Re: Epilogue: Failure through success
"Here's lesson number one." a voice boomed from the back of the room, just as Exilim finished. "Never leave your wingman. I thought they taught that one to recruits before they ever got near a starfighter."
Mark stood in the doorway looking resplendent in his full dress uniform. Even his rank badge had been polished to a shine. The only thing ruining the effect was Mark's face. He was clearly tired and irritable. He moved into the room and waved for the guards to wait outside.
"Well ladies and gentleman. I had a dream to create a new type of unit. A group of specialists who were not only skilled pilots, but able to take on a number of ground roles as well. Not just pilots, not just commandos, but versatile soldiers who could think on their feet and readily adapt. I think we proved that without a doubt on Hydia four."
"What started as simple reconnaissance turned into a covert raid, coupled with the rescue of several dozen hostages, the destruction of a major slave ring and the commandeering of several vessels, including the in-space boarding and capture of a military cruiser. Added to which, nobody can link our work to the PHA. Rumours abound that it was a group of freedom fighters, others say a rival slave group. The Hydian military are denying it ever happened. They don't exactly want to admit a group of pirates stole a fully crewed capital ship and chased off the rescue team."
"It wasn't the smoothest operation, such situations rarely are. However if the Alliance wanted to perform the same operation they would have needed the intelligence branch to perform the recon, an army commando unit to perform the raid, a starfighter squadron to extract the prisoners and a zero-g space trooper unit to board the cruiser. Four different units from different branches of the military. Four separate chains of command that would have agreed on nothing. You have all far exceeded my expectations of you. In my books you proved my dream a success."
"It is therefore with a degree of surprise and anger that I inform you that the Black Talons are being disbanded by the Perlemian Hydian Alliance, effective immediately."
Mark held his hands up requesting silence as the gasps and inevitable protests ensued.
"It is all a matter of perspective. Whilst I think we performed admirably, each service seems to have its own narrow view. The lawyers are screaming we had no right rescuing slaves from a planet where slavery is legal, the politicians are scared we will force the Hydians into bed with the Empire. Each branch of the military is afraid we're overstepping our bounds and circumventing the chain of command. Our only support was from the intelligence division who see the value of what we can do. A few senior officer also see our value but they have little say in the scheme of things."
"As such, the Black Talons are to be disbanded, their memory erased. All its members will be rotated back to regular starfighter units. Nothing ever happened."
He bowed his head for a moment or two. "I fought and I challenged them. I took it to every General and Admiral with clearance. In the end I lost and the Alliance see this as another failed experiment."
"I believe in the Talons. I believe in its ability to take the fight to the Empire in a way the Alliance can't. I believe it so strongly that one hour ago I submitted my resignation as Commander in the Perlemian Hydian Alliance Starfighter command. As of now I'm a civilian. I plan to take the Talons as an individual mercenary unit. It will receive no support from the Alliance but I also hope they will not hinder me either. I have a Corellian Cruiser, a couple of starfighters and a cache of plundered weapons to my name. All military supplies will be returned to the alliance but all captured weapons will remain with me."
"Before I joined the alliance the local defense force I served had a tradition of paying a credit reward for any captured ships. They called it 'prize money'. I intend to award you with prize money for your capture, based on my systems rules. The Alliance will give you nothing, but as a civilian I can do with my funds as I please."
"I know ask all of you to make a choice. You will all be rotated back to units, your assignments will be sent to you presently. Anyone who believes in the Talons as I do is welcome to join me in my fight. I need all the support I can get. Take the time to think on this decision. It is not one to take lightly. I will think no less of any person who remains with the Alliance. It is very possible you will do more good here then with a rogue paramilitary group."
OOC: This is an 'exit point' for the game. The Talons are going rogue and leaving the Alliance. Anyone who wants to rotate out may do so now. I shall then determine if we need extra players.