The Surface


Colonel Sage's shuttle set down unmolested, the enemy soldiers having foolishly given away their positions by firing on the incoming landing craft.

The TIE Defenders had made quick work of the GC anti-aircraft emplacements, giving the shuttles and landing barges a clear run to begin their landing.

The walkers were emerging as the Imperial Colonel exited his shuttle, the Tank Droids already standing tall in the afternoon sun. Legions upon legions of Imperial Stormtroopers, the best soldiers the galaxy had to offer, stood errect, the offices preparing them for the combat ahead.

Colonel Sage knew that these men would never falter in their duties; they were expertly trained and equipped. The Coalition would not stand in their way, not today.

"Get the vehicles moving." Sage ordered swiftly, ducking into one of the Chariot LAVs that would serve as his command centre.

Already, the AT-STs were pushing forward into the streets. The landing zone that had been selected was some sort of play area, and a large one at that. Room enough to land the thousands of soldiers and their vehicle support.

"Urban warefare." Sage said with a grimace. "There are few things worse."

But the soldiers knew their duty, and they had been trained well. They would soon take the city, and the planet would follow.

"The people have already made their decision, Sir." A junior lieutenant said. "The Coalition will not dare attempt to stop them."

Sage frowned.

"You would expect that, wouldn't you? But what you are about to learn about the Galactic Coalition is that they are all talk. They will no sooner let Abregado-rae leave their Empire than they will the New Order take hold of it."

The younger officer shrugged and turned back to his console.

"Contact Captain Raine." Sage said softly. "Commence Operation: Pearl."

The soldiers were ready. Now there remained only one thing.



Geo-syn Orbit


"Captain. Contact from Colonel Sage." Raine looked up, frowning. "He says, 'Commence Operation: Pearl."

The Imperial Captain nodded slowly.

"Relay that to the fleet. Commence immediatly."

It was done, and within moments the SATAPs had ended their fierce bombardment of the shields (which, in their respective area, were nearly downed completely) and settled into slightly lower orbits.

Then they trained their guns on the city below.



The first volley accounted for perhaps a thousand enemy combatants, the turbolaser fire striking their complex and tearing it to shreds in only a handful of seconds.

In the three minutes the two Assault Platforms fired for, they carefully tagetted and eliminated almost ten thousand enemy soldiers.

The Imperial Army would not have trouble with Abregado-rae.

OOC:CHeck the OOC forum.

The soldiers were advancing swiftly. There were few Coalition soldiers on the planet, and those that were present were quickly eliminated by the Imperial army.

Already the capital was nearly fallen, Tank Droids and Walkers pushing out in all directions. The garrison -- what was left of it -- was under siege. The Imperial jamming had been increased, leaving the entire world without communications. The planet could no more call for help than it could organize its own defence's movements.

The crowds around the garrison at first cringed at the site of the Empire's forces, thinking them Coalition troops sent to eliminate them. But they soon saw the banners of the New Order raised above the buildings, and the white armour of the legions of Stormtroopers as they approached.

They cheered, for the Empire had come to them in their moment of need, and liberated them from the injustice of the Coalition.

Colonel Sage gave a short speech, telling the crowds that they had indeed spoken. He told them that, though the Coalition did not listen to their cries and instead fought the democracy they claimed to uphold, the Empire had heard their shouts and come to liberate them. He told them that the New Order was here, and to go home and stop further violence.

As they had been doing so for the better part of a week, the listened to the Empire's words. The crowds dispersed, leaving the military command centre open to the Empire's war machines.

The tanks forming a perimiter, the Stromtroopers went forward. They were not expecting a battle, for the majority of the GC soldiers were dead or had fled in fear.

Abregado-rae was no longer a world of the Coalition. Abregado-rae was free.



One Week Later

"It is done, then?" Bhindi Drayson asked the hologram of Captain Raine.

"It is, Admiral. The Planetary Council signed the orders less than a hour ago."

Bhindi smiled.

"Thank you, Captain."

The Imperial war machine was victorious.

The planet's government complex was in shambles, a reminder of the citizen's protest. But it was occupied now by the Imperial Army, and a host of information had been found within. Transmissions to Imperial Centre, the Office of Grand Marshall Kaine, were flowing from Abregado-rae by the minute.

The military garrison, too, was surrounded. Some of the Coalition soldiers had decided that a last stand should be made, and continued to harrass the Imperial troops.

A strafing run from a group of TIE Defenders cleared the last of them out, and following the fall of the capital the remainder of the troops on the planet surrendered and turned themselves into the Imperial authorities, with the hope that they might be spared.

All who turned themselves in were first ordered to swear that they would never again take up arms against the New Order or its allies, and were then shipped to the world of Ord Pardon.

The Imperial Stormtroopers entered the garrison around the time that the first INS article was released, weapons set to stun. They encountered few enemy soldiers, but a number of civilians who worked in the garrison.

These were immediatly sent to the Inquisitorial Branch for debriefing, with a promise of quick release is they cooperated.

But on the top level of the building, cowering in a broken office, they found a man dressed as a Coalition Admiral. He was taken prisoner, surrounded by Stromtroopers and led away.

Much information would be gained from this war.

<font size=1>Captured:
Joren Arden; GC Supreme Commander
Planetary Shield - Gencore Type II</font>