Session export: Red Charhounds - Great Mock War

Leaders changed. The Galaxy did not.

Erinyes, Appius, and now Cassandra. All Taldryan leaders worth the position had recognised one simple truth: peace in The Galaxy was fragile at the best of times, but one blaster kept another in the holster. For Erinyes and Appius, that blaster was General Zentru’la. And now Cassandra had followed suit to solicit the mercenary’s services.

Unlike her predecessors, however, who would call on The General to put out fires when they got out of hand, Supreme Chancellor Tyris’ approach had been professional, the contract wise, capitalising on the window of peace: pressure test the Taldryan Senate Complex defences, with a pick of Taldryanites and alongside the Vornskr Battalion mercenary company.

The Harbinger *touched down on Zentru’la’s hand-picked staging ground. The mountainous twi’lek scanned the area. The Eastbook district offered enough space for a small forward operating base out of range of the Senate Complex artillery. Shortly after the *Harbinger, a small corvette and Sentinel-class shuttles delivered the 600-strong Vornskr Battalion Infantry.

“Give my guys the order and they’ll get it done, Gen’ral!” said a Zabrak almost as large as the General himself. “The Blue Wimpas don’t stand a chance, we’re taking the win!”

“Fortify the area, Mudhorn One. We’re not the only ones involved here. Our Taldryanite allies will arrive shortly.”

In all honesty, Anders found the whole idea pretentious. Whilst he understood the idea behind testing the Taldryan Republic’s strength, especially in the wake of the Saijo War and feud with Clan Plagueis, he did not condone making a public display out of it. There were too many unknowns. What if the Children of Mortis saw them? What about the Collective? Or that one guy near the tower who hated the cantina food enough to spark a rebellion?

It was an internal security disaster in the making, and when it happened, Anders was more than happy to march into Cassandra’s office and tell her that he told her so.

Regardless, combat scenarios could be useful to some, he had to conceive that.

Speaking of internal security disasters, Anders sped along the streets of Kasiya on his 74-Z speeder bike with little regard for calamity. He was still getting used to the streets, but that was what Draca was there for, sitting behind him with his arms wrapped around Anders, clinging on for dear life.

“Do you have to go so fast!? Wait! Take a right!” Draca pointed as if Anders could see behind his head.

Nevertheless, one sharp turn later and they were at the rendezvous point set up by General Zentru’la himself. Truth be told, Anders was looking forward to meeting the man, especially if the story’s were to be believed.

Anders parked the speeder bike in front of the General, allowing both he and Draca to dismount.

“General Zentru’la, good day to you,” Anders clasped his hands behind his back. “I am Chief Inquisitor Anderson, though you may call me Anders if you prefer. I am the new Director of the OSI. This here is my companion, Draca. Draca, don’t be rude. Say hello.”

“Hello, sir,” Draca waved at Zentru’la and Mudhorn One. The young Jedi was holding a distinctive bag, which a little BD-unit droid’s head popped out from, giving them a wave with its mechanical leg.

Koharu looked up from her bag she was double checking for supplies, her long ears following the movement. She wrinkled her nose a bit as she sensed him before seeing him fully. One to look out for. She thought to herself and closed her bag before hopping of the container. Slinging the bag onto her back, it almost looked rediculously large on her. It didn’t matter to her, better be prepared then short on supplies.

She went over to the two new comers on hand and feet, only closing the last few steps on just her feet.

“Hello, I’m Koharu,” she said with a bow, “I’m your medic.”

Dasha was in a corner, tapping away at her datapad with both hands. Though she had kept her back to a wall, anyone glancing over would see the young Sephi squirming this way and that as she was playing some video game.

She had packed another couple of datapads for this though had other surprises in her satchel… as usual.

Some nearby raised an eyebrow when they noticed the Sephi just nonchalantly ‘have fun’ before the mock war. Others scoffed and muttered something while the newer folk questioned amongst themselves about her level of care and why a seemingly child was here. The veterans just turned a blind eye to Dasha’s schenanigans, knowing full well she’s shouldn’t be disrupted in case they earned her ire… even for the tiniest altercation.

