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



"..what is our situation realistically?" a voice in the circular hall asked, the military men and women of Capricia either sitting, standing or leaning against the pillars that made up the Capital Hall of Thessonia.


"We are beaten on most fronts. Scattered fighting has been rumored in Antioch though the city continues to be pounded to dust by the the creatures used as artillery." a woman answered going over her own datapad that held scant little data to suit her.


"Have we intercepted any transmissions?" a Major asked surprised at that news.


"No.. all transmissions have ceased from the area."


"Then how...?"


"The fact that these alien butchers are still pounding away at the city would be indication enough," a Lieutenant in the city's small Air Corps pointed out bringing a faint smile to the woman's lips.


"How is the situation here?"


"We are overcrowded but that is a plus this time. We've few fractured divisions of the Line as well as several divisions from the Armoured Corps as units are coming in from the Coast. What surprises me is the shocking lack of fighter support..."


"I agree with that. Was the fleet totally destroyed? If so, our defensive measures must take into account the enemy's air superiority.."

"The buggers already HAVE air superiority!" a Colonel pounded on a desk. "Our last natural defensible position is the Highlands and right now, they aren't taking visitors."

"No infected visitors.." someone amended.


"Oh, that's great coming from Mescian Clan! Thank you for the clarity!" the Colonel retorted bitterly. "What do we tell the thousands infected?"


A silence followed.


"At least the infected have shown no symptoms.."


"We cannot depend on blind luck.. not with the stakes this high."


"So what the hell do we do? Storm the Highlands? The invaders will be hot on our heels and overrun US before we could secure the position!"


An exasperated Major coughed out, "What about surrender? Can we expect ANY relief if we surrender?"


The men and women were too tired to be shocked at the idea and objectively began to consider it.

In their silence, a soft but firm voice broke into their thoughts.


"The city of Castille tried that. Six companies of Gomorran Clan and three wings of Tyscio Clan laid down their arms and surrendered on the condition that their families would be spared..."


The voice cut through them. "Unfortunately," the figure continued, "..the Yuuzhan Vong never agreed as to what these families would be spared from. Castille's soldier's and civilians were spared their pitiful existence by quick death.


Men..

Women...

..and children.."




"Great Black Clans.." someone whispered as all eyes turned to the aging Leantre Vio, as he moved through their circle to stand in the middle, followed by a man the other's knew only by reputation, and the corporate seal blazoned on his envirosuit... Seth Vinda. The corporate man was removing his helmet as he noticed the medical scanners placed about to enforce the quarantine of their meeting location.


The seventy year old man's eyes narrowed at each of them, his diminished figure a facade to his strength of will. His eyes burned with an intensity that showed he'd accepted the mantle so violently passed to him.


"Fellow soldiers. This is Seth Vinda of the famous Vinda Corporation. He and his came to fight by our side and for that, we owe him our gratitude. I have learned that his vessel brought down the Yuuzhan Vong Capital Ship holding station around Antioch..."


He could not finish his sentence as the soldiers were suddenly lifted in spirits, their tired hands rapping together in claps of gratitude. As the claps subsided, Leantre's eyes swept everyone in the room as he spoke, "With me is what remains of the Line. Seventeen Armoured Divisions, and twenty thousand souls. Half civilians travelling with us organized into their own militia and the other half regulars, half of <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> them<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> wounded but still claiming fight left in them."


There were some smiles at that.


"With the forces already here, that brings the total to nearly fifty thousand soldiers plus Artillery."


Leantre saw the soldier who had pulled him from the disaster of the Line, a member of Scipio Clan though a soldier with his own terms. He spoke, "So we move to the Highlands. They would be fools to fire on us..and.."


"No..." Leantre interrupted which brought murmurs to the group. The old man saw even Vinda's eyes widen in surprise.

They spoke volumes.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Your back is to the wall..there's nowhere left to go..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



"We represent the largest force of Capricia remaining. The enemy is rumored to have ten times our number."


"There's nowhere left to go.." the Scipio Clan member put words to Vinda's thoughts.


"Actually, there is...one more place.." Leantre responded softly.


"Why run? What do we accomplish?" a woman Lieutenant asked wearily.


"Point 1: This pathogen is creating havoc within our ranks before symptoms have shown themselves. We cannot fight ourselves and this enemy. Fear has already won in the Highlands. IT will be a waste of time, effort, men and ..opportunities. The Highlands will hold on their own or buy us more time."


