The Rebel Faction

The galaxy was a place filled with mysteries and ever after hundreds of thousands of years of colonizations, of the unknown. There were still vast sections of space out in the Outer Rim that had never been discovered. Sectors that had been overlooked or passed by in survey missions long ago. Some of the sectors had even been charted hundreds of years in the past, but had been lost over time and from disuse.

In this particular sector of the Outer Rim, in the vast region between Anoth, Sump, and Dosuun, a great and expansive Nebula arose after what must have been a massive supernova, which completly obliterated everything within the surounding area. It threw off a brilliant spectrum of light as it floated in the dead of space. The gases slowly expanding and moving from an explosion that appeared to have happened not so long ago, making the nebula appear as if alive. It was amazing that something so calming and beautiful could have arise after something so destructive as a supernova.

The nebula itself, however, was deadly as well as spectacular. Its magnetic immisions capable of blinding even the more sophisticated sensors. Ion Clouds, trapped within the nebula also made traveling through or even sometimes close to the nebula a treaturous affair. If a ship happened to pass by or through one of these tremandous clouds it would become completely and almost instantly ionized and disabled within the nebula without hope of ever getting out.

It was in this sector of the Outer Rim that hyperspace opened up for the first time in centuries and from within emerged a craft not seen before in the galaxy. The eight and a half meter long craft looked as it was a triangular pyramid only layed down on one of its sides. The interior of this triangular arrengment was completly empty, like a hollow container, but open in the rear. Attached to each of the triangular sides was a single ion engine, however, each outlet was covered with an ion shutter to guard against easy detection.

The hull of the craft was mix of two colors, space black and dark gray. As it flew on it could be seen that each side of the ship was so thin it would be almost impossible to fit a pilot and all systems necessary to support them inside it. Also, along each of the three edges where the sides joined, two small almost rectangular parts could be seen. It appeared as if these parts joined the sides together and help them in place.

Within moments that assumption was proven correct when the small rectangles poped up and away from, slowly receeding back into the hull that contained them. With all these parts gone each of the sides began to push away from each other, spreading out in the surrounding space. The arrowhead shaped section of the original craft became its own ship. What had been one had now turned into three in meer seconds. Each with its own engine, recon gear, and power planet.

As soon as the seperation was complete a tight, short, and heavily encrypted hyperspace comm burst was sent out from each of the drones. Their first snapshots of this new region were well on there way to a temporary relay station from there it would be retransmited to its real destination and the copy within the station would be deleted.

Without having to recieve a word back, the three R-4S EagleEye drones accelerated slowly towards the nebula. Each one moving to a different section of the massive gas cloud and used their powerful scanner arrays to start a full section scan.

As Captain Yulson stood at the bridge with his hands crossed against his chest he watched Eagle Three ease closer and closer towards the area between the nebuli. For long moments all that happened as that the center began to fill a greater amount of the display. Soon only the light being emmited from the two nebuli could be see at the surrounding edges and the centeral region had filled the display fully.

James turned around and slowly went over to sit down at his command chair to watch the rest of the operation proceed. He turned on his data pad and started to look over the reports from the other drones in the area when the holo screen from Eagle Three began to get static intermixed with the image. The Captain knew this would probably happen since the ion fields reeked havic with the holo cam and other electronics onboard the sophisticated. As he watched he hoped that the drone wouldn't encounter an ion gas pocket and become completely ionized.

"We're loosing Eagle Three's video feed, sensors detecting major activity in the ionic fields." Called out one of the drone operators.

As she did the holo screen went from partial static to all static. The drones video feed had ceased since it couldn't punch through the interferance given off from its surroundings. He knew that soon soon they wouldn't even be able to send out short commands for the drone to follow.

"Switch displays." Captain Yulson commanded. "Lets see what Six sees."

Six was the Drone watching Eagle Three move into the central region. The display quickly switched to show the triangular hull of Three moving slowly towards the area between the two nebuli. It soon became hard to see the little drone and distinguish its black and grey hull from the brilliant colors sent out from the gasious nebula.

