Rendili Joins the League of Nations
Cataclysm
A Cure-all for the Neimoidian Plague?
Imperial Star Destroyers spotted in Reaver Space
Sinsang withdraws from League and Galaxy
Coruscant System
"Sir, a message from Moff Thorton. He wishes to speak with you at once."
Colonel-General Vos was already seething; his inability to enter Coruscant had riled him. Dealing with a smuggler-turned-officer-turned politician was the last thing he wanted to do. Still, Thorton was a superior officer, technically, and he couldn't refuse. Besides, he still had a few minutes before they would finish collecting their recon fighters; he might as well speak to the man.
Making his way to the comm center of the Tyrant, Vos stopped briefly to glance at the technical displays. Not only was the system shut off to approach, but whatever the invading force was doing was interfering with long-range sensor scans. He was getting a few spotty images, but nothing definite. Cursing, he continued to the comm and keyed it.
"General Vos," Moff Thorton said as soon as the image appeared. "I don't appreciate being kept waiting."
"Your pardon, Moff," Vos replied. "There were pressing matters to attend. We were conducting exercises in preperation for an upcoming operation, exercises of a delicate nature."
Thorton nodded in understanding. "I know, General. Your...exercises...are what I wanted to talk to you about. In fact, if you are willing to wait a few minutes longer, I can give you some company."
Vos raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Thorton nodded. "I happen to be your neighbor at the moment. And I have some interesting information on the new arrivals in the neighborhood."
Information... Vos nodded. "Of course, Moff. The new residents are becoming bothersome. Any advice you have would be appreciated. I await your arrival."
Not that I have to like it much...
Imperial SS Headquarters
Thoraza
Colonel Selere smiled. "The ruse seems to be working quite well, Commander Nyang. The Coalition's denial of involvement only makes them appear more guilty. Good work."
Nyang smiled. "Thank you, Colonel. I did as you said, and I've been monitoring comm transmissions. We've picked up a sharp increase in several sectors of the city; I have security teams moving in on them now. We should have actual terrorists in our custody within the next hour. Should we begin interrogations, or would you prefer to handle that yourself?"
Selere's smile morphed into a sickly grin, the glint in his eyes showing exactly how much he would enjoy such an interrogation. "I believe I'll handle it myself, Commander. But go ahead and begin softing them up. Teeth out first, of course; it wouldn't do to have them crushing death-pills in their mouths. Then leave them in their cells for a while; I'll be there in a few days to begin in earnest."
Nyang blinked once, then saluted. "Yes, Sir. We'll be expecting you. Nyang out."
Selere sat back as the image of Red Squadron's commander disappeared. Finally, they had a breakthrough on the terrorist threat. When he returned from Coruscant, General Vos would be pleased. Very pleased indeed.
“Leaving!? What do you mean, 'leaving'?” Here Athan was, knee deep in Colicoids, some sort of wind storm threatening to blow him away, with a commmlink pressed halfway into his ear trying to make out the garbled nonsense spewing out of the mouth of an Ithorian thirty thousand light years away.
“It's just as I've said, sir. The Anx reclamation fleet is leaving Glee Anselm. Apparently Sinsang has pulled out of the League and retreated to their local space. We're pretty alone here, sir. When can we expect you back?”
Athan pulled the commlink away, screamed into the wind and shook his head for effect. “It's messy, Merchantate. No promises. You'll just have to make do with what you have for the time being.”
“We're out of manpower, Ambassador. The Anselmi are expecting results―results you promised them! Results I promised them . . .”
Athan nodded, shouting once more to be heard over the growing maelstrom: “And they'll get them. But they've got to understand we couldn't have predicted this. We're spread thin everywhere; everyone is. And if I try to leave now . . ." Athan let the idea go, glancing at the nearest Colicoid out of the corner of his eye. If I try to leave now, these bugs just might eat me. "Keep up the good work, Merchantate.”
“I shall do my best, Ambassador.”
