Glory Reclaimed | TSG

[Dutch]

One hour since Mandalorian arrival...

From so high up, the battle that ravaged his streets seemed so... muffled. At the very top floor of the capital tower of Talusport, he watched as the fires and smoke of a city under siege slowly crept closer and closer. Governor Dedos was a Muun of some report. Top of his class in ambassadorial and economical studies, the man had once served as a junior senator before being appointed the governor on Gargon. Though not allowed to touch the virgin mines of metals that filled the planet, the Governor had managed to make many improvements for the planet. A thriving tourism influx, solid business partnerships and even a name as home planet for one of the galaxy's most famous soap actors. Governor Dedos had been a good choice for the planet, yet as he stood there in silence only moving to dab moist lips with a silken handkerchief it was clear nobody could prepare for this.

Colonel Corunna Naaden stood across the conference table from him, arm's crossed impatiently as her dark eyes stared at the back of the Muun's head. All around sat and stood the highest ranking military personnel on world, as well as several Jedi. Jedi that should be on the streets protecting civilians, but instead dutifully followed the leading Republic official's word.

"Governor, we need to get a ship off world asap to try and contact the Republic. The longer you wait the longer the Mandalorians have to fortify their blockade."

The Colonel said, hand drifting down to key a command into the conference table's terminal. The holo projector in the center flickered on to show a spinning mirror of Gargon, the red blips indicating enemy ships slowly drifting into position over major cities. It didn't look good for them, each port sabotaged too easily, all communications blocked too thoroughly. The worst was obvious, there were locals working with the invaders. Locals who had sold out their own people.

"How did it come to this...?"

Whispered the Muun, again dabbing at the moisture that collected at the corners of his wet lips. Corunna scrunched her features in annoyance, eyes darting to the other Republic officers that had been gathered. She was the highest ranked of the lot, but had been on Gargon for personal reasons over Republic duty. Literally had been getting on a shuttle to leave when the sky had darkened with Mandalorian war ships. When the call from Dedos came in, she quickly changed into a set of plasteel-plated officer issue armor on loan from the local base.

"Governor, I've maneuvered what little forces you have as you requested. But if you don't let me take control and do my job, the planet will already be lost. Mandalorians want you to just send our men out to meet them in battle, that is what drives them to fight harder. A tactical retreat will mean losing the city, but will keep enough people alive to fight back another time!" The Colonel pleaded, leaning to rest both hands on the table and return to glaring at the back of Dedos. This fool would doom them all, and for what?

"Governer please! Say something!" Her voice rose, a gloved fist slamming into the conference table with a thud. To Corunna's surprise the Muun shifted, slowly turning to look back at the council he had gathered. Again the handkerchief went to his mouth, gently dabbing as his gaze wandered.

"I have faith our glorious army will repel the invaders, Colonel Naaden."

[Res]

The young Captain stood just behind and to the left of the Colonel. She was there in an intelligence capacity, she was the best and only one they could get to come out. Seria had been on Gargon for a couple days ggathering information about what had been going on. Sbe stood there quietly as the Muun Governor and Colonel Naaden exchange words. She knew the name but it was her older sister, Supreme Chancellor Naaden. She had met the leader of the Republic. Though she had never knew that the Colonel was the sister of the Supreme Chancellor. Such different personalities. With her mother once being the Senior Senator from Alderaan she had close encounters with Supreme Chancellor Naaden.

"Governor, the Mandalorian are using Basilisk War Droids. They are nothing we've seen in centuries. Not to mention the war driven mind of the Mandalorian and determination They can out last any soldier we've got. But if we can fall back and regroup we can last longer and if we just barge head first. "

The intelligence officer finished and glanced over at her fellow Alderaarian. The woman had a determined look on her face. Seria didn't have much battle field training but she was confident that she was up for the task. Peering at the command table watching the enemy ships maneuver into position. She had a feeling her brother would be up there in their respective ships, once they arrived. Knesos could only watch as the Colonel try to convince the Muun to allow her to do her job. The Captain hoped her words help change the mans mind.

[Meira]

"Lock that crate down!"

Ari's voice, filtered through the mic of his sealed helmet, rang clear in the internal speakers of every mandalorian soldier on the drop ship. The two seated closest to the offending crate jumped quickly into action, wrestling it back into place and securing a strap around it to hold it fast to the wall. The crate had rocked loose as the transport descended quickly through flack fire toward the surface of Gargon.

