Taken from: A Place to Begin...

This installation was and never will be here.

LON: Reclamation (Glee Anselm)

LEAGUE OF NATIONS


Notably one of the largest collection of ships assembled from the Galactic Region since the Coalition Fleet attacked Corellia two to three years ago appeared near the system of Glee Anselm.


They had, at first, exited outside the system to attempt to tap into the floating satellite network system abandoned by the inhabitants of the world due to an quickly-spreading and insidious biological attack. The people of Anselm, along with their allies within the League needed to determine if the perpetrators of the attack remained in the area before making what was being termed: "Reclamation Jump".


As it turned out, the satellites, while being mostly civilian in nature, revealed a surprise.


The existence of transports! Large, bulky transports as if someone was trying cash in or move in on heels of the Anselm Disaster like carrion feeders attacking a corpse of rotting flesh after the life had fled from a terrified animal.


It took a little longer to access any military satellites that had not been damaged in the mass exodus of a panicked population but the area surrounding Glee Anselm seemed free of military warships.


The strange actions of several of the freighters within the system gave the leaders of the Reclamation Task Force the impression that someone was trying to remain in secret and so the Imperial leaders offered a suggestion in tactics that left the other members, notably the Vors, Telti and Devaron representatives enthusiastic.


The government in exile, what was left of it, had given the fleet commanders their special codes to signal whatever organized Anselm settlements in hiding for information.




GLEE ANSELM



The first vessels broke through the surface of brownish/green water and as their hatches opened, the first footstep was put onto the sandy beach. The individual, soon joined by others from the underwater craft, were outfitted in emergency hazmat suits and while several people began to take readings of the surface of the water to compare with those readings taken at higher depths, the leader of the group moved outward.


The place was familiar to him and his mind reeled in shock that just last week, during the Symphony of Sand, the place was teeming with thousands of people. Now, dead bodies were left rotting and he felt for a blaster that was not at his side to shoot the carrion eaters away from the bodies.


A hand fell on his shoulder and he turned, tears forming in his eyes as he looked towards his Head Nurse. The water in her own eyes showed that she felt the same.


"Doctor. I find it amazing that the animals are still alive." The normally hard voice betrayed curiosity at the observation and the Doctor turned to the Imperial representative with something akin to gratitude. Such a clinical, unemotional outlook helped him to push his own feelings aside and focus on what needed to get done. Namely, the verification that the pathogen's lifespan had indeed passed. The observation built upon that foundation by indirectly showing that, while many of his people died from this, it did not, in fact, destroy most of the native forms of life on the planet.


A promising and hopeful fact indeed. And timely too, for various emergency Life Centers were nearing the breaking point as those people too far from starports to escape the planet decided on the next best thing: waiting the storm out.


Supplies were running low and the logistics of moving supplies from one Life Center to another were such that each individual location had to make due with what they had. Rationing had to be done which was painful for everyone. Too many people and not enough food, medical supplies, beds, etc..


He saw other vessels in the distance, secured at the dock entrance of the deserted city, which served as the main thorough-fare for the predominately aquatic planet.


The number of Imperials on the planet were small and while most civilian and trading post owners as well as political representatives left with the Anselm Exodus, several squads of soldiers remained to assist in the ensuing panic and race for the Life Centers.


The Anselm Military took over overall operations and these squadrons lent their support much to the relief of those taking command. They worked with an unstated understanding that their people leaders would return and return with help.


Were they not a member of the new prestigeous League of Nations?


A clicking of the comm unit drew the Doctor's attention toward his Imperial liason and the man clicked back.

"They've found something." he murmured to the Doctor and the Anselm began to follow, instructing his staff to begin analyzing the soil for any residual effects. It was a favor he was doing for the Emergency Minister of Agriculture. Would they be able to continue farming?


They did not go into the city but, instead, skirted the outside remaining near the beach. He could see that they were moving around the small peninsula, from the bay side of the city to the seaside. The stink was almost unbearable as bodies had yet to fully decompose, their rotting flesh food for all sorts of native life.

He noted a camouflaged location behind a sand dune and several Imperials were there taking turns with a rangefinder, aimed out to sea at a distant island. In the distance the Doctor squinted seeing metallic birds hovering and realized they were transports!

From where?


"what is going on?"


"Can't rightly tell at this distance, Doctor," the Spotter replied giving room for the higher ranked Imperial who had led the Doctor to the position to take a look. "But it sure looks like some scoundrels are trying to horn in on your people's plight."


"It seems more like burying a cache of something.." the leading Imperial replied as he looked through the scope. "Remember the readings from Life Center 37?" he asked knowingly.



Space - Glee Anselm System


There were only so many approaches to a world. There were only so many safe routes and no planet had the same route. Invariably, celestial objects, the unseen forces of dark matter, gravity eddies and the like hindered a ship from making a straight jump. In the entire galaxy, there were so few routes actually mapped that one could name them on a single hand. At least a five-digited hand. There were minor routes but objects in motion (in this case) tended to ensure other objections could not be in motion for long. At least, at light speeds.

At best, as the calculations came in, there were only four approaches to the planet. There were other approaches to be sure but because of the composition of the Glee Anselm system, a vessel had to stop within the system to make course corrections before continuing on and would otherwise alert the watchful Reclamation Task Force to their presence.

And so, with the Imperial suggestions, three of the approaches were interdicted leaving on the path for more relief supplies and or reinforcements open. A reinforcement point was being set up to organize supply ships attempting to enter the system from the Core. If there was something the Imperials excelled at it was organization and logistics.

It was assumed by the Fleet Leaders and Captains alike that either the transports had something to do with the malicious attack or their employers did.