"Attrition.." Vinda murmured.


Leantre turned to the man, impressed. "The Invaders are stronger than us. They have air advantage. They have space advantage. They have a biological weapon that could turn insideous at any time. We are limited in resources. Our forces are scattered protecting civilians as much as we can. The cities are not the key to victory. Even the civilians are not the key... not even the Highlands..."


Leantre's voice echoed upward. "WE ARE!"


"The enemy knows this, which is why they've attacked our major cities.. our major industrial areas... to cripple the army! If they were to catch us and smash us...scatter us.. Capricia would be theirs. With the industrial centers, they tried to divide forces and defeat the individual smaller units. Gomorran Kay knew all along that this war would be decided on the ground.. but he didn't count on the pathogen. He didn't count on an explosion ripping open the fault and destroying the Line. From that position, we could have shot down most of their vessels and fight them on our terms."


"They changed the rules on us.." the man from Scipio Clan said. "Warriors are what's important to the Invaders. Civilians are nonentities. Eliminate the warriors and the rest will follow..."


"We knew they'd hit major cities.. Antioch for one.. but we did not count on their vessel strength being so great."


"So they jumped over the board and skipped the pawns removing the support pieces?" the same woman Lieutenant asked.

"And now it's a mad dash to the other side of the board for the pawns.." Leantre finished. "To exchange our battered souls for renewed vigor..added resources and abilities...and hopefully, hopefully we'll catch them unawares and shatter them!"


"We will march east...away from the shore to here.." Leantre pointed as a topographical projection of Capricia.


"but.. where?" the Scipio soldier persisted.


"Jak'tol Province."


"Jak'Tol? What's there?"


"The most important facility on this planet. Regrettably it is dedicated as much to destruction as it is to defense..but it is our last hope."


The hologram changed to show a massive underground construction yard.


The military leaders leaned forward... one whispered, "Sweet Clannus Prime."


"Our strategy revolves around bringing them into a large singular combat situation of our choosing."


"But..what's to stop the enemy from overlooking the Highlands and simply follow the retreating armies..?"


"Because they won't realize we are gone. They will think that we are making our stand on the Highlands."


"How?"

"The militia is going to volunteer to stay behind and defend Thessonia at the foot of the Highlands...over five thousand men and women.."


A large silence fell.


"Yes." Leantre spoke in evenly measured tones. "They know what is required of them. They know that they'd be unwelcome into the Highlands.. so they make their stands here. I oversaw the construction of the defense works in Thessonia. I know what they are capable of."


"Is there any chance?"


"None." the new Regent said, dead serious.


A Major plunged ahead, "But what's to stop them from noticing our force from the sky?"


"Due to Mr. Vinda's timely action, most ships are being recalled. That affords us a singular opportunity."


"And their fighters and creatures that do patrol?"


The holographic projections suddenly expanded and the entire surface of Capricia was displayed. Large squares appeard over the oceans.


"As expected, the enemy is focussing on our cities and overlooking the obvious. It was commented earlier regarding our fighters? These constructions hidden in the sea house our entire Air Corps. They are fueled and ready... our pilots training on the hour every hour.
Over the over of ocean, tactical units will sweep the skies of any potential alien spotters."


"Ocean Carriers...submerged..." the Scipio Clan soldier whispered awed. "How did that one slip by?"


Leantre raised a white eyebrow, "Evidently Scipio Arien isn't the only one who can keep a secret." and the man flushed.


"Jak'Tol is the rally point. We have given Mr. Vinda the signal band the Air Corps is using. They will need to refuel and restock..."


"So THAT's where the fleet's fighter compliments went? Why didn't we just..."


But Leantre cut off the criticism sharply. "We were not ready for this. It's been five years since the last invasion. Then Civil War? The Reconstruction Period lasted barely enough time to heal us. We produced what we could as fast as we could, but never in our wildest imaginations did we think they'd come back..and so quickly. We only have a limited number of assets to bring to bear for this. Once they are gone, once trained people, trained pilots are dead, there will be noone left... The assets we will bring to this final battle will be our ALL gentlemen and women.


We will either succeed or die trying."





***


The talk turned to medical matters and logistics as they calmly went through the numbers and worst case senarios. Leantre thought it best not to bring up Herridian's endeavor for fear of raising false hopes.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> They need to stay grounded... focused... self reliant..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Vinda had remained largel quiet as he, Leantre and the soldier from Scipio Clan (who seemed to promote himself to Leantre's personal guard) walked out, each slipping on their envirosuits.