First the Empire had abandoned Glee Anselm . . . Now the Sinsangese. Even some League worlds were reducing or removing their support. The galaxy was growing darker, and compassion was among the first virtues to go as men and women everywhere started looking for some way to survive. But the Ryn had made a promise, and Athan would find a way to keep it. Whatever it took.
Surrounded by these carnivores, busying himself with the will of the Overseer, he was suddenly overcome by a feeling of total failure. The Ryn fleet at Glee Anselm was his responsibility, even all these thousands of light years away. It was his charge, his duty. Their failure was his responsibility, and he had made himself totally unable to ensure their success.
He just hoped this venture to Colla IV would be worth the risk, because the people of Glee Anselm were having to pay the price.
“It's just as I've said, sir. The Anx reclamation fleet is leaving Glee Anselm. Apparently Sinsang has pulled out of the League and retreated to their local space. We're pretty alone here, sir. When can we expect you back?”
Athan pulled the commlink away, screamed into the wind and shook his head for effect. “It's messy, Merchantate. No promises. You'll just have to make do with what you have for the time being.”
“We're out of manpower, Ambassador. The Anselmi are expecting results―results you promised them! Results I promised them . . .”
Athan nodded, shouting once more to be heard over the growing maelstrom: “And they'll get them. But they've got to understand we couldn't have predicted this. We're spread thin everywhere; everyone is. And if I try to leave now . . ." Athan let the idea go, glancing at the nearest Colicoid out of the corner of his eye. If I try to leave now, these bugs just might eat me. "Keep up the good work, Merchantate.”
“I shall do my best, Ambassador.”
First the Empire had abandoned Glee Anselm . . . Now the Sinsangese. Even some League worlds were reducing or removing their support. The galaxy was growing darker, and compassion was among the first virtues to go as men and women everywhere started looking for some way to survive. But the Ryn had made a promise, and Athan would find a way to keep it. Whatever it took.
Surrounded by these carnivores, busying himself with the will of the Overseer, he was suddenly overcome by a feeling of total failure. The Ryn fleet at Glee Anselm was his responsibility, even all these thousands of light years away. It was his charge, his duty. Their failure was his responsibility, and he had made himself totally unable to ensure their success.
He just hoped this venture to Colla IV would be worth the risk, because the people of Glee Anselm were having to pay the price.
Meanwhile...
Lupercus Darksword stepped foot onto the hanger of the flagship of the Commonwealth Fleet and the signal went out to Dakkon Darksword of his brother's imminent arrival on Hapes to deliver the final reunification of the Hapes Consortium.
No other single event since Relephon declared the creation of the Hapan Regency has captured the interest of the entire sector.
Dakkon Darksword, in addition to being Hapes Crown Prince, was a member of the Executive Council as would be his chosen heir until the democratic customs took solid root within Hapan society a few generations from the present time. In a bold move, the architects of the Commonwealth had drafted a clause giving the Darksword family a say in Hapan politics until the end of their line.
As a result, the Ta Chume dealt with these internal Hapan problems from the Cluster's homeworld while Dakkon handled most of the Commonwealth issues offworld.
Opponents of the crown were stirred out of the shadows but they were too few and too weak to create any real threat to the Darksword family claim to the Hapan throne and their royal prominence.
Even so, the Crown Prince decided to make haste and return to Hapes as quickly as possible to be on hand to handle his brother.
Unfortunately...
Hapes
The words of the Crown Prince had been playng over and over as if to remind everyone who held the power behind the Ta Chume and her policies regarding the Executive Council and the Commonwealth. The Darkswords were also competing with Vinda Corporation in the form of the Olanji/Charubah Spaceworks, which was owned by the Darksword Family and produced all of Hapes' military requirements.
Lupercus had kept his own council and remained in his quarters the entire trip to Hapes. He could feel the discipline of the soldiers surrounding him and throughout their fleet as well as their fear.
He was not just a Darksword but the Darksword.
And he felt their preparations as weapons were trained on him during his descent and as he walked down the old promenade that stirred memories nearly ancient in his mind.
