Star Wars Sim Forum: Roleplay, Simming and Fan Fiction

Watched A New Hope with my 9 year old this past weekend, it was his first Star Wars cinema. I think we'll finish up the original trilogy next weekend. Fun to watch him experience it... at some point I'll let him get started on Rebels, too (we limit television and movies but exceptions must be made...)

Was so bummed RIP

aw, womp womp


I was reading through his imdb for memories, apparently he was initially uncredited in ANH for voice over!  I'm sure it was added in eventually but crazy.  Oversight or by request from the man himself perhaps?

I wonder if there's any sort of existing contract that permits them to continue using his voice over?  I had pretty much assumed they stopped using him at some point but it looks like everything up until Obi Wan series was him voicing.




Put a sock in it Jaffe!  RIP.



EDIT- Just read on Forbes, he signed over rights for AI to recreate Vaders voice with all his recorded material.

Corellia

The Republic (and Imperial) vessels halted their progress as the Corellian fleet came into view.  this wasn't just one scout ship. It was an armada.  The TIEs that had been closing in circled back to form a defensive perimeter around their own capital ships.

It was actually several minutes before they could be seen reforming thier line, preparing themselves for a battle as opposed to patrol duty.

"They weren't ready for us to show up"
It was the commander next to Artemis who spoke as Artemis was staring out the viewport, lips pursed as he looked across at the opponent.  They weren't the enemy, at least, not yet. At least, he hoped not.  But for this maneuver, opponent would suffice.

Opponent, even though this skirmish could very well lead to the deaths of forces on both sides.

"We certainly hope not.  Begin pressing our ships forward - slowly - and keep an eye on our flanks. We will be entering the gravity wells of those nets, and won't be able to escape quickly if the Republic manages to have reinforcements close by."

Even as they maneuvered forward, the Republic ships were slowly responding.  The slowness told Artemis much about what was happening.  The border patrol unit here, while substantial in size, was never intended for a large battle, and they were not led by a commander skilled in this kind of combat.
The assumption was that as soon as the Corellian fleet appeared, they sent out a signal to Chandaar, both alerting them of the situation and asking for orders.  Their delay was probably about receiving those orders, and how to carry them out.

Artemis' eyes shot up to a counter-clock above the viewport.  8 hours, counting down.  It was almost a two-day hyperspace trip to Chandaar, even along the most favorable route.  But the Republic had a fleet that was about eight hours away, located at the planet Tanaab. A quick bump on the Perlemian Trade Route, then south on the Hydian Way to get to the Corellian Sector.  Artemis was betting that was their rapid-response.  The imperials also had worlds, much closer, but Artemis was counting on, first, those worlds being in the Deep Core, where hyperspace travel was more treacherous, and therefore slower.  And second, that the imperials wouldn't stick their neck out in a first-salvo like this, by reinforcements.  If they did ... that eight hours could be as little as 4.

Timing was everything.

"We've reached the perimeter of the first gravity well, sir"
"Launch the Y-Wing fighters"
"Yes sir"

From the larger corellian carriers, dozens of Y-Wings emerged, quickly moving to attack speeds and heading toward the nearest republic vessels.  Blue energy jutted out as they let out salvo after salvo of ion-cannon fire.  They were followed by X-Wings, with standard laser fire, eating into the shields of the republic vessels, whose weapons were already moving sluggishly before ion fire made it worse.  The Republic was responding by sending out more fighters, hoping that larger numbers would help in their counter-attack.

========================================

Far from the battle, a dozen heavily-modified auxiliary ships were watching from the viewport as blue, red, and green lights splashed like twinkles in the distance.
Mara was sitting in the pilot seat of the lead vessel, eyes flicking between the battle and a red-light indicator on her dashboard.
When it ignited, she pressed down on the comm.

"We are go. Remember the plan.  Full speed until 5-klicks out from the gravity well."

each auxiliary vessel began powering their engines, moving forward, slowly at first.  They didn't make a straight line ahead, instead, each beginning to form large circles, picking up speed as they did.  It wasn't until each vessel was at its maximum speed that the vessels straightened out, making a bee-line toward the battle.

"Each team, line up your coordinates.  We each have our own target, but we won't be able to adjust our trajectories once we are in the combat zone.  We've got one good shot at this."

A few acknowledgements and Mara was checking her instruments.

It was only a few minutes later when she sent out another message.
"This is Surge 1. We are entering the combat zone. Going dark."

With a final check to ensure the ship's flaps were closed down, Mara shut down the engines of her ship, letting the inertia of the high speed send her forward into the battle zone.
"Lights out."
Her voice was now a whisper, and the lookout next to her nodded, shutting down more systems on the ship.
"Ready for inertial dampeners to be reactivated"

Around them, republic, imperial, and corellian ships twirled and spun and fired, but her auxiliary craft, with no power signature, looked like debris floating by, and was ignored.

Ahead of them, the gravity well net was visible and steadily filling up the screen.
"Get ready to activate dampeners on my mark ...
3 ...
2 ...
1 ...
mark"

Just as the ship was about to crash into the small platform, the inertial dampeners kicked in, using reverse-impulse engines to slow their approach.
"Magnetic clamp in 3 ... 2 ... 1 .... mark"
With a soft clang, their ship stopped moving, held against the platform on its side.

