TFTC-TC 15: Liberation of the Rift
General Information[edit]
Title: Liberation of the Rift
Number of Missions: 4
Original Upload Date: 2026-1-xx
Author: Jagged Fell III
Readme Background[edit]
For the 2024 Raise the Flag Competition I wrote two short stories that detailed the actions of Typhoon Squadron during the final campaign against the Kilji Illumine to take back the Tkon Rift. When writing those stories, I made them with the intent to turn them into a future battle. This is that battle.
The Kilji Illumine have dealt a significant blow to the Emperor's Hammer during the battle over the Tkon Rift some months prior. The TIE Corps thought they would have an easy time of defeating these orange skinned aliens but they were quickly proven wrong when the Kilji ships seamed to tear through the TIE Corps ships like wet paper. Since the cease fire at the end of the first Battle of the Tkon Rift the Science Office has been hard at work to level the playing field between the TIE Corps and the Kilji. They think they have found the solution and have deployed it to a select group of test pilots for field testing...
Script[edit]
Mission 1: Patrol at 12-Nu[edit]
Commander's Briefing[edit]
The Kilji, a race of religious zealots and slavers, have invaded the Tkon Rift several months back. And when the TIE Corps launched a campaign to drive them from the Rift, the Kilji quickly overwhelmed the Imperials with their superior firepower and defenses. It was all the brave pilots of the Corps could do to hold on to three planets in the chaotic Rift, three of the twelve systems. Any sane TIE Corps pilot shuddered to think of the depredations inflicted on the populace of the worlds under the Kilji thumb. The images circulated during the first Tkon campaign still gave nightmares to all who saw them. How those wrinkly, orange monsters could do those things to other sentient beings was beyond comprehension.
Since the stalemate that ended that disastrous campaign, the Science Office has been hard at work developing modifications to Imperial weapons and shields to enable the valiant forces of the Emperor’s Hammer to prevail against the hated Marmalades. The main issue to the war effort has been the Kilji’s use of dibbers, small, highly maneuverable missiles specially designed to intercept other missiles in flight. These have enabled the Kilji to screen their capital ships in their past engagements from all the TIE Corps attempts to destroy them. The records of Grand Admiral Thrawn indicate that these dibbers were a tool of the Grysk some fifty years before, but since that time the Kilji seem to have gotten their hands on them too.
Aboard the ISDII Challenge, Vice Admiral Locke Setzer began his briefing to the pilots before him.
“You all know that we have been locked in this deadlock with the Kilji for half a standard year at this point. Most of the issue has been that we haven’t been able to effectively use the TIE Corps to destroy the enemy capital ships because of their point defense systems. Well, the Science Office thinks they cracked the code on that, but it needs to be tested, and not on a small target.”
“Your mission of VIP escort includes not only protecting high ranking admirals and Imperial leaders, but also high value materiel. And your Missile Boats are perfect for deploying the new shielded warheads that have been developed. These warheads are hopefully able to defeat the dibbers and deal decisive damage to their ships, once and for all. Also, we have upgraded your shield and laser systems to also better counter the Kilji’s own systems.”
“Therefore, Captain Fell, you are to lead Flights 2 and 3 of Typhoon Squadron to perform a highly classified test of these improvements by destroying a sector patrol of the Kilji. You are to go to Sector 12-Nu and destroy are Kilji forces you find there.”
“If you are successful today, we will deploy these systems to the Fleet and finally be able to take the war to our enemy.”
Tactical Briefing Text[edit]
Captain Fell, you are to lead Flights 2 and 3 of Typhoon Squadron to Sector 12-Nu and destroy any Kilji forces you find there.
You are testing new prototype shield and weapons systems developed by the Science Office to circumvent the Kilji’s defense systems allowing our munitions to be used as normal once again.
If you are successful today, we will deploy these systems to the Fleet and finally be able to take the war to our enemy.
Good Luck
Radio Messages[edit]
<CPT Fell> Looks like the intel was right on the money. That’s our target
<MAJ Varsis> Did it HAVE to be such a big patrol?
