Couple of days ago..
The transmission was playing over and over on most INS Stations. Already the networks were creating a fear by putting slogans everywhere, “The aliens are coming!”.
“Protect your children! Get your blaster while supplies last!”
Yes, commerce was alive and well in the advent of war. Especially against an inevitable attack.
All day long, the news services were pulling in close-ups of Coalition speakers along side clips of massive attacks against Dantooine, against the Ebony Vigilance..the Empire’s Eclipse Class Star Destroyer made famous with it’s attack against the TJE Death Star and made legend at Bastion. Especially, shots of civilian transports being blown up in the cross fire of attacks and counter attacks.
Old footage from the Mon Calamari’s violent occupation of Kamino and it’s bloody putting down of Rebel uprisings were also broadcasted into the homes of billions of families across the Empire.
INS did an exclusive on Theren Gevel and his self sacrificing mission to liberate the downtrodden of Kamino. A small holiday was named after the man. Amid war preparations, the people watched as heroes of the Empire were put on the viewer to inspire the minds of the young and put to ease the mounting tension.
Yes, the Ministry of Information was doing it’s job and doing it well.
So much so that some claimed the New Empire was a Coalition plot to overthrow the Regent and that deep under the waters of Mon Calamari were the laboratories that developed the hideous Wrath Virus.
Yes, INS was alive and well and in control.
*
The transmission flickered on Kaine’s terminal and the Grand Marshall sighed. To many meetings and strategy sessions.
The Galactic Coalition had tipped their hand with the Declaration of War blazing across every child’s school desk.
The Empire figured a war was coming. Hell! They figured an attack was coming but when was anybody’s guess.
Already, the Fleet was mobilized, meetings held on strategic areas to concentrate defenses. What were the priorities and what would the overall plan be in the event of an attack here or there.
The Fleet was more than mobilized. They were ready!
With that transmission, the alien leaders of the Coalition told the Empire that an attack
would come.
What is left to do but issue general quarters?
“Kaine! What the @#%$ is this I hear about the bloody aliens attacking?” Moff Zell’s voice boomed over the speaker pulling Simon from his thoughts.
“I take it you’ve seen the transmission, Zell?” Simon asked a little sardonically.
“Did you hear this crap?” Zell nearly shouted. The Moff played the message across and a tiny box appeared under his transmission, being captioned by none other that the Moff himself.
“Who says you cannot have fun when you’re retired?” Kaine mumbled to himself as he heard the message for the fiftieth time.
‘To the Honourable members of the press, leaders of the peoples of the galaxy, and the great citizens of their worlds.
“Who the @#%$ is he talking too?” Zell demanded. “We ARE the leaders of the peoples of the galaxy? Don’t these @#%$ aliens know anything?!”
As you hear this, the people of the Coalition prepare for war.
“Thanks for pulling your wanker out and letting us cut if off!” Zell laughed at his own joke. Simon let him go on. The older man was a cantankerous one but the former Grand Admiral was nobody’s fool. He was as shrewd and as ruthless as the Empire bred them. His insights would prove invaluable.
It is not the first time we have banded together for the greater good, and sadly, it will not be the last.
“No, the last time you banded together you slaughtered Kamino’s population and set their cloning projects back months!”
…Well now is the time for striking back. Ever since the Mon Calamari Republic, the Azguardian Galactic Military, and the New Rebellion solidified their bonds into the Coalition, they knew that the Empire would come for them….
“Freeze Frame.” Zell ordered. “Did you get that reference, Kaine?”
“Azguardian Galactic Military?”
“There IS another faction out there supporting the damned rebels!” Zell confirmed. “We captured many of their people during the Kamino Invasi..err.. Liberation.”
“Intel and Interrogation have been working them over for information but I think they’ve been focusing on the Mon Calamarians.” Kaine said, frowning in thought. “Commodore Gevel may have questioned these Azguardians in more detail….but..”
“If they ‘joined’ this Coalition, then, it stands to reason Kaine that they..”
“..Have an infrastructure to to contribute to their enterprise.” Kaine finished. “That they have something to contribute other than warm bodies and taxable civilians?”
Zell’s eyes narrowed in irritation slightly. “You always do that Kaine.”
“What do you need, Moff?” Kaine asked, quietly chuckling.
