The Rebel Faction

Almanian System



The proximity alarm signaled the transition from hyperspace to real space as the Ressario arrived inside the Almanian System in response to their transports distress signals.

Scipio found the system a bit crowded with the Imperial fleet ringing the planet proper as well as the settlement on the moon.


However a good portion of the Imperial fleet was out of formation trying to destroy those fleeing craft that found themselves no desiring to wait the Imperial's pleasure and submitting to the search.


Many were destroyed but just as many did escape during the fleet maneuverings. The sight of the larger capital warships was a daunting sight and Scipio saw that those procrastinators who had only now decided to take their chances were obliterated as the blockade enclosure was completing.


The BTL (Ballistic, Tactical & Logistic) projection appeared before the Caprician leader and immediately the projected IFF signatures of the transports appeared in two groups, each a designated holding area as broadcasted repetitiously by the invading fleet. There was easily nearly a hundred vessels in each holding area.


Clearly the smart ones!


As it turned out, with the dispersal of the Imperial ships (both capital and fighters) to catch fleeing craft as well as the dispersal to effect their blockade spaced their anchor positions quite apart from each other.


The Ressario, leaving the confusion of the chase behind came up from the rear of one of these anchor positions around Drewwa.


"Ma'am, we are getting some signals from fleeing craft for aid?" the Comm Officer intoned.


Scipio turned to the man, her eyes hardening. As much as she hated killing, she had a leader's realistic expectation of what she was actually capable of. "They made their choice when they fled."


Her judgement was final. She walked over to the transmitting station and entered two commands for transmissions one directed at the planet regarding expediting issues so her transports can leave and the other to her transports to hold tight and that they'd be taken care of.

While there, "Ma'am we are receiving a signal from the Imperial warship ahead as well as from the Tolu."


Scipio pressed her lips together. "Put up the Tolu," she ordered. Her people came first.


The grey haird Captain appeared and he looked surprised slightly to be seeing the Caprician Ambassador aboard. "Ma'am!" he exclaimed.

"Report!" she barked out and the Captain nodded, shedding his surprise. "It's a Jedi hunt, Ma'am. We've had boarders come on and check our crew manifests and cargo logs as well as a visual tour. I might add that these soldier boys do not know their transports. I had to argue with one Captain not to open a port-side reactor door. Would have blown his arrogant ass and my humble ass out to space."


"Humble.." Scipio murmured, the man's confidence easing her worry but then her eyes narrowed. "Then what are you still doing here?"

The Captain grunted. "Have to make sure the convoy gets out of here or it'll be my ass in a sling."


Scipio nodded approvingly making a mental note to forward a commendation for the grizzly merchant Captain.

"So they are checking the rest of the convoy?"

"Heck no!" the Captain grunted again. "They moved on to other transports, yacht and bulk freighters. There are some companies the Imperials do not want to piss off. I've been yelling to these Imps for half an hour!"


"I'll speak to them.." Scipio growled and disconnected the link. "Accept the Imperial's hail." she ordered, her mood fouled.


A rather young looking Captain's holographic features appeared before Scipio and before he could assert himself Scipio fired at him with questions.

"Why the hell are my transports not released? And I had better like the answer!"

The Imperial Captain's head jerked as if stung.


"A blockade order has been issued by Imperial High Command, restricting access to this planet as of the date of issue." The Imperial Captain spoke as if reading off a card.


Scipio's eyes narrowed and she looked pointedly at the image of the Captain.

"And when, dear sir, was the date of issue?"


The Captain flushed, "The date of issue was one week ago."


Scipio tapped a fingernail on a nearby consol at the response. "Then I would fire your transission agency as this is the first time it is being brought up, wouldn't you say?"

Before the Imperial could responde, she continued, "In any event, I am here to ensure that my interests are seen too, namely, the prompt response for our transports. We did not receive word that your military would strike an area outside Imperial space and in light of that fact, we are NOT obligated to comply. You deal with your own failure and do not project them onto us!

I want my freighters released! NOW!"


The Captain gulped slightly but responded again by rote, "Once the search is complete ships will be ordered to a holding area until allowed to leave."


Scipio raised an eyebrow. "Search for what?"


"Any and all Jedi that reside on Almania and its moons."


"Jedi?" Scipio responded with contempt. "Only an idiot searches for a fish on land? Go to Naboo and leave our transports alone!"



The Imperial Captain plowed on, "Once the search is complete for Jedi."


