"Well" said Regrad "To sum up everything you asked about what I asked, I'm afraid an anti-alien or anti-none-Imperial puritan - which you've got to admit, the Empire possesses in fair numbers - getting control of the Empire, or at least of enough of it to cause havok. In fact, that fear is perhaps the biggest one in the galaxy amongst none-Imperials. We've dealt with our radicals and war-mongerers, and its' cost us a lot of blood, money, and dignity, but its' done. However I get the impression some of the more vocal Imperials, Groder Stu or Lupercus for example, might feel this is not enough.

"So I was trying to put in a tactful way, Mr. Kaine, are you indeed as moderate as you seem to appear to the rest of us, and what will you be doing to keep the less tolerant and understanding elements out? I've seen the Empire roused before, and I'd hate to face it again in my time, as it would be worse with a homicidal maniac in the lead.

"Sorry to seem a little impolite, Simon, but I have to ask. This is rather important, you know."

Aboard the ISD Victory...


To sum up everything you asked about what I asked, I'm afraid an anti-alien or anti-none-Imperial puritan - which you've got to admit, the Empire possesses in fair numbers - getting control of the Empire, or at least of enough of it to cause havok

The Grand Marshall smiled faintly at the words and eyed Regrad a bit ruefully, "I will say that it is hard to keep anti-alien biases to a minimum when we are being attacked by.." and his grin widened, "aliens."

His hands drummed the table, "There are elements within the New Order that
are more aggressive that others. There are those that do advocate a more hardlined approach to enemies or former enemies just as I am sure there are those in your faction as well. You must have racists as surely as we do. They are everywhere.

Where would we be if the more hardlined people of the Coalition were to be 'voted' into power, those hardliners that call us evil simply because we exist?

The sword you say I am balancing on cuts both ways. We all balance upon it."


..what will you be doing to keep the less tolerant and understanding elements out.


"I will say that I disagree with the Empire's use of slaves decades ago. It seemed...foolish, expensive and above all, impractical." Kaine sipped again from his glass, "Especially when we have criminals in our prisons that could do work in cleaning up communities. Why whip an alien because he's an alien to do work while criminals eat up tax money in jail?

And so, we no longer have slavery.

Aliens and humans alike are compensated for their share of work. We've tried to break the barriers that are used to separate the masses but one that will take time is the barrier between Citizen and Non-Citizen.

It means something to be called a Citizen of the Empire. Or, at least, it should."


Kaine's voice was the image of virtue and he said his words with conviction. It was easy sense he did tell the truth. He'd let the games of perception and subjectivity work themselves out.

"I will not say there are no problems. Everyone has them and we are no different. But we have learned from our mistakes."


His eyes glittered. "But you ask about me?"


"I really do not know what to say. I am a soldier and have known a soldier's life for many years. When at peace, I will use my powers to maintain the security, maintain the order, maintain the peace as best I can."

Then his eyes hardened for a second, "But if war should come to the Empire, I must do a soldier's duty and crush those that would otherwise kill us. I will be hard. I will be as coldly efficient as I can in the execution of my wrath.. and I will be as brutal as I can to crush our enemy's war-making capabilities, our enemy's desire to continue to fight."

He sighed. "It is not a task I relish. I do not desire any of my men to die for another's animosity towards us... and if they should, in fact, die, I will ensure that my price for their life is exacting in the most harshest of ways."


He looked at Regrad with an almost melancholy sadness. "I'd image you would do the same in the defense of your homes, wives, children and ways of life."

The Past..


Prior to The Empire Strikes Back Campaign..






"Sir, the fleet reports it will be ready within the hour." Captain Chandler interrupted and General Kaine turned to the rather tall and thin man before him.


"Captain. I do believe you are turning gray." he commented making the 256th's former Top Pilot run a hand through his hair in a self-concious gesture.


"Very well." he suddenly sighed.


All he had were suspicions and thin slivers of reasoning at that. There was nothing to support conclusively one suspicion over another.


"Ready my shuttle. I wish to look at this ceremony of the people before I blow them to hell.." he murmured, turning his back on the holographic map before him.