"One other aspect of the strategy you didn't mention, Regent." the soldier started.


"Yes?" Leantre asked absently as his eyes gazed at the mighty mountains that rose in the distance...<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Highlands..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"In having them focus on us? It gives needed respite to the ravaged cities..and continents that were not hit as hard. There is a plan B."


Leantre smiled sadly. "If we fail..Capricia falls. However, if the invaders <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> think<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> everyone dead, perhaps...just perhaps, they will leave. If not, then we really are dead. There are locations that certain survivors are being spirited away too... maybe... "

He shrugged.


"We do what we can..and hope it all ends up well. At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, it's not sometimes how one lives that people remember..but how you die."


He turned to the others, "If it does come to that... I hope each of you dies well."


He extended his hand to Seth Vinda. "If we fail... there will be time to move your men off world, those that survive. I will stake my life on that."


And with that... the old man started to walk, his envirosuit the same bland gray color as his plain loose fitting uniform. No decorations.. no rank pins.. .just burdens of worry.


"There goes a tired old man.." the soldier whispered.

Vinda-Corp Second fleet- Urdur Battlefront

The sensor officer looked up from his console and spoke.

"Penetration phase complete, Commodore. Deployment complete. Assault leader is on-station... approaching final wave off failsafe. Requesting final authorization."

The Commodore nodded.

"Penetration complete, copy. Deployment complete, copy. All stations call off."

They did so with a practised ease that made the Commodore proud to serve under Supreme Commander Isstal.

"Battle manegment, go!"
"Combat intelligence, go!"
"Tactical, go!"
"Communications, go!"
"Fleet ops, go!"
"Flight ops, go!"
"Ground op, go!"

The Commodore nodded again, gazing out at the fleet.

"I read all clear." he announced. "Failsafe authorization is go, combat rules green - repeat, go green!"

The lieutenant turned his key and said: "Combat authorization is go green, copy! Combat leader, you are clear to begin the assault. The word is go. All weapons are live and the target is hot. Good luck. Lucent out."

The cruisers moved forward...

<hr>

"sir, all groups are reporting a go. Attacks are proceeding on schedule."

"Excellent, thank you Captain. Keep me inforemed."

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

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



Picking his way through the crowds of people assembled in and around the space-port , Andersan glanced around to catch sight of the men as they fanned out professionaly.All were dressed incognito, and were subtly going about checking the area for possible hostiles as they filtered through the tradesmen, and the general populace...

Despite it being very late, the spaceport itself was still a hotbed of activity, various exotic scents and smells teased the senses from all the small side-street fast-food sellers. The general murmur of people talking , laughing , grew louder everytime they passed an open bar, along with the sudden strong smells of Cigarra drenched walls...

Miles and Yana were virtually the only ones who stayed together, in fact , as Andersan watched them talk, from an outsider, (he noted), they passed for a couple.

Gradually, but steadily the group inched closer to their target, a tall, white, big dome-like building just outside the Spaceport's walls , in a more quiet part of the city...

...from the outside it looked governmental, rather than military...

...as the troupe all made their way closer, Andersan became more and more suspicious...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ....its too quiet.....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Checking his Chrono , he winced a little, they all knew the situation, they had all been briefed before they left Bonadan, and had all been kept up to date of the failed CSA invasion attempt, and of the Vinda-Corp assault....

...soon an armada of capital ships would be on top of them...

...and with them, virtually all out war....

....He glanced around at the others as if projecting his thoughts to them...

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

...they had about another two hours at the most....

He glanced at Torm, Andersan didn't like him, he seemed too gung-ho, and he wasn't convinced at the plan either...

They were to meet a guide, an agent that had already been operating on Roonadan, and rendez-vous with him, (or her) just outside the space-port, apparently he could take them in the backway....

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the completely dome-like structure of the building itself...then were both accompanied by a frown...

He found it strange, that despite the many Vinda-Corp agents that were operating on Roonadan, they still had virtually no intelligence on the building itself...

...well, they didn't....but <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> he<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> did....

His brow furrowed further, and as he quickly glanced around to see if anyone was looking, retrieved a small comm-link from inside his large coat...

....and when the opportunity was right, slipped unnoticed down a narrow side-street.....