"Command of Three lost, it's under AI control now sir." Calling out another operator. It ment the drone had advanced too far into the ionic fields to recieve or trasmit any data at all. The Operators sitting inside the ship has lost full control and it was now upto the drone's own Artificial Intelligence unit to guide it into the nebula and out again.

"Understood, I guess now we wait." Captain Yulson sighed and leaned back into his chair, looking over at the display until the drone completely disappeared from the eyes of Eagle Six and entered the unknown of the nebular center.

The holo display came on quickly, forming the image of the entire nebular formation. Followed the computers instructions the display began to rotate, showing both of the nebular bodies in a three demansions. Slowly the image began to move towards the nebula and around to its center. Newly discovered ionclouds and magnetic fields were interposed with the image, revieling all the information gathered during the survey operations.

Soon the holographic display turned and took on the path that Eagle Three took as it flew inside the center. Data had been taken from the drone's flight recorder and analyzed with the command ship's powerful onboard computer systems. As the holo preceeded into the center it displayed massive expanses and bridges of gases stretchs from one nebula to the other. Some were intermixing in his central region and forming beautiful, spectular spirals of multicolored gases. It could be seen how the drone flew around or under these clouds and gas structures.

This flythrough lasted a little longer than an hour, but the holo projector was instructed to speed up the display. Suddenly, as if a new door opened, the drone went through this multicolored spacescap and emeged into an almost completly empty pocket of space. In amazement to everyone watching there seemed to be a complete bubble at the very center of the two nebuli. As if this area was shielded no gas or field had entered it, however, the edges all around were glowing with the light emitted from the surrounding nebuli. This was the only light source inside the whole bubble and created a beautiful spectrum of colors that bounces off each other and bended together, causing a glitter like effect throughout the space.

As the image progressed and the drone got deeper inside the nebular bubble the form of a planet appeared, or what used to be. It was hard to dicern if it had ever been able to support life, but it didn't now. The planet looked as barren as could be. There was no atmosphere to speak off according to the readings taken and as the image became larger no moon could be detected in orbit. It became also clear that his planet was stationary, having lost its orbit and momentum after its system star had gone supernova.

The planet had probably been the furthest possible from the explosions that took place and suvived the massive blast. However, its survival had not been without bruises as the image began to show when the Drone conducted a flyby of the planet. Once the drone began to show the planets other side, it could be seen that a tremendous impact had taken place. This collision had caused a chuck approximatly three and a half thousand kilometers long and 850 kilometers around to have broken off from the planet. That huge piece of the planet was now floating in space almost 520 kilometers exectly above from where it had been broken off.

All around this part of the planet debris could be seen, scattered from an impact long past. It appeared is if the planetary rock had its own stationary satellites around it. Like the nebuli surrounding it, the planet looked to be a mysterious and beautiful phenomena.

"This is it gentlemen. This will be our new headquarters." Stated the man sitting at the head of the round conferance table. He was a tallish man, with short brown hair and gently blue eyes. Leaning over closer towards the display his eyes continued to study it. This was an ever better find than he had hoped for.

"Mr.Stellar, with your approval we'll start construction operations at once."

Rob Stellar smiled and slowly nodded towards his assistants. "I want to be up and running as soon as possible."

Rob stood at the window which faced into a large cavernous room. This room was located deep inside the headquarters complex and at the moment was one of a kind. It was a room where only the most trusted individuals were allowed to go in. Security here included full body scans, vein scans, as well as tissue analysis. Everyone, even himself, got scanned before even approaching this section of the compound. As soon an anomally is detected the whole section seals off until everythign it back under control.

Automated scanners and defensive systems lined the hallways in hidden positions. They scanned people going to and from this secure area. The body scans made sure no one brought anything hidden into the facility or also took anything out of it.

Only a handfull of scientists hired by Stellar Enterprises had clearance to this area and it was these that Rob was watching through the window. The back half of this massive laboratory was prehistoric when compared to the computer and droid filled front portion. This front part was actually the technology assembly section, where as the rear was carved out as a test area.

