Space E-war

[dinoman666]

"Of course, it could also be the Covenant, or something we haven't faced before," continued Grievous, taking the typical route to the massive ship's bridge. After a pause, the cyborg eyed Spectre curiously. "You know, I haven't really gotten much in the way of information out of you..."

[TyrannoTitan]

"My past is unnecessary for my objective. There is no need to elaborate on my personal affairs now, as if my intentions were foul, I wouldn't have risked my life for you or your allies." Spectre droned, still facing forward as they headed toward the bridge.

[The Kingpin]

as Serephir's shuttle reached the stern-based hanger on the Executioner, he walked out, heading towards the lift. moments later, Serephir walked into the control room, where the Admiral was moving the fleets together and preparing them for hyperspace. "What's our status, Admiral?" asked Serephir as he walked up onto the 'quarterdeck' of the bridge. "I've found that we have enough ships intact to form a Security fleet of roughly 30 ships. it's small in number, but there's enough there to operate on just about any kind of situation. 2 Manticores, a few Tiger Destroyers, the 2 Collosi, the Revenge, and various others. it should be enough to take care of whatever minor threats happen to turn up, Sir" said the Admiral. "Good. and what about the rest? are they ready to jump into hyperspace?" asked Serephir. "They're awaiting your orders, Sir" responded the Admiral. "Good. have them activate their hyperdrives and head home. once the rest of the fleet has gone, we'll follow" said Serephir. "Yes, sir" responded the Admiral cheerfully, looking forward to seeing his family again...

[Anaclagon]

The Imperial Fleet from Trandosha proceeded on its way towards Courscant. The ships moved swiftly...it wouldnt be long till they got there. Every officer in the fleet could barely wait...they wanted to get off the ship and relax. Even the Grand Admiral and Revan were exhausted. Countless hours of nonstop working had drained them completely. The Empire was at peace for the moment and it was time to take advantage of that.

[dinoman666]

"Still, there is nothing wrong with a little curiosity," replied Grievous simply, stepping off the tram as it stopped. "I suspect you are from Shadow Haven, considering you're trying to protect me, but I could be wrong." The cyborg stepped into the lift leading up to the bridge after a short walk, the ship already jumping into Hyperspace, as Lissarkh's shuttle had left earlier...

[TyrannoTitan]

"I am not at liberty to say who my employers truly are...only that they described their relationship with you and your allies as 'complex'." Spectre droned, looking toward Grievous as he spoke, somewhat startled by the cyborg's words.

[dinoman666]

"That's one way to put it, I assume," replied Grievous. "However, it is advantageous. The more allies, the better." The lift's door opened, and Grievous walked out on the bridge. He walked past the platform where he usually stood and instead walked up to the tactical map on one of the walls, which for the moment displayed nothing, considering the ship was in Hyperspace, where they couldn't be attacked...

[TyrannoTitan]

Spectre followed after Grievous, once again leaning on one of the walls nearby. "From what I've heard, the word "ally" does not exactly describe my employers well." he droned, glancing around the bridge...

[dinoman666]

Grievous eyed Spectre curiously. "Interesting. Maybe these employers of yours will show themselves sometime in the near future. Secrets irritate me to no end." The Malevolence soon dropped out of Hyperspace, and one of the droids at a console said, "This is where the probe droid detected the reading." "Activate passive scanners. If you find anything even remotely out of place, tell me."

[TyrannoTitan]

"Trust me...they already did." Spectre droned, arms folded, staring at one of the tactical maps blankly...

[dinoman666]

Grievous folded his hands behind his back, under his cloak. "I suspect Shadow Haven, then. The first time I met them, I attacked their home planet unprovoked. I don't believe they appreciated that."

[TyrannoTitan]

Spectre pushed off the wall, standing straight up at Grievous's words, only to lean against the wall a second later. "That explains their interest in your affairs..." he after a few silent moments, looking toward the tactical map once more...