<CPT Fell> It had to be, otherwise you wouldn’t get to have any fun. Alright, Flight 3, keep those fighters off our back as we begin our runs on the big boys. Flight 2, take out any targets of opportunity you see as we fly through their lines, but remember our mission here. We know that we can take out their fighters, it is the capital ships we need to focus on for our test
<COL Pitt> Roger
<LCM Julren> Understood
<CPT Fell> Great job everyone. That is a major victory for us and the TIE Corps. We destroyed a whole sector patrol with just eight fighters, and didn’t lose a single one of us. Drinks are on me tonight at the bar
<LCM Julren> Wahoo!
<COL Pitt> Alright!
<CPT Fell> But no more than two chalquilas each, I don’t want any of you going blind on me
<LCM Julren> Ah, you take all the fun out of things sometimes Three
<CPT Fell> Ok, back to the Challenge folks. We have a war to win
Victory Briefing[edit]
It turned out, the drinks would have to wait. After they returned to the Imperial Class-II Star Destroyer Challenge and had completed their post flight walkdowns, they were debriefed by Vice Admiral Setzer.
“Excellent work today out there,” Vice Admiral Setzer began. “You dealt a serious blow to the Kilji war machine, and proved the Science Office’s modifications work even better than had been hoped. Now I must reveal to you that while I implied to you all that you were our test group to prove out the new hardware before it was deployed across the Fleet, in truth you were only one of three test squadrons today. Each Battlegroup also sent out a strike force loaded with the experimental systems and you each successfully destroyed a sizable Kilji patrol in Sectors 33-Alpha, 26-Gamma, and 12-Nu. With the successful destruction of nearly all the Kilji’s border defense forces we are mobilizing for a lightning strike at the Kilji lines.”
“Go grab a shower and some food in the officer’s mess and then report back to the Briefing Room in thirty minutes. We have some work still to do. Dismissed”
Mission 2: Shock and Awe[edit]
Commander's Briefing[edit]
Precisely half a standard hour later, Vice Admiral Setzer strode up to the Briefing Room’s podium and opened with:
“By now, most of you have heard of our successful destruction of the Kilji at 12-Nu, and may even know of the success seen by the other Battlegroups today as well. Now to tell you all what is going on.”
“Since our first engagements with the Kilji ships, Command has known that they are in possession of technology that did not make sense from what was known of them from Grand Admiral Thrawn’s reports. They not only have shield systems, but also advanced weapons systems, including dibbers, that they should never have been able to develop on their own. The Intelligence Division and the Secret Order have been investigating these troubling developments while the Science Office has been hard at work developing countermeasures to the Kilji’s technological advantages. While the Science Office was not able to deliver their breakthroughs in-time to turn the tide of the Tkon Rift Campaign, they have now.”
“Believing in the superiority of Imperial science and sensing a chance to deal a decisive blow to the Kilji, the TIE Corps Command Staff, and the TIE Corps Commander, High Admiral Plif, in particular, decided to roll out the weapons and shield improvements Fleet wide in secret. Rather than wait for the technology to be proven first and then deploy the improvements, High Admiral Plif devised a bold and daring campaign to seize the element of surprise and strike at many places along the Kilji lines at one time. The belief is that the Kilji will now think we plan to drive them from the Rift and will begin rolling up the planets nearest our core holdings of NE256 and LE855.”
“They are right to think we plan to Liberate the Rift, but are wrong to think that we will accept anything other than their utter destruction. As such, we are not attacking the worlds Q0604 or E149N, although Battlegroup II will certainly make them think we are. Instead, we, along with Battlegroup I, will be seeking to cut the Kilji’s supply lines and are driving directly east in the Rift with the goal of capturing both G5406 and P3069 before they can even realize we have overcome their capital defense systems. This will have the added benefit of finally allowing us to reinforce and resupply those trapped on P3865.”
“Battlegroup I, led by the ISDII Hammer, is to take G5406 while we of Battlegroup III will capture P3069. If done right, we will cut off the main Kilji force from their avenues of retreat and will be in a position to finally control the outcome of this war. Dismissed.”
Tactical Briefing Text[edit]
We are striking before the Kilji can realize the danger they are in, as such we believe the defenses above P3069 will be minimal.