Scipio drummed her fingernails on a rail. "Very well, Captain." she said with finality. "We all know what you desire to do to them, so allow me to aid you in your search so I may get my transports back."


She cut off the connection and called up information from their scans of the moon as well as Almania proper. "Observers..." she murmured.


The Ressario had taken up a position behind the Imperial warship facing the moon though not directly behind it.


On the moon there were several separate settlements but they all tended to be on one side, the side that was facing the planet now.


So much the better.


"Tactical. Target these desolate areas here and here. Emphasize our point that we want to be expedited." Scipio indicated as the BTL suddenly changed images.


"Target locked, Ma'am."


"Fire."


And the main weapons on the Ressario opened up on the deserted section of the Drewwa moon tearing apart it's ecology.



"Ma'am. The Imperial Captain is hailing on an emergency channel."


Scipio raised another eyebrow. "Put him on." she said dryly.


"What the bloody devil are you doing!!" he screamed.


Scipio stared at the holoprojection, her face impassive. "Captain, you arbitrarily decide to cut off a trading route in which we lose money. And rather than, as a form of good protocol, inform those you indirectly hurt you again inflict harm on us montarily by holding our transports until your search parties are done. One item I cannot change. We've lost a trade route. But the other, I can change. The Empire may feel it has time to waste but my time and the time of my people are a little bit more valuable.

So..I am doing what I can to help reduce that time.


Please let me know when your search is complete."



And the channel switched off.



"Continue firing on the section, Lieutenant. Maintain sensor sweeps of the area and let me know when our ships are let go and signal the Poreon and transmit our up to the minute data since Elom. The Empire should be made aware of their neglegence."



The Ressario shot out another salvo into the same spot..

Governer Jall Hemaad looks at current read outs and reports from the Almanian Guard. Democracy is replaced within the hour by what should be a brief time of military rule on the planet.

Twin eyes dart briefly to his reflection in a portion of his desk. Wrinkles and laugh lines, gray hair streaking through his bearded face and hair. Entering his forty-fifth year of life he never thought that he would have to see such a change come to pass. The Galactic Empire comes to Almania-- replacing everything that is made with every thing that once was.

A stream of communication flows through the comms channel. The response he was waiting for had arrived.

"Governor... I am Fleet Admiral Denetta Pitta of the Galactic Empire. Almania is now under Imperial blockade, pending occupation by the New Order. At this time, you are ordered to power down all defences and have your defence personal stand down.”

An Admiral Pitta, Jall had little information to go on to judge this man by. Only his instincts should prevail here.

"You are also hearby ordered to reveal any and all Jedi that reside on Almania and its moons. Failure to do so will result in disiplinary actions.”

The cat is out of the bag, the Empire only wanted the planet for the Jedi. All of the Observers were right to leave Almania when they did. They left right underneath the nose of the Almanian government. If they had left sooner much of this situation may have been avoided.

"Imperial Stormtroopers will be taking posession of your capitol distict and defensive installations shortly in order to ensure an orderly transfer of power.”

Jall laughed at the remark. Almanian Guard Storm troopers had already set up in the capitol. Transfer of power would be as easy as a word.

"I look... forward to meeting with you. You may meet me at your convience once our preliminary base has been established."

Jall keys in a response communiqué.

“This is Governor Hemaad of Almania.

Admiral Pitta of The New Order, I must apologize for the raising of the shields. Your ships were about to bombard the planet and, if your targeting vectors were correct, your ships would have destroyed several of Almania’s military resources that make the planet a military resource. As I speak all defenses are powered down.

I regret to inform you that there are no jedi residing on the planet that we can ascertain. From all appearances they have been gone from the planet for some time. Their temples have been replaced by non-force wielding individuals that acted as mediators in place of the real force users. If you have any force sensitives of your own I would recommend sending them on search to see if they can find any Jedi on the plant we cannot.
I am sending you data on all current military actions taking place on the planet. A military state of emergency has been declared and our Almanian Guard forces have taken charge of the planet. Your forces can quickly coordinate with our own for an orderly changing of hands.

Once things are in order to your liking sir I shall meet with you Admiral Pitta.”

The recording ended he returns to his monitors.




*****************


A single freighter comes out of hyperspace with a jolt.

Master Irman Nogar looks upon a sad sight. Almania was under siege. His visions warned him of some ill will on Almania. Sighting the Empire at the door step of his new home confirmed the vision.

Without giving word to the random crew he hired to take him back to this system he boards an escape pod carrying nothing but a walking stick.