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

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> CSA Data-Center<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->




...As the two men strode into the room, Kaneda calmly stood to greet them ,both hands leaning slightly on his walking cane that he had unstrapped from his back...standing straight ...his legs either side of the ebony black cane...

"...what the!?..."

..The two guards, one a Bothan, the other Devoronian glanced at each other , a little stunned to see him silently standing there ....unholstering their blasters they encircled him cautiously...the Devoronian spoke into his comms unit...

"...we have the intruder , sector seven-nine, office two-four-bee..."

As the guard spoke and dictated Kaneda's description over the comms, Kaneda's eyes narrowed, they had done the moment they had both entered the room. His instincts took over, gauging them both, their gait, their reach, their physique....their strength...

...The Bothan spoke , breaking the silence as the men regarded each other....Kaneda didn't move....

"....who are you?...what are you doing here?...let me see some ID!..."

...Noting Kaneda's backpack still on the desk, the Bothan glanced over to his comrade, then back to the Vinda-Corp agent....unsure as to why he had not responded...

..and as the Bothan raised his blaster to force the issue, Kaneda's eyes glanced over to his bag ...

"...my ID is in <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> there<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->...."

...The tall brown and white Bothan cocked his head to one side as he followed Kaneda's line of sight...

"..ah so you <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> do<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> speak basic..."

Nodding to the Devoronian he walked over to the desk, keeping Kaneda within his periphial vision, and carefully reached out to pick the bag in question up , off the desk....

....Kaneda , for a split second, closed his eyes as the Bothan opened it to peer inside....

...In what seemed like a heartbeat , the room was filled with a bright intense flash of white light as a small flash grenade detonated from inside the bag...

Stunned and blinded the Bothan staggered back, dropping the bag, and growling in pain...

In the blink of an eye, Kaneda had unsheathed his sword hidden inside his walking cane, and in one singular deft move had spun around in a deadly flurry, bringing the blade cleaving diagonally down upon the surprised Devoronian, amputating his hand which held his blaster....

Swirling around with the momentum of his attack, Kaneda bought the blade around on the hapless Bothan who was still reeling from the flash that had partially blinded him...

...In the seconds the Bothan's sight had started to return, the last thing he saw and felt was the glint of light upon metal and the coldness of the incredibly sharp blade as it slit his throat....clean....

...Clawing at the air in agony ,the Bothan tried to scream for help, but realised to his horror the futility of trying to speak with your windpipe severed....

...panicking and gurgling he fell to the floor in a pool of crimson, billowing from his open wound. The last moments of his life witnessing the sight of Kaneda as he ran the beleagured Devoronian through with his blade....


....After Wiping it on the garment of the Bothan, Kaneda sheathed the sword back into the walking cane, and strapped it back onto his back...

Picking up his bag, his attention was caught by the sound of one of the guards comms...

...Cursing underneath his breath as he overhead, he slipped out of the office and ran as fast and as silently as he could...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ....that was sloppy...sloppy...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

As he ran he activated his emergency beacon, it was a last resort, used only in emergencies indicating to VC he needed picking-up...
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> immediately<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->.

The CSA would be sure to trace it too, so there wasn't any point in holding onto it, with this in mind, he threw it behind him...

...he would have to find his support when they arrived, instead of the other way around...

..his cover was blown ,

...and when they find the two guards, now a wanted deadly murderer....

..It would be a safe bet any guards he would run into next would be shooting first and asking questions later...

...he had find a way off this rock....



...and fast....

Vinda-Corp Third Fleet - Orron III

Captain Joda was not happy. Or rather, he was happy as one can be when faced with not one, but two Star Destroyers. Not to mention the various support ships that accompanied said Star Destroyers most everywhere.

"Wow," Lieutenant Teril cotemplated, "they must really like this place to beef it up like this."

Captain Joda nodded silently, taking in the scene before him. As far as he knew, the enemy had still not detected his small battlegroup on the edge of the system.

Somewhere on the birdge an alarm began to beep urgently.

"Sir! We have an emergecny broadcast; all bands."

Something's not right.

"What is it?" Joda asked, startled out of his thoughts.

"It's a Vinda-Corp emergency beacon, sir. Someone down there is in trouble, and whoever it is is one of us."

Or is out to trick us.

He turned away from the viewporr and looked to Lieutantan Taril.

"Lieutenant, what's the flank speed of a Victory-class Star Destroyer?"

"Four SU, sir." the man responded without hesitation. He knows his stuff. I will have to talk to the Admiral about this one.

