<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Antioch Ruins...Capricia..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->





The soldiers of Providence had luckily come across a rural magnetic rail station on there way into Antioch proper. The station, of course, had seen better days but as the soldiers descended the steps to the main passenger/ticket fairway, Mathias began to realize what a solid defensive position the Caprician soldiers had here.

They were quickly ushered in, as the Caprician soldiers who watched with stoic fortitude the war torn landscape feared the attention Mathias' group may have garnered in their flight.

One glance told Mathias that most of the Capricians here were young and seemingly inexperienced.

"Where's your commander?" he asked briskly laying Leia down as a medical officer appeared almost out of nowhere to take charge of the Jedi Master and young Skyler.

"H..he is coming." a young junior grade officer responded, his hands tightening around his weapon. A gesture that Mathias' trained eye noticed at once.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> He's nervous about something..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The grip was too tight to suit Mathias so he eased off a bit and the soldier visibly relaxed.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What was going on here<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

As they waited for the commander of the rail station to arrive, Mathias turned to his second, a Captain. "Merrik, were there any more prisoners in that alien craft?"

Captain Merrik shook his head as if trying to shake a bad memory. "Poor @#%$ never had a chance, sir. I doubt they were even recognizable." The captain's eyes grew reflective and then he shook his head again, "The Vinda ship had no way of knowing..."


"I don't think it would have made a bit of difference.." Mathias sighed.

"No." Merrik answered. "No, not even if we were in his shoes."

"His first priority (and rightly so) would be his own.."

"People are not going to understand that, Sir."


"Some won't." Agreed Mathias. "However, the more civilians are drawn into this fight, the more they will begin to see the horror that war really is."

"Civilians rarely do, Sir." Merrik continued a bit stubbornly.

Mathias sighed again, thinking back to the first invasion and the chaos that had reigned after the invaders had left. "That's why I moved to Providence after the last war."

"We didn't really beat em, did we?" Merrik asked.

Before Mathias could answer, a loud voice full of authority boomed, "No... we didn't."

Mathias and Merrik stood at attention identifying themselves with the detachment from the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Judicator.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"At ease gentlemen. Bad business, the fleet." the Commander commented.

"Sir?" Mathias asked. He had heard little with regards the fleet.

"The Fleet is presumed destroyed, though smaller units are attempting to cooridinate something. Great Clannus knows what."

"Yes sir." they responded.


"Good thing you boys came when you did for we were going to close the backdoor here."

"sir?"


The Commander pointed to the pillars of smoke rising on the horizon. "We estimate about a day until their main artillery units are on this position. So this cooridor must be shut down and buried."

Mathias gave the Commander a questioning glance. "Corridor to what sir?"

"Let me show you..."




*


The soldiers from the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Judicator<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> had descended two more levels before coming across a smaller version of a magnetic rail. This train, though, went underground.

And before long the group, along with what remained of the command held up in the rail station were travelling away.

Mathias felt soft explosions as shockwaves rubbed against the retreating train.

As Merrik voiced an observation, the group gasped as the dark tunnel suddenly grew transparent and Mathias found himself glancing out underwater.

"Submerged?" he turned an incredible gaze to the Commander. The man only gave a tired grin and gestured out the window.

Mathias saw a trio of well lit underwater domes situated on a ravine floor.

"Welcome to Emergency Medical Facility Three, the pride of Herridian Clan." the Commander said.

Sick, injured, and infected people were everywhere, awaiting, wailing, crying for their turn under the observation of a competent medical staffer.

"We are filled to the brim," the Commander lamented, "most with infected. Our quarantine procedures are holding, but barely."


It was here that Leia momentarily woke amid voices and gentle restraining hands as she flailed about. Skyler was sedated, but the prognosis was not good for the son of Herridian Wye.

Mathias soldier's immediately were syphoned off to aid in organizing suitable areas to put people.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> If those infected people started to show symptoms, this could get very bad...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Thessonia.. Capricia..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "...I'm religous..."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


A Caprician in Scipio Clan markings was cleaning his rather long barrelled rifle as he glanced down at the CEO and his officer converse.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> An interesting conversation to be sure.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He continued to clean his weapon as the two Vinda Corp representatives went into their vessel, the man named Omar's last words not lost to the soldier.