[dinoman666]

Grievous narrowed his eyes at Spectre, and was about to say something, when three red blips appeared on the tactical map. "General, we have three contacts. One of them matches the outline of a Covenant Assault Carrier, but the other two are unknown." "Charge the plasma rotors! Prepare to fire on my command!" In the distance, three Covenant ships had emerged from Slipspace: an Assault Carrier and two Destroyers. All three were making a beeline for the Malevolence, which turned to face its starboard side to the incoming ships, ion cannon disc glowing ominously...

[Anaclagon]

"Courscant, the grand capital of the Galactic Empire" Piett announced, consumed in happiness and joy. The other Imperials turned to look as they watched as the gigantic Executor Class Star Dreadnought exited out of hyperspace and appeared in sight of Courscant. Countless Imperial Ship flew around the space as thousands of large space stations remained in orbit...each equipped with large ion cannons and multiple turbo laser batteries. Thousands of Imperial Fighters flew around...the greatest security in all of the Empire being right here. Many Imperial Ships were docked with the space stations or moving around themselves. Controlled traffic lines of countless civilians vessels were another common sight. Some were leaving, others were entering. The lights that came from the planetwide city itself easily made Courscant standout.
"It's been far too long" Piett thought. While they had return to Courscant a while back, the joy wasnt as much as it was now. The Empire was seemingly at peace at the moment...no reason for military actions. The people were living their lives as usual and the Imperial Military ensured peace and stability.

Revan narrowed his eyes...he could finally relax. The Dark Lord and the Empress watched the scenery before proceeding to leave for the hanger. They were going planetside as soon as they could. Any latest upgrades and repairs to the flagship were going to proceed at the largest space station in Courscant while the rest of the Imperial Ship were to dock with other space stations. Imperial Star Destroyers and Star Dreadnoughts remained a common sight as they monitored everything they could. Officers made sure that nothing went wrong....with Revan returning, there had to be perfection.

The Imperial Shuttle was quick to leave, heading towards the Planet...

Despite the countless defenses in orbit of the capital city, many more defenses remained at the planet itself. The best crew of the Empire served in the Annihilator and they were the only ones who really didnt have a break from duty at all. Other Imperial Ships went in and then out but the the Imperial Flagship had always remained close or near the front lines.

As the Shuttle hastened towards the planet...several Sith robbed figures awaited at the entrance of the Grand Palace of the Emperor himself..

[TyrannoTitan]

"Oh joy, more enemies..." Spectre droned half-heartily, trusting that the Malevolence could handle itself, while he was without anything to actually do...

The spy drone finished cutting into a part of the ship with the laser, pulling out the small panel before shoving itself within, quickly tracing over the cut with the laser once more, this time welding the panel back onto the metal. The drone found itself inside a corridor wall, quickly floating away from the cut, though its work was almost completely unnoticeable, moving through the tiny space within...

[dinoman666]

"It sounds as if you are bored of battle already, Spectre," growled Grievous, a hint of amusement in his voice. One of the Destroyers moved up, planning to head over the Malevolence, while the Assault Carrier moved to starboard, planning to flank the similarly-sized ship. The other Destroyer moved straight for the Malevolence, dozens of blue flashes along its hull marking the firing of Pulse Lasers, which pounded the Malevolence's shields in numbers that seemed out of place for such a small ship. Even so, the flagship's shields held, and Grievous shouted, "Fire the ion cannon!" The starboard ion cannon fired, the purple ion wave washing over the Covenant Destroyer and abruptly stopping the Pulse Lasers, and the ship itself. Every turbolaser in the ship's line of sight pounded the Destroyer, eventually hitting something vital and causing a brilliant blue explosion that blew the craft in two. Grievous chuckled. "What poor tactics! This will be too easy."

"Chieftain, they've destroyed the Unrelenting!" The Brute War Chieftain on the bridge of the Assault Carrier barked to his subordinate, "Silence! It is but a minor setback. He is still outnumbered two to one, and we have a flanking advantage now. He will be space dust soon..."

