The battle raged in the skies and among the city's streets. Kylar honed his mental focus thru the Force, as it took all his willpower to quickly respond the vast amount of comm chatter while still blasting CIS aircraft from the skies. He was currently banking his squadron south to engage a flight of Hyena bombers and HMP Gunships enroute to attack his allied forces at the spaceport and bridges that spanned the river. "
Alright boys, look alive, I want that enemy formation turned to slag before the reach the river", he leaned over to key his comm back to ground forces to check on the infantry drops. "
Tarek, Jori, I need a sit-rep on deployments........" his voice trailed off as Rupture Squad came in:
"
we won't be able to clear LZ's near Parliament -- it's too hot over here. You'll either need to clear the skies or drop in some back-up so we can get those LZ's cleared for you......" The transmission ended abruptly followed by the thunder of artillery. Looking back north, Kylar could see smoke trails of ballistic rounds that were raining in on the Parliament Building. "
Jori, no time to loose! They have that building zero'd, and I won't risk loosing its position nor Rupture Squad, get in there now!! Once you are on the roof, pinpoint that CIS artillery!" Kylar rolled his ship up and hard to port, bringing him into a 45 degree attack vector above the CIS bomber/gunship formation. With a quick flick of his thumb, he initiated target locks on the lead gunships, and once the lock-tone filled the cockpit, four (4) missiles streaked away into the engines of enemy crafts. His ship thundered forward, heavy laser cannons barking lethal bursts into the enemy. He was nearly unaware of his actions, as his hands nimbly guided his ship to dance thru the slow moving gunships, barreling back and forth as he ripped his foes apart, sending their metal hulks screeching down into the river and city streets below. It was upon him now........the swordsong......the battle fever, as his father had called it. Its intensity heightened his focus, while its dire peril filled him with resolve. He was elated, yet grim in his duty. And his passion for battle surged him on. They must bring victory here.........he must.
His ARC-170 wingmen had no hesitation and waited for no orders. They knew their commander well. All around him the air filled with missiles and laser fire as his squadron torn into the enemy, with the droids realizing only too late how quickly their destruction was at hand. As only two enemy bombers remained of the entire enemy wing, he keyed his comms, "
Rangers, hunt down those last two and then turn your attention to the enemy fighters. This space is far too crowded, and I want air superiority over our men starting from the Parliament building and all the way south." One of his pilots keyed in, "
Sir, that's.....that's a 30km battle line......with our limited numbers....." But Kylar was assured of his men's skill, "
......with our current numbers we need to do more fighting than talking. Break into flights! Sweep the skies! When engaging full formations, join back up into squadrons and hit them hard! The droids only know their programing and targeting. But you all have courage of a thousand men! Let it shine this day. Look out for one another, and make sure you don't stray over the line into their AA range."
Kylar doubled back then towards the thickest fighting in the center of the city, downing three (3) more Vulture droids as he went, and quickly issuing orders over the constantly shifting battlefield.
Cpt. Jori's Paratroopers - Parliament Building
As the 44th Umbra company dove out on to the battlefield, the ARC trooper Cpt. Jori took moment as fresh intel came in. He signaled to delay his drop of the 58th alongside the 44th south of Parliament, as he listened to Rupture Squad's warning suddenly fill his headset - "
we won't be able to clear LZ's near Parliament -- it's too hot over here. You'll either need to clear the skies or drop in some back-up so we can get those LZ's cleared for you......" Jori keyed his comm, "
Not for the 58th! Tell your men we're comin in hot, hang-on Rupture!" After affirming the 44th disembarked successfully, he turned to his pilot of the C-70, "
Get us some altitude, and angle your climb directly over Parliament. I'll take the rest of our men and we'll drop straight in. A little ground fire has never stopped us before." He paused to glance at the battle map noting the drop points of the 58th, 44th, and Nova Corps so far. "
Send word to the other Chargers: I want one (1) C-70s to air-drop their men over the university grounds to link up with Nova Corps to the east, two (2) C-70s to drop on the north-side of each bridge to reinforce the allied position, another one (1) to reinforce the 44th company, and then send two (2) more to follow our lead and drop directly on the Parliament building."
"
Yes, sir, sending coded orders now", echoed around the command bridge as his men hurried with their orders. Cpt. Jori donned his helmet and moved aft to join the rest of his contingent. Most of his troopers were already prepped at the entrances to the drop-chutes in the underbelly of the C-70 Charger, crowding the passage ways. One of his corporals handed him his loaded rocket-propelled grenade launcher, which he secured to the straps on his back and proceeded to check his plasma clip in his heavy repeater rifle. Slapping the clip into place, he lifted his gaze to those around him, as he leaned forward with the pitch of the C-70 steadily increasing, a clear indication the pilot was climbing for their drop. "
Alright guys, we're going in again under heavy cover. Speed is the key. The Commander will keep the skies clear, but we need to descend on that building below with a fury! The Seps are threatening to overrun it, and our priority is to secure the roof and launch a heavy counter attack. Bring all the heavy ordnance you can carry, along with flares. Our Y-wings will light up the Seps in the streets if we guide them. Most importantly, we need to secure our allies in the building, especially Rupture Squad. Then we stabilize and hold the line. Good luck, and let's give them one for! What's our motto?"
The 58th chanted in unison, the ancient tongue of Alderaan that their commander had taught them:
"
Falch ydy ni i drochu Draed o'r flaen i'r Annwn!" (
We gladdly to plunge feet first into Hell!)
And Jori responded, "
Mewn y gwybodaeth fe godwn ni!! (
Knowing that we shall rise!)
With the cheer still echoing throughout the hold, the drop light flashed green, and Jori started ushering them thru the drop-chutes. The 58th Airborne Rangers dropped with tremendous speed, shifting thru the thin clouds and racing towards their target which loomed up from below. None slowed their descent, dropping like stones with most of the enemy fire attempting in vain to imped their coming. As the massive domes on the roof the Parliament building grew larger and larger until they were mere meters away, the 58th activated their jet-packs at the last second to slow their descent. Some stated hovering for a moment and drew their grenade launchers to rain emp and thermal grenades into the ranks of their foes attempting to re-take the roof access points from the Traditionalists and Clone troopers within. Within moments of touching down, the 58th swarmed over the roof leveling what little resistance remained and quickly set-up firing lines on all sides of the building. To the northern square, they rained down grenades, rockets, and blaster fire into the approaching droid and Unionist troops, swiftly and suddenly checking the bold CIS advance through the open streets. Cpt. Jori was running behind his men on the north-side of the roof, "
That's it! Come on, pour it on them! Drive these bastards back! Its a full shooting gallery in the streets below! Stop their advance now!" Smoking flares erupted from several of the troopers' launchers which streaked out into the courtyard below.
With only a mere seconds delay, the whine of the 58th's Y-wings engines could be heard as they dive bombed the advancing forces in three (3) consecutive waves, rending terrible damage to enemy tanks, dwarf spider droids, and swathes of infantry. Suffering these losses on now sustained fire from the superior of position Cpt. Jori's unit, the Sep infantry halted their advance and began to scatter to seek refuge and defense in structures on either side of the street. As the Sep advanced temporarily halted, Jori lead multiple squads down into Parliament to begin linking up with their allies. Only moments after connect was established, Jori's men stumbled upon the unconscious Rupture Squad, which he immediately called a medic for and removed them behind the active lines. "
Don't worry mates, we got ya. The 58th never lets a trooper down."
