Operation Argo
| Operation Argo | |
| Second Galactic Civil War | |
 | |
| Date | Year 12 Day 118 |
| Location | Adbauniac |
| Result | New Republic victory |
| Belligerents | |
| New Republic | Black Sun |
| Commanders and Leaders | |
| Chief of State Taka Aioko | |
| Strength | |
| 2 Full BGs, civil forces | |
| Casualties and Losses | |
| None | Adbauniac lost |
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The Operation Argo was the military attack carried by New Republic forces that achieved the liberation of the Gas Giant Adbauniac from Black Sun.[1] Adbauniac was a planet located in the Brak Sector, Skone System (northern area of the galaxy) and according to the current galactic coordinate system it corresponds to Gazari II.
Historians managed to put their hands on declassified information sources, and the following records include views from the NR side of the events.
Contents
Preparations
On Year 12 Day 109 New Republic's High Ambassador Cheda Quche sealed a trade with the Old Republic, acquiring a group of outposts and facilities that were used in a failed attack against Black Sun in Adbauniac planet.
Chief of State Taka Aioko, who was selected as the Galactic Alliance's Secretary General on Year 12 Day 62 and after having led Operation Blackbeard just a couple of months before, started planning the attack along with Battle Group Commander Wedge Achilles.
The plan that was conceived basically had two phases. First, infiltrating the planet unnoticed with a small group in order to restart the rebellion attempts that had failed in the past, and second, securing the territory over two weeks later with a large group of officers.
Infiltration
| |
| Skone System Infiltration |
On Year 12 Day 118 Chief of State Aioko, piloting the BFF-1 Bulk Freighter "Babieca", and Minister of State Franco Nejo, piloting the YT-1210 'Road Runner', entered the Skone system from the east. When they arrived to the system they discovered that Black Sun had the system covered with a grid of satellites and they also had many ships stationed near Adbauniac.
The list of Black Sun ships dectected was composed by:
- 3 MC-80bs.
- 1 MC-80a (stationed at Adbauniac's orbit).
- 2 Kaloth Battlecruisers (one of them also stationed at Adbauniac's orbit).
- 1 Lictor-class Dungeon.
- 2 Bayonet-class Light Cruisers.
- 58 Y-Wing BTL-S3s.
- 24 Vipers.
- 1 R-41 Starchaser.
- 1 Pursuer Enforcement Ship.
- 1 Delta-Class JV-7 Escort Shuttle.
As soon as they exited hyperspace, both CoS Aioko and MoS Nejo rushed to Adbauniac's surface, coordinates (0,0), where the construction efforts were planned. Taka was transporting more than a thousand engineers that he helped putting to work on the facilities that were abandoned by the Old Republic forces some time ago. Franco offered support with the YT's long range sensors, and he was also in charge of scanning the four enemy outposts. A R-41 Starchaser was detected in the ally outpost were construction was restarted.
No new construction was started nor enemy facilities were depowered in order to avoid alerting Black Sun forces. During a little over two weeks Taka and Franco stayed in the planet organizing construction to finish at the same time, while two battle groups were left on call in case Black Sun started arresting in the area, but that never happened.
Assault
| |
| Adbauniac assault route planning |
Initially Flight Marshal Achilles was expected to lead the final assault on Adbauniac, while the Thyferran Aioko was focusing on his Chief of State and Sec-Gen duties, but an expected LOA changed plans so the later finally took over leadership of the New Republic forces. 29 pilots, counting personnel from Orion BG, Legacy BG and civilians forces, were instructed and organized on how to build camouflaged outposts around the gas giant. Military forces used a-wings, while most civilians used fast YT freighters.
On year 12 Day 133, 17:49hs the attack began and all pilots moved to Adbauniac planet. During the first 24 hours 296 outposts were built, and High Ambassador Quche was also able to struck a deal with Loronar Corporation acquiring 10 outposts said company had built during those hours. Coordination wasn't easy due to the high amount of pilots, with routes changing due to inactivity, mistakes, and the intention to cut off third parties building outpost too.
The whole planet was covered the day after and the New Republic was able to secure over 98% of the unaccounted territory (New Republic forces added 387 outposts, Black Sun 7). The New Republic totaled 389 outposts, and Black Sun ended up with 11.
Some of the ships that were sighted by NR forces were Shas'o Cho's ATR-6 'Insidious', Corvis Orion's BFF-1 Bulk 'CV Sloth', Tar Alaks' YT-2000 'Baktal'ruuk', Black Sun's A-wing 'Falcon #1' and BFF-1 'Blood Lust', Jando Kai-ur's BFF-1 Bulk 'HCS Kazukhan' and Tyriss Haxim ETA-2 '{TH} Storm Shadow'.
