...Aboard the Dark Heart...
"We have realspace reversion, Executioner. Moving into blockade positions." spoke the Admiral, addressing the dark armored figure with a hint of trepidation.
With a nod the Executioner turned slowly towards the Admiral, his face taking on a sinister grin, as he moved across the bridge to the Admirals position.
"Ready the landing. I want this planet, and I want is now."
And that was all. With Executioner Nox Anor-Sadow orders came clear and concise. Questions wasted time, and the Executioner valued his time highly.
Hands held behind his back, the Executioner moved slowly to the control pit.
"Comm, alert the surface, get me someone in charge down there."
"Sir!" snapped the eager young officer, setting about his work.
With a nod of approval Executioner Sadow again turned towards the Admiral. "You are still here?"
"Executioner," began the Admiral, "You wish me to lead the landing?" His look was one of subdued shock.
Sadow pressed his presence around the Admiral, "Better to die at the hands of the enemy then at the hands of your commander is it, Admiral?"
It was going to be a difficult time for his crew. Sadow was new to this posting, to this fleet that had been arranged for him. Unfortunately, there were among the crew a vast number of soldiers and crew who he had not yet had the opportunity to address. Worse yet, the Executioner was sure that there were others yet who knew the disgrace of his family. A disgrace that could complicate his command.
The Admiral stammered, unsure of how to reply, "Yes...Yes sir." Then, was gone. Gone to ready the landing party. Out of the Executioners bother. The landing force had previously been made ready under the watchful eye of the Executioner.
He had wanted to be certain that those going to the planet knew who it was that gave their orders. He wanted them to kill and die for his glory.
This planet would be his, a gift to the Dark Lord, this was sure. Even with the force presented to him, he knew this would be a simple conquest.
"Sir, the landing craft are away." reported a junior officer, nervousness in his voice.
"Excellent," came the Executioners reply, fingers pressed together, "Commence orbital bombardment, I want a clear staging area when they arrive."
"Sir." The confirmation came from a senior gunnery officer only moments before trails of coherent light streaked towards the surface. An instant later, the rest of the Fleet joined in directing a pummeling of turbolaser fire at the planet.
It forced a grin across Sadows' lips, watching on as the area selected for landing and the area around it burst into clouds of incendiary smoke. Even from his vantage point aboard the bridge of the Heart, the damage was clear and evident. A swath of barren rock being cut across the surface.
"Area clear, Sir," reported the gunnery officer, "Cease fire, Sir?"
The answer was clear to the Executioner, though he would not expect a mere officer to know.
"No. Change targets, give me firing solutions for the larger settlements. Target the outlying areas and fire."
Aboard any other ship in any other force, the order would have seemed absurd. Pointless even, but the Sith knew the value of fear. "The status of the landing force?"
"Sir, ETA 2.45 minuets, Sir." Another eager reply for the young Comm officer. Perhaps someone with a future under Sadows command.
The time between now and arrival would leave enough space for the ground to cool and for the smoke to thin.
"Sir, we have communication from the planet. Reports as Governor of the largest city."
Acknowledging the information, the Sith turned towards the scanner post in the command pit. "Track the location of this communique, locate where this...person...speaks from."
"Sir!" snapped the scanner officer, rushing into a flurry of work.
"Comm, get me Command of the Blackbird."
"Sir, chanel open." alerted the comm officer, a holo image of the Duro captain.
"Executioner, I am at your command." the first remark from the Duro.
"Commander, take the Blackbird into a low orbit...track the coordinates being sent to you, and have your weapons on full."
The Duro nodded, "As you order.", then vanished from the holo.
"Comm, coordinates to the Blackbird and open a line to their diplomat."
This was going smoothly, so far. Reports had indicated the planet had no shielding units, but weapon encampments were expected. Why they had not yet fired, the Executioner could only guess.
"Sir, Comm reports no visual." added the Comm officer, visual capabilities apparently knocked out.
The first message came through broken, full of static. "Attention attacking forces, we are a peacful planet. Cease and explain your actions."
The voic was clearly not human, but it had a powerful command of basic.
A chuckle slipped from the Executioner, pleased with the reaction of the planetary governer.
"Russan. This is Executioner Nox Anor-Sadow, the voice of command from the Black Heart. Your planet is to become the property of the Sith Empire. Admit defeat now and save the persecution of your peoples."
Sadow glanced briefly at his Comm officer, apparently thinking leaps ahead. In reply, the young officer nodded. The Blackbird was holding, awaiting the Executioners order.
"You have no right! We are a free planet...By what order do you do this?"
The speaker planetside was clearly becoming unnerved. The damage reports were likely just now coming in, from across the planet.
With a subtle nod to the Comm officer, a signal was sent to the Blackbird.
"I have all the right. I do this for my Dark Lord, I do it because I am Executioner.
Aboard the Blackbird, a commanding Duro nodded to his gunnery officers. Streaks of coherent red light lanced down toward the planet, arrowing for an exact source.
"Sir," began the Comm officer, "Blackbird reports direct hits, the building has been obliterate...Sir!"
Sudden shock rang through the Comm officers voice, but Sadow knew what had transpired even before it was reported.
After the immolation of the Blackbirds target, only moments after, three streaks of charged ion energy has stung from the planets surface and smacked the ship on forward bridge.
Sadow could tell, and not from the voice of his reporting Comm officer, that the Blackbird was stricken. The surface Ion cannon had done a job on the Blackbird. She was lurching, her power intermittent and her orbit degrading.
This pressed a frown across the Executioners lips. Losses had been anticipated, but not something that Sadow was willing to accept.
"Gunnery, I want solutions for the source of those shots. Anhilate anything on the surface in the area. Everything!"
This was where the power of the Sith shone through.
"Track her descent. Close range to tractor distance and pull her up. Helm!."
The ship lurched into motion, quick and maneuverable despite her considerable size, her nose angled towards the surface, her sublight engines leaving a trail across the ionosphere as she closed on the stricken ship with Cannons blazing.
"Sir, her orbit is sinking too fast. We've lost her.", came the voice of the sensor officer, but it never reached the Executioner.
Eyes pressed shut, the Executioner and weilder of the Dark Side slipped into a trance.
Reaching. Searching. Massive and indefinite, invisible fingers of a controlled hand reached, stretched...
Falling, she was located. Anger and fear, like trails of smoke, the poured off of the shape.
The hand found the shape, found the Fear and Anger...The hand closed.
Strain, effort. The shape stopped falling and just hung.
"Sir, she...We have her sir."
Eyes opening, the Executioner regarded the speaker with cold yellow eyes. "Kill them all. If they fight, kill them, if the surrender, kill them. I want this planet. I want it now!."