THE BATTLE OF CORUSCANT

[SWSF Hale]

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[SWSF Hale]

THE BATTLE OF CORUSCANT

Instructions: Players may exit hyperspace anywhere in orbit over Coruscant. All combat rules are currently suspended for the duration of this Flashpoint, as all simming will now be Storyline only. Combat actions should be assessed with respect to the progression of the Storyline, however, battle damage will be assessed using the honor system.

Schedule: Over the next few days, players should be exiting hyperspace and ramping up for the space battle. The trigger for combat will be the Sith Empire's coup against the Galactic Empire.

Major Milestones:
[ ] Fleets begin shooting at each other.
[ ] The GE's SSD is destroyed upfront.
[ ] The Sith Empire's SSD is boarded by Luke Skywalker, who faces off against Darth Algoz.
[ ] The New Republic fleet gets ravaged, but so does the Galactic Empire's fleet.
[ ] Imperial Remnant turns on the Sith Empire, and launches ground assault.
[ ] A bunch of IR Star Destroyers get blown up. Pelleaon sends a Peace Treaty to Mon Mothma while going down with the Chimaera.
[ ] Mon Mothma signs the Peace Treaty, but Home One gets destroyed shortly thereafter.
[ ] Luke Skywalker kills Darth Algoz. The Sith Empire's SSD gets blown up just as Luke escapes.
[ ] A combined IR and NR ground force captures Imperial Center and proclaims victory!

[SWSF Eidolon]

An NR Prelude

Dac. . .

. . .Mon Calamari to the galaxy.  A bristling fortress of military might.  Since the First Battle of Endor the Alliance to Restore the Republic and now self-crowned New Republic has fortified the oceanic terrestrial world, as their far flung Capitol, beyond feats imaginable outside of the Core.  Rivaling Kuat, the beautiful water world is now entirely encircled by a monumental feat of interstellar engineering.  Unofficially dubbed the Ring of Hope, the gargantuan industrial and defensive structure began as a humble restructuring of the orbital shipyards that the Calamari themselves had maintained and operated for ages.  From there it only grew in scope and manifestation out of both necessity and drive, eventually becoming the monolithic networked structure it is today.  The shipyards have bustled tirelessly for years, churning out the heavy Mon Calamari Starcruisers that the New Republic has relied on as their frontline warships since the days of the Rebellion.  Now perfected as purpose built battleships, the most recent class of the fearsome vessels, the 90 has emerged.  Bigger, stronger and meaner.  Capable of going toe to toe with Imperial Star Destroyers.  A massive flock of all classes of the iconic Calamari cruisers hovers over the gleaming blue marble, awaiting the realization of their destiny.

  

It is a few years since the destruction of the Second Death Star and the conductors of the Imperial Orchestra met their demise.  While victorious, the Alliance was left in no strategic position for the push on Coruscant.  As the Empire disintegrated and tore itself apart in to numerous fiefdoms and the New Republic bastioned itself in the Outer Rim, the galaxy floundered in the absence of unified order. But now, the circumstances have presented themselves and long time Chief of State of the New Republic, Senator In Exile Mon Mothma of Chandrila, one of the first  to sign the Corellian Treaty establishing the Alliance and the highest profile political figure of the Rebellion, and Supreme Admiral Ackbar of Dac, legendary Alliance starship commander, have ordered the fleet to mobilize for the invasion they've been building up for all these years.  The Republic would Return to Coruscant. . .

     The meeting and vote was ceremonial.  The decision had already been made behind even more secretive closed doors by the architects.  Mothma was passionate and uplifting as always in her speech as she presented the case for action to the council as Ackbar stood confidently broad chested and adorned in medals off to her side.  A dozen or so members of the most prominent and committed worlds and organizations of the New Republic were present in the chamber seated around a long oval shaped table.  Mon Cal, Sullust, Kashyyyk, Roche, Corellia, Sluis Van, Ithor, Alderaan and the Free Galactic Trade Council, the notables among others.  The time came to vote and all but one of the committee had raised their hand in favor of mobilization. . .

   "Senator Organa, you object to action at this time?" Mothma inquired in her bright gentle tone, calling to Princess Leia of Alderaan down the long elliptical table where she'd sat at the end.

   Donned in stylish pilot's attire with a small bandage upon her left cheek, Leia stood and feigned genuine courtesy while fighting honest tears, "No Madame Chief I offer no objection, forgive me but Alderaan has given all in this war.. for her legacy of peace, I could never consent to the course to which we are bound today," she finished with a slight curtsey while wiping the beading moisture from the corner of her eyes and sides of her nose and taking her seat.

   Mothma saw through the pander in her choice of words even if the others had affectionately received her quaint display of innocence and conscience, vowing to her to deliver the justice her homeworld deserved as they consoled and confided in the world-less young refugee heiress.  The assembly proceeded as a matter of protocol and without further noted minute, until the end in which only Leia and Mothma remained.  About to exit the Council's Chamber on The Ring behind the rest of those who'd gathered, she paused.  Hesitating the confrontation as it boiled inside of her.  She cursed to herself as she half stepped out before freezing and turning to stride back to the table to address Mon Mothma more bluntly now in privacy,

  "Mon Mothma.." she began.

  Mothma turned from her gaze out in to space to meet Leia's eyes.  The uniquely defined shades of brown and greenish-blue conflicting as their impassioned beholders themselves began a delicate exchange,

  "Leia, what is troubling you my dear?" the elder stateswoman inquired in a more personal manner, approaching the younger woman as they smoothly glided to each others embrace.  Releasing, Leia shared her burden as she slumped to the nearest chair, Mothma stood over her listening intently, palms clasped at her lips,

  "This, now.. it, it's not right.  I've got a terrible feeling about all of it.." Organa let out to much relief.

  "What do you mean child?" Mothma soothed, "We've been working for this all along, the time is now.  There's much at work you don't yet know.." she continued.

   Leia interuppted, "But your excellence, I DO know! I know you've spoke to him, I've seen it in my dreams!  I've seen many things in my dreams! Horrible things!," she cried out, becoming more emotional, forcing Mothma to take her more serious.

   "Him who?" Mothma quietly demanded.  Leia store back in frustration, declining at first to respond.  "Senator! If there's a leak in my circle I must know! We'll be doomed!" she pushed now embodying a rare form for the elegant political seamstress.

   Leia yelled back, "It's Pallaeon! And we're already doomed if you go through with this!. .Madame Chief, there is no leak! I've seen it in my dreams!  I've seen it all in my dreams!"

   Mothma sighed as she turned and gracefully made her way to the table's head seat where she took a seat and effortlessly slid one leg crossed over the other, staring away from the stirred Princess.  Leia followed, pleading her worries with great gravity,

   "Mon Mothma, please!  I, I can't explain it.. but you have to trust me.  Moving on Coruscant now will be our undoing.." she trailed off somberly, staring away as well at the ground as she tried to not visualize the haunting dreams that had been plaguing her for months and the specific apprehension they'd embedded in her.