“I want access to the little @#%$!”
Kaine entered a series of commands from his consol and gave Zell his carte blanche over quite a few of the Azguardian prisoners rotting away in an undisclosed location.
“Information is compartmentalized, Zell, but I would like copies on what you find.”
“Yes..yes..” Zell waved dismissively. “The Fleet is in play?”
“We’ve narrowed our strategic deployments…” Kaine started.
“Where?”
“Admiral Chandler’s at Corellia, Telan is there as well…Drayson is being sent to Carida..”
“She needs to temporarily shut down the Academy, perhaps put the students to good use and good training.” Zell started.
“If Carida is attacked..” Kaine prompted.
“If..” Zell agreed, then his eyes lit up. “I hear she’s a @#%$ tiger in bed..” the old man leered.
“I missed that memo..” Kaine commented, pursing his lips. Sometimes Zell was incorrigible. “Anyway, there are more deployments but I don’t have the time to go into them.”
“Well, I have my work cut out for me… or at least, my pleasure. I’ll have something for you soon, Marshall. Give Gevel my love.” The old man was sometimes a pain.
“If he’ll have it.” Kaine answered. “If you need anything else, reach me on my personal code. I’ve a meeting with the Regent.”
*
Imperial Palace..
The double doors leading into the inner sanctum of the most powerful person in the Empire, opened without a sound. Which was amazing when one considered the sheer size and weight of the massive silver barriers that stretched nearly fifteen feet up.
The shiny floor with the Imperial Seal emblazoned in rich color in the middle of the hall looked as if it had not been walked on ..ever.
Hidden subtly were the security measures, the narrow doors that led to Imperial Guard barracks, hidden within the massive structure that was the palace.
The Grand Marshall would have walked the entire hall to meet the Regent, as was normally expected, yet this day, however, Regent Hyfe met him halfway. It was a measure of how the man yearned for a more active duty. Kaine realized, if the Regent could, he would take out a command ship of his own and enter the coming fray. Hyfe was a soldier, not a politician and he ruled with a soldier’s wisdom, a soldier’s cunning, and a soldier’s ruthlessness.
Even so, Kaine made as if to kneel before his Regent and the older man impatiently motioned him to stop and rise.
“They are coming..” the Regent rasped out, his eyes hardening as the two began to walk down the seemingly empty hall.
“Yes, Lord. They have made their intent known.”
“When will they strike?”
“Within the week, no more than two, Lord. You don’t send out a transmission like that and wait a month.”
“The Fleet?”
“The Fleet is ready.”
The Regent stopped, his voice ice. “Who are these.. .these.. aliens?” his brittle voice spat out the question with disgust.
“The transmissions originated from Mon Calamari. They confirm what Imperial Intelligence has supposed for a while. That their Coalition is made up of three independent factions: Mon Calamari Republic, the Azguardian Galactic Military, and the New Rebellion.”
“New Rebellion..” Hyfe murmured with contempt. “What were they rebelling against?”
“Their psychology is beyond me, Lord. In any event, Moff Zell is following up a lead with the Azguardians.”
“Good.. good.” The Regent stopped, and raised a finger to Kaine. “They are not going to get away with this, Marshall. I will remember everyone that lifts a hand against us.”
His eyes were piercing.
“Everyone, Marshall.”
“Our retribution will be swift and devastating, my Lord.”
The two men walked into the Regent’s antechamber and a large, holographic map of the galaxy came into view. One of the largest maps Simon had ever seen.
“Tell me what is happening, Marshall.”
“Well, it involves several agencies, Lord. INS, Ministry of Information, Imperial Corps of Engineers, Imperial Intelligence, The Naboo Sith Order, Imperial Counter Terrorist Bureau, among others…”
The Grand Marshall began to outline the preparations…
The Day After…
Imperial forces are on full alert and ready to stave off any attacks on their sovereignty, according to top IHC officials. One officer said that the Empire is "ready, and waiting only for the Coalition to show its ugly head so that we can cut it off."
- INS Exclusive
The imperial war machine was in full motion.
The holovid opened with two children playing outside.
The children, blond, a boy and a girl, were neatly dressed and were all smiles as the girl chased the boy around several fruit trees.