How little things had changed since his days as a boy growing up in the backstabbing court.
"Did you have anything to do with this!" came the sharp voice interrupting his reverie and his eyes narrowed at the Ta Chume, Dakkon's wife, who stood before him with soldiers arrayed on all sides.
He raised an eyebrow, "Of course. I am here to present to the Consortium and you the Hapan Regency worlds."
"I MEAN DAKKON!" his wife screamed at him.
"What has happened?" he asked, his voice darkening. His gaze turned to the leader of the guards and the man shifted.
"We lost the signal to his private transport. It appears his ship was attacked by some sort of pirates and the Battledragon on the scene reports debris. We have not confirmed it is his private vessel but it does look likely."
"Did you do it?"
"My lady," Lupercus bowed slightly, "I have done a great many things but I assure you that I did not kill my own brother. I came to you without my fleet and on your own flagship and if you will check, my fleet is still within the Hapan Regency."
"My lady, there was no outgoing transmissions unauthorized by Admiral Wilkar by this man during his trip here. In fact, I believe the Admiral remarked that Lord Darksword made no transmission at all," the Head Guardsman stated. Hapan Royal Guards were nothing if not efficient and quick.
"I say this now, I will personally hunt down those who intercepted and destroyed my brother's ship and their ends will not be pleasant!" Lupercus stated darkly, his mounting rage barely contained.
"No Lupercus," the Ta Chume ordered imperiously causing the Dark Lord to bristle slightly at the tone.
"You came here for a purpose and we shall see it done. Our own people can look into my husband's ...disappearance."
The Dark Lord's resentment turned to begrudging admiration for the woman his brother had married after that fool of a girl he had been banished for.
"Of course, my lady," Lupercus bowed again. "I shall prepare for the ceremony."
With that the Dark Lord left.
"My lady, is that wise?" the Head Guardsman asked.
"The sooner we complete this, the sooner we are rid of him," the Ta Chume retorted.
Coruscant
"My Lord?" came the timid voice from the masses of people standing outside the General Operations Center serving as Regent Zell's command center for the latest debacle to strike an already crippled defense of the Galactic Empire's capital.
Since the Regent was pummeled with other similar questions imparting no information whatsoever yet asking everything, namely Zell's precious time, he gave the timid voice the same answer he gave everyone else: "Not now!"
The Regent could have sworn his hair had gone from gray to white in the manner of days since this alien siege of his world had began. Turning to those more important of people, the military officers before him, his wrinkled brow sternly warned them of even thinking of wasting his time.
"What have we got?" he growled out to those imparted with the task of ground defense.
"The alien numbers are more than what would account for our sensor readings of their shuttles and dropships."
"You saying our scans are lying to us?" Zell demanded.
"Or they have another means of conveying soldiers onto our world. Perhaps even through shielded areas."
"Now THAT is a truly fucking wonderful thought!" Zell sarcastically bit back. He turned to the aerospace defenders and gestured for them to speak up.
"The shift in strategy has given us a reprieve from..." an Admiral started but the Regent finished for him.
"...from having our asses kicked all over our own fucking system?"
The Admiral nodded, "Yessir. We have been able to follow Captain Gutt's strategy of giving up several sectors only to return with surprise on our side messing with their formations. It is playing hell with our numbers but it is turning out to be effective."
"How are their ships against ours close up?" the Regent asked. He had been given several other reports on the enemy warships but he always asked just in case the enemy threw something new in the mix.
"As before. They are relatively weak in shield areas but given the versatility of their gravity manipulations, they do not need a strong set of shields. However, if we do surprise them we can and do cut them to ribbons. However, we do not surprise them much."
"How much?" Zell demanded.
"Not much," another Admiral confirmed.
"Fuck!"
"And there is another issue..." a Rear Admiral brought up.
"Of course there fucking is!" Zell snapped. "Well?"
