The Rebel Faction

To many of the senior officers throughout the whole of the Empire, ruthless methods of torture and cold inhumanity were in bad taste, to officers of the Guard they were unanimously alien. To the leader of the Imperial Inquisitoriate, they were a day’s work. Seated in one of the three chairs arrayed in a semi-circle near one of the three inward slanted windows, the Viscount Ierin del Forza enjoyed a thin tabocca-staff. As one might expect of a Corellian aristocrat, they were not the kind an ordinary citizen might purchase at a newsstand or fueling station – to most of the citizens of Corsucant, one pack came close to exceeding a month’s pay.


Desaria would doubtless die before affording me the title of gentleman. Del Forza inhaled sharply: thumb and forefinger wrapped around the thin cylinder as he removed it from between full lips. He had long been forced to work with the newly promoted Grand Admiral and held no feelings for him, though he could admit – to himself, at least – he considerably enjoyed taunting the quintessential nobleman. The Viscount leaned back into the warm embrace of the Corinthian-leather padded chair, secure in the knowledge that if his Kuati nemesis learned of his Hutt-related dealings, he would face a painful elimination.


The good Grand Admiral, he contented himself to think, would be far too preoccupied by the stiff resistance of the native forces to pay any heed to the facts that swirled about him. Del Forza also counted on the abilities of Major Meicomp. Little did his newest minion know that the Inquisitor had taken great pains to track down his daughter and wife on Raltiir and, should he fail or betray him, they would be put through some…unpleasantness.


Grand Admiral Desaria had proven true to his pattern of military professionalism, choosing Toydaria as the target of his next assault. The politically minded officers had suggested in a flurry of memoranda that Da Soocha V be brought under his guns – he had dismissed them out of hand, pointing out to Grand Marshal Kaine who supported him that despite its historical significance as a former Rebel base, the world held little strategic value and he would not sacrifice the momentum of his advance for a trophy conquest. The Viscount del Forza moved his tabocca-holding fingers to his right brow and made a loose salute in the direction of the horizon, silently giving praise where due.


While Desaria moves off to deal with the resistance Toydaria has to offer, the Major can finish his work on Saki. Things are proceeding as planned.


A cursory glance at his wrist chrono lead to rapid extinguishing of the tabocca-staff – the High Inquisitor was running late. The Emperor did not like to be kept waiting. Another report to His Majesty…

The Ministry of Colonial Affairs had dispatched Declaration of Annexation to every world in Hutt Space thought few had heeded the demands in the documents themselves such as the rending useless of all planetary weaponry and the recall to garrisons of all regular armed services personnel. Grand Admiral Desaria knew the documents by heart and sincerely hoped they would be obeyed by the time he reached Toydaria, though he harbored no illusions about the reality of the matter: even if the documents were received by whatever form planetary government took that day, no one would comply without fire raining from above.


Intelligence reports on Toydaria had been sketchy at best: that is to say they contained the exact encyclopedic specifications on geography and climate. Nothing was known as per resistance and armament. Not even the Fleet-Foreign Assets office of the General Staff could quote any numbers to the Guard. Thusly they stumbled into battle ready but for what was the question on every captain’s tongue. Cursory examination of a few city officials on Saki revealed the existence of several cruisers on loan from the Hutts though details were not forthcoming in the two hours between conquest and departure.


When the tunnel of swirling blue and white faded to black, pinpricks of white light dotting the panorama, every sensor on every ship scanned every square meter of space for whatever data could be gleaned.


“ Sensors – report. All ships – shields up.”


Captain Vorran looked down at a terminal in the crew pit and spoke up to his commander. “ Two cruisers, Carrack-class: highly modified are in system. IFF tags are not responded. We read seven smaller freighters which are visibly armed with a maximum of Class 3 threat ratings.”


“ Planetary weapons?”


“ Scanning sir – it will take some time to sweep the entire surface. No visible power signatures or shields at this time, Sir.”


“ Squadron II to screen the jump point; Squadron I – line abreast. Bring all ships to one-quarter and pull the cruisers back to rear-positions.”


The fleet broke in two, the last-reverting formation moving out into a ruff cone around the entry vector of the Imperial squadrons so no ships could block what quickly become an exit vector should trouble arise. Forward, the more prominent squadron of the Guard advanced towards the rather humid-climated mass of Toydaria. Four Star Destroyers, Suvarov, Majestic, Indomitable. and Conflagration spread out as their smaller escorts fell back to screen their vulnerable drive engines. With considerable predictability and no small amount of bravery, the two cruisers moved directly into their path.


“ I am never surprised at the valor or idiocy displayed by native captains,” thought Captain Vorran aloud. Many agreed with him, but the Grand Admiral was quick to direct the crew.


“ Re-transmit the Order of Annexatio. With considerable predictability and no small amount of bravery, the two cruisers moved directly into their path.


“ I am never surprised at the valor or idiocy displayed by native captains,” thought Captain Vorran aloud. Many agreed with him, but the Grand Admiral was quick to direct the crew.


