but Agent was used to being the underdog. "What would McGuyver do?" Agent couldn't help but ask himself. For some reason, the only answer he could get back was that even McGuyver wouldn't be crazy enough to get into this situation in the first place. The troopers at the Barkalounger had bigger weapons than the approaching army, and, like Agent had said, bigger balls. He had a feeling that McGuyver would be proud.

--------------------------------------------------------

P.S. don't ask me why i brought up McGyver. It's 1:30 in the morning. I don't think at this time of night.

posted November 23, 2000 04:52 PM               

Exar Kun rased off through the desert, he had to get back to the Barklounger and tell the rest of the men what he had discroved.

As soon as Exar reached one kilck of the base he saw somthing that made his heart almost stop. The main force of the Emporer's army. thousands of them in stright disaplind lines, walking down the barklounger like a massive boxer.

Exar felt an insane shiver over his body, this was his end. In one perfect swift motion Exar unclipped his lightsaber and raced toward the unsespecting army. In a fluid sumersalt Exar landed deep within the enemy forces lines. Completely surrounded he begain slicing and chopping insainly. Five men fell, then ten untill Exar felt a searing heat flow through his chest from his back. then another. Blaster fire ripped through his body as he continued to take out trooper after trooper. Close to 20 dead troopers lay on the ground when Exar finally fell to the earth.

posted November 24, 2000 04:13 PM               

After a short while of waiting... the troopers where in view... and then one AT-ST. Timber quickly took aim... he aimed through the long open panel on the AT-ST... and fired two consecutive blasts, hitting the two AT-ST drivers square in the head, knocking them backwards, and the AT-ST careened to the side, taking out one other. Timber had no idea what force(pun intended) guided those blaster shots, and helped in the AT-ST's colliding. But now the Troopers were starting to scatter... Timber quickly fired blast after blast on the troopers from behind the rock, they couldn't find his position in the area surrounded by the dead trees. And behind the rock he nearly depleted half the troopers on foot... and took out the two AT-ST's. But then they finally locked onto him.

He rolled out of the way and darted left and right behind tree's until he came to his swoop. He got on, and quickly manuevered his way out of the area... and then he felt something horrid... he felt Exar's life force being pulled from the battle. He careened left and right, dodging the traps the others had set up, until he got a slight view of troopers in a circle. He raised one of the blasters and trained it on one of them, and then his eyes closed, and he felt Exar drop to the ground. He was no rather close... his blaster wouldn't hit them... he stumbled a moment, and then grabbed the saber from his hip, stopped the swoop and leapt into the air.

Flipping forward and into the battlefield, he dropped his blasters and grenades, and recharges, ignited his saber, and came down atop one of the troopers. Then quickly sliced and slashed about, dropped the troopers, his left arm jerked, a blaster bolt caught his shoulder... he stumbled back and barely brought the lightsaber up in time to block another blast, and then just charged forward, taking the trooper out.

He dropped to his knees, the saber falling to the ground, the blade quickly being sucked into darkness once more. Dead troopers lay around both Timber and Exar. Exar caught a glimpse of something before he blacked out... but now wasn't the time. Timber grabbed the saber, and slid it onto his hip. And quickly tapped the comm-channel on his helmet. "Command... base... whoever! This is Private First Class Timber Saden. We have an Elite Trooper downed by enemy forces. I need a gravsled to get him to mass amounts of Bacta. And the Enemy Forces are en-route on the Royal Barkalounger's flank. AT-ST's, Troopers, the works!!! But get me a fraggin grav-sled!!" Timber repeated the coordinates twice, then cut the comm. He went to his swoop quickly, and struggled to find anything... a cantine... that worked, there was still water left in it. He walked back to Exar, slid his helmet off, and slowly poured water over his face, then tilted his head slightly and poured a little bit in his mouth... it went down after a minute... he was barely holding on...

That grav-sled better get there soon... cause his arm was killing him now... and Exar couldn't last much longer.

------------------
PFC Timber Saden
Elite Iron Horse Squad
ETRP/PFC Timber Saden/1SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE/
[IOC]
Ore wa kisama taosu mono da yo!
Ore wa kono youji de kisama o korosu
Kore wa bata no hocho watakushi no mono desu yo
Mandi utsukushii totemo desu
Anata wa zeri no donattsu desu yo

posted November 24, 2000 06:39 PM               

"Keep holdin' 'em back, boys!" Agent encouraged the men outside the ship.