Turning Point (Jedi vs Empire, Open)

Heading off a squadron of the Imperial fighters was Myuri Dresari in his TIE-Interceptor. Two more Interceptors flanked his right and left side as they scanned and searched for any escaping vessels from the planet below. "It isn't often we do a mission related to Jedi." The second pilot of his squardon commented over comms. "No it ain't. Hopefully they don't get to any fighters or we are likely to have a real party." The other one commented with a wry and mildly worried tone. Myuri himself was on the worried side of things in all this. He had faith in his abilities as a pilot, sure. But he had heard tales from older pilots who had seen Jedi in action in a fighter. The idea of encountering one in a dogfight made his blood run cold.

But that didn't mean he got to be able to play cautious, or show any worry on the situation. Even if those worries were valid. "Only diffrence between them and any other dissidents is that they may be more skilled. Cut the chatter and keep checking your sectors, comms are reserved for the mission from now on." Myuri said, getting a 'copy' from the rest of the suqadron, followed by silence. Though it was by no means a silence that settled well. His comm language gave away a bit of his worries on this mission.

After having seen no attempts from any shuttles to take off, he called in to Imperial Command. "Gamma Squadron reporting all clear on our scopes so far. Any changes to current order or continue our course?" Myuri asked as he reported in, his head scanning around the canopy of his fighter as the sensors did their work, the message getting routed to Grand Admiral Vesa Igneel. In the mean time their sweep out away from the main forces continues scouting for any attempted escapes.

Celeste allowed herself to be led away at that point to receive further care for her wound. As she sat, wincing as her flesh was stitched back together, things were happening in the Palace. News had spread about the Jedi's "betrayal" and a lightsaber had been discovered under the broken window in the Queens office. Celeste knew it was only a matter of time until the owner of the lightaber was narrowed down too. That, she knew, would be the final nail in the coffin for the Jedi.

The Princess hissed as her arm was bandaged up again, but she refused painkillers. She needed a clear head. Pain only fueled her now, made her feel stronger, more focused. She thanked the healer that had worked on her, gingerly pulled her sleeve back down, and went to see how things were progressing. By now, the elected officials of Naboo would be discussing their new monarch and their next move with the Empire. Celeste knew she should be there for that, but she was tired now. Besides, it really didn't matter. She didn't have any desire to be Queen. Not yet. She was technically in the running for the position, but she had much bigger ideas.

For now, she was content in the knowledge that she had prevented an all out war on her beloved planet. That was something the Jedi never thought about. How just their presence brought death. The Empire would have invaded, attacked, and rolled over Theed, killing everyone in their path, just to get to the Jedi. Why would any leader sacrifice the many for the few?

That was how she justified it to herself, anyway.

"Maraea?" Celeste called to her friend who was walking beside her, "Have you considered running for Queen?"

The woman smiled, shrugging.
"Not a chance, Celeste. I am perfectly happy holding a minor office."

"But... would you? If you were the only reasonable choice and the fate of Naboo was at stake, would you do it?"

Maraea stopped, looking stunned.
"You're not actually suggesting I run, are you? After our Queen was just assassinated? Do you think I'm suicidal?"

"Mmm... I thought you might say that. I suppose after this, it's going to be quite difficult to find someone willing to lead. But perhaps, with the Empire arriving to assist us, we wont need an election after all."
She caught the way Maraea looked at her out of the corner of her eye and she smiled.
"Consider it, Maraea. We were housing Jedi, supporting them. Then we allow them to assassinate our Queen. Why should the Empire think to trust us with our own government?"

"...Supporting the Jedi was a decision your Mother supported," the older woman reminded her gently, "Doesn't she mean anything to you?"

"Yes, of course," Celeste answered sadly, "But she was not infallible. She made mistakes. I believe that was one of them. Isn't it best that we correct our mistake?"

The older woman said nothing, but she nodded reluctantly and for the moment that was enough for the younger Princess. She could work on her more later.

Once the rings of the stun blast hit Coryth, Hevana put the stun blaster away before kneeling down beside her to check her vitals and confirm she was unconscious. While typically stun blasters were perfectly safe, there was always the small chance of it overloading the target's nervous system.

"Such a waste," she muttered. Then, unceremoniously, Hevana picked the woman up and threw her over her shoulder. 

Turning around she found the rest of her unit walking up to her, and even though she could not see their expressions through their helmets she could tell they had stupid grins on their faces.

"Now remember, she goes in the brig, not your bunk," the platoon's other sergeant joked. Walking by him, Hevana punched him in the side of the head absentmindedly. Even that had enough force to send him to the ground, thankfully protected by his helmet.

"Shut up and call the shuttle back," was all Hevana said. After that, she kept silent and made her way to the clearing their commander had designated as the evac zone. Fifteen minutes later the storm commandos were heading back up to the Annihilation. Coryth was put in cells prepared beforehand for any captured Jedi, and the storm commandos met up with their commander for further orders.

Aeris yelped as the little creature leaped onto her back, attempting to choke her. More and more the blonde was coming to like the skills and reflexes that the lab had given her through that little DNA project. "Get the hell off me!" She shrieked as sharp claw-like nails drug into Jihta's arms, having barely managed to get her hands between the monster and her throat. And almost instinctively she did her best to grab at the alien trying to throw her off her body to allow her space to breathe and plan her next move.

Jihta Heidjr’Oshan

As far as she could tell, Jane was home free. Every Jedi in sight was running for their lives, and she was just another frightened occupant of a building that had been totally peaceful just a little while ago. Her young accomplices had done their work, and she could see a couple of them running out with the padawans, hiding themselves. The blonde herself tugged her hood lower over her face as she reached into her sleeve and hit the button of the detonator switch.