"Ideas?" the Captain asked out of more than idle curiosity. The fleet was anxious to get in on the action the Empire was gearing up for.


The General smiled grimly at his Captain's enthusiasm. "Never ally yourself with someone who thinks linear."


"Sir?"


"It will be their undoing." and the General walked out, his gloved hands clasped behind his back.


The wind had grown a bit cool and Kaine's leathery overcoat flapped in the wind as wisps of fog were revealed with each breath he took.


The Captain looked at the table where the map was being viewed noticing that some papers had shuffled in the rush of air that entered as the General left the building.


On top, linking Kaine's unspoken thoughts with the future, was a simple holonet news broadcast sheet....




Closing of Hyperlanes Notice

From henceforth all hyperlanes in and out of the planet of Despayre-the Rogue Imperial Capital planet-are hereby closed. The only remaining one to actually jump in and out of the planet with is by route of the Royal Hyperlane of Parlia.

Instructions

To reach Despayre from here out you must first travel to the planet Averam. From the planet Averam a nav buoy will indicate you to Togoria. From Togoria another nav buoy will lead you to Chandrila. Finally from one more route in Chandrila you may enter the Rogue Imperial capital of Despayre.

Again, all roads in and out other than this have been closed and made impossible to access. One must go through these roads to properly arrive at the planet.
[font=Arial][/font]
-Taken from the Propaganda Forum...

Regrad shrugged "I guess you have a point. Still, I think my concerns are legitimate. You're a patriotic man, I respect that, but try and meet me half-way on this. I can't speak for all nations in the galaxy, but the well-being of the Empire has, in these recent times, become the most important factor in survival of us other nations. If extreemist radical warmongers wormed their way back into the New Coalition - and I'm doing my best to keep them out - and then took power, this does not spell doom on that much of a grand scale. While your New Order, which to be honest seems to contain many patriotic-but-misguided types, could turn into a conquest-mad, killing-machine that would succeed at its' endeavours.

"Your views about protecting your nation and your way of life are commendable, and the means which you employ to attain your goals, tolerable. But there are others, you can probably think of a few, whose plans are... less so. I want to help, stability for the Empire means stability all around.

"This isn't a press-conference, and I'm also fairly sure your colleagues arn't listening at the door. Tell me, are you confident of the Empire's unity? If not, then things have to be done."

Simon Kaine looked at the Azguardian High Lord and knew that the simple manner these aliens usually extol hide a shrewdness that broke through at odd times.

He relented out of curiosity. "Not in the way you view unity, no. I am not confident for you see, there is a flaw in the New Order's progression towards power. And while the fraying of the Empire's unity would take quite a bit, should it happen there is nothing in place to prevent a complete and total breakdown as before. In short, we have no checks and balances."


He stared at Regrad's reaction. "And that, my friend, is why I am acting. That is what I intend to change. All our programs for our citizens mean nothing if we cannot ensure the stability of our way of life, of our military and of our government.

Tell me Regrad, do your people have these checks and balances?"

Regrad seemed to lose focus momentarily, but returned quickly "Oh sure" he said "The system of government we're creating makes sure that no one part of the government becomes too powerful as to take control of the rest. I imagine you couldn't do that with an Empire.

"And of course, it helps that we just had a civil war. That's the sort of thing that splits people down the idealogical line. Our more corrupt, abusive, and dangerous government officials are all dead or arrested. Plus every planet has a number of responsibilities including their own military, so even if a planetary government extended its' power over its' neighbours, the rest of the Coalition and the House could dissuade that and return the balance.

"Plus there's the gods, and we've been trying to promote a society of freedom and equality for freedom and equalitys' sake, which is nice when you think about it." he gave a fairly meaningful look to Simon. "Most of the New Coalition thats' still with us from the last war fought you because we thought we'd be liberating people. I'm hoping we were wrong and there is no need for that, right?"

Utropollus Major, Present Day

“Frak, see if you can track down Caas Dom’or’s comm signal.”

