TFTC-TC 11: The Master Plan

General Information

Title: The Master Plan

Number of Missions: 4

Original Upload Date: 2025-07-11

Author: Jagged Fell III

The Rift Defender

Readme Background

During Imperial Storm 6 we had lots of banter in Typhoon Squadron chat due to GN La'an being the Game Master controlling the Kilji, myself being the self appointed main propogandist for the TIE Corps, and GN Master just being himself. One of Master's fun little comments was a joke that we should just blow up the Rift and end the war. And that got me thinking...

The TIE Corps has just reached the Chaos, after months of journeying, and have found the abandoned Imperial colony on XC-50391 (RtF-2023). There they learned of Navigators and afterwards went in exploration of the space around the former Imperial world. A recent recruit to the TIE Corps, LCM Jagged Fell III, has risen through the ranks quickly, having attained the rank of LCM after just two months with the Corps and has now been appointed a Flight Leader in Typhoon Squadron. He is about to go out on his patrol as a leader of other pilots in the Corps. What could go wrong?

Script

Mission 1: A Routine Patrol

Commander's Briefing

The TIE Corps has just finished negotiating with the Navigator’s Guild, within the Chaos of the Unknown Regions, to map hyperspace routes for the Corps patrols and to aid in the Imperial exploration of the area.

Recently promoted Flight Leader, Lieutenant Commander Jagged Fell, has been tasked with leading a patrol of several systems nearby the current location of the Imperial Star Destroyer Challenge.

Tactical Briefing Text

Lieutenant Commander Fell, as your first duty as a Flight Leader you are to scout systems P3141 and P5926.

As the other pilots of Typhoon Flight 3 are relatively inexperienced, I am sending one of our most senior pilots, General Master.

This has NOTHING to do with my wanting him off my ship, even if for only a few hours.

Go and make sure there is nothing lurking nearby and report back anything of interest you find.

You are not to let Master go off half-cocked and start a war or anything, Understood?

Dismissed.

Radio Messages

<LCM Fell> Let’s get going on this patrol!

<GN Master> Alright kid, on your wing

<GN Master> Hey, Jagged? Do you feel that?

<LCM Fell> Feel What?

<GN Master> That nebula to the right of our heading, the blue and pink one?

<LCM Fell> I see it. What about it?

<GN Master> Do you not feel it pulling at you, like we need to go there?

<LCM Fell> No

<GN Master> Change course and follow me, we got to go check it out

<LCM Fell> Hey! Admiral Stryker put me in charge today! We are supposed to go to P3141 and P5926

<GN Master> I got a feeling about this

<LCM Fell> Master...

<GN Master> Look kid, either you can follow Stryker's orders and go to P whatever or stay together with your wingman

<LCM Fell> I thought I was the lead today...

<LCM Fell> Woah...

<GN Master> Yeah...Hey do you see that freighter?

<LCM Fell> If you mean the one swarming with fighters around it, yeah, it is pretty hard to miss

<GN Master> I feel like we need to capture it. Cover me

<LCM Fell> WHAT! I feel like some of those fighters might take an issue with you trying to walk off with their charge

<GN Master> You worry too much. We got this

Why did Stryker have to send him out on my first mission as lead?

<GN Master> Ok, that is all the nearby fighters, I am going to dock with it and see if I can get her underway by myself

<LCM Fell> Make it fast, I got a bad feeling about this

<GN Master> Got it! Let's get out of here

<LCM Fell> A dozen ships just jumped in!

<GN Master> Run for it!

<GN Master> Hey Stryker, look at what we found

<AD Stryker> What? Where did that come from?

Victory Briefing

Admiral Stryker looked at the two pilots standing in front of his desk. The grizzled veteran, General Master, was beaming with excitement over his prize, like a pet showing their owner a dead vermin they found. At least the young, half Chiss, Lieutenant Commander had the sense to look a bit contrite.

“General, I don't recall your mission orders stating that you could choose where you patrolled today. Is my memory faulty?”

“Oh come on, Admiral. You got to admit we brought home the goods, unlike the other patrols lately.”

Admiral Stryker chose to ignore Master's assertion, and turned to the junior officer in the room.

“And Lieutenant Commander, did I or did I not give you explicit orders as to what you were to do about your wingman's actions today?”

“Uh...you told me to keep him from starting a war, sir.”

“Then why do we have reports of ships attacking us at this moment?”

“Uh...we think they are automated drones set to protect the ship.”

“Thank you for your insight, Lieutenant Commander. What would we do with our days without Master's and your help? Master, my question is, why did you bring that ship, and its defenders here?”

“Honestly, I don't know. It was calling to me through the Force. And I got a feeling that it is something important and we are going to need it very soon. I mean it must be important if someone setup those automated defenses for it.”

“You, and I hate to say this, may have a point. In any case, the two of you should go get cleaned up. Dismissed.”