The Challenge and Renegade, along with our support ships, will engage the Kilji capital ships while our fighters clear the skies.
Typhoon Flight 2 is tasked with eliminating the orbital defense stations and then assisting with the remaining capital ships.
Keep your heads on a swivel as we may need to call you back to protect us from the Kilji bombers if they become too much for us to handle.
Good luck everyone.
Radio Messages[edit]
<CPT Fell> Alright Flight 2, our job is simple: destroy their fleet, preferably before they have a chance to launch more fighters or even worse, retreat out of the gravity well. Remember, while our missiles are no longer susceptible to their dibber screens, we still can’t go for a target lock or their gunners will be able to hit our warheads
<CPT Fell> Don’t be afraid to call for help if you are getting targeted by too many Marmalade fighters, and keep focused on your mission. Everyone is counting on us to burn down the enemy’s fleet as quickly as possible to prevent us all from being overwhelmed by their reinforcements
<COL Pitt> Understood Three, we got this
<COL Pitt> That’s one!
<COL Pitt> We got another cruiser!
<LCM Yoyo> Some Kilji ships are running
<CPT Fell> We got to destroy them before they get away!
<VA Setzer> To all fighters, we are taking a pounding. Get rid of these bombers attacking us
<VA Setzer> Our shields are down, hurry!
<VA Setzer> The Renegade has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<Renegade> Get these bombers off of us
<Renegade> Our shields are down, save us!
<Renegade> The Challenge has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<CPT Fell> That’s it for their capital ships. Now for those Orbital Stations
<VA Setzer> P3069 is ours. Good work everyone. Report to your ships for debriefing
Victory Briefing[edit]
The sweat soaked pilots of Wing X climbed from their cockpits after they landed aboard the ISDII Challenge. The planet of Yakab, and its orbital factories and shipyards had been successfully wrested from the Kilji’s hands. No longer would their industrial might strengthen the Kilji’s hold on the Rift.
They had been easy prey for the Kilji, who indoctrinated many of their industrialist and so had swayed much of the population to the way of the Illumine. It would take time for the radical religion to be rooted out of the planet’s leadership, but that was not the TIE Corps of the Emperor’s Hammer concern. They were here to rescue the Rift from the foreign invaders, not to be colonizers themselves. To be sure, the TIE Corps would replenish their supplies and make sure the resources of this world would not be used to continue the terror of the Kilji’s faith in the region, but the Corps had a mission here in the Chaos, and it wasn’t to solve all their problems for them.
Vice Admiral Setzer detailed some of the Battlegroup’s support vessels to remain, to oversee the removal of Kilji sympathizers from positions of power and to safeguard the assets of Yakab for its people, and the peoples of the Rift. Meanwhile, he ordered the rest of the fleet to continue to P3865, Cardio Prime. A world under Imperial control, cut off by the battle lines in the Rift for many long months. It had been impossible to establish lines of communication to Cardio Prime and the only way the TIE Corps knew they were still in Imperial hands was the scant reports from the agents of the Secret Order. The reports only told that the world was still suffering from the effects of the Kilji occupation and that they were barely holding on against the repeated Kilji raids.
But now relief was finally coming, but what would the pilots of Battlegroup III find when they got there was anyone’s guess.
Mission 3: Defense of Cardio Prime[edit]
Commander's Briefing[edit]
The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon as Captain Jagged Fell looked out over the gently lapping waves of the ocean world of Cardio Prime. Jagged’s heart was heavy and the peaceful serenity of the ocean waves was acting as a much-needed balm to his soul.
The inhabitants of Cardio Prime follow a rigid, hierarchical social order, one unwilling to bend to the religious lies of the Kilji’s Enlightenment. When the planetary populace had refused to adopt the Kilji’s false religion, they had captured the clan leaders of the resistance and brought them before the people. All in attendance thought the Kilji meant to kill or torture the clan leaders in the sight of the crowd to force compliance from the population. This would have been hard to see, but the people of Cardio Prime would never have bowed to this tyranny and the act would only harden the resolve of the people to rebel against their orange-skinned invaders.
