<i>Takeover of Fest, Mantooine and Atrivis-7</i>

Why does our past always come back to haunt us? Who do ones mistakes from years past always end up affecting us in the future? Is it to force us to repent? Some kind of divine intervention? Time is like some merciless god ready to make us pay for our sins.

And what can we do? Run? Try to escape everything that we once were? Time is eternal, it can wait forever, sitting there quietly, waiting for its revenge. Nobody can run forever, and when it does catch up to you its vengeance is that more brutal because you ran.

<center>*****</center>

<i>Nothing can reach you. The screams of the injured and the dying, the smell of burning flesh, the pleading arms reaching out to grasp at your legs, they were all distant, detached, not even there. You are cut off from the world and nothing can penetrate the cocoon surrounding you. All you can see is the burning bloody bodies. There. Somebody comes staggering towards you, covered in rags. You level your blaster and fire. A burst of red death, flies out to claim another victim. The carnage surrounding you is revolting, hundreds of men, women and children injured, dead and dying. But you feel no remorse, no sadness. One can only serve, and serve proudly.

Gloria Imperium!</i>

<center>*****</center>

“Sir, the delegation from the Atrivis Sector is about to arrive.”

Marth Meer sat hunched over his desk staring at the datapad in front of him. War was always a busy time, there were appropriation bills to supervise, speeches to give, orders to issue and occasionally, though rarely these days, there were proud men and women to command. The war with the Black Dragon Empire was no different, plus add the expansion of those damn aliens to Adumar, that mercenary group that kept on popping up over in the Eastern Province and the Empire starting stuff all over the Galaxy it was a very busy time to be Marth Meer. And now he had to conduct negotiations and make nice with the delegation from the Atrivis Sector.

The Atrivis Sector. Marth was fated to remember the name of that Sector for the rest of his life. Nothing he could do would ever make him forget it, Generis, Fest, Atrivis 7…and Mantooine. Those four planets were the parents of Marth Meer. Had he made their pain and suffering worth it? Nobody would ever know.

Sighing Marth stood up out of his chair, brushing off the non-existent dust on his jacket. The dress for today’s meeting was casual, just a few handshakes and greetings for the holocameras. Later tonight there was going to be a formal dinner, with everybody in full dress.

“How do I look Aiden?”

“Very good, as always sir.”

Marth smiled at his aide’s compliment. Aiden Cowly had been his aide for years. He probably knew Marth best of any person in the galaxy, though that wasn’t saying much. Marth was a famously private man, probably one of the most private politicians ever.

“The meeting’s right this way in the Grand Hall.” Aiden said gesturing with his hand towards the door.

Marth nodded his thanks to Aiden and motioned to the guards flanking the doorway that he was ready to go. With the push of a button the door opened and Marth walked into the Grand Hall flanked by his bodyguards and trailed by Aiden.

Most people who visited the Grand Hall found it overwhelming. It was the biggest room on Onyx and definitely the most ornate, designed to overwhelm and impress visiting dignitaries with the might and power of the Onyxian Commonwealth. Across the hall Marth could see the waiting delegation. Leading them was three people, two men and a woman. Marth didn’t know much about them except that each of them represented one of the non-aligned worlds in the Atrivis Sector. Though these worlds had spent much of their history at war with each other their hatred of the Empire and Emperor Palpatine was enough to unite them. Marth hoped that the hatred would also be enough to convince them to join the Onyxian Commonwealth.

Marth strode up to the representatives and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Marth Meer, Vice-Consul of the Onyxian Commonwealth. Consul Logan is currently away on business due to the war but he sends his regards.”

The short heavyset man was the first to respond.

“Good to meet you Consul Meer. I’m President Pyotr Rimini, representing Fest.”

Marth nodded his greetings to the man exchanging handshakes then moving on to the next representative this one a man who was very old but carried himself very stiffly.

“Hello Consul Meer, I’m President Francesca Rimsy, I’m the President of Mantooine.”

More pleasantries were exchanged until Marth moved down the line to the last representative, the women. It was when she first opened her mouth that Marth received the biggest shock of his life.

“I’m President Emily Brosikov. I represent the planet of Atrivis-7.”

Marth barely knew how to respond. His whole mind was running at lightning fast speed. Were it not for years of training himself his face would be wearing an expression of shock, rather than the mask of polite good humour that was affixed to his face. He found himself stumbling through the pleasantries while his eyes flicked all over this women, examining every inch of her. He was trying desperately to prove wrong what his mind knew. But he couldn’t, the eyes were that same shocking shade of green, those same full lips that he remembered so well.