When the man finally exited the Vinda Corp vessel, the soldier saw that this Omar fellow seemed troubled. The man's breath escaped his lips like smoke as the tempertature began to fall.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Going to be a cold one tonight..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"Tell me, Vinda man, what do you think your god's would make of all this?"

He smiled from his perch as the startled Omar looked up at him, not realizing he was there.

Capricians were not a religious people themselves, but every so often, things do happen to change one's ..<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> perspective.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Of course, usually, it was the other way around.

He remembered feeling once that if there was some overlording creature called a god, and if he'd had him in his sights, he'd put a shot between his eyes.


Of course, experience adds to one's perspective. The ongoing arguments would fill philosopher's papers to come...


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Created or evolved?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

There were many who claimed kin with the Lub Lub fish found off the Grand Bank near Sealine City, but as "logical" as it sounded, it also seemed a stupid claim.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> And yet, what would artificial intelligence mean?

Would that be considered an evolutionary process or a creative one?

Would the designers then be nothing more than gods?

And if so, were not biologics the most advanced of machinery?

Did biologics have a designer?

The invaders, these Yuuzhan Vong, designed their own biologics did that make them "gods"?

And who then designed the Yuuzhan Vong?


Whoever it was, whatever it was, I'd blow his head off if he got within range.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



****


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Emergency Medical Facility #3.. Location: Grand Bank<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



Mathias stared at the sleeping Leia as doctor's mulled over Skyler.


The Jedi Master's arrival as a patient spread quickly through the residents, giving encouragement to some and yet dispair to others.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Was there any hope if the Jedi Masters could not stop these invaders?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He noticed a young Caprician girl making her way over to Leia's bedside, her head drapped in a blanket.

"Hello." Mathias said. "And who are you?"

"Nerys," the little girl answered.

Mathias watched as the little girl moved a chair near to the sleeping Leia and climbed up and just began to talk.

"My mother told me sick people need reasssrance.." she said, when Mathias asked her.

"Reassurance. Yes, most do. Very well, young Jedi," he said which made the girl beam and she pulled her blanket tighter.

"I want to be a Jedi when I grow up!"

"Then your assignment will be to keep Ms. Organa Solo comfortable. Can you do it?"

"Yes Sir!"

Mathias smiled and patted the girl on the head. "That's a good girl."

As he left, the girl brought out a self made doll of sorts and began to introduce it to the sleeping Leia.

"Her parents were killed in Natabb City," the doctor whispered to Mathias as he walked up.


"Bad business, this invasion is.." Mathias muttered as he took one last glance at the little girl.


"Bad business indeed."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Blaze of Glory<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->....Providence Orbit...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->




<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "....we go to Capricia...."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


Scipio's mind flashed....



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> 3 Years Ago...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


"Scipio, how are the Embassy Grounds on Onderon working out for you?" Gomorran asked, when she was admitted into the Regent's private chambers.

Arien shrugged at the question, turning to the Regent addressing him as an equal (if in fact, they were), "Same as always. More double dealing, more schemes, more emotions..sometimes, no. Most times alien emotions to comprehend and deal with."

She sat down on the rather plush sofa staring out at the Caprician landscape. During the Reconstruction, the Beautificaion Project of Borianus Clan had really reshaped the surface of the planet.

Only now it was more dangerous, as Leantre aesthetically hid defense works throughout the planet.

"The thing is.. Kay, we need information. Coming onto the galactic scene, with Marzullo Expansion in the North, we need it desperately.


And the Parliament reactionaries! Sweet Clans, Kay, we cannot .. Capricia cannot afford another Civil War."


"That's what I wanted to discuss with you, Scipio. An addition to Scipio Clan. An addition to Capricia's Ministry of State."

He brought up a couple of photos of a rather large station being built. Not so large as the Golan Stations Capricia had in mind for later but something larger than she'd seen so far.

"A science station?" she asked.

"Not quite. These are the plans for <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Ob<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. It will be the logisitic center for this new addition." Gomorran said with a smile.