In any case, the people of Anselm wanted their world back.


And these carrion pirates trying to bury or settle on a world that was not theirs would leave willingly or be removed by force.


In outrage and anger the people of Glee Anselm had so spoken.


Out of duty, the League of Nations had responded.


One of the largest fleets of a multi-planet, multi-national organization had arrived. Behind them would come the surviving population of Glee Anselm enmasse.


"I do not think these pirates will have any supporters in this neck of space." the Vor who was commanding the lead ship in a six squadron force over the holonet.


Maximillian Jaeder stood to one side, silent.

Somewhere, Eastern Coalition Space

Azguardian flagship The Coalition

Regrad had, for some time, been off the galactic charts. With his finest soldiers, veterans of the Furen Wars, Chiss conflict, Venerations, and even the Imperial War, he had disappeared into the chaotic maelstrom of the Eastern Coalition/Black Dragon border, his only line of communication leading back to the High Command tower on Azguard.

At this moment, the Prime Minister of the Coalition, one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, was kneeling in quiet composure in a private shrine. The lights were dimmed, the only sound the tap of his fingers as he worked on a datapad sitting on a low table.

Like all of his people, Regrad was a being of faith, but had a streak of well-known cunning and drive that went beyond the simple religious devotion of his peers. Thus, the time others spent in prayer, he now chose to use updating his knowledge on the situation in the galaxy.

Peace. He felt it flow through him, an alien, fleeting sense artificially created by his surroundings. Here, floating in his tin can in the depths of space, he was at peace while outside raged wars and deaths on a scale unimaginable purely because of his actions and movements. Every moment he spent in peace felt like a denial of that responsibility, and yet even he had to indulge in it every once in a while. For his compatriots, the comfort of their gods was sufficient to assuage any guilty conscience, but for Regrad, even in their shrine, it was not enough.

Breaking him from this mental loop, an incessent bleating filled the room. Perplexed, Regrad activated a wall panel that flickered on and bathed the room in artificial light. Viryn Quell was onscreen.

Regrad had a feeling nothing good would come of this.

"The fuckers!" the Minister of Ethics began. Now Regrad knew the news wasn't good.

"What's the matter, Minister? Is Mr. Shipwright giving you trouble again?"

"What?" Viryn gave Regrad a look as though he had spoken complete gibberish. "Don't tell me you don't know about this? You're the goddamn Prime Minister!"

Trains of thought took off in all directions, all of them worrying. "Tell me, Viryn - what's happened?"

"It's those Onyxian morons, they've only gone and provoked war with the entire fucking Empire!"

"There's no time for exagerations, Minister. Tell me what's happened - now."

Viryn sighed, rolled his eyes, regrouped, and returned. "Okay. Joren's son and his Onyxians investigated some planet that was bio-bombed off the face of the galaxy about... maybe two weeks back? I gave the case a look when they first got there, looks like the whole planet was wiped out but we didn't know why. Caleb, bright light that he is, decides to go in all gung-ho and make no effort to carefully present his arrival or make public what's going on, so within a few days the Empire comes out and starts blaming us for the bio bomb."

"What do you mean?" said Regrad, his mind racing. "Blaming us? Was there evidence? Any - "

"Oh come on, Regrad, when has INS ever needed evidence? A bird of prey warship was seen shortly before the bombing, but that could have been about anything. The facts are that Joren's son Caleb blundered into a dead body while he happened to have a knife in his hand, so now that everyone else's turned up they've done all the investigation they need to form a lynch mob, with Simon Kaine presiding!"

"Then what?"

"Then, well, that's still in progress. This 'League of Nations' bullshit thing that Simon put together to protect 'the common interests of the core' has put together a reclamation fleet, so now they've entered the planet's orbit and isolated anyone Joren left on the planet. The Onyxians are about ready to blow a fuse and show up blasting, which we can't do because that'll only make the situation worse, but now that the Empire has control of the planet you can bet your ass they'll do an 'independant study' that'll confirm we're the culprits."

"Are we?"

Viryn paused. "What?"

"Did we do it?" Regrad remained entirely calm, returning to his kneeling position in front of the shrine. "It's a fair question, Viryn. Did the Onyxians or another Coalition member perpetrate this biological attack?"

"Okay, firstly, I wouldn't allow it, secondly, we don't have the bombs, thirdly, even the Logans aren't that stupid..."

"All true," said Regrad. "Nevertheless, did we do it?" He paused to move the datapad he'd been working on closer to himself, examining the screen. "The Coalition's grown ever so fast, Viryn, and become far more important than it was in the days where you and I drafted a constitution on a napkin. We're no longer a band of freedom fighting rebels who survived from a period of imperial ascendancy, we have bureaucracy, we have professional killers and a fledgling political elite.

"We are fast becoming a nation to rival the Empire, even if not in pure territorial holdings, and one of the facts of life for any organization this big is that we can never control everything. Some lose their way, some are overlooked, and some are simply growing up in a different galaxy than we did.

"So I'll ask you again. Did we do it?"

Viryn scowled for a few more moments before replying. "No. Caleb was following his father Joren, who's gone missing recently. They tracked his bird of prey to Glee Anselm shortly before the attack, so the two events must have occured at the same time, but Joren didn't have the weapon, motive, or testicular elephantitis to pull this sort of shit. Maybe someone was trying to kill him? Regardless, Caleb didn't do the smart thing and open an investigation, Onyxian military types were too interested in setting up a base on the planet and Caleb was distracted with thoughts of dear papa."

He wouldn't have time to get to today's morning prayer. Dolash put his datapad away and got to his feet. "Viryn, is your secretary there?"

