Bonadan

Forty-five minutes later


Vinda made his way to the shuttle bay, with Achinta, and a few members of staff keeping pace beside him. His demeanour made evident by the frown that had grown across his brow.

"...I find this an odd move for the New Order...this whole affair could be a smokescreen for something else...something bigger.."

Vinda glanced towards Achinta as he listened to him speak, and nodded...

"...yes... I can't really believe they just want us, as flattering as Miss Arliss can be, there is obviously another motive at work...when a proposal seems too good to be true, it usually is..."

He grunted as his mind flashed through a dozen scenarios...

"...the question is...what?.."

Achinta clasped his hands behind his back, as he continued...

"...I have observed they no longer referr to themselves as the New Order...but as the Empire..."

Vinda stopped abruptly, then with his brow frowning further, replied..

"..you think that is relevant? to our situation.."

As he looked upon Achinta the answer to his rather obvious question was reinforced by the Android's confident, but somewhat cool gaze....in fact the more he thought about it the more relevant it became...

His expression changed slightly , as he realised Achinta's ability to make a point, without really saying it.

...funny that...

He sighed slightly...

"..this move is certainly provocative, Mr Kaine obviously desires to be taken seriously, in fact many people would deem this act itself to be offensive...a prelude to war..."

Achinta tilted his head to one side as he responded...

"...or something more subtle...perhaps... "

Vinda , grunted as he picked up on Achinta's direction...

"...Trade embargo?...possibly, but what would it gain them?...no I think our mutual friend is more subtle than that...

...but, you know what I find most disturbing?...the fact that no-one appears to know where Tenloss has disappeared to..."

Vinda's eyes narrowed as he threw Achinta a glare...

"...and I, for one, would like to know..."

Achinta nodded slowly...

"...you wish to activate an operative?..."

The look Vinda threw Achinta spoke volumes, and a wry smile escaped the bodyguard's lips...

"..you have someone in mind?..."

Vinda simply raised an eyebrow, and handed Achinta a data-pad...

"..always Achinta, always...."

As the Android read the details, his smile grew further, and he handed it to one of the entourage...

"..see to this immediately, priority one..."

Watching as the assistant sped away fiercely clutching the data-pad within his hands, Achinta turned his attention back to Vinda who had continued speaking...

"..I find it hard to believe they wish to attack us...after all why make an enemy of someone you don't need to, especially when you want them to join you..."

Shaking his head a little Vinda considered this more...

"...no, its a waste of resources...I think Mr Kaine is being illustrative, showing us more of what could happen, than what actually might... "

As the two began walking once more, Achinta swiftly opened the door to the hanger. As the door slid away the scent of ship fuel, and the noise of the shuttles engines inside filled the entire hanger.

Achinta turned to observe the shuttle Jenice had arrived in, then glanced back to Vinda...

"if they do decide to attack..."

Vinda interrupted , his voice, serious..

"...I'm well aware , that we do not stand a chance, I am under no illusions, Achinta..."

The Android nodded, and watched as Vinda straightened his tie...

"...which is why I have asked to meet this...Kaine...then after ,perhaps we shall have a better idea of where we stand..."

The rest of the entourage stopped by the foot of the landing gantry and watched as Vinda, followed by Achinta strode inside the waiting shuttle...

Brentaal


The large Venerator Class Imperial warships exited hyperspace on the outskirts of the system of Brentaal and immediately began to slip out of the system.

The monitoring stations of all ships in the flotilla could not miss the rather large buildup of Imperial forces out and away from Vinda Corps main shipping lanes.

The black vessels of the 256th cast an erie shadow over the civilian traffic in the area, a nervousness that was felt in the markets of Brentaal.

Kaine looked outside the plexiglass windows of the Galactus and noted the arrayed warships, readying for the operations at hand.

The tracking officer had just informed him of the Bonodan contingent’s arrival and suddenly the TNO General felt a slight amusement.

Imperial Intelligence was culled for the time being, already having passed the point where any intervention on their part could affect the outworkings of the plan.

Already enough resources were in play…

Just the final nail on the coffin.., he thought as he watched on his monitors as the shuttles from the Bonadan contingent arrived on the Galactus.


His eyes narrowed at the departure of Mr. Seth Vinda, his assistant and various other Vinda Corp employees.

Kaine regretted the angles of the monitors as Vinda’s eyes seemed hidden from his. With a self depreciating smile, the General shrugged at the loss of information the monitor’s lack would mean.

Still, Kaine did not really relish the thought of meeting with foreign dignitaries. He’d do it out of duty, do further a necessary goal….but actually, looking forward to verbal banter with some offworld ambassadorial agent seemed a waste of time.

Endless rhetoric was not one of his stong qualities.

I am a soldier…not a damned politician…

He was a problem solver and all his energies went into ways to accomplish goals whether in the long term or short term.


Goals… goals..


Everyone has a goal…


Some more intangible than others.




Mr. Vinda and his assistant were allowed into Kaine’s briefing room, a deck lower than the bridge. The room was spacious and had only a double retracting pair of doors being the only entrance/exit.

A rather large conference table sat in the middle of the darkened room, the lighting subdued and the temperature chilled. Along an entire side of the wall massive plexiglass windows were arrayed to give an impressive view of space and the fleet’s positioning.