Sam sprawled in her pilot’s chair, one leg over the right arm, her voice muffled by her hand rubbing her face. She was exhausted, having slept very little on the journey from Bakura – and indeed, very little in the past few months, period – and she didn’t want to spend any more time on this planet than she absolutely had to. If possible, she would simply contact Dom’or from orbit and make him transfer the money electronically. The cyborg she’d encountered on Bakura had been true to his word, and as soon as the money had entered the dummy account she’d set up for the job, the smuggler had immediately transferred it through several other channels before finally depositing it safely into her personal account in the Corporate Sector.

Now for the rest of the payment.

After several moments, the light blue and grey astromech swiveled his dome around to his creator and beeped a series of low clicks.

Sam sighed loudly, running her fingers through her short hair and kicking the control panel, which caused Frak to chirp loudly in protest. “Figures.” Ignoring her droid, she lowered her leg back to the ground and leaned forward to begin the landing procedure she knew by rote now for air traffic on Utropollus. “Keep trying.”

Landing without incident in her usual platform near the detention facility, Sam found herself increasingly frustrated with the flustered reception she received from the administrators. No, they hadn’t seen Dom’or or even heard of him. No, they didn’t expect anyone with that name any time soon. No, they didn’t know anything about any sort of payment. No, you may not draw your weapon in here.

“I knew it!” she shouted into the air just outside the facility, where she’d been forcefully ejected after causing a scene in their conference room in the middle of a meeting. For the blonde smuggler, shouting was a rarity; to say that she was annoyed would be an understatement. Livid, she stood there on the pristine duracrete steps, her fists clenched so tightly that her fingernails began cutting into the flesh of her palms, and fighting the urge to draw her blaster and shoot something. Anything. Maybe even the next person who looked at her quizzically, wondering why that blonde was making a scene. First rule: payment up front. Idiot.

Forcing her jaw to loosen, she reached into her pocket for a stimpack – her second in as many hours – and injected it directly into her neck as she had taken to doing. Faster that way. Dropping the empty tube to the pavement, she strode down the steps and found a public holonet terminal, never noticing the dark wispy cloud passing by overhead, carried lazily along by the wind.

COMPNOR Headquarters
Imperial Center

Director Molave sat quietly within his office, a cup of stim tea simmered on its serving dish as the white mustached, white uniformed Director of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order read over a number of reports. It was a menial duty that he was used to but he was nearing a section of reports that always made his stomach turn. He turned the report page and the black and silver emblem of the Imperial Security Bureau came into sight. The ISB had given Molave the shivers during the reign of Palpatine and now they simply disgusted him even if they were under his control. The vile Commodore Trachta had taken it upon himself to rebuild the insidious organization which more or less had given COMPNOR its foundation of power. From there, bureacracy took over and the massive organization began to literally rise from the dead and Molave had been selected to manage it all due to his merit as an efficient bureaucrat.

Who would think these monsters could be allowed such free reign?

That question rang through the Director's head as he read over the reports of so called reeducation efforts but the ISB with certain trouble makers. It was all practically brainwashing and conditioning when they didn't simply torture the poor souls to death. The cybernetic Trachta had certainly brought the ISB back with a vengence. Agent indoctrination and training was almost twice that of the original ISB since Trachta had an entire portion of the Empire under his direct influence where he could further the efforts and operations of the ISB as it now began to vie for power and influence with Imperial Intelligence and Ysanne Isard.

Another shiver ran up Molave's back at the thought of Ice Heart. She was a power hungry, back stabbing rancor of a woman with no morals whatsoever. It was obvious that when someone as cold and methodical as Trachta entered the scene they would begin a power struggle within the Empire's Intelligence operations. The ISB dominated internal security currently, though it had some successful operations outside of the Empire. The ISB also helped to serve as the Empire's Military Intelligence while Imperial Intelligence remained a strictly in the civilian branch of the Galactic Empire. Isard though was rumored to have the Regent's ear on most situtions which left Trachta little ground in that area. It disgusted Molave that he had someone like Trachta under his administration.