"Hi Regrad!" the bubbly android Miette appeared on screen, smiling cheekily and waving. "Enjoying your holiday?"

"Immensely. Miette, could you take down my directions? I need this disseminated to the High Command on the double."

"Will do." With a click and a whirr, Miette's eyes flickered briefly before she turned back to Regrad. "Ready when you are."

"We need to act immediately to contain this situation. Tell the Onyxians to hold off on any rescue attempts of their men-"

"Oh, I forgot to mention," added Viryn, who examined the datapad in front of him. "The men in that Onyxian base are all new commandoes called... Section eight? When the fuck did we go through sections one to seven? Yeah, apparently that's their official name. And they're packing just enough firepower to get us on the evening news for blowing up relief effort ships."

Regrad hung his head, but managed to recover. "All right, all that considered - Send someone to the Onyxians and keep them in line and have them work on their image immediately. We need to put a case together as soon as possible disproving our involvement with the disaster. As for recovery... well, that opportunity is closed to us, but it might be open to one of our allies. Find someone - anyone - in the Coalition who specializes in relief work and who's far removed from us enough to be a Coalition representative without being of the Coalition.

"That should contain the PR damage for now. As for militarily, make it clear that I don't want a military vessel within a sector of Glee Anselm. If there's any way to keep the men already on the planet from provoking an engagement, see it's done. We may have to surrender the planet, but not their lives..." Regrad rubbed his chin, digging through myriad options. "There's no choice. Put in a request with the Empire to speak to Simon Kaine. This will have to go to the highest level."

Regrad sighed, feeling the unfamiliar sense of peace drain for the more comforting sense of tension and anxiety. "Tell him I'm willing to listen to his demands for the lives of my men."

It wasn’t a grand armada of warships. It wasn’t a powerful merchant fleet. It could well be more compared to a peasant crusade than anything else. The Anx were a broken people, and this was the scraps of what they had left as well as some of the vessels used for the attempt to terraform Gravlex Med. It had been a slow process the New Republic had told them was impossible.

But times change.

And now, they came upon a scene that was so much akin to their own.

Vorlorn Holm stood on the bridge of the old Anx vessel that harkened back to a day when Vader and Palpatine had just recently begun their extermination of any seed of dissidence in the Empire. It was once his personal ship when the Council of Elders were sometimes called away to Coruscant to aid their Senator in debates. Senator Horox Ryyder was a friend of his actually, in a time long forgotten.

How much did the present make him think back to his past. Another planet and its people crushed like nothing in the gears of war.

“Will they never learn….?” Vorlorn asked as if to no one but himself. The bridge (if it could be called that) contained only a couple of stations. One for the pilot and one another for someone to monitor the other units. There were also a couple of places for other people to sit, be they there to watch the performance of the others or their presence was needed. This was one of the times for the later.

“Elder, we are in range now for their long range scanners.” Said one of the Anx who were the shepherds of the vessel.

They would’ve been there in far shorter time if they hadn’t gone around Imperial space. But the Anx had no trust of the Empire and for good reason. Many had lived through the horrors they had brought raining from the heavens upon them and seen their slaughter. The word of an Imperial was worth as much as the cold harshness of space they had brought them.

“Good… open a broadcast channel to them.” The Elder said as he slowly stood and walked forward and watched as the shipman flipped a couple of levers.

“Channel open now.” The Anx said as a click came from the comm. unit. The Elder cleared his voice and prepared to talk to an audience for the first time in ages. The broadcast being sent on all frequencies to ensure the League of Nations knew of their presence and intent.

“I am Vorlorn Holm. Last Elder of the Tria.” The old Anx said, in a low rolling voice like the hills of his lost land. “We have come from far and wide, the last of we people of the mountains. We’ve come to this place that has suffered a blow so akin to our own we may not help but feel pity to the bottom of our souls. And we couldn’t help but raise what strength we could as to aid so many who suffer the fate so akin to our own.

We come with ships for survivors, as they did serve so long ago. A loyal crew willing to work for the benefit of others. Equipment that can be used for the purpose of forming the planet once more, and the crews with experience and training in its use. And more importantly….”

The old Anx paused for a moment, taking a breath as he thought about how properly to put it all together.

“More importantly, we come here bearing no banners. We come not for the glory of a Taj. We give allegiance to no Emperor. Nor do we come here for the interest of furthering the Coalition. We come here as just another independent people who would be pained to see another people left to the void.”

With that, he awaited a response from the League. He knew that people didn’t think with much sense anymore. It was amazing how even when disaster, people still thought how best to slice it politically instead of worry about the pain and suffering at hand.

Horox Ryyder would be turning over in his grave if he hadn’t been vaporized.

Stryker-class Carrier Teebo's Legacy - Ord Mantell Orbit



Smash!


The glass vase shattered against the nearby wall of the small and spartan office. Not much decorated such walls, which was fortunate, because Caleb Logan would have regretted breaking more than one thing in a single fit of anger.

"They are saying what!?" He yelled again, for what seemed like the millionth time.

"That we did it. The bioattack on Glee Anselm." Ferus Neychev said flatly.

Caleb felt like ordering his entire taskforce on high alert and jump into hyperspace towards Glee Anselm, "That is the most insane thing I've ever heard! To think we were even capable of something like that! Has the Galaxy gone mad?"

"It gets better. You know they are going to come up with some proof. Regrad is just now getting wind of this... and the Onyxian Ruling Council will not be pleased."

"Do I look like I give a shit about what they have to say about this whole thing? We were just accused of mass murder!" Caleb yelled, slamming a fist down on his desk.

"What do you think we should do?"

