Welcome to Gaia! ::

(So, Kathleen gets ignored...)

Sven Da'courti, military and current political leader of the Loyalist Empire was at a de-briefing in his office, planet-side Mandal. Joing him were a Network official, one of the few surviving Mandalorian Councilmen, the head of the Mandal base, the head of Project: Clone, one of the veteran commodores who served in the Battle of Wayland, and the newly arrived Admiral Crow, to whom they owed their two Revenge-IIs as well as a good many extras.

"I summoned the meeting because we needed to address some upcoming matters," the man said, brushing off his shoulder and picking up his datapad. "I've been in contact with our outward scouts, and the news isn't looking pretty, though it could be worse."

"And that is?" the councilor asked.

Sven sighed. "The Sith are getting bolder. They've been releasing probes in an effort to find us. At the rate they're going, they won't discover us for at least a few more months, so long as we're all still here." He passed around a datapad with the information. "That put's us all in danger."

"We've been in danger since Day 1, Commander," the commodore spoke. "We're not exactly popular people, and we've gotten word Mandalore has all but fallen."

"Yes, it has," the councilor added, a growl in his voice. "The clans have already tried overthrowing Mandalore the Crusader, and most of the Mando'ade have switched allegiances over there. We can no longer intercede with them."

"Neither can we go to Dathomir," Sven added. "The Sith went ahead and blockaded the planet. One of their Sith Lords went killed the Matriarch and subjugate most of the planet."

The Network official, a man in crisp black uniform with a cybernetic eye winced. "Kathleen won't be happy about that, when she's back from Abregado-rae."

"No, I doubt she will. Still, we have other issues, including why she's there. Admiral?"

The elder man in white uniform stood. He was in his forties, easy, and his brown hair was graying fast, but he still looked fit enough to wrestle a Tusken Raider. "Some of our agents have been in contact with the Galactic Liberation Front. The Commander, Commodore, and myself believe it best that we set aside our differences, and work together to oust the Sith."

There was some mumbling, mostly in conjunction. Sven went ahead and elaborated. "To protect the base, we're going to begin moving ships out of the system. Once enough is out, we'll establish a false-suedo base, and attract the Sith to us, and lead them on for a bit. Meanwhile, the Admiral will be coordinating a raid we've planned for the Kuat system."

Most of the men stared at him. The Mandal commander openly voiced his objection. "That's suicide!"

"It probably is," Crow admitted. "However, we do have things worked out very nicely. I have a contact in Kuat who owed me some favors, and he agreed to help us out if we put his rival out of business."

He handed out a second datapad, and then motioned to a viewscreen with his laserpen. "We've been getting frigates and a few destroyers from them during the last few years, but this time the prize is much larger." A shot of a huge, nearly completed ship came up. "Admiral Borill's Pellaeon- Star Dreadnaught."

The mandalorian shook his head. "You're nuts. How do you suspect we're to take that? Just walk right up Kuat's doors and nab it, while fending off not one, but TWO sector fleets. Hell, the Sith changed the Admrial-jursidiction cordon, so that Kuat and Coruscant each fell under the jurisdiction of TWO sector fleets. As if one was bad enough!"

"No fool would walk right into Kuat," the Admiral countered. "However, I once served as a Captain for the Kuat A Fleet, and I've seen the defense structure, and I know how to break it."

Another screen flashed up, showing an overhead view of the shipyards. He pointed to a corner in the bottom right. "This is our ally." He then went to the bottom left. "This is our target, where the Dreadnaught is under construction. It's been made over the last four years. However, unlike other ships, because of its size, it must be stocked and fitted while its in dock at Kuat. This gives us nine months to enact the raid.

"The plan is simple. Our Kuati friend has agreed to buy us some ships, and keep them on hand there. Meanwhile, we'll be sneaking in smaller ships, fighters, bombers, and corvettes, in the hulls of the huge ore and material carriers he's got going through. Each one's big enough to haul several million tons of material, as well as three or four corvettes, fully stocked. The ships we'll unload will then be stashed in some unused warehouses under his watch. By the time we're ready, we'll have dozens of them ready for the surgery needed."

"But what about the fleet?" the councilor asked. "A hundred corvettes might be able to take out an unfinished Dreadnaught with no shields, but what about all the other defenses."

"That's where we come in," Sven answered. "The Loyalist forces will draw the fleets away from Kuat. At the same time, we hope to drag Admiral Borill over. He's been promoted to Admiral himself, but he's a fire-fighter, who'll go wherever trouble stirs. We'll keep his eyes on us, and away from the real problem."

"And how do you propose to gather that many ships?" the clone research asked. "You're talking three sector fleets, if everyone shows up for the party, minus the Dreadnaught. We'd be crushed."

"We would, if we were alone," the Network official smiled. "But the GLF has agreed to come to our aid. Kathleen's meeting with them as we speak to secure their aid."

'Well, what about Kuat?" the Mandal leader questioned, trying to find something to pick at. "You'll need some bigger ships, if you hope to do what you're planning."

"We will," Crow answered. "And that's all figured out. The Kuati leaders, those who own one of the ten divisions of KDY, each have their own private microspace route. These routes serve as miniature highways for incoming traffic diverted from the hyperspace route, made to keep the traffic moving and the space clear. The precise coordinates to these lanes, the coordinates that'll lead us right to our target, is known only to Kuat of Kuat, and the division head. We'll steal the coordinates, warp in as many ships as we can possibly spare, and attack. Our friend will point all the evidence at her.

"In short, our goal is to get to Kuat, and either scrap or steal the Pellaeon. Any questions?"

Noone bothered to ask. Sven went ahead and continued where Crow left off. "In the meanwhile, we have two other goals. The Network tells us Roal Fel might still be alive, so finding him will be our top priority. If we can rescue him, more Loyalists will flock to our cause.

"Also, for this deception to work, we will need Elshae'k. Failed as a commander though he is, he is the piece who will lure Borill from hiding and attack us. All we need do is lure him away, and then make our getaway as soon as Kuat is done. In the meantime, the fleet is preparing to leave Mandal. Our destination is Utapau."

Kathleen, meanwhile, waited patiently for the group of fighters to return, not in the least bit worried about her safety. She never had been.

Freya then leapt out of the fighter, as a tech pulled Rusty loose. She laughed as she pulled her flight helmet off, and said something to Rusty. "So yeah. It seems I totally taught them a thing or two, huh?" she chuckled.

"If you say so, Freya," Rusty dryly said.

"So, like, I'll totally go to the mess hall and stuff," Freya said. "Flying like that feels so good, you know?" she added. "The air is totally my space to be,"

"I hardly had to strain a circuit," Rusty had to admit.

"Oh, like totally!" Freya said, patting Rusty on the head.

And so, Freya would take a trip to the mess hall. "Nothing like biscuits and gravy in the morning," she said. However, she stopped short, noticing a shadowy appearing woman on the way there. "So, like, who are you?" she asked of the woman, mildly suspicious of the stranger.

"Thank you, Lady Aurora," Iria said, gratefully accepting the proffered sustenance. "And a good morning to you, Sir Haldir,"

The woman raised her head a bit. "We talked several months ago, concerning a job we'd like taking care of. Recall?" (Renember our chat? ^^)

(Hint- Operation: Kuat)

Kathleen handed her the datapad of their last conversation, regarding the planned raid on Kuat's shipyards.