"Which is?" Scipio said, a smile forming of her own.


"Consular Operations."


Scipio's smile faltered. "Oh. Is that wise?"


"Wise? Yes. Do I like it? No." Gomorran looked out at the landscape.


"Innocence lost, Gomorran. That is what it means."


"It means having honest Capricians taking part in a dirty business that gives little by way of appreciation except the knowledge that Capricia remains safer for their efforts. That is what the invasion did to us.."

"And if the invaders come back?" Scipio asked. "I will look for them, but realistically, finding them will be very hard."

"I know, Scipio. Just do your best with this, as with everything else. That is all I can ask."

"And if the invaders do come back?"

Gomorran did not respond.[/i]




<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "....we go to Capricia...."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The reports came in slowly but soon the tentacles of Consular Operations branched out into areas that even the map makers never knew existed.


The men and women who comprised the small, compartmentalized group of agents trained rigorously on the Oberth for months before being released.

Some died.


Some didn't.

Whatever the case, Capricia's knowledge of their neighbors increased.

With each step into the world of actions too covert to talk about, of actions so unthinkable to find comfortable sleep at night, Scipio felt a little bit of her idealism die.


Coming into contact with so many slick ambassadors, two faced dignitaries, half truths and outright lies, she felt herself hardening with time.

She learned the art of manipulation, learning to give and take when the situation warranted it to get what she wanted.. What Capricia wanted.


It was sometimes a shock to know what went on behind the scenes to keep their simple planet safe from the horrors that existed elsewhere.

Sometimes the work overwhelmed her.


and that made her sad...


For she liked who she was... not what she was slowly becoming.

She was an anchor holding the great ship of Capricia from drifting, but slowly, the mire was covering her.


She saw the underside of Capricia, for every planet held one. Altruistic motives alone did not reign on her beloved planet and learning of specific instances caused her sometimes to lose heart.

Ministry of State.


Keepers of Security. Both internal and external.


Scipio Clan.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


So, what good was she when these aliens could simply come back and tear into her planet? Her planet!?


The horror of Minos brought home the visciousness of these aliens.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Scipio, how many facades can you continue putting up until you are truly overwhelmed?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


It was a constant battle everyday between her mind and heart. Her heart refusing to believe the worst in people, her heart struggling to maintain the shreds of ideals that she believed in so strongly at one point. Her mind cynically glossing everything over with higher criticism, with the skepticism of harsh logic. It frightened her how utterly ruthless reason itself could be.

So when she maneuvered events with the Syndicate tactician Cronus, she knew it was for moments like that which past...


For moments, when her agents, when her operatives would say a word trusting that she would take it at face value.


Joine needed only one word to get through to her...


"Capricia."


She had the purpose, she had Adalric backed into a corner and the moment had come to use that harsh experience which this galaxy had thrust upon her time and time again.


Nothing changed.

Nothing could change it.

Her mind was resolved and made up.

The reasoning made sense.

The maneuvering made sense.

The assets were at hand.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> So what happened?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Upon reaching the bridge, everything fell apart, the cold logic and reasoning of the mind, the higher criticism and cynical detachment crumbed to dust before something more imminently powerful.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The truth.


The truth happened.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


And the truth was, Capricia was not the only one deserving of rescue. The truth was, it simply was not fair to those who had risked their own lives, their own existence to aid her.


She looked at Achinta and her heart lept within her chest. Cronus had forced her hand, with the explanation that his ship would not make it there in time with the blockade.

The gleam in his eyes told her enough to realize that she was still a novice in the game of State vs. State.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What would he have thought of us if I had not given in and pushed forward to Capricia?


What would Achinta have thought if he ever did realize it?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


And she found that what he thought mattered more to her than Adalric's cynicism.

Her heart screamed within her...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I WILL BE DAMNED IF CAPRICIA IS SAVED AT THE EXPENSE OF BETRAYING EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What good is Capricia living if it becomes that which we despise the most?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Leantre had said something similar to Gomorran when he became Regent.

"There is a balance between the necessities of the state and the conscious of our world. Measure it constantly for sometimes that balance is stretched and sometimes that balance is shortened. But, my Regent, take to heart this... That balance is never to be crossed. Or we are all lost before we begin."


