Expeditionary Squads

The **Expeditionary Squads** were a personal project envisioned by Generals Brendol Hux and Enric Pryde of the First Order. They were trained to be a scouting force skilled in small and solo missions, opening enemy defenses to allow for an easier conquest by the First Order Military. After Brendol's death, control of the project passed to his Second, Captain Cardinal. Cardinal split the Expeditionary Squads among the First Order fleet. By 35 ABY, losses in the field reduced their numbers from 60 to 17.

## Background

#### The Grysk Client

In 20 ABY, a Client of the Grysk Hegemony came to the First Order. Dr. Calla Katsuo claimed to be invited by Supreme Leader Snoke but her cover story wasn't taken seriously. Rather than have her executed as a spy, the Generals she contacted decided her skills might be useful. Brendol listened to what she had to say, forwarding select words to the Supreme Leader. He learned from her what Snoke's Attendants really were and how the Grysk controlled their Clients and shared this information with his closest confidants, Pryde and Admiral Brooks.

When Snoke remained ambivalent about the Grysk spy in the First Order, Brendol approached Dr. Katsuo with a proposal. He had a project in mind and wanted to see this concept of a 'hive' in action. He hinted if this project were successful it could benefit the both of them. Once he had her agreement, Brendol approached both Brooks and Pryde for aid as he felt taking a legion of Stormtroopers would look suspicious. Brooks declined to be involved but Pryde suggested using the RX Cadre.

#### The RX Cadre

> You have impressed me with your inventiveness, with your skills for improvisation, for your resiliency in the face of all sane odds. You have proven yourselves to be valuable assets to the Order. And for that, each and every one of you will be reconditioned.
>
> Brendol Hux announcing the dissolution of the RX Cadre

The **RX Cadre** was assembled by Cardinal as his personal legion, a collection of Stromtroopers selected for their backgrounds as former child slaves, for their capacity for independent thought, and for their drive to learn. Each one was fitted with black armor called **raid armor**, so called for their preferred missions of raiding slavers to steal children for the Stormtrooper Program. This made the cadre an excellent choice for such a project. When the incident was reported on the *Eclipse*, Brendol was quick to assign blame to the RX Cadre and order the entire legion to be reconditioned. Those who could be reconditioned had their memories of their time in the RX Cadre wiped and they were incorporated back into the general Stormtrooper population with only their designations implying where they came from. Those who proved resistant or immune to reconditioning were taken for the next step.

go on about things. implantation? has been covered elsewhere but maybe? separation of the Squads from Armitage's conditioning

Addition of the other groups. JN Squad 1, PK Squad 1, KM Squad 6, each one reconditioned and the 'survivors' implanted. Brings the total up to 60, enough for three squads

Brendol dies. the Squads become Cardinal's personal legion again but it's all wrong. entirely. he can't, he just can't.

Keep them available.

Deniable assets and 'don't come back'.

## Structure

The Expeditionary Squads were separated into three squads, each with their own function. The First Expeditionary Squad was trained as a support squad, in heavy artillery and logistics. The Second Expeditionary Squad was trained as a scout squad, in infiltration and long ranged reconnaissance. The Third Expeditionary Squad was trained as an investigatory squad, in data analysis and slicing. Under Brendol's original idea, missions would be undertaken in groups of three, one from each squad. Through the connections of their implants and their varied skills, a single group of three was theoretically capable of the work of an entire ground team.

Once the hive was broken apart an attempt was made to keep one member of each squad assigned to each ship. However, as losses accumulated the three squads began to lose cohesion and meaning. Aspects of their previous specialties were still visible in their preferred styles and the types of field missions they ran. This freedom to run the types of field missions they preferred was a direct result of the unofficial nature of how their missions were handled. Without official sanction or extraction plan, an Expeditionary Squad member could run the mission as they saw fit without worrying about violating orders or protocol.

## Equipment

Every member of the Expeditionary Squads was fitted with a personal suit of 'raid armor' designed as a cross between Imperial Scouttrooper armor and Deathtrooper armor. The armor was universally black, originally used by Cardinal and the RX Cadre during their raid missions. When the Expeditionary Squads were formed, the raid armor was altered with the addition of complex electronics within the duraplast. These electronics consisted of closed circuits and meandering loops of semiconductors that acted as an extension of the control implant's personal network. The helm in particular was well suited for this as the complex HUD allowed for the trooper to interface directly with their own implant, to view the calculations and actions of the implant in real time, though none of them understood precisely what they were looking at.

Each member of the Expeditionary Squads carried a combat knife, the only weapon they were allowed to carry on board ship. In the field they each used a pistol and a preferred weapon. As they were no longer bound by the regulations of the stormtrooper program, none of them were allowed to use the F-11 in the field. Instead they were encouraged to develop their own skills in a personalized weapon such as a slugthrower, a bowcaster, or an E-11. This had the added benefit of making them harder to identify in the field as it meant few of them used First Order standard weaponry.

As most field missions involved plausible deniability and some level of stealth, Expeditionary Squad members still used the same field kit developed for the RX Cadre under Cardinal's command. Desert cloaks, survivalist gear, unlocked technology, and multipurpose tools were common in an Expeditionary Squad field kit.

## Surviving Members

As of 35 ABY, there were 17 surviving members of the Expeditionary Squads stationed throughout the First Order Fleet.

First Expeditionary Squad:

* RX-0610 aboard the *Venator*
* RX-0967 aboard the *Steadfast*
* RX-2217 aboard the *Maletrix*
* TK-0291 aboard the *Tenebris*
* TK-0818 aboard the *Absolution*

Second Expeditionary Squad:

* RX-3081 aboard the *Finalizer*
* RX-4101 aboard the *Steadfast*
* RX-4223 aboard the *Venator*
* KM-6710 aboard the *Maletrix*
* KM-6822 aboard the *Fellfire*
* PK-1141 aboard the *Invictus*
* PK-1244 aboard the *Steadfast*
* PK-1898 aboard the *Maletrix*

Third Expeditionary Squad:

* JN-1106 aboard the *Feralis*
* JN-1291 aboard the *Lacrimosa*
* JN-1301 aboard the *Finalizer*
* RX-1379 aboard the *Steadfast*

There were rumors of other surviving members. The majority of these rumors came from the *Steadfast*. As of 35 ABY, the veracity of these rumors had not been tested.