   Mothma ceased an aggravated fingering of the table top surface with her finger nail and lent forward, now focused on Leia who met the elder's gaze,

   "And your dreams tell you this?" she asked with peaked interest as though about to use the expected reply as ammunition for a point.

   "..Yes, they tell me many things.. It's the Force.. Moving through me.. guiding me.." Leia answered, momentarily holding the joined gaze before breaking it and seeming distant.

   "..I've been in close contact with Commander Skywalker, he's said nothing of that nature.." the Chief of State answered, apparently holding off.

   "But Luke isn't here Maam!  I am!  Close to it all.  I can feel it!  Please Senator Mothma, Don't move on Coruscant yet, you won't return!  Many of us won't return!" Leia pleaded now full of an undeniably believable passion and very apparent tearing accompanied by the usual slight lip quiver.

   Mothma tapped a small button on the arm rest of her chair, triggering a communications operator prompt,

   "Yes Maam?" a voice called out followed by a faint ping.

   "Please send in the Medical Officer, Lieutenant," Mothma spoke back to the voice before addressing Leia.

   "I'm recommending you for a full medical evaluation.." she began informing the now growing irritated Princess Organa.

   Leia jumped from her seat, face now adorned in that familiar scathing scowl as she slammed it in against the table edge and store deeply at Mothma,

   "..To think, after all this time.." she stated and stared silently for a split second before storming off for the exit.

   Mothma stood herself and turned toward the spaceward viewport before turning to offer her last thought to her scorned protege,

   "If I heeded the warnings of my every dream Leia, I would never have walked this path!" she called out in her still some how gentle exclamation to the departing Organa.

   Leia didn't break stride as she stomped onward.  As she approached the chamber doorway, it slid open for the arriving Medical Droid who cheerfully greeted her in it's professional friendly masculine tone, hurriedly stumbling along behind her, now down a corridor after and abrupt change of direction and trying to keep pace.

   "Ahh! Good day Maam!  I am Doctor See-Wooowooowooo!  P-Please if you'll slow down Maam! My sonogram needs time to calibrate! I'd like to get a reading on that tiny life form my sensors indicate is growing in your abdomen!" he called out to her.

   Her pace screeched to a halt as she turned to face the droid who was now in her personal space,

   "WHAT did you say??" she inquired with great concern and a raised brow line as she pointed a long extended finger in it's digital face,

   A small apparatus from the droid's midsection was extended and emanating a faint streamed glow upon her lower stomach, "Ahh, yes, my mistake Maam.  Actually it's two life forms!"
  

(An NR Prelude PT I END)

[SWSF Hale]

[^] 1st IMPERIAL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE  [^]
Command Task Force of the Imperial Remnant
Primus Et Optimus | The First and the Finest
Commanding Officer: SUPREME EXECUTOR Lucidius Hale

   
IMPERIAL REMNANT PRELUDE

   The times were certainly changing. Nearly a year ago, after the Battle of Endor, the galaxy fell into disarray. The traditional power base that had maintained order for nearly three decades - the Galactic Empire - had been broken. Yet the highly rigid command and control structure set in place by Emperor Palpatine was incredibly effecient at maintaining good order and discipline at lower levels. Individual systems and sectors were able to enforce the laws of the Galactic Empire as if the Battle of Endor never happened. Even still, unity had been replaced with vanity. Those hungry to consume the power vacuum left behind quickly rose to power, eager to make a name for themselves.
   
   Among these individuals from the Old Order was a brilliant military officer turned Sith Lord, Darth Algoz. As one of the elite few who had managed to gain an insight and training in the ways of the Dark Side, his elevation of power became unhindered when the very system that had raised him up and limited his training dissappeared. Yet even in this wake, the power of Darth Algoz came from the shadows - for the existence of an active and militarized Sith Empire was now an open secret. It would not be long until this threat would become clear and present, and manifest itself at the very core of the galaxy - Coruscant.

   To deal with this threat, Hale knew he had to develop the Imperial Remnant in a different kind of way. Beyond the viel of Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters existed a power that had yet to be exploited: The Force. With Jana Sable his only link to this mysterious power, Hale wanted to develop her talents and abilities to fullest extent possible, because every major government organization in the galaxy was either protected or enforced with the help or threat of a lightsaber, and those who wielded these tools and weapons were the Jedi or Sith.

   After paying a visit to Ilum to excavate its ancient Jedi ruins, Jana had discovered a stowaway vault leftover from the Clone Wars containing a parcel of ancient knowledge: a Jedi Holocron of Master Belth Allusis. Studying and learning from this holocron, Jana eventually realized that her path in the Force was in the Light Side, and that by following the principles and ideals of the Jedi Order could she finally overcome her own weaknesses and the Sith Lords that currently plagued the galaxy.

   The next system on the Imperial Remnant's hitlist was none other than Coruscant itself. It was high time a new treaty was made. Hale was tired of leading the fight against the enemies of the Empire, yet receiving no recognition from Imperial Center. It seemed Ysanne Isard and Sate Pestage were fully content with the Imperial Remnant doing all the hard work in the outer rim, yet failing to acknowledge the presence and power it could bring to the Core Worlds. The annexation of Corulag was in essence Hale's way of saying "you can't keep us down forever" to the Galactic Empire, and certainly Hale was right. With an Imperial Remnant presence in Bastion, Dantooine, Rothana, Onderon, Corulag, Hoth, and Ilum... there was no region of the galaxy that the Imperial Remnant could not touch within a moment's notice, no system that could easily be reached by the vast war machine that Hale commanded.

   And then there was the Sith Empire. An Empire In Secret, if anything. Few knew the truth. That Darth Algoz was simply letting Pestage and Isaard run the show until he could gather enough strength, enough power, and enough minions to proclaim himself The Next Emperor. The existence of the Sith Empire would surely be revealed in the coming days, Hale was sure of that, and he also knew that in good Sith fashion, things would be handlded violently.

   For all the chaos that was about to erupt, the Imperial Remnant needed to now more than ever to position itself as a Force for Order in the coming days...

[SWSF Eidolon]

An NR Prelude II

Roche. . .

A mostly asteroid ringed star system that is home to the advanced bi-pedal insectoid Verpine species.  A devout member of the Galactic Republic since around 25,000 BBY, they'd naturally been strictly opposed to the Empire, and as such ardent supporters of both the Alliance and evolved New Republic.  Both close to Mon Calamari and logistically impossible to invade, the Empire had bothered little with Roche aside from occasionally interdicting nearby space.  Enjoying relative obscurity under the tyranny of the Galactic Empire, the Verpine utilized their innate engineering skills and the surrounding drifting rocky sea of raw material resource to bolster the cause of Restoring the Republic.  Late in the Rebellion, the fearsome B-Wing starfighter began emerging from the Roche Asteroids.  A menacing trio of Heavy Ion Cannons, autoblasters and a pair of Proton Torpedo Tubes along with deflective shielding and armor plating that it'd take a turbolaser blast to punch through made the ship the most heavily armed starfighter class vessel the Galactic Civil War had seen to date.  These predatory beasts specialized in Capital Ship Assault, and over the years would come to strike fear in any wise Imperial Commanders heart.