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> That balance is never crossed!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


She felt liberated. She felt satisfied with her choice, her heart leaping for joy as she gave Achinta not only what was naturally his, but that which was his by right. His right to choose.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Forgive me Gomorran...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Her heart had won, and with whatever happened, she knew her decision to be right.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It's not often one feels good about such a decision.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Her eyes drifted as the decision was passed to Achinta....

..and he chose..


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "....we go to Capricia...."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


As his words registered within her mind, her eyes watered.

She looked up at him with a mixture of gratitude, questions, and something else unidentifiable.

Her cynicism, her criticisms, the despair and pessimism was washed away at that moment with a simple Caprician proverb passed down the ages.

Sometimes a cliche...

Sometimes.. a reality.


Her tears trailed down her cheeks.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ..and the truth shall set you free...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Former Yuuzhan Vong Religious Command Ship..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Wails and moans surrounded the figure as he groped through the darkness, his arm hanging limp at his side.


The pain did not cloud his mind as he continued through level after level, broken yorik coral scattered everywhere.

Slick, sticky liquid was felt on different parts of the person's body leaving a trail behind.


Sliding down a hole in the floor, as yorik coral had dropped from under him.

He found his destination, slowly as his hand felt the scars on the walls.

Entering the room, he saw his creations smashed, crushed with very things that were supposed to protect him.


The attack on Minos seemed to be a fool's errand before and his mind bitterly at the fruit of Yun-Harla's laughter.

A mockery he was.

Will did indeed triumph over Doctrine.

What good was faith, if faith proved useless.

Were the god's protecting these savage infidels? And if so, why?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"WHY!" his voice echoed in the darkness around him.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The stench of the death crashed in as the infidels in the surrounding rooms were smashed into paste.


He looked down at a fallen wall and noticed that it didn't seem quite right.

It seemed.. higher.

The creature pushed himself over to satisfy his curiosity when he noticed there was something.. someone under the wall.

The person knelt down realizing the wall was floating a few feet off the floor.

When he put his head down, he saw a young Caprician boy... or what used to be one, from the tattered remains of his Minos jumpsuit.

The boy was concentrating on the piece of wall, preventing it from smashing down on him.


The Yuuzhan Vong smiled.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The gods are merciful with their servant's quest. The gods were merely impatient. Doctrine stands.

"Your time for sacrifice is not yet, little one."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I'm alive...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The first sensation that allowed Leia to draw the conclusion that her body was still in living and working order was the one that she had become the most accustomed to feeling, as it now seemed a permanent part of her existence: pain.

Yet the pain was different now, she could feel the difference. It was the pain of healing. Her entire body ached, her wrists throbbed, her face felt swollen and also throbbed, and there were numerous other complaints. But Leia found she felt better now than she had in quite some time, even despite the lingering fatigue she felt.

She did not open her eyes, but instead kept them closed and opted to let the soft, warm bed she was in cradle and comfort her. Maybe she would just go back to sleep...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> This is soooo nice...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

And then she became aware of a constant sound, that she identified at first as a drone. But as she listened to it more attentively for a few moments, she realized it was a voice, a young female voice, and she was talking. Only after a few moments more of listening did Leia realize the young girl was talking to <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> her<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->.

Intrigued, Leia cracked open her right eye cautiously, so as not to be blinded by any bright lights. She found the lights in whatever room she was in were dim, and she gazed around at her surroundings through a half lidded eye.

On her right was an empty chair, and nothing else worthy of much interest. She found her right arm was above the blanket she was covered in, and she looked at it curiously, remembering what had happened to it. Her hand and wrist were bound in bacta bandages as she had expected, but the rest of her arm was wrapped in white guaze all the way up her arm, until it dissapeared under the sleeve of her short sleeve shirt. Leia could not think of any particular instance that would have caused any reason to have to put that there, and, perplexed, she allowed her gaze to keep wandering. She found her left arm was also above the blanket, and what she saw startled her. Her left hand and wrist were also bound in a bacta bandage, but the entire rest of her arm was set in a splint, as if it had been broken. Leia made a confused face at it, not remembering.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Now where could this have happened? When? Why?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The talking had stopped, and Leia now heard the shuffling of little feet moving closer to her bedside. She allowed her gaze to track the rest of the way to the left, where it landed on a young girl. The girl smiled shyly and clutched a doll(if it could even be called that) tighty.

