Tholatin | Capital District
Royal Palace

The meeting hall was extravgent - to extravgent even for the Emperor of the Holy Demosthesian Empire, a multi-levelled facility that had once housed the Tholatin Parliment during the planet's days as the capital of the Tholatin Empire.

A landing pad stretched out behind the building, a large tarmac painted in rich blues and reds, unmarred by the oil and exhaust fumes that would cover any regular landing area. Raised brick walkways curved around the ship berths and into a covered walkway that led directly to this meeting chamber.

The building itself was tall, and could easily have held several offices. But as the first of the arrivals entered, they saw it was simply one room, with catwalks arrayed around each of the upper levels. They had evidently been designed to allow for spectators in open sessions of parliment.

TIE Defender patrols arced across the sky, prepared to defend the establishment from an arial assault by Tholatin Rebel Cells remaining on the planet, and a ring of the Emperor's elite guards blocked the entire complex off.

Arrivals were staggered, the lower ranking officers, Captains, Wing Commanders, and the like arriving first to fill the seats at the 'low' end of the mahogany table set in the centre of the first floor. Then came the Comodores and Admirals, fleet officers who had fought at Tholatin or Omega-Prime, that being the name of the star closest to the location that Holy Demosthesian warships had ambushed and destroyed a Tholatin battle group, and in turn been ambushed by and destroyed a Jutraalian reinforcement group.

"The Tyrant has entered Tholatin orbit." The man murmered, looking up from the top level, through the clear ceiling, as if he could see the mighty wedge-shaped Star Destroyer in orbit now.

"Six Admirals and four Imperators." The man in a uniform different from any worn by the Black Fleet said, weighing the political power that would fill this room as the final shuttles made their planetfall.

Already the last of the lower-ranking officers had arrived, including Vice-Admiral Harley, the Commander of the Star Destroyer Devestator, a man who was said to be responsible for the destruction of more than a hundred ships in his short time with Fleet Command. He was a hero of sorts to the Holy Demosthesian Empire.

Bhindi Drayson checked her watch, noting with satisfaction that when she entered ther meeting room, everyone should be seated.

She was not disapointed.

The young Admiral swept into the room, her two bodyguards matching her step, stopping in the shadows of the doorway. She nodded to the collection of officers, a smile playing across her face as she greeted them all.

"Admiral Drayson, I must protest!" One of the Imperators - Deran Kelv, she remembered - said as soon as she had seated herself. "Summoning us to Tholatin - Tholatin, which has not yet been completely secured of Rebel terrorists - without any notice whatsoever!"

She offered the man a sincere apology, and this seemed to please the man well enough, for now.

"For your records, Mr. Kelv, the Imperial Security Service justified Tholatin secure several hours ago. You would not yet have read the report, it was sent less than fifteen minutes ago. I only just finished reading it on my trip down from orbit."

She paused, her gaze leaving the Imperator and traversing the table before settling on no one in particular.

"As for Rebel Terrorists, I have no doubt there are enough remaining. But this city is the most secure place on the planet at the moment."

The man nodded, accepting the reasoning and remaining quiet.

"Why have you called us here?" Commodore Drakkon, one of the fleet's more daring members, asked, curious.

"A fair question, Commodore, and one that will be answered in due time. But first, before we get caught in buracratic red tape, perhaps we should take this oppertunity to aquaint ourselves, however slightly. Our meeting here will be recorded, and it could very well spell the future for the Holy Demosthesian Empire. I would ask that you each speak your name, and your responsibility.

"Bhindi Drayson, Admiral of the Black Fleet, Godshammer Division..."

The small group was introduced to one another relitively quickly, each person present stating, in brief, their name and rank and position within the Empire.

Bhindi knew each of these people, most from the reports she had recieved and read over in great detail before the meeting, but some personally, as well.

She rose from her seated position, her gaze going around the table quickly. All of the others were looking back at her, and all of their eyes betrayed their curiousity. It was not, after all, every day that such a number of ranking members of the Holy Empire were brought together. And in what was only a few days ago enemy territory, too!

