The Rebel Faction

Sarendevis Head Quarters

Naosha studied the data being shown, wishing she had some sort of report from Rissonik right now. But she had one advantage: she knew what Rissonik was most likely to do.

An attack on a Sykir research building. Naosha thought. Riss told me about their interrogation tactics. If he sent a group to tackle the place, it would be no doubt to rescue someone captured by them. Hmm.... There were a couple of photos of the dead, one inside the building and others outside the building. The way these T'Doshok were killed does not match how K'Satikur warriors kill their opponents. She had been around the K'Satikur long enough to know this, most of the deaths were how an assassin would kill their target. K'Satikur do not employ assassins. The other bit she found interesting was the attack on the Merc HQ: she knew who headed that group...and he was no Separatist.

"Interesting..." She said, standing up. She knew she had to chose her words carefully. "Interesting propaganda you have compiled."

"Wha...what do you mean?" The Trandoshan ambassidor said, looking nervous.

"Errors in your assessment on who did what my dear." Naosha said with a faint smile. "Do you remember what the bulk of the Separatists fighting force comprises of?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "K'Satikur, a Clan that specialises in mainly melee fighting styles."

"Many of these attacks were done by..."

"Don't be rude now...let me finish. I have two different points here. The first, involves the attack on the Sykir building. If you actually bothered to study how those people were killed, you would see they were slain as if an assassin has killed him. The K'Satikur has never used, or employed the talents of an assassin in history, why start now?"

"So you are saying, that since the K'Satikur make up the base of the Separatist forces, they wouldn't use such tactics to get ahead." One of the ambassidors said.

"That is correct. The K'Satikur has always been an honorable Clan as a whole in this generation: assassination is below them." Naosha said, spreading her hands. "Now for the second point. According to your data there was an airstrike conducted on a suspected Separatists hideout."

"That is correct..." The Trandoshan ambassidor said, seething from the defeat of the first bit of information.

"That building is, was rather, the Mercenary Head Quarters. How many of your know of Besk?"

There were a few shudders around the table, including the wookiee. That Trandoshan's reputation stretched far...

"Well...here's another blow to you good sir. Guess who was the head of that Mercenary HQ..." There were a few mummers.

"I see what you are trying to get at madam." The Trandoshan Ambassidor said. "Besk has been arrested for treason by assocation with the Separatists, so what point you make is moot."

Both Naosha and Varcanna bursted out laughing. Oh how stupid the government must be getting. "Besk...is as far from being a Separatist as you can possibility get..." Naosha said, once she was able to stop laughing.

"Wha..." The expression on the other Tran's face was completely confused.

"Besk was a member of the K'Satikur Clan yes, but he left after Rissonik, second in command of the Separatist Movement, gained control of the Clan. Besk hates Rissonik, because he thinks he is too soft to head the Clan, but lacked the assocation by blood to challenge him. It's common knowledge too, you must have been living under a rock all these years." The Trandoshan Ambassidor was fuming, but Naosha continued on, ignoring him. "Besk is also a staunch supporter of Speaker Above All Hyossk and has been employed by him for several years. Even if there were Separatist sympathisers in Besk's little private group, he would have found them out ages ago."

"But why would they attack some of their own people?" Another ambassidor asked.

Naosha gave an honest shrug. "It would appear Hyossk is getting so paranoid that he is attacking anything that makes him even suspect a Separatist could be involved in it." She said.

"The Merc HQ was attacked because a tracking device that was placed on a discovered Separatist spy pinpointed that location." The Trandoshan Ambassidor said, trying to salvage this.

"But did you even varify that location was a Separatist hideout before pulling the trigger?" Naosha said without missing a beat. "It's always possible that a rebel group will discover such a device and dispose of it."

"Then how do you explain the attack on the outpost on Sakkh!?"

"You need to learn how to count my dear. " Naosha taunted. "The Separatist at present only have three destroyers and none of them were even near the moon at the time. To take on an outpost of that size required a force of at least twice that number."

She realized she slipped up a bit there, but soon that won't matter anyway. She was tempted to bring up the convoy attack, but decided to let Fikan mention that one.

By now the Trandoshan Ambassidor was furious. Slamming his hands down on the table he screamed. "Who ARE you!?"

Naosha gave him a broad smug smile, Varcanna smiling as well. "You truly have been away from home for far too long to not know who I am..." She said, then bowed as she dropped the bomb shell on him. "I am Naosha, leader of the Separatists. I thank you for informing me on what kind of misinformation the government has been spreading about me."