Then again, Trachta himself simply disgusted Molave. The cybernetic Commodore was heartless to the point of matching Ysanne Isard. Some people even jokingly said he was a droid who had just grafted skin onto his frame. Molave would find that believable if not for the fact that the constant breathing of Trachta's respirator had not continually reminded him of Darth Vader. Molave had never actually met Lord Vader but he had been in his presence enough to know the sound which Trachta now created in Vader's place. If that wasn't enough, Trachta's glowing red photoreceptors had a very piercing feature to them which only made his pale, black clad figure even more intimidating. For these things, Molave despised Trachta. He despised how he looked, how he acted, and how he breathed. He was a monstrosity slowly rising in the Empire that had to be stopped somehow.

The last thing we need is some merciless maniac running amuck with one of the most deeply embedded organizations in the Empire.

As Molave placed the folder down and reached for his cup of stim tea, his door chimed. Molave pressed a button to open it and watched as a man in a black uniform and large build walked in. Molave immediately recognized the man as Trachta's crony, Captain Rhom. He now looked on with irritation before reaching for his stim tea again and grabbing it this time. He slowly sipped from it, letting the rich tea swirl in his mouth for a moment before swallowing and speaking.

"Well, what is it? I take it Commodore Trachta wants something?" Molave demanded coldly as he regarded the former stormtrooper.

Rhom shook his head quietly for a moment before checking the door was locked and then sitting down at the desk and looking around nervously. It was an odd sight to see someone like Rhom be so afraid, but then he realized that Trachta must not have sent him. Stepping out of line most likely terrified ISB agents witless with the brutality dolled out by their deranged Director.

"I fear for what Commodore Trachta is making plans to remove you from control of COMPNOR. I've heard him rant about how much of a fool he thinks you. He has spoken of retiring you..."

"Retiring me? That doesn't sound so bad," Molave retorted.

"You misunderstand, sir; When we say retire in the ISB, we mean eliminate. Trachta is tiring of you, he is preparing to make his move and take complete control of COMPNOR. It will be a bloodless coup, minus your own death. Trachta is careful not to draw the gaze of those who might view him as a threat to their power such as the Regent or the Grand Marshal. He intends on placing the ISB at the head of it all," Rhom said now with cold determination.

"But that would place the ISB in charge of the Empire's major recruitment and indoctrination efforst. He'd have as much power as Ysanne Isard," Molave said with shock and disgust as he realized just how powerful Trachta's ambitions were.

"Yes, if Trachta succeeds, he could even gain influence over a number of other Imperial officials. Its disturbing, but he's making a real powerplay this time. His quiet machinations have been leading up to something like this. Its no surprise that he has used the Mechis Cluster to bolster the ISB's resources. Imagine what he may do if all of COMPNOR falls into iron grip," Rhom said in a disturbed tone.

Molave didn't need to imagine what would happen if Trachta took over. There would be black clad ISB agents everywhere. Even now, that was a close reality with at least one agent on almost every Imperial vessel. If Trachta could push it further, the ISB might begin to build its own military element within the Empire. It was a horrible thought but now something else occured to Molave as he looked at Rhom.

"Why are you telling me this? I know you're Trachta's second-in-command. You would easily gain from this operation," Molave said suspiciously.

"Because I'm an Imperial first and and an ISB agent second. I value the safety of the entire of the Empire over the ambitions of a single deranged madman. Trachta must be stopped but we must move quietly. Trachta is not stupid, no one who could rebuild an entire organization of the Empire could be. I suggest using outside agents to eliminate him. It leaves us all free of any implication and the assassin is likely to be shot before questioning, if you get my drift?" Rhom said with a raised eyebrow.

"I do indeed," Molave said gravely as he reached into his desk and pulled forth a datapad.

Rhom watched quietly for several moments as Molave entered some information onto the datapad and then passed it over to him. Rhom looked down and realized that it was a credit account with the Bank of the Empire. It was an unmarked account also and the amount in it was enourmous. Rhom looked up at Molave.

"Thats quite a sum of money even the Director of COMPNOR," Rhom said conspiratorily.

