Talbec Campaign

*The final mission of Phase Three, the Talbec Campaign was the most taxing of any prior assignment. On an unfamiliar planet and threatened by both the Chaos Legion and the local wildlife, it was nothing like anything Phoenix Squadron had experienced before.*

## PART ONE

> *“It’s our safest bet. It’d be suicide if we keep moving with troops on the way and mines in our path. We wouldn’t make it. We need to regroup, get a plan and find a way to make it through this: our best option is to hide.” - Mace Landon*
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Only a few days after the Haven Surface Celebration, Phoenix Squadron was assigned to yet another mission. None of its members were too thrilled with this; not even a month had gone by since the disastrous conclusion to the possession arc, and many were still healing both mentally and physically.

* mission objective: take back control of Talbec from the Chaos Legion, infiltrate their fortress, and pick up a vital piece of intel left on Marsh's Point by the Obelisk -- a mysterious new team aiding the rebels in their fight
* tensions rise on the transport as Shiloh is cleared to come along on the mission
* arrival on the planet's surface, Benlar debriefs the group. those assigned to Mace's team are dissatisfied and are not looking forward to crawling through the sewers to get into the CL's fortress
* the group travels together at first to get near enough to the base. Isidore and Denhale bond over a harmless prank on Rowan, while Akumi and Rome abduct a baby alligator and name it "Sock."
* the group stumbles across a CL outpost and a skirmish occurs. the CL troopers were apparently expecting the squadron, as there are several deadly landmines planted in the ground.
* Benlar orders everyone to run, while Mace calls for everyone to stand still. the two argue while the force users attempt to hover everyone up and out of the small clearing. the group is forced to scatter into three different directions: Kiri, Isidore, Solis, and Rowan head in the direction of the swamp, Shiloh, Mace, and Benlar run off deeper into the forest, and K8, Akumi, Rome, K3, and Kanan head to the marshes.
* Isidore supplies the idea of setting a fire to draw the attention of the other rebels. Kiri argues, signing that it would draw the attention of the CL as well. Isidore goes ahead and sets the swamps ablaze anyway -- both the group at the marshes and a squad of troopers are drawn to the fire. Albeit successful, Isidore is chastised for being reckless.
* meanwhile, the trio still in the forest pause in their hasty escape. Benlar and Mace resume their argument, and Shiloh decides to step in. Unfortunately, he takes a physical step as well and accidentally triggers a landmine. All three are blown backwards. Benlar gets burned horribly by the explosion, while the other two are just left with bruises and concussions. Mace calls for an emergency pickup from a nearby rebels camp and Benlar lives.
* All the groups make it to the rebel camp -- they were originally not aware of its existence as the mission was supposed to be a one day thing.

## PART TWO

> *“Please tell me that the wolves were scared of the swimming things and the swimming things are leaving because they want to and not because there’s a fucking sea serpent getting the rumblies down there.” Rome Tyrin*
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* after a few days of recovery, Benlar is itching to continue their mission, but with a different approach -- the rebels are to travel down a series of channels in skiffs that should lead directly to the fortress. along the way, the highest ranking official at the temporary camp tells her to check three locations: several rebel groups have gone missing in those three spots.
* Benlar assembles his squadron and they head out to the first zone. they leave their boats just outside of the first zone and head in. all of the force users are extremely on edge
* upon reaching the first site, the rebels are greeted with a gruesome site -- it had originally been a chaos legion outpost, but something had viciously killed everyone there. while the squadron is processing the scene before them, a pack of Talbec Wolves rise from the muddy ground all around them
* the rebels are forced to flee the pack and they just make it to their skiffs. the wolves do not follow them out into the water, but pace by the mud bank where the boats had been resting moments before -- they seem nervous. eventually the creatures retreat and the rebels continue down the channel towards the second zone.
* there's a lull in activity for a few minutes where the rebels converse amongst themselves. they are split up into four different boats
* huge, dark shapes begin swimming alongside the skiffs but do not seem hostile. after their last encounter with the Talbec wildlife, everyone is on edge. they eventually retreat into the depths
* All of a sudden, a massive Talbec wolf erupts up through the water and crashes through the wooden hide of the canoe, locking its jaws into Gasux’s shoulder. It violently rips him from the boat and drags him underwater. As he is pulled further and further down, he stops struggling and his helmet slowly falls off his head. The mask floats to the surface -- Gasux is dead. Rome grabs his helmet
* the rebels on the remaining ships scramble to defend themselves against the rest of the Talbec wolves who had risen from the water
* they are successful in their defense -- they ended up passing straight through zone 2 without realizing it, and the wolves were the ones they were to look out for
* the rebels stumble across the final zone straight in front of them -- but thankfully, its on dry land. they docks their boats on a bank and make their way up the small hill
* woken by rebel's walking all over its back, zone 3 makes itself apart -- Phoenix Squadron was standing on a Xiloon. it shakes them all off angrily and smashes k8
* the rebels fight it until qizton remember something -- force users are often able to connect with animals. he calls Rome and Shiloh over and together they are able to calm it down
* the xiloon was upset due to the chaos legion wrecking her home -- when reassured by the two jedi and gray jedi that they will get rid of the parasite, she sinks back into the earth.
* just over her back, the rebels are greeted with the sight of the CL fortress looming before them off in the distance. benlar orders everyone home rather than attacking the CL when the rebels are so vulnerable

## PART THREE

> *"I'm sorry. I couldn't save her."- Isidore Birch*
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* it is time for the rebels to make their final move. now that they have the xiloon on their side, things are looking up significantly.
* the rebels split into two different groups -- the first will distract the CL troops and fight alongside the giant crocodile. the second ground will infiltrate the fortress