[SoNE Episode XII] R02 Siege of Javin

Forresto · September 5, 2016

Shadows of Nar Eurbrikka Episode XII: Siege of Javin

Javin, back end of the Corellian Trade Spine. After the disaster at Kuat Alliance High Command scrambled to regain the losses we suffered in the heart of the imperial war machine. The core worlds were too highly defended to make feasible targets. My battalion suddenly found itself jumping from back water sector to back water sector. Eventually after a month of system skipping we were given our orders. We along with an entire division were to liberate the rebel sympathetic planet of Javin, the center of Imperial control in the surrounding five sectors in this small corner of the Outer Rim. If we took Javin's capital of Babusa, the Empire's position in this area of space would be untenable.

From what we learned in mission briefing COM-SCAN detected the presence of heavy ion cannons encircling the city along with extensive trench works that would prevent orbital and atmospheric bombardment. To a grunt like me that's the worst news in the world. This would be an exclusively infantry and armor based operation, which only ever results in high casualties for both sides just like at Hoth. Everyone in the battalion is a survivor of Hoth, somehow managed to escape the onslaught and make it onboard a GR transport. Unlike Hoth we would not be running with state of the art AT-ATs, only what the engineers could scrounge up.

Command's strategy, under the guidance of an anorexic looking Bothan general, was to simultaneously charge the defenses at key points along the fortifications. Since the Imperials would be stretched thin if they manned the entire perimeter they instead operated mainly around communication towers that networked with the entire defense network. If we took the towers out en mass the Imps would be running blind and unable to reinforce their various garrisons. From there we could press our advantage after we secured our objective.

We deployed fifty clicks out from the imps and made our way through the Javin bogs, riding on top of the T2-Bs. Luck, or command, smiled on us that day. We were one of the few battalions to be assigned to a pathfinder commando squadron, who would clear the way for us. I met the shistavanen, he mentioned something about hunting Luke Skywalker's enemies, and jabbed furiously with a double tipped weapon he always carries. No blaster madman...wolf...guy.

Still as we waded through waist deep marsh or hugged onto the durasteel plating of a tank, I remember worming my way through the snow on my belly to hide from an AT-ST's chin guns, hiding under the bodies of comrades. Most of us weren't coming home. Most of us forgot how hard the Imps fought.

4 ABY: Imperial Defenses Encircling Capital City