Open Orbit

*Rham Ciota's ship flew into orbit. heading for the planets surface.*

*Once Thakelrot's ship was in orbit, the final settings were set and Thakelrot gave the control to the ship to his droid and the droid continued the ship's journey to Kashyyyk while Thak slept in his chair. The droid entered hyperspace and the beginning of a new life was just ahead.*

*The Thrud exits Hyperspace and moves into formation with the orbiting MM ore hauler. After the freighter finishes taking on it's cargo, both ships leave orbit and exit the gravity well. Simultaneously, they disappear into hyperspace.*

*The stars pulled back from their stretched form in hyperspace and the enormous grey Venator-class assault cruiser arrived in the orbit of the planet Kiffex. The ship was fully outfitted for a swift pull out. Its triangular shape loomed over the planet, almost looking down on the green orb as it spun slowly in the openness of space. The weapons were powered down and the shields were down. Sitting ducks for any attacks on them right at that very moment. But they weren't expecting any. Nobody usually dared to attack a single cruiser. What if there was a fleet right behind them? It was too easy for most.*

*Inside the ship, Commander Rhyler Quinn looked at his team of ARC troopers. He commanded a small contingent of around forty to fifty soldiers, each split into squads of five each. This mission was supposed to be easy. A training mission, so to speak. Kiffex was fairly unoccupied territory. The Exchange wouldn't mind if they just sent a few troopers in for a training mission. They ignored each other and everything went over well.

Rhyler cleared his throat beneath the helmet. He gestured for attention and all the soldiers saluted and stood in front of him.*

"This operation is a training op. It's not meant to be any sort of overtly dangerous mission by any means. But that isn't an incntive to take it any less seriously. These are stun rounds that we will be using. You will be sent down in groups to set up in different base camps. Follow the lead of your lieutenants instructions. The ship will not come and pick you up until you are completely finished the mission and I give them the signal.

Pack your gear up and head with your squads to the nearest dropship. Good luck, soldiers."

*The soldiers saluted and turned in quick formation moving towards each of the four dropships. The commander spotted his own squad and made his way over to them. They were about five in total. Himself, "Half-pint" - the short Lieutenant in his group -, "Shots", the comedian of the group and their weapons technician, a big trooper named Judge and "Talon", a trooper with a skyhawk talon painted on his pack and a nasty attitude. The four huddled around the Commander, all voicing their own concerns about the mission at once. Quinn quickly waved his hand to quiet them down.*

"One at a time, you're making my comm go berserk."

*Zashyn "Half-pint" Loross. That was what they called her. Only they didn't know it was a 'her,' despite the many months they had been working together. The electronic comm read the vibrations of her whispered voice and transmitted it as tinny, computerized vocals through the helm.*

"Commander, what sort of fauna can we expect to encount-"

*Talon's armored shoulder hit the center between her shoulder blades, disrupting her words. He snorted as she turned her helm to stare up at him.*

=Talon=
"Whats the matter, scared of a few rabbits? Come on, let's get moving."

*Quinn shook his head, watching Talon push the little one around. It always bothered him that the others tended to pick on this one. He saw so much talent in this one. To make it as an ARC at that size, you had to be determined and very, very strong-willed. He grabbed the shoulder of Half-pint as he moved off, watching as Talon strode violently towards the ships with Judge lumbering close behind.*


"You shouldn't let him push you around like that, Half-pint. He ever gets in your face, you get in his."

*This squad was quickly turning into his family. He'd been with them for a few years now and every day he learned something new about them. The only one who was new was Talon. Hashed into the squad by higher-ups. It made Quinn so mad to just have someone thrown in unexpectedly like that. But Lander, their old pilot, was gone. Dead. A pit inside his stomach churned for a moment and then it was gone. Fleeting. Emotion had to be scarce around troopers. It only got in the way of the battle.*

*Her body immediately stiffened as Quinn laid a heavy hand on her shoulder. She could feel the heat of her skin beneath her mask. No, it was no good. She shouldn't have kept putting off applying for that transfer. But they worked so well together, knew each other's moves as well as their own, and she was loathe to lose that. But she should not have stayed with them.

She should not have fallen for her commanding officer.

Zashyn shrugged Quinn's arm off her shoulder and ducked beneath it, elbowing him in the chestplate to take some of the sting out of the cool reaction.*

"Nah, he doesn't bother me, Commander. He'll get used to me."

*She quickly fell into line behind the rest of the squad to board the ship.*

*Get used to him? An easy answer and a smooth one too. But something was off about that officer as of late. Something felt different. Quinn shrugged it off. He was losing it again. Tapping the side of his helmet, he notified the cruiser's captain that he was heading for the ships and leaving the vicinity as he walked towards the gleaming hulls.*

*All four of the ships were soon in orbit. Two of the pilots were having a little bit of an issue with their controls. Something to do with the control valves on the ships acting weird. Quinn paid it no mind. The ships were getting to be a little old.*



*The commander's world was rocked by a giant explosion and his vision went hazy for a split second. He reacted fast and grabbed onto the parachutes they had come prepared with and strapped one to his back. The rest of the group seemed to be doing the same thing. He yelled at the pilot over his helmet com.*

:: "What the fierfek is going on up there?" ::

*The response sent a stab straight into the pit of his stomach. Two of the other ships had gone down in a fiery ball of smoke. They had to evac the ship now as shrapnel made it difficult to land. Although he wanted nothing of it, the pilot seemed determined. So, Quinn ran to the side and jumped...