At the entrance of the Palace, completely out of place with the Naboo security and Imperial forces, the blonde Imperial spy walked up to a group of ISB looking every bit as imposing at their white uniforms were meant to. Not that it had any effect on Cody.

"Special Agent Cody Weadge reporting. Command has asked me to cooperate with the investigation into the Queen's death."

When he had been told of the assassination, even Cody had been shocked. In all the pre-mission briefings, such a thing had never been considered. After all, who on the planet besides the Empire would take such an action? Given such a critical question, Cody was glad he had been brought in. The IIB agent certainly did not trust his counterparts in the ISB to be able to find out the truth without a map and detailed instructions.


Jun'ko Zane,

Sheena didn't always fly for the Rebellion. She was often split between fighting for the Rebellion, flying for her own mercenary operation, and her life as a socialite, but when the Rebellion needed her, she always did her best to answer. With the main fleet crushed and no other options, they'd called her now not only to fly for them, but to lead Rogue Squadron in the evacuation of Naboo.

'Rogue Squadron' was a generous term. Thanks to the crisis and the fact that the majority of the Rebel Fleet had just fallen, Rogue Squadron was now comprised of the most skilled pilots that the Rebellion could get their hands on still dedicated to the cause. Much like how it had first started out all those years ago, the Rebellion was now nothing but desperate messages between sympathisers and the surviving Rebel cells.  Rogue Squadron were the willing. Anybody willing to throw themselves in a starfighter and fight for the cause, even after everybody else who had had died. A last desperate emergency response force to keep the dream alive even after the Empire had done everything in its power to snuff it out. Hence why a spoiled twenty year old was currently Rogue Leader. Not to belittle Sheena's flying skills, in the cockpit she already had the reputation of one of the greatest starfighter pilots the galaxy had ever seen, she had taken down capital ships single handed on two occasions, and seen a surprising amount of action for a girl who insisted the decals on even her Rebellion helmet were pink and still wore stiletto heels with her flight suit. But the fact remained she was only twenty years old, and it was unusual for somebody as young as her to lead a squadron. She had experience with her self-funded squadron, of course, but this was different. This was the Rebellion.

But desperate times called for desperate measures.

And that's how it was as the twelve tiny pinpricks of light shone out just on the far side of the Imperial fleet as Rogue Squadron dropped out of hyperspace that Sheena had come to be in command. She took in the size of the Imperial Fleet. Regardless of what the Empire were claiming, she knew an invasion when she saw one. But they already had their orders. This wasn't a fight back. Naboo's government had already surrendered. This was an evacuation.

"All wings report in." She announced, more out of habit than anything else. "Lock S-Foils in attack position." Just in case there was any doubt from the Empire, as the mechanical whine accompanied the X-Wing's wings moving in to battle mode, it was obvious that the Rebellion was here to offer fire support. "Alright, like, let's hit 'em hard and fast, any TIE Fighters near those shuttles, blast 'em outta the sky!" Sheena ordered. Unlike the Jedi and their attempts to keep the peace, the Rebellion was at open war with the Galactic Empire, and Sheena knew there wasn't a Rogue among them who would hesitate to open fire.

"Remember, we're here to get those shuttles off planet, not, like, repel the invasion. Protect the evacuating ships and get 'em out of there! Do not engage the Star Destroyers!" She ordered, because she knew they didn't have the resources to waste fighting Imperial capital ships when they had lone Jedi shuttles to help escape. "But make 'em bleed! Today's the day we're gonna show those bucketheads that the Rebellion is, like, totally NOT over yet!" She announced. After all, the Empire had near wiped them out.

But it was time to show them that people would never stop fighting oppression and tyranny.

"Here we go!" And she opened fire, her quad blasters singing as she blasted at the nearest TIE... 

"We know very little, unfortunately," Cody replied. "Just what the Naboo government has released. A Jedi broke in, killed the queen, and then escaped."

Before continuing, the agent gave a shrug. Despite the fighting happening elsewhere, he was completely calm. "Given the interest in a joint investigation, the officers in charge must not entirely trust the official story. We need access to the crime scene, and hope it has not been contaminated."


Jun'ko Zane,

Informants on the ground, undoubtedly Inquisitors, had reported an unknown and very un-Jedi presence within Theed. As most of the forces on the planet were still attempting to take their targets, the anti-Jedi unit was once against dispatched to the surface.

Now their shuttle flew slowly over the capital following directions of the informants to the general location of the presence. After what seemed like forever to the soldiers in the back, they finally got the call from the pilot. "Target sighted."

As the bay doors open, the Lieutenant and two sergeants peered out. In the general chaos of the battle, the lone battle armored figure kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. 

Settling outside of immediate attack, the storm commandos charged toward the figure surrounding her and bringing their light repeaters to just below actual aiming at her, ready to raise and fire in a moment."State your name and your business," the groups lieutenant called.


Sara Arkelion,

The weird human creature was stronger than Jihta expected, but Jihta was heavier than the weird human creature expected. As a net result, she was thrown over the creature's head but landed just in front of her. As the Inquisitor fell she used the Force to control her movement landing almost catlike with one hand and both feet on the ground. 

Her remaining hand reached to her belt and drew a lightsaber which lit into a silver blade. The saber to most would be considered a shoto blade and a short handle, but to her, it was a full sized lightsaber.

"Jihta say surrender," the diminutive alien said. "Or Jihta cut Jedi into tiny Jedi bits."

Aeris,

The Jedi Temple

"THERE are explosives here!  Let's get out of here."

"Will you be quiet!  Now is the best time to loot the Temple and get away with it."

Kat'ra was sick of the bickering between the crew she was running with.  She rolled her eyes and continued to slice through the system until the door to the archives opened.  

"Will you two babies stop your crying.  The door is open."