Mission 2: Troublesome Escort

Commander's Briefing

“In the two weeks since you two brought that blighted ship here we have been attacked no less than six times by those damnable sentry ships,” began Admiral Stryker, without preamble as the Typhoon pilots entered the briefing room.

“Come on, you can't still be sore that we found that ship, can you?” complained Master. “The techs have been raving about the things they are finding on it.”

“That may be true, but High Command has finally made a decision about what to do with the ship I have chosen to christen Zarbi.”

“Zarbi? That's weird,” commented Jagged.

“As I was saying…” Admiral Stryker gave both pilots a meaningful stare.

“Sorry, Admiral,” replied sheepishly Jagged.

Stryker continued to look towards the unrepentant Master and then decided better of it and continued, “As I was saying, High Command has ordered that the Zarbi be brought to the Science Office above Eos. As we are in this mess because of you two, and as Typhoon Squadron’s mission statement is the protection of high value people and materiel while in transit, you are to escort the Zarbi to Eos.”

“Just the kid and me?”

“I am sending Lieutenant Commander Yoyo and Commander Starr along as well. Lieutenant Commander Fell will continue to lead the mission, this time please endeavor to follow his, and MY orders.”

“Sure thing Admiral, see you when we get back.” And with that General Master walked out of the room.

Admiral Stryker shook his head at the lack of military etiquette from the long time pilot. Turning back to the junior officer still in front of him, “Good luck, you're going to need it.”

Tactical Briefing Text

As I said, you are to protect the Zarbi on its journey to Eos.

You will be leading General Master and Lieutenant Commander Yoyo, who will be in Missile Boats. While you and Commander Starr will be in TIE Advanceds.

Don't let anything, or anyone, get in the way of your mission.

Good luck.

Radio Messages

<LCM Fell> Zarbi, ready to go?

<Zarbi> Doing some last minute checks now, standby

<GN Master> Barge jockeys, never on-time

<LCM Yoyo> This one has ships existing hyperspace!

<AD Stryker> Typhoon Squadron, those sentry ships have found us again! Protect the Zarbi until she is ready to jump

<LCM Fell> You heard the Admiral. Master, Yoyo, focus on those corvettes. Tony, on my wing, we are going to keep those bombers off the Zarbi

<Zarbi> We’re disabled!

<Zarbi> We’re ready to go!

<LCM Fell> Jump as soon as you are able, we will be right behind you

<AD Stryker> Fell, you failed to follow the Zarbi! Is this how you think you are supposed to escort a ship?

<LCM Fell> Alright, that jump took us out of the Chaos. Prepare for the next leg to Tarabba now

<LCM Fell> Ok, now just for the jump to Aurora

<GN Master> Hey kid, you see those pirates? What do you want to do about them?

<Zarbi> Some of those pirates got away!

<GN Master> Not sure about leaving them alive like that...

<GN Master> That’s it for the pirates

<LCM Fell> Sinister, Typhoon Squadron here. We have the Zarbi here for Admiral Impulse

<Sinister> Typhoon Squadron, good work getting her here. Dock with us and report to Admiral Impulse

Follow the Zarbi, you have 1 minute

Hurry after the Zarbi, you have 30 seconds

Victory Briefing

The detachment of Typhoon pilots stood before Admiral Impulse, the Emperor's Hammer's Science Officer. He looked them up and down.

“Well, you got the Zarbi here safely, and from your report, not without some difficulty. Although this report that some pirates saw your convoy in Tarabba is concerning. We very well could wish in the future that you had not let them get away.”

“Sorry sir, won't happen again,” snapped Jagged.

“Live and learn, Flight Leader Fell, live and learn. But that is a worry for another day. Now that this alien artifact is in our hands we can begin to deduce its purposes. While you don't strictly have the need-to-know I will be sure to forward on our findings, when we have some. Dismissed”

Mission 3: Calling in the A-Team

Commander's Briefing

It has been many months since the Zarbi was delivered to the Science Office (see emails), and the Emperor's Hammer is embroiled in a war against the Kilji Illumine over the Tkon Rift and their access to the wider Chaos, and our allies beyond. The TIE Corps has suffered several huge losses against the superior forces deployed by the already hated Kilji.

Since the campaign was announced, Master has been telling everyone who will listen to him, and many who won't, that we should use the alien device that was found to end this war before it can drag on. The device, now code named the Darkstar, has been determined to be a superweapon of awesome power, capable of destroying a star, and all stars near it, in almost an instant. With the densely packed stars of the Tkon Rift it is believed that if set off in the middle, the blastwave of the chain reaction would destroy all of the Rift, and make it so destabilized in hyperspace from the dozens of supernovae to be impossible to pass through for a thousand years.

At first Master's plan was laughed off and dismissed as a possible war crime but now, after the crushing defeat of many of the TIE Corps flagships, new orders have come down.