...

"Must you stay in here with the kids?" The caretaker said. "You're making some of them nervious."

"Sorry miss." Silliss said. "Not to insult your abilities, but even we have trouble keeping an eye on Trissan."

The caretaker looked at said kid, who was playing with a stack of blocks. "He's behaving himself, I don't see a problem."

"Cause he has two sets of eyes watching him." Silliss said. "The moment you look away he'll sneak off." Silliss chuckled when Trissan gave him a nasty glare.

"If you say so...can't you make yourself less visible?"

Silliss looked around at all the furniture, which was all kid sized. "Do you see something I can hide behind here?"

"Point."

Silliss chuckled and stood up to stretch out his limbs. To his shock a dizzy spell struck him, nearly making him fall over. He leaned against the wall to steady himself and did a mental check on his body and recognized the signs. Oh no... He thought as he looked up at the caretaker. "Has any of the kids been sick recently?" He asked.

"Um...little Johnny just got over a cold. Why?"

@#%$... "I need to get to the medical bay...now..."

Asteroid Field: Defense Line Red

Tiosk went through the information quickly and marked each entry point on the chart. After studying the information he marked a location that was by the sixth planet of the system.

"Good sir I believe we found it. My little fleet here is going to say 'hello'. My advice is that if all these fellas suddenly bugger out over here to send what help you can to these cooridates." Tiosk said as he sent the cooridents to Joshpl. "We may be good, but even we can't fight a whole fleet by ourselves."

Asteroid Field

The three Trandoshan destoryes moved away from the battle, then jumped to hyperspace. A few minutes later they reentered real space, close to the large gas giant that was another of the systems planets.

"Running scans sir." The sensor officer said. "There's a lot of chatter on the air waves, we must be close to a base."

"Excellant. Oh how I love it when I am right." Tiosk said, a broad smile forming on his muzzle. "Let's pinpoint where these boozos are hiding and give them a present."

The three destroyers spread out, but not out of communications range of each other. In short order they found the source.

~Captain Tiosk.~ Rista's voice came over the comm. ~We found them. They are on the dark side of the planet.~

"Good, lets go say hello." Tiosk said.

They didn't even try to mask their approach, using the pirates apparent alligence with the Trandoshan government to their advantage. There were a lot of ships there, but none of them paid any heed to the destoryers approaching them. Tiosk noted what looked like another group of ships getting ready to join their fellows in the fight at the asteroid field. He decided to target them first.

~Vessal identify yourself~ A voice squawked over the comm as they drew close to the group of ships.

Tiosk grinned and gave the order to attack...

Sarendevis Head Quarters

The Trandoshan Ambassador, who was still glaring at Naosha calmly replied. "They were full of Separatist scum that's why."

"Not so my dear Ambassador." Naosha said calmly. "All my supporters were either on Tissuss or on Trandosha itself. There is no need for us to leave Trandosha for any reason, with the exception of myself, my grandchildren, and a few other supporters. That convoy had nothing to do with us." A dangerous glint, one that mirrored Fikan's own, shone in her eye. "Thus the blood of hundreds of innocents are on your hands." There were angry mummers and glares shot in the direction of the Trandoshan Ambassador, who seemed to shrink. "This..." Naosha continued. "Is exactly what I was trying to warn the Council about. Hyossk's actions is speeding our people toward the very fate I was trying to get us to avoid: a fate where we are alone, with no allies...only enemies around us. Such a fate would end up with us as extinct."

"If you hadn't started your rebellion this wouldn't have happened!" The Trandoshan Ambassador hissed.

"I admit my actions have caused things that I could not have fathomed to happen before hand." Naosha said. "How was I...or anyone else for that matter...to know Hyossk would start tittering on the brink of insanity? But..." She let that word hang for a moment. "If I did nothing, our people would not have started to realize things need to change and that fate would have still come. The longer we wait...the less chance we have to reverse the damage done.
"For generations we built a reputation based on fear and furiousity. As the old Empire has learned...rulers that rule through such a reputation do not last very long. As a race, we have lasted longer by this, but it won't be long before we become dispised enough that a bunch of races ally themselves for the sole purpose of wiping us out.
"The Vong invastion delayed things a bit I believe, for the galaxy itself came together to repell that common threat. But already old grudges and prejudgistes have returned."

...

