Mission Log

Episode XI: Some Closure

Date: 37:7:31 - 37:8:12

With the repairs and modifications to the Hammer completed and the Wild Fire in tow, the Nova Dragons set their course for Minraava to hunt down the Slavers. During their long trip, they received a message from the Alliance informing them of Jaron Vashir's escape and the tragic loss of Alliance personnel who were guarding him. The Fox was loose and would surely be looking for his captors in due course...

On arrival in the Minraava system, the Hammer and the Wild Fire were greeted by a small Slaver flotilla consisting of a squadron of nine Y-TIE Uglies, two modified Republic Patrol Cruisers called Vulture and Carrion, an A600ATV called the Fortune Trader, and two modified Boarding Shuttles called Gripper and Vampyr. The Hammer immediately deployed her two Headhunters and the battle began.

Between the four Nova Dragon vessels they managed to destroy all of the Slaver starships except for the Fortune Trader, which the Wild Fire managed to disable before it could escape. During the fight both of the Headhunters suffered some minor damage, whilst the Hammer and Wild Fire were unscathed.

With the Slaver's fleet neutralised, the Hammer docked with Fortune Trader and boarded her. The freighter's crew offered no resistance to the boarding party and was quickly brought under the control of the Nova Dragons. The freighter wasn't carrying any cargo and the crew were imprisoned in the Hammer's brig. Kethan and Krib decided to get the A600ATV up and running again, so a team of the Hammer's engineers were left onboard to start the repairs. Meanwhile, the Hammer entered orbit with Grunos, one of Minraava IV's moons, to track down the Slaver's base.

They located the Slaver's base in the northern corner of a box canyon, which was near a river in the southern hemisphere of the moon. From orbit, the base appeared to be comprised of several buildings plus a landing pad and power generator. The steep canyons walls protected the base on three sides, whilst the open, southern, side was sealed with a security fence and gatehouse. With there being a high probability of there being slaves in the base as well as slavers, the only option was a ground assault. A basic plan was rapidly formulated, with some reliance on the adaptability of the Nova Dragons to react to any unforeseen circumstances...

Syl, Chaide, Kal, JD, Krib, Samic, Morrez, Raggy, Zulah, Dallarra and Alyssa boarded the Wild Fire and headed down to the moon's surface. Syl took the Wild Fire down to a very low altitude and headed towards the base from a north easterly direction. When they were about a kilometre from the base, Syl slowed the Wild Fire down and opened the cargo bay doors so Krib and Samic could exit the vessel on Krib's speeder bike. Once they were dropped off, Krib gunned the speeder's engines and moved to approach the base from a north westerly direction. Meanwhile, the Wild Fire continued her course towards the base and strafed the gate house with laser fire.

With the gate house gutted and an apparent lack of air defences, the Wild Fire landed fifty meters south of the security fence and disgorged all the Nova Dragons bar Syl who took the Wild Fire up into a low orbit. With the team on the ground, Raggy and Zulah led the charge through the smashed gate with guns blazing.

Meanwhile, Krib and Samic pulled up short of the canyon and covered the remaining distance on foot. Once at the canyon edge, the two took up sniping positions and started picking off the sentries who were guarding what appeared to be the slave compound.

The group assaulting the gate met heavy resistance and were attacked from all sides by the slavers, who were in nearby buildings and foxholes. Only the use of grenades managed to save them from being driven back from the gate. During the course of the gun battle, Chaide noticed the elusive Zen coming towards them between two buildings. Eager to settle the score with the slaver, Chaide headed towards him.

At either end of the alley, both Chaide and Zen came to a halt. Zen told Chaide that he was holding a remote detonator for all the slaves and that if the Nova Dragons didn't leave he'd trigger it. Chaide challenged Zen to fight man on man for the detonator. Zen, thirsty for Chaide's blood, readily agreed. As Chaide approached him, Zen stood his ground and fired his pistol at Chaide, who ducked under the whistling blaster bolt. Continuing to close, Chaide returned fire, but his shot went wide. Seizing the initiative Chaide stepped in and attempted to punch Zen. With lightning reflexes Zen managed to avoid the blow and ripped Chaide's blaster from his hand, throwing it to the ground behind them whilst dropping his own. Chaide threw a punch at Zen's kidneys, but again he managed to dodge out of the way. Using his martial arts training, Zen aimed a nerve strike at Chaide's thigh. The strike found its mark and Chaide's leg collapsed under him and he ended up sprawled on his back with Zen looming over him. Still on his back, Chaide narrowly avoided a kick by rolling away. He attempted to stand but his leg wouldn't support him. Desperate, Chaide lashed out with his good leg and brought Zen crashing to the ground. Chaide struggled to his feet and found that he could just about stand. Zen, who had got his feet quite quickly, aimed a kick at Chaide's abdomen. Blocking the powerful blow, Chaide countered with a jab to Zen's jaw, who shrugged off the blow. Angered by the punch, Zen outmanoeuvred his unstable opponent and by grabbing his arm slammed him face first into the alley wall. Chaide's nose exploded in a fountain of blood and gore as it connected with the alley wall. Somewhat dazed, Chaide threw his head back into Zen's face in an attempt to get his arm free from behind him. Zen managed to maintain his hold despite reeling from the impact. Zen then whispered in Chaide's ear "I thought you'd be better than this. It's time this was finished" and slams him into the wall again. Recovering quickly, Chaide said "Yes, it is" whilst smashing his fist into Zen's crotch. Zen collapsed to his knees clutching his groin in agony. Still kneeling and leaning forward, Zen looked up at Chiade's bloody visage and said "I thought..." as Chaide interrupted him by stamping on his neck uttering "You thought wrong!" Chaide stepped over Zen's motionless body towards the dropped detonator and collapsed in a heap...