But the Kilji slavers had plans of such cruelty that it would break any who would dare to oppose them. As they finished strapping the five leaders into their restraints, they did not begin to torture them, at least not in the “normal” sense of that word. Instead, they brought out the children of the leaders, and while they were forced to watch, slowly vivisected each child one by one. Their screams of pain as they were cut open and all their organs splayed out on the table around them were only matched by the screams of rage and horror of their parents, who due to their own restraints were unable to even look away from the slow, agonizing deaths of their children. The Kilji’s long practice with this barbarism was evident in their skill at keeping the children alive long after they should have died from shock and blood loss. After watching the children of the resistance leaders being butchered, no fight was left in Cardio Prime. Even now, months after their liberation, the shock and horror of that day rang throughout the once vibrant culture of the world.
After hearing the first-hand accounts, and having been shown a holorecording of the “lesson” made by the Kilji, Jagged had had to run outside the building to vomit in the bushes. Even now, hours later Jagged still wept at what he had just seen, and at the thought that if this is what happened here in less than a month under the Kilji’s thumb, what could have happened on some of these other worlds who the Kilji had been oppressing for more than half a year.
Jagged’s commlink chirped from his pocket.
“Fell.”
“Fell, long-range sensors have detected the expected Kilji assault force,” answered the calm voice of Vice Admiral Locke Setzer. “Report to the briefing room for your assignment in the coming defense.”
“Understood Admiral. I will be there directly.”
The lights dimmed in the briefing room as Admiral Setzer began to speak.
“High Command knew that General Krael of the Kilji Fleet could not allow us to gain these victories we’ve had these last few days without a suitable response. But rather than strike out at just one of the worlds we have taken from him, to save face with his troops and his Generalirius, or leader of the Kilji, back on the Kilji’s home world he has once again spread his forces too thin. He has not yet come to fully understand that his once superior defensive and offensive ability is gone.”
“He is coming to take back not only the worlds of G5406 and P3069 that we took from him, but also here at P3865. We must weather his assault and protect this world from falling back into the Kilji’s hands. Many of you know the atrocities that have been committed here, and Krael will stop at nothing to keep the peoples of this world from telling their story to the rest of the Rift and the Chaos as a whole. If word of what happened here spreads to the rest of the Chaos, they would all rise up and unite against this evil scourge.”
Tactical Briefing Text[edit]
Fortunately Krael continues to employ poor tactics, and the forces coming to attack us should be manageable.
The key will be defeating their bomber forces and protecting our own capital ship.
All fighter groups are to remain by the Fleet, ready to protect us, until given the order to implement our own counter assault.
When cleared to engage, quickly destroy the Kilji ships before they can retreat from the battle.
Remember what happened here and that we fight that it never can happen again.
Good luck.
Radio Messages[edit]
<CPT Fell> Ok Two Flight, we have our targets. Keep your lasers charged to be ready to intercept any warhead streams and go for paired missile shots at maximum range to thin the herd
<COL Pitt> Roger
<MAJ Varsis> Ten-Four
<LCM Yoyo> Understood
<CPT Fell> Professor, stay on my wing. The rest of you, take care of those bombers
<CPT Fell> Challenge, these corvettes are loaded with explosives. They are trying to engage in a suicide run
<VA Setzer> That last torpedo hit that made it through your defensive screen temporarily knocked out our engines. We can’t maneuver out of the corvette’s path. You must destroy it!
<CPT Fell> Great work Professor! I owe you a drink of your choice tonight
<COL Pitt> I’ll hold you to that
<CPT Fell> Two Flight, I am tired of these Kilji warships above this beautiful world. Breakoff and focus all your fire on the nearest capital ship. Sweep them from the sky
<VA Setzer> To all fighters, we are taking a pounding. Get rid of these bombers attacking us
<VA Setzer> Our shields are down, hurry!
<VA Setzer> The Renegade has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<Renegade> Get these bombers off of us
<Renegade> Our shields are down, save us!
<Renegade> The Challenge has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<VA Setzer> We have held the line. Great work everyone. Report to your ships for debriefing
Victory Briefing[edit]
“It is time to end this war over the Tkon Rift,” Vice Admiral Setzer said once again from the podium of the Challenge’s briefing room. “In light of the evidence of the atrocities committed by the Kilji at P3865, High Admiral Plif has directed that all Battlegroups stop at nothing to free every last world from the Kilji’s domination as soon as possible.”