Caleb tried in vain to calm himself, "We need my father..." He hated himself for even mentioning those words. But even he couldn't hide from the truth.

"Well he isn't here. We need to be ready if we are blamed for this."

"You are right. Order our taskforce on standby, and alert the other squadrons as well. Everyone is to be at battle readiness."

"Understood."

"Contact High Command on Azguard. Request instructions. Tell them we are ready to rock if needed. And I want the fucking message so encrypted it'll take the Empire weeks to fucking decode it."

"Understood. I believe we have an Azguard on board... he can send it with their special code..."

They would’ve been there in far shorter time if they hadn’t gone around Imperial space.


In the meantime...


The League of Nations Reclamation Task Force had advanced their warships to ensure that the following medical and supply ships would be safe. After such a large terrorist attack, the captains of their respective craft were taking no chances.

There were many other transports in the system, some caught in the interdiction field, for Glee Anselm was a world that held outside contracts and did business with other League members and so the system was littered here and there with ships that had entered the system expecting to carry out their personal businesses when all they had found was the remnants of the mass exodus.

They had seen the transports descend over a singular area unloading massive excavation equipment as smoothly as if everything was all part of a larger, more sinister agenda.

Unfortunately, their immediate descent also left them vulnerable to the dissipating pathogen that so ravaged Anselm.

Several transports that landed never lifted again.

But they persisted as if being driven by some extraordinary, unseen clock. Droids by the hundreds had been unloaded and the digging had begun and with such purpose that the personal and business observers recoiled in fear.

Until someone came to take charge.

Vor Bal, Vortex Representative to the League of Nations, had made his personal flag upon the Imperator Star Destroyer Talon. It would remain in polar orbit directing the fleets of various worlds into protective groups as the Nautolan and Anselmi led craft penetrated the atmosphere to reclaim their world.

Several Life Stations had linked up and gotten into contact with the fleet in orbit while keeping a wary eye on the goings on at the distant island.

They were priority as several of the Life Station's key systems were beginning to fail if they hadn't already failed as many tried to cram into environmental systems designed for far fewer.


Nautolan Desana, acting President in the wake of Griset's death, truly did not know what to do about the secretive interlopers that had hoped to profit from Anselm's destruction. Hert Griset had sent messages to Desana detailing a meeting with the Coalition regarding talks about joining. It was to be used as political pressure against any Imperial opinions regarding legislation he had wanted pushed through the League.

The Coalition representatives had arrived and there were reports of several large transports holding a pattern over the same island that these.. pirates? now occupied.

What had attracted these despicable intruders to such a grand scale of slaughter?


"Hypervelocity cannon," Maximillian Jaeder enlightened his fellow representative. "Scans show that these bastards have been very busy. There is a ton of equipment down there but most of it is in the early stages of being brought online. There are dozens of tri-tracking stations but no power source for any weapons grade defense. There is a camouflaged landing pad..."

"Can we detect all of this?"

"The are no masking fields in place yet. Everything is either in pieces or pending parts.." Jaeder walked over pointing to the holographic representation of large bulky transports, "..that are on these transports."

Desana frowned, "This is quite a bit of organization for mere pirates."

Maximillian nodded, "Yes. It is."

Desana looked over to the remaining high ranking members of what was left of their government. Anger clouded his disposition. "Are they still receiving?"

Jaeder turned to the captain of the Talon and the man shrugged, "We are not jamming the system. There is nowhere they can go and they know it. We could obliterate them from orbit if we wanted."

"No." Desana immediately responded. "At least, not yet."

A quiet fell upon those gathered as the Anselmi and Nautolan turned to each other. Some, understandably wanted revenge. Others wanted to deal with the disaster first.

"Order their immediate surrender," Jaeder finally advised. "Promise to withhold the death penalty.."

"WHAT?" one representative cried. "Do you know how many are laying dead on our world!"

"Sir," Jaeder's grim face cut through the other's grief, "That is a military base. Though they have halted operations now, should they continue and at the rate they have been proceeding, then they will be in a position to act in another four days."

"They need to surrender now or be blown off the map. If that hypervelocity gun is activated, they will cut through the medical and supply fleet like tissue paper. At the very least they could hold them hostage."

President Desana turned to his colleagues. "They will surrender."






Simon Kaine had only been aboard the Galactus, in orbit around Coruscant, for an hour when updates began coming in as to the situation in, on and surrounding Glee Anselm.


Glancing at the latest update first, he saw that a Coalition member world had reacted to the crisis on Glee Anselm with a self sacrificing volunteering of manpower, materials and time to help contain this disaster.

It was an impressive act of charity tarnished only by the fact that the people still clung to their decades old grudge against a 'Rogue Imperial Officer'. Kaine's eyes flashed in amusement over the fact that these newcomers did not seem to distinguish between an officer of the Empire and an officer that had gone rogue concluding them both as one and the same.


I wonder if they would be as unforgiving...?


Like so many creatures blinded by their own self righteousness, their distinctions only went in one direction and never seemed to apply to themselves.


And were they ever so cloaked in their self righteousness.


His mind recalled a part of conversation the Retired Moff Zell was having with one Viryn Quell, Minister of so-called Coalition Ethics. The Empire had a comparable organization called INS.

"Don't give me your blame-game bullshit, Zell! You think that simply blaming the Coalition makes you right--."


"Shut the fuck up, Quell!" barked back Zell. "I don't have time for your hurt feelings! The Empire hasn't blamed anyone so stop running around like a Jawa screaming the 'sky is raining droid parts'! Quite frankly, you fucking had a ship in orbit receiving President Griset's plea for help! It fucking ran silent! SILENT! I'll grant you that the captain was probably trying to find out what to do in his fucking Ethics book! Tell me, Quell, what chapter is it that tells your people to simply invade and set up a fucking monkey zoo?

