[center][h2]The Return Begins...[/h2]
[b]Location:[/b] Tanarus System, Watchpost Echo-13
[b]Post Commander:[/b] Captain Larus Annarin[/center]

Captain Larus Annarin yawned as he finished reading what was, in complete honesty, nothing more than a copied report for the fifth time that day. They had been sitting in the Tanarus system under Moff Aran for nearly five years and NOTHING had changed with in it except the amount of taxes he took from the people under his jurisdiction. The news of the late Jabba's death had scared many of the criminals who had been paying the Moff credits to turn a blind eye to their activities had fled the system, fearful that while Jabba hadn't cared about their other payments, there were no guarantees that whatever Hutt managed to win the power struggle within the Council would be as OK. So, in response to the drop in illicit funds, the taxes received an increase to make up for it.

Word from the garrison commander was there was some mild civil unrest due to the raise, as everyone had been pretty content with where things were, there had been no need to deploy the Crowd Control units. Suppressing a second yawn, the captain began to reach for another datapad when a crewman's console beeped. "Sir, incoming contacts dropping out of hyperspace. Looks like...wow, talk about old. They're Venator-class." The captain looked out the viewport at the star destroyers that had just dropped from hyperspace, but noticed nothing odd immediately.

"Hail them, confirm they're Imperial. Likely some small time Moff that the Rebel filth that got pushed out of his territory in some lost corner of the Outer Rim." The operator nodded and turned back to his console as the captain returned to his reading.

"Attention unidentified Imperial cruiser, please transmit your identity numbers so that we may confirm the Moff in charge and get you in to see Moff Aran with the utmost speed." Which, the captain made a silent note on, wasn't particularly fast. Aran didn't see anyone who didn't catch his interest, which was why there was such a long waiting list to see the man. Silence reigned before the operators brows furrowed and he turned back to Larus. "Sir, they sent a response, but it wasn't to us here on the bridge. I'm going to-wait, something's coming through. Patching it through to loudspeakers."

A moment of silence ruled while the operator patched in the transmission, and then a voice clearly not Imperial came on. [color=SaddleBrown]"This is Supreme Commander Jason Je'and of the Republic Remnant. You are to stand down and cooperate. You get only this one warning."[/color] The Captain could do little more than stare as the message ended before turning to the operator.

"Tell him he can go to-" And chaos erupted as the door to the bridge of the watchpost was blown in by a breaching charge. Captain Larus was dazed for the majority of it, the only thing he was sure of was a group of his own stormtroopers rushing in and gunning down anyone who pulled a weapon and another subduing him and putting a vibroknife to his throat when he struggled. As the smoke died down, one of the troopers seemed to be talking to someone on the other end of his comms.

"Aye sir, the station is secure; no SOS sent." He falls silent. "Negative sir, we had to take out all of the defending garrison when you sent the signal. Non-combat personnel were only wounded if weapons were pulled as ordered, they'll definitely need medical attention before questioning." Silence once more, by which point the captain began to realize that the voice of the trooper sounded highly reminiscent of a certain trooper fielded years prior.

[i]It can't be, the facilities were shut down![/i] The trooper spoke once more. "Aye, we secured the captain. I'll send Eighty to the docking bay to meet your shuttle with him." Silence once more, and suddenly the captain became VERY nervous. "Affirmative, all clear signal will continue to be sent until the fleet is in position." The trooper seemed to cut the transmission and headed to the communications console where he set the all clear signal to be sent at it's regular intervals. Meaning the fleet defending Tanarus would have no idea it was in danger. After a moment, one of the stormtrooper's growls in annoyance.

"Bugger all, I can't take wearing this thing anymore!" Removing his helmet, revealed the obviously Mandalorian face beneath, which caused the captain's draw to drop in both surprise and terror. They really WERE Clone troops, but these were from a different template, as they were still in top combat condition. "I don't get how those stormies can do anything in that helmet other than look like they do. Could barely aim in that thing." The clone from before, likely the commander, removed his as well while the clone who'd grabbed him kept a tight grip and the knife perfectly still.

"Stow the complaints, Niner. We got the job done. Eighty, get the Captain there to the shuttle bay, Supreme Commander Je'and wants to meet with him personally." As the vibroknife vanished from his throat and he's forced to his feet, Captain Larus Annarin suddenly wishes he'd taken the transfer back to Tanarus as a Squad Captain.