"Status?"
"We appear to be undetected, maam."
"Good  run a passive scan for the external power linkup.  Get everyone suited up."
"Yes maam"

TBC

https://swsfonline.com/index.php?topic=787.msg19330#msg19330
Post from December 17, 2020:
"As the VCX auxiliary fighter slipped out of hyperspace, Artemis was shocked to see not only that the gravity well net location had been moved.  it was accompanied by what amounted to a fleet. Republic vessels. And almost twice as many imperial ships, including an interdictor cruiser.
"They let the imperials bring one of those into Republic territory?"
"Half the fleet is made up of imperial ships now.  And it's been increasing ever since you were detained.  Quietly, of course, sir, but needless to say, with you out of the way in the senate, others were taking full advantage."
Their comm suddenly lit up, and they could see a mix of X-wings and TIE fighters approaching from the fleet's location.
 ...
There were too many fighters, enemy ships.  The distraction was appreciated but ... so many would die just for him?
"They know what they are doing sir.  We need you, alive, free, and on Corellia.  Corellia needs you to prepare for what's coming"
A moment later, Artemis was watching as one of the 'calvary' exploded, just before their vessel again dipped into hyperspace.

Corellia


Surface: Coronet City

“If there is anything we can do here to support you, we are at your service."

Mara shook her head

"Just try not to get into too much trouble, at least until I get back"
The wry grin on her face said all the words she'd left out, all the feelings, all the worry, all the excitement.  She'd only be gone for a little while, really.

What could possibly happen?
=============================================

2 days later ...

BORDER DEEP SPACE BETWEEN REPUBLIC and CORRELIAN SECTOR

The ships of the Republic and Imperial combined fleet had grown since Artemis made his escape from here, however many months/years had passed since then.  The Corellian scout ships had made the prudent decision to slow-walk to the border region, not only to avoid getting trapped into those gravity-well nets, but to avoid being detected altogether.

That was crucial for the mission to succeed.
The distraction had to be meaningful - Enough Corellian ships to hold their own; not enough to trigger all out war.
And for the Corellians to make it meaningful, they had to play their trump card.  It was something that was sure to cascade into even more chaos and enmity.  Mara had asked Artemis if it was worth it.

Artemis still wasn't sure.  This encounter might be enough to push the Republic over the edge it was already so close to.  And in return, Corellia would get some protection ...
But it was finally decided, they would go forward.

The scout ships hovered at the outskirts of the territory, taking in passive scans of the ships.  The imperial interdictor was the most formidable looking vessel present, but there were also a handful of Republic cruisers and Victory Star Destroyers in the mix (the ships looked remarkably similar to each other).

"No large Mon-Cal vessels"
That the Mon-Calimari senator had been arrested was enough for their shipyards to pull any support they had for Speaker Leeds and his military efforts.  The only Mon-Calimari cruisers present were smaller, and much older. Pre-purchased.

"Partially to be expected.  Final scans coming in."

A black screen with green-highlights began marking off the locations of the republic and imperial ships, swarms of them, as well as the location of each of the gravity well nets in the area, a string of them, like polka-dots across the expanse of space.

"Locking in target locations and transmitting to the fleet"

A red light began to flash.

"We've been detected"

As if to confirm the suspicion, they could see an imperial frigate rotate and begin moving toward their location, flanked by a half dozen TIE-fighters that were starting to pick up speed.

The comm chimed, and soon they heard the voice over the speaker.

"This is Border Patrol.  Identify yourself."

The Corellian scout turned to his colleague before pressing the button.
"Meesa so sowwy!  Meesa no understand"

The frigate was moving closer.
"I repeat, identify yourself"

The pilot grinned, placing headphones over his ears.
"THis is Corellian Scout Vessel Feedback"

"Feedback, prepare to power down and -"
The rest of the captain's words were drowned out as the Corellian pilot pressed a button, a loud screeching noise over the intercomm.
"Get it? Feedback?"
The captain on the other end was cursing, but now, they got the attention of a few more ships that were starting to move into position - including the interdictor.

"Alright, that did it.  Send coordinates to the fleet, and power up the engines"

The Corellian scout ship's engines roared to life, and the vessel began circling around, preparing to make an exit.  Green laser fire flew overhead as TIE fighters got closer.

"Confirmation. The fleet received the intel."

"Good, so calvary is coming in, in ... 10 ... 9 ... 8..."

A loud book as laser cannon fire struck the back of the scout ship.

"Deflectors down to 60%"
"Transfer auxiliary power to the engines"
"3 ... 2 ... 1..."

Blasting out of hyperspace, nearly 50 Corellian ships of varying sizes appeared, including at least one Executive-class ship, over 1500 meters long.

The broadcast message that came from the ship was sent out on all frequencies, just to make sure nobody missed it.

"This is High Commander Artemis Soldys of the Corellian Sector Defense Force.  We are hereby enforcing our sovereignty, under both the Republic charter and the intergalactic laws of governance.  We demand all non-Corellian vessels leave the system at once"

Artemis tapped the comm off, turning to the commander on his right with a grim smile.

"This is where the fun begins."