Tell me, is it Coalition Ethics to sneak a fucking hypervelocity gun onto a world before the bodies of the previous owners have turned to dust?"

"Wha..what?" stammered Quell in an uncommon reaction.

He had been caught flatfooted and Zell was loving it, "We aren't blaming the Coalition, Quell. Quite the opposite, what we ARE saying is that whoever those fuckers are on the planet's surface who think they got away with stealing a League world out from under the Anselmi... THOSE fuckers are probably the perpetrator's of this most dispicable crime!

RIGHT?!!"

Quell suddenly felt a trap coming on and an uncomfortable feeling came over him.


"Coalition aid is on it's way.." he began and Zell nearly spit on the screen. "If I was you, Quell. I'd leave the Coalition at home this time. The fuckers surrendered."


"Quell out." He needed to get a hold of Regrad and quickly!




The noose had tightened as the identity of those who attempted to occupy the world despite Anselmi and Nautolan people continuing to die couped up in their Life Stations was ever closer to being revealed.

The bulky transports had been tractored and boarded by League vessels and it had been discovered that they were straight out of Ilum, in the area of space controlled by the Coalition sub-entity, the Onyxian Commonwealth.

The very entity who had courted the former President Griset for membership.

Kaine's eyes scanned the report of the captured weapons purchased from Stellar Enterprises and shipped to Ilum. The purchase and delivery receipts showed Stellar delivering what they could in an extraordinary time frame.

The Coalition had even paid double for their materials..


What was the reason?

Did they expect a world to suddenly 'come up' for their base?


Even so, the manifest of the transports captured from Ilum to Glee Anselm were merely part of the transportation used. Other vessels would be arriving to deliver the remaining of what Stellar could find.

The list was audacious indeed:


Planetary Emplacements:
1 DSS-02 Theatre Shield Generator
1 DATA Management System
1 Hypervelocity Cannon
20 G-003 Tri-Trackers
10 Multi-ordnance flak pods
10 QuasarFire turbolaser turrets
10 Heavy Sonic Cannons

Mines:
400 3HX3 repulsorlift mines
600 Anti-matter micromines
200 Imperial Atmospheric Explosives
100 Empion mines
600 I.M. mines

Chemical Weapons:
Loedorvian Brain Plague
Bilal Gas
Nano-destroyer
Neuro Poison
Neutron dissembler
Pacifog
Jurrinex6
FNV-23 and FNV-23-B

Firearms:
40 CR-28 flame cannons
1000 DC-15s Blaster Pistols
600 Stouker Concussion Blast Rifles
200 A280 Blaster Rifles
400 PLX-4 Missile Launchers
2000 Merr-Sonn M-434 DeathHammers
200 SoroSuub FastShots
200 BlasTech Last Resorts
400 of each model of the E-11 Blaster Carbie
60 Prax Arms Model AFD-43 "Sniper"
100 SoroSuub EZ-Snap 48sRs
40 T-415 Blaster Rifles
100 Arakyd Corporation's XP-X1s
100 BlasTech T-21s
80 Merr-Sonn EWHB-10 "E-Web"s

Explosives:
600 Baradium-core code key thermal detonators
1000 Class-A thermal detonator
2000 Class-E thermal detonator
1000 Flash detonators
2000 7-PrG Proton Grenades
2000 CryoBan grenades
500 Concussion bombs

Droids:
As many Droideka Mark II's as possible
As many Nova-class dark troopers as possible
2 Foreign Intruder Defense Organisms
100 LM-432 crab droids

Power Source:
The strongest one you have...



If left alone, Kaine gave them two months and whatever of this list they could have found would have been up and running.

The Tri Tracking emplacements were partially up and the hypervelocity gun was being assembled but that heavy weaponry was not what caught Kaine's eye.

No. It was the chemical weapons that these transports were delivering.


And all from Ilum!

Loedorvian Brain Plague
Bilal Gas
Nano-destroyer
Neuro Poison
Neutron dissembler
Pacifog
Jurrinex6
FNV-23 and FNV-23-B



If this list ever got out, the Anselmi would tear those intruders apart.


The circumstantial evidence was just mounting. Still, the big question was, just who was the Coalition arming?



Kaine looked at another update of the situation. It happened after the capture of the transports but before the arrival of the Anx.

Word had gone forth along the lines of an order from the Coalition Prime Minister.

"Tell the Onyxians to hold off on any rescue attempts of their men-...Send someone to the Onyxians and keep them in line..."


With no rescue forthcoming and being in an untenable position, the interlopers surrendered.


It was with that danger resolved that the Reclamation Task Force could work to it's full potential in supplying the overflowing Life Stations.



Kaine looked at the reports of this Section 8 base being built on Glee Anselm and marvelled. When completed, there would be a dozen spheres drifting in the ocean area above the base armed with turbolasers and sonic cannons. The facility had completed several sections of a magnetic rail train and what was even more amazing was the fact that this Section 8 complex had dug out a cavern buried one hundred to two hundred feet below the seabed itself.


This Section 8 seemed to be something to reckon with and as he looked at a holopic of their Commanding officer, Colonel Oso, he began to feel a grudging respect for the younger man's ambitions.

But the younger man was arrogant. He moved too fast and had been caught flatfooted. If he was returned to Regrad, he knew the young man might not make the same mistake twice.

He turned back to the current reports. Section 8 could wait as he began to see that the Life Stations were being evacuated and the people in hiding were returning to the surface.

But there was still much damage and while the pathogen did not seem to be found in the soil and air, the sea was still dying.