In step with the legacy of Roche's and the Verpine's long time support of the Alliance and the spirit of the Republic, the system has become a forward staging point for the impromptu New Republic Invasion of Coruscant.  According to the upper brass, intelligence gathering has indicated a rare opportunity of impending disarray in the cohesive Imperial hold on the Galactic Capitol, offering a unique window for the NR to flex it's long and patiently conditioned might and make a power play for Coruscant.  General Han Solo has been hand selecting the best pilots in the ranks to lead a special attack group in the assault, the treacherous Roche Asteroid Fields offering a natural arena to weed out the slackers from the hackers. . .

  The Falcon ripped through the dense chaotic and lethal Asteroid field in a care-free playful manner that would lead an outward observer to believe it could only be piloted by one of the native Verpine themselves.  Rolling, bucking, swooping and diving in smooth tight maneuvers, it raced deeper in to the belt. . .

  . . .inside, General Solo's feet were kicked up as he slung back in his chair.  His Corellian Bloodstripes apparent as always as he carried on in to what had to of been the twentieth minute of his self-righteous braggadocio saturated pep talk slash educational crash course to a cock pit crammed with a motley assortment of brash pilots from units all across the New Republic forces.  A handful of humans, a pair of Duros, a Rodian, a Whipid and a Twi'lek.  His inseparable first mate occupied a little extra space beside the co-pilot's chair next to him, the towering brutish Wookiee Chewbacca roared out a query as he seamlessly guided the ship through the treacherous surroundings as though second nature to self-grooming must be for him,

  "Raaawwwwoooaarrrrrroo!?"

  Han turned from his narration of possible comparisons to the action at the First Battle of Endor to what they could expect at Coruscant, finding a nice tie-in that fit the necessity of his perspective, leaning forward now he chided the Wookiee,

  "Because Chewie, if I did the flyin' and the talkin', what would I need you for??" the slightly aging legendary smuggler retorted.

  "Rrrrawwwwoooofff!" Chewbacca responded.

  The handful of occupants that understood a Wookiee's.. delicate communications snickered amongst themselves, prompting General Solo's faux anger,

  "Oh yeah? And before that who saved you from getting turned in to a pair of Gamorrean Sweaters back on Teth?!" Han reminded his old pal while appealing to the observers turned audience for reaction who muted themselves and looked to each other while shrugging.

  "Hmmppphhh," the First Mate responded quietly.

  "Yeah, well *I* like my jokes.  Show 'em another sequence of Scissor Kick to a Smuggler's Bailout and take her back to base Chewie.  You kids remember this little combination if nothing else.  If this old beauty can pull it off, those hulks you'll be flying sure can to," Han instructed his counter part who took the Millennium Falcon in to a series of complex evasive maneuvers.

  The infamous ship made it's way back to base, a stabilized carved out asteroid fashioned in to a highly sophisticated hangar bay.  Hundreds if not thousands of massive Roche space boulders were similarly fashioned by the native Verpine for all sorts of the needs of a society from defensive to commercial or industrial to residential.

  Leaving the Falcon, Solo brought up the rear behind the last two of his guests, a Whipid and female Twi'lek.  As the whole entourage casually strolled towards a debriefing room, from the Verpine ground crew, one individual jogged up to the Twi'lek and the two exchanged what seemed like brief salutations with a courteous hand shake.  Catching up to her, Han remarked with a cocky wink, "Lieutenant Mordeesi! ..You make friends fast.."

  The green skinned young lady Twi'lek smiled and batted her lashes coyly while slightly giggling, "Is it not good to make many friends General?" her soft high tone inquired.

  Han somewhat began to blush while realizing they had stopped walking.  He rubbed the back of his neck and threw his glance around, attempting to avert her sparkling green eyes, "I uuh, we-well yeah, yeah.  Friends are good, friends are grre.." he began to answer before she cut him off.

  "Sargha, tehehe" she introduced herself in a personal manner still behaving flirtatiously, extending her petite slender hand to shake General Solo's.

  "Han, Han Solo..General Han Solo," he finally settled on while grinning cheek to cheek as he softly held her hand for a moment.

  Their moment was interrupted, "Oh Han!" a familiar human woman's voice called out.  Han broke his glance to look around the young female Twi'lek.  His long time concubine and yet to be made honest woman, Princess Leia Organa came running out from a passageway and jumped in to her lover's arms, while inadvertently bumping the Twi'lek aside.

  "Leia!" he called out her name with relief as he wrapped his arms around and caught her, her feet a foot or so off the ground as her legs kicked with an amorous flounder and she clung pulled high with her arms over his shoulders.

  "What are you doing here?" he asked, setting her down as she kept her lips glued to his, holding his face before letting go and wearing a bright bleach white smile the size of an X-wing's canopy starring deeply in to his.

  "Well what is it?" he impatiently asked as she simply starred at him.

  "Ask me later, right now, I'm just thrilled to see you!" Leia answered him, leaping back to a clinging embrace before she turned to the still hovering near Twi'lek to apologize for herself,

  "I beg your pardon Lieutenant.. Mordeesi," the Princess offered while squinting to read her name tag, "..forgive my rudeness please! I'm just a ball of emotion lately!"

  The Twi'lek had lost her playful demeanor and became more direct and cold, the sparkle now absent from her gaze, "No, there will be no begging for a Princess.  General," the Twi'lek plainly stated before turning to Solo and standing at attention and taking her leave.

  "Lieutenant Mordeesi, we'll catch up and debrief later.. " Han remarked as Leia held herself tightly at his side and dragged him off. . .



  The following morning, Roche was alive with activity.  A Hive of preparation as the worker bees diligently prepared their warriors for the looming climactic assault of the Galactic Civil War.  Wave after wave of the New Republic's most advanced starfighters swooped from within their rocky berths, taking up grand choreographed patterns just outside of the Asteroid Belts in the Outer System as their numbers simply swelled and swelled.

  Several dozen beings clad in the usual Alliance orange pilot jumpsuits formed in to a neatly organized phalanx as they stood proud.  Broad chested and helmets tucked under their arms as they gazed far ahead and above in the massive open hangar.  The New Republic flag hung from the ceiling.  The Old Alliance Firebird accompanied by what seemed like a series of never ending additions and evolutions.  Marching back and forth in front of the assembly, General Han Solo was neatly attired in a ceremonial seeming take on his usual garb, with a General's insignia placed clearly visible over his left lapel.

   He delivered an unrehearsed speech to the pilots of the fighter wing he'd be personally leading in to battle, the weight of their fate and of the new developments Leia had informed him just the prior evening of hanging heavily in his mind and distracting from the mission at hand,

  "..so when in doubt, if it's got a Twin Ion Engine, blow it up," he remarked, closing a segment addressing the issue of knowing how to identify to which sect of the splinter Empire a given subject may belong.

   His address spanned for several minutes before finally entering it's last leg, a sort of conciliatory closing,

  "....It's gonna get chaotic out there, stick to your wingmen and look out for each other," breaking for a moment, Han shot a glance to Leia who stood off to the side in the background seemingly somewhat distraught, "And May The Force Be With You," he finished and slowly made his way to her.