[hr]

The three Venators continued on their path from Watchpost Echo-13, the codes that would allow them to get close to Moff Aran's defense fleet already being sent to the three Imperial-class Star Destroyers as the distance shrank. The good Captain Larus had been more than willing to talk when the Supreme Commander had given him the choice to talk or die and had given them the clearance codes with little issue. As the [i]Resurgance[/i] closed with it's assigned target, Jason found himself wishing that the man hadn't proven to be as cowardly as most Imperial traitors seemed to be when a genuine blaster pistol was put in their face. Still, the codes had been secured and the man now sat in a cell in the prison block, where he would stay until a proper military tribunal could be had. As the fleet and planet grew closer, Jason sent out the order for all three star destroyers to man battle stations and await further orders. This Moff Aran had no idea what was coming for him.

[hr]

Moff Aran sat in his office, watching the Twi'lek girl in front of him dance as she did, a cocktail in his hand as he contemplated recent happenings. Orro had recently made a rather daring move, convincing Livani to join him and follow orders. While he had no way to confirm such information, his contact had said they'd had reason to believe Orro had managed to kidnap Livani's daughter and hold her hostage. This caused the Moff to look over the courtyard outside his window as he dismissed the Twi'lek, where his daughter and son played together after their lessons, her in Imperial Statecraft and self defense, he in military strategy and combat training.

As he sat, he began to wonder what would stop Orro from targeting his children in his quest for ultimate dominance amongst his fellow remnants. Taurus had also fallen under the rising Moff's sway, although it would perhaps be more accurate to say his forces had, since Taurus was supposed to be in a cell according to another informant. [i]Perhaps it would be best to enter into an alliance with Orro. At least then I don't have to worry about being stabbed in the back or my children being put in harms way.[/i] Just then, a knock sounded at Aran's door and he turned, a slight frown on his face as he stood. "Enter."

A moment later, a communications officer opened the door, the fear and confusion on his face evident. "Sir, I- it's the-we need to-" the man continued trying to form coherent sentences for several seconds before Aran held up a hand, stopping him.

"Breathe deeply, calm down some, and THEN report." Nodding, the officer took a pair of deep breathes before speaking again, the words pouring out of his mouth.

"They came out of no where. A fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers rolled up on the [i]Basilisk[/i] and it's escort, with the appropriate clearance codes from Watchpost Echo-13 to be taking up position in orbit around the planet. Without warning, and before anyone on the [i]Basilisk[/i] could react, all three ships opened fire once they were on position in the perfect broadside." He gulped before continuing. "It's gone sir. Your flagship is no more and it's escorts are in worse shape. Troop transports have already delivered enemy troops within city limits while the garrison was still being mobilized. It's a slaughter of any combatant who doesn't surrender."

Aran's eyes hardened as he looked back towards the courtyard. Already, the sounds of artillery fire and blaster fire were reaching his ears on the wind, with smoke rising across the capitol, though it was small, of Jenarus, where his compound was located. "Get my children to safety and dispatch the AT-STs to aide in quelling this invasion. The Empire will stand. Send word to Orro, requesting help along with my promise to join him should he send aid." Nodding, the man vanished as the Moff left the room. His children would be evacuated to a bunker deep underground along with a Deathtrooper escort while he would head to the command center and set his forces to defending the city. He would fight or he would die defending what was left of the Empire in Hutt Space.

Shortly after arriving, he was approached by the comms officer from before, with a holodisc for recording. Nodding, he spoke into it when indicated. "Moff Jacsen Orro, this is Moff Aran Mortifus. I am under attack from an unknown force and find myself on the backfoot. I request your aid with the defense of the Tanarus system and in return for it, I will align myself with you and help to convince the other remaining Moffs to do so. Once more, this is Moff Aran Mortifus asking for reinforcements." The recording stopped and the comms officer rushed to his desk, immediately transmitting the message as the Moff asked for a status update.