<i> “Please don’t let this be happening!”</i> Marth pleaded. <i>“Not now, not ever.”</i>

Marth finished his greetings and then turned his guests over to the protocol officers waiting to whisk them away to their various suites. As the delegation left the hall his eyes glanced over them seeing if there was any clue whatsoever amongst them. There was nothing however that betrayed anything out of the ordinary. All appeared well but it was with a sense of resignation that Marth walked back to his office.

His years of running had come to an end.

Marth settled heavily into his chair and stared at the wall opposite his desk, like the rest of his office it was dark grey and unadorned. This office had not been designed to impress.

“What’s my schedule for the rest of the day Aiden?” Marth asked Aiden Cowly who had entered his office behind him.

“Just some usual business. Karen is going to be dropping by later today with the latest intelligence estimates. Besides that there’s just the usual lobbyists and politicians coming. And of course there’s the Gala tonight.”

“Of course.” Marth said wryly. “We couldn’t have a discussion without ballroom dancing could we? Alright cancel all my appointments for the rest of today except Karen.”

Aiden hesitated upon hearing the order. Marth had never been a very political person even though he’d held a number of high political offices. Keeping him in those offices was Aiden’s job and he tried to do his best. “They won’t be happy, and you need their support.”

“I don’t need their support. What’s my approval rating? Something like 70 percent?”

“Yes it is. But that’s mainly because you’ve managed to dissociate yourself from everything that’s gone wrong so far. The war against the Empire was easily enough blamed on Griff and Arden. But you were the Vice-President, you can only distance yourself so far from Griff.”

“Which is why I have you. Your job is to make sure I don’t get painted with the same brush.”

“I can only do so much if you don’t follow my advice.”

“I will follow your advice but today I have a far more important job to do.” Marth said crossly.

“What is it?” Aiden asked curious as to his boss’ attitude shift. “Does it have something to do with the Gala?”

“No. Just trust me Aiden, this could be far more damaging than anything that Griff or I ever did.”

Aiden arched his eyebrow at this, but didn’t say anything. Marth had created Black Hand, hardly an organization that would fit in with the ethics and values of the New Coalition.

“Yes sir, I’ll get right on the rescheduling.”

“Thank you Aiden. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some work to do.”
Aiden nodded and left the room as Marth bent down over his datapad. Even after all these years together his boss didn’t want him in the room when he was doing work. Marth Meer was a very secretive and very controlled person. For something to shake him so much for Aiden to catch on it must have been quite the event. As Aiden left the office he resolved to watch his boss more closely, he didn’t seem as young as he used to be even a few years ago.

<i>“But it’s not the years it’s the experiences.”</i> Aiden reminded himself as he picked up his comlink and began to reorder his boss’ schedule.

<center>****</center>

Marth sat hunched over his desk staring at his datapad. He had called up everything in the databases related to President Emily Brosikov of the planet Atrivis-7. The biography was short and too the point. She’d been born on Atrivis-7, raised there her entire life. She became a lawyer. A few years after her graduation from Law School she became a member of the Atrivis Resistance Group. After the liberation of the sector she’d went into politics and her rise from there was fast.

Marth settled back in his chair. He hadn’t known all of this, the part about the ARG had initially come as a surprise but in retrospect it was not that much of a stretch of imagination. Marth picked up his datapad to clear the screen when he noticed a flashing link on the bottom.

Click Here-Darell Brosikov

“Darrell Brosikov?” Marth said aloud wondering. “Who’s that?”

Marth pressed the link and an extremely short page appeared and Marth began to read.

Darrell Marcus Brosikov
Born: 25 I.E.
Mother: Emily Brosikov (4 I.E.-Present)
Father: Marcus Destrev (3 I.E.-25 I.E.)

“<i>Marcus</i> Destrev?” Marth said. “Who the hell is Marcus Destrev?”

Further searches of the Database revealed nothing at all and Marth was forced to give up his search. Thoroughly dissatisfied Marth sat back in his chair and reflected on the day’s events. It had proved to be a most confusing day up to this point and Marth did not doubt that the rest of the day would bring more surprises.

"Karen good to see you."

Karen Calypso stared at Marth Meer suspiciously. Something was up. Marth was a nice man but he had never been one for pleasentries perferring to keep nearly everybody distant. Nobody knew everything about Marth Meer. Government Records just indicated that he'd been born on Bakura, at some point in his childhood he'd moved to Coruscant. Records of his childhood were non-existant, a fire had seen to that. After that nothing was known of him until years later he'd met Xander Griff in the Minos Cluster. After that his rise had been meteoric and when the Outer-Rim Federation was formed he'd been placed in charge of Black Hand the Outer-Rim Federation's Security and Intelligence Service. Since then he'd held various high-level positions with the most recent being Solicitor-General of the Galactic Coalition and Vice-Consul of the Onyxian Commonwealth. But the one thing that everybody did know was, if he was being nice and pleasent than something was afoot.