"Gentlemen, ladies," Bhindi said, resting her hands on the table. A datapad lay there with information on it, but she ignored it. "As of this moment, the Holy Demosthesian Empire has jointly declared war on the Jutraalian Empire and the Tholatin Republic." She paused for a second as a couple of those present laughed at that. "The Tholatin Republic's threat has been all but eliminated. Operation: Sinner's Tribulation was a complete success, and the elimination of one of the Jutraalian Empire's lineships only made that victory more powerful in the eyes of our supporters."

"Intelligence Reports indicate that the Jutraalian Empire will attempt to attack Thyferra and Bespin simultaniously-"

"Rediculous!" One of the Admirals, an older man with greying hair, spat out. "The Jutraalians lack the resources or abilities to launch such an offensive against the Holy Empire. They do not have the resources."

Bhindi nodded slowly, a thin smile appearing on her youthful face.

"You are correct, Admiral Leven. The Jutraalians naval precidence is a level far below our own. Defensive fleets have already been dispatched to Thyferra and Bespin to head off the Jutraalian offensive. And once those fleets are wiped out..."

"Jutraal will be left defencless." Level finished her statement, nodding exciteadly. "They will leave themsleves open for a full frontal assault."

"Righteous Fury." Bhindi said. "The Holy Demosthesian Empire will smash the Jutraalians abroad and at home."

There was some surprise in the room at that. Righteous Fury, a spin off the Operation: Righteous Destiny that had succeeded some time ago, was the highest level of Alert for the Empire. Righteous Fury would bring the full weight of the Black Fleet, and those of their allies, to bare against Jutraal.

And the first part of Righteous Fury...

Bhindi tapped a key on her datapad, and sent a small information packet to the others present.

"I have transmitted to you the details of Operation: Steel Rain. This information is, of course, For Your Eyes Only. It shall not leave this room until such time as High Command authorizes the mission."

All of the others activated their datapads, and their screens were filled with information about the impending operation.

"Where?" One of the younger members, a Commodore with Bhindi's own Godshammer Division, asked.

The Admiral smiled.

"The target is unknown as of yet. Jutraal is the only Jutraalian world worthy of a defensive shield, and as such is out of the question."

There was silence following that statement, as each of those present considered the effects that Steel Rain would have. It was difficult to choose a world to which to do this. Such a catastrophe...

"I think... I think I know of a place..." One of the younger officers said, somewhat nervously. "The old Jutraalian capital... they called it Despayre, or something like that..."

Bhindi gave him a short, almost evil, smile.

"Despayre is far to remote to make an effective demonstration."

The meeting dragged on, the issue of which world would suffer the wrath of the Holy Demosthesian Empire becoming almost mind boggling.

In the end, a target was agreed upon by all. The fact that Gash Jiren had been involved, to some extent, in taking her in the name of the Jutraalian Empire, merely added to its worth as a target.

Yaga Minor.

"The repercussions of this operation could be overwhelming, Admiral." Ton Karlos was saying. "If nothing else will turn the undecided elements of the galaxy against us, this will. The Hapan Consortium, for instance-"

"The Hapans will not add the Jutraalian Empire. Chadd Fearsons came within a meter of suicide in his plans to invade the Cluster. If the galaxy had not bee mobilized against him-"

"Regardless, Admiral. We are talking about mass genocide, here. The entire population of a planet!"

"We shall give appropriate warning to the inhabitants. Civilian casualties shall be minimized."

"Hard to minimize casualties when you're doing this, Admiral. How high command can justify this... Steel Rain is beyond me."

The two stood on the top level of the Parliment building. The rest of the dignatories were still below, mingling and no doubt mulling over the pending operations that would change the Empire, and the galaxy, forever.

"We do what me must, Ton, to ensure the safety and security of this Empire. If that means we kill a hundred civilians, a thousand civilians, even a million civilians, we shall do it. To preserve the future of the Holy Demosthesian Empire, and to destoy the Jutraalians"

"Are you saying that the endfs justify the means?"

"Of course they do, Ton. This Empire must be preserved. The Lord smiles on Seti Ashar."

"But this is an entire planet, Bhindi. This is not a neighbourhood, or a city. This is a god damned planet."

"You're right, Ton. It is a God Damned planet."

The meeting, thus far, had gone well enough. The eventual fate of Operation: Steel Rain would be debated, no doubt, between the Emperor and the Polemarch in due time. Bhindi Drayson did not see any terrible flaw in the idea - the slaughter of innocents may yet become a nesseccary step in the defeat of the Jutraalian Empire.