Ari had missed out on the first wave of the invasion. For the first time, he had actually felt some regret for his position within the Mandalorian military. Watching Mandalore and Skira position themselves at the edge of the hangar, like birds of prey surveying their hunting grounds had Ari wanting to be right there with them, falling like fire down onto the Republic forces below.

Not today. But soon. He'd told himself after Mandalore and Skira made their jump, then turned back to the task at hand. Down below, there were loyal Mandalorians, breaking their own chains and waiting for an opportunity to join their vod in battle for their freedom. Ari remembered how that had felt on Shogun, and was determined to fulfill his part in arming his brethren in this task.

Now, an hour after the assault had begun, Ari and a platoon of fellow soldiers were on their way to meet one Lieutenant Arcane who had been on planet rallying support and helping with the essential sabotage missions that made the full scale invasion possible. Ari only hoped that those she gathered were truly up to the task ahead.

The drop ship landed in a cleared zone and Ari oversaw the unloading of the various weapons and armor that could be spared to supply the local Mandalorians. Ari had ensured that the equipment supplied was of solid quality. The last thing they needed was badly armed locals with limited training being more of a hindrance than help.

"You!" Ari shouted, gaining the attention of an unarmored man approaching the supply area. "Where is Lieutenant Arcane?"

[Jazen]

As the dropship came to a hissing halt as the landing gear made contact with Gargon's surface, its bay door opened...and a monster stepped out.

A monster is what many would call Thel Valamdee by the end of this battle. It would be a correct description of the man, this hulk of a being that would descend swiftly onto the enemies of the Mando'ade to bring death and pain. Even without his armor and usually hunched over, Thel had stood over many of his peers. Today, fully armored, geared up and standing tall...well, the last sight many would see this day would be of his hulking frame and that dreaded T-shaped visor descending on them...and that's if he didn't reveal the face of nightmares beneath it.

It was going to be a grand day. The thought was surely echoed throughout his comrades; Thel was certainty feeling it.

After years of waiting, of biding their time, of building up their strength again, the Mando'ade had finally decided, like with Shogun, that it was time to reclaim what was once theirs. Gargon. It had been in the hands the Republic for far too long; it was time to return its glorious land to the proper hands. From the moment Thel had learned of the invasion, he had been in line to be one of the first to step onto the field of battle, to put blaster and blade and armored body to the enemy, to face his foes in fierce battle and crush them under his foot...or die taking as many of them with him as he could.

The warrior blood in him still boiled at the thought...but he didn't let it summon his baser instincts to overtake reason. There would soon be a time to unleash his monstrous blood...but for now, the soldier and thinker was needed, not the blood-thirsty creature he could become.

Thel's armored boots carried him swiftly from the shuttle that had descended with its deadly cargo. Unlike several of the shuttles that had landed, Thel's had been filled merely with troops rather then supplies as well. All around him, other craft landed, deploying the warriors of the Mando'ade culture and supplies that the advanced troops, soldiers who'd been waiting on the planet for this day, were collecting in order to join the right more effectively. The troops behind Thel were already moving out, heading off either to begin the fight or aid in the removal of supplies elsewhere. A small group of five remained at his back; he was going to be leading them into the fight as soon as he got intel about where they required him.

Gripping his rifle with both hands, Thel stomped his way across the field, his long legs carrying him faster then someone his size should ever be able to move The Mando's at his back rushed to keep pace with him, the six of them moving as one, with no words needed for now. It didn't take him long upon this field to spot a face, or rather, an armor he knew...the armor of one Ari Weyland. He adjusted his direction and soon enough, his armored form was stomping up to Ari's side.

"I see fate has brought us to a field of battle together once again, Ari Weyland. It shall be a glorious day indeed.

Looking for the good Lieutenant? It happens that I am as well; well soldier, you heard him. Where is she?"

[Mara]

[...from x]

It started out as a tiny dark gray dot against the light gray sky of early morning and was accompanied by a vibrational hum at the low end of the scale. Hard to distinguish at first among the distant but recognizable sounds of a raging battle. But as the object gained in size, so did the roar of its engines. For that was what it was: a shuttle coming in fast. The transport's destination was a clearing far behind the front lines designated as a makeshift gathering point and armory to equip recently trained local Gargon Mandalorians as they finally joined in the fight with their fellows.

