The breifing quickly dispersed, leaving the pilots with what little free time they had.  There had still been no sign of Shazam, or any records from the med-droids in the hanger.  Only the debris from the horrific crash that made it into the hanger.

Jaden stood with one leg on a stool, clutching his chin.  The stars were streaming by through the viewport as the Atrus continued on it's journey through hyperspace.  The allocations of the stars were odd in the Rheagent system, all different kinds of colors mixed in with beautiful nebulas just off moons of the few planets in the system.  Storm cells could easily be seen by the naked eye from the viewport, but the supernovas could damage the eyes into an un-repairable state if they were looked on for too long of a time.

Warren had now taken command of the squadron, due to the absence of Shazam.  The vibe in the briefing room was one of the worst that Jaden had ever felt with his squadron.  So many of the pilots depended on Shazam for his amazing leadership skills, and the influence he caused on all of his squadron-mates.  But now, they would have to put all their trust into a new squadron commander, hoping he could bring them to victory at Cepany.

* * *

The rubbing sound of the flight suit against Jaden's legs was second nature to him now.  He could feel the temperature of the cold helmet through his flight gloves as he walked down the corridor, and into the mess hall.  A few academy pilots were conversing while eating flat-bread and drinking stim-tea, but one of them caught his attention.  It wasn't an academy pilot, it was Warren.

Jaden hadn't had the chance to speak with Dimmias quite yet, but he had heard all of the storys about Delta Squadron and the battles Warren had been in before he was assigned to the squadron.  Jaden straightened up his posture as he came into proximity with the lieutenant.  Jaden quickly saluted at the sign of a senior officer.

"Have a seat Jaden," said Warren, "I was going to come looking for you in a few minutes anyways."

"Well, thats a suprise," said Jaden, "Something you needed to talk with me about?"

"Yes, but just a moment.  I'm going to wait for Arturus to get here before I tell you this," said Warren, hesitantly. "Here, have some tea in the mean time, it'll help you focus during the mission."

A few minutes later, after finishing the tea, Jaden noticed that Arturus had now walked in.  He quickly made his way over to the table where the two Nazgul pilots were sitting.  Arturus had a very diminished look on his face, as if he was in a state of pain.  He sat down with his fist clenched in his flight glove.  Something was definently wrong.

"Alright, now that you are here Art, we need to explain something.  We have already told a few of the other squadron pilots about this, now it is your turn to hear it," said Warren, as if he was waiting for Jaden to reply.

"Go on," said Jaden, "It must be important"

Warren cleared his throat and began.

"We believe that Shazam is now dead.  There were no signs of life from the wreckage we found that made it into the hanger, and none of our scouting crews found any bodys outside of the ship before we left.  Our 'theory' so far is that he disintegrated in the explosion right before making it into the hanger," Warren sighed, "Arturus, you have something to say?"

Arturus let his grip off of his hand for a few minutes to speak with Jaden, "You and Jack are the most experienced pilots besides Warren and I, and we just need you to concentrate and help lead the squadron during the mission.  Jaden, I know you haven't been in a leadership position for a long time, but you are going to have to step up and lead these pilots.  A lot of positions are changing now that we," Art paused, "have lost Shazam.  Do you understand?" he asked

"I will use my upmost responsibility during the mission and do my best to help lead these pilots in a successful mission," said Jaden, "But I'll let Jack do most of the commanding out there.  We'll listen for you guys on the channel, and I'll make sure the rest of the pilots get the message and understand what we are doing out there"

Warren and Art stood up, and Jaden followed.  After a series of salutes, they left Jaden at the table alone.  After ordering another cup of stim-tea and some flatbread, Jaden sat down at the table and started concentrating on his mission.
 
-----------------------
Jaden Khaar


Vast Empire
FM/SCPO Jaden Khaar/Nazgul 1-4 (Nazgul 4)/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE (=*A*=) (=*SA*=) [VC:S] (SV)

Steam poured out of the booth and into the room, creating a slowly dissapating haze that couldn't stop Darius from having his hand on his blaster.  Once it cleared, he relaxed and dressed.  Looking down at his wrist chrono, he noticed he was late.  Swearing, he armed himself in the usual fashion and pulled a black cloak over himself.

Next, he rushed out the door and walked quickly to the lift.  In five minutes, he was at the mess hall and was stopped when Art and Warren walked out.  "Art," Darius acknowledged and nodded.  It wasn't very noticable since neither could see his face.

"Darius.  Getting that cut on the back of your head patched up?"

"Yes.  Twelve stitches."

"Really, it didn't look that bad."

"Wife did it as a precaution."

Art couldn't help but smile.  "Yep, I know what you're talking about."

Warren interrupted, "Don't I usually get acknowledged too?  I am the squadron commander now, or do you have a problem with this."  His tone wasn't angry, but he had obviously felt offended when he was completely ignored.

"I don't have any problem with you.  My loyalty lies with Nazgul.  I just don't trust you as much as I do the rest," he replied in a serious, emotionless tone.

"It appears that you don't trust many other people either.  Wearing that cloak makes you look like a shady character.  Should just start calling you Wraith..." Warren was about to give him a smile, just joking around, but Darius swayed to his right and had to steady himself against the wall.

"Hey, are you alright?" Art questioned. 

Darius took in a deep breath.  "I'll be fine.  I'm late.  Gotta meet with Layren."  He walked past, still keeping his hand on the wall.

"Is there something wrong with him?"  Warren asked Art, unaware of Darius' situation.

"Probably another flashback.  They appear to be occuring to him more often."

"Flashback?"

"I'll let Darius tell you the story.  Might ease a little tension between you two anyway.  I'm going to check if he's alright."  Art turned around and left Dimmias.  The SC just shook his head and continued his original course.
 
-----------------------
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

-----------------------

FM/CPO Darius Pursius/Nazgul 2-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=) [VC:B] [CB*]

Trevor sat through the initial breifing quietly, listening closly to Japheth`s details, trying to keep his mind off of Shazam. He hadn`t got to know the pilot very well, but they had gotten along just fine. Trevor figured that if Shazam had had more time, they could have made a pretty strong friendship.

Trevor had been one of the last pilots to leave. He had stayed in his chair while everyone else was exiting the room, playing with the ring on his right hand. It wasn`t a valuable ring, just something he had picked up when he was younger for a couple of credits from a trader on Tatooine. It was silver coloured, and had half-circles on it. He considered it lucky, although time after time it had proved itself more of an bad-luck charm than a good-luck charm. While he had been thinking about nothing in general, just how this seemed to be something caused by his regular bad luck.

When he had left, he hadn`t gotten far before he realized themeeting would be starting in a few moments. He didn`t know where though. It felt awkward to him, asking random crew members if they knew where the Nazgul meeting was. Finally someone told him it was in the breifing room, and he turned around and was back headed towards where he had come from. He saw Warren standing in a doorway, and sprinted towards the door, coming to a halt infront of Warren.

"Sorry I`m late, if I am." He quickly appolgised, slightly out fo breath. This is why I didn`t join the army.. He thought to himself, bringing a smile to his face in spite of himself.

"Nope, your not late yet. We`re still waiting on a few others." Warren said, giving Trevor a smile and moving to the side to allow him into the room. As Trevor started into the room, he brushed shoulders with Warren, slightly harder than he excpected. Warren had been knocked slightly off balance by the nudge, and dropped one of the papers he had been holding.