"Miss...If I could stop breathing without killing myself I would." Silliss said. Already thoughts of whether or not this was the one that would do him in came to his mind. It was certainly plausible, being far away from the doctors that were familiar with his condition. Even if he told the doctors here all they needed to know, the likelyhood of contamination was far greater, for the screening process wouldn't likely be as thourgh. He was already feeling worse...or was that just in his head?

Several doctors, each one a different race, arrived then. "Who needs the attention?" One of them asked.

"I do..." Silliss replied. "I caught one of the kids bugs..."

"Piff...we were called in for that?'

"I have...an immune disorder." Silliss hissed softly, trying to keep his temper. "Unless I receive a transfusion of the right antibodies quickly, the common cold would kill me."

Varcanna felt her blood freeze: there was only one Trandoshan she knew that had an immune disorder. Immediately she was racked with guilt: she knew kids tended to 'share' whatever ailments they had with each other...and whatever adults they had contact with. Why the hell didn't she think of that when he volunteered to watch them? She may have signed the lads death warrant...and she was just starting to warm up to him too...

Naosha sensing her daughter's distress like any mother would, placed a comforting hand on hers. "Fecas en tho mooting..." Naosha whisptered in Clan Dialect.

"Bat..." Varcanna started to protest but Naosha cut her off.

"Whutovor is wreng with Silliss...wo cun't holp him with. Wo will huvo te trast tho modicul crow horo te tuko curo ef him. If yea louvo new, I will bo witheat un trunslutor."

"Silliss sheald huvo cemo te this mooting instoud...."

"Wo cun't chungo tho pust." Naosha said shaking her head slightly. "Wo will de whut wo cun fer him uftor tho mooting. Till thon, pall yearsolf tegothor."

Varcanna shallowed thickly and nodded, focusing her attaction on the information being presented on the convoy that was destroyed.

Naosha fortunately was half listening to the discussion around her, so didn't miss her 'cue'. "Ah yes, I remember that." Naosha said calmly. "I'll be happy to explain." It actually didn't surprise her one bit that the meeting was recorded: there were lots of third parties that were interested in government affairs, for good or ill. "Allow me to give a bit of background. Before that meeting, there was a third party called the Diveristy Alliance that was trying to stage negotiations between my people and the Wookiees. Due to the on going bad blood between our two races, neither side would agree to meet, so the Diveristy Alliance changed tactics: they offered each side to help them destroy the other.

"At the time however, I only suspected this and knowing how my people react to even the suspicion of a double cross I dared not risk voicing my suspicions then. My only chance at preventing a disaster was to convince the rest of the Council that war wasn't the answer. Obviously I failed there, and I attempted to warn Cortex, leader of the Diveristy Alliance that he was playing in a rancor's den. But...I could only watch helplessly as his fleet was slaughtered by the T'Doshok fleet, my daughter and I nearly getting killed ourselves when the Wookiee fleet started firing back.

"The Diveristy Alliance attempted to stage peace talks though the only other way they could: through trickery. They paid for their attempt with their lives, and sowed the seeds of the Separatist Movement in my mind." She took a deep breath and paused a moment to collect her thoughts. "What I was speaking of in that meeting was to change our reputation to one that wasn't based on fear and furiousity. For far too long we have only thought of ourselves and how to exploit others to do so. Our...arrangement...with the Old Empire in regards to the Wookiees is a sad example of such." There was an understandable growl from the Wookiee Ambassador. "For too long we have seen other races as tools, as animals to slaughter for our own glory and it is my goal to change that. I intend to start by ending the bloodfeud between the T'Doshok and the Wookiee."

"How?" growled a Wookiee. "Generations of bloodshed between us will not be easily forgotten."

After Varcanna translated Naosha said. "I understand that. Old habits are hard to break, but they won't be broken at all if one doesn't even try. Believe it or not, my own son was bullied because he felt what my people have done to yours was wrong, but he did not bend to their dogma and start hating you as well. No...he never harmed a Wookiee in his life.

"There are even more recent examples of this. During a recent battle, one of my supporters, the Captain of the Rynok Destroyer Bloodfang only used ion cannons against a Wookiee fleet that attacked him. He did this at great risk to his life and the life of his crew.

"I will be realistic here Ambassador." Naosha leaned on the table. "It will be impossible to get all of my people to stop hunting yours, but if we can start working together for once we can make it difficult for them to even try. My people will always be war like, that's too deeply engrained to remove completely, but we can redirect that energy to a more...practical use I believe. What that is...I honestly don't know and right now I am more concerned about dealing with the idioticy of a certain Speaker Above All first."

