The Rebel Faction

Marcus smiled tightly as Hashona's message came through. "Very good. I look forward to our meeting. Hangar bay 12 will be opened for you." Marcus turned to Captain Freyous. "Captain, launch a spray of TIEs as soon as he leaves to escort him. If they deviate, blast them into scrap." Captain Cassius didn't wait for the Captain's aknowelegement, striding off the bridge, heading for the hangar bays, twelve Stormtroopers behind him.

Four TIE Interceptors screamed out of the hangar bays, orbiting the Imperial ship, waiting for Hashona's shuttle to emerge from the distant Destroyer.

Marcus stood at ease as Commander Harik Hashona decended from the modified shuttle, his men right behind him. Marcus bowed his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Commander Hashona. I am Captain Marcus Cassius. Welcome aboard the Dragon's Fang . I must apologize, but I must insist that my men search and relieve you of your weapons. No worries, they will be returned to you when you leave." Marcus's polite tone held the same steel underneath it that Hashona had heard over the comm. The Stormtroopers quickly and efficiently serched the men and confiscated their weapons. "Now," continued Marcus, indicating the hangar bay doors with a wide sweep of his arm, "shall we proceed?" He walked quickly off towards the door, the Stormtroopers falling in to formation around the "guests".

The Captain led Hashona and his men down the pristine white halls of the Star Destroyer, his Stormtroopers a menacing and intimidating escort. Hashona was unreadable, which annoyed Marcus greatly. He thought himself a good judge of character, but this man was unreadable. Captain Cassius didn't dwell too long on that particular question, however; he had learned a long time ago that you always had to focus on the important looming matters, not staying focused on the secondary intrests. Whether he could read the enemy commander or not was irrelevant. What was, however, was dealing with the problem at hand...namely, the subjugation of this planet, and, ultimately, Hashona.

The journey to the captain's quarter's didn't take long, but it did still take longer than usual, with Marcus looking to intimidate the enemy commander even more by taking a longer route, past the hangar bays filled with TIE Interceptors, Bombers, and the like. He even took Hashona's party past the gunnery commands. He wanted to make one thing absolutely crystal clear to the man; you attack us, you die.

Marcus's longer route brought them to the captain's quarters, vacated by Captain Freyous, who was on the bridge at that time and who slept in the XO's quarters while Marcus was aboard. The Stormtrooper palmed the acess button and the door slid smoothly open, revealing the dim room in front of him. He stepped in, waving the lights on. "Come in, come in." He ushered the enemy through and the white-armoured Stormtroopers followed in an orderly fashion, taking up positions to dissuade any attempt at violence... on Hashona's part, anyway. If the meeting didn't go well, then... Marcus could always have them shot.

"Commander, may I offer you a drink?" Marcus sipped on some mineral water as he said this. He had already taken his seat at a large black table, polished to a shine by droids and bearing the Imperial logo in the middle.

Marcus smiled inwardly as Hashona began his little speech. Marcus, in a way, respected his opponent He certanly had guts to come into the lion's den and broker a deal with him. Well, two could play at the diplomatic game. "Thank you, Commander, for your intellegent response to the situation. I know a great many men who would have tried to fight. However, I will be frank with you. The Empire wants Primoria; you seem to want to destroy it. So, Commander Hashona, allow me to make you a proposition. Should you accept, the New Order could have a favorable position for a man of your talents. However, should you choose to resist, the Empire would not be quite so forgiving." Marcus leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of water as he did so. "Would you be open to such a proposition?"

Captain Freyous jogged down the bridge to his command chair. Slumping into it, he tapped in a rapid command on his board. A bright holoscreen erupted and Freyous checked it rapidly. It was just an hourly status report, but Freyous took simple pleasure in keeping his ship in order. Suddenly, a low voice from the crewpit cut through the air. "Captain Freyous, sir. Unknown fighters, coming in from the planetary shadow." Freyous's eyebrows lifted a fraction in mild surprise. "What sort?" He asked, calling up a long distance scan. "Looks like some Z-95s and a few Skiprays." Freyous frowned. "Blue Group, break off and await orders." He nodded at the TIE pilot's response. "Sir. A corellian corvette." Came a calm voice. Freyous grinned. Maybe he could have a little sport after all. The 'vette was in a reglemented colour, so it could have been one of Primoria's govermental forces. Freyous sent a message to Captain Cassius's comms', situated in the arm of his chair as well as the portable one in his breast pocket.

Marcus stood, graciously offering a hand to Commander Hashona to shake. "Feel free to use the comms' on the table in front of you," He said, pressing a button on the table, "it will reroute the message through the bridge and to your ship. She's a fine craft, by the way. Quite a rarity, and magnificently maintained." He smiled tightly and stooped to answer Freyous. A simple affirmative sent TIEs streaming out to deal with the threat.

It would be over in a matter of minutes.