"Mr. Evenson," He said, as he reached down to pick up the paper. "Do you have a problem with me?"

He didn`t sound angry, just annoyed.

"No sir. I don`t have a problem with you, not as a person anyways. Your a good man, but I don`t trust you. Don`t take it personal or nothing, but Shazam held us together. I don`t think you have what it takes to come even close to replacing him." Trevor said, almost letting his temper get out of control. He was a bit angered when he found out Dimmias would be taking command insted of Art or Jen. He would much rather take and order from them, even if he didn`t get along with Art that well, than take an order from Warren. He had been thankful that Warren had talked a bit of sense into him previously, but didn`t trust him yet.

He glared at Warrem for a second, then crossed the room and took a seat in the 3rd row, a few seats in from the end. Slowly everyone else arrived, and within minutes of DJ`s arrival they had started.

"Do we have everyone here?" Warren queried at the front of the room, all eyes on him. He looked very serious and there wasn`t a sound in the room. You could have heard a pin drop.

"Good. I'd like to start off by introducing the newest member of the squadron," he gestured optimistically to a young man in the back of the room. "Leading crewman Darren Bidalgo Albright... Welcome." The blond pilot waved in an uncanny way, flashing an image of their former squadron commander that made everyone in the rest of the room pinch their eyes slightly to distinguish the features. Trevor looked behind him to the pilot and nodded a small hello, not sure if the man caught it, but no matter.

I wonder if he was assigned to replace Shazam, maybe just to even out our numbers....O well, hopefully he is a good pilot. Trevor thought to himself as he straighted up and faced Dimmias again.

"Very good, you'll be in Jack Nebulax's flight. Everyone else's positions will remain the same..." No one really reacted. Jen was sitting in the back of the room with her hair swept back behind her head as if it had been a last ditch effort to keep from looking totally broken. She looked a mess, and Trevor felt sorry for her. He didn`t know any of her history with Shazam, only stories of past mission, but, he wasn`t an idiot, and could tell when to people were really close, and had a long history together.

"Now, as all of you heard, we're going to Cepany. It was our original designation and in my head at least, our responsibility..." Now there were a few nods, especially from Jaden and Trevor. "We'll be flying interceptors of course, and be helping to break down the number of enemy fighters around the convoy ships orbiting the planet. After significant damage had been dealt, we'll move into the atmosphere and decimate pirate frigate's escort and open the door for Cepany defense crews to disable them. Hopefully in an efficient fashion capable of inspiring further imperial commerce with the planet. And as Japheth warned you, do not think about engaging them unless you have undeniable proof that is an enemy..."

"Weather conditions... I'm aware that this squadron has encountered a few storms in the past. But understand that the storms that rage the surface of Cepany will not be friendly to imperial or pirate... So, there is an extensive storm system engulfing the other side of the planet right now, so we have at least five hours, four when we arrive, before it comes into range of the storage houses being raided... Yes, Dj?"

"I was wondering if the pirates involved with the events a few hours ago were linked to this raid... The whole thing is a little unsettling..." The pilot pulled off the request perfectly, forcing Warren into a corner. He looked at the audience wearily and said-

"At this time, we believe that the infiltration of that strike cruiser occurring in the same period as the raids on Cepany is coincidental. It's a big galaxy out there after all... Anyone else?"

The room was quiet and the white walls reflected the bland feeling...

"Suite up..." Warren said, and everone rose to go get suited up. Trevor went to the back of the room, planning to introduce himself to the new pilot. But when he got to where the pilot had been, he was no loner there.

Quick guy...I`ll have to catch him later. He thought to himself as he walked to one of the closer exits and started off to his quarters to get his flight suit on, when he nearly ran into Tokijin, who was coming out of one of the other exits.

"Oops, sorry." He apologised. "You ready?"

"I don`t know...Do you think we can do this without Shazam? Do you think Nazgul will work without him?" She asked, trying to hide her nervousness. "I mean, you knew him longer than I did..."

"Honestly, I don`t know. Its not going to be the same, but we`re Nazgul. We can do anything. We`ll find a way." He said, trying to reassure her. "And I havn`t known him all that much longer than you." They continued to walk in silence, and Tokijin broke off when they got to her quarters and Trevor continued on to his, thinking about what she had said, and what he had told her.

He wasn`t sure if they could get along without Shazam, but knew they would find a way. Alot of the people in the squadron needed Shazam, as a center beam, holding everything together. But everyone was also intertwined with eachother, and removing the center beam wouldn`t cause a collapse. They would be held up by the support of the others, and when one became weak, the others would hold them up.

He opened the door of his room and started to get ready, finding his flight suit and helmet. As he picked up his helmet, he noticed the small 'H' he had painted on it his first day in Nazgul. He reached under his bunk and pulled out a smaller vibroblade, and carefulyl scratched the H off. He got everything on, except for his helmet, which was tucked under his arm, and made his way to the hanger.

-----------------------
FM/PO2/Trevor Evenson/Nazgul 3(1-3)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=*A*=)

The floor of the transport ship shook and grumbled as it made contact with and landed on the floor of the Starship Atrus. The lower passenger double doors slowly swung open as the new recruits filed through the passageway. Each member looked tenacious and some were overwhelmed by the sheer size and grandeur of the place. The main group was being split off into smaller groups based on which squadron each member was in.

Darren Bidalgo Albright, preferably Crimson Phoenix, shifted his weight, carrying his helmet and flight jacket in one arm, the other occasionally tugging on his favorite dark jacket for no reason. He located his group and made his way over to it. A man in uniform that stood in front of the main group gathered their attention and gave them their orders.

"Listen up, recruits!" their temporary commander barked at them, "We've going to lead you to the ship's barracks where you can drop off your baggage, and then we're going to head back to the mess hall so you can meet with the rest of your squadrons and eat dinner. Let's move!"

The mass of soldiers shuffled through the door of the dock that lead into a wide, stretching hallway with long lights running along the ceiling and either side of the path. While the sounds of conversing, eating, and general movement could be heard toward the right, their group took a left down the hall. Crimson was approached by a taller man who looked a few years older than he, and Crimson welcomed the conversation during this time.

"Hey man, the name's Lark. How're you?" he said while extending his hand toward him.

Darren accepted his handshake and replied, "I'm Darren, but I prefer Crimson Phoenix. And I could use some sleep after that trip." He pointed his thumb over his should toward the dock.

"No kidding. Good to meet you, Crimson. So, how'd you end up here? What's your story?"

Darren turned somber. "Oh, you know, the usual. I'm a runaway from home and decided to join the Empire." He smirked. "Bet that half the guys here got that same story."

"Yeah, I wouldn't take that bet. Anyway, I'm here 'cause I was forced here. I was too much of a rebel back home, so my parents shipped me off here, to try to straighten me out a bit, I suppose." He laughed. "Not a chance. I do my own thing, know what I mean?"

"Sure do," Darren started, but was cut off when they had reached their destination, and the commander yelled at them again.

"All right, recruits, listen up, because I'm not going to repeat myself. The Kaph Squadron quarters are to your left. Nazgul's in the middle, and Aegis will be on youre right." He pointed to each as he spoke. "You got five minutes to find a bed, dump your stuff, and meet back here, so don't take your time. When we're reassembled, we'll head down to the mess hall Now move it!"