"That will put their fleet on top of us in six minutes if we sit tight, two minutes if we go to meet them." Joda pondered this.

"Helm, can we successfully micro-jump in?" he asked at last.

It took a moment before the response came:

"It's risky sir. There's a 13% success probability." Joda pounded his fist on the railing.

"Tactical, put all available troops on a shuttle. Give me a flight of escorts and prepare to launch.

"Sensors, ping them." The senor officer did as he was told, activating the fleet's active scanners.

Now we see if they take the bait.

"Enemy fleet is coming around, sir. They see us." Joda nodded.

"Good. Launch the shuttle. Have them make all possible speed to the last known location of that emergency beacon.

"Helm, let's give the enemy something to worry about."

"Aye aye, Captain!" The General Alert began to ring throughout the fleet as they moved forward to meet the enemy fleet.

So it begins, Joda thought. And may the Lords give us the courage to end it.

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

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



*Helping to co-ordinate the attack and to monitor the situation, Richter studied and listened to the various Holo-net transmissions from all those commanding the various fleets. Generally the assault on all fronts had started well, but he was deeply concerned about Miles and the task-force that had been sent to Roonadan, they still hadn't recieved any word.

Deep in concentration he was distracted for a moment as a comms officer gestured for his attention, nodding in acknowledgement, he joined the officer at his console...*

"...Sir , Third fleet has picked up an emergency signal on Orron III, its a VC signature, they are responding to it..."

*Richters face took on a worried look as he listened to the Officer explain, pointing to the console he responded...*

"...bring it up, show the bandwidth signatures...and the signal itself..."

*As the officer duly obliged, a smile crept at the corners of his mouth as he recognised the signature...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...what you do this time Soom?....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*Abruptly turning away from the Officer, Richter patched himself through to Captain Joda..*

"...Captain, the signal you have just picked up on is agent 239, he is carrying mission-critical data, as such his safety is paramount!..."

*As acknowledgement came through in reply, Richter felt, both a little relieved, yet more worried, it was a sign, (hopefully) , that the agent was still alive...
His concern, however was the fact he had activated it in the first place....*


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...hang in there Mr Soom....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Aboard the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Blaze of Glory...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->




The communications did not tell Scipio the reason for her summons or why she was leaving the bridge where the sphere of Providence rotated slowly, the last vestiges of Kendra's ionization of their atmosphere slowly dying off.


The effect was lessening as time went by but communications were still going slow as the crew of the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Blaze of Glory<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> learned of the fighting that had gone on there, the Star Destroyer <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Judicator<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> having long since gone.


She was feeling edgy, as if something was forcing, moving her awareness toward the inevitable conclusion...


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Everything is pointing back to Capricia...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Scipio entered the medical ward of the ship as people were moving about as stealthily as possible check readings and status of broken human beings.


She walked silently through the rows spotting the doctor who had called her down.


"Doctor.." she started in confusion looking about at the peacefully sleeping Caprician guards who were also injured in the recent activities.

"Ahh.. Ms. Arien. This way please.." and the doctor moved off to a rather private room when the Caprician Ambassador started to hear a singular shrilling sound and doctor cursed under his breath.

He forcefully pushed the doors open as aides and nurses moved about trying to restrain the flailing body underneath them..

"SS....s.s..s TOP!" the man hoarsly roared as forcefully as he could and Scipio's eyes instantly widened, tears coming to them.

"Joine?" she nearly ran over grasping his arm and he at once relaxed enough for the medical staff to inject him with something.

He jerked himself once more at the prick and his eyes widened as he frantically searched for Scipio.

"His is suffering from massive exposure.. Ms.."

"Exposure to what?"

"Vacuum.."


"Frankly, we are surprised he's alive at all.."


Joine's eyes found hers and she instantly knew he was trying to tell her something. "Consul.... Consul..." he tried to get out as she moved closer.


"What is it Joine?" she asked, her eye locked onto his..


"Capp... Capp.. CApprii.ssseeeeaaaahhh...." and he fell silent, the drugs taking effect.


She looked at his hands as they were weakly trying to pull away at the straps holding him down..


A dread came over her as a harsh certainty reared up and slapped her in the face.




***


"Come Android. We may have found something useful for you to observe without having to drool over the Caprician woman." Adalric called out as he and several communications technicians were looking over a consol.

The ionization of the planet's proximity was lessening but it still played havoc with signals coming and going.