"Supreme Commander, A priority message incoming. Enemy identification codes, Sir." interupted a voice into his thoughts.

"Who is it?" he asked, still thinking about what he'd read.

"Prime Minister Regrad."

Ahh...

"Put him on."

The holographic image of Prime Minister Regrad appeared before a seated Kaine. The Imperial had his gloved hands clasped together in contemplation as the image took shape.

"Prime Minister, the war goes well?"






Nautolan Desana listened to the transmission with a mixture of apprehension and hope.

“I am Vorlorn Holm. Last Elder of the Tria. We have come from far and wide, the last of we people of the mountains. We’ve come to this place that has suffered a blow so akin to our own we may not help but feel pity to the bottom of our souls. And we couldn’t help but raise what strength we could as to aid so many who suffer the fate so akin to our own.

We come with ships for survivors, as they did serve so long ago. A loyal crew willing to work for the benefit of others. Equipment that can be used for the purpose of forming the planet once more, and the crews with experience and training in its use. And more importantly….”

The League of Nations representatives waited with baited breath, from their rally point on the surface of Glee Anselm.

“More importantly, we come here bearing no banners. We come not for the glory of a Taj. We give allegiance to no Emperor. Nor do we come here for the interest of furthering the Coalition. We come here as just another independent people who would be pained to see another people left to the void.”



President Desana felt weak in the knees and Vor Bal moved his thin frame over to support the Nautolan. It was Maximillian Jaeder who spoke, "To Vorlorn Holm, we accept your offer. If your ships have landing capability, please follow our homing beacon and we shall organize your approach."


Desana stood straighter and whispered, "If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger."

Jaeder nodded reassuringly, "The Empire can attest to that, Mr President."





"Contact High Command on Azguard. Request instructions. Tell them we are ready to rock if needed. And I want the fucking message so encrypted it'll take the Empire weeks to fucking decode it."


"Shit!" exclaimed a frustrated Linguistics Analyst.

"What is it, Kyle?"

"This fucking code! It's got more safeguards than your sister's chastity belt!"

"Ahh.. that Azguard special code. We've been trying to break that for.. damn, I can't even remember."

"What is it?" came the raspy voice of Ysanne Isard as she walked into the Communications and Information Tracking Center. "Did I hear someone say 'Azguard'?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Kyle's partner answered. "We've got ourselves another of those impossible codes.."

"They are impossible because it was created by beings with two developed brains. They are going to take a while to crack. Still, the signal itself will tell you something about the message."

"Really?" the Linquistic Analyst Kyle asked.

"Of course, young man. See the burst packet size? Most of it goes to the encryption so if you filter out all that which is preventing you from seeing the message, all you are left with is the message in a manner of speaking."

"A manner of speaking?"

"Well you cannot view the message without breaking the encryption. But you can see the size of the message and it looks like this message is rather short. That rules out most technical-in-nature messages."

"With that Glee Anselm situation, maybe someone is saying, 'We did it!' That message wouldn't take up much space."

Isard laughed slightly. "We may take advantage of the mistakes of our enemy as they take advantage of ours, but do not delude yourself into thinking the enemy is stupid. A message that short is either an answer to a query or a request for more information. Therefore, with this much encryption and given the size of the burst, it is not the content that you need to worry about as important."

"No?"

"No," confirmed the Director of Imperial Intelligence. "But what is of paramount importance then is, where the transmission is directed."

"Ahh.."

"A databurst with that much encryption is set for a rather distant location. Otherwise, the message itself would degrade."

She looked on with quiet satisfaction as the younger people did their jobs.

"There!" a young lady shouted.

"And what is there?" Isard asked.

The young woman frowned. "Well... nothing."

Isard's smile turned predatorial.


"Indeed."

The small fleet shifted back to real space, overlooking the now brown and darkened world. Vorlorn Holm looked upon the world solemnly, as flashes of their own home so much like this came to his mind. The horrors of the things that people did to each other. And for what? Some material spoils? Or worse just for the sake of the Anselmi and Nautolan just being different?

There was a large fleet gathered and the Anx quickly made their way into formation with the others. Four of the ships broke away, one was a converted mine layer that was carrying buoys of some sort and the other three were medium transports. Vorlorn Holm resumed his transmission to the League of Nation fleet about their approach as the ships deployed.

"We have come bearing shield buoys. The devices shall cut the area the fleet has landed in from the rest of the atmosphere so it may be cleansed first. It shall provide a safe area to establish yourselves and make it easier to work." The old Anx said in his calm, and deep voice. "Our initial landing teams will be down shortly along with the foreman from the Gravlex Med operation....

He shall be talking with your crews on the planet as to plot where next as to take himself and his men. Let us pray we can pull some more survivors from the maws of death.”

The three medium transports broke away and began to make their approach on the planet as the converted mine layer began to place the shield buoys. The shield buoys were an old technology that was developed ages ago after a major war between the Old Republic and the Mandalorians. Many planets were left broken and planetary reclamation became a large concern afterwards when the Republic tried to rebuild. Designed as to allow parts of a planet to be isolated in situations when dangerous chemical agents were in the air so they could slowly clean the planet one area at a time as to gain footholds and not have to clean the whole mess at once.

The three medium transports contained the ground teams, all wearing bio suits to endure the conditions that were predicted on the planet. The old ships were designed to handle these kinds of situations and worse, formerly owned by the 'Planetary Renewal Firm', the company had been publicized by the Coalition. They left most of the company in tact, and just kept it at their beck and call. Since they generally worked for the bigger nations, it didn't bother the higher ups to just work for one nation. So long as the bills got paid.