  The congregation of pilots broke their pose and began fitting their flight gloves and helmets, seeking out and exchanging a few final words face to face with their closest compatriots, Sargha Mordeesi watched General Solo and Senator Leia Organa share their final moments.  For years she had faithfully served her role in the Alliance, a crack brash pilot with a magnetic personality.  Eager to please, in more than one sense.  But her origins a topic never discussed, for if anyone knew to whom she truly devoted allegiance, she wouldn't be here.

  For years she had played the role.  For years no one knew the true Sargha.  An act to placate and appease, a means to fulfill her masters.  It was easy to connive in the absence of conscience.  Conscience was a luxury a servant of a Hutt could seldom afford.  When it occasionally reared it's head in her psyche, she pummeled and buried it deeper.  Her outward seeming focus and determination feigned the true subject of her concentration.

  The Millenium Falcon and last components of the massive fighter group departed the safety of their Asteroid based hangar berths and pushed on to a rendezvous with fate, and the long awaited Battle of Coruscant. . .

[SWSF Eidolon]

Dissent Is A Domino

Coruscant, the seat of Galactic Power. . .

*CUE SOME JAWSY SOUNDING MUSIC! A DEEPER SCALE ON SOME LOUD MUFFLED HORNS!*

Ba-da-BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP Ba-da Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

.. .. .. ..

Ba-da-BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP Ba-da Baaaaaaaaaaa

*SAME BEAT, NOW A LITTLE DEEPER!*

Ba-da-BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP Ba-da Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

.. .. .. ..

Ba-da-BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP Ba-da Baaaaaaaaaaa

Teetering on the obvious all along.  The fatal collapse of the Empire took so long because of the hunger and ambition instilled by it's fathers in their minions.  They carried on the lust for a totalitarian order and upheld, in name, The Galactic Empire.  That same ambition in the hands of many, left unguided and wandering, would be it's final undoing. . .

Far Northwest of Imperial Center. . .

A repetitious slur of blaster fire rang out in the distance from numerous directions interrupting the normal groan of commuter traffic.  An occasional louder burst rattled the ground as it impacted somewhere, generally followed by some secondary explosion or rumble of a crumbling sound until a massive... impact of some kind caused what seemed like an eruption in the ground.  It displaced entire Urban Blocks with it's force, twisting and mangling the endless spire of buildings nearby and knocking them over.  What the fireball itself could not reach, the shock-wave extended a bit further.  A moment of silence pervaded.  Then the rattling exchange of blaster fire resumed, now amplified ten fold and the heavier blasts more regular.  The comm chatter was frantic.  The responder to the chatter was at first hesitant and mull. . .  

*KKKKKKKKSSSSHHHHH* "Errr-Roger that Forty-five.. y-you said between Imperial personnel and a Star Destroyer..., right? er-Over,  *KKKKSSSSHHHHHH*

 

*KSSSSHHHHH* The response was noticeably alarmed, antsy and erratic, "Affirmative! Repeat, a Star Destroyer is DOWN, Northwest Sector Fifty-Six!.. Reports of sporadic engagements between Imperial personnel in Sectors Forty-two, Forty-three, Forty-four! Sectors Three Zero through Thirty Six! and here in Region Capitol Sector Forty-five there's heavy fighting!.. .." *KKKKKSSSSSHHHHH*

 The responder was again seemingly unaccepting of the emotionally implied gravity. *KKKKSSSHHHHH*  "Rr-roger, that Capitol.  Hold tight.."  *KKKKKKKSSSSSHHHH* "We're sending reinforcements from Imperial Center, Over," he finally responded a bit withdraw and official sounding. *KKKKKSSSSHHHHH*

"Send them quick!" *KKKKKKKSSSSHHHHHH*

[SWSF Eidolon]

Dissent Is A Domino (Pt II)

  By midnight in the Northwest Quadrant, nearly every sector was embroiled in some form of Imperial against Imperial hostility.  Near the Capitol Block and Barracks District, the fires were all encompassing and distinct from space. . .

  Most of the initial wave of reinforcements from Imperial Center to support the defenders joined the attackers.  The origin, purpose and direction of the violence was at first obscure.  Within hours of the initial fighting four separate factions had emerged amidst the chaos, all vying for themselves.  The currently largest of which was loyal to Sate Pestage, once Palpatine's closest advisor now heir to the lineage of the New Order.  The carnage in the Capitol and Barrack regions was absolute.  Entire urban levels and blocks that had risen over millennia were toppled and flattened in minutes.  Total War had descended by the crack of dawn.  Loud speakers blared propaganda in all directions as the relentless chatter of blaster fire rang out laced with randomly timed explosions. . .

  **"TRAITORS! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SUBMIT TO THE EMPEROR'S RIGHTFUL HEIR PESTAGE!!! MERCIFUL DEATH MAY BE CONSIDERED!"**

  **"PESTAGE IS A BURDEN ON THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE! ISARD WILL REIGN!"**

  **"PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE TRUE HEIR! ONLY A LORD OF SITH MAY RULE!!"**

  **"BY ORDER OF THE MOFFS AND GRAND ADMIRALS COUNCIL AND UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE SUPREME EXECUTOR, ALL LOYALIST AND SITH FORCES AND HEREBY ORDERED TO CEASE HOSTILITIES! ALL VIOLATORS WILL BE ENGAGED!"**

  And so it raged on, .  By mid-morning, the blossoming Imperial Civil War had spilled out of the Northwest Quadrant as a distinct path of destruction inching it's way towards Imperial Center became apparent.  In orbit, the conflict ensued as the flock of fearsome Star Destroyers began turning on one another. . .

  But still, in Imperial Center, a relative calm and order prevailed.  Sate Pestage met quietly with his personal Inner Circle in the safety of the Palace.  The familiar Crimson clad Royal Guards lined the walls of the circular chamber.  The successor Emperor's quiet mullings were interrupted by a communications hailing.  A tiny hologram of Ysanne Isard appeared as she stood stoic in an unfamiliar regal seeming attire, adorned in the seeming crownings of a would-be Monarch.  She addressed Pestage, to whom she had the previous morning given a security briefing and reassured the climate was calm.  In a direct confident tone and solid speech she declared her intent,

  "Ah, good morning Pestage, I regret the tardiness of this morning's report, but it seems my duties as rising Empress are QUITE demanding..," she finished with a self satisifed grin.

  "Huh!" Pestage began exuberantly, prompting a yakking cough, "*WHOOOOAAAAACCCCCKKKKK! ACK!ACK! WHOOAACK! ACK!*", before composing his retort, "Yes well need not worry about your assassins.  We have rooted out your rats in Center already,"

  leaning forward and becoming more hostile and threatening now he chastised the usurper in a hissing tone, "This coup of yours will fail Empress and I will pull out your beating heart myself when you are brought before me!"

  And so raged the mutually weakening power struggle between Imperial ambitions, sucking up the Galactic Capitol in it's wake. . .