"There.." a tech said, as Achinta noted a spike in signal strength.

"Lock onto.." Adalric started..

"It's gone.."

"Damn.."

"Try.."

"There it is again.."

"Locked! Damn that band is breaking... try a different frequency..."

"It's gone.."


"There's two of them. Nearly on the same band plane.."


"Signal and response?" Adalric asked as the Vinda Corp. Second in Command moved closer.


"Could be..wait.. there it is again. Time distortion! That's what's happening.. More like response and signal.."

"On speakers." the Imperial Syndicate Tactician ordered and static broke though as techs narrowed their search down and suddenly words filled the bridge.


"Bloody aliens?" Adalric started as he strained to listen to words unfamiliar to him.

"No. It's a Vinda Corporation code." Achinta acknowleged as his mind arranged the sounds into their proper sequences."

"Encrypted." a tech muttered.

Adalric watched Achinta like a hawk knowing the droid was privy to information he wasn't and becoming increasingly agitated.

He was about to comment on it when a tech grunted in triumph as the sounds became distinguishable.


<!--EZCODE HTML START--> <font color="yellow">".CSA... launched a massive offensive against Vinda Corp...a terrorist attack against Bonadan.."</font><!--EZCODE HTML END-->



"So the damned old cronies finally did it!" Adalric exclaimed. "I did not believe they had that kind of planning in them."

He turned to the tech. "A response?"


"Yes Sir."


"Let's hear it."


<!--EZCODE HTML START--> <font color="yellow">".... Retaliate..."</font><!--EZCODE HTML END-->



At that time Scipio stormed onto the bridge. "Cronus! I need for you too--" she started, when Adalric cut her off.

"Why Ms. Arien. How nice of you to join us. We were just learning of the woes of Vinda Corp as they attempt to repel CSA attacks on their planet."


Scipio shot Achinta a concerned look, and indecision resided in her mind for a split second. Her gaze went to the planet below and her eyes narrowed as she looked up at Adalric and completed her sentence, "..for you to set immediate course to Bonadan."


Adalric gave a bemused laugh. "I am afraid that is quite impossible, Ms Arien, for you see, the Outmarches are still blockaded as reported by your ships. It would take us eight days to exit the Caprician System from here and by that time, if Vinda cannot overcome the CSA, they will no longer exist."


Scipio's eyes narrowed at Adalric as the man walked over to his command chair, very secure with himself.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The man is a brilliant @#%$, Scipio!..you underestimated the man and it's come back on you..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


She knew she had to relent.... There was no more time..


"The blockade has been lifted." she said, "And you damn well know it. You can enter hyperspace within the hour."


Adalric swiveled around to her with a victorious, yet feral, grin on his lips.


"So .. Capricia or Bonadan. Which is it?"


She looked at Achinta, understanding the thoughts she knew, or rather, she <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> thought<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> were going through his head.


"It is Achinta's decision." she flatly declared, her voice and determination suddenly becoming firmer with the decision she suddenly found she could live with..


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Albeit painfully....


but, managable.


Forgive me Gomorran.. but I will not see our allies hurt because of our own plight. Hold them until we return..
<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



Adalric's impetuous gaze moved to Mr. Vinda's assistant.


"Well, droid. What destination?"

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Leaving Sealine City ...Capricia...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->




The magnetic rail carried the soldiers and civilians rapidly across the wasteland that once boasted rolling green hills.



Tyscio Korban was lost in thought as his memories suddenly found light. Strangely, he felt a certain detachment to those memories, not because he loved his family, his world..his time any less than before but because...


..it was as if he viewed them as an observer.



The effects of anything anyone might have done in his time, would have long since vanished with the weathering realities of time.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What do I do now?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



The only distinct, tangible link to his old life was Capricia.



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Different, and yet the same. Ignorant of the wars fought on the outside as the Nephys destroys even itself in pseudo-religious trappings of <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> light<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> and <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> dark<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->.


Or is it something more?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He sighed.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It's time to face facts, Korban. You are master of.. nothing. No remembrance. No Union. No family.. Nothing.



It is not your time.



It is the time of the Jedi.

It is the time of the Sith.


The Age of the Nephys...


and even now, it struggles to find it's place in the galaxy.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He thought back to his meeting of Recon Klain and the woman Iriana..three years after his awakening.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Darkness was winning..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


His eyes looked upon the faces of determined men and woman as each contemplated their own futures, desires...