"We are running out of ships. We've launched even the incomplete capitals from our shipyards but logistics is playing hell with us. Everything that could be of support in and around Coruscant has pretty much been blown to hell and gone.
Ships have to jump away from Coruscant to other system bases for refuel or repair and then jump back."
"And?"
"And it is dangerous for damaged ships to jump away alone or at all. They can be picked off by alien patrols that have the system bottled up."
"About that," Zell commented, "It seems a window of opportunity has opened as a result of our last action. If more warships can be brought in..."
The Admirals and collected higher-ups of the Imperial High Command each nodded already mentally wondering where to deploy the needed reinforcements when that timid voice was back and this time more insistent: "My Lord!"
"Oh, what the fuck is it!" shouted Zell.
"Coruscant is lost," retorted the voice.
"Shoot that man!" Zell barked out but the voice persisted, "My Lord, I come with the compliments of Theren Gevel!"
"Belay that last order," growled Zell. He turned to the small man wearing the garb of civil service and scowled, "So, now Theren wants to take over?"
"My Lord, Mr. Gevel is not on Imperial Center anymore."
Zell stopped to think about the implications for a second before shaking his head, "Give your figures to the Admiralty!"
Turning to another, "Jaeder, get ready to open up a corridor and a heavily fucking defended one!"
"You need to listen to the civil servant, Zell." came a voice from behind Moff Jaeder and Zell slammed a fist down.
"Who the fuck said that?!" he growled out. "If you have the fucking balls to say it then you've got the fucking balls too....YOU?!"
"My Lord?" came the timid voice from the masses of people standing outside the General Operations Center serving as Regent Zell's command center for the latest debacle to strike an already crippled defense of the Galactic Empire's capital.
Since the Regent was pummeled with other similar questions imparting no information whatsoever yet asking everything, namely Zell's precious time, he gave the timid voice the same answer he gave everyone else: "Not now!"
The Regent could have sworn his hair had gone from gray to white in the manner of days since this alien siege of his world had began. Turning to those more important of people, the military officers before him, his wrinkled brow sternly warned them of even thinking of wasting his time.
"What have we got?" he growled out to those imparted with the task of ground defense.
"The alien numbers are more than what would account for our sensor readings of their shuttles and dropships."
"You saying our scans are lying to us?" Zell demanded.
"Or they have another means of conveying soldiers onto our world. Perhaps even through shielded areas."
"Now THAT is a truly fucking wonderful thought!" Zell sarcastically bit back. He turned to the aerospace defenders and gestured for them to speak up.
"The shift in strategy has given us a reprieve from..." an Admiral started but the Regent finished for him.
"...from having our asses kicked all over our own fucking system?"
The Admiral nodded, "Yessir. We have been able to follow Captain Gutt's strategy of giving up several sectors only to return with surprise on our side messing with their formations. It is playing hell with our numbers but it is turning out to be effective."
"How are their ships against ours close up?" the Regent asked. He had been given several other reports on the enemy warships but he always asked just in case the enemy threw something new in the mix.
"As before. They are relatively weak in shield areas but given the versatility of their gravity manipulations, they do not need a strong set of shields. However, if we do surprise them we can and do cut them to ribbons. However, we do not surprise them much."
"How much?" Zell demanded.
"Not much," another Admiral confirmed.
"Fuck!"
"And there is another issue..." a Rear Admiral brought up.
"Of course there fucking is!" Zell snapped. "Well?"
"We are running out of ships. We've launched even the incomplete capitals from our shipyards but logistics is playing hell with us. Everything that could be of support in and around Coruscant has pretty much been blown to hell and gone.
Ships have to jump away from Coruscant to other system bases for refuel or repair and then jump back."
"And?"
"And it is dangerous for damaged ships to jump away alone or at all. They can be picked off by alien patrols that have the system bottled up."
"About that," Zell commented, "It seems a window of opportunity has opened as a result of our last action. If more warships can be brought in..."