He ejects from the ship telling his crew to leave him to his fate on a short wave communication only they heard. There were no jedi left on or near the planet. In the face of such adversity it was the duty of one force user to be here for them, even if only in spirit.

Irman sends one General Transmission and one coded into the void.

The General Transmission reads,

“I am an Observer. I am here.”

"Perhaps. But they almost certainly do not know the capabilities of this ship, Captain. Forward guns, target the same spot. Wait for a break in their firing and then fire all batteries.

"If it is a demonstration of firepower they want, that is what they shall receive."

Admiral Pitta never heard the clearing of a voice and the admonished, "Sir."


The battlegroup of Admiral Pitta had been relaying ground soldiers to Almania and therefore had to be close enough for those soldiers to land planetside sometime during the same day, if not the same hour. The RSD Ravager II would have changed positions to accomodate this.

To be in proximity of seeing the Ressario's act, would have to put the moon Drewwa pretty close to the warship as well which mean't the command ship of Admiral Pitta was between the moon and the planet.

The Ressario was on the outside looking in and so was on the opposite side of the moon. On an exit vector were the Vinda Corp fleet and others in a massive holding patter awaiting the Imperial's pleasure. They saw to their amazement the weapons of the more powerful Imperial command ship target the same spot as the Ressario. While nothing hampered the Ressario's line of fire, the entire moon was in the way of Admiral Pitta's.

The computer sensors of the command ship detected a lull in the firing and therefore the electronic command went out and the RSD's weapon systems fired.

A Reign Class Star Destroyer was rougly the same size as an Imperator, if not a little longer. The weapon ports glowed and a swath of destruction was cut into the moon Drewwa leveling part of the starport in the process.

Clearly, the effect was impressive.

The rest of the warships in the area also were itching to show off their firepower but waited for the orders from above.



"Cease fire." Scipio ordered as the RSD Ravager II's guns also fell silent. Turning to the Imperial Captain's holographic projection (the Imperial's ship in clear view off her starboard), "Captain, I believe your Fleet Commander has undoubtedly established your clear authority in the area and seems satisfied that the search for Jedi on Drewwa is all but over."

She leaned forward. "Now please request that our transports leave. We are losing money sitting here at what amounts to your whim. The system is yours."

She motioned for the Ressario's guns to cycle up once more. "Or is the search for the Jedi still continuing on Drewwa? We stand ready to assist in eliminating this danger to your Empire if you like."

Leaning back, "Please forward our request to your superiors."


"Ma'am!" a comm officer shouted and Scipio turned in irritation at the interuption.

Then a transmission broke over the overhead monitors reading, "I am an Observer. I am here."


Scipio shook her head drumming her fingernails on her command chair thinking furiously.


"Imperial Captain, it appears your enemy has surfaced. Do you require aid?"

"Ma'am, general transmission from the Imperial Flagship!"

"Let's hear it, Ensign." Scipio acknowleged the excited crewmember. Her lips pressed together in grim fashion wondering just what the commanding officer of the Imperial Fleet for this operation would have to say.

"To the Imperator Star Destroyer Ressario, the great and honourable Admiral Pitta has seen fit to acquiesce and grant leave to you and your transports provided you intercept the escape pod launched from that freighter and take whoever is aboard into custody. Once they have been transferred to an Imperial prison ship, you and your freighters will be free to go."

With a motion, she had the comms silenced and could hear a groan coming from one of the operations pits and she regally stood and began to pace.

In all honestly, the Imperials had her boxed. With the stipulation, there was not much she could do to expedite the release of her transports.

First things first. She would see to her people.

"Comm the Merchant Fleet," she ordered and the Captain of the Tolu appeared in holographic projection.

"Ma'am?"

"Prepare the Merchantile Fleet to depart the system within half an hour. We have an errand to carry out. The closest Imperial ships should be allowing you exit vectors."

She turned and looked down into another operations pit. "Helm, bring us about on an intercept course for the escape pod."

"Course plotted, Ma'am."

"Act."

And the Ressario lifted into a higher plane and gracefully swung over the ISD near her who remained in the blockade formation.

The tractor beam caught the escape pod as the ship moved away from the blockade. The transition and operations involved in bringing the pod safely aboard were carried out smoothly and without incident and as Scipio left the bridge to see to the person who would become an Imperial prisoner, she felt a sharp pain of sorrow.