One of his tactical officers spoke up first. "Field reports are saying the enemy troops are equipped with modernized Clone armor and weaponry, and that the mechanized units being fielded are also updated Clone Wars era vehicles. There are also non-clones in the mix, armed with anywhere from heavy assault cannons to long range sniper weaponry. Our AT-STs are enroute, but chances are they won't make enough of a difference to save the battle." Aran's eyes narrowed as he studied the holographic image in front of him of the battlefield. Sure enough, it was all Clone weapons and mechanized units being used, but it simply didn't make sense. The Empire and taken over and shut down the cloning facilities on Kamino shortly after it's formation, so where did these come from?

"Have them focus on holding a defensive line until I receive word from Moff Orro on reinforcement. The Empire will hold." Several yes sirs echoed through the room as it became a flurry of activity. Imperial forces began to make fortified positions along the length of the middle of the city, gun emplacements pinning down infantry and light recon units, when Y-wing bombers ran the length, their proton bombs destroying gun emplacements and freeing up any pinned infantry. AT-STs began to suffer casualties as ARC fighters made runs on them, their heads exploding in brilliant flashes. Soon, the fighting was close enough to the compound that the differences between the blaster types being used could be heard by those in the command room.

Shortly after, a Stormtrooper rushed in as orders were being given to hold the line. "Sir, they've breached the compound. Clone Special forces must have infiltrated through one of the sewer lines to-" A blaster shot from behind him dropped him as the Clone Commandoes breached and cleared the room. Blaster fire lit it up as the Imperials took cover from the well trained and armed clones, blue and red blaster bolts lancing across the room. First to fall, though, was the Imperial comms officer who'd informed Aran of attack on his small but powerful fleet, a blaster bolt to the chest downing him as a second team of clones, these clearly just standard, came in through the observation windows, gunning down the Imperials until it was just the Moff and two stormtroopers, who had been guarding the Moff since the attack began.

The two teams of Clones kept firing, though they shots were no longer to kill. For several long minutes the exchange continued, before the heavy boom of an assault cannon echoed through out the room before a grenade exploded in-between the trio of Imperials. The explosion wounded all three and took out the Moff's blaster arm and he could do little to resist the clone who seized him and lifted him off the ground as an armored figured came into sight. Placing his assault cannon on his back, the orange and white clad soldier removed his helmet to reveal the face of [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/a6e0f1ff-c855-47b5-b9c5-96e9182dc523.jpg]Jason Je'and[/url], none other than the Supreme Commander himself. [color=SaddleBrown]"Moff Aran Mortifus, placed in charge of the Tanarus system some six years ago by the traitor and self proclaimed emperor Sheev Palpatine. You are under arrest for High Treason against the Galactic Republic and found guilty. Punishment?"[/color] He drew his blaster pistol and leveled it with the Moff's forehead. [color=SaddleBrown]"Execution. Does the guilty have any last words?"[/color] Moff Aran's eyes burned with anger and he set his face defiantly.

"The Empire eclipsed the Republic and made itself stronger than it's predecessor ever was. Hail the Emperor!"[/color] Jason's own eyes were fierce, the fire in them burning all the brighter for the Moff's rebuttal.

[color=SaddleBrown]"Noted."[/color] A trigger pull and a single bolt found it's way between the man's eyes. Allowing the lifeless body of Moff Aran Mortifus to drop to the ground, the two stormtroopers were cuffed and escorted away as the clones and their supreme commander left the room.

[hr]

In a matter of hours, all traces of Imperial forces within the system of Tanarus were eradicated and it's people left to their own devices, as before the arrival of the Moff, they were denizens of Hutt space and, more importantly, traders. Most of the Imperial weapons and vehicles were either confiscated or destroyed, but enough was left behind that the civilians who had the training, who had been some two hundred thousand conscripts, could defend their homes from any pirates who showed up. The blitz tactic had worked well against Aran, as his forces had not been on high alert or even low alert, when the forces of the Republic Remnant arrived. Turning to his comms officer, Jason nodded. [color=SaddleBrown]"Drop the buoy, then all ships to hyperspace."[/color]

"Affirmative." Hitting a series of keys, a comms buoy with a single recorded message on it was released before the three Venator-class Star Destroyers vanished into hyperspace. Any ships arriving would pick up the unencrypted message easily. It would say, [color=SaddleBrown]"The traitor Moff Aran Mortifus was the first, and he will not be the last in our crusade to put down the usurper's legacy. Long live the Galactic Republic!"[/color]