Crimson and Lark headed for the middle door and picked beds that were near each other. Deciding to unpack later, Crimson laid down his flight jacket and helmet, and slid his backpack off and onto the bed. The two met back out with the other soldiers, and as a mass once more they were herded down the same hallway in the opposite direction. They passed the dock, which Crimson noticed the transport ship was just now departing and went on to the mess hall. The two got some flat-bread and tea (neither of which were too appetizing, but as hungry as he was, Crimson would eat anything) and told each other more about their families and past lives. When a Nazgul Squadron meeting was called, the two parted, and Darren found the rest of his squadron.

He picked a seat near the back of the room and spotted Jen a little ahead of him. She was an old friend of his, and knew to make it a point to meet up with her again. Warren called the meeting to order and kicked it off by introducing Crimson to the squadron. He wanted to put his best foot forward, and while feeling like crap, he was still able to put on that facade of his and wave to his mates. When they turned to look at him, everyone seemed to be looking at him longingly, as if they all remembered him somehow.

Warren continued to brief them on the rest of their mission, and when it was finished, Crimson made a beeline for the quarters. He jogged along, thinking he should've brought his jacket and helmet with him, of course. All he wanted to do was make a good impression, and so he hurried to gather his belongings and rush back to the hangar. This was his first Navy mission ever, and all the hours in Basic Training couldn't have prepared him for the feeling he had now. A mixture of excitement, nerves, frustration, and energy surged through him.

Maybe things will calm down in the pilot's seat, he thought to himself, Yeah, and maybe Narunian hogs will fly. He laughed.

[OOC: All right, so it's a little long, but that's the way my intros tend to be. *shrugs* Trust me, it won't be this bad later on, lol.]

-----------------------
The Crimson Phoenix

I suppose this is probably where I should place either a really supremely profound quote, or an extremely (or perhaps not so much) witty one. Hmm, I think I'll go with the not-so-witty quote. Here goes:

"Try not a barrel roll. Do a barrel roll or do not a barrel roll. There is no try a barrel roll." - Masta Yoder

FM/LCRW Crimson Phoenix/Nazgul 3-3/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE

(OOC: This is to fill in some story line from my perspective)

***Prior to the story beginning***

Art wasn't sure what to think.  Of course the obvious was to be upset, he had lost a great and truly trustworthy friend.  He would miss Shazam badly; he was probably the best commanding officer he had ever had.  But this wasn't all that was at stake.  Dimmias was now in charge of the squadron, something that took the motivation out of flying.  Maybe Taylsha is right, maybe I should take up some desk job.  He thought to himself.  Then he realized that Dimmias was a couple years older than him and still flying well.  Art was in excellent shape and even though he was 31, his reflexes were still as sharp as they had always been.  He had never had the best reflexes but he was still a damn good pilot; that's what he thought at least.

Art looked over at this damaged arm.  The medics informed him not to fly for several weeks while it healed and the muscle damage repaired through tough work outs.  That wasn't satisfactory enough for Art and despite what the doctors or Taylsha said, he wasn't going to stop working.  In addition to stitching up the wound, at Art's insistence, they also gave him a special brace that would allow him almost normal flexbile and would give him the support needed to use the arm somewhat normally.  He couldn't fly properly with it like that but he was able to do many normal tasks while he tried to build up the muscle again.

***Prior to the briefing***

"Is mental insanity caused by arrogance excuse enough to kill your commanding officer without punishment?"  Art asked tongue in cheek to Taylsha.  Taylsha laughed at him.

"Don't say that too loud."  She said laughing.  Art sat on the bed in mock anger.  His relationship with Dimmias was becoming a joke to the two of them.  Between the displays of arrogance and absurd pomp, he had become a laughable site in Art's eyes.  It wasn't really all that funny, in fact it wasn't funny at all.  However, Art had begun to rationalize it as such in order to restrain him from rash action.

Art stood up and made his way down to the hanger.  He had begun working on a new flight yoke for his interceptor so that he could fight with one hand.  After creating an initial design, he gave it over to the mechanics to make it work and fit it into his fighter and into a simulator for him to practice on.  A few minutes later, the mechanic informed him that it did indeed function correctly and all diagnostics proved normal.  Art went back to the Nazgul simulator area and went to practice on his simulator that had been modified.

(OOC: I don't feel like going into the details of the sim.)
 
-----------------------
FM/ESN Corran "Arturus" Hargraves/Nazgul 2/Phoenix Wing/M-SSD Atrus/VE/VEN/(=A=)(=SA=)(=*MA*=)(=JCPA=)(=SCPA=)[MC:1](x2)[SV][BRC][VC:B][LSM][LoC]


"The way of war is a way of deception. When able, feign inability; when deploying troops, appear not to be. When near, appear far; when far, appear near. Lure with bait; strike with chaos. If the enemy is full, be prepared. If strong, avoid him. If he is angry, disconcert him. If he is weak, stir him to pride. If he is relaxed, harry him; if his men are harmonious, split them. Attack where he is unprepared; appear where you are unexpected. This is victory in warfare; it cannot be divulged in advance. Victory belongs to the side that scores most in the temple calculations before battle. Most spells victory; least spells defeat; none, surer defeat. I see it in this way, and the outcome is apparent." -- Sun Tzu

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting." -- Sun Tzu

(Also after the briefing...)

Back in his quarters with Alexia and R2-X7, Jack decided it was time to discuss with his wife whether or not he should stay in active duty.

"I know you've wanted me to retire ever since we got married," Jack explained, "and I myself have also been thinking about it, especially on our last mission. But my first duty is to Nazgul and my squadronmates. We've been through a lot, especially Shazam and I. I'd hate to let them down now. We're heading out on a new mission now, you're pregnant, and the death of my stepbrother is tormenting me constantly. Now I have to choose."

Alexia looked at Jack, glancing at his scars and wounds, and then at his mechanical right arm. Every time Nazgul went out on a mission, Jack seemed to bring home a souvenier, whether it was in the form of a bruise, a cut, a blaster wound, or a new arm. But she understood why he kept flying with Nazgul Squadron. After all, Jack had been with Nazgul before he had been with Alexia.

"I know what you're facing, Jack. And to tell you the truth, I don't care what you do, just as long as you come back to me alive. I don't want our son to grow up without knowing his father. I want him to know the man who was a hero, not the stories about him," Alexia said. "I want our son to have as much of a normal life as possible. Away from war, away from death and suffering."

"I know. I don't want Jason to be aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer when it's under attack while his father is in space repelling the enemy. He shouldn't grow up like that. We'll send him to the Space Academy back on Aurora Prime when he's old enough. He'll be a smart kid. He'll know all about fighters and stuff like that, but I'll never let him pilot one, especially when it involves fighting the New Republic or pirates," Jack said.

"That's the thing," Alexia said. "He'll know you're an Imperial pilot, and he'll want to be just like you."

"Hopefully he'll take after you and become a medic," Jack reply with a short laugh.
 
-----------------------
Revenge is what holds this galaxy together. Without it, the universe would be a boring place.

------------------------------------------------------------
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Jack Nebulax, Nazgul Squadron, Imperial Navy, Vast Empire.
FL/WO2 Jack Nebulax/Nazgul 9 (3-1)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=) (=*SA*=) [SV] [VC:G]
Rep|Int/Rep Jack Nebulax/Rep: 4/Reporters-Interviewers/VE/VET
------------------------------------------------------------
Admiral Jack Nebulax, third-in-command of the Auroran Defense Fleet (ADF) and leader of Nemesis Wing (Wing I)

Jen Knight was leaning against the far wall, looking up toward the ceiling of the hanger, surveying her great craft with her grey-purple eyes.  The main transparisteel view port looked grimly out across the hanger and yet it seemed so ardent, determined to do what must be done.  She had to respect the craft in its grace and all at once redoubtable sangfroid.  Another time, perhaps& she thought upon looking at her hand then across the bay toward the bridge.