Camera pan to the mother looking out a window, a classical, traditional setting as she places a meal on a table. Her eyes glance at a time piece and the camera shoots to a man in an Imperial Uniform directing refugees in an orbiting space station. His eyes glance up at the time.
He was due home soon.
Camera view changes to the children again. Both children are laughing, the girl having caught the boy and they both fall down.
The view froze and faded to white.
The Coalition’s Ambassador’s voice was heard over shouting masses..
“So BEWARE!, Empire,
for we ARE coming!”
A Mon Calamari Battleship appears in orbit of an Imperial planet.
The camera angles in on the mother as she drops a glass.
The alien vessel opens fire on the orbiting station and panic stricken voices are heard over the sounds of destruction. The ship begins to open fire on the planet and the yard the children are playing in is turned to ash.
The window explodes inward against the mother, knocking her back before fire begins to consume the house.
The picture fades.
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Elsewhere – location undisclosed
“What is my name?” The light was harsh, the question a drone in the mind of a very dehydrated body.
“I…. I don’t know…” came the parched response from cracked and bleeding lips.
“Do we need another lesson?” the voice was firm, unyielding.
“N..no.” the alien’s eyes widened in desperation.
A hand lashed out, striking the creature tied down.
“Your stink is offensive to me! Your cowardly acts contemptible!
You do not deserve to live.” The harsh voice spat out.
“P…please… I .. “
“You can end this, you know? You can end this right now..”
“P..please..” the alien shuddered, hunger and thirst burning their desire within.
The voice changed as a weapon was aimed straight at the alien. The voice was soft, pleading in it’s own way.
“End this, please..” it said, strong yet hopeful.
“I…. I …” one eye was bleeding, the good eye staring down the barrel of the weapon, his expression totally helpless.
“Why did you live with the Calamarians?”
“I don’t know…”: the reply, was the same. “I am just an engineer… I fix things..”
The weapon hit against the victim’s cheek.
“What secrets do you possess?!”
“I.. have…..no… secrets..” It was becoming harder to talk.
The weapon’s energy charge was building.
“WHY DID YOU COMMIT MURDER!!??” the voice was unforgiving.
“I… no… murder… no..” the voice was weakening as the tied creature found sitting up becoming too difficult.
The voice murmured something and a strong voice came in over some speakers.
”As for the claims that the Mon Calamari Republic murdered numerous people on Kamino, those are all completely true.”
The voice was that of Jan Dondana.
“Do you think anyone gives a @#%$ about you?” the voice asked, quietly incredulous.
Desperation, depression, helplessness… all these emotions played across in various shades as the voice studied the complete shattering of the other’s reality.
“One more time: Why did you murder?” the voice asked.
“I…. I DON’T KNOW!!!…” wailed the creature, sheer exhaustion taking it’s toll.
The weapons charge clicked and the gun shifted from the restrained alien to another lying unconscious on the floor.
The gun discharged and the creature let out an anguished cry. The cry of futility.
The captive’s head hung and the creature wept dryly. There were no more tears.
“Let me ask you something easy.” The voice said, almost conversationally, giving the hint of granting a very large concession.
“Your pain and those of your companions will end if you can answer just one question… just one simple question.”
The alien raised his tired and beaten eyes at the interrogator. The aging man smiled congenially.
“What is my name?”
The alien stared at him in horror because for the life of him..
…he didn’t know..
*
Excerpt from Groder Stu’s editorial for 48th INS Region
However, I do know that Imperial troops DID go in and murder numerous civilians and military personel on Talus and Tralus.
It’s always nice to see rebuttals with knowledge. For so long, we here at INS come up against outlandish opinion and choppy suppositions hastily thrown together and presented as some half-assed attempt at deception.
Puh-leasse!
What a refreshing difference this seems to be!
Let’s see..
That fact has been told to us by some citizens that have fled after the New Order came in.
What the @#%$? That’s right! I said it! What the @#%$??!!
Does the Coalition not have a budget for actual intelligence gathering that they have to rely on heresay and rumors from refugees?
Well, hot damn! Some refugees better run on over there and let them know that the Rebellion, the New Republic, has fallen.
I don’t think these buggers know!
As for the claims that the Mon Calamari Republic murdered numerous people on Kamino, those are all completely true.
Is it just me or has INS been saying this the whole time? From the Conclave to the Imperial Center, who’s been giving it to you straight?