When the shuttles finally touched down, the teams shot out quickly and began to set up their equipment. A fair number of the crew were Anx, but a number of them were PRF regulars with a mix of various other races, namely Humans and Ithorians. Their equipment was designed to handle the stresses and conditions found on planets torn apart by the many nefarious weapons in the galaxy. Self-contained to keep out airborne hazards and layered with many anti-radiation materials it was able to protected the crews quite well. And the fact they’re self-contained allowed the suits to be used underwater.

Two of the teams came out on speeders and made their path for the perimeter where the shields were going to be deployed to set up the various gateways so that crews can move back and forth. The others began to come out with large air purification units and air sampling units. The aquatic side of things would be a distinct change from working on Gravlex Med which was a primarily terrestrial planet rather than aquatic. It'd require some modifications but wouldn't take too long for most of what they'd need. Modular design was the biggest part of their business.

A small group of three humans made their way along the literal beachhead to where the head of the group that came with the LoN's side of the operations had come in. There were corpses all strewn about and the carrion eaters. Many would be affected, but not this crew. So many biological horrors and otherwise had been unleashed on this galaxy, some older and some newer. And this was one of the more hardened of the PRF.

The LoN setup seemed hodgepodge. Lacking the proper equipment and many seemed like they just threw together a rescue team without any plan on how to actually do it. Like how to get any of the hunkered people out safely. Politicking more than anything.

"YO!" Cried out the large figure that bore a distinct white helmet from the others on his crew who namely wore oranges and yellows. A human but definitely a big guy for his race. "I'm Vinni, foreman with the Anx crew. Work for the Planetary Renewal Firm. Who’s in charge of this patch job?”

Regrad lit another candle, brightening the dark shrine enough for the the Grand Marshal to see. The holographic projection of Simon was life-sized, and except for a slight transparancey, it was as if his greatest foe stood in his place of worship with him.

"It goes, Grand Marshal. I've been updated about Glee Anselm." The Prime Minister blew out his match, and knelt at the alter across from Simon. "I guess I could tell you we didn't do it, but it's unlikely you'd take me on my word, and who did this isn't actually important anyways - I agree, I'm much disappointed with the conduct of my officers at the scene of a galactic crime."

Regrad drew his book of prayers back out from it's spot in the altar, trying to fill the scene with some pointless busywork. As if it was an afterthought, he added "Nevertheless, I'm interested in getting them back intact and in one piece. Trusting that you haven't eliminated them of course.

"I have no interest in holding on to Glee Anselm, as it's not ours to take. In fact, if not for the garrison potentially in your custody, I'd wash my hands of the situation entirely - I'm told your League of Nations has the situation well in hand, and I wouldn't want to impede their progress.

"So let's get this over with," said the Prime Minister, who proceeded to fold his hands over the altar as though it were his business table. "What do you want for them?"

"YO!" Cried out the large figure that bore a distinct white helmet from the others on his crew who namely wore oranges and yellows. A human but definitely a big guy for his race. "I'm Vinni, foreman with the Anx crew. Work for the Planetary Renewal Firm. Who’s in charge of this patch job?”


I ask for a right arm and I get sent a lunkhead.



The forward lookout on the beach had been abandoned when the Imperials seized the surrendered Coalition military base thus allowing the LON Reclamation Task Force to land their transports to set up hospital centers and aid camps. They no longer needed to keep an eye on the terrorists and the 'red tide', a result of the chemical contamination prevalent and growing in the sea, had made breathing by the ocean difficult and so all wore chemical masks.


A tired looking Imperial turned around at the blustering and loud human. "Colonel Vetrone. I am the one in charge of this 'patch job'."


While the newcomer's devil-may-care attitude grated on the Imperial's exhausted nerves, he pushed it aside. There was just too much to get done before their environment (who seemed to have declared war on life on Glee Anselm) undoes all their efforts.


"Get your butt over here, vinni!" he started instead, waving the newcomers-thinking-they-were-foozeball-stars over to the map laid out on a table, held down by various pieces of metal so it did not blow away in the wind.


Pointing to varous areas, Vetrone pointed out the obvious. "As I am sure you've seen from orbit, this world is mostly water... not as bad a Kamino or Mon Calamari but enough to be a nagging bitch to our efforts.


The society here is both land based and sea-based which means there are underwater cities and there is where most of the Life Stations are located as emergency shelters. The attack hit those on the surface most and while many did evac, as you can see we lost quite a few.

Those few Life Centers occupied on the surface are being tended too. What we lack is man power. The Reclamation Fleet is putting it's efforts into the Hospital and Aid Camps, tackling the problem of the bodies lying about and suface Life Center refugees if any.

The bitch is the ocean. Now, this green morass of Sith-knows what in the ocean is driving the sealife farther down and unless halted, will kill them. It also makes it a bitch to navigate the water in underwater craft as the chemicals interfere with sensors and is too murky to eyeball it."


The questioning look in Vinni's eyes prompted Vetrone to give a tired grin. "The underwater Life Centers have been uncoupled and are slowing coming up as they were designed to do. An advance team and I went out to ensure that they could survive up here and not fall victim to a pathogen and not be killed by waiting terrorists.

That would have been bad.

So, they are undergoing decompression stages currently but before long we should see Life Stations breaking the surface."

He paused, "..and we go get them."