"Thats probably because I've been quielty embezzling a retirement fund for myself when I finally decided to quit this miserable job. Now it can be used to pay the assassin to remove this growing threat within the Empire," Molave said coldly.

"Yes, it will definately be used for a good cause," Rhom said cooly as he stood up. "You need not worry on details. I'll take care of everything from here. Trachta will very soon be dead."

Molave merely gave a determined nodd and turned his chair towards the window of his office. He looked out into the cityscape of Imperial Center and sighed. Internal politics disgusted him to no end, but it was better to strike Trachta before the cybernetic commodore struck him. Very slowly the gears of this conspiracy were turning.

Imperial Center Cityscape

Outside of the large and intimidating headquarters of the Imperial Security Bureau, traffic moved along as usual. However, if one were to look up to the topmost levels, they would see a pair of glowing red lights shining out from the darkness of an unlit office. Commodore Trachta stared out into the ordered chaos of Imperial Center and merely chuckled. He would soon be rid of Director Molave and then he and the ISB would ascend to the head of COMPNOR. Trachta would rule it as he had with all else, an iron fist. Then he could begin to dig his claws into other parts of the Empire

Yes, soon I will have as much power as Ysanne Isard, if not more

Trachta raised his hand and closed it slowly into a fist. The whirring of servomotors throughout the entire reaction reminded him of just how much of his body was composed of machinery. It was all a constant reminder of his mortality, though old age was never likely to take him now. His mechincal parts would never weaken like flesh and bone which left him in quite a position once he took complete control of COMPNOR.

As Trachta drifted in thought, the door to his office slid open and a figure walked in. Trachta didn't not even turn around as he spoke.

"Well?"

"Phase one is complete and the droid is ready," the figure replied calmly.

"Excellent," Trachta said and let out a low, cruel chuckle which came out sounding even crueler in Trachta's usual cold, mechanical tone generated by his vocalizer.

The Past..



Simon Kaine sat thoughtfully on the bridge of K-102, one of the Empire’s newest fast attack craft dubbed: The Shroud, due to it’s cloaking capabilities.


The planet before him spun lazily and the Imperial General wondered just how many spins the people had left. Grand Admiral Hyfe had ordered their complete destruction and normally Kaine would have no problems carrying out the wishes of his friend but there was something odd about this decision.


Why destroy these people after having two of the Empire’s largest fleets in orbit and having the General set up accelerated training classes on Imperial Law and Military Procedures?


After all that, Daemon wants it all washed away.


But after what he’d seen at the inhabitant’s Pre’Tak ceremony, Hyfe’s reaction began to make sense.


He looked at his fellow leaders within the 256th’s command structure, Captain Chandler and Colonel’s Sveli and Quinn and was pulled out of his slight reverie.


“The object simply floated?” Colonel Quinn asked. “Like they were Jedi?”


“They can’t be Jedi..” Captain Chandler interrupted, “There is nothing familiar about their society. There is no record of the Order reaching this far out from Coruscant. I mean we are in the middle of nowhere of the Unknown Regions.”


“Outbound Flight?” Colonel Sveli brought up his fingers playing with his mustache.


“Not every strange thing in the Unknown Regions can be attributed to Outbound Flight. They were Jedi, not miracle workers, for Emperor’s sake.” Simon said a little exasperatedly. “Probably an independent development. In any event, it does not answer the question regarding these people’s extermination order.”


“You think that the Grand Admiral desired to harness the abilities of these people…and then decided against it?”


Kaine looked at Captain Chandler, “A very distinct possibility.”


“But what possible use could it be to have these abilities harnessed? Does he expect the Jedi to rise up?” Colonel Quinn countered.


“Do we not have inquisitors or perhaps the occasion Sith with the Naboo Sith Order to counter Jedi?” Sveli fired back.


“The Jedi are not strong enough to impose their use of the force on us. That is why Searthen Jiren, Xylon Hexyra, Luke Skywalker and his sister use the machinations of their precious New Republic to deal with the Empire.” Simon said quietly.