[SWSF Eidolon]

Dissent Is A Domino (Pt III)

  The internal power struggle amidst the puppeteers of the long stumbling Galactic Empire had reached in to it's fourth day.  Entire regions of the city-scape world now disappeared, consumed by the destruction of bitter urban sect warfare.  The carnage and fire had not even been seen in the New Sith Wars, or conceived in magnitude since the legendary Duinuogwuin Contention over ten thousand years ago.  The infernos burned so massive they affected the magnetosphere, causing a gamma ray storm as it seemed a mountain of flame churned below. . .

  While initially Isard's forces came to hold a clear advantage in orbit, Pestage was heavily fortified in Imperial City.  The Imperial Guardians, a large swath of heavy Imperial military personnel already based on Coruscant in the Northwest Quadrant have declared allegiance to the Remnant and Supreme Executor Lucidius Hale, they'd been drawn in to the open conflict by coincidence of the geographic location of the Sith Lord Loyalist Uprising, whose fighters took to calling themselves the Devotees.  The Devotees fight fanatically and without fear, employing new never before seen wardroid models used to break lines as shock troopers would flood in behind.  They pushed further and further relentlessly onward towards Imperial Center. . .

       

   

  . . .Isard herself commanded a Super Star Destroyer, while the newly arrive Sith Lord Darth Algoz brought his own, reinforcing his Devotees on the surface who engaged mostly Pestage loyalists and Guardians.  Imperial Center, where Pestage was held up who's loyalists on Coruscant were by far the most numerous but the most dispersed and least prepared or cohesive.  The towering superstructure city blocks rose far above the surrounding stacked urban swell.  They were protected heavily by the largest shield generators in the galaxy. . .

. . .While controlling considerable naval might, Isard's control lacked in surface offensive abilities as she commanded the allegiance of only small elite forces on Coruscant.  The Sith Devotees however swelled in number and momentum as they cut their way through Pestage Loyalists.  By nature of mutual benefit and individual scheming, the Dark Lord of the Sith Algoz and self-proclaimed Empress Ysanne Isard struck a battlefield alliance, and together, their behemoths and supporting fleets would attempt to break the impenetrable shield of Imperial City with relentless bombardment, while in their passing taking considerable heavy planetary based fire. . .

. . .soon, in Imperial Center however, the relative clam that had persisted was broken.  Much like the whole incendiary conflict erupted with intermittent repeating sputtering small arms fire, so to was the silence in the now threatened seat of Pestage's power.  As the Sith Loyalist troops first penetrated the outskirts of Imperial City, in expected fashion of a Sith Lord, Darth Algoz broke his newborn alliance with the would be Empress Isard, and turned his direct attentions to her power broker, the Super Star Destroyer Decimator.  In a dual never before seen in the galaxy, a pair of the most powerful warships ever known to exist would go head to head, slugging mercilessly away at each other, Isards vessel suffering the worst of the pummeling. . .

[SWSF Eidolon]

The Republic Returns. . .

  Rogue Squadron were the first of the New Republic forces to arrive, unnoticed in the ensuing chaos- as intended.  Commander Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight and architect of the foundations for remaking the Order itself was amidst the elite Rogues, his safe escort their sole purpose.  Like his sister Leia, he too had been plagued by dreams in the months leading up to this moment, but his gave clear direction.  He must confront the Sith Lord Darth Algoz.  And regardless, many would die here, himself included, at least according to his believed prophetic visions, but theirs would be a sacrifice for the return of justice, order and democracy, and should they not come and the New Republic refrain from action.. the entire Galaxy would burn as did Coruscant now before the resurgence of another Sith Emperor. . .


*KSSSSSH* "Copy that Wedge, we've got an hour and five before the fleet shows up, stick close.  I know the way.."  *KSSSSSSH*

*KSSSSSH* "Luke, when have you been to Coruscant, let alone Imperial Palace?" *KSSSSSSSSSH*

*KSSSSSSSH*  "I haven't." *KSSSSSSSSSHHH*

  The X-wing squadron banked hard turning away from space and diving towards the surface of Coruscant.  Much of the Northern Hemisphere was ablaze in what looked like a stagnant sea of lava, until you got closer.  While a good portion of the world lay untouched, the smog clouds forming out of the smoke produced a climactic altering condition across much of the entire planet.  No matter where you went a thick haze of grey dense cloud cover hovered, literally precipitating ash most places.  The civilian traffic was in complete crisis mode as there was zero abidance to marked lanes.  Scavenger and Scrapper ships made up a greater percentage than the few still straggling refugees.  About 80% of Coruscant's population could never afford to set foot on a starship, most of them were still around, peaking their heads in to the upper "restricted" levels of the city-world for the first time in many of their individual lives as anyone with a means had vanished, and the higher regions of Coruscant a veritable ghost town as the continuously growing battle in orbit and across the globe raged.

  The ships traveled for half an hour or so, making frequent zags and bank turns on to or off of lanes of travel through the towering urban landscape they traveled between using as cover.  As time passed, the surrounding ambient traffic faded to nothingness the closer they came to Imperial Center.  The comm silence was broken by a Rogue in awe of a seldom seen occurrence, the toppling of a Super Star Destroyer. . .


*KSSSSSSH* "Wooooow! Sure we even need the fleet?  Looks like they're tearing each other up pretty good!"  *KSSSSSSSH*

 . . .in the distance, yet so massive it seemed up close, the Star Destroyer Decimator, flagship of Ysanne Isard's bid for Empress, was in a slow plummeting tail spin as it dropped to the surface.  Her status in the running was surely in ruin, if she even escaped her warships fate.

 *KSSSSSH* "Can that chatter Rogue 4! There's a lot of people who probably live right where that thing is gonna land!" *KSSSSSSSSSH*

 Luke watched as the gargantuan cruiser settled to the ground in what almost appeared to be a cushioned ease due to the sheer proportion to time scale ratio.  He felt the sting in his psyche of the deaths of thousands.  A sense he'd grown familiar with but never accustomed to.  Then a different sensation of tugging grabbed hold of his mind,

  *KSSSSSH* "Break escort Rogues, I'll go it alone from here on, the fleet should be here any minute.." *KSSSSSSSH"

  *KSSSSSSH* "But Luke, we've got orders DIRECTLY from Mothma and Ackbar to stick to you like glue!.." *KSSSSSSSH*

  *KSSSSSH* "See ya Wedge,.. May the Force be With you" *KSSSSSSSH* Luke casually stated with confidence and affection, completely ignoring Antilles before pulling a flip and roll maneuver that must have included some form of jedi mind trick, as he completely disappeared from both their visual and sensor observations.



  From the beginning of his rise, Dark Lord Algoz's power had coalesced from division as it now did at Coruscant.  For years his Loyalists had grown deeper rooted in the ranks of Imperial garrison forces on the Galactic Capitol and built followings.  In the Post-Palpatine Era, Radical if not Fanatical preachings and propaganda became even more common amongst the Imperial Military then they had during the true Emperor's reign.  Without the honed and innate inclinations imbued through an elongated lifetime of practice in the Dark Side, Sate Pestage stood no chance to effectively govern, unify, control and manipulate a body so large, cumbersome, corrupt and mad with individualistic ambitions as the Galactic Empire.

