The Past... Hapes
"The possibility of a Jutraalian incursion into the Cluster is unthinkable! Chadd Fearsons would not dare to launch another war this soon. The people would not stand for it!"
The voice came from one Admiral Rsstar, aruging heatedly with a tall man with black hair combed back. The Admiral's face was red with fury, two veins in his thick neck looking as if they might burst any minute.
"The public opinion on Jutraal means nothing to the Emperor Fearsons." Hannibal Scaur returned evenly, his voice not rising a decible above the norm. "If the entire world erupted into armed revolt, he would put it down and continue to fight his wars."
This only seemed to infuriate the Admiral more. This... Scaur was becoming quite a nuisance. He always seemed to have his hand in everything. He was an operational menace.
"The Jutraalian Empire will attack the Hapes Consortium, unless he happens to catch wind of our plans. Which, I am quite sure, he will. One way or another."
The Admiral said nothing, but nodded (obviously unhappily) and stalked off. Hannibal sighed. The Admiral was tactically sound enough, but he was a right @#%$ when he wanted to be. Couldn't stand it when the views of his subordinants didn't go the same way as his own.
"For Queen and Cluster, Scaur. For Queen and Cluster."
<hr>
The Present... Dreena
"Status?" The Admiral asked briefly, standing before the viewports of the Hapan Nova Battle Cruiser Paladin. The forward-set bridge of the Nova showed a clear view of the stars, with nothing but a thin layer of transpirsteel between the crew and space. It almost gave the appearence that he was drifting...
Since the war with the New Empire and the massive expansion of the New Order, the Hapes Consortium had been suffering under the brutal onslaught of pirates and raiders.
Many of those pirates had choosen Dreena, the former capital of the Divine Order, as the staging ground for their assaults. Hannibal Scaur, formerly a Rear Admiral with the Royal Navy, had also, conviently, choosen Dreena as a suitable place to establish a base of operations from which to launch his own crusade against the corrupt monarchy of the Consortium.
There were many who would suggest aquiring the aide of thesr pirates in this quest, but like many Hapans Hannibal Scaur had a strong hatred of pirates and their like. Instead, the Dreena system would be cleared of enemy craft and liberated... or rather, as close to liberated as one could get, in this case. Many people would simply see the change from pirates to a Rogue Hapan Admiral.
"Reversion successful, Admiral. Sesnor reports coming in now... reading two Corellian Gunships, one Koloth Class Battle Cruiser, a number of smaller freighters and raiding craft. The Gunships are turning to engage us. The Koloth hasn't responded yet.
Hannibal nodded. "Excellent. If we can take them one by one, all the better. Shields up, weapons online. Fire on the enemy craft as soon as you get targeting locks. Launch fighters."
There was a series of acknowledgements, and the two Battle Cruisers surged forward, the formost laser cannons already lancing out with their scarlet bolts...
Thirty minutes later, it was all over. The two Gunships had been obliterated by the combined force of the Hapan ships, and the rest of the pirates had fled for 'greener pastures'.
"Launch the shuttles. Secure the capital. I want the main government offices ready for my arrival in three hours."
The Rogue Admiral gave one last look to the drifting wreckage of the Hapan ships and left the bridge.
"The possibility of a Jutraalian incursion into the Cluster is unthinkable! Chadd Fearsons would not dare to launch another war this soon. The people would not stand for it!"
The voice came from one Admiral Rsstar, aruging heatedly with a tall man with black hair combed back. The Admiral's face was red with fury, two veins in his thick neck looking as if they might burst any minute.
"The public opinion on Jutraal means nothing to the Emperor Fearsons." Hannibal Scaur returned evenly, his voice not rising a decible above the norm. "If the entire world erupted into armed revolt, he would put it down and continue to fight his wars."
This only seemed to infuriate the Admiral more. This... Scaur was becoming quite a nuisance. He always seemed to have his hand in everything. He was an operational menace.
"The Jutraalian Empire will attack the Hapes Consortium, unless he happens to catch wind of our plans. Which, I am quite sure, he will. One way or another."
The Admiral said nothing, but nodded (obviously unhappily) and stalked off. Hannibal sighed. The Admiral was tactically sound enough, but he was a right @#%$ when he wanted to be. Couldn't stand it when the views of his subordinants didn't go the same way as his own.
"For Queen and Cluster, Scaur. For Queen and Cluster."
<hr>
The Present... Dreena
"Status?" The Admiral asked briefly, standing before the viewports of the Hapan Nova Battle Cruiser Paladin. The forward-set bridge of the Nova showed a clear view of the stars, with nothing but a thin layer of transpirsteel between the crew and space. It almost gave the appearence that he was drifting...
Since the war with the New Empire and the massive expansion of the New Order, the Hapes Consortium had been suffering under the brutal onslaught of pirates and raiders.
Many of those pirates had choosen Dreena, the former capital of the Divine Order, as the staging ground for their assaults. Hannibal Scaur, formerly a Rear Admiral with the Royal Navy, had also, conviently, choosen Dreena as a suitable place to establish a base of operations from which to launch his own crusade against the corrupt monarchy of the Consortium.
There were many who would suggest aquiring the aide of thesr pirates in this quest, but like many Hapans Hannibal Scaur had a strong hatred of pirates and their like. Instead, the Dreena system would be cleared of enemy craft and liberated... or rather, as close to liberated as one could get, in this case. Many people would simply see the change from pirates to a Rogue Hapan Admiral.
"Reversion successful, Admiral. Sesnor reports coming in now... reading two Corellian Gunships, one Koloth Class Battle Cruiser, a number of smaller freighters and raiding craft. The Gunships are turning to engage us. The Koloth hasn't responded yet.
Hannibal nodded. "Excellent. If we can take them one by one, all the better. Shields up, weapons online. Fire on the enemy craft as soon as you get targeting locks. Launch fighters."
There was a series of acknowledgements, and the two Battle Cruisers surged forward, the formost laser cannons already lancing out with their scarlet bolts...
Thirty minutes later, it was all over. The two Gunships had been obliterated by the combined force of the Hapan ships, and the rest of the pirates had fled for 'greener pastures'.
"Launch the shuttles. Secure the capital. I want the main government offices ready for my arrival in three hours."
The Rogue Admiral gave one last look to the drifting wreckage of the Hapan ships and left the bridge.