Episode 42 - Flexible Strategies

Military action

The The Republic makes an assault on Haxlon Prime to try to free it from The Empire

They are shelled by artillary as soon as they land, Kawfee makes a successful dash for cover away from the drop pod, The Shadow begins taking out gun emplacments and Smoko beings making a rudementary shield out of part of the drop pod. Unfortunately, the drop pod is hit by a mortar, and both Smoko and The Shadow are thrown from the wreckage.   from there covered position, The Shadow begins shooting at the gun emplacements, while Smoko set an explosive charge which Kawfee runs and throws into one of the heavy repeating blaster nests while still underfire.   The Shadow manages to take out another one of the heavy repeaters nests, but is struck down by fire. Smoko uses a stimpack on The Shadow as they all take cover from a straffing run from a group of x-wings which clears out the remaining resistance.   With orders from Smomdu the ground team move out to try take out the Ion Batteries currently enganging the Phalanx.   A wing of tie bombers crash land next to the battery distracting the crew and guards, while the crew infiltrate the location.   Smoko straps explsoives and a metal plate to the back of the The Shadow (but doesn't tell him) while Kawfee runs past the gunnery crews and knocks the hat off one of the officers. Before they can react, The Shadow has also ran next to them, turns around and Smoko sets off the explosives, capulting The Shadow back towards Smoko but destorying the Ion controller panels and vaporising the imperial crew (apart from two smoking boots)   Smomdu then contacts Smoko to see if it would be possible to use the Ion battery against the imperials.   Smoko comes up with a plan to short circuit the battery to fire one last salvo into space. The Shadow secures the area, while Kawfee helps Smoko connects the power cables together. a miscalculation leads to the whole battery exploding and sending huge chunks of Ion equipments into space. Kawfee instinctively jumps to cover Smoko from the blast. Although sucessful in protecting Smoko from harm, Kawfee loses his arm in the blast.   Smoko tends to Kawfee's wounds as best he can before they move out to furfill there original mission, clearing the road of tank traps and obstacles. Which they complete without incident.   Just after this, the imperial star destoryer The Reckoning crashes into the planet.   Smomdu gives orders to the ground team to secure Admiral Tantaur who he belives is still alive after the crash.   After a brief skirmish with some stormtroopers outside the crash site of the The Reckoning Smoko , Kawfee and The Shadow make there was inside the wreck to confront Admiral Tantaur.   Kawfee is seperated from the others and duals with Admiral Tantaur on a rising platform as the others battle with stormtroopers below.   Smoko makes his way up a fire covered staircase and stops Kawfee from delivering a killing blow to Admiral Tantaur.   Kawfee eventually knocks Admiral Tantaur unconscious