That’s right!
Good ol’ INS!!
Makes you wonder about all the other stuff we’ve been saying now doesn’t it?
However, we are looking into the matter, and the officer in charge of that operation has been taken of active duty for the time being.
Well slap him on the wrist and call him Skywalker! Probably enjoying a pension paid vacation for doing such a good job at killing the good citizens of Kamino. Hell, were any of his soldiers arrested?
Obviously not!
Why should they be? They were only following orders, like the good little @#%$ murderers they are!
Besides, they were probably needed for murdering us!
Wonderful side of the galaxy these buggers live in!
Commit genocide and get removed from active duty! Liberate a people, and hop on the nearest battleship to kill em!
But what is said next is really priceless!
The Galactic Coalition will hold a trial if we find any proof that the commander under question has done any wrong doing."
Absolutely @#%$ brilliant!
First they admit the murder of numerous people on Kamino was true! But they want to see if there is proof!
If there was no proof, why admit it in the first place?
Hmmm… Because it happened?
And they want to question if there has been any wrong doing.
Any wrong doing?
Murdering numerous people on Kamino and they want to know if it was wrong??
I don’t about you but that is @#%$ wrong!
And this, boys and girls, is what is attacking us!
No doubt the now peaceful people of Kamino are just itching to fall under the rule of these genocidal, murdering maniacs! I am sure they are just thrilled at the prospect!
This is Groder Stu – INS
*
The day before…
Galactic debate continues as worlds brace for war…
“The alien mind is hard to fathom, Marshall, but these are the logical targets. If they strike outside those areas..”
“It will not matter..” Kaine said. “We have a response plan in play and we will act accordingly.” Kaine stood and began to pace as military aids each held up to the minute reports.
“The necessary civilian channels have implemented encryption procedures?”
“Yes, Marshall. Select networks have acknowledged switching. Emergency Response Protocols are enabled. The military enacted stricter controls over their communications rather quickly with the onset of the ‘declaration’ but civilian response is better than I expected.”
“Food for thought then, Lieutenant. Keep your expectations high. Have the Sith and/or Inquistoriate members been assigned to their respective warships? The Engineering Corps?
“Yes to both questions.”
“Damage control facilities, Emergency Medical Facilities, tighter Martial and Civil areas? All ready?”
“The last reported in two hours ago, Marshall.”
Kaine stared at the galactic map as if it was mocking him.
“Strike dammit!”
Corellia
“Sir? Why are we positioned like this?” a rather young Ensign, asked during the 2nd watch. Maintaining instant battle readiness aboard a ship was a serious business. Tension and strain was at an all time high during these moments to protocol demanded a regimented schedule for shift changing. No one officer stood watch (maintained a post) longer than another, the shifts actually changing to a shorter time during battle conditions. The last thing a commander wanted was a tired, anxious crew manning critical sections.
“It’s a variation of our maneuver at Dantooine. Maintain a 90° perpendicular angle against incoming enemy ships and you maximize our weapons while minimizing theirs. We will be able to bring about 90+% of our guns to bear and they can perhaps bring, at most 30% against us.
We would aim our bows down straight at them.”
“But how do you know where they are going to emerge?” another asked.
“Well, Ensign Vedda, we don’t know exactly. And, if left alone, they could appear anywhere. However, we know they are coming. That is important.
They control whether we will fight or not. Therefore, since they decided for us that we are going to war, it behooves us to control the board.”
“the board, Sir?”
“The battlefield. You see, we know they are coming from Coalition Space which is roughly here. We know that there are only so many approaches to a planet’s navigational beacon. We are covering Corellia’s beacon, not the Corellian System’s.
Therefore, we set up Constrainer Pickets here, here and here,” he pointed to a holographic map of the outlying area, “and set our trap here.” The Commander indicated their relative position.
“Why won’t they jump past us?”
“Because of the planet’s mass shadow. No, they will either be pulled from space by the Constrainers or they will exit hyperspace ahead of us. Either way, because of our 90° vantage point, we will require only a slight adjustment to compensate if they are pulled out or if they come out ahead. You see, Ensign, we are spaced pretty evenly so that every ship has a chance to bring their weapons to bear. Given that we are not in a tight formation, we have excellent maneuvering room and can blanket a larger area with weapons fire.”