A troubled look came across him, "However, I've had to divide my men and send them into the cities because the Anselmi and Nautolans didn't have much time but to escape with their families and what they had on their backs. This biological weapon is nothing like I've ever seen, save the Wrath Virus, and people just did not have time to do much of anything. Therefore, their cities still have unsupervised running reactors and/or machinery. Hydroplants are the priority as is anything nuclear or radioactive. As you can see, this was something I had not thought about before as I was concerned if the air was still breathable but..." he pointed to a nearby city, "..after seeing an electrical power station blow, I knew this was something I couldn't ignore. So, Vinni, I see alot of fancy suits and equipment so I think you can help us get a handle on this damned red tide and contaminated water problem, but if you can't, I can still use your manpower.

What do you need to get started?"

***

Was Regrad at church?


The holographic projection of Regrad's surroundings seemed to support that observation as the Regrad's representation lit candles. The hologram translated the light refractions in it's one-color scheme system giving Kaine a wider view of the projection field and of Regrad's inner sanctum.

The Azguard looked tired inasmuch as a reptilian species could reflect such a condition. Gone was the voice of power wrapped in a cloak self righteousness. Gone was the self confidence of being right.


Regrad had no pieces to play except one and so be began to move it. He opened his prayer book.


He's going to need it, thought the Supreme Commander.


After the Prime Minister of the Coalition finished his speech, Kaine simply stood there in thought.


"Prime Minister," he began formally, "do not dismiss the need to find out who the culprits are in this act of terrorism entirely. It would be important for the people of Glee Anselm to find the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice. However, they nor the League of Nations are in a position right now to carry out such an investigation. Still, the weapon used was frightfully potent and very effective and it is not a weapon we or anyone should dismiss. It would have taken a great deal of money to not only get the necessary biomaterial but to increase it's potency a hundredfold, which I am sure you are aware.

I will also admit that the thought of the Coalition actually doing this act did not really occur to me until after we found your military base and chemical weapon depot on the planet.

If you tell me you did not do it, then I believe that you believe that. But can you answer for all of your men in the Coalition? Before today, I would have thought yes. After today, I think not.

Because even if the Coalition did not carry out this terrorist attack, there is still the crime of Coalition personnel seizing the world and building a military base while ignoring the dying native population.

I will tell you, Prime Minister, when the base surrendered and we found it was Coalition Military, the people wanted to tear the garrison to bits. I can understand that feeling but rest assured, your people have not been shot."


He paused.


"Several months ago, Intelligence had detected that the natives of a particular region of space had suddenly expanded their military presence and began to extend their sphere of influence. Societies grow, I will admit but the rate of expansion these natives were undergoing warranted some concern. Their military hardware had a sophistication to it that led us to believe there were puppet masters behind these natives. The fact that these natives were anti-Imperial and promoting such ideas when at the same time last year they were a peace-loving people not bothering with us or others.

So we were faced with an aggressive native species sporting a military that could not possibly be supported without outside help.

So we sent an Expedition Force to blunt their arrow and let them know that the Empire was watching."

He turned to Regrad. "Imagine our surprise when the Coalition Fleet showed up bugles sounding and sabres rattling in support of these natives? It was revealed then that all along, you've been arming native regions and filling their head with hatred for the Empire and you were doing it on the sly? Where was the announcement of this grand new inductee into the Coalition? Where was the ambassadorial visit showing us your new borders for these... Kashan?

The move impressed several in the Imperial High Command and perhaps, had we been less vigilant, it might have worked. But these new, sneaky tactics of yours does not lend me to completely give you absolution regarding the attack on Glee Anselm?

I wonder if you are not secretly allied with what remains of GLF as you are with the militaristic race of Kashan natives?


I do not think so, though. And I do not think you would have ordered this attack on Glee Anselm. But I am uncomfortable in simply saying that no element of the Coalition was involved because, how much control do you have over your military?"


Before Regrad could bristle in response, Kaine continued, "What do I want?


I want you to once and for all, without a shadow of a doubt recognize the League of Nations as a viable and independent entity. Independent from either of us."

Regrad looked up in surprise.

"Yes, Regrad. I have no intention of seizing Glee Anselm as your military tried to do. My support in the creation of this League of Nations, while perhaps scoffed at by your own fellow politicians and military leaders, is genuine. I do not want those regions torn by war and perhaps, if they remain independent of both our collective empires, they may stay that way.


What do I want?


I will admit, our whole message to the Anselmi and Nautolan people regarding the attack on their people was, if we found scavengers or someone trying to profit from their loss, then they would, more than likely, the perpetrators. Never mind INS's dreams did I think to find a Coalition base. So, you are right now linked in the minds of the Anselmi and Nautolans as somehow responsible. So you are right to be bitter and angry at your men. We are keeping Xen Oso and his ilk under sensory deprived conditions so they do not hurt themselves or others by being in a position to say the wrong thing, see the wrong people or be accessible to the more 'revenge' oriented citizen. From my reports, they strike me as foolish and arrogant but ultimately, they also strike me as the low fish on the native totem pole. They should not be simply punished for following orders. But a base like that does not come out of your military budget so easily, I think. Someone gave Mr. Oso a blank credit chit and he went to town ordering weapons, alot of them funneling through Stellar Enterprises, or so the transport records seem to indicate. So I want you to publicly court-marshal the person responsible for this farce. Perhaps even the commander of the ship who dropped Mr. Oso off leaving the planet to it's fate as well.

I need for you to stand behind all your rhetoric of peace and the superiority of your democratic system of good and fair government and show me that you actually have a handle on your people! That you ARE the Prime Minister!

I want your word as Prime Minister that despite what we found at Metalorn, despite what we found at Glee Anselm the Coalition will NOT attack the Empire. On your word!


And if some element of your Coalition goes Rogue and does attack, I want instant condemnation from the office of the Prime Minister and I want a public recall by the Coalition Commander-in-Chief.

And I want you to understand, if rogue elements do attack.... After we removed