Zentru’la greeted Anderson, Draca and Koharu with a military salute. Mudhorn One followed the General’s lead. Both Anderson and Draca had lightsabers hanging at their hip. That was the important thing, not the pompous introduction, but at least Draca got points for efficiency. “The medic is the most important person in the army. You can block blaster bolts. Protect Koharu at all times.”

The troops had all assembled in the staging ground. “RED CHARHOUNDS!” The percussive blast of each syllable cut through the commotion like a thunderous drum beat through a light melody. It was enough to make even Dasha glance over her datapad.

“Each of you on landing was issued a datapad.” Zentru’la paused for a second as the Charhounds checked their datapad. Dasha had a few to check through to get to the right one. “It contains a map. The Taldryan Senate Complex is to the north. Note the locations of the Mass Driver Cannons.” The cannons were highlighted on everyone’s pad as he said the words.

“They know we’ll attack from the south and have positioned their troops there.” Again, rows of line infantry were highlighted on the map. “Captain Trugaim will fly overhead to update us of any movement. The Vornskr Battalion will meet them head-on in a frontal assault. This will leave the north side unguarded. Anderson, Draca, Koharu, Dasha, find a way in from the north and shut down their defences. Vornskr Battalion, move out!”

Even storming the Senate Building? Anders rolled his eyes at Cassandra’s brazen attitude towards this event. Somehow, someway, this was going to come back to bite them all. He just knew it.

“Is something wrong, sir?” Draca asked, having seen the non-existent attempt if Anders attempting to hide his displeasure.

“Not at all, Draca I’m perfectly fine with being used as a pretentious display of a Clan’s might, especially when said Clan was invaded by a key Brotherhood enemy a year ago.”

Draca frowned. “You think something bad will happen?”

“Probably not, but it’s a risk. With risk, comes the probability of the unexpected. I expect nothing but the best from you, Draca.”

“Of course!” Draca smiled warmly at Anders. “I would never dream of letting you down.

"Very good,” Anders said. “I didn’t train you for nothing. Its a good chance, at the very least, for you to gain some combat experience in a simulated environment.”

Anders had to at least concede that point.

Koharu was tapping her foot on the ground, arms folded across her chest. “Excuse me? I’m here, you know?”

“Last I checked, I didn’t ask,” Anders’ smile vanished.

“Anders, please, let’s not make enemies of our teammates!” Draca gave a bow to Koharu. “Hello, I’m Draca. Perhaps we should meet with Dasha to prepare for our mission?”

Anders sighed. Draca was far too soft sometimes…

Koharu wrinkled her nose again at the actions of the Chiss before she nodded at Draca’s comment, making her ears wave. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

She hopped over towards Dasha and smiled as she approached the Sephi “Hi, I’m Koharu,” she said with a bow, “I am sure you heard Zentru’la’s plan?”

Dasha looked up and blinked as she looked Koharu with her eyes while visibly nodding in acknowledgement. A hand pulled out what appeared to be an explosive ordinance from her duffel bag and the Sephi casually held it out for Koharu to take if she’d like.

She looked puzzled at the explosive as she slowly took it. “Are you not coming along? I thought you were the explosive expert”

Dasha stood up and shouldered her duffelbag to indicate that she’s ready to move.

As she walked away, she appeared to be contemplating something but shook her head deciding against it.

“I do believe she was trying to give you something,” Anders rolled his eyes at them. “Regardless, I am eager to get this farce over with. Come along, Draca.”

Anders followed in pursuit of Dasha. As Draca passed Koharu, he stopped. “I’m really sorry about him. He’s not as bad as he seems, I promise…”

“Draca!”

The Zabrak straightened his posture and went wide-eyed before chasing after Dasha and Anders. “Sorry, sir!”

Koharu frowned and stuffed away the item Dasha gave her before hopping after them on hand and feet.

“Who bit you in the butt that you are so grumpy, Mr Grumpypants?” She asked Anders as she followed them

“I am not grumpy,” Anders growled between his teeth.

“She does have a point,” Draca folded his arms across his chest, getting a glare from Anders in return. “What?”