The hanger was busier than usual.  The command crew normally seemed pretty comfortable in their cushy station jobs, but now they ran about frantically delivering updates to their commanding officers in the hopes of getting a break from all the haste.  The bridge commander was accompanied by a slightly expanded staff, but that was to be expected considering the full-scale coverage the Atrus would be providing.  Just underneath the bridge she saw her replacement. 

Aldur Wyndaru was a short-lived Nazgul member who had accompanied them on Darius Pursius's rescue mission at Kessel.  He'd had just enough time to become acquainted with his squadron members, even those who died during the mission, before he was exported to do continued training under an Academy summon.  Now he was back, recalling names that he'd heard months ago and trying his best to fit in just before mission time.  She'd liked the young man, she remembered, but now, in the wake of everything, it seemed almost improper.  But then again, did she really want to be flying right now?  The Theta Class Shuttle that had been assigned to Nazgul Squadron just recently, lay at the edge of the hanger's entrance.  There was no question it was brand new, the plastic covering had only been taken off the view port to transport it to the Atrus where it sat quietly, biding its time for a chance&  Anything.  It would serve its purpose today, she knew and noted two of the pilots that would be accompanying her.  Thought this only had a crew of two&  Wish I would have caught who it was I was flying with... she thought and then remembered she wouldn't be flying whatsoever unless it only required one hand.  No- today she'd be using her eyes alone.  Time to move...

"Pilots, report to your fighters...  Pilots, report to your fighters&" The monotone voice of the man on the com continued her measured attitude for a second or so longer, but then the lights at the upper edges of the chamber began to flash red, then white and back to red.  They were coming out of hyperspace...  Jen wasn't the only one making way to shuttle now she noticed as she stuck her injured hand in the appropriate pocket.  The three gunners were ready to go and all entered the shuttle at once in front of her, not abandoning their bouncy behavior whatsoever.  To her left and up the steps she saw Darius and Jack jumping through crowds of swarming techs; DJ nearly met a middle-aged man stricken with bovine surprise before he threw himself against a wall to keep from knocking the fellow senseless.  Jen slid on her helmet before she climbed in, smiling slightly and taking one last glance around the room, not sure of what she should be taking in.  She did notice Dimmias calmly stepping into the lift in the farthest corner of the hanger, helmet between his arm and waist.  Just get in the shuttle.

***Ten Minutes Later***

"Nazgul Squadron is ready for launch, command Atrus&" The gentle hum of the TIE interceptors became even more mild though the walls of the cockpits.  There was white for a while and then lines of black streamed into the cluster of bright space, slowly pulling back into silhouetted dots specking across the landscape. 

"You are clear, Nazgul Squadron..."  A restless gentleman with one of his headphones off behind his ear entered the command into a terminal as he said it.  Beyond him, within the apprehensive span of the hanger bay, Nazgul One dropped smoothly through the open access, crossing the barrier as if leaving the water and returning to the sunlight.  A flash of light emitted within the cockpit as it turned toward Cepany, showering its ventral surface with crystal brilliance.  The radiance dimmed and transformed into a vivid picture displaying two imperial bulk cruisers cantering around a pirate assault frigate blasting in every direction.  Beside the assault frigate and in front of one of the two bulk cruisers lay a set of Transporter-Class Cargo Cruisers.  They were the original target of the pirates, each one loaded to capacity with raw materials.  The bulk cruisers encircled the group of ships while a pirate Loroner-class strike cruiser dived between them in the hopes of hitting an isolated area.  Above the battle sat an Imperial Destructor-class cruiser watching for holes in the attacking formation so it could be closed.  Its gravity wells were well awake and focused to the greatest degree- no one would make off with what they'd taken on their watch.  They wouldn't actually be engaging the enemy unless it was totally necessary, because their equipment was crucial to keeping the enemy in one spot.  If they broke through, what would keep them from just jumping into hyperspace?  They're pirates, they don't care who they leave behind&  So, while the Destructor-Class cruiser wasn't an Interdictor by any means, it would be able to keep the enemy from jumping by use of two projectiles that disrupt the hyper drive in any ship.  The only downfall to such equipment is that they must meet their mark and they take a good hour to recharge&  And if that wasn't enough to stop them, well&  The Atrus was still there.

"It looks like things are goin alright," Trevor said as he came down from behind Art and dropped into formation.  As soon as he said it the Hapes Nova-Class Cruiser came into sight just beyond the assault frigate&  "Where did that come from?  The Hapans are here?"  Trevor's surprise echoed in the channel as everyone else caught onto what it was he had just said.  Usually serving as lead ships for task forces or support vessels for Battle Dragons, Hapes Nova-class ships had a more traditional elongated shape and a retractable circular armor panel that protected the bridge during combat and made it one heck of a support craft.  The fact that a pirate crew had gotten a hold of one and was actually using it sent a chill through everyone who saw it; the battle was a little more than they had presumed.

"No Hapans that we know of..." Darius said grimly.

"We'll be out here for a short while before we go atmospheric, so buckle down..." Warren announced as he did a diminutive barrel roll to the left, seemingly unnerved by the Hapan cruiser.  As the rest of the squadron fell into formation and followed suit with a similar maneuver, Dryme and Velis Squadron were throwing themselves into the fray just ahead, probably targeting all the assault frigate and Loroner were throwing at them.  What did the Hapan cruiser have with them?  They'd see.

Scooting through the bottom of the battle was an Imperial Interceptor-Class Cruiser launching TIE interceptors of its own.  The cruiser, made from the same equipment used on TIE interceptors, was often thought of as a mini star destroyer yet it was never put into mass-production despite its obvious excellence.  The advantage to having a crew completely proficient in the wears of an Interceptor-Class Cruiser is that they are also well aware of how a TIE Interceptor works and can normally pilot them pretty well.  This particular cruiser, the Cypor, had been called in as well as an IPV-1 System Patrol Craft.  Both very capable of heavy damage...  The system patrol craft was zipping around the cruiser death-match looking for a place to strike and yet keep from using it's heavy shielding.  No reason to become charred up early on&

"Anyone ganna be watching out for the Atrus?" Jack queried in an upbeat voice; they were now out of the shadow of the mSSD and were now readying themselves of the real fight.  Don't try too hard& Warren thought remembering back to when he asked for his men to keep a good attitude. 

"It shouldn't be necessary&" Art answered as the gleaming group of fighters picked up speed and began to rise so they would come in above the battle.  The Atrus watched from behind them, taking in the comment amiably and then continued its staring contest with the planet Cepany. 

"Mark the Maurader-Class shuttle on the edge of their formation," Warren commanded.  Just now coming into view form the top, the silver craft with blue trim glided about outside the arena, licking its lips in anticipation for imperial fighters.  While, conversely, it had received damage from the imperial bulk cruiser nearest to the planet, it appeared to be doing quite well and the damage must have been little.  "No missiles just yet, guys," he added as they now pounced down upon the pretty pirate craft, coming into range of the assault frigate for a moment before clearing it. 