“I still think they can go around us, Sir.” The first Ensign commented.
Admiral Ibren Chandler smiled, slightly. “If they were going anywhere else in this system, then yes. If they were going to say.. Drall, Selonia or Tralus…they would bypass us strike there. We would be to far away and probably would have to microjump to be anywhere effective. But our job is not Tralus or Drall. It is Corellia, therefore we are guarding the approach.”
“But what if the enemy is heading for the Double Worlds .. won’t they be pulled out of hyperspace by our Pickets?”
Admiral Chandler’s head shook. “No. Remember your tactics. If we wanted to hit Drall, we would plot a course straight for Drall. That course would take us wide of Corellia and any of the other Five Brothers so that our ships can avoid their gravity mass shadows. Such a course would take them wide of our pickets.”
The Executive Officer sighed, “Besides, the major hyperlanes go through Coruscant, Kuat, and Yag’Dhul. Our tracking systems would pick them up, especially since we are looking for them.”
The tracking officer’s board beeped once or twice and civilian traffic exited several hundred meters directly under the bows of the Chandler’s waiting force.
In wartime, civilian traffic, especially trading merchants were assigned recognition codes (more like ‘pings’) identifying them as friendly. If a hyperspacial reversion was detected without the code, the fleet would open fire.
“What if someone stole a code to sneak in?” someone asked.
“Some probably could. However, there is another sign that those reverting from hyperspace are enemies.”
“What’s that?”
Ibren’s Exec Officer spoke up, “the fact that they are enemy warships.”
The bridge conversation changed, and Ibren’s trained eyes kept roving about the different stations noting that the crew was on top of their assignments.
But this waiting is bad.
Ibren’s mind looked at the situation around Corellia. His was not the only force but he felt he had to act as if it was.
So what if someone were to come up from behind the planet, from within the system?
It was a long shot but the shipyards had been moved to the far side of the planet away from the hyperlanes.
“Dane? Send a couple of Pickets around Corellia and have them lay a gravity mass here and here. Send a couple of Shrouds as protection.” The Shroud Attack craft were maintaining their cloaks ever watchful for something untoward. In fact, the Shrouds and the Admiral’s fighter corps were on a constant state of alert. Shields were kept raised except for the emergency launch, if needed.
“Yes, Sir.” And the Exec began relaying the instructions.
The Next Watch..
“How long do we hold here?”
“Until Command determines that there is no threat, I’d imagine, Lieutenant.” Ibren grinned at the man from the new watch. “We have the consumables.”
“Aye, Sir..”
But even Chandler wondered how long that could be.
“Comm..—“
“TRACKING! HYPERSPACE REVERSION, NO CODE!”
Whatever the Admiral was going to say immediately left his mind as he snapped into command mode.
“Where?”
“Beneath us, Sir! They missed our pickets!”
“Launch Fighters and raise the shields after they’ve cleared!”
Sure enough, stacks of Coalition warships were exiting hyperspace. At least Chandler assumed they were Coalition for they had the lumpy designs of the Mon Calamari. At least some did.
“FIRE!” he cried and the fleet fired downward, their bows pointed straight at the tops of the moving warships beneath them.
It seemed that there were three large warships in a wedge formation with six gunships directly behind them centered. However nearly covering the gunships thus taking the brunt of the fire with the larger vessels was a large command cruiser flanked by two ISDs. By them were four corellian gunships…
… there were more ships exiting within a very tight formation with fighters, it seemed, moving through and through the formations, spread amongst the fleet.
Several of the advance ships were struck before they disappeared.
“Cloaking vessels!”
Damn!
“Enemy shields coming up!... and …*static*. They are jamming sir!”
“Begin our jamming, Lieutenant.” Chandler ordered calmly. “Let’s interfere with their signals as well..
OOC Fleet Manifest
3 Imperial-Class Star Destroyers
2 Archangel Class Star Destroyer
2 Attack Class Carrier Spheres
2 Victory Star Destroyers
2 Carrack-Class Light Cruisers
3 Fire-Class Light Frigates
7 Constrainer-Class Interdiction Pickets
5 Shrouds
1320 TIE Devils
20 Scimitar Assault Bombers
56 TIE Defenders
Posted on behalf of Simon Kaine