Trandosha: Hyossk's Quarters

Hyossk sat in his chair, reading the latest reports of what was going on and the news wasn't good. There have been protests all over the planet in the various cities and several of the non fighting Clans have gone on strike, causing prices of many products to skyrocket. Worse yet, many of hte workers at the shipyard have gone on strike as well, slowing production of badly needed ship replacements to a crawl.
But what worried the Elder Councilor the most was that the rest of the Council was getting increasingly uneasy and Hyossk feared he was starting to lose support in the Council itself.

Why can't these morons see that Naosha's ideals are suicide? He thought. I may just have to declare marial law on the planet, to get everything back under control. Thank the gods the military ground forces are still loyal!

The doors suddenly burst open and to Hyossk's horror Besk strode in. He looked a bit ragged, and none too happy.

"What...What are you doing here...?" Hyossk asked, rising to his feet and backing away.

"I realize I am not due to report in for a couple more days Councilor...but the last couple days were hell." Besk growled. "My compound was @#%$ attacked by Separatists and they took me prisoner. Thankfully I was able to escape and kill a few of the bastards in the process."

Hyossk blinked at him, not believing what he just heard. Besk was obviously trying to twist the story to make him think he was captured by the Separatists...and not the other way around.

"Nice try Besk..." Hyossk said with a sneer. "But I've figured you out..."

Besk gave him a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"I know you are really a Separatist now..." Hyossk said growled. "All this time...you've been pretending to be on my side...well you are not fooling me any more."

Besk could hardly believe his ears. "Have you gone mad old one?" He hissed. "I'd sooner die then join a group of pacifists!"

"Explain the tracking device then." Hyossk hissed. "We planted one on one of your spies and it led us right to your compound."

Besk's eyes widened in shock. So it was Hyossk that ordered the airstrike. "You...fool..." Besk said. "Didn't you take into any consideration that your tracking device could have been discovered and replanted to throw you off track!? Besides, if any of my group were Separatist sympathisers I would have killed them myself!"

Hyossk wasn't listening, instead he was madly pressing a panic button that was on the back of his chair. "I was not about to let an opportunity to strike at you slip away..." He hissed. "I am not taking any more chances. Martial law will be needed to put you scum in your place.."

He has gone mad... Besk thought, realizing Hyossk was beyond reasoning. Declaring martial law would be the worse thing he could do right now!

Behind him two guards entered the room, their rifles charged and aimed at Besk. "Get this traitor out of my sight!" He heard Hyossk screech.

Besk was already moving, whipping out his K'Zuta and using the back part of it's blade to knock the two guards off their feet. He quickly ran passed them and out the door, knocking down two more guards in the process.

As he ran, how this all came down became clear in his head. No doubt the Separatist did discover that tracking device and replanted it on one of his own mercenaries. Hyossk, in his paranoinia and maddess, ordered the airstrike to wipe out what he thought were Separatists...but were really his own allies. No doubt Hyossk ordered a sweep of what was left of the compound and had him taken prisoner, somehow convincing himself that he was a Separatist.

What really burned him was how he got convinced he was a prisoner of the Separatist. His escape and killing of the prison guards only cemented Hyossk's false belief he was a Separatist...and now he was a fugitive.

Was this your intention Rissonik? He thought, a laser bolt flying dangerously close to his head. If so...it pains me to congratulate you on a job well done...

Besk still had allies and contacts though, contacts that can get him back on his feet and start working to repair his tarnished reputation.

Or so he thought...

Up on a roof, a cloaked figure watched Besk as he exited the Council of Elders building grounds, being chased by a half dozen heavily armed guards. She had just arrived after 'wiping out' all of Besk's remaining friends in this city and was hoping to see the 'result' of Besk's talk with Hyossk.

You are on the road to ruin Besk... She thought, a smile on her scaly lips. You have no money... She patted the credit chip in her pocket. You have no friends... A drop of blood from her K'Zur 'appeared' and splattered on the ground. And I intend to keep it that way...until feel it's time for you to meet the gods...

Sarendevis Head Quarters

As Naosha turned to leave the room she paused. "One last thing Ambassador..." She said, looking over her shoulder at the Trandoshan Ambassador, who glared at her. "I admit I have one 'terrorist' among my ranks...he is my two year old grandson."

There were a few chuckles, but the Trandoshan Ambassador didn't find it the least bit funny....

"Really mother." Varcanna chuckled as they walked out of the room. "Trissan is troublesome but hardly a terrorist."