Chandler called to light the implications, “So if not for external threats, Hyfe would use these people against internal ones?”

“The Regent?”

And Kaine looked at Colonel Sveli feeling that the 256th leader had hit the situation square on the head.


“The Regent.” He confirmed.


Darth Exceron. Our silent Regent.


And Isard commands everything going into and leaving.


What if ..?


What if the Isard was actually the one running the government like the Triumvirate suspected?


Was this a military operation to the future deposing of Darth Exceron or was this a singular individual move?


Hyfe, what game are you playing?



"So do we destroy these people?"


"I am disinclined too.." Kaine murmured and the rest of the command of the 256th inhaled as the other shoe dropped.


"You think he will come back?"


Kaine turned to Chandler. "I am not sure, Ibren. It depends if this is merely military or if this is something personal to him."


"If it's personal, he'll be back or at the very least send a ship to confirm."

"Sir, we cannot evacuate that many people. Especially when Grand Admiral Zell expects us to be leaving soon for Muunillist for the hostilities against the Rogue Empire."

"Fearsons!" Sveli cursed. "Always interfering.."

"Quinn, make arrangements for our support ships to ready to make the jump to Muunillist. Ibren, bring the bulk cruisers forward to prepare for obital bombardment. Sveli, Bring the Shrouds in closer and have the fleet's engineering teams moved to the surface."


"What do you have in mind?" Chandler asked.


"Hyfe wants the planet struck, then we will strike it. The people can build a new settlement away from our strike zones."

"If Hyfe sends a ship, they will still..."

"We will keep the Shrouds in system. Begin having every ship's engineer remove the cloaking shield generator from their ships."


"You want to cloak the poeple?"


"It's the only resource and recourse open to us with the amount of time we have."


"Aye, sir."


"Let's be about it, gentlemen."

Prior to Empire Strikes Back Operation

SOG Meeting – Secure Holonet System
(Strategic Operations Group)






Grand Admiral Hyfe shouted at the group before him and Vice Admiral Drakiss’ mouth closed in grimace. “They have how many vessels!?”


The Intelligence Agent advising the SOG group cringed at the fury displayed.


“We are going to be pushing off to attack Fearson’s Death Star and now.. NOW you tell us that the Rogue Empire matches us ship for ship!?”


Grand Admiral Zell looked at Hyfe unaffected by the other man’s wrath. If Isard’s minions dropped the ball there was no way he wanted to intercede for them. Still, even news as grave as this did not deter the fact that Fearson’s station would go online soon. So he turned to Hyfe, “The attack on Fearson’s station will not only be carried out by yourself and Admiral Drakiss. We have contingents from the Galactic Defense Initiative as well as, ironically, a New Republic Fleet headed by Gash Jiren and several smaller fleets from associated factions.”


Daemon Hyfe scowled. “Of course, Zell, we are going to field more warships at Hoth than Fearsons has currently. That’s not the point! The point is that while we are busy engaged in a life and death struggle with a Death Star.. A DEATH STAR! and with whatever defense fleet he has, that leaves us with not that many ships, Kaine’s Sentinel Division and the defending Braxant Sector Fleet, to be on hand if anything get's out of hand! Those fleets combined are not strong enough to match anything should Fearsons decide to gamble and put the remainder of his forces into an attack against us! Our Alliance will be hard pressed to destroy a Death Star who’s weapon systems are operational or close too it AND …”


“But sending another division against The Rogue Empire would spell certain death for the division. Fearsons bottles his entire Fleet on Despayre and that scares the hell out of me.” General Ming interrupted. “In fact, all of our contingency plans on attacking Fearsons’ heart are both bloody, protracted and expensive. The operation ended up being too much trouble to be worth the effort.”


Zell's eyes shifted to the leader of the Naboo Sith Order, Darth Poreon, and briefly wondered what the Sith was making of all this.


He probably wants to do some bloodletting...


He continued to contemplate reflecting on Chau Ming's words as Hyfe once again joined the fray unable to contain himself.