—

“I am not sure how I feel about this, but High Command has decided to deploy the Darkstar against the Kilji in what is now called, Operation Master Plan,” began Vice Admiral Setzer once Flight 3 of Typhoon Squadron were seated in the briefing room.

“As such it will fall to Typhoon Squadron, and Flight 3 in particular, to safeguard the transport of the Darkstar to Sector 0907 for immediate deployment.”

“The plan is that, with such a small security detachment, the Darkstar can be moved into position without drawing the Kilji’s attention. Once the Darkstar reaches the Challenge in Sector 0907 we will message the Fleet to withdraw from the Rift and begin the operation to detonate the device.”

“I won't lie to you all, a great many innocent lives will be lost in the Rift, but we have been ordered to put an end to the Kilji advance and that is what we are going to do.”

Tactical Briefing Text

You are to go to Eos and escort the Darkstar from Eos to Sector 0907, in the center of the Tkon Rift, where the Challenge will be waiting.

Eliminate any who witness the movement of the Darkstar, this is a mission of utmost secrecy.

Good luck.

Radio Messages

<Sinister> Good luck in your mission

<CM Fell> Thanks

<CM Fell> Ok Convoy A-Team, first way point on today's journey is Tarabba. Is the Van ready?

<Vandura> You talkin’ to me, sucka?

<CM Fell> Vandura?

<Vandura> Sorry, yes we’re ready

<LT Julren> Jagged, got ships on my sensors. Looks like those pirates from before

<Pike> That looks like a juicy transport you got there. I think we will take it off your hands. Power down or else!

<CM Fell> You picked the wrong people to try to rob

<CM Fell> Typhoon, weapons hot

<Vandura> I pity the fool!

<LT Julren> That’s all of them

<CM Fell> Ok, let’s get into the Chaos, and our entrance to the Tkon Rift

<CM Fell> There it is gentlemen, the Tkon Rift

<LT Julren> Cool…let’s blow it up

<CM Fell> You have been spending too much time with Master

<CM Fell> Convoy A-Team is here Admiral

<VA Setzer> Vandura, fly to the marker buoy, Typhoon, land in the hanger and report to me for debriefing

Victory Briefing

“Great work getting the Darkstar here safely. Those pirates didn't seem to slow you down too much,” praised Vice Admiral Setzer.

“Grab some chow and get back here for your instructions for our final deployment here in the Rift.”

Mission 4: When a Plan Comes Together

Commander's Briefing

“Ok, the techs are almost done rigging the droid controls for the Darkstar,” started Vice Admiral Setzer. “You, and the rest of Typhoon Squadron, are to patrol the area to prevent the Kilji from disabling, or destroying, the Darkstar.”

“We are afraid that all the hyperspace mapping efforts to allow us to move the Darkstar into position so rapidly will have tipped off the Kilji to our operations here. We are sure they don't know the purpose of the Darkstar, it has been a tightly held secret, but they may just try to destroy it out of principle if they stumble upon us here.”

“Listen CAREFULLY to the radio as once we are ready to detonate, you will need to jump with us out of the Rift, or be killed in the coming explosion. When I radio to fall back to the Challenge, DO IT or risk not being in position to jump out in time.”

Tactical Briefing Text

Destroy any Kilji forces that attempt to stop Operation Master Plan.

But when I radio to fall back to the Challenge, DO IT!

When the activation signal is sent to the Darkstar, we will have only moments to jump into hyperspace and get beyond the explosion.

If you are too far away from the Challenge you likely won't make it to the jump point in time.

Good luck.

Radio Messages

<GN Boliv> Typhoon Squadron, keep your eyes peeled, I got a bad feeling about this

<GN Master> You are worrying too much B. This plan is foolproof...

<CM Fell> Don’t say it!

<GN Master> What could go wrong?

<CM Fell> You just HAD to say it

<VA Setzer> Typhoon Squadron, keep those Kilji from the Darkstar at all costs!

<VA Setzer> One minute warning Typhoon. Get back to the Challenge, on the double

<VA Setzer> That's it! Hyper buoy online, jump now

<LT Julren> Look at the Rift!

<CM Fell> Oh my...

<GN Master> I love it when a plan comes together!

Victory Briefing

And with that, the war with the Kilji Illumine, and the Tkon Rift, was over. The Rift, and all its inhabitants had been consumed in a stellar fire and crushing gravitational anomalies.

The Emperor's Hammer High Command kept a tight seal of secrecy around the whole affair, fearing the impact to future diplomatic relations in the Chaos if the extreme acts of the TIE Corps came to light. For the rank and file pilot of the TIE Corps they were told only that the Secret Order and Intelligence Division had discovered that the Kilji were about to destabilize the Rift and “bathe it in a holy fire” at the very last moment. Even the admirals over most of the fleet only ever knew of it as The Master Plan...