  Now Pestage's shortcomings have been reckoned.  The Sith Lords troops have over run Imperial Center and near the gates of Imperial Palace.  Ysanne Isard and her long schemed ruthless cunning have proven worthless before the military might of Algoz and she herself dispatched.  The Imperial Guardians hold off the Sith Devotees from breaching the Ancient City and the Old Senate Districts, previously central components of the culture of the city-planet under the Republic, and await the hopeful arrival of their patron Supreme Executor Hale and the Imperial Remnant.

  The Sith Empire has gone from diluted dream to born realization in the span of several days of wanton destruction and relentless battle.  With Isard gone and Pestage about to be swept away, it seems no one stands between the return of a Sith Lord to the Throne of the Empire. . .

  Ackbar sat lurched forward in the command chair of Home One, flagship of the Rebel Alliance at the Battle of Endor, and now of the New Republic at the Reclamation of Coruscant.  He mulled over miniature battle holo-diagrams until a warning alarm blared indicating the imminent drop to realspace. . .

   The fleet had emerged in to a relative calm region of space.  Forming up and setting to orbit, they began their rapid approach closing in on the Imperial fleet now congregated over Imperial City, that took notice of their guests and began forming up to head and meet the new arrivals.  As they drew near, the imposing figure of the Super Star Destroyer Annihilator faded in to resolution long before any of the smaller cruisers appeared as a glint.  Ackbar paced back and forth in his command area, occasionally stopping to gaze out at the closing behemoth as he discussed approach patterns and strategies with numerous other starship commanders through a headset.  As the Annihilator and Home One drew close to firing range, Ackbar withdrew his headset and handed it off to an aid.  He simply blinked and waited patiently until widely spaced errant green jolts of laser fire emitted from the less restraint gun crew emplacements of the Super Star Destroyer.  The jolts dissipated harmlessly for a few moments, until finally one barely reached the New Republic Flagship, sending a light rattle rumbling through the ship.  Ackbar waited for several more before finally giving the order, by now several closing Imperial cruisers unleashing their wrath.

 "All ships, Engage at will!  Freedom and Liberator, attack formation Echo.  Follow me after that Battleship!" he yelled out, his orders echoed in to comm pieces and executed from numerous panel operators on the bridge.

  And so the zero-g dance began.  A lethal tango laced with limitless laser blasts and lucid loss of life.  The massive bulwarks of interstellar military might swung and careened about each other in awkward step as thousands of smaller fighter and shuttle sized support craft zipped about carrying on their own scale of pure carnage amongst the stars.

   

  Numerous Star Destroyers and Mon Cal cruisers met their end in the hours long parade, jockeying for position over one another.  The Sith Fleet suffered heavy loss but stood strong, the New Republic forces slowly widdling away before the might of Imperial war machinery and the unrivaled pure gunpower of the Annihilator. . .

 . . .Elsewhere. . .

[SWSF Hale]

[^] 1st IMPERIAL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE  [^]
Command Task Force of the Imperial Remnant
Primus Et Optimus | The First and the Finest
Commanding Officer: SUPREME EXECUTOR Lucidius Hale

THE TIPPING POINT, 1 of 2

   For some time, Hale had ordered the Imperial Remnant fleet to the far side of Coruscant, as the determination to enter the fray of battle was uncertain. Darth Algoz's coup'de'tat against the Galactic Empire had sprawled into an all out Imperial Civil War. Not letting a single moment go by to take advantage, even the forces loyal to Sate Pestage and Ysanne Isard split - but they failed to take into account the vast legions loyal to Algoz. It was clear now that the Sith Empire would prevail, unless an intervention happened.

   Suddenly though, the New Republic entered the battlespace. How unfortunate. If there was anything Imperials could agree upon, it was the destruction of Republic forces. Onboard the SSD Allegiance, Hale sat in his command chair, waiting for the precise moment to order a full strike. It would seem that Admiral Ackbar and the New Republic wanted to capitalize on this moment of confusion and chaos and seek to capture Coruscant for themselves.

   "Helm, signal the fleet: all ahead flank!" ordered Hale, at last. A small cheerful commotion erupted on the bridge of the Allegiance, as everyone was eager to enter battle.

   "My lord, we'll be arriving over orbital position of Imperial Center within the next few minutes. It appears the Sith Empire has consolidated power, so we need not worry of the Galactic Empire any longer. New Republic forces are currently engaging the Sith Fleet."

   Just when the battle seemed to be getting lighter with the destruction of the GE's Super Star Destroyer, the Allegiance appeared and began blasting away at both Sith and Republic forces.

   "Concentrate firepower on their smaller capital ships. The frigates and corvettes. Let's not repeat the Battle of Endor, shall we?" ordered Hale. As the transmission went throughout the Imperial Remnant Fleet, the countless guns onboard the entire Squadron of Star Destroyers began erupting in united fury - attacking everything that was small. Hale knew the Repuplic Fleet's strength was truly in the lighter combat craft, not the Mon Calamari cruisers.

   Not sparing the Sith Empire from an attack, the SSD Allegiance opened up on Darth Algoz's Annihilator. However, just as the Imperial Remnant was opening up, so were the Republic and Sith Empire forces. The crossfire consumed everyone and everything.

   The minutes seemed like hours as the three massive fleets engaged each other. All the while, something didn't feel right to Hale. A conversation he had with Pellaeon nearly a year ago about the Republic continued to echo in his mind: "if only it was like the old days" said the Old Man of the Empire.

   Out of nowhere, Jana Sable came running into the bridge, holding the Jedi Holocron she excavated on Ilum. "Lucicius, you need to see this..." she said, with a certain trembling look in her eyes. "Now."

   Hale looked around, "Admiral Freeman, you have the bridge."

   Jana and Hale then stepped aside into Hale's personal ready room adjacent to the bridge. Immediately Jana activated the Holocron, and an unknown Jedi Master began speaking about the truth behind the Clone Wars - the rise and fall of a one Anakin Skywalker - who became Darth Vader, and the real nature of Emperor Palpatine.

   "This changes everything," said Hale, reluctantly.

   "I know," replied Jana, who was equally scared.

   Immediately, Hale opened a secure line to the ISD-II Chimaera.

   "Admiral Pellaeon, status report!"

   His bridge rocked and the holoimage scattered for a moment. "Lord Hale, we are under heavy attack by the Sith Empire. Seems we're being singled out."

   Hale shook his head, "Admiral, I know this isn't the best time, but you told me once of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, how it was unmatched in glory. Do you think those days could come again?"

   "What are you suggesting?"

   "Contact the New Republic on behalf of the Imperial Remnant. I have just received a piece of intelligence that has changed the game, Admiral. We've been fighting on the wrong side for years. Ask Mon Mothma if she is interested in forming a coalition government today. The Sith are the real threat to the galaxy!"