Despite an apparent assault of bashfulness, the girl finally beamed at Leia and began talking again.

"I'm glad you're awake, you've been asleep for a reeeaaally looong time."

The girl nodded solemnly as she spoke, and laid a hand lightly on the side of the bed.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> She knows me... but who is she, and why is she here?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia never had to ask, the girl just kept on talking.

"I'm Nerys, and I'm supposed to make sure umm... that you keep comfortable."

The girl said the last phrase so dutifully and seriously that Leia couldn't help but smile. The change in expression hurt the swollen half of her face, but she found she could not neutralize her expression, and so she simply grit her teeth.

The girl reminded Leia of the boy... she glanced down at her broken arm again, drawing another blank in her memory, but somehow knowing that the injury and the boy were connected in some way.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I wonder what happened to him? If he lived, too?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The hints of a frown flickered across Leia's face, but she managed to keep them from her expression as she thought of some way to address the girl.

"I'm glad you're here to keep track of me, Nerys."

Leia's voice was rough, and she realized her throat was intolerably dry. She also had the beginnings of a splitting headache. Her gaze centered on the girl once more.

"Well, since you're here to take care of me, do you think you could find an attendant?"

The girl looked slightly dissapointed that she had to go get someone else to apparently do for Leia what she couldn't, but nevertheless started to turn to go and complete the chore. But Leia quickly added onto her sentence.

"...just tell them to fetch you some water and an ice pack, so you can do your uh, duty, I guess."

Leia smiled weakly at the girl, who departed to complete the chore with a skip in her step.

Now alone with a few minutes of quiet on her hands, Leia closed her eyes to rest and her thoughts drifted to other things... like where the hell she was, and just how she had gotten here...

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Capricia..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



As far as the eye could see, creatures of every sort making their way North. Hundreds of Chazrach warriors goading the lumbering creatures of Yuuzhan Vong creation onward. They paid no mind to anything in their way, devouring, crushing, destroying that which stood in opposition to their singular goal.


They could smell victory imminent. Their attack of this system in it's final stages. The crushing of the last of Capricia's resistance.

That bastion of security known as the Highlands.



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Yuuzhan Vong had succeeded in cutting off Capricia from the rest of the galaxy. They had overwhelmed the small colony of Minos destroying everyone. They had destroyed Tirus with their unleashing of a deadly pathogen.


They had leveled all of Capricia's major cities, removed the threat of their planetary defenses, reduced their fleet to nothing.


By all counts, the Yuuzhan Vong could consider Capricia theirs. They only need send a signal bringing the rest of the Yuuzhan Vong, those that would occupy the system.


But their goal wasn't occupation.


It was irradication.


And as long as one Caprician survived, their work here would not be complete.



Irradication was not the original goal of these invaders when they first came to Capricia five years ago.


A minor force had located a minor planet and this force was simply doing it's part to reduce possible threats to the invasion proper conducted within this galaxy that they believed their god's have given into their hands.

The Yuuzhan Vong did not do this blindly. They did not wage war simply on the strength of faith, for (as is the adage of most religions), "The gods help those that help themselves."


When faced with the unknown, the Yuuzhan Vong would step back, study, evaluate weakness and push forward eliminating the threat.


They felt they had gotten a lay of the land with their spies situated throughout the galaxy. It was different with Capricians.


Even a study of their history would show nothing remarkable about this people. A petty, insignificant world with minimal presence in the Old Republic, ignored by the Empire, and left to obscurity in the years that followed during the Rise of Factions and the galaxy's splintering.

History, though, was written by the victor. Caprician history, as Tallien Yzan would find out in the first invasion, had lied to them.

An ability, not unlike those of the force users, had revealed itself. It was sporadic and though the Capricians did not seem to know about is, Tallien felt it wise to withdraw and study the phenomena.