A realization hit him as he smelled the worry of the overcrowded train.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The could not have been prevented...and they are rising to the occasion.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He felt a touch of pride as many ordinary people responded admirably, tragically, with dignity to the forces beyond their control as events propelled them onward to a most uncertain end.


His thoughts strayed toward Leia as he opened a pouch to reveal a field ration. His last.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I wonder if she's eaten?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> the stray thought occurring to him as a shadow of a wistful smile played across his lips.



"Thinking of a woman, eh?" a soldier beside him nudged, drawing Tyscio out of his thoughts.


"You could say that.." he answered, his eyes moving to the landscape outside.


"KORBAN!" a shout pushed into his mind as he quickly stood attempting to locate the voice.

"Here.." the Major of the Amoured Division came wading through the crowd.

"We are in trouble." he stated flatly. The serious look on the man's face divorced any thoughts of joviality from Tyscio.

"What is it?" he asked concerned. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What is it now? The sun went nova?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


And the Major told him.



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> FRELL!!!! FRELL!!!! FRELL!!!!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The war pushed his memories out of his mind as he locked eyes with the Major.


"You're right." he answered seriously starting to make his way to the forward car with the Major and interested soldiers in tow.


"We are in trouble."

VC Fourth Fleet - R'alla Battlefront

Captain Kallstrom was not a man to worry. He was nervous, certainly. Find a man who was not nervous when their target's defences include an Imperial-class Star Destroyer.

But Kallstrom, like the other commanders of VC's fleets, knew what had to be done. And what he would have to do to achieve it.

He sighed.

"Helm, bring us about. Maximum sublight into the system." he sat back in his chair.

Let's show them what VC is made of.

The ships began to rumble forward, their massive bulks pushed across space by powerful ion engines.

"Sir, we have contacts baring zero-one-seven. Authority IRDs by the looks of it, sir." Kallstrom nodded.

They've spotted us. So it begins.

"Launch our fighters. Shields and guns to full. Prepare for starfighter assault." The ship's great hangers creaked open and the swarms of starfighters spilled out.

Somethings not quite right...

"Sir! Fighters are breaking off!" A pause... "The enemy capital ships no longer appear on our scopes!"

At that moment, something slammed into the ship. Alarms began to blare as the CSA fleet appeared in their midst...

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

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Blaze of Glory<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



*Achinta simply raised his eyebrow in response to Adalric's jibe, and focused his attention on the various signals they had recieved, the message between Bonadan and Capricia was not the only signal he had picked up.

It was also not the first time he had picked it up, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> twice<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> now in fact.The first having been when they were on <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Minos<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
...and as both Adalric and Scipio played their mind games with each other, they did not notice the droid stiffen suddenly, blinking his eyes for a split-second longer than he would normally do.

He then relaxed, as if shrugging whatever it was off...

Although not showing it, he was starting to lose his interest in observing the competitiveness between the two as they continued their charade, Achinta had picked up on the undercurrent the moment he had first seen them conferr.

It was times like this he found it most difficult to fathom humanoids, there was a time and a place for such mindgames, and, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> now<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, (he reasoned), was not the most optimum time to do so.
As if voicing Achinta's thought processes Scipio seemed to end the game abruptly and had focused her eyes onto Vinda's right hand...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "It is Achinta's decision."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*There was something in them that seemed to be painfully at odds with what she was saying, as if in direct opposition to the very thing she suggested to Achinta...

he had picked up on that too...

Achinta had found himself becoming increasingly more aware of every subtle expression on Scipio's face,

every glance,

every movement...

every smile...

every complexity....

She was in pain.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...A noble gesture...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

One thing he had observed with Scipio, it wasn't what she said that struck him, so much as what she didn't...

Reading between the lines.... and thankful for it, Achinta realised this small , but proud Caprician woman in front of him had taught him more about humanoids, and perhaps even life itself, than anyone else he had ever met before, even Mr Vinda himself....

...it had affected him quite profoundly, but in his own way...

Turning to face Adalric as he poised the quandry to Achinta...

Achinta replied, his voice, direct,

calculated, and logical....

..as it always was...*



"....The last voice you heard in that transmission was Mr Vinda himself...
If he feels confident enough to order a retaliation without being there, must mean he has faith in the abilities of those already there to do so...."

*His eyes seemed to glide across the room to Scipio...*


"....we go to Capricia...."