Soon, the shuttle could be viewed with the naked eye and not just through a helmet's HUD, and the old-model transport carried the familiar colors of the Republic among its pealing layers. However, a further inspection revealed that while the small ship was in fact marked as belonging to the enemy, it was clearly no longer in possession of it. Great reddish brown swaths had been smeared across the sides--indeterminable as convenient paint or as fluids from cut-down foes that had dried on the fuselage. And its weapons ports remained silent, unmoving.

The transport found an open area near enough to where the other dropships were resting and engaged its repulsors for its descent. Landing softly with a hydraulic hiss, the shuttle's ramp slid out a few moments later and thudded on the dirt. Boots clanged on the metal as a pair of armor-clad Mandalorians debarked the shuttle followed by three others in one-two file. These first two--a short Chadra-Fan in custom-made fuchsia besk'ar and a tall humanoid with deep blue armor plates--paused down at the bottom, as if waiting for instructions. Next out of the hatch was a feminine soldier in amber-colored armor marching down with purpose to her steps, a humanoid clad in gray and strange being with wings devoid of traditional armor flanking her.

Obviously the officer in charge, the woman immediately turned to locate the point being out of the crowd she had been sent to connect with. Finding a likely candidate clad in dark red standing next to a hulk in deep green armor in the middle of the organized commotion, she started off determinedly in his direction, and the four other troops fell in smartly behind her. A pistol on each hip, she had a rifle slung over a shoulder as well. She was Ambria Arcane, spec ops lieutenant in the Mandalorian army, and had already been on Gargon for the past week, doing what she could, along with others sent ahead, to prepare for the military force's imminent invasion and recapture of the planet. But now that the groundwork had been laid, the time had now come to pass leadership of the band into other capable hands while she herself would unite with other soldiers to engage the enemy where their own particular skills could be of the most use, do the most damage: the heart of the capital of Talusport.

Ever since a fluke accident had caused her to miss the battle at Ordo, Ambria had been itching to get involved in something important. She had felt idle for much too long, growing bored with disuse at the base on Concord Dawn. Fortunately, a new mission had come her way just days later to begin dismantling Gargon from the inside out. It had been relatively easy for her and fellow officer Jorra D'resh to take out a Republic listening post, along with some friendly assistance from native 'rebels.' These were citizens of Gargon with Mandalorian heritage and leanings, biding their time, wishing for the occupation of the Republic to be eliminated. Months earlier, the woman had come to Gargon to meet up with one of those cells and train the rough soldiers-to-be and so had been well acquainted with them and their various proficiencies.

Once her original mission had been completed, the post destroyed, she had departed from D'Resh and gone back to her friends. Her intent had been to catch them up on the latest news and brush up their skills in the coming days while they waited for the battle fleet to arrive. Though her brightest students had been left in charge to continue the drills, Ambria had wanted to inspect them herself. And to her pleased surprise, she was much impressed with their improvement in so short a time. So much so that she had taken the initiative to send a few of the top fighters on guerrilla attacks on other outposts and settlements in the outlying areas, taking advantage of weaknesses far from Republic reach.

Now though, the rest of the Mandalorians had come, and the battle had begun in earnest within the last hour. She first needed to acquire the weapons and supplies to supplement her homegrown group's meager stores before she could do anything else. The eager warriors had done well enough in the time previous with scraped together pistols and rifles, dusted off, along with some homemade weapons. However, Ambria knew if they had state-of-the-art munitions and equipment to match up with their superior training, they would be as unstoppable as those more formally trained in the art of war. A swell of pride had risen up in her chest at this thought.

Reaching her intended target, she came to a stop, her entourage coming to a standstill as well; the Chadra-Fan and his partner relaxed their postures, while the other two remained at attention behind her. The lieutenant inclined her helmeted head briefly at each standing there and then removed the amber-colored gear, stowing it under her arm. "Apologies for my late arrival, Chief. Corporal." She greeted them in turn before focusing her intention on the warrant officer. "Had a bit of a skirmish on the way here." Here, a hint of a feral smile on her dark features that quickly disappeared. "If you would point Chak and Mouna to where their supplies are, they can get started in loading up for delivery back to their brethren." Ambria gestured back to the Chadra-Fan and the Vultan--she had removed her helmet to reveal the fleshy strands on her head--and they hurried up to line up beside her, backs straightening and saluting the quartermaster.