   Pellaeon hesistated, "This is one for the history books, Lucidius. But it's something I believe in. It's time to do the right thing for once in my career. I will secure a treaty with them. Pellaeon out."

   After a moment of refrain, Hale stepped back into the bridge and gave the orders that would turn the tides of the battle.

   "All ships, converge on the Sith Empire Fleet!"

   "My lord, we're loosing communications with the Chimaera! She's going down!!"

   Hale looked out the viewport and saw several fires erupting from the superstructure of the mighty Chimaera. It was loosing power and falling from orbit. Still intact, the massive vessel began freefalling towards Imperial Center itself...

TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART 2

[SWSF Eidolon]

RENDEZVOUS (Beginning)

  A new phase of the battle had raged in orbit with the convergence of the New Republic, Sith, and Imperial Remnant fleets.  They tore each other to shreds in a disorganized waltz turned chaotic scrum.  On the surface, the swelling Sith Legions flooded Imperial City, at first on foot then followed by heavy equipment.  The Imperial Guardians still held off the Sith Followers and protected key districts of Coruscant, while many other lesser regional battalions and regiments where the fighting hadn't spread remained confined to their barracks, awaiting the dust to settle to proclaim their devotions.

  A pair of Sith Victory II Star Destroyers stood watch over the Palace, hovering close overhead beneath the cloud cover as a shadowy cloaked figure ascended the promenade staircase of Imperial Palace, passing between it's two outer towering statues, monuments to the slain Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader constructed by Pestage. . .

  The former Inherited Emperor was no where to be found, having fled with the last of his loyalists.  The fighting around the Palace continued in a dwindling fashion as the resistors faltered and completely broke when Sith Armored Walkers emerged from between the shadows of the stacked layers of mostly smoldering urban landscape, advancing unchallenged.  Unnoticed in the hectic turmoil, a small fighter hugging close the tops of buildings swooped towards the Palace. . .

TBC and finished this Weekend

[SWSF Eidolon]

Rendezvous (Middle)

     A Jedi Knight at the Battle of Endor, the last of a legacy.  A self-styled Jedi Master now, the aspiring architect of a new Jedi Order.  Draped in dark cloak, tunic, trouser and boot, Luke walked with determined step and purpose, hood pulled up over his head.  The scene of war unfolded in the not far distance around him.  The ground shook as loud explosions and rumbles coursed through the air from nearly every direction in intermittent bursts.  Toppled structures and debris, the burnt out frames of defeated war machines, and the bodies of thousands of dead Imperial soldiers lay scattered about the landscape.  Secondary fires burned everywhere while smoke rose and ash fell.

    Continuing his focused one man march to the Palace, Luke came to be passing along the main causeway leading directly the to front entry, a few hundred meters ahead.  Between he and it, stood an Imperial Walker, head swiveling in survey as it's body stood at rest.  The self-taught Jedi Master didn't miss a beat in his pace as his face pointed slightly down and he looked upon the towering beast through his brow line.  As he approached, the head of the monster stopped it's pivoting and concentrated on the tiny single individual walking directly up to it.  At several dozen meters away, a small red streak reached out from one of it's earpiece weapon emplacements, screeching through the air before smacking the concrete a few meters in front of Luke and scalding it.  He continued his stride uninterrupted and undeterred.  At a few dozen meters, one of the larger chin mounted blaster cannons expressed it's protest.  The heavier blast carried a concussive wave with it as the fireball slammed the same causeway concrete, now tearing and flinging large chunks of rock and plumes of dust.  A smaller oblong but significant hunk flew directly at Luke, landing squarely across his lower gut and knocking him to the ground, throwing off his cloak.  It stole his breath away as he rolled and coughed, gasping for air.  Severe bruising was assured, broken ribs likely.  On his knees and palms recuperating briefly before he forced himself to his feet, dragging his cast off covering with him and tossing it across his shoulders, he then turned to face the Walker that seemed to almost offer a sly smile while waiting for the Jedi to make his next move.  First brushing off his attire, he adjusted his cloak before looking to the sky and closing his eyes with his hands in tight fists at his front waist line.

    Reaching out with his mind, he searched with the Force for the proper string.  Now a refined practitioner in the arts, he'd never found it more difficult to identify a thread as now than since his time on Dagobah with Yoda.  He'd single handedly put down a Walker on his own once before (more so attributed to luck than prowess) but he'd never found himself amidst the magnitude of the carnage that now engulfed Imperial City around him.  He'd never set foot on Coruscant.  He'd never been aware of his own impending death.  He shook off and drowned out the distraction, concentrating harder.  Swimming in a black emptiness of some tangible yet unseen and sensationless reality, his heightened consciousness dwelled only on purpose.  He must confront Algoz, and nothing would stop him.

    Best compared to a lucid dream state and without fear or emotion, Luke proceeded to navigate the situation by other means.  Thousands of tiny glowing wriggling silk worms of identical appearance and proportion appeared, suspended in the black emptiness upon their own plane, of one level and equal spacing forming a gigantic disk.  They emanated a faint hazy off white aura all their own.  Individually inspecting them all closely in what seemed to be a swath of time encompassing days within The Force, yet moments in the reality shared by most, each sequential false thread worm Luke plucked from it's position became part of a woven rope, until the rope was of great length and wore over his shoulder coiled with a single of the once numerous silk worms remaining.  It's glowing hue changed to an orange-ish red as it began to rapidly swell in size, growing to become a massive voracious creature groaning for satiation.  Rows of consecutive jagged jaw lines drizzled salivation as it roared for blood.  Luke calmly swam about the creature making a number of passes, continuously looping the long rope woven from thousands of silk worm threads.  Disconnected from his mortal body, he had no feeling of it, nor it of him.  Whatever was happening there, translated here simply as it did, simply as The Force chose to present it and how the subconscious projected it.

    By the time he'd finished wrapping the rope around the giant creature, it seemed like days had passed and he was exhausted.  Still in the black emptiness of The Force, he paused and closed his eyes, beginning meditation. . .

. . .back in Imperial City Luke opened his eyes.  The heat was intense upon his face but not burn inflicting.  The flame cast a red reflection within his eyes.  He felt composed yet energetic.  The Walker lay immediately before him, face planted in the ground and slumped forward on it's front shoulders, smoke billowing from it's drive system and neck attachment severely crushed in.  Luke threw his hood back up and resumed his determined stride around the crippled warbeast, along the causeway, and eventually in to Imperial Palace. . .

[SWSF Hale]

[^] 1st IMPERIAL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE  [^]
Command Task Force of the Imperial Remnant
Primus Et Optimus | The First and the Finest
Commanding Officer: SUPREME EXECUTOR Lucidius Hale

THE TIPPING POINT, 2 of 2


   As the space battle raged on, it seemed some headway was being made. Allegiance Squadron had managed to destroy a vast swath of the Sith Fleet, with the Sith Fleet in turn destroying swaths of the Republic Fleet. It seemed that the Sith were more concerned with destroying the Republic invaders than they were quelling the Imperial Remnant - a calculated effort to keep Coruscant under Imperial control - but the firepower of the Allegiance and the full squadron of Remnant Star Destroyers were bearing their full weight upon the space battlefield. However, the losses were notable.

