The Sleeping Giant

[Varyn Rask]

OOC: Use of the Imperial fleet in this manner has already been approved by the admin team.​

The Imperials dropped out of hyperspace above the planet Hoth, and immediately began to disperse into the surroundings of the planet as had been planned.

Imagine the Emperor's surprise when he'd learned that the base that was supposed to be abandoned was actually still full of Rebels. They were all just lying in wait, it seemed, and the Emperor, when he'd seen the opportunity, had mobilized his fleet to attack at once.

And the Emperor's fleet was no small force. While it may not have had the Super Star Destroyers that would be prevalent thousands of years in the future, its complement was nothing to be scoffed at. In addition to his Panopticon-class frigate, nine Asperse-class cruisers for orbital bombardments appeared, each with a full complement of a Nefarious-class frigate, an Audacious-class corvette, and a Malfeasance-class corvette and their complement of fighters and bombers.

It was a battlegroup designed to pulverize what was left of the Rebel base and those inside.

As soon as the ships dropped out of hyperspace, formations were taken up and fighters were launched. The Nefarious frigates hung back, protecting the rear from enemy ships that may think of attacking at the flanks and the back. At the fore were the cruisers, their turbolasers and canons already preparing firing patterns.

The fighters gathered around the larger ships and ensured they were ready to engage on any side should enemies from the surface begin an attempt at evacuation or if smaller ships dropped out of hyperspace to defend. The Malfeasance corvettes spread out far in front of the formation and to the sides, ready to hunt down and obliterate any ships looking to make their escape now that the Imperial fleet had arrived.

Those on the surface were in dire straights. Those who had already made their escape from the building and its immediate surrounding (@KinkyPrawn, @Gian Greydragon, @ByakuyaXVTogami) would be able to escape the coming barrage as it began. Those still present and fighting on the ground (@Meckabro @samdragon @Richie B. @Minuteman75) would likely be caught in the blasts that rained down, or at best be unable to return to the collapsing base to escape the bitter cold. If the cold didn't claim them, the Lash-class starbombers being carried in substitute of approximately half the shuttle space aboard the fleet certainly would, targeting the ground troops in the open with their 2 ventral autoblasters and a hundred proton bombs each, now pounding the positions they stood in with bombs and blasters.

If the man in the process of escaping (@Nommie) chose to take off that instant and not wait a moment longer, he would be able to flee before the Sith ships were in position, but if he waited even seconds longer to allow his partner (@Faster Than Light) to board, they would be forced to run the blockade of Sith ships just waiting to gun down survivors: a borderline impossible task.

The Empire had come. Its dormancy was at an end with a single phrase: Open fire.

@Nefieslab​

 

[Darth Tagus]

They had arrived.

Tagus stood upon the bridge of one of the Asperse-Class cruisers, a separate one from the Emperor, with the bridge a hive of activity around him. Standing with his hands behind his back, he watched as Hoth came into view and narrowed his eyes. He couldn't tell how many rebels were here but the reports said that the Hoth base had not been abandoned but, instead, prepared for an ambush. It was rather underhanded of the rebels and he would applaud them.

But it wouldn't matter.

"Tighten the noose." he commanded the com staff on the bridge, "Make sure that the corvettes and some of the fighters are prepared to deal with runners."

He had immersed himself in the Dark Side for the duration of the trip so it was with absolutely clarity and not a second's hesitation that he clarified the order.

"No prisoners." he commanded the bridge staff, "For the Empire!"

Men and women at their stations paused for just long enough to take up the salute in kind before they returned to battle stations, orders understood and ready to be carried out.

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho stood there waiting as rebels started filing into the shuttles. With news of an Imperial fleet over head some were beginning to panic. Fear may have come to even this rebel officer's mind. He wanted to stay to make sure everyone got to a shuttle but if he stays then he and many others will be either blasted to dust or buried in the snow.

He struggled to reach a decision. It was a hard one. It tore him apart inside. Taking a deep breath the Lieutenant yelled to Tyler as he ran to a shuttle, "Get to another shuttle or a fighter! I will get this lot out of here!" He boarded the ship. A feeling of guilt and anger welling up inside as he realized he is practically abandoning his comrade. Maybe he can come back to gather the survivors. The officer swallowed the emotions running through his mind. Focusing on the task at hand to get the rebels in the shuttle out of here.

Then there came another problem. The pilot began to panic, "Pull yourself together and get us out of here! We have to get out of here if we are going to keep the Alliance going." He snapped. Growling when the pilot only mumbled, Tycho grabbed the Zabrak and tossed him out of the cockpit. The officer will then take a seat in the pilot chair, catching a glance of the others in the shuttle as he took a seat. Looking to the copilot he ordered, "Start making the calculations." The copilot was quick to get to work as the rebel officer flew the shuttle out of the hanger bay. The ship shook as it climbed higher into the atmosphere.

The officer holding his breath as the ship climbed, calculating in his head of when the make the call for the jump. He had to be careful. If he waited too long the shuttle will be shot down before they can make the jump. But as the shuttle climbed, Tycho spotted a hole in the fleet's formation. Quickly adjusting the shuttle, he didn't even look at the copilot, "Punch it!" He yelled. The Twi'lek quickly did as he was told. A few seconds later the shuttle was in hyperspace and speeding away from Hoth.

/Exit thread

@Faster Than Light @Phoenix @Nefieslab

 

[Esfir Radin]

Esfir was running through the trench system when the Imperial barrage rained down upon the former Star Base. The surface shook with immense violent force that the Sahminian dropped to the ground on her back. She jumped back up and turned around fleeing in the opposite direction to the front trenches again. Just as she did, however, a large explosion erupted several hundred feet away from behind. The sheer force of it threw Esfir literally off her feet.