Meanwhile, the battle at the gateway raged on. However, the slavers were no match for the determined Nova Dragons and their desperate defence was soon overrun. It was at this point that Kal noticed Chaide face down in the alley. Rushing to Chaide's side, Kal immediately began to treat his injuries whilst the others started to systematically clear out the compound's buildings. All the while Samic and Krib continued to pick off guards in the slave compound's guard towers.

After securing most of the buildings, Alyssa, Morrez and Zulah headed to secure the hangar opposite the landing pad, whilst Dallara, JD and Raggy headed towards the slave compound. As the former group neared the hangar, pre-ignition noises could be heard from what appeared to be Lambda-Class shuttle. Thanks to the new video up-link equipment bought by the Nova Dragons, Kethan was able to see this and directed the sensor's operator on the Hammer to scan the shuttle. The scan revealed that it was indeed the same shuttle that was used to escape from the asteroid base and that it had some engine trouble preventing it from taking off. As Kethan relayed this information to the team on the ground, they came under fire from two people either side of the hangar bay doors. It was Dev Fort and Sordan. Alyssa and Zulah charged forward to engage them in close combat, whilst Morrez started firing his blaster at them with little success. In moments Alyssa and Zulah were on top of them with knife and force blades flashing. It was over before it really began.

With Dev Fort and Sordan dead, the remaing slavers lost heart and surrendered to the Nova Dragons. With the slavers as prisoners and the slaves released, Kethan called in the Alliance to help with the clean up.

Captain's Log:

<<37:8:12/NOV.DRA/CAP.LOG/>>

I feel quite ashamed at my agonising over whether this was the course of action to take. When I saw the holo feed of those we had liberated, I knew that ultimately there had been no other course. It was right and proper that these people were given the opportunity to rebuild their lives, in peace and freedom, able to make their own choices rather than chafe under the lash until meeting a violent, painful and untimely end. My Master has taught me to search my feelings at times like this, to be ever alert for the temptations of the Dark Side. I was curious, would I feel anger or even hate towards these people? Odd, then, that my only feelings were of pity, a deep sadness for those who had diminished themselves by their actions as surely as they devalued their victims, there was none of the burning rage I have felt boiling from both Morrez and Krib at times, and yet they too seemed calmer, more close to peace, when they returned. Still not at peace though, Krib is unlikely to reach that state if only because of his heritage, Morrez, though... if we can find his mother, then maybe, just maybe, inner peace can be his. The demons of the past can finally be laid to rest.

As we arrived in system, I confess to momentary doubts when the sensors revealed that the slavers force was so large: two patrol cruisers, a pair of shuttles and nearly a squadron of Uglies.

Syl, Chaide, Kal and Krib did a stalwart job aboard the Wild Fire. Morrez and Samic showed that they still have some way to go, but I think both will have learned from this experience. At least they came back in one piece, always vital if one is to be able to draw upon an experience. JD's gunnery teams did a fine job neutralising both the Patrol cruisers. We suffered only minor damage to the Headhunters, and were able to capture an A600 freighter to boot. I think that we'll have to use this vessel to return the freed slaves to a safe haven, the longer we maintain contact with them, the greater the chance that one will pick up enough information to bring an Imperial task Force down on our heads, unwittingly I'm sure, but it's a risk I wish to avoid.

With Aaron unavailable, piloting the Bindfast back to the Waypoint Station, I was relegated to a position aboard the Hammer, overseeing our new Explorer communications system. I must say it felt strange to see events unfold like an action holovid, whilst I don't relish combat, I do what I must, and to be excluded to the position of passive observer didn't sit comfortably. If people are to fight and possibly die because of decisions I take, then the least I can do is be there for them.

With this distraction gone, we can return to our current mission. After a brief period, required for repairs and restocking, at the Waypoint station, we can be back on patrol in the Ringali Shell, securing much needed supplies for the Alliance. I need to review current intelligence reports to determine our next course of action.

-Captain Kethan Falor