"Just providing some humor to a tense situation my daughter." Naosha said with broad smile. Things had gone well, very well in there. Most of the other Ambassadors were convinced, especially the Wookiees, who were the main ones she was worried about. Of course, she will have to watch her back...for that one Trandoshan Ambassador wasn't amused in the least. Curiously though, his partner didn't seem to react at all: she decided to keep that in mind.

"Mother...Can I..?"

"Yes...you can go check up on Silliss." Naosha said with a sigh. "Be careful though, with looks that one T'Doshok was giving us I have no doubts he will try something."

"Madam." The guard spoke up as Varcanna ran off. "Are you sure this is wise?"

"My daughter is a warrior in her own right and fully capable of handling herself." Naosha said. Provided she doesn't allow her emotions to cloud her judgement... She thought. Naosha wasn't upset that Varcanna seemed to have found someone to couple with at last, it was the timing...

...

While Silliss was taken away, Trissan took the opportunity to slip away. He hated it how they treated him like a kid...he was two years old after all and could take care of himself. However he knew that if any adults spotted him he'll get put right back int he kids pen, so he made sure to hide whenever he heard someone coming.

This place was huge and full of interesting things...and people. He had never seen a rodian before, or a Mon Cal, or a Twi'lek, or any of the multitude of races that worked here. As he explored, he came across a door with two guards. The door had black and yellow striping around it and a red light flashing above it. There had to be something interesting in there, but there was no way he could get pass the guards...at least, not the normal way.

Spying a vent shaft, the wily youngster undid the grate and crawled in, bypassing the guards completely. On the other side, he saw a huge bar door, with something big...very big on the other side. Curious, Trissan slipped between the bars to get a closer look...and boy did this thing stink! Unable to prevent it, he sneezed.

The thing moved and with a frightened screech Trissan bolted out of the rancor's cage...and crossed the infrared laser. Immediately red lights started to flash and a loud siran wailed. Trissan realized he was in big trouble now...

Pirate Base

The pirates were caught completely off guard and the three Trandoshan Destroyers ripped that group of ships apart with ease. The three destroyers then released their fighter squadrons, having them pepper the base itself. Tiosk knew that he could wipe out this base easily with the fire power on the Bloodfang alone, but he figured the fleet may have use for this place once all the 'riffraff' was forcefully evicted.

"Sir the base is sending out distress signals. Should I jam it?" The senor officer said.

"No." Tiosk replied. "The point of this is to draw all those pirate ships back here and take the heat off the fleet. Keep an eye on your sensors for hyperspace entries."

~Sir.~ The comm chirped. ~The fighter squadrons report that all the bases defenses have been disabled or destroyed. They are now taking out any enemy spacecraft that are attempting to take the fight to us.~

"Excellent, keep up the good work."

"Sir! Multiple hyperspace signitures detected!"

Tiosk smiled. Now the real fun will begin...

Sarendevis Head Quarters

Varcanna was almost at the medical bay when the alarm went off. "What the hell?" She muttered, watching as several armed guards ran past her. Wait... Varcanna thought. Before, Silliss offered to watch the kids himself in the nursery...if he's in the medic bay now...

"Mother..." She said with a loud sigh. "You jinxed us..."

...

Naosha was just about to enter her room when a guard ran up to her and gave her the news.

"WHAT!?" She screeched, making the poor guard cringe and rub his ears. "How the hell..."

"We are still trying to figure out how he got in there madam..." The guard said.

"Wait..." Naosha remembered how the kids got to the Triton's hanger bay before they did. "Is there any floor level ventalation shafts around that area?"

"Yes, the base is full of them."

"That's how he got in there."

"But those shafts are too small for an adult...."

"But they are big enough for a two year old T'Doshok kid to crawl through and cause mischief." Naosha added with a hiss. "I swear...I'm going to put a leash on that kid..."

Rancor Den

The monster was coming at him and even worse, the vent coverings won't come off now. There was no where for him to run or hide and Trissan found himself backed into a corner. He curled up into a ball and prayed he was too small for the monster to notice him.

It seemed to work at first, but the monster knew that the yellow ochre colored 'spot' in the corner hadn't been there before and lowered it's head to take a closer look at him. Trissan decided to try a new tactic and stood up as tall as he could, puffed out his little chest, spread his arms wide and started to hiss and growl at it. He was attempting to make himself look too big and dangerous for this thing to want to mess with, but the fact he was not even a bite sized morsel to this thing wasn't helping him.

Thinking it a game, the rancor roared and any bravodo Trissan had was disappeared as quickly as the new puddle that was forming at his feet.