The Admirals and collected higher-ups of the Imperial High Command each nodded already mentally wondering where to deploy the needed reinforcements when that timid voice was back and this time more insistent: "My Lord!"
"Oh, what the fuck is it!" shouted Zell.
"Coruscant is lost," retorted the voice.
"Shoot that man!" Zell barked out but the voice persisted, "My Lord, I come with the compliments of Theren Gevel!"
"Belay that last order," growled Zell. He turned to the small man wearing the garb of civil service and scowled, "So, now Theren wants to take over?"
"My Lord, Mr. Gevel is not on Imperial Center anymore."
Zell stopped to think about the implications for a second before shaking his head, "Give your figures to the Admiralty!"
Turning to another, "Jaeder, get ready to open up a corridor and a heavily fucking defended one!"
"You need to listen to the civil servant, Zell." came a voice from behind Moff Jaeder and Zell slammed a fist down.
"Who the fuck said that?!" he growled out. "If you have the fucking balls to say it then you've got the fucking balls too....YOU?!"
Coruscant
"This had better be fucking good!" threatened the Regent as the room was cleared.
The civil servant, Ciscero, Moff Jaeder and Zell were alone and the Imperial Intelligence agent gestured for the civil servant to continue.
"My Lord, Coruscant is not designed to withstand a prolonged siege."
Zell grunted, "Once this corridor is up and running, we should have it over and done with in a week.."
"It will be too late. In a week, if you do not act now, you will see half the population of Imperial Center dead."
"What the fuck? What are you talking about?!"
"My Lord, Coruscant, by design, can only withstand a siege for about one week. We have the resources and stores for one trillion people to continue using a military rationing system for one week. After that, resources are used up."
"We've been under siege.." Zell started.
"Yessir. We are well into our second week."
"So your numbers are fucking wrong!" concluded Zell.
"My Lord, we have already lost fifty thousand to starvation. Mid-last week Muunillist stopped trading and all banking centers shut down. People are not getting paid and the capital treasury reserve is being depleted at a frightening pace. Prices for food, for what utilities are still in operation and other services are rising exponentially. The alien attack has cut us off and that means no trading, no transports...no civilian traffic...no word...no nothing with the rest of the Empire which means no relief."
Zell's eyes narrowed, "What are you saying?"
Ciscero cleared his throat, "The extent of your power currently is Coruscant. I am sure taxes are being collected, still be routed through Muunillist and other planets with government agents/recipients taking them in but there is no one directing them."
"So local fuckers are raiding the government treasury on their worlds?" the Regent concluded.
"It's possible. The point is, the money is not coming here and inflation is rising. Without supplies, raw materials and other commodities, the civil authority is breaking down. The aliens on the ground and the attacks from above have effectively hampered repair crews so water, sewage, and power stations remain broken or down and whole sectors are going without. The people flee that sector and overburden the next and it begins the cascade."
"So where are we at? Tell me where to send the Military Engineers?"
The civil servant cleared his throat, "Um.. Sir, we are past that. People were under a more strict rationing system which is why the infrastructure has lasted as long as it has. But you have one day to act and then you will see a real panic. And when that happens, you may defend Coruscant but in that week, you will have a dead capital even if you do win."
"The reinforcement fleets coming through the corridor!" Zell suddenly snapped his fingers. "They can bring supplies..."
"Not for a trillion people, my Lord," Ciscero interrupted. "Zell, the military will only have control of these resources for one more day. Then the populace will take matters into their own hands.."
"We'll shoot the fuckers that don't stay in line.."
"Sir, they are starving and frightened and the military hasn't been doing a bang up job so far."
"Fuck you, you fucking turd!!" Zell shouted.
"Execute me if you want, Lord, but the only commodity Coruscant exports is administration! Well, we also export waste. Administration and shit! That is what Coruscant exports. Everything is brought in to feed and sustain a trillion or more people...one trillion are only those that the Census Bureau could count! What about those below that aren't counted?! We are not a planet high in resources. We are one big, mechanized city and we cannot withstand a siege this long."