After they had been given their instructions and hurried off to complete them, Ambria introduced the two left waiting in her wake with a wave of each hand. "I'd like you to meet Layek Turkel, a particularly gifted sniper and sharpshooter..." The gray-clad humanoid nodded in acknowledgement of his name. "And Melyska, who has taken well to the demolition arts." Left unsaid was that the S'kytri female was also well versed in attacks from above, as well as scouting, her wings giving her a distinct vantage point. "They have opted to leave their fellows behind and join with us." More like Ambria had strongly encouraged them; though they would have been a huge advantage back with their group of 'rebels,' she had felt their skills would do more good closer to the main battle lines.

[Dutch]

Madness.

This was madness.

The Colonel's dark eyes would burrow into the Muun's. It was clear the Governor was miles away mentally, taking refuge just as the man did in the tower. With Dedos leading their forces, Gargon wouldn't stand longer than a day. They needed to implement their response to the Mandalorians as fast as possible. Her eyes only looked away when the blonde intel officer chirped from behind. Corunna stood and half turned from the table, eyes warily sizing up the other woman.

"Just the one droid, Captain. But it's crucial we destroy it as soon as possible. It is true that a Mandalorian is hard to demoralize, but neutralizing a symbol of their culture should help. A Mandalorian is no different than you or I, Blondie. They die just the same."

There were few in the Republic who knew the Mandalorians as well as Colonel Naaden. Years had been spent on Concord Dawn, integrated into one of their clans as a spy. She had fought with them, fed with them, in many ways she had become them. The beskad strapped to her leg proof of having belonged to the people. The Colonel turned to regard the holo of Gargon that rotated above the table. The Mandalorian blockade was near set, which meant there was little time to form any sort of counter measure. However if the blockade did fill out, any chance of any civilian ships getting free as near moot.

She counted too few blue blips in space indicating friendly ships, and entirely too many in green for civilian traffic. If they did nothing, all greens and blues would be destroyed. Yet if the blues actively worked to punch a hole... some civilians could escape. Which would likely mean the end of their current naval forces. Yet as her dark, sad eyes watched the red Mandalorian blips move over the holo, she knew they were already near their end. The woman turned to the Captain fully this time, showing Governor Dedos her back.

"You're a spook, correct? Military intelligence?" The Colonel would ask with both brows raised in query. "Think you can patch us through whatever jamming signal the Mandalorians are using to get in contact with the Republic fleet in orbit?"

[Res]

Seria looked at the Colonel as she spoke to her. It was true everyone died just like everyone else. Some just took longer than others, and the Mandalorian were some that took longer than others. The Captain wanted to say something about the Blondie comment but bit her tongue. For one it wasn't the time nor place to be offended and also Naaden was her superior officer and it would be disrespectful to say something. Watching as the ships and the ground units took their positions. This isn't going to end well for us. Even for the fact I have the best Intel team here. She thought as she turned back toward Naaden.

"Yes Colonel, my Intel team says that they could only spot one Basilisk War Droid."

The Intelligence Officer watched as the Colonel studied the halo above the table. It was saddening that her Intel brought her to this planet a week before the fighting started but they couldn't get the message back because of the pending invasion. Seria was handed a data pad by one of her men. Reading it over she shook her head. It wasn't going to be pretty once that blockade is finished setting up. It will obliterate any and every ship that comes close to it. They needed to find a way to break the jamming. Just then Naaden turned her back to the Governor and faced her speaking. She had the same thought she had seconds earlier. They needed to get a line of communication to the ships in orbit.

"Yes ma'am, I am. I will get my team on it right away. Or would you rather I take care of it personally?"

Seria already knew the answer to the question but she asked it anyways. The Alderaanian was very intelligent and could tell what others were thinking because for her training. She was though a better Psychologist than Intelligence Officer.

[Meira]

Ari smiled at the sight of Valamdee. It had been some time since they'd last worked together, but when they had... well, the results spoke for themselves. He nodded his head toward the hulking reptilian. "Glad to have you, Valamdee." he replied, turning back to the man he had questioned.