“And if we hold Kaine’s 256th back with Braxant… and IF Fearsons unleashes his fleet from his fortress capitals to Hoth, he will flank us hammering our forces against the Death Star’s anvil.” Hyfe started.


“..and the 256th will not be in a position to come to our aide.” Zell concluded putting the puzzle together.


“I still vote we go forward.” Admiral Drakiss stated flatly. “We will have the best operational officers any faction can field on station.”


“But will we have any operational warships to place them in?” Poreon countered, speaking for the first time, drawing another scowl from Hyfe.


“I don’t like…”


“..don’t like what?” Kaine’s voice interrupted. He was able to open his link to their encrypted frequency since his Fleet arrived at the prescribed coordinates to receive the holonet intercept.


“Where the hell have you been?” Hyfe growled.


“Glassing a planet.” Kaine shot back, though not with any venom as he allowed his tired features to show.


Hyfe barked out a laugh and quickly explained the Group’s concerns and the General grew thoughtful, accessing the data.


After a minute, he looked up at the holographic projections of his fellow SOG members.


“Intelligence has confirmed that Fearsons’ Fleet is kept between Despayre. It has also confirmed it matches ours. The way I see it, he has three moves. Reinforce his Death Star, strike at us, or hold.”


"That is fairly evident." Hyfe shot back, frustrated.


“In any event, it is only when he moves his fleet that we are concerned so the question becomes: Can he move his fleet in time to matter?”


“The Rogues have built one of the largest internal hyperlanes of our era. Their fleet can be on station and on top of us at Hoth in no time.” Grand Admiral Hyfe explained.


“If they take the hyperlane, yes.” Kaine agreed. “However,” he called up a map of the two areas: Hoth and Despayre. “If they are forced out of the hyperlane, they would obviously have to recalculate fleet trajectories and their response could be pushed back days…perhaps even weeks.”


“If we knew their hyperlane route..” Hyfe persisted rather pessimistically.


Kaine’s trademark shadow of a grin appeard and Zell caught it. “You’ve got something don't you? Spit it out!”


The Imperial General proceeded up upload a news feature from the Rogue Empire informing the public at large of the route of their major hyperlane and a holographic representation appeared putting a visual to the news feature.


“Of all the stupid…” Poreon stared as the transmission sharpened on his monitor clearly impressed.


Simon Kaine turned to Hyfe, "We turn his ego against him."


Grand Admiral Zell grinned but still shook his head as the planet indicators were shown “Those planets he listed are heavily armed in themselves.”


Kaine turned to Zell's projection. “Yes, you do have a point," he said slowly.


"Oh? You figure how to destroy the Death Star, make his fleet vanish and win over all Fearson's concubines?" the Grand Admiral Hyfe uncharacteristically spat.


He was a foul mood.


"Not quite, Grand Admiral," Kaine started and then paused, "However, all planets are heavily fortified but this one.” And he toggled the Intelligence information he had in his database from his last meeting with Ciscero and uploaded it.


"Togoria." Darth Poreon murmured.


"It lies right in the middle of Chandrilla fortress world and Averam. THAT gentlemen is my target. We use our fleet of abolisher warships to cut the hyperlane in half around Togoria and his reinforcements will be bottled.”


“What forces do you propose to use, General?” Chau Ming asked.


“The 256th and Tym Jaiprenl’s division should be enough. That leaves Braxant for defense and the main Sentinel divisions for the attack at Hoth.”


“With a wall of Abolishers blocking the hyperlane, either you will smash Fearsons when he tries to leave..." Ming started.


".. Or he will be forced to move outside his precious hyperlane giving our forces the delay they need!" Hyfe concluded, his mood visibly improving. Anything that allowed him to crush his enemies he liked. Anything that allowed him to crush his enemies without worry of enemy reinforcements he liked even better.


"We have a operational plan and a go, gentlemen." Grand Admiral Zell barked out. "I expect a piece of the damn thing!"


And the last SOG meeting ended.


Kaine turned to his Comm Officer, "Contact Muunillist and get me Rear Admiral Jaiprenl of the Judgment."



He turned to Colonel Sveli, "We've a strand to cut.."