Honsou

Lieutenant Colonel Honsou was the squadron commander of Tempest Squadron (2021-06-01 - 2022-08-23) of the ISD-II Challenge.

Now this is the story all about how;
My life got boost, drifted upside down;
And I'd like to take a parsec, just chill and rest;
I'll tell you how I became a pilot in the squad called Tempest;

On Core-World Corellia born and raised;
In the shipyard is where I spent most of my days;
Loading out, waxing, relaxing all cool;
And playing pazaak in the mess hall;
When a couple of Twi's, who we're up to no good;
Started selling Spice in my neighbourhood;
I got high one night and not at my best;
Ended up joining the TIE Corps and Squadron Tempest.

I tried to back out day after day;
But mom packed my gear and sent me on my way;
She gave me my papers and she gave me my cred chip;
I put my holo on and said, I might as well kick it;
First class, yo this is bad;
Drinking blue milk out of a 'quila glass;
Is this what the pilots of Tempest are livin' like?
Hmm, this might be alright!

I boarded the Lambda to leave ol' Corellia;
The hull paint was fresh, and had a horse insignia;
If anything I could say this day was the best;
I'll never regret it, I'm assigned to Tempest.

I pulled into the hangar, this was gonna be great;
And I saluted an Officer with eyes as keen as a Krayt;
Looked at the flight deck, I was surely blessed;
To sit in my TIE as a Pilot of Tempest!

Significant events of childhood: Martial Arts training, Degree in Political & Military History.

Significant events of adulthood: Martial Arts Gold Medalist, Assignment to Tempest Squadron, Becoming BLK PHNX.

Alignment and attitude: Neutral. Crush my enemies, whatever the cost!

Previous occupations: TIE Corps Cadet Trainee, Corellian shipyard engineer, HoloNet engineer.

Hobbies: Galatic Lore and Military Historical studies.

Iron Storm: A Honsou Story.

LT Honsou departed the turbo lift, gripping his flight helmet tighter. As he turned to march down the pristine corridor, two other officers saluted him. Saluting absently, in truth he had no idea who they were. Honsou had only been assigned to the ISDII Challenge less than a standard month ago and had yet to commit all faces to memory. He continued to march purposefully towards the flight deck, letting his thoughts wander...

"...loosen your grip on the flight stick and rebalance your shields!" demanded CPT Warper. Warper was a fairly stout and very accomplished flight instructor at Calida Academy. Cadet Honsou felt that she was probably the most stern training officer he had met, but Damn she was one hell of a pilot. Her grasp on most of the TIE craft being taught on Calida was fantastic, however her skill and ability in a TIE/rp Reaper were unrivalled by the training staff. As a result, it was in the Reaper that Honsou felt most at home flying. There was something about supporting the other pilots in his flight and the transition to in-atmo flight to insert or extract squads of stormtroopers that made the Reaper feel more important to Honsou than a TIE/ln or TIE/in. He had become accustomed to the TIE/sa for it's similar handling too, but the Reaper would be his true calling.

Lt Honsou regained himself as he neared the blast doors to the flight deck. A bustle of activity lay ahead. As he crossed the threshold the truly glorious sound of TIE craft firing up their engines caressed his ears. This was what he lived for! Revelry gripped him again...

"Turn that Reaper around RIGHT NOW CADET!" boomed the Commander down the comm feed. "No can do, sir!" came Honsou's reply, through gritted teeth. It was too late. He was committed now, ducking and weaving through the oncoming fire from the Rebel Nebulon-B frigate. Shields were set to full fore with additional power pushed into the Reaper's engines, which roared with barely contained fury. There was no way Honsou was going to abandon the TIE/in in his crosshairs. They were cut off from the only path back to the ISD and evading for their life . The Neb-B had taken some heavy hits to its shields and they were close to failing. At two thousand meters out, the Reaper's targeting system began the lock-on protocols for the ion torpedoes it carried. Honsou knew firing this far out would just see the torpedo shot down before reaching it's target. His eyes narrowed, he engaged the boost drive that he had been charging off additional power in the engines. The next fifteen hundred meters passed in a blur, and the ion torpedo was fired a fraction before minimum range was exceeded, a burst from his ion cannons and the shields were down on the Nebulon just before the ion torpedo impacted it's hull. The impact had very little effect, but the true intention soon came clear, the blast of ionised energy coursed across the prow and disabled turrets and systems alike. The Nebulon-B had been de-fanged.

Almost too late Honsou cut power to his engines and banked hard. The dead drift took the Reaper a full 180 degrees and positioned his Reaper between the TIE/in and the two Rebel X-Wings trying to target them. Throwing his shields fully aft, Honsou bellowed "Move it pilot, you're clear!". The Interceptor pilot did not need telling twice. His prow angled towards the ISD and they streaked ahead of Honsou's Reaper...

LT Honsou came back to himself as he laid eyes on the Tempestas Ferri, no, HIS Tempestas Ferri. Honsou smiled to himself. This was his ship. She had been repaired after narrowly making it back last mission and her once perfect paint job was carbon scored from the dozens of X-Wing salvos she endured on the eternity long pursuit back to the Challenger.

Despite his despite his disregard for a direct order, Honsou's judgement was sound. The TIE/in pilot he saved was none other than his own training Wing Commander BaaWee. In recognition for his heroics, Honsou received a promotion and a place aboard the ISDII Challenge with the famed Tempest Squadron.

A more simple time. Things have changed, the force has shifted. Now is the time of BLK PHNX Rising!!