Mission 4: Final Assault[edit]
Commander's Briefing[edit]
“We have been given the honor of assaulting the Kilji stronghold world of A38Z8, named Terakine in their initial broadcasts. This is the world from which General Krael has been directing the depredations here in the Rift. While the other Battlegroups may be liberating more worlds of the Rift, we expect to be fighting their main battle fleet above Terakine.”
“We have called up and reactivated several of our reserve squadrons for today’s operation. Their pilots will be reporting to assist our active squadrons in their normally assigned missions.”
“They have had months to shore up the defenses of this world. And unlike the others of the Rift, their forces have not been drawn off in one of the other battles we have had these last few days. Unfortunately, we may have to accept some losses of Emperor’s Hammer personnel on this assault. But I know that the soldiers and pilots of Battlegroup III will look out for one another and see us through to the other side of this war.”
As Jagged walked down the hallway from the Briefing Room to the Hanger, General Silwar Naiilo called out to him.
“Hold up for a minute Jagged.”
Jagged stopped and turned to face the affable human man. He of course had heard rumors that Silwar had a dark side to him, but Jagged had never seen it. Silwar tilted his head towards an open hatch, indicating he wanted to talk to Jagged outside the flow of pedestrian traffic in the corridor. Jagged followed, mildly curious what the General wanted to talk about in private. Once both men were inside the room, the hatch closed, seemingly of its own accord.
“Hey Jagged, I know Locke has tagged you to lead our bomber forces out there today.”
“Well, at least the Missile Boats. The E-Wings and B-Wings are being led by others.”
“Yeah, I heard that too. But for my money, you will be in the vanguard most of the time as none of the others will have the speed and will have to stick close to their motherships to be able to rearm. With your heavy load out, you will be the ones sent after the deep targets.”
“I don’t disagree, what of it?”
“I have a special mission for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“At the start of the battle, while the Kilji still have their ships huddled in close to their Flagship, the Divine Hand, or one of the orbital battle-stations, I want you to do a deep strike against the Divine Hand.”
“What?! That would be suicide! Krael is going to have that ship surrounded by anti-bomber defenses.”
“I don’t know. He is most likely going to send everything he got ready to fly straight at our forces the moment we come out of hyperspace. He won’t want to give us the chance to start dismantling his forces. Overwhelming firepower, that's all he seems to be able to do these days when it comes to tactics.”
“Even so, what good would it do to take out the Divine Hand? Yeah, if it has Krael aboard it might cause some disarray in their Command and Control, but one of his chief lieutenants would just step in and then our most effective bombers would be eaten alive, cut off from support and surrounded by enemy ships. Heck, if a competent commander takes over for Krael it might even make everything worse for us.”
“Normally, you would be right but I got a feeling that things might be different today. Look, I can’t order you to do this as you don’t report to me, but think on it and do what you think is best when the time is right.”
And with that the General walked out of the room. Jagged was so confused about what Silwar had just proposed to him that he didn’t even notice Silwar touching any door controls. He must have had a control data pad in his pocket. Jagged just shook his head and left the room to resume his journey to the Hangar and his fighter.
Tactical Briefing Text[edit]
Looks like it is going to be a bloody battle today. We are out numbered and they are expected to call for reinforcements if pressed by our attack.
Our mission is the liberation of A38Z8, and the destruction of the Divine Hand. If we can achieve our mission we will have brought about the Liberation of the Rift.
The fear is that the Divine Hand will run rather than be destroyed. This would be a disaster and prolong this war.
Protect the Challenge and Renegade, and look out for one another.
That is all.
Radio Messages[edit]
<CPT Fell> Ok Missile Boats, I have a wild plan. We are not going to get tied up in fighting all those fighters coming at us. We are going to go straight through their lines and surprise attack those ships in the rear
<COL Pitt> That’s crazy Jagged
<CPT Fell> I know it is, but I can’t stand the thought of those monsters who did all those horrible things on Cardio Prime getting away from this battle. And if we stop to fight all these fighters, that is exactly what will happen. They are going to wait and see how the battle is going, and if we manage to turn this onslaught to the side and beat them back, those command ships in the rear are just going to flee from the Rift back to Kilji home space
<COL Pitt> Okay, what is your plan?