Indeed the Capricians did not know about their latent abilities...for they, as a people, were several thousand years removed from their use.

Tallien felt that these abilities could be harnessed through the Yuuzhan Vong biotechnology as a weapon to further their designs with the galaxy they were to claim.

The Warmaster allowed Tallien the chance but was not interested in occupying the nondescript system. Capricia was to be completely irradicated.


Which brings the story down the the last few moments the defending Capricians and their allies had to attempt a reversal of their fortunes.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Such reversals would not come easy.




"Frell!" shouted Tyscio Korban as the creatures began to take note of the magnetic train's presence.


The machine drove the creatures into a frenzy as Chazrach and Yuuzhan Vong shouted in outrage at it's oncoming charge.


"PUNCH IT!" shouted Tyscio as he gripped the shoulder of the Engineer. The rail began to increase in speed and those armed onboard began to take up positions near the windows, ushering civilians to keep low.


Durasteel armor impacted against carapace and flesh.


"KEEP GOING!"




****


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE CENTER START-->

ZERO HOUR

<!--EZCODE CENTER END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



"Brienna! Brienna, come here!" shouted Crystilla. The frustrated mother started across the yard, the rest of her family gathered into a living room listening to the signals coming in over the receiver.

Things looked bad for Capricia and yet despite the war, children were still children.

Crystilla knew her daughter liked to play with the Kruken, animals raised for their meat among other things. Small Kruken were downright gentle, not to mention playful enough to keep Caprician farm children busy.

"Brienna!"

Crystilla marched into their barn intent on the Kruken pen. She walked into the pen and found her daughter lying in the mud nuzzled up to a small Kruken, one hand draped over the small creature.

Crystilla exhaled angrily.

"I thought I told you to stay out of the mud when it's dinner time!"

Crystilla put her hand on Brienna's shoulder and the girl fell to one side limp.

Panic immediately shot through Crystilla as her mind processed what she was seeing. Brienna's eyes, though open, seemed lifeless. Her cheeks were stained with mud and streaks of blood that outlined her eyes like a red eyeshadow. Patches of hair fell away revealing large red sores.

The mother shrieked her daughter's name taking a step back frightening the Kruken.

Stumbling out of the barn, she ran to the house calling for her husband. Bursting into the house, she ran to the living room only to find her husband weeping over his sons. Both boys were dead and she saw blood beginning to drip from her husband's eyes.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It.. it was only for a minute..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"I.. I'm calling a doctor.." she stumbled out almost incoherently. She did not wait for a response and as she turned to their private communications unit, she felt a sudden rush to her head causing dizziness and a loss of equilibrium. She stumbled and fell, the pain feeling as if she had dropped two stories.

Pain suddenly shot through her body as it felt like her blood was starting to boil. She blinked several times as her vision began to dim. Before it failed completely, she noticed large lesions forming on her outstretched arms, as if something were growing out from her skin at a rapid rate.

A stray memory came to her about hearing of an alien pathogen that was infecting people in the larger cities.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Why weren't we warned?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> her mind wailed and before consciousness slipped completely, she heard the baby cry out from it's room.






<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> A few kilometers away, the Regional Emergency Medical Response Facility lay silent. It's halls littered with the forms of both patients and personnel sprawlled out in various stages of fear and panic. Their attempt to escape the sudden onslaught of an invisible, microscopic enemy and proven frutile. It's monitors continued to beep and spit forth data during the day....


..data that would never be seen.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



The Leveller of Empires had awoken in force.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Orron III<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



Kaneda cursed loudly in one of the many unfathomable alien dialects he was able to speak, after being sent slamming into the hull of the shuttle by the force of the turbolaser barrage. As the Vinda-Corp bombers zeroed-in to take out the turbolaser threat, one of the guards shouted and pointed them out. Kaneda simply breathed a sigh of relief , and patted one of the men on the back ,mouthing the words <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "thank you"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> at the same time.

Picking his way into the cockpit, Kaneda spoke to the pilot...

"...Bombers?.."

The pilot nodded...

"..Yes , we have an atack fleet holding just outside the system, I guess they've started attacking....