“ Re-transmit the Order of Annexation. Give them a warning salvo across the lead ship’s bow – starboard turbolasers.”


Data streamed on open channels from the largest and newest of the battleships shortly before six casement-mounted double-turbolasers fired in tandem in the path of the heavily refitted ships. The ships were quick to return fire, concentrating on the Suvarov. Together they mounted ten turbolasers and four times as many ion cannon. The violence of the attack was not unexpected but it gnawed at the shields nonetheless.


“ We are at seventy-percent Sir!” called the defensive-control officer from the port-aft terminal next to the control corridor. Vorran pulled up a topographical diagram of his ship and ordered without dispatch a re-routing of power from the aft shields to compensate.


“ Conflagration – a full salvo of warheads at the crusiers. Indomtiable and Majestic – full cannonade as soon as the projectiles impact.”


From Admiral to Communications Lieutenant the order was relayed and compressed into text. Through tite-beam laser beam transmissions, the smallest of the four behemoths was apprised of the Grand Admiral’s command. The Captain, a tall and quite beautiful woman from Desaria’s native Kuat, ordered her ship brought to one-third and coasted just ahead of the Imperial battle-line to give her gunners a clear shot from stem to stern. All sights clear, fifty proton torpedo warhead launchers belched flame into space. The projectiles themselves activated individual booster engines and made good time to their targets. One after another the first dozen impacted the collapsing shields of the right-most cruiser. Three of the torpedoes went wide, continuing on until their fuel source was expended: the remaining nine collided with unprotected hull and tore vengefully inside. Another twenty-five buffeted the second ship without mercy, turning pocked grey hull red with fire and black with ash.


No time was wasted – as soon as the last torpedo exploded the two Imperial III-class Star Destroyers on the line opened up with forty double-turbolaser mounts a piece and battered the cruisers into submission. No man was left alive to offer resistance as what atmosphere remained fed raging fires throughout.


“ We are negative for life-form readings on both craft, Grand Admiral.”


“ Very well,” he replied, something uneasy gnawing at his mind. “ Deploy fighter compliments for broad-picket positions. Captain - -keep ours close in just in case. We have not won yet.”

Saki


Whether from smoke obstructing the sun above or the natural course of the day, Major Meicomp knew not – he saw only that night had fallen: at the very least, light had been robbed of its dominance over the land. He knew also, riding away from the small domed-city of Rathanx, that he hated the miserable world of Saki. Between small cities created from an aesthetically putrid mix of prefabricated structures from about the galaxies were broad swaths of brush-laden hills, tall hills, wide valleys, and a stream every now an again. It was not that he found the tranquility of the open space unpleasing – it reminded the Intelligence operative far too much of his home Klandooine at the extreme Rim-ward edge of the Colonies. The near desolateness was a reminder of the distance he had put between himself and the backwater world on which he had been spawned: it was with no small measure of pride that he recalled the enormity of that number.


The sound of guns rumbled in the distance, a considerable ways away. The occasional explosion and flash of light over the horizon came from behind the Major, an unmistakable notice that the Imperial Army had finally arrived to lay siege to the little city. He knew having just come from the odd assortment of tall buildings and shaky dwellings and universally shady establishments that they would have little trouble breeching the defenses and moving one step closer to the complete conquest of Saki as a whole.


BUMP Meicomp braced himself on the window-pane of the open-topped speeder. A cursory glance at some status meters revealed what he already known – he hit an air pocket, at least that is what the natives called them. Saki’s surface was littered with small patches of randomized gravity, playing hell on any repulsor-life vehicle. Thankfully the spots were small and easily glided over. He could not deny a tinge of pain from his lower left ribcage, however.


The old man put up a more staunch resistance than anticipated. The wound was merely a bruise from an expandable baton often used by planetary police forces – standard issue to the officers of the Imperial Civil Defense Corps and any troops on occupation duty. He had been quick to remove the old man of his weapon but not before said weapon greeted his side in a most brusque manor. Meicomp, as a result of a sounded alarm, had to dispatch of the governor with his blaster rather than the poison he had planned. His escape had been unchallenged but still, he had not time to destroy the datacards confiscated. So there they sat on the opposing seat, an inviting proposition to any man of moderate curiosity.


High Inquisitor del Forza had ordered them destroyed, not read. Though a forbidding tone had been present and the notion of their mindless eradication had been implied, no direct order said he could not glance at them. Placing the speeder on automatic, he laid a direct course to the only city now not in Imperial hands and, hands free to browse, decided to ignore the implications of his orders and find the reason he had been sent into the fringe of the galaxy and forced to mingle among its scum.


Major Meicomp was certainly surprised at the secrets hidden inside.

Imperial Center


“…I don’t believe I authorized you to contact me. Ever.” Though the tone of voice was even there was a forbidding nature to the words themselves that seemed to promise a certain unpleasantness. Relaxing though he was after a long day of meetings and conferences, High Inquisitor Ierin del Forza had about him an air of menace that had cowed many sentients.