The man seemed slightly confused and Ari realized that he must not have been under the lieutenant's command. He dismissed the man quickly, relieving him of the stuttering embarrassment that he was about to make of himself. But Ari and Thel would not be long in wait. Only a moment after letting the man go, Ari spotted a group of vode making their way through the organized chaos that was a supply area. Leading this group was a figure, a woman, in amber colored armor. That had to be her.

When she and her companions arrived in front of them, Ari snapped his posture to attention and saluted, relaxing once Arcane began her introductions. He removed his own helmet, following her lead. "Ari Weyland, ma'am. And this is Thel Valamdee."

When the lieutenant indicated two of her followers to be sent for their portion of the supplies, Ari called over one of his own men to lead them to where it was being doled out. As they moved away, Arcane introduced the other two in her group and Ari gave each a nod. "Alright, ma'am." he said, turning toward a command station that had just been finished. "If you'd follow me, I'll show you the orders I was instructed to bring to you."

Ari led the way, helmet tucked under his left arm, toward a tent. He opened a flap, and stood aside to allow everyone to entered. Once they had, Ari ducked inside. A few consoles were already up and running, with just a couple still being connected and powered on. Ari moved toward the small round holo-table at the center of the tent and gestured for the rest to take a place where they could see. Taking a wire from the table, he connected it to the small datapad mounted on his forearm. In a few moments, a three dimensional map of the city came to life over the table. Slowly, different colored dots appeared on the screen.

"Red are our forces." Ari said. "And blue are Republic." Portions of the city, projected in grey originally, grew entirely red. "As you can see, we've swarmed many sectors of the city already. Here," a golden blip appeared on the screen at the head of one red section of the city, closest to the tall spire that was their goal, "is where Mandalore is leading the assault, but there are units that have spread out in every sector. We are here." the map rotated to show a red area at the outskirts of the city and to the right flank of the Mandalorian forces. "We will be doing the same." He looked up at Ambria.

"Our orders, ma'am, are to take this city, street by street, on our way toward the tower." His eyes turned then to look at each standing before him. "Mandalore commands no children be hurt, and quarter given to those who wish to join our cause. The rest are forfeit." His attention then returned to the lieutenant.

"We have a platoon of 40, ma'am. Valamdee and I can lead one squad each. Turkel and Melyska can lead the other two, if you are in agreement." He pressed a few icons on his datapad and the holo-table zoomed further in, now showing only one portion of the city. "This is the sector that we have been assigned. How do you suggest we proceed?"

[Jazen]

At Ari's words, Thel bowed his head to him, a mutual show of respect and pleasure at seeing him upon the field. That was one of the more interesting part of Thel's armor; that it was adapted to his frame and his unique body structure...it allowed him to move as easily as if he was wearing the armor of his home planet. Of course, his armor didn't have the added benefits that his Mando'ade armor granted him....but it was a fine piece of work nonetheless. In this battle, it would be both a symbol of his allegiance...and it's unique properties would no doubt come in handy soon enough.

It didn't take long for Lieutenant Ambria to arrive at their position. Ari spotted them first and Thel's own body turned to watch as the amber-clad woman and her squad joined them. Thel snapped a salute of his own almost in time with Ari's at her arrival, his introduction handled by his comrade. That didn't leave him without words to speak though. "Honor and glory to you Lieutenant. A pleasure to see you are well. We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival, so that we might assist in the battle at hand."

Thel nodded respectfully to both her comrades as they were introduced before turning to follow in Ari's wake, his footsteps heavy upon the ground they tred. Unlike the others, Thel did not remove his helmet yet; the sounds of battle nearby had his hunter's instincts stirring. It was an instinct that had been engrained in him since birth, a natural instinct that had been tempered over the years to be more then base actions. It was something to be controlled and used in battle, a tool to make him all the more deadly upon the battlefield. Normally it was tame...but with such a huge battle nearby, the urge to race into it was even higher. Thel had long ago learned to control it, even now...but by keeping his helmet on at the moment, it served as a reminder that he had a bigger purpose at the moment. The time for blood and blaster and blade would come soon enough.

Stepping into the tent, Thel positioned himself to Ari's right, his form bowed over slightly to observe the holo-table before him. Thel took a moment, waiting for the others to enter, listening to the sounds of battle outside. Then he finally popped his helmet off, deciding within the tent and the holo-table would serve to curb his baser desires. His mandibles clicked together as the helmet fell away, his teeth clacking together as he stretched the muscles. He was a fearsome sight with the helmet on; without it, he became a nightmare as well.