Certainly, if all else failed, High Command would authorize such an assignment. The meeting had gone on to other topics, the current one being, of course, the fate of Tholatin.

"Will the Jutraalians make an attempt to liberate this world, Admiral?" One of the Imperators asked, leaning forward on his elbows. With its geographic location, Tholatin hardly fell into any of the planetary groupings to which the Imperators were assigned, but it had been agreed, at least by this party, that it would belong to one Frell Maydan.

"The Emperor certainly seems to want to try, Imperator." Bhindi responded. "The people of Tholatin fell apart when their leaders fled without so much as a 'We'll be back' speech. In the meantime, the Bacta and supplies we've distrubuted have done some to quell any maajor uprisings."

"It has been made clear to the people that the Holy Demosthesian Empire holds them to no ill, then?"

"Of course. The people of Tholatin are every bit aware that our demands are made only of the Tholatin Empire and their Monarch, Kamon Vondiranch. None who denounce his Empire have - or shall - be hurt. At least, not intentioanally."

"But there is no telling if or when the Jutraalians will force our hand. If they invade Jutraal-"

"Then they shall be dealt with. I have assurances from the Emperor and the Polemarch that the Swarm and the Crimson Regime back the Holy Demosthesian Empire fully."

"The Swarm certainly seems willing enough to engage in slaughter for their own benefits. The rumours coming from Bespin, about what they did to Hoth-"

"Are exactly that, Vice-Admiral. Rumours. Unsubstantiated claims, at best, of what could as easily be a natural phenomonen. Beside the point, Hoth was not an inhabited world. Perhaps, with this new change, it will become a spot that people may want to visit."

"But what of the Jutraalian Empire, Admiral? If the reports are correct, and Fearsons does attempt to bring Tholatin into his Empire-" One of the other men said, once Bhindi had finished her bit.

"As if it wasn't part of his Empire already!" Imperator Frell spat. Bhindi cast him a glance, an interested light dancing in her eyes.

"Care to explain that, Sir?" She asked mildly.

"You bet I'd care to! The Tholatin Empire has been Fearsons' whore since before the days of our Empire. They assaulted the New Order on that madman's bidding, did they not?"

"So it would seem, Imperator. But I was under the impression that their allegiance was broken shortly after that." Bhindi returned.

"Of course it was. But Kamon Vondiranch has shown us time and time again that he is not a leader, but a follower. Intelligence says that the Tholatins have been building ships for Fearsons. Not to mention that a spokesman of the Jutraalian Empire rejected our terms of surrender before the Tholatins could even get to it!"

Bhindi nodded slowly. Most of what had been said she already knew, but it was interesting nonetheless to get the opinion of the Imperator on it.

"As I was saying..." The other man said, scowling a bit. "If Fearsons tries to bring this world into, or back into, his Empire, what are we planning to do about it?"

At this, Bhindi could only smile.

"Everything, of course. If the Jutraalians wish to... liberate Tholatin, they will need ships to do it. The Emperor and his honour guard are still here, as are the fleets of the Swarm and the Crimson Regime. And, of course, the Godshammer Divison is fully prepared for combat, despite recent expenditures."

There was a brief silence as the plans dawned on the others present.

"You're using Tholatin as bait." Imperator Frell said. Bhindi nodded.

"Tholatin means nothing to the Empire. Its assets can be replaced, and we have already successfuly removed anything of military value that the Jutraalians can sieze. Fearsons can try all he likes to bring this world back. But the cost of victory for him will be high. And in the end..."

She left that statement unfinished.

"What, though, of Gash Jiren? He claims that the Ossan Parliment stands against this war..."

"Because of our targeting of Kamon Vondiranch, his friend, and Chadd Fearsons, his former student, he does. But if the Ossan Parliment would consider the facts, the near bloodless victory achieved in liberating this world, and take into account Kamon and Chadd's tossing away of lives, they would recall their aide. Unfortunately, this will not happen. Nor will the Jutraalian or Tholatin Parliments vote against further war. "

"And why, pray tell, is that, Admiral?" Bhindi smiled thinly.

"Because the three leaders are Jedi. Their power makes controlling their mock senates a simple chore."