The heavily armed and armoured CommGuard soldiers stood at attention (and at the ready) as the escape pod's hatch was opened. The Capricians aboard the Ressario, Scipio included, had never seen an Observer Jedi up close in and in person.

The man who exited the pod stood before her and her guards with a quiet dignity that whispered of formidability. Than carried a walking stick.

"My name is Scipio Arien, Ambassador at Large for the Commonwealth and I welcome you aboard the Ressario. I do apologize for the circumstances of our meeting but, unfortunately, as your comms may have picked up, I have been tasked with escorting you to the nearest Imperial prison ship." she winced slightly at saying the words.

The Observer said nothing at first allowing the Caprician woman to contact the bridge. "Have the Imperials designated which ship is to be their prison ship?"

"Not yet, Ma'am."

"Ask them to, please. When you find out, contact me in the ship's mess."

She looked to the Observer Jedi and motioned him to follow. "I am not in a position to rescue you at present but what I can do is make your transition from our company to the Empire's as comfortable as possible."

The two walked into the ship's mess where off duty personnel (personnel coming off three consecutive shifts) were eating and chatting away about the circumstances they were in.

With the rest of the ship on battle-alert, they could feel the tension in the air and when the doors to the mess opened, and upon seeing Scipio, everyone jumped up to attention.

"At ease," she called, slightly embarrassed but not showing it.

"Lieutenant," she called to a nearby officer, "see about getting myself and our friend here a descent meal and a fresh cup of caf."

"At once, Ma'am."

The Jedi and the Caprician sat down and the crewmembers went back to their eating and chatting though a little less subdued. There were curious glances at the Ambassador's companion.

"Are you alright?" she asked, flushing slightly at the embarrassment evident in her voice. Where she could handle her crew, this Jedi seemed unnerving.



"To the Imperial Flagship, please identify for us which vessel has been designated the prison ship for prisoner transport."

Executive Officer Venium constantly referred to the tactical display as if it was going to vanish the moment he glanced away.

"Sir, I have an encrypted message coming in from the Porion."

Venium nodded, his interest keeping with the reponse from the Imperials.

The Ressario had stopped it's approach as Exec Officer Venium noted the display as most of the Imperial suddenly maneuvered out of their locations in order to bring their many weapons to bear on the Caprician warship.

He be damned if he would flinch under the pressure despite the evident fear growing within him. The comm was chattering as if someone was speaking to Lady Arien but she was down in the mess.

As the rant continued, Venium blanched even further finding it hard to swallow. While most Imperial news arrived late to Capricia, alot of it contained the name Lupercus Darksword.

Then the comm went dead and Venium called down to the mess. He was sweating heavily.

By the time Scipio made her way back to the bridge (saving her Exec from slitting his wrists) her eyes narrowed at the tactical display seeing how the Imperial Fleet was in some sort of hodge podge formation. Some ships having been ordered out of their blockade formation to throw 500 weapons locks on the Ressario, Scipio wondered if they were giving up their search as some guarding IFACs were pulled from their duty.

Enlightenment came quickly.

"Captain Alberto, thanks to your superiors failings, we will drop all pretense of the search. All Almanians must be returned to the planet for the standard planetary census following the occupation.

The search had been called off and ships of Almanian registry were to be escorted back to the planet. The Vinda Corp Transports began to move slowly out of the way as some of the Imperial Fleet was returning to ensure that the Almanian registered ships made their way to the surface.

"Ma'am, we are being directed to offload the prisoner on a newly arriving vessel, the Azgoghk."

Scipio's head turned to the officer who had spoken as she read the transcript of Lord Lupercus' message. It seemed no comment or response was warranted.

"Back us up from this position to meet it." Scipio ordered and the Ressario turned away from the planet's moon moving outside the gravity wells of Reign Class Star Destroyers on a direct coarse for the Azgoghk, the transports from Drewwa slowly separating from the Almanian ships taking care not to offend the Imperial's lockdown of the planet and it's moon.

"Slow down and have our guest escorted back to the hanger." Scipio said with no little regret. But whatever the Observer Order had done to anger the Empire, it was enough to warrant this overkill of shipping.

"Hail the Azgoghk and ask them to prepare for prisoner transfer... and relay our position to the Porion, they'll be worried." She drummed her fingers in slight nervousness and then as an afterthought, "Inform the Captain of the Tolu that their wait is almost over."

All the while she was wondering, What in the name of the Clans was the Racial Purity Act?

Some sort of jamming began to affect the nearby area of the planet.