Thel studied the map as Ari presented it; the overwhelming sea of red compared to that of the blue was astounding. This is what happened when the full might of the Mandolarion war machine descended upon a planet. Without a doubt, the victor of this battle would be them..Thel could see that. The advantage was far too weighted in their favor. What mattered now was how fast they achieved the objective and the number of lives that were lost in the intern. The faster they took the tower, the less lives that would be forfeit. Not that Thel minded...but there would be more to recruit after and less of their own lost as a result.

Something resembling a snarl of disgust, as if he'd just tasted something foul, slipped from Thel at a part of their orders. "I agree with the Mandalore about giving quarter and to not harm the younger generation. But I will not target those with no will to fight...orders or not. We are warriors, not butchers. Anyone who picks up a weapon and does not surrender it, who fires upon us, are fair game. The rest are a waste of time, effort...and pointless savagery. I cannot control the actions of others...but I will not allow it under my eye." If anyone doubted him, the fire in his eyes and his stance told them that he would not budge on that. He had been raised to defeat the enemy...not slaughter them wholesale. And he dared anyone to make him try.

"If the five of us lead, that balances to eight members pure squad effectively. As a suggestion..." Thel pointed to their sector and the arrangement of buildings there..."the Republic troops seem dug in here. Our best bet would be a flanking approach; two squads draw their attention, while another flanks and attacks them from behind. The other two would act as support for either squad and deal with any additional Republic troops or as shock troops to counter a Republic push. Again, that's my thoughts...I leave the decisions to you, Lieutenant."

[Mara]

(((Okay, sorry for the delay.
Plus, I really hope this all makes sense; 'tis all new territory for me.)))


She nodded sharply and followed Weyland and Valamdee as the former guided them through the chaos and towards a large tent set off to the side. Outwardly, her steps were no different than that of the other soldiers, but inwardly, Ambria's skin was thrumming with the excitement of impending battle. It had been far too long since she had been engaged in such a fight, and she was itchy to take it to the enemy in full force. The assault on the listening post had only been a tasty hors d'oeuvre, leaving her wanting more. But soon, she would dine on the entree and satiate her appetite.

As they reached their destination, Weyland stood back of the tent's entrance flap to allow everyone else entrance first before he brought up the rear. Ambria stepped inside with Turkel and Melyska right behind her, the S'kytri having to duck extra low to make it through the opening without snagging her wings. In the dimness of the canvas room, the lieutenant saw communications arrays and computer consoles along the walls, as well as a holoprojector table in the center of the space. Assuming this latter setup was the warrant officer's target, she skirted a technician and in a few strides was standing before it.

In deference and respect, her companions took up positions on the far side of the table opposite their commander and the two others. Melyska's green-hued face was set neutrally, almost blandly, while her wings rustled in anticipation; the S'kytri was not bothered in the least with her unarmored and scanty public appearance. The only evidence that she was a warrior and not a civilian caught in the middle of the fray was the belt of grenades at her waist, her fingers hooked through it. She was thankful to have been given a chance to prove herself away from the small skirmishes she and the others had been involved in so far and was eager for everything to start.

Turkel, however, was all steely calm and businesslike as he finally removed his gray helmet, slowly revealing a deeply mutilated face. Scar tissue covered the whole left side, and the human's head was shaven clean of hair. An old injury had taken away his hearing and sight on that side, leaving him with only one good eye and ear. He angled his body so that his undamaged side was closer to the group in order to avoid missing anything that was said. It was a high degree of trust he was showing the others in dropping the safety net of his headgear, the HUD inside normally compensating for his loss and keeping it hidden.

With everyone assembled and ready, Weyland then fiddled with some wires and devices, and an image soon popped into place above the holoprojector table. Ambria listened quietly as the warrant officer explained what they were all looking at. She was pleased at the amount of red she saw spread out across the display in comparison to the few scattered blues. Only an hour or so into the invasion, and the Mandalorians already looked to have established a secure foothold in the fight. However, there was still a great deal yet to accomplish as she had noticed a few pockets of Republic presence around the city, the blue areas only beginning to be joined by streams of red.