From a distance it would have looked insignificant, but the damage up close was catastrophic as the three separate waves of Nazgul TIE Interceptors unloaded on the T-Junction connecting the posterior cavity containing the engines to the hull.  The shields had been restored in the time it took Nazgul to meet the corvette so they blinked in full splendor.  Each wave went off in a different direction, scrambling the limited defenses the marauder contained, the light from their flickering shields probably blinding them all the while.

"Flight Three, keep track of that Hapan cruiser," Tokijin piped up as she swung around with her own flight, getting a good look at the whole scene once again.

"If you we run along that thing we'll be decimated," Aldur noted and then Crimson acknowledged it with a simple-

"Understood."

"Flight One, coming around," Warren announced ever so casually; only a few hundred meters behind them the Theta class shuttle flashed by at full speed, not wasting any time in getting through the atmosphere to locate the enemy.  Their mission would be to track down the Corellian Corvettes raiding sites on Cepany before they could escape through the southern region of the atmosphere.  Half of the planet was well covered in an asteroid field, (not a good place for a Corellian Corvette), and a good fourth was being watched by the sensors aboard the Destructor-Class Cruiser and the mSSD Atrus so the southern pole would be the greatest point for escape.  Of course, if the corvettes had already taken off and were going at full speed, it was unlikely they would be caught.  However, chances were that they were laying low and keeping at a medium speed to allow their escort to stay with them.  Once they were located they would be painted so they could be hunted by the imperial fighter groups, and once the escorts were taken out, whomever and however man, the planetary fighters would come up to finish the job on the Corellian Corvette.  It was going to be a long day...


-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

As soon as Art had dropped out of the Atrus, he immediately began to drift left to right to get a feel for the Interceptor.  He had managed to spend a little time in the simulators with the special control stick that was installed but he still wasn't completely comfortable.  Mixed with the increased power of the rudder pedals, the fighter now felt like an awkward cross of a X-Wing and an interceptor.  It was a crude device but it worked, the emphasis was placed on one arm with his left arm only needed for some aiming features and to work other controls that had been placed alongside the stick and on a seperate, small keyboard.  Art did a quick altitude manouver and reached up to adjust his throttle slightly.  The brace on his arm clicked as he did, it only allowed a certain range of motion before it would lock.  It provided good stability but it was annoying.

"Form up flight one."  Dimmias ordered.  Art moved back down into position and struggled for a moment as the interceptor reacted differently than he was used to.  This is shaping up to be a frustrating day Art thought to himself.

"Fighters coming in at 5" Trevor radioed in.  Nazgul spread out into formation and turned towards the incoming enemies at high speed.  Art spun around as he pulled up hard.  He found that his fighter had more manouverability this way - or at least it felt it did.  Art was so used to flying one-handed with sensitive pedals so he was going back to his roots.  It was very sensitive so his aim wouldn't be as good but the Interceptor's aiming programme was solid.  Art drifted away from Dimmias to let a blast from the enemy fighters pass.  As Nazgul met the enemies, he fired a burst before pulling up hard and slowing down to pivot around right on the back of one.  With his left hand he dialed in the interceptor's aiming tracker and within seconds he had a lock.  Two quad bursts and the engines on the enemy preybird burst into flames.  The chain reaction blew up the fighter a second later and the shockwave jolted Art's fighter as he flew past.

Art pulled in towards Dimmias and the two raced towards a second fighter.  Art's heart was pounding as they darted through the laser fire that was racing past everywhere.  It wasn't that he was nervous about the mission; he just wanted to show that he was as good a pilot as Dimmias was.  In all honesty he wasn't, in fact he wasn't even as good as Shazam.  He was good but not the best, however, with Dimmias he needed to fly his best to at least show he could keep up with the arrogant bastard.

"Two pull to the right and meet at point 153 in ten seconds."  Dimmias ordered calmly.  Art acknowledged and began the manouver while Dimmias pulled sharply to the left.  Right on the nose, the two converged and rolled over each other's path, each firing a quad burst at a hapless fighter.  The bursts didn't hit in the same spot and while the shields failed, the integrity of the hull was not breeched.  Not wanting to let Dimmias to the credit for the kill and the move, Art dialed down his throttle completely and slammed his right foot down hard on the rudder pedal.  His interceptor raced around while he slammed the engines back into full speed with his left hand.  Two seconds and a rotation and a half later while in full climb, Art delivered a quad blast straight into the side of the fighter's cockpit incinerating the pilot.  Before he could even catch his breath, Art pitched his fighter wildly to the right to avoid a pair of enemy fighters charging right at him.  One of them managed to clip his wing as they went by causing his shield to lower to critical levels on that side.  Figures thought Art.  It was going to be a long day and while he needed to fly the best he ever had, he also needed to keep alive.  So much for the fun of combat.
 
-----------------------
FM/ESN Corran "Arturus" Hargraves/Nazgul 2/Phoenix Wing/M-SSD Atrus/VE/VEN/(=A=)(=SA=)(=*MA*=)(=JCPA=)(=SCPA=)[MC:1](x2)[SV][BRC][VC:B][LSM][LoC]


"The way of war is a way of deception. When able, feign inability; when deploying troops, appear not to be. When near, appear far; when far, appear near. Lure with bait; strike with chaos. If the enemy is full, be prepared. If strong, avoid him. If he is angry, disconcert him. If he is weak, stir him to pride. If he is relaxed, harry him; if his men are harmonious, split them. Attack where he is unprepared; appear where you are unexpected. This is victory in warfare; it cannot be divulged in advance. Victory belongs to the side that scores most in the temple calculations before battle. Most spells victory; least spells defeat; none, surer defeat. I see it in this way, and the outcome is apparent." -- Sun Tzu

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting." -- Sun Tzu

Darius and DJ stayed in a tight formation, driving into the enemy formations and trying to make them lose their focus.  While they did that, Trevor and Tokijin would pick off stragglers and those who had made one to many mistakes.

"Distress signal from one of the bulk cruisers," DJ announced.

"Let's go help out," declared Darius immediatly.  "They're throwing missile boats and preybirds at them.  Shields are down to 35 percent."

Warren gave the next orders.  "Flight two, take care of that, we've got our hands full with these Cloakshapes."

"Roger, on route now," Tokijin announced.  Flight two disengaged and darted toward the cruiser, hoping they'd make it before it was too late.

"Bogies on our tail," said DJ.  Several Supa fighters had broken off from their original target, hoping to intercept the four Nazguls.

"Got it," Darius exclaimed and pulled a U-turn, charging at the pirates.

A clangor of alarms sprung to life and the Supas were getting a lock on him.  "Good luck," Darius muttered to himself and watched a small streak leave the fighters ventral launcher.  At the last possible moment, he tipped the fighter up, and the missile missed him clearly. 

Expecting better results, the Supas kept on a intercept course.  Darius dove on the three fighters before they realized that he was still alive.  In several linked bursts, the first fighter was gone and he was pulling around for another shot.  Unexpectedly, the missile was still trailing him and he had to blow he second shot on evasive manuevers.

He threw out one of his few countermeasures and again resumed his hunt for the Supas.  They had pulled away from him and were closing in on Nazgul.

He quickly cranked a couple knobs on his control yoke and armed his missiles.  Draining all of his lasers, he converted all of the power into his engines.  In a short moment, he had reclaimed the lost ground and was now locking on.  His target began to pull away and when he was far enough from his partner, he switched targets.  Throwing power back into the lasers, emerald streaks launched out of the cannons, and the other pirate didn't know what even hit him.