   Already the ISD-II Chimaera had been knocked out of orbit. Hale saw the Chimaera's bridge explode along with several other regions of the hull burst into flames during the vessel's chaotic re-entry. What was left the hulking Star Destroyer was burning a path directly towards the Imperial Palace itself, but that didn't change the fact that Pellaeon was now dead.

   "Lord Hale, the Chimaera has crashed on Imperial Center a few kilometers away from the Imperial Palace. It's a warzone down there. Survivors will be met with active hostilities," reported the executive officer.

   "We don't have a choice, commence full invasion," Hale then turned to Jana, "I need you to break away from the main assault force. Take the Royal Guards to the Imperial Palace and destroy everything. I don't want to take any chances. Level the place. Kill Algoz. Get out of there."

   Jana looked into Hale eye's knowing the seriousness of the mission at hand, "as you wish, Lucidius. And if Skywalker is killed? We need him alive."

   "It's time we swept away the Old Order once and for all, if he goes down with it... so be it," replied Hale.

   Jana nodded and made her way to the docking bay, where she met with all 100 of the Imperial Remnant's Royal Guards. Of course, thousands upon thousands of Stormtroopers were also assembled. Jana's strike team was but a dagger in a storm of swords that was about to descend on Coruscant's surface.

   "Lord Hale... incoming transmission from... Home One!?" prompted the executive officer.

   Immediately, a holographic image of Mon Mothma appeared.

   < Supreme Executor Hale, I have the displeasure of conveying to you Gilead Pellaeon's last words. It was his wish to restore the Republic, the Republic he first served under many years ago, as many of us all have. I am therefore reaching out to you in our most periless hour... will you honor terms of a peace treaty between our two governments? >

   Before Hale could respond, the holographic image cut off.

   "What happened to that transmission?!" asked Hale.

   "My lord, look!!" a bridge officer pointed to Home One, which immediately began exploding. The remainder of the Republic Mon Calamari cruisers also began getting ripped apart by what was left of the Sith Fleet. Without their larger vessels, the Republic had no chance to capture Coruscant. Any word or promise of a peace treaty died with the Chimaera and Home One... or did it?

   As the fighting kept raging on, Hale sent a priority message out to Allegiance Squadron detailing the conditions of what he dubbed the Pellaeon-Mothma Treaty. Within a matter of minutes, the message was met with the immediate withdrawal of all the Remnant's Star Destroyers with the exception of those which were exclusive to the 1st Imperial Expeditionary Force. The Pellaeon-Mothma Treaty apparently was unfavorable in the eyes of many Star Destroyer commanders, as undoubtedly this meant Hale was no longer a true Imperial.

   Regardless, the Sith Fleet was soon met with a swift end as the SSD Allegiance remained as the last Super Star Destroyer standing. In the mass withdrawal confusion, a handful of Sith Star Destroyers as well as the rest of the fleet also evacuated - leaving to return to fight another day perhaps.

   At last, there was victory in space... for the new found alliance between the 1st Imperial Expeditionary Force and the New Republic!

(Epilogue to follow after Eidolon's Finale Post)

[SWSF Eidolon]

Rendezvous (Sidebar!)

  General Solo led a strike team consisting predominantly of a select wing of elite starfighter pilots, and a handful of light support cruisers escorting a small armada of landing shuttles.  Accompanied by a significant force of the fearsome B-Wing starfighters, they laid a path of destruction through the ensuing chaos as they plowed their way straight through to the surface of Coruscant. . .

. . .their mission, to secure the Old Senate District, currently under control of the Imperial Guardians, a distinct Imperial military force loyal to Supreme Executor Hale.  They'd as of yet prevented the fighting from penetrating there.

  Aboard the legendary Falcon, Han and his right hand Chewbacca manned the controls in a dimmed cockpit.  Leia sat behind them arms and leg crossed with an unreceptive tight lipped expression, in the midst of a scorning from the ship's Captain,

  "..but you, this, here, NOW?  Not what i need LOVE!"

  "RRRAAAAAAOOOOWWWWRROORRRRR!!"

  "..yeah, yeah, I got it Chewie!," he broke lecture to respond to his comrade and returned to addressing Leia now in rhetorical narration of himself, "..Nobody else in this task force has the pleasure of their pregnant concubine as close strategic adviser along for the Assault on Coruscant, and here I am.."

  She interrupted him, "..Nobody else?  If you believe that you ought to visit the Ithorian Herdship cruiser!  I think the captain is a pregnant female,"

  "That doesn't count," Han countered, "Most Ithorians are female and pregnant, lucky men!" he finished with a laugh hoping to rouse some accompanying approval, but none materializing.

  "Raawooorrroooo!!" Chewbacca answered him.

  "Hey I'm no speciest! I like Ithorians, but it's true, why do you think they call it a herd?  Most of the males are cast out," Han defended himself.

  Leia rolled her eyes, "And they gestate for years skewing your perspective!" she retorted.

  "I'll tell you what's skewing my perspective. You. Here.  Distracting me from winning this for everybody as usual.." Han answered her.

  "ROOooAARRROOoooo!!"

  "..sorry pal, me and Chewbacca from winning it, so what's your point in all this?" he corrected himself and again returned to chastising his pregnant stowaway lover.

  Leia began a lengthy lecture but was distracted herself but an internal tugging, "My Point, is that I believe in this as much as anybody, and I'm NOT going to let the hydraulic headed father of my soon to be children get himself..." her speech faded as she felt it growing stronger.  She paused for a moment simply sensing it before rushing to the cockpit's side viewport,

  "Han, it's Luke! He's over there, I feel it...we have to go help him!" she exlcaimed.

  "And what? abandon the Strike Team? We've got a mission, Luke can handle himself.." Han dismissed her.

  She ignored him, grabbing the communications headset herself and addressing the accompanying Frigate squadron's Commander,

  *KSSSHH* "Captain Chessik, this is Senator Organa aboard the Falcon, assume control of the Strike Force and proceed as planned.  We're breaking off to Imperial Center to assist Commander Skywalker," *KSSSSHHH*

   *KSSSSH*  "Roger that Falcon, May the force be with you!" *KSSSSHH* a dim fuzzy voice replied.

   Leia tossed the headset to Han and turned to depart the cabin, "Take us to Luke, Chewie," she ordered the First Mate as she left.

   "RRaaawwrroooo?!" he roared an inquiry to Han after he was sure the door had shut behind her.

   Han threw a hand up as he shrugged and relented, "if you wanna defy a Pregnant Princess, that's your choice buddy,"

    "RRRaaaarrrrrrrroooo!!" the faithful Wookiee answered.

   The New Republic Strike Team proceeded to the Senate District while the Millenium Falcon broke off and made a direct course for Imperial City.  A flight of newer Incom Howlrunner I7 Interceptors screamed by beneath, causing a moment of panic at first before realizing they hadn't taken concern toward the lone Corellian freighter. . .

  

[SWSF Eidolon]

Rendezvous (Finale, A Summary in Pictures!)