"He's right," Moff Jaeder sighed.
"Not you too, Jaeder?" Zell cried.
"Azrael, that's why we had three fleets here. The three that the Emperor took with him. That's why we kept a large fleet presence on Corelia. The fleet that Lupercus took with him! Everything is designed to ensure that, should Coruscant be attacked, the defenses here and nearby would be enough to answer any threat."
"So we stick a gun in the civilian's hands, a fucking spine in their back and a boot to their backside!" Zell snapped out.
"These people are not soldiers. They are our fabricators, our manufacturers, our administrators.... skills that our soldiers do not have. We will win the battle but lose the war and have to abandon Coruscant if these people die!"
"Son of a bitch!" shouted Zell.
"We will not have control for much longer."
Zell frowned lost in thought. Perhaps lost in memories as the weight of a trillion people fell onto his shoulders.
"The military will continue to fight. But I want Coruscant evacuated. Give the order, full evacuation of this world..."
"Sir.."
"I know we won't have enough ships for everyone and I know some will stay no matter what, fucking looters. But if they are going to get out they better do it now. Besides, with them gone, they won't be getting into the fucking way of us blowing these alien assholes back to hell!"
The Regent only wished he felt as confident as he sounded.
Evacuate Imperial Center.... Fuck me!
"This had better be fucking good!" threatened the Regent as the room was cleared.
The civil servant, Ciscero, Moff Jaeder and Zell were alone and the Imperial Intelligence agent gestured for the civil servant to continue.
"My Lord, Coruscant is not designed to withstand a prolonged siege."
Zell grunted, "Once this corridor is up and running, we should have it over and done with in a week.."
"It will be too late. In a week, if you do not act now, you will see half the population of Imperial Center dead."
"What the fuck? What are you talking about?!"
"My Lord, Coruscant, by design, can only withstand a siege for about one week. We have the resources and stores for one trillion people to continue using a military rationing system for one week. After that, resources are used up."
"We've been under siege.." Zell started.
"Yessir. We are well into our second week."
"So your numbers are fucking wrong!" concluded Zell.
"My Lord, we have already lost fifty thousand to starvation. Mid-last week Muunillist stopped trading and all banking centers shut down. People are not getting paid and the capital treasury reserve is being depleted at a frightening pace. Prices for food, for what utilities are still in operation and other services are rising exponentially. The alien attack has cut us off and that means no trading, no transports...no civilian traffic...no word...no nothing with the rest of the Empire which means no relief."
Zell's eyes narrowed, "What are you saying?"
Ciscero cleared his throat, "The extent of your power currently is Coruscant. I am sure taxes are being collected, still be routed through Muunillist and other planets with government agents/recipients taking them in but there is no one directing them."
"So local fuckers are raiding the government treasury on their worlds?" the Regent concluded.
"It's possible. The point is, the money is not coming here and inflation is rising. Without supplies, raw materials and other commodities, the civil authority is breaking down. The aliens on the ground and the attacks from above have effectively hampered repair crews so water, sewage, and power stations remain broken or down and whole sectors are going without. The people flee that sector and overburden the next and it begins the cascade."
"So where are we at? Tell me where to send the Military Engineers?"
The civil servant cleared his throat, "Um.. Sir, we are past that. People were under a more strict rationing system which is why the infrastructure has lasted as long as it has. But you have one day to act and then you will see a real panic. And when that happens, you may defend Coruscant but in that week, you will have a dead capital even if you do win."
"The reinforcement fleets coming through the corridor!" Zell suddenly snapped his fingers. "They can bring supplies..."
"Not for a trillion people, my Lord," Ciscero interrupted. "Zell, the military will only have control of these resources for one more day. Then the populace will take matters into their own hands.."
"We'll shoot the fuckers that don't stay in line.."
"Sir, they are starving and frightened and the military hasn't been doing a bang up job so far."
"Fuck you, you fucking turd!!" Zell shouted.