The remaining pirate tried to retreat, but had made himself an easy target and another squadron had finished him off before he could regroup.

"Let's save that cruiser pilots."
 
-----------------------
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

-----------------------

FM/CPO Darius Pursius/Nazgul 2-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=) [VC:B] [CB*]

Art slammed his foot hard on the right rudder to avoid a collision with a charging enemy fighter.  Nazgul had managed to vaporize most of the first wave but according to his scanners, there were at least five squadrons of fighters out there although many were assigned to attack the ships and protect their ships.

"Nazgul leader this is Nazgul 6, we need help protecting the cruiser."

"Roger Nazgul 6.  Flight 3, cut to the right across the face of the oncoming squadron, flight 1 with me."  Dimmias ordered.  Art, Trevor, and Jaden formed up and made their way at high speed towards the endangered bulk cruiser.

"Two flights of squadrons on intercept course, heading 214."  Art reported in calmly.

"Roger Nazgul 2.  Nazgul 3, move with Nazgul 2 to draw off the fighters, Nazgul 4 form up on my left."  Dimmias responded.  Art and Trevor broke from the formation and made their way below the enemy fighters.  As they neared, they both pulled up sharply and fired on the lead fighter incinerating it.  The other three from the first flight broke off to evade while the second flight chased after Dimmias and Jaden.

"Break right and strafe those three, I've got the other four."  Art ordered.

"Roger Nazgul 2."  Trevor replied.  Art pulled to the left and shifted all power except that of his shields to the throttle.  He closed the distance on the slower preybirds rapidly and managed to get off two quad bursts at full power before needing to recharge.  The fighter exploded sending shrapnel into two others.  Rather than wait to engage the others, Art banked 180 degrees and raced away at full throttle, slowing down only when safely out of range in order to recharge as he met up with Trevor.

The two pilots rolled across each others path as they grouped back together.  As they did so, each fired a burst at an oncoming fighter shredding it before the pilot figured out what had happened.  The double barrel roll manouver was Art's favourite two man tactic as it could catch oncoming fighters completely off guard.  Usually they evaded wildly until the last second before firing and turning to chase one of the fighters.  This mvoe could end that strategy before it ever began.

"Move in towards our smaller cruisers, we need to protect them and it'll provide us the safety of their guns."  Art ordered.  "Three flight, pull back to the cruisers, we'll cover you."  They needed everyone to survive for a long time and outside of the range of their own ships, they were at the mercy of the long range turbolasers of the enemy ships and all of the fighters around them.
 
-----------------------
FM/ESN Corran "Arturus" Hargraves/Nazgul 2/Phoenix Wing/M-SSD Atrus/VE/VEN/(=A=)(=SA=)(=*MA*=)(=JCPA=)(=SCPA=)[MC:1](x2)[SV][BRC][VC:B][LSM][LoC]


"The way of war is a way of deception. When able, feign inability; when deploying troops, appear not to be. When near, appear far; when far, appear near. Lure with bait; strike with chaos. If the enemy is full, be prepared. If strong, avoid him. If he is angry, disconcert him. If he is weak, stir him to pride. If he is relaxed, harry him; if his men are harmonious, split them. Attack where he is unprepared; appear where you are unexpected. This is victory in warfare; it cannot be divulged in advance. Victory belongs to the side that scores most in the temple calculations before battle. Most spells victory; least spells defeat; none, surer defeat. I see it in this way, and the outcome is apparent." -- Sun Tzu

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting." -- Sun Tzu

If his first time in the Nazgul squadron was hard, his second time wasn't any easier.

Uncertainty in his own skills had sent him back through the academy, and it seemed like his new boost of confidence would aid him in his return to the NAVY, but things were not as he had left them. Shazam, his good friend and mentor, was gone.  This loss had its visible effect on the pilots of the Nazgul squadron, but the resilient worked through it, while the others were simply kept too busy to think about their fallen comrade.

A man by the name of Warren Dimmias had welcomed him, with nothing but his test scores and commendations as any sign of his flight ability. He would replace Jen Knight, and participate in the attack.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Even his flight training the second time around couldnt prepare Aldur for the intensity and emotion of live combat.

Trevor and the rest of flight three had taken it upon themselves to obliterate any preybird that even came close enough for Aldur to take a shot at.

"Hey, leave some for me..." commented Aldur, in a semi-serious tone.

"Cut the chatter, Aldur. Flight 3, target those bulk cruisers. Aldur, you and Trevor take out those escort ships." ordered Arturus.

As soon as he received the message, Aldur followed suit on Trevors six. The two rolled out of formation and went around full throttle to try and flank one cluster of cruisers and the preybirds escorting them. Two preybirds broke formation and went after the Tie Interceptors to try and snuff them out. Aldur's instrument panel went haywire.

"I'm being locked... Goddammit!" The recently returned pilot made a steep climb and banked left as bolts of red and amber lit up the space around him. The G-forces tightened on him, and he felt his flight suit constrict on his diaphragm in an effort to keep him conscious.  His ship broke the aphex of the turn and came tunneling down into one of the two ships. One shoot tore right through the nose while the other went burning through the canopy, obliterating both ship and pilot in one big firey ball.

The second pilot made an immelman and came around to pursue Aldur for a few seconds, before being taken out by Trevor.

"Well, its good to know you learned something in your time away..." said Trevor jokingly.

"Less joking, more shooting" retorted Aldur. He was a man of few words.


 
-----------------------
*Nazgul Squadron*

*Leading Crewman Aldur Wyndaru*

FM/LCRW Aldur Wyndaru/Nazgul 6 (2-2)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=*A*=)

"Use soft words, but make hard arguments..."

"Report Mr. Crew?" Japheth queried evenly without looking to the console but instead kept his keen eyes out the window, searching& 

"All squadrons are fully intact and we've lost no cruisers as of yet.  The bulk cruiser Divehi is calling for support though, it looks like its shields are having trouble rebuilding because of intense fire on their dorsal surface.  Our sensors say that they're at about seventy-five percent hull and their anterior bridge is where most of the damage has been contracted&"  Japheth held up his hand now and Simon Crew fell silent as he had on several occasions now after being attached to the Atrus.

"Judging by the rate the assault frigate is moving toward those bulk cruisers, I'd say the Hapan cruiser following alongside it will come up from behind...  Our cruisers won't have time to react..." He nodded curtly and turned to Crew.  "Let Commander Sates know he's about to be flanked."

"Sir!" A young man with his suit freshly pressed had come to a halt about seven feet to Japheth's right, whether it was out of fear he'd be struck down if he came closer or it was just proper to wait for recognition...  It didn't matter.

"Yes, Mr. Forte?" He looked on this man with the same cool expression of imperial intelligence that little had ever grown used to if any.  He sat there in consternation for a moment, as if he'd forgotten why he'd come up so quickly nearly waving his data screen around.  Then he noticed the plaque-like device in his hand and held it toward Japheth.

"The ships you requested, Sir..."  Japheth eyed the pad and then the young man for a moment and then snatched it away with a calm, but firm motion of his hand. 

"Hold&" he said as his eyes began to look over the tinted blue screen.  His right finger tapped lightly across the screen until a list of ships ran down the page; Forte was standing as still as he could while Crew watched transiently from the ground level on the bridge. 