It was in this forward section of the lab that the five technicians worked. They were assembling and connecting a series of heavy laser cannon capacitors. There were three of these capacitors and each was getting bolted to the other in a sort of triangular configuration. Once completed the whole contraption was lifted up carefully and taken to another of the dozen or so table positioned around the room.

On this table lay a specially designed capacitor discharge and relay plate. This would take all the energy discharged from each capacitor and feed it to the system that was attached to the other end. As the two objects came together and were locked into place one of the technicians went over the whole to see if everything was ready for testing. They were all hopefull that this time all the bugs would have been worked out and the system would work as intended. This was the fifth time they were retesting.

Once the person in charge was fully satisfied he nodded towards a lifter droid standing in the corner and called out a few commands. He pointed towards the table and Rob watched the large droid move foward on four thick legs. It went towards a crate laying along one of the walls and opened it using its two gripping arms. As soon as the crate was opened the droid reached inside and pulling out a single long tube with wires and circuits hanging out the back, tied together.

This large droid followed commands and moved slowly towards the assembly table being used by the team of people. As Rob watched it lower the tube into place and stood there as it was secured to the other end of the large discharge plate contraption. The crew of men and women untied the hanging wires and started hooking them upto exposed areas on the sides of the discharge assembly.

With a profound facination of all that was happening Rob leaned even closer towards the reinforced glass in front of him. He saw one of the technicians break off from the ground and move over to the the other wall. He pulling on a braided hose and retracted it from the wall. It stretched out after him as he moved back towards the table and connected the end into a specific place on top.

After it was all completed the head scientist turned towards where Rob was standing and gave thumbs up. Everything was ready for testing and they would now see if this was the day of success of this project. Rob gave a slight nod after which the man turned and start motioning the droid again. This time it gripped the whole table adn started moving it towards the aft section.

This section was simply a cave. It had been carved out of the planets interior and left that way. There were no fancy walls built, no paint applied, and no floor created. This extention simply had over head lighting and a flattened rocky floor. The test section was 540 meters long and cut to be 10 meters height. The walls and ceiling were double reinforced to ensure safety of the people inside from collapse.

Finally the table was put in place and secured with ties to the durasteel plated deck. A powerfeed was connected to the capacitors in the rear and the computer systems were gived another diagnostics test. With everything ready the team of technicians stepped into a nearby constructed blast room, from where they could monitor and control the test. As he watched the durasteel plate started moving slowly, aiming the tube and assembly towards something in the distance.

There a short period of time where nothing happened. The assembly sat there motionless, until suddently the rear moved and status lights around the discharge assembly came on. The three capacitors at the rear started slowly spining together perpendicular to the discharge plate. Rob straighted up as he watched this display take place. Watching the three spin faster and faster around the center where they all joined.

Rob was starting to think the test wouldn't work when out of nowhere three laser bolts shot out of the laser cannon tube in quick succession. If he had to guess he would estimate that they were all fired off in less than a single second. A small smile of approval came over Rob's face as he watched the cannon again errupt, sending three more bolts down range. This time, however, they were followed with three more blasts after a second delay and three more after that with a second between those as well.

As the new laser cannong stopped firing, the capacitors at the rear began to slow their spinning. The group of technicians opened the door to their blast room and came out happy, petting each other on the back as they celebrated their success. They all stopped and looked up towards Rob. He smiled back and slowly began clapping his hands. Rob hoped to ready this weapon system soon so it could be used to his newly designed and soon to be complete Starstreak Class escort frigate.

Suddenly his Comm range and he hit the button on his ear piece. "This is Rob."

"Mr.Stellar, I have a message for you from a Commodore Corise Lucerne. He's a Commodore in the Kashan fleet and would like to have a meeting with you. Mr.Lucerne has requested that Stellar Enterprises fortify the planet Genon for him."

"Did he state what exactly he wanted, Ulimar?"

"Yes, sir, he did. The manifest of what he requested has been sent to your personal datapad."