“Did he get out of bed at the wrong side? Or didn’t he get his cafstim yet?”

Koharu kept following, but kept a close eye to what he might do.

Dasha slowed and stopped only to check around doorways and cdorners as she headed to the spot labeled for… blowing up.

As soon as some ‘enemies’ were spotted around the next corner. Dasha immediately took off at a sprint from an almost dead stop, disappearing from view.

“Now, Draca!”

A blue lightsaber ignited, and Draca shot forward. He moved like a blur down the hallways before leaping into the air, twisting his body as he landed in between a group of three. He tapped them all lightly with his lightsaber.

“Got you, got you, got you!”

The weapon was, thankfully, on stun as the three soldiers grumbled and walked away.

“This is fun!” Draca said. “I-”

A stream of lightning soared past him. He had neglected to spot the fourth ready to “shoot” him in his back. The soldier dropped to the ground, writhing in pain before going silent.

Alive, but unconscious.

Anders approached him. “This is not a game, this is combat simulation. Treat it as such.”

Koharu had lingered a little behind them to keep herself out of harms way and shook her head at Draca’s carelessness.

“Focus keeps you longer alive then bravado…” she said as she stepped closer, “We better keep moving as I’m sure they will have warned the others that there an attack group on this side too.”

Dasha continued to ‘dash’ closer to the shadow-er areas catching attention briefly for the others to continue to neutralize their opponents. Occasionally, her lightsaber would flash as she deflected stun-blaster plasma away from herself and her haul.

Anders had to admit, he was slightly impressed.

Only slightly, though.

Lightsabers were the weapons of Force Users. They were not to be soiled by the hands of those without the power to wield them properly. It demanded respect, something Dasha seemed to lack. Who authorised her training with it? Whoever it was, they were an idiot.

Unfortunately for the group, the activation of the weapon echoed down the halls. Troopers belonging to the Blue Wimpas, as Vornskr One had so adequately put it, surrounded them. Draca and Anders took point, defending Koharu and Dasha as much as they could. It wasn’t long before they were encircled, out arched, and outgunned.

“Tell the boss,” one trooper said. “We’ve captured the enemy. We can use them as bargaining chips.”

Anders looked the man in the eyes. “We are not the enemy, they are.”

Words woven through the Force pierced the troopers subconscious. He slowly turned to his other soldiers, pulled out his weapon, and began shooting them.

Koharu held her hands ready to weave a shield of protection around them, but it seemed that the soldiers were capable enough to take each other down instead.

“That’s one way to solve this,” she said with a shrug. “Beter keep moving now.”

“Hold the line!”

Zentru'la’s voice drowned out the rain of blaster fire. The General lived where few other Generals did - at the centre of the front line. The Blue Wampas had fanned out in formation ahead of his troops. Men dropped left and right on both sides from the stunning shots. Advancing didn’t matter. All they needed to do was to hold the line and draw the attention until the strike team made their way inside.

Zentru'la sidestepped a stun grenade, reloaded his repeater for what felt like the hundredth time and released another torrent of fire back at the enemy. “Anderson. Status report?”

Static came through tbe comm-link, followed by screams, Lots of screaming. Proceeding that sounded like the cackling of electricity, and the distinct humming of a lightsaber.

“My apologies, General. These Blue Wampas are terribly rude.”

More blaster fire sounded in the background, followed by the background chatter of a scream of guttural pain.

“As I was saying, we are inside, making good headway.”

Meanwhile, Dasha has taken to hiding behind everyone else with the next set of equipment in her duffelbag of goodies.

She dropped to the floor as a stun-blaster shot was going to hit her center mass, then rolled over to dodge another coming at her face, temporarily abandoning her duffelbag.

The young Sephi pulled herself up onto her knees trying to reassure herself, “Im one with the Force, the Force flows through me… ok who am I kidding myself?”

“Let me help you” Koharu said as she held out her hands towards the incoming shots.

Dasha was just about to pull them both away when the shot harmlessly dispatched against a Force shield.

“Go do what you wanted to do, I can keep you safe for a while.”