The ship at the top of the compilation was the first one he had been looking forward to reading up on; supposedly it was a passenger carrier used for outer rim transport and was also said to be affiliated with the VEN.  Something had struck Japheth odd when he noted the id number of the vessel though, so he'd thought he'd check into it as well as a few others he'd found in the data files&

RXV98?  That doesn't make sense... Japheth thought as he clicked on the ship and the profile came up without an image.  While Japheth didn't memorize every little detail of everything, he took note of them, ensuring that if he were ever curious about anything, he'd know where to look.  The service record indicated that the ship had been around for some time and came around VEN territory quite often; he dismissed this and went on to the next option.  It's origin appeared to be of a planet he'd heard of on occasion and yet this wasn't what he was looking for either, it was if everything was blended with the background while one line would be in bold print, waiting for him to read.  He continued to look while Forte stood in his rigid state and Crew announced-
"The Hapan battleship is coming around at full speed!  Sir, I think it's going to ram the bulk cruiser!" Japheth didn't let the news bother him as he replied-

"These are pirates, Mr. Crew.  For them to use selfless tactics would be unlikely&"

"The Divehi isn't moving quickly enough to evade, Sir&  What would you like them to do?"

"What does the commander wish to do?" Japheth replied innocently.

"He wants to hold their ground and begin firing at will on the Hapan battleship, and he also request a squadron of fighters to occupy their gunners so the Divehi will be able to fire on the enemy without taking too much damage."  Japheth nodded as he saw the blazoned message he had been looking for within the datapad; Crew gave the approval to Sates&

"Mr. Forte&" Japheth wheeled around slowly and peered at the gruff looking young man.  "I need all the information we have on the ship Sasha Sazary.  Number&  RXV98 in the citizen transportation sector.  Use my clearance if you must- I need that information back to me immediately&"  Forte saluted and Japheth returned it, his eyes doing the talking.  Mr. Forte wasn't exactly aware of what information he might be bringing back, but it could very well change the outcome of the battle, Japheth thought and turned back to the massive view port ahead.

Throwing their ships past the enemy assault frigate, flight two of Nazgul Squadron was pushing the limits of their ships to reach the Hapan cruiser as soon as the call came in.  Aldur was rather weary of the people in his squadron, especially Tokijin&

"Do not do that again Seven&" Aldur heard himself telling her after a very wide loop that nearly brought her into open gun range.  They had just surpassed the assault frigate and could see the Hapan cruiser clearly in front of them.  A smile returned to Aldur's face when he noted that the bulk cruiser was waiting to blast at the Hapan battleship.  However, the grin disappeared when his radar lit up like a Christmas tree, his entire view port darkened by the shadow of cloak shape fighters.

"They've got back up!  Six on my wing, seven and eight take who you can." Aldur said feverishly into his helmet as he tried to count the fighters; if they didn't get rid of these fighters quickly, the bulk cruiser would be in an unassisted shoot out with the Hapan battle cruiser. 

"Got five of 'em, we can handle it&" Darius noted as he pulled up close to Aldur and the two of them dived down and looped back up to get a good angle on their enemy.  Tokijin stepped off DJ's side a little as he took off after a pair of the fighters.

"We need two other flights of fighter support to do our job, by the way," DJ said as if the command crew was listening closely to every conversation in the massive battle.  The box in his hands wasn't unwieldy just yet and his foot switches were rather snappy.  Almost too good, he thought to himself, suppressing a slight chuckle.  There was a tale at the academy about a young man who went up with his ship in perfect condition and some major system went out that left him as a sitting duck.  Depending on where you went, you'd hear the tail differently- the life support went out and he suffocated or his engines just exploded so he was burned alive&  It normally got pretty detailed, but maybe it was just a device of the veteran pilots to ensure the novice pilots checked their equipment&  And for a moment, he wondered if such a tail existed within the enemy's repertoire, if maybe he experienced the same dread&  Either way, everyone had a job to do on that day- and he'd be damned if he didn't take out these fighters so he could help support that imperial bulk cruiser.

"Stay close to me now..."

(Just to give that flight a target...)

-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

"Nazgul flight two, we've deployed a squadron of TIE bombers to assist you with you with the Nova class Hapan cruiser.  Keep them alive!" barked a random officer aboard Atrus.

"Velis squadron on route for assistance.  This bulk cruiser has escort now."

"Excelent work Velis," Darius commented.  A rare treat from his mouth.

"I'm seeing fighters dropping out of that Nova," Aldur commented.  "Strike cruiser dodged it for now, but it won't last long against those missile volleys."

"I have a suicidal idea," Darius started.  "Who's brave enough to follow."

"I'm with you all of the way man," Aldur replied.  "You are the senior and out ranking member of this flight.

"Well, with our skills, with won't need countermeasures anyway."

"Ok, now you're making me nervous."

"Prep all of your chaff canisters for launch, we're going to buy her some time."

"What about those T-wings from the Nova?" questioned Tokijin.

"They're all yours," Darius answered, starting to get excited.  "Alright five, we've got our tails covered, let's go."

The two fighters accelerated in space, dodging the occasional AA turret fire from the Nova as it hung along side the strike cruiser, exchanging volleys.  ", conserve you missile fire," Darius began to order, "I've got a trick up my sleeve."

"Acknowledged Nazgul six," answered a nervous captain, "ceasing missile fire now."

"Just pitch and weave, we'll be fine," Darius said, trying to encourage the lesser pilot.  Light filters in his helmet stuggled to aide him against the brilliant flashes emitted by the cruisers. 

As the two interceptors neared the to two cruisers, several T-wings broke off to meet them.  "Don't worry about them," DJ said, grunting over the com as he pulled sharply to intercept.  "I'll get them."

Nazgul 5 and 6 were now flying past the noses of the cruisers, "let loose!" he yelled, barely avoiding a collision with a sensor relay that jutted out of the side of the Nova.  A small cloud grew a lit with major explosions as the Nova's missile volleys were temporarily ceased by the two underestimated fighters.

Darius gave out a hollar then whistled at the next sight he saw.  "Calvary has arrived lady and gents."  The Novas shield collapsed against the onslaught of concussion missile fired from the TIE bombers. The Nova fired its last missile, and his was destroyed by a flare from the strike cruiser.  Unfortunately for the pirates, Vallant had most of its stock left.
 
-----------------------
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

-----------------------

FM/CPO Darius Pursius/Nazgul 2-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=) [VC:B] [CB*]

(Crimson- there is no Nazgul 13, lol. Just look at the roster and you'll find yourself.)

The Interceptor-Class cruiser moved into position on the underbelly of the assault frigate as it continued the shootout. Its weapons were undeniably destructive, every blast meeting its mark with profound devastation. As the mini star destroyer pulled up underneath, it began to roll so that the hanger bay faced toward the assault frigate.

"Have they launched anything yet?" Jaden queried to no one in particular as he noted the movement and pulled a few barrel rolls to the left to drop some speed and fall in behind Trevor a little better.

"No, they haven't actually..." Art turned his head just slightly as he realized the overwhelming amount of T-wings despite all the extra imperial cruisers.

"Pay attention now, we've got four fighters on our six already..." Warren's temper was one of firm voicing, no yelling or screaming or jittery motions within his cockpit- just background threats really... "Everyone stay close, we're going for a ride..." Within the cockpit of the head interceptor, the pilot pushed the throttle up just slightly, leaving one hand to the box like contraption making sure to keep level as his flight members pulled up alongside him.