(he glanced up to Kaneda, smiling wryly)

...with good timing from what I could see..."

Kaneda returned the smile, taking a seat next to the Pilot..

"...you could say that...things were starting to get...<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> complicated<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->..."

The Pilot simply laughed at this comment..
Kaneda, retrieved his small lap-top computer from his backpack and interfaced it into the shuttles computer , via the scomp access. As he did, the Pilot watched the Vinda-Corp agent with an intense curiousity...
In a pre-emptive answer to a question he could sense coming, Kaneda explained what he was doing...

"...I am both backing up, and transmitting certain files, should something happen, hopefully they could be retrieved from the ships computer...."

(he flashed a grin)

"<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...just in case...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->..."

Once he finished, Kaneda turned to face the Pilot, direct..

"..thanks for the timely intervention....<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I shall not forget it..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->...I must see your commanding officer immediately, there is something vital I must speak to him about..."

As the Pilot nodded firmly, kaneda's thoughts drifted to the bigger picture, whilst he absently watched from inside the shuttle's progress climbing into and out of the Planet's atmosphere...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...so... we are retaliating... this must mean the CSA did indeed attack...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

His fingers drummed on top of the Small black computer resting on his lap, and he glanced down at the progress bar, as the hundreds of files he had risked his life to get transferred into the ships computer, and to the waiting Vinda-Corp fleets...


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...interesting...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Roonadan<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Varleen City<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Yana watched Andersan with increased suspicion , after what felt like each step they took, there was something about him that wasn't right, he wasn't telling the whole story, that much was clear.... but whose side was he really on?...

...it was then she realised, in all her time at Vinda-Corp, she did not recall ever seeing him there...which was....<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> odd<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Was he really trying to talk to VC-HQ?...

..or had he got something else up his sleeve?..

..these were obviously the same questions that were facing Miles, and it was clear he no longer trusted him, after all , a lot was at risk...They had all decided to carry on ahead, despite Andersan's unwillingness to offer any enlightenment...

A sudden wave of guilt came over Yana as she watched the two of them walk forward, Miles was so trusting, he had given her a second chance.... and she couldn't help but wonder just how many times he had been let down in the past...

As the troupe gathered near the perimeter wall of the building they had targetted , Torm signalled to everyone to stay put while he and one other performed a quick reconn by the huge gates to the buildings yard.

As Torm disappeared for a moment, Yana could feel her heart in her mouth, as everyone waited patiently for the all clear, as he returned , a small smile had crept on his face...

The next few seconds seemed to happen all in slow-motion..

....just as Torm was about to speak, Yana caught a glimpse of something in his eyes...and her brow furrowed out of confusion as she watched his same smile distort into an expression of panic...

...as she turned to follow his gaze, she quickly learned why...

...Yana once more found herself in the middle of utter bedlam, as what seemed like an entire army of Espo's descended upon them all, as if from nowwhere ...

In all the shouting and flurry of moving bodies..she watched with shocked, as Torm's face changed to a painful grimace, as a bolt of laserfire ripped straight through his chest...

....In moments, they had been encircled, Yana could only stare...until one of the ambushers, spoke....

"...put your weapons down!...<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> NOW!<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->..."

The others glanced towards Miles, as if unsure about what to do, he simply responded with a nod, and the men dropped their weapons and raised their hands in the air.

As the Espo's cautiously collected their weapons, Yana watched as Miles cut a cold hard stare towards Andersan, who appeared to be just as confused as everyone else...


...Yana, unnoticed, hung her head a little....



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...I'm sorry Miles...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Bonadan<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Kyoto-Station Command<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



*Confident at the proceedings, Richter watched the Strategical display with an intensity he never realised he had, keeping track of all vessels both Vinda-Corp and CSA.
As he monitored every single advance, a Security Officer sidled beside him, baying for his attention. Slightly annoyed at the distraction, he acknowledged irritably...*

"..what is it?..."

"..Sir, there is something I need for you to see, it has me troubled..."

*Sensing the Officer's concern in his voice, Richter turned to face the man directly, focusing all his attention towards him, and followed him over to a security console. Switching a few buttons, the officer replayed the events of what had happened inside Vinda's office just after the Bomb attack, and after watching the footage Richter glanced at the him impatiently...*

"..well?...yes its the footage from Miss Okani's arrest..."