Then the man got to the point of this whole meeting: instructions from Mandalore herself on how they were to proceed in their designated sector. They would become one of those streams of red on the map, working to snuff out all the blue Republic forces in their path as they made their way in the heart of city to join their leader in securing a victory for the Mandalorians. Children were to be spared for adoption and assimilation, as well as any adults who surrendered; any other beings were collateral damage. Not just the soldiers but civilians as well. All in all, a very straightforward plan.

Her uncertainty came with the division of the 40 troops at their disposal, and Weyland's suggestion to split up into five squads, which each of them leading one. Ambria knew that the two soldiers she had brought with her deserved to enter this part of the invasion; she wouldn't have otherwise asked them to leave behind their compatriots on the outskirts. However, it was a new situation for them; as well, Melyska had shown from time to time to be a bit of a loose cannon, a trait that was not always an advantage in the heat of a fight. She would feel much better in pairing her with Turkel so he could keep her in check.

Ambria had been about to voice just this to the others when Valamdee broke into the silence. She turned her gaze from the display and onto the corporal. The big reptilian expressed his gruff opinions on the instructions passed down from Mandalore for them to follow. And it was an interesting, if not controversial, one: apparently he felt that it would be a waste to go about killing all the unarmed civilians and should focus their efforts on simply the Republic soldiers and those residents who had taken up arms. A direct violation of orders sent by their leader.

The dark-skinned woman was a staunch loyalist and would never think of disobeying her superiors. Especially not Mandalore. Disregarding orders and following her own desires was something that would never entered her mind; even the possibility of it turned her stomach. But as she pondered the large alien's words, Ambria could see the logic in not spending extra time and ammunition in their assault towards the tower--things they would need for more important targets and skirmishes--and maybe together they could find a compromise or an exception, as much as it pained her to consider it.

Still looking up at Valamdee, "You should reconsider what you are advocating here, Corporal." An emphasis on his rank as she said it. "We have been given explicit instructions from Mandalore, and you--all of us--" At this, she glanced in turn at the three others positioned around the holo table before focusing back on the tall alien. "Will be fulfilling those orders, no matter personal agendas or feelings. Mandalorians do not shirk from their duties, and we work for the glory and honor of Mandalore and her people. Anything less will not be tolerated, and I will ask you to pack your bags. Do you understand?"

Holding up a hand, she stopped him or anyone else from biting back a response of disagreement and delved right into the reason they were all standing around this holoprojector in the first place. "All right, our main objection is to fight our way through this sector, securing it in the most effective manner as we make our way to the tower and Mandalore." She stepped forward and pressed a button, highlighting their sector and blowing it up, so that it filled the entire display. "As we move forward, remember, any and all children you encounter will be spared, the same to any others who wish to turn their backs on the Republic. The others are forfeited.

"However, in the interest of expediency, we will not be actively searching every single building and residence. Anyone in plain sight will be cut down, but if you see no one, continue on. This will save time as well as our ammunition that we are sure to have more need of closer to the center of the city and for the fight surrounding the tower. I believe Mandalore would see the logic in not wasting supplies and energy on simple civilians when we have more important prey at hand. Once we take the planet, we can always return and finish them off. And if this is not sufficient for anyone, again, you know where the door is; this is not the time to hesitate.

"Now, moving on. As to your suggestion, Corporal, of a flanking maneuver, I would like to make a few improvements. Instead of five squads, four should be plenty. Turkel and Melyska will command one together, and the three of us the others. Once we reach the hapless Republic dogs with their false sense of security, we will surround them." Ambria pointed out the grouping of blue dots within the sector and gestured her intentions. "I'll take my squad around to the front; Weyland, yours to the left; Valamdee, to the right. And Turkel and Melyska will stay on point, continuing on our original course and attacking them from behind."

Stepping back from the image, she surveyed the others. "If there are no more questions or comments, then we should get moving." Ambria lifted up her helmet and plunked it back down over her head. And with a curt nod, she left the table behind and exited the tent and out into the open air. After a moment of indecision, wondering if the others would speak, Turkel snapped on his own headgear and followed. A disgruntled Melyska came up behind, upset that the human, though she respected him, would effectively be her babysitter. But she trusted Lieutenant Arcane and wanted to prove her worth; by the time she was outside, all traces of her annoyance had left.