"Where are we going then?" Art queried and for a moment he forgot about what he was asking as he looked upward, through the farthest point of the view port... Space was beautiful and thrilling, but then it immediately reminded you why it had to be feared... The T-wing that was looking to overtake the group from above and was best seen through Art's transparisteel view port exploded in a storm of green and blue.

"Who launched the Defender!" Trevor almost shouted as it easily overcame their group. Through the debris the defender was magnificent, all three wing arrays gleaming and emitting a caveat so strong Art knew it would survive the battle without a doubt. He thought for a moment he heard Warren say, 'not bad,' but he must have been mistaken because they were suddenly alongside the assault frigate and still picking up the pace.

"I want all of you to note that the assault frigate is firing at will on the other side... Try to avoid those cannons, I suppose..." Warren nearly chuckled. Jaden shook slightly as he realized he was pushing the throttle to eighty percent just to keep up with his flight members. He was the farthest back and feared looking up and to the left to get a glance at what the enemy was doing behind them; they were T-wings after all... Maybe they'd lost them. But either way, he couldn't take his eyes off of Warren Dimmias- he was ganna pull something.

"Stagger out just a little now... Make sure you aren't coming into view of those gunners..." Dimmias was still farthest in but also the most exposed to the gunners, flying just above their view ports. Was he trying to intimidate them, or mock them? "Ganna slow way up here right about..."

Jaden felt himself become trapped in his constraints, all the while trying to pull back on the throttle to keep from overshooting Warren Dimmias and the rest of the crew as they broke speed just as dramatically. The pressure was still pretty much everywhere as Warren began a barrel roll to the left, forcing the craft to rise above the arc of the assault frigate's hull. They were far enough away to keep from being trashed by the shields, but close enough to the guns to make those handling them lean close in the hopes of getting a better look at the interceptors.

"And we're supposed to follow that?" Trevor murmured as he followed the path without doing the barrel roll. Art was a little shaky as he pulled the maneuver, only because of the controls he had installed though... Jaden attempted it and found himself barreling a little too quickly and knew he would fly right into the shields if he continued the rolls, so he stopped it the next time he was right-side up and followed the set path as best as he could.

"Keep it under control," Dimmias said quietly as he made the turn even sharper, abandoning the barrels completely and forcing the group over the ridge of the assault frigate.

"Those T-wings are real, real close, sir..." Jaden said in a dry voice finally taking the opportunity to look to the display at his left; he followed the course more confidently now. Trevor was no longer having trouble, also more confident using the Ties natural turn radius to their advantage rather than a tricky maneuver so close to an assault frigate.

"That's fine, just make sure you break right when I do..." Warren was beyond the crest now and moving down; Jaden could still only see the black of space and wondered what Warren thought was so clever about a sharp veer over a heavily armed pirate frigate.

"The pirates are going to overtake us any second sir, I suggest pulling out and going into evasive maneuvers..." Jaden said a little more excitedly now, he didn't want to die doing some stupid trick. Warren didn't have to reply though; Jaden shut up as he began to ride the other side of the hull down toward the explosive gunners. The red bolts from the cannons were like a waterfall into the bulk cruiser closest to the planet. Behind them, the T-wing had curved out so they could retain their speed and follow their prey without any angle problems; they would be able to come down right on the imperials...

"Alright, you can slow up a bit more and begin your turn, you'll want to get out of the way..." Warren said confidently as Jaden completely surpassed the apex of the frigate, the T-wings unable to see the imperials at all now.

"Be ready to engage, Reht," the human pirate said in the t-wing behind the imperials as it surpassed the crest of the assault frigate at full speed. He threw the controls forward violently as he went passed perfectly straight, expecting to ride down the slope of the frigate and overtake the interceptors, and with some luck: take one or two out...  Red, grey, purple and black stained his eyes and then he saw it...

"PULL OUT!" the human in the first t-wing shouted as he came careening downward into a wall of turbo laser fire. It was too late for him... Reht didn't have much more luck though; he was swiftly taken out by a TIE Defender with its cannons linked.  It had passed flight one at about medium speed, but the equivolent of the Interceptor's full velocity.  After the initial explosions, the Defender disappeared once again...

(Thas alls I got for now- Jen has your description of Cepany and next storyline movement...)
 
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*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

Trevor had picked up one of the fighters that had broken from its flight when they were ambushed by Art and Warren. He pushed the throttle forward, then dropped his hand to the targeting knobs, and began making precise and quick movements, trying to get a lock on the fighter.

He followed the fighter through a shower of crossfire, and narrowly missed being vaporized more than once.

[i]Dammit. He`s good. Too bad for him I`m better.[/i] Trevor thought to himself as he finally got a lock on the escaping fighter. He accelerated towards it, and let a quad burst go and watched dissapointedly as the T-wing`s shields lit up, absorbing the laser fire.

[Oh...Come on![/i] He thought angerly, releasing a few more blasts out of frusteration. A few made the shields sparkle, then one made contact with the hull of the craft.

"Yes!" He said alloud before he could stop himself. But before he could fire more green bolts into the T-wing, a large red blast hit it from above, tearing through the fighter`s cockpit, and ripping the fighter to pieces.

"Scratch one T-wing." He said over the comm as he slammed hard on the right rudder pedel, spinning the fighter around and heading to form up again.

"That looks like the last of them.  Interceptor cruiser, you are clear to make your attack run on the assault frigate," said Jaden

"This is Interceptor cruiser Evolution, we are now launching all available bombers and fighters.  Assist us as we move into position to intercept the frigate," said the commander

"This is Nazgul Leader, we are at your disposal," said Warren, "Nazgul leader out"

Trevor formed up on Jaden`s right and a few moments later they were closing in on the pirate ship, which had just started to dispatch more fighters.

"All fighters attack intecept the oncoming fighters.  Nazgul, flight 1, engage any and all enemies in the area.  All bomber flights, start your attack run on the engine housing of that cruiser.  All batteries, open fire!" yelled the commander

"Yes sir." Warren acknowledged over the comm. "Nazgul 3 and 4, get in there and take out what you can, but don`t get yourselves killed."

"Copy Nazgul 1." Trevor said over the comm, followed shortly by Jaden. They broke from the flight and headed towards a group of fighters headed towards one of the bomber flights. "Heh, are those Z-95s?" Trevor asked with a small laugh. He had flown those before and from that point on pittied those who had to fly them. Slower than an X-wing, and less shielded, they were usually the last choice for a fighter, although Trevor had seen some pretty good pilots climb into them and be a threat to every enemy in sight. He hoped that wasn`t the case today.

"Sure looks like it." Jaden replied. "Don`t underestimate them though. They might just go all suicidal on our asses if they have to."

"Ha, Yeah...Maybe...." He trailed off, realizing how true the statement was. He remember the priates back on the corvette, and how they had killed so many of their own just trying to kill the Nazgulians. He swore under his breath, not entierly sure why, and switched from lasers to missiles. Twisting the targeting knobs, he aquired a lock on one of the lead fighters, and prepaired to pull the trigger.

The missile shot off towards the Z-95, but insted of exploding on impact, detonated itself between the three lead fighters, heavily draining their shields. Trevor switched back to lasers and tossed a few quad blasts at the Headhunters, hoping to catch them confused from the missile.

"Lets take these guys out 4."
 
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FM/PO2/Trevor Evenson/Nazgul 3(1-3)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=*A*=)