"Execute me if you want, Lord, but the only commodity Coruscant exports is administration! Well, we also export waste. Administration and shit! That is what Coruscant exports. Everything is brought in to feed and sustain a trillion or more people...one trillion are only those that the Census Bureau could count! What about those below that aren't counted?! We are not a planet high in resources. We are one big, mechanized city and we cannot withstand a siege this long."
"He's right," Moff Jaeder sighed.
"Not you too, Jaeder?" Zell cried.
"Azrael, that's why we had three fleets here. The three that the Emperor took with him. That's why we kept a large fleet presence on Corelia. The fleet that Lupercus took with him! Everything is designed to ensure that, should Coruscant be attacked, the defenses here and nearby would be enough to answer any threat."
"So we stick a gun in the civilian's hands, a fucking spine in their back and a boot to their backside!" Zell snapped out.
"These people are not soldiers. They are our fabricators, our manufacturers, our administrators.... skills that our soldiers do not have. We will win the battle but lose the war and have to abandon Coruscant if these people die!"
"Son of a bitch!" shouted Zell.
"We will not have control for much longer."
Zell frowned lost in thought. Perhaps lost in memories as the weight of a trillion people fell onto his shoulders.
"The military will continue to fight. But I want Coruscant evacuated. Give the order, full evacuation of this world..."
"Sir.."
"I know we won't have enough ships for everyone and I know some will stay no matter what, fucking looters. But if they are going to get out they better do it now. Besides, with them gone, they won't be getting into the fucking way of us blowing these alien assholes back to hell!"
The Regent only wished he felt as confident as he sounded.
Evacuate Imperial Center.... Fuck me!
Abregado-rae
The Cree Ar had entered the system smashing the defenders as effectively as they had done with those at Yaga Minor.
There was only a token force remaining at what was once Bhindi Drayson's bastion of power as Judicator Varro Kai's force arrived on the outskirts of what the infidels called the Core.
Artanis was showing the latest results of the human change in tactics of relinquishing a defended locale only to return after the Cree Ar had taken it.
"Do not underestimate these infidel's capacity for butchery or treachery. They may have no honor but some do relish the fight and would sooner harm themselves as well as harm us if it gives them victory."
"Craven," Varro Kai commented in distaste.
"It is contradictory," Artanis replied.
"We are not closing the trap?" Varro asked seeing a gap in the Cree Ar attack.
"No. The lessons of your recent attack on the infidel world of Yaga Minor were instructive. To close off all options and shut off every avenue of retreat and they only fight all the harder. While it does bring greater glory to fight a worthy enemy, the numbers we lose are unacceptable. The Dominion cannot be without it's Arbiters for much longer so we must use the initiative while we have it."
"Truth," Varro Kai nodded.
"Prepare the Sword of Borleas," Artanis ordered. "It must be ready to strike at a moment's notice."
The Cree Ar had entered the system smashing the defenders as effectively as they had done with those at Yaga Minor.
There was only a token force remaining at what was once Bhindi Drayson's bastion of power as Judicator Varro Kai's force arrived on the outskirts of what the infidels called the Core.
Artanis was showing the latest results of the human change in tactics of relinquishing a defended locale only to return after the Cree Ar had taken it.
"Do not underestimate these infidel's capacity for butchery or treachery. They may have no honor but some do relish the fight and would sooner harm themselves as well as harm us if it gives them victory."
"Craven," Varro Kai commented in distaste.
"It is contradictory," Artanis replied.
"We are not closing the trap?" Varro asked seeing a gap in the Cree Ar attack.
"No. The lessons of your recent attack on the infidel world of Yaga Minor were instructive. To close off all options and shut off every avenue of retreat and they only fight all the harder. While it does bring greater glory to fight a worthy enemy, the numbers we lose are unacceptable. The Dominion cannot be without it's Arbiters for much longer so we must use the initiative while we have it."
"Truth," Varro Kai nodded.
"Prepare the Sword of Borleas," Artanis ordered. "It must be ready to strike at a moment's notice."