The New Republic personnel who took part of the assault were:
- Chief of State Taka Aioko
- Minister of State Franco Nejo
- Marshal Alexandre Daigle
- Group Captain Ruben Wan
- Flight Commodore Andrew Steczo
- Group Captain Evan Cornforth
- Commander Ro Ru Wok
- Associate Minister Flich Warfield
- Ronshen Del
- Flight Lieutenant Anlorin Glade
- Helix Falks
- Lieutenant Colonel Fias Morehead
- Lieutenant Colonel Aarm Killdarn
- Tomaas McMonty
- First Lieutenant Leebri Chelski
- Squadron Leader Geran NightShadow
- First Lieutenant Kirth Ravnic
- UI President Craulani Ortesma
- Jace Mos
- Exarchian Macron
- Jonathan Zeta
- Flight Officer Klo Jaab
- Klyn Kienaan
- Natron Vox
- Squadron Leader Orian Alexander
- William Tan
- Lieutenant Commander Philip Kanoone
- Group Captain Montross Farlander
- Wing Commander Sylfaen Celeste
The next step was forming a government in the planet, and shielding it. On Year 12 Day 138 a new treaty was established on Adbauniac between governing officials and diplomats from the New Republic, those documents formalized the transition of power to becoming a protected territory of the government, a move largely embraced by the citizenry.
Deren Strife Incident
(See also Anzatan's version of the incident.)
During the raid in Adbauniac the Senbe Deren Strife was found on the surface of the planet. According to New Republic Intelligence files Strife was part of the criminal organization for 2 or 3 years, where he was the former CO of Tactics and Logistics, Black Prince Battle Group. Acting upon said information, CoS Aioko arrested Strife.
The arrest prompted tensions with the Anzatan Commonwealth. The Anzatans alleged that Deren had joined them on Year 12 Day 22, and the New Republic argumented that even if Deren joined the Anzatans that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't still a Black Sun agent, just like months before that Owen von Ismay, Gawayne, Michael Turner, Edhrikhor Tlakh'sar and Uzziah Akim were alleged to be Black Sun Vigos while working for the New Republic, so further consideration was needed.
A few months later Chief of State Aioko stated to a New Republic journalist, that "We took the planet quickly and while I was at it I found Deren in one of the cities where we were building, I didn't know if he was there to arrest our builders or not, after checking with NRI it turned out that he had a past with Black Sun, so I decided to arrest him.
And about the reference from NRI potentially being fabricated, in one of the first responses by Deren he confirmed he had worked for Black Sun. So no, it wasn't fabricated.
After a few days I was contacted by the Anzatan Commonwealth [...] with a group of demands about Deren, like handing out all our information about this case within 2 days. Apart of that being pretty rude for a diplomat, [...] we knew they've had strong connections with Black Sun. And I had in mind Deren had a commanding position during a time where Black Sun did a lot of harm to the New Republic, so I wasn't willing to let the guy walk just like that.
Nevertheless, I always thought this was a case for the Justice Department, not the executive, so I suggested doing a hearing like we did for a very similar case in the past (Turner's). I basically passed the ball to the Justice Department so they could decide if a trial was needed or not, according to the Criminal Organizations Act.
I believe (the hearing) never took place because Deren failed to appoint his defense, you can ask Raikov what happened because he was the Associate Minister of Justice at the time. The Anzatans tried to appoint Deren's defense but the JD decided that Deren was the person who had to.
My point of view about what to do with Deren has been always the same, our judiciary should decide his fate, it's their jurisdiction. I've been opposed to setting him free over a political decision, or just as a diplomatic leverage, but nevertheless I passed his custody when I was asked to by Cheda.
Obviously I'm less than happy on how easy some people give in to the lies and clumsy badmouthing coming from the Anzatan Commonwealth, something that was present during the whole Deren case as well. I don't even know why I'm still targeted, Azarin knows how the NR works and that Deren was in the JD's hands, but if you still need proof of any of this, relevant or not, I can offer my records with them. [...] In my opinion their constant lies are proof they are not in the right and make me question how deep their ties with Black Sun go."
Aftermath
Adbauniac was largely secured by New Republic forces during the following weeks.
On year 12 Day 273 The Anzatan Commonwealth ended its NAP with the New Republic.
Awards
Ruben Wan - Group Commander's Citation
Alexandre Daigle - Republic Readiness
Evan Cornforth- Good Conduct Award
Philip Kanoone - Group Commander's Citation
Geran Nightshadow - Republic Readiness
Ro Ru Wok - Republic Readiness
Aarm Killdarn - Republic Readiness
Kirth Ravnic - Republic Readiness
Andrew Steczo - Group Commander's Citation
Wedge Achilles - Chief of State's Medal
Cheda Quche - Perlemian Star of Freedom
Franco Nejo - Hydian Star of Excellence
Jace Mos - Rimma Star of Service
Flich Warfield - Rimma Star of Service
Craulani Ortesma - Rimma Star of Service
References