[TyrannoTitan]

"...Which is exactly my point in being bored of this fight." Spectre responded to Grievous's last statement, still watching the fight from where he stood, only somewhat interested...

[dinoman666]

"I'd rather it be too easy than unwinna--" Grievous was interrupted as the Destroyer, which was a distance above them, fired its glassing beam from the round section at the front of the craft, the beam of energy rapidly eating away at the Malevolence's shields. "Evasive maneuvers!" The Malevolence slowly moved out of the line of fire, peppering the Destroyer's underside. Its beam stopped, allowing the ship's shields to raise, which flared silver as they absorbed the turbolaser fire. The distraction allowed the Malevolence to slip away, this time heading for the Assault Carrier. The Carrier's sides were glowing an eerie red as it charged a pair of homing Plasma Torpedoes, giving Grievous an idea. "Spin us around and make a collision course for the enemy ship!" The droids at the ship's controls looked at each other, confused, but Grievous barked, "Do it now, or you're all going to be smelted down for starship parts!" That got the droids moving, and the Malevolence abruptly swung back around, heading towards the Destroyer. Grievous turned to Spectre and said, "Now this is the interesting part..."

The War Chieftain laughed as his foe seemed to retreat, and then the Brute growled, "The coward flees before our might! Fire Plasma Torpedoes! Burn him with our holy light!" The Assault Carrier let loose a pair of red beams of energy, which looked like angry eyes searing the darkness of space as they zoomed towards the Malevolence...

[TyrannoTitan]

"I assume you have a plan..." Spectre droned, still staring forward at the battle...

[dinoman666]

"Yes, but a risky one," replied Grievous. "Let's hope it works." As the Malevolence got closer to the enemy Destroyer, it fired its Pulse Lasers desperately, only to scorch the Malevolence's thick hull. "Pull up now!" Grievous shouted. The massive ship suddenly lurched upward, making the droids tumble out of their chairs, though Grievous held onto the bridge floor with his clawed feet. The Malevolence's bottom surface skimmed the prow of the Destroyer, just enough to pop the Covenant ship's shields and leave a good-sized rent in it, as well as a somewhat shallower trench in Grievous' flagship. The Plasma Torpedoes attempted to compensate for the sudden upward movement, only to slam straight into the unshielded Destroyer, melting away the hull of its round nose and rendering the helpless vessel dead in space, rapidly venting atmosphere. The Malevolence leveled out in time for them to watch as the Destroyer suffered an explosive decompression, a blue explosion tearing apart what was left of the ship's front side. "What's the damage?" Grievous snarled, shaking his head. One of the droids replied shakily, "Major damage to decks 12 and 13, in Sector C especially. Most of the hull is overtaxed, and may require repair. However, the ion cannons, engines, and hyperdrive are still operational." "Is the portside ion cannon still charged and ready to fire?" "Roger, roger." "Fire on the Assault Carrier." The Malevolence already had the portside ion cannon facing the Carrier, and fired immediately...

The War Chieftain stared, awestruck, as his foe bested the Destroyer. As the Malevolence fired, he regained his composure and howled, "Fire again!" The Assault Carrier charged its Plasma Torpedoes and fired again, only to have them dissipate on contact with the ion wave, which scattered the electrons holding the plasma together. Seconds later, the ion wave hit the Assault Carrier, rendering even that ship, which was close in size to the Malevolence itself, immobilized and defenseless.

Grievous laughed and growled, "Fire everything! Burn the Jiralhanae's
mongrel hides!" Every operational turbolaser that could hit the Assault Carrier fired, cracking the ship's hull with ease and swiftly blowing it apart. Chuckling at the destruction, Grievous turned to Spectre and said, "Was that not entertaining?"

Unknown to the Malevolence, upon its collision with the Destroyer, a swarm of Drones had flown through the crack in the Covenant ship's hull and, able to survive in vacuum, flew through the Malevolence's hull. Their orders were simple: sabotage the ship, or if they could, place a tracking beacon to follow it back to where it had come from...