Screaming for dear life through the helmet, she was swung into the air as if by a giant’s hand out of the trenches. Subsequently, gravity took its course and Esifr descended into the side of a snowy hill. Crashing hard the mountaineer cried breaking her right arm in the fall and rolled down the hill out of sight of the fighting positions. Every jolt down spiked the pain until she hit the bottom.

Gritting her teeth and hissing from the torment from the now broken limb Esfir for a moment just laid there. Out of the corner of her eye, the rebel saw a very small underground cave a few meters to the left. Realizing she can’t stay out in the open for long Esfir bit her tongue and rolled herself again. This time down below into the cave while the Imperial bombers began their attack run on the trenches quite some distance away now.

Renewed agony awaited in the right arm with each roll but Esfir made it inside. Panting the woman forced herself up before a new pain came in the lower left side. Groaning Esifr looked down a small piece of metal stuck in it. Shaking her head, she felt the cave rumbling violently from the bombing run. Got to to keep moving for now. Thought Esfir holding the right arm with the other and walked briskly further through the rocky tunnel that would lead into a mountain. Hopefully, provide her to hide and escape.

/Exit Thread.

 

[Samael Aeveroth]

Samael was running for dear life despite the pain coming from that shrapnel fragment that dug just above his left knee. He was still using the Force to help himself with running, but it was proving more and more demanding, but for the Miraluka's luck, soon he managed to reach the medbay where they still were evacuating. At that point he let the Force go and fell on the ground right in front of a pair of medics with a groan. The two quickly helped him up and checked his wound: it wasn't lethal, but for a while the Miraluka wouldn't be able to walk properly, as the moving of the muscles made the fragment damage them.
Once they quickly eliminated the fragment and gave him a preliminary medication consisting of kolto-imbued bandages, the Miraluka got escorted by the two towards the hangar, propping himself on the two so he didn't have to put weight on the damaged leg. The alarms were blaring loudly and he could see the numerous transports being filled. He and the two medics managed to get into a transport dedicated to the wounded, and soon after they took off, headed out of Hoth's atmosphere. The ship somewhat managed to escape the barrage of fire the Empire was launching on the base, and after a few minutes, the ship jumped into hyperspace.

/Exit thread

 

[Alexei Denkio]

Alexei had grabbed a dead man's speeder, rushing as fast as he could get far away from the sight of the fleets target. But even as he rushed straight into a nearby mountain praying for a place to hide out for a little while. So far it seemed he was making it, that was until the sounds of explosion began. Shaking his speeder, and his own bones. A giant wave of force slammed into him, sending him flying, landing into his shoulder, dislocating it straight out upon impact. Loudly he cried out in frustration and pain, watching his speeder get imbedded into the snow, it wasn't worth it to try digging up.

As the sounds of flyers were coming, thankfully with the speeder he had created a lot of distance between himself and the main bombardment site. Rushing straight to the mountain he knew if he didn't get some cover soon he would not be able to survive. But maybe he truly was connected with the Force, cause as he ran using his left hand to hold his right arm from flapping around, he saw a rather small cave. Getting into it just before his speeder was destroyed by a bomber, with the force sending him straight into the cave with him straight into the snow. Getting up the entrance was sealed now by a layer of snow. Which scared him greatly but right now he felt as if there was another breeze coming into the cave. Cause he could feel it, despite the fact he was wearing armor. Maybe it was just in his head, but now he needed to find a way out of the cave. Maybe he would run into another rebel or hell even Sith survivor from that bombardment.

"Can't give up now, got to keep moving." Biting his own tongue, causing a bit of blood to come out, as he tried to fix his arm, so he could explore the cave at least with both of his arms.

/Exit Thread

 

[Relmar Tythus]

​

As the stolen rebel ship grumbled and hissed whilst whizzing upwards into the upper-layers of the atmosphere, Tythus went in the direct opposite direction of the approaching fleet not wanting to take any chances of being targeted, realizing very well he could be mistaken as a rebel. With thick smoke pouring out of an area on the hull of the ship, he eventually made his way into space. Noticing a small rebel transport ship out of the corner of his eye while it made its own hasty escape, he felt a familiar presence, the blind Jedi was on that ship. Anger consumed his eyes as he peered to the ship which had blasted off, hatred for the blind and arrogant fool swelled inside of him. He hoped he would have the chance to find the Jedi again, to finish what he started and repay him back for the injury to his shoulder. The sith grunted in pain as he moved his injured arm towards the control panel, preparing the ship for the jump to lightspeed as he turned around one last time, overlooking the destruction of Hoth.

​

/Exit Thread​

 

[Tyler Ward]

Well kriff, before Tyler knew it his part Tycho was already off in the air before he could get on. Even even with what he could see out of the hangar exit, it looks like he's staring down the business end of the Imperial fleet even in the skies. Well... that's not good. And he doesn't suppose that that fleet was was brought out on a little field trip. Yeah, he needs to get out as soon as possible. Thinking quickly Tyler would look around and see what he can do in a pinch. He sees a Stardancer that's inactive around the edges, having lots of lingering snow on top of it, not even having been. That should work, hopefully.

Sprinting over there and getting in the cockpit, The ship took a bit to warm up, but it did. The fighter would then take off and get out of the hangar, aiming towards the skies as it ascends while making, he wouldn't be heading in the general direction of the Sith capital ships either, that's suicide. Tyler would start preparing the ship's hyperdrive to get out of this place.

He'll barely be able to get out time before the base would be bombarded to hell and back, but if he will be able to get completely out of the system intact that's a different question.