“ Many apologies, Your Grace, but there was no reply to my standard querries.”


The Viscount’s skin almost crawled as he imagines the loose-skinned Atraxian on the other end of the comm-channel. Though he was a humanoid, his oval eyes and almost white hide reinforced del Forza’s thankfulness at being almost the breadth of the galaxy away. “ With obvious reasons. I believe I informed you that our dealings are at an end.”


Whether it was a sense of urgency or the apathetic tone of the Imperial’s voice, del Forza knew not, but the other man lost all pretense of decorum and civility. “ You can’t just abandon me!!! I bought your merchandise and paid handsomely for it. Now your armies are at the walls of my city and you expect to leave??? I’ll have your guts for floss!”


Del Forza wanted to laugh but, in all honesty, he was too tired. True enough the tantrum of the city-governor was comical, but sleeps’s embrace beckoned to take him without resistance. “ You knew full well you would have to fight sooner or later. I’m sorry you don’t have longer to play but your delusions are not my problem.”


The other man bit his tongue, realizing the string of insults he wanted to send would be pointless. “ Fine - - I don’t care about this city. Get me out of here! Send me one of those nice white shuttles you Imps dally around in or I’ll see to it the whole galaxy knows what you’ve been doing!”


A threat of exposure. How…expected. “ Oh really? I doubt that.”


“ Why is tha – “ a chime sounded on the other end and the man moved away from the view of the holo-recorder. Sporadic banter was heard as was the familiar sound of a single blaster bolt. Another figure, previously unseen, moved into the path of the recorder and after grabbing a few disks from a desk drawer began dousing the room in what he assumed was a flammable liquid of some kind. Cloaked in robes, the figure was unidentifiable. It raised its blaster and incinerated the recorder, bringing static then nothingness to the Coruscant end of the transmission.


Del Forza sat back and smiled tightly. “ Because I have taken steps to assure such a thing never happens. Well done, Major. Well done indeed.”


Sleep came soon after, the High Inquisitor departing into unconsciousness after collapsing onto his bed.

During the Guard Assault on Toydaria


Ylesia



Having fallen to the forces of the Empire, Saki presented the real beginning to expansion into Hutt Space. True enough, Ylesia was already occupied and undergoing a dramatic urbanization. Saki marked the second world to fall and thus was moved Ylesia from isolated border fortress to sector capital. Toydaria sat under the guns of the Imperial Guard, and for the first time since the end of the Battle of Endor twenty-five years before the Hutts had reason to fear for the safety of their realm.


The one man in the whole of the Empire who understood the implications of this acquisition most was doubtless High Inquisitor del Forza. Such a realization did come naturally – after all, his scarlet and black-clad minions would be those most employed to pacify the three-sector wide expanse. Gliding into Ylesia’s orbit, safe inside the red-lined Aurora-class Star Destroyer Purifier,* del Forza felt a new chapter in his life open. Here the Inquisitoriate could rise to a new level of prominence through vigilance and ruthless subjugation.


And then, the title shall be mine once more. At a hearty gait, del Forza made his way to the dagger-shaped vessel’s launch bay then headed for the surface of Ylesia, a squadron of Defender’s around him. All the while he nursed a latent hatred for the man who had robbed him of his position as Grand Inquisitor. Both he and this newcomer had been summoned before the Emperor who granted the rank to his apparent favorite, while relegating del Forza to High Inquisitor – supposedly with the same power as before and answering only to Hyfe himself. Such a blow it had been to the Corellian’s pride.


Ylesia proved an unattractive place, even now with the revitalization in full-swing. Somehow as the warm air slapped his face, del Forza felt distinctly dirty. He would have greatly preferred to conduct his business aboard the Purifier – his contact, however, had declined on security grounds.


“ Major Meicomp – you have done well.”


The High Inquisitor spread his arms as the doors closed behind him, leaving he and the Intelligence officer alone in an expansive dining gallery inside the largest Imperial garrison base on the planet-surface. Truly the Viscount was pleased for Meicomp had eradicated a number of people that posed a direct threat to the power of the Inquisitoriate.


And me.


“ Your Excellency.” The Major remained seated near the center of the pillar-less room, several pads and flimsiplast sheets arrayed before him. Something in his tone disturbed the Viscount at a very deep level.


“ Major, I am pleased with your work but do not forget your place.”


The Major smiled and stood, clicking his heels and coming to parade-ground attention. “ Your Excellency,” he bellowed. “ I have uncovered the moving of captured assets from arsenals at Belaphron, Carida, Corellia, and Bastion to enemies of the Empire. Funds from these sales were transferred to thirty-seven separate accounts at six banks on Muunlist.”


At that moment, a man totally unaccustomed to being taken by surprise, the Viscount del Forza froze.




*OOC Note - the Purifier is an IC command ship for the Inquisitoriate. It is not, unlike all Guard vessels, a built combat craft. It is for rping purposes only.