Of all people in the Cluster to be chosen for an undercover attempt at forcing a coup, why was I chosen?

Dearic sat on his shuttle ship. The stars outside still told him that the infinatenous of hyperspace still enveloped his ship like a shadowmoth was enveloped by its coccoon. The wings would soon unfurl and the moth would float into the sky around it. Soon enough he would be on the planet responsible for the Death Seed plague. A vile planet full of the descendents of prisoners.

How do they think I have the expertise for this? How do they know I will get the job done?

The answer was simple. They couldn't. The knowledge they expressed to him about his being able to get the job done was absurd. He was a Captain in the navy, not Intelligence. His area of expertise was leading ships into battle and getting them out alive while still destroying the enemy. His goal was not to use mental, psychological, and indirect warfare against his enemy. It was quite the opposite.

I see now.

They saw the fact that he could get it done by applying his area of expertise to another field. The same principles applied to both types of warfare and it was obvious they saw this fact before sending him. And he had shown the best ability of the new Imperial class to be able to lead in tough situations. To be able to remain calm even faced with impending death at the hands of his enemy.

And I am sure to face that here.

He watched the whiteness of hyperspace outside. It seemed as if it never moved. As if it were just a nothingness that hung there. As if it had never existed and still didn't. The thought, that perhaps when they jumped to hyperspace that they were instantly at their destination but their minds said otherwise, passed through his brain, but he pushed aside. He ignored the insane notion and went back to preparing himself mentally for the task ahead.

I better not screw up. My chance of promotion will be left in the dust if I do.

First question, what do I do once I arrive?

After having slept for a solid four hours he had awaken to the rythmic sounds of a ship in flight. The whiteness of hyperspace still enveloped the ship and nothing seemed to have changed other than the fact that he had slept four hours. Everything appeared the same to him anyway. The pilots were still in the cabin and didn't seem to have left any time lately. But he wouldn't know that for sure. For all he knew they could be sleeping at the controls. He just didn't feel like getting up to make sure they weren't.

Simple enough. I infiltrate their command structure and find a likely candidate to take over. One that will support the notion of bringing the planet to The Order and join with the Mechis Cluster. Now how do I do that?

He had all the weapons he could possibly need for the mission to the planet. There were blasters, rifles, explosives, and more. He was trained to use them all but had never actually done so. In all the time he'd been a Captain the use of such weapons had never arisen. The Orders enemies had never tried to capture his ship and he'd have done a well enough job keeping them out anyways. No one got even close to taking his ship while he was on it.

Another simple one. I get in close with the ruler. Become very close friends with him and move into his confidence. He appoints me to one of the councils and I seek out a candidate for the coup. Now, about the candidate....

The Cluster had done well in the war with the factions aligned with what they called the "lightside." Truthfully there was no such thing as a light and dark side. All of the factions fought for their own means and if necessary would turn on their fellow comrades in order to accomplish a goal. The Order had beaten the enemies offensive back to their own worlds and an ally had pressed the attack on them by assaulting Bakura. Although it was a losing effort from the beginning and TNO ships had had to rescue them from certain doom.

He'll have to be strong both physically and mentally. As well as well educated. If he isn't then there is no point in installing him. He'd be removed quickly by the Order anyways. He'd also have to be smart and cunning.

The Captain stepped out of the cabin and Dearic looked up at him from his seat. Dearic took precedence over this man because of the craft they commanded. Dearic commanded a vessel of war while this man commanded a transport who's goal was to move people, not fight a war. Dearic could pull rank if he had to, but this Captain seemed content to do his job and do it well.

"We're almost there."

"Good. Alert me when we are."

"Yes, sir."

He returned to the cockpit and Dearic sat back in his seat. It was time for the last bit of relaxing he could get before he went undercover.

"Sir, we're reverting."

"Good."

Dearic rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked out the viewport as that white envelope faded away to a blackness full of thousands of pinpricks of white light. In front and a bit off to the left of the ship was a large brown planet that he knew to be Nam Chorios. This planet was his destination, but he knew it would be hard to get onto the ground.

"They won't have any flight control so just take us in. But be wary and prepare to fly this thing like a fighter. They have automated anti-ship weapons on the ground."

"Yes, sir."

Dearic watched the planet grow closer and closer. It looked like a giant ball of dust. There was no green to be seen on the planet. And for that matter, there appeared to be very little water on the planet as well. It was a wonder these people had even survived this long. They obviously must have drilled to get underground water. Otherwise they would have all dies of thirst.

"Breaching atmosphere, sir."

"Lasers on your starboard, Captain."

Giant bolts of energy lanced out at the ship and he knew the populace would soon be alerted to the ships presence. He didn't much care if they knew the ship was there. As long as they didn't know he was the occupant then he would be fine. A bolt of energy flew by dangerously close and the pilot cursed as the ship suddenly did a nosedive towards the planet and under the weapons field of fire. It leveled out and settled on the ground before his stomach could return to normal.

"Thanks, Captain. You know what to do."

"Yes, sir."

Dearic grabbed his things and walked down the ramp once it lowered for him. Heading off towards the mountain first, he watched the shuttle take off and fly low around the mountain and out of sight. It would hide itself a ways away while he completed his mission. Then he would return and, after an Imperial ruler was installed, leave the planet. He just hope dit worked out.