Rob took his pad out and began looking it over. He smiled at the list seeing that it would be a very profitable venture for him and would allow him to establish a relationship with a large group.

"Ulimar get Star Voyager ready for me. I want to leave at once. Send word to Commodore Lucerne that I'll meet him at Genon."

With that Rob took one last look through the window in front of him and nodded towards the people below. He turned quickly around and walked out of the room to get ready for his trip.

The organic looking ship slowly glided through the clouds of nebular gases and moved towards the broken planet of Centrala. It easied through space as freighters and other small ships moved around it, lumbering closer and closer to its finally destination. The tugs at the front of this massive ship were almost obscured by it, moving inside the bigger ship's shadow at he passed under the lights given off from the nebula around it.

As the ship was slowly being moved through space a tiny black object, no longer than nine meters quickly flew by it in a blurr. One would not have seen it had it not been for the multiple lights reflecting off the cruiser's hull. This x shaped object flew past the ship and instantly angeled down for a split second and then just as quickly leveled off to head back, but this time along the ship's belly side. The manveuver was impossibly hard and would have probably killed the pilot, had he or she actually been inside the fighter craft instead of hundreds of kilometers away onboard the Starstreak Frigate.

Onboard the frigate, inside a special large room, were two dozen lounge type seats in two rows. Each seat had a retracted seethrough plasticrete covering that would extend to cover the whole lounge. All were dark inside the darkened room except for one. One of lounges had the covering extended and the interior of it was a greenhue which light that part of the room and also allowed the man inside to be seen.

The man lay on his back with his eyes closed as if a sleep. His eyes were moving a little rapidly from side to side and up and down as he is was in a dream state, but he wasn't. On look as the display beside him showed his brain was functioning more than normal and his heart rate was heart than rest. It appeared as if he was exerting himself, yet he was there laying on the lounge and not moving. In actually he was a fighter pilot and at the moment he was piloting the lone black fighter that was screaming around space around the large MC-80 Star Cruiser.

With his eyes closed, the man was seeing everything his fighter saw, but in dreamlike state. With a series of receptors and transmitters the man was receiving images into his mind through wave emitters embedded into the plasticrete cover. These emitted radiowaves in the same frequency as his brain and allowed his brain to interprat them as images from the fighter. It was as if he was actually there flying inside it, but now he could see all around it. HE only had to think about what he wanted and the fighter reacted without a doubt. When the pilot wanted to roll, the fighter quickly did.

Inside the man's head he saw himself fly past the Star Cruiser and turn towards the edge of the inner space of the Nebula. There, against the lights of the nebula, was another fighter trying to sneek into Centrala's territory. The fighter was actually an MC-10 purchased from the Galactic Coallition and turned into a drone for traget practice. It flew straight until the onboard systems detected the Hellhound fighter closing towards it.

The MC-10 increased speed and rolled down, but still in the direction of central. Under the pilots command the Hellhound increased speed as well and fired a few seconds of booster to close the distance faster. Instead of going for a straight shot, the pilot made the drone fighter pull up quickly and roll over before going back down towards the enemy fighter. The speed of the turn would have been impossible for a manned fighter, but the Hellhound handled it with ease and quickly recieved a lock on signal from the laser cannons.

Once locked, the fighter pulled up a little and fired a volley just above the other, causing the other fighter to veer down. This move was forseen by the pilot and he quickly had lowered the laser cannons below the fighter and fired again just as the enemy veered down. The first two shots slamed into the fighters shields, bringing them down before the other two followed and hit the ship in the rear. They pierced the light armor and blew the generator apart. Internal explosions followed, do to a severed fuel line and split the fighter into pieces.

The Hellhound flew through the debris field with its shields glowing alittle as pieces impacted against it. It turned towards the Starstreak and did a number of tight rolls for celebration of a kill. As he neared the frigate the Star Cruiser was already lining up with the shipyards and being pushed into place. It would soon become the newest addition of the STellar Enterprises Defense Fleet. Close to the station the large Guardian Class Station slowly rotated, standing guard against any trouble. It was not completely finished and ready for use.