"Good day sir, how are you?"

"Not too good Karen. The war with the Dragons is taking up a lot of my time and to top it all off I have to deal with the delegation from the Atrivis Sector. So what news do you bring me."

"The war with the Dragons is progressing slowly. The Teth Spearhead has met with heavy resistance, it appears that the Dragons are putting everything into stopping that spearhead at Chandaar. If we win their back will be broken. The confrontation at Bandomeer is getting more heated, <i>Lynx</i> Squadron along with <i>Beast</i> Squadron has been dispatched to support the <i>Pride</i> preliminary reports indicate riots both for and against the Coalition."

"Who's commanding there?"

"Captain George Harrison, he's an experienced officer with a fairly distinguished career behind him. For the Imperials its Line Captain Kach Thorton. He's the latest wonderboy of the Imperial High Command. Not too bright or effective a leader but I guess the High Command sees something in him."

"He's probably best at shooting dissidents in the back or something." Marth grumbled.

"In other news the Bird of Prey mk III has become fully operational. The first squadron <i>Repulse</i> has been commissioned and are about to enter service."

Marth smiled at the last bit of news. The Bird of Prey were to him a symbol of a better time.

<i>Before that bastard Griff went off the deep end,</i> Marth thought.

"Anything else?"

"No sir."

"Alright Karen. I have a mission for the 10th Fighting Legion."

Karen paused at this, the 10th Fighting Legion had been the Legion stationed onboard the <i>Sovereign</i> when it had been destroyed defending Bakura. Only a few months ago Marth had told Karen to set up the most secretive unit in the Galactic Coalition, a unit that only 5 people on the outside knew of, Prime Minister Regard, Karen Calypso, Marth Meer, Jan Dondana and Viren Quell. The unit was comprised of men and women who would willingly give their life for the Coalition without a seconds thought. Most of them had suffered some personal tragedy or loss at the hands of the BDE or the Empire.

"What would you like them to do sir?"

"That's not for you to know. I will give them their orders when they arrive. Just tell their commander to come to Onyx with all speed."

"Yes sir."

Karen nodded to Marth and then turned and left his office and began to walk briskly down the hallway.

"Karen!"

Karen stopped and turned to see Aiden Cowly standing outside Marth's office.

"Karen, could you step into my office for a second I'd like to talk to you."

"Certainly Aiden."

Karen entered Aiden's office and settled into a swivelling seat. As she watched Aiden pour himself a new cup of caf she gazed around the office. Like Marth's it was very tidy and bare though the effect was decidely different. Where Marth's office appeared sterile and menacing Aiden's had a more comforting air to it.

<i>"Amazing how somebody can change a room so much just by their mere presence."</i> Karen reflected.

"So, what do you want to talk about."

Aiden settled down in his chair and locked his eyes with Karen's. "I want to know what Vice-Consul Meer asked you to do."

Karen frowned at the unusualness of the request. This was not the type of thing she expected from Aiden, and besides he was the Vice-Consul's most trusted advisor.

"If you don't know there's probably a reason, isn't there?"

Aiden smiled at Karen's response. "You don't know either, do you Karen?"

Karen felt herself growing annoyed with Aiden. "I know what he asked me to do which is more than you know apparently."

Perhaps he sensed Karen's mood but Aiden immediately changed course.

"Did the Vice-Consul seem a bit odd?"

Karen found her annoyance melting away as she considered Aiden's most recent question. Had Aiden noticed something too? Was the Vice-Consul ill?

"He didn't tell me what he was planning, which is a bit odd, he usually explains his requests to me. Why? Did you notice him acting strange?"

Aiden frowned as he considered the latest information. "He just seemed a bit rattled, and a bit more secretive than usual."

"It's probably just the war, he's on edge just like everybody else and along with the war he has to deal with this delegation from the Atrivis Sector."

"Probably, still can't tell me what he asked you to do?"

"Sorry, Aiden I want to, but I can't."

"Alright," Aiden nodded. "Well it's good to see you Karen."

Karen rose from her chair and after saying her goodbyes to Aiden she left his office and resumed her walk towards her office. When she arrived back at her office the first thing she did was send a coded transmission to CN-1344, even if he was acting odd, Marth Meer was still her boss.