*The Security officer rewound and paused the footage onto a still of one of the Guards, Andersan...*

"...I have gone over all the records in our personnel files, and I can find no record of an Andersan , ever being an employee at Vinda-Corp....<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ever<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->..."

*Richter's eyes narrowed at the image on the screen and stared at the figure of Andersan, then turned to face the Officer, with a confused expression on his face....*

"...could there be some mistake..."

*The officer shook his head....*

"..not a chance, Mr Vinda himself oversee's all personnel that are employed, besides, not just anyone can have access to this floor!, its the highest security level in the building!..."

*Richter's eyes narrowed further... it made sense, now he thought about it, he hadn't recognised Andersan , and had certainly not seen him around Vc before, but in all the confusion he had overlooked this... inwardly he scolded himself for not noticing this before...(the officer continued...)*

"..and I have checked with all of the top ranking security personnel at Vinda-Corp and no-one recalls seeing him until just before the bombing..."

*As the officer spoke, Richter suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of dread come over him as he thought about the possibilities...*

"...but Miles took him along with the special op's sqaud!..."

*He turned to face the Officer, considerably alarmed*

"...if he isn't a member of Vinda-Corp , then just who the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Hell!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> is he!?.."

*The Officer turned to face Richter grimly...*

"..your guess is as good as mine , sir..."

*Deeply troubled , Richter's scowel deepened further...*

"..get me Miles on the comms!..."

*The Officer shook his head...*

"..thats just it sir, I've tried, but theres no reply, its like something is jamming communications from around Roonadan..."

*Richter stood there for a moment vexed...*

"..how could they be jamming comms if they don't know we're on Roonadan..."

*By the time Richter had finished the sentence, his voice had trailed off as a cold harsh reality dawned upon him, cursing loudly, he yelled at the Comms officer...*

"...COMMS!, PATCH ME THROUGH TO FIFTH FLEET ..NOW!..."

Roonadan

Varleen City

He had that damn bad feeling again, in the pit of his stomach. He tried to remain calm but that feeling just would not go away. Something was going on, or about to go on, anyway.

He had not even bothered to communicate with Andersan nor Yana as they walked. His vision was centered on Andersan for the most part, and the stares that he was giving
Andersan pretty much gave way all of what he did not say.

Andersan had seemed so different before they all had left VC headquarters. Miles thoughts seemed to wander to why he had never seen Andersan before until he crossed paths with Yana. Miles knew a lot more about Vinda Corp than he was supposed to. The diplomat had not planned to know more than what he was supposed to, it just turned out that way. He was just supposed to be a diplomat, but with Mr. Vinda away, Miles was doing far more than what he was supposed to be doing. How could he not though? Who else would have the nerve to do what Mr. Vinda himself, should have been doing? He was doing all of this for Mr. Vinda, even if he had no nerve to do any of it.

Sure Miles had taken matters into his own hands, knowing full well he had no idea what he was doing. Miles was quick though, observant. So maybe it did not matter that he had no idea what he was doing, maybe the people and the things that he could see before him were all that the diplomat needed to get by and get the job done.

His experience was also another thing. They still all thought he was just a diplomat...

Miles had already known...somehow...

So when the others glanced his way, the diplomat gave nothing more but a simple nod. Miles' eyes fell on Andersan, offering nothing but a cold hard stare. Miles had no idea whose side Andersan was on, but it did not much matter. He'd already found himself on Miles bad side, just for his attitude.


...I'm sorry Miles...

He could see Yana hanging her head even though he was not looking. He wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, but he could not reassure her, not yet.

Not as sorry as I am, Yana, not as sorry as I am....

No one had said a word, and Miles was glad for it. It didn't matter if anyone that was with Miles said anything, he could "hear" them. He didn't like that he could hear them. He'd been hearing people for a long time now, but he'd never done anything about it, he did not want to. What he heard would come and then go. Today, well today, those voices in his head seemed to want to overstay their welcome....

It was just another thing that Miles knew nothing about....