Floating above the conference table’s black glassy surface floated a rather sharp image of the galaxy, rotating slowly.


The doors opened and closed, the room briefly lighting up, until closing behind the Vinda Corp representatives.

Only Mr. Vinda and his assistant were allowed into the room, Jenice proving herself the guide for the rest of Vinda’s people, helping them get situated.

While the lighting was subdued and the lights outside (both natural and artificial) cast shadows throughout the room, Mr. Vinda still could see Kaine rather clearly. The man before him was clearly in his thirties, a rather ordinary looking fellow. Dark, though undistinguished eyes, dark brown hair, neither being rather tall nor short..

The presence of Simon Kaine was not such where he intimidated, nor did he attempt in any way to flaunt rank or privilege. His entire uniform was black from boots to gloves.

One either shoulder rested the gray Imperial Insignia and on his left breast were the symbols of his Sentinel Division and the 256th.. There were no rank pins to signify him as a General and perhaps, if someone saw him for the first time, they would not take him for one. He cast an almost tired, or bored expressionless face though his eyes told another story.

His eyes remained riveted to the Vinda people as if by their very appearance he could read their most intimate thoughts.

As the Vinda people sat down on the opposite side of the conference table, the rotating galaxy image seemed to obscure the General’s facial expressions. However, if his were obscured to Vinda, the opposite would also be true.

The doors shut and two armored Spartans stood on either side of the door facing the conference table, weapons at the ready. Outside remained two more Spartans.

While remaining at the ready, the guards remained silent and unmoving (not drawing attention to themselves and obviously not attempting to remind the guest of their presence through some form of intimidation).


In fact, a rather light music played in the darkened room the style of which was unknown to Vinda.


“General. The fleet is ready.” A voice seemed to interrupt from out of nowhere.

“Have the Venerator’s taken their position?”

“2nd Picket Sir.”

“Then send in the first Picket. Relay the target system’s tactical information to the 2nd and inform me when they are on station.”

“Yes sir.”

Kaine’s voice seemed very soft.

His gaze suddenly shifted to Vinda’s assistant and he merely said, “I do not know you..”

His demeanor seemed relaxed though his voice held a fraction of anticipation.

Outside Brentaal System.. aboard the Galactus..



General Kaine had the Vinda Corp representatives sit in the conference room with the rotating galaxy during the entire Corulag Campaign, content to lead matters in front of Mr. Vinda.


“Mr. Vinda. I would suggest you inform your other men on this vessel to get in touch with your planets and halt all your shipping three days from now for the entire day. At least, all your Core-bound shipping. Those already enroute should hold at a nearest port for at least that day.”

“Also, I would like to purchase the use of the largest food distribution convoy you have. I need the capacity to feed billions.. should it be needed. I also require any and all of your stores of medical aid and prefab building equipment. I will need these items in four days…as much as your people can collect.”

Kaine smiled slightly, “You are going to make a lot of money today, Sir. The cost of the goods we purchase should reflect any losses incurred in the holding of your shipping for one day ..as well as your time spent here.”


He turned his attention back to the galaxy map as it suddenly increased in size revealing the Corulag System and the operation unfolding.

The strange thing though was that only two two pickets (two groups of vessels) were used while the rest stayed on station in Brentaal Space.


Given the nearness of Corulag, the transmission time delay was nonexistent.


Corulag was a planet whose history showed them to be staunchly loyal to the Empire, even during the Rebellion. However hard times and the lack of Imperial presence within the Core and MidRim had seen the rise of factions within the Corulag planetary government. Factions whose message was to reach out to the New Republic for common interests and mutual support.

Unfortunately those factions were winning and Imperial support was dwindling.


Only a massive show of strength would win the population’s support for they all remembered the security and order the Empire exemplified.

And now it is time to show them..


The advance pickets had a two fold mission. The First Picket was comprised of the vessels from the Jutraalian Fleet as well as several Imperial vessels. They made contact with Imperial Loyalists on the planet to offer support before the government vote on Galactic Affairs. The vote would be in five days…

But the First Picket soon moved on… taking up station outside the Corulag System and waiting three days before activating their abolisher fields.

In three days the Perleman Trade Route, after Corulag will be severed.

The Second Picket was a slightly larger force and remained in orbit around Corulag, offering credits, support, and sending down stormtoopers to aide the Loyalists in their campaign.



The major portion of the fleet remained in Brentaal Space to allow Vinda Employees to work more efficiently at seeing to Kaine’s purchases as well his counsel of halting corporate traffic.

Each day, Mr. Vinda and his aide entered into a meeting with the General, mostly to simply watch what was going on and coordinate their own affairs.

Holographic projections of the tactical layout of the Corulag System was soon accompanied with holographic transmissions of people Vinda spoke too. It was as if Kaine was allowing Vinda to have a part (no matter how civilian and neutral in nature) in the planning for when he acknowledged another freighter ready with supplies, the tactical information on the General’s side would change to incorporate the new data.


During these times Kaine or Vinda would ask questions each getting a feel for the other’s character though keeping their own private counsel with their thoughts.



continued in Endgame: Fading Ambiguity, Clear In[/b]