The Rebel Faction

As Park offered his hand to the Colonel, the door slid open as a man in a black uniform with a Commodore's rank insignia walked quietly into the room, his gloved hand clasped behind his back. The main thing that anyone ever first noticed about the insidious Commodore Trachta, even undoubtably during this first meeting, were his prosthetics. Where his eyes should have been were red photocepters like those of a droid and where his mouth and nose should have been was a metallic respirator unit with a vocabulator grate which permitted the man to talk and breath. A faint, mechanical breathing sound could be heard as the pale skinned man stood there, his body more machine than organic ever since an incident before he had joined the Galactic Empire.

"Greetings gentlemen, I am Commodore Trachta. I will be the Imperial Security Bureau's liason during this operation," Trachta said in his grating metallic voice. He looked at both Vice Admiral Kraken and Colonel Tchort, recognizing them from the profiles the ISB had already complied ever since they had first enlisted in the Empire.

"Welcome, Commodore Trachta. Nice to have you join us. Colonel, in case I forgot to mention, Trachta is a late addition to our force. He will help to oversee and coordinate our operations." said Admiral Kraken, "Now, gentlemen, if introductions are over, it is time to move onto buisness. I have decided to launch this invasion for the primary reason of securing yet another planet for the empire, as well as making the Corellian system more secure, and to increase it's shipbuilding capacity."

Kraken moved over to the holotable, and pressed a series of buttons at it's base before removing a small remote controller. With a audible humm the Holo table flashed to life, displaying a large continent on the planet. Kraken pressed a small button, and a series of lights pin pointed a small place on the map.

"This will be our landing point. Colonel Tchort, you will lead the ground forces in this assault, and will be accompanied by Commodore Trachta, as he will be calling in Starfighter support, and bombardements if necessary. We will have a pre-invasion bombardement as usual to soften up our beachead. The initial assault will be lead by eight AT-ATs, double that the number of AT-STs, and one thousand Stormtroopers. Questions, or comments?" Said Kraken.

Tchort listened to the Commodore illustrate the methods needed to bring Selonia under Imperial rule with interest. Primitives would always be plactated by a strategy like that, their simple minds did'nt appreciate the subtleties of much at all, save eating, sex and death.

The forces Park had given him would be adequate for the task, the vermin would be swept away in a matter of days from the main island. The overden forces would be crushed easily.

"What sort of resistance will we be facing from the Selonians?"

Trachta resisted the urge to snort at the appearance of one of the Empire's grandest projects in the field of battle droids. He knew all too well about Darktroopers and the destruction of the original project and its head, General Moch. However, there was one problem that the Empire needed to face in the Selonian situation.

"The Selonians may be rats, but they are rats that can swim. I don't believe we have an amphibious model of the Darktrooper," Trachta said calmly as he looked at it.

"The reason I speak of resistance is because we are dealing with a species that can move through water very quickly. Sabotage and escape will be a major problem at the work camps. Of course, just shipping the whole population off-world could fix that situation. The Mechis Cluster is always in need of workers," Trachta said with a malevolent tone to his metallic voice. He was always willing to take on slaves at one of his worlds as long as they were useful for something.

There was an adult Selonian, a male by the name of Drachor. He was the ruling overden leader of the city of Sell, the largest city on the face of Selonia. Although most Selonians preferred to live underground, he was content to live on the surface, and rule his portion of the planet's surface. He was gazing out at the market, live with free traders, and Selonian merchants, when an aide of his scrambled to his side. The Selonian looked to the assitant, who looked both determined and worried at the same time.

"Gertude, what is it? You looked worried." asked Drachor.

"As well I should be, Great Overden Leader Drachor. Trade ships have picked up the appearence of an Imperial Fleet. It appears to be headed this way." said Gertude.

Kraken watched from the bridge of the Torpedo Sphere Warspite as the ship moved insystem, followed by the Fire class Light Frigates Barham, Valiant, and Malaya. The ships formed into diamond formation, with the Light Frigates taking the lead as the Warspite followed from behind. TIE Devils deployed from the Light Frigates to intercept any local shipping, of which there seemed to be a fair number of ships. Then, a resonating singal came from the sensor stations, announcing the appproach of a number of captial warships, and starfighters. Kraken took note for their approach, and turned to his aide to find out their identification, and purpose. In minutes most turned up to be former Warships of the Triad, buried beneath the surface of Selonia in artifical hangars, waiting for such a moment as this to make an apperance, and attack. The Warships of the Selonians consisted of a trio of ancient, but still formidable Kruk Battlewagons, supported by about twenty Corsairs, and thirty Jompers pursuit ships, as well as half a wing of Z-95 Headhunters. An outdated force, but one perfectly good for handling the average crisis. Too bad the warships they were facing were much more formidable than they suspected. Kraken sighed, then ordered his fleet to move forward and charge weapons and shields, intent on making short work of the enemy fleet.