He didn't remember pulling the cord. But he did. Something must have slammed into him because the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, on his back. Looking upwards and breathing heavily. He tapped his helmet.*

:: Status report, squad. Status report. ::

*The dropships gathered within the hangar bays of the Venator-class assault cruiser. Once all ships had returned within its confines, the large vessel slowly, yet efficiently, altered its course and set its destination for the base on Coruscant. The hyperdrive's glow began to brighten, until the entire cruiser roared into hyperspace, disappearing from Kiffex.*

*A small, unmarked scout ship arrives in orbit above the planet Kiffex. It scans the system in the immediate vicinity, then proceeds planetside.

Some time later, the ship returns to orbit, easing away from the planet's gravitational pull, then disappears into hyperspace.*

[quote="Lunak'yyx'aele":2czea0ld][narration:2czea0ld]Ten VT-49 Decimator Assault Ships fall out of hyperspace near the neighboring planets of Kiffu and Kiffex just as they are crossing orbital paths closest to one another. A moment later, forty-eight GR-75 medium class transports fall out of hyperspace behind them in an aggressive militarized formation.

Leading the transports, the assault ships engage their laser cannons on the turrets of the minimal orbital defenses in order to take out as much of threat as possible before the transports fall within weapons range. As the fighters engaged in the surprise attack, the Twi'lek leading the attack transmits her final orders to the fleet as one over a secured frequency.[/narration:2czea0ld]

[comlink:2czea0ld]Regiment Alpha to engage Kiffu's terrain. Battalion Beta to proceed to Kiffex. Pilots, watch those electrical storms as you descend. The shielding should hold. Each transport can hold more than 1,000 droids and a compliment of armored vehicles...I expect every cargo hold to be maxed. All dead and wounded are to be retrieved from the field. Remember to leave witnesses...not evidence. Laele out.[/comlink:2czea0ld]

[narration:2czea0ld]Forty of the GR-75 transports, carrying 3500 troopers, began their descent to Kiffu's terrain. Three of the assault ships provided escort and air support.

The remaining eight transports, carrying 700 troopers, broke away from the bulk to head for Kiffex along with two assault ships, leaving five of the Decimators to continue the fight against the enfeebled orbital defenses.[/narration:2czea0ld][/quote:2czea0ld]

[quote="Lunak'yyx'aele":2cmywgo4][narration:2cmywgo4]Forty-eight GR-75 transports and ten VT-49 Decimator Assault ships met in space above the orbiting planets of Kiffu and Kiffex. The two neighboring planets were gradually beginning to pull apart, as though the storms that ravaged their close proximity to one another marked the end of the assault force that had just ravaged their people.

One by one, each of the ships eased their way to the hyperspace lane that would take them home, then disappeared in a flash of light.[/narration:2cmywgo4][/quote:2cmywgo4]

*The XS Stock Light Freighter emerged from hyperspace near the planet Kiffex.*

*By now, Rha's irritability had grown with her appetite, which always came in sudden and overwhelming waves. Not to mention, she could not trust to let Tra out of her sight for a moment so long as that morsel of a Jawa was on board. Why he wanted the Jawa so badly was beyond her. It seemed hardly a satisfying meal for either one of them, and the fact that it was the only remotely edible thing on board was its only appeal.

Hissing, she pushed out of the co-pilot's seat and moved to the rear of the cockpit to retrieve her customized wrist cuffs, slapping each one over her slender forearms.*

"Aboutsss time."

*Tra stepped out of his seat. And started to jiggle around with his poker, inaverdently turning it on and shocking himself. He quickly turned it off and went back to his seat as he ran scans on the planet. He was starting to have second doubts.*

Yesss, Isss knowsss, butsss whatsss heressss? Isss dontsss seeesss anyss opurtunitysss forsss foodsss.

*He ran a few more diagnostic scans, while he waited for a reply, there had to be some place to find food. Particularly, rancid food.*

*Rha growled, exposing rows of sharpened teeth.*

"Thisss isss a rich world fullsss of life. And deathsss. Evensss your fatsss belly might be sssatisssfied long enough to dosss your job."

*She had had all of the pessimism she could tolerate from him. She spun sharply to leave the cockpit, smacking her tail against him as she did so.*

"Landsss the sssship. I'sss going to check onsss the Jawa."

*She ducked her crested head to clear the doorway of the freighter and began making her way back to the cargo hold. Her own stomach growled, darkening her mood yet further, and feeding her own doubts and negativity. She and Tra made a good team, but his focus left something to be desired. Perhaps she would be more successful without him? Or perhaps with another partner. But she couldn't trust another Tiss'sharl not to eat the merchandise. Hell, she couldn't trust Tra not to eat the merchandise. She continued to rumble low in her long throat, throwing her own personal tantrum.*

*Tra ignored her attitude and landed the ship. Well, yeah, the pre-landing checks went perfect. It would be on the planetary surface in no time. He stayed in the cockpit for a while as it descended.

They made a great pair and the only reason why Tra was looking for food was that he was hungry. And well hunger brings out the worst in any Tiss'Shar and in any human. Once he was fed, he would on top of everything. He liked Rha and knew that she could keep him in line and his ability to hunt was superb.

Maybe Kiffex was the right planet for both of them to solidify the friendship that has lasted them so far.*