<CPT Fell> Everyone, pick a bomber target directly in front of you and head straight towards it. Once you are in range fire off a paired missile volley and then hit your SLAM drives. We are going to shoot through their lines and be past them before they know what hit them. After that I will send out targeting commands for the capital ships to all remaining bombers
<CPT Fell> Maybe we won’t be dying today. Alright, enough spectating. Time to mop up any of their survivors
<COL Pitt> They're blowing up from the inside!
<LCM Yoyo> The Divine Hand is running
<VA Setzer> Typhoon Squadron, you must stop the Divine Hand, at all costs
<VA Setzer> Krael got away, the war for the Rift has now been extended
<VA Setzer> To all fighters, we are taking a pounding. Get rid of these bombers attacking us
<VA Setzer> Our shields are down, hurry!
<VA Setzer> The Renegade has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<Renegade> Get these bombers off of us
<Renegade> Our shields are down, save us!
<Renegade> The Challenge has been destroyed, our offensive has failed
<CPT Fell> That’s it for their capital ships. Now for those Orbital Stations
<VA Setzer> A38Z8 is ours. The war for the Rift is done. Report to your ships for debriefing and some rest, you have earned it
Victory Briefing[edit]
Proper military decorum was abandoned aboard the ships of Battlegroup III in the aftermath of the destruction of the hated Kilji invasion fleet. The jubilation was riotous as Jagged climbed out of his fighter. Hangar technicians and pilots alike were celebrating their luck. Going into the battle, sure that many of them would be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice to rid the Tkon Rift of the evil stain of the Kilji had weighed upon them all in ways they had not realized until the pall was lifted. Already the rumor mill was reporting that the Fleet was being ordered to attack the Kilji home systems, to eradicate them from the Chaos entirely, but that didn’t interest Jagged at the moment, he wanted answers.
The sudden destruction of the Kilji fleet was amazing and the topic of almost all the conversation on the Hangar Deck and in the ship corridors as Jagged moved deeper into the Challenge, looking for his quarry. Finally, he found him, working quietly on his datapad in a pilot’s ready room, two decks up from the hangar.
“What was that out there, Silwar?”
“What was what, captain?”
“You know what I am talking about. You knew that would happen, that the Kilji would all explode. It is why you told me to go for the Divine Hand first.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. I am not your commanding officer. There is no way I could have given you an order to attack any target over another. Especially not a dangerous tactic such as what you deployed.”
“Silwar, what happened? How did we win that battle? We should have lost. There was no way we could have beaten them all with the forces we had available to us. But once my warheads took out that Command ship the rest just started exploding like some sort of chain reaction, but I know they weren’t all close enough together to all be caught up in each other’s explosions. I won’t tell anyone what you say, I just need to know how you did it.”
“Not conceding whatsoever that I had any part in what you are talking about. In fact, if you review the security cam data it can be clearly shown I went directly to my fighter after the mission briefing today and therefore couldn’t have had any conversation with you about today’s battle. But that all being understood, perhaps I heard that certain agents, of a possibly Secret Order, could have planted charges in all the key installations in the system in the last few weeks, all tied to a subspace signal from the Divine Hand. That the only ship the alleged agents couldn’t get aboard was the Divine Hand and that if the charges went off without the destruction of Krael that it would have done nothing for the war effort. That all that was missing was the killing of Krael before he could run from the Rift. Again, all hypothetically mind you. You wouldn’t even be believed if you told this to anyone, and I might be quite angry if you did.”
“Don’t worry general, I won’t say anything. You are right, no one would believe me if I did.”
“Just so long as we understand each other Jagged. Why don’t you go join the partying? I am sure as the man who killed Krael, you will have plenty of people wanting to buy you a drink tonight.”
Jagged left the general to his work and headed to the Typhoon Squadron’s ready room to find a pretty good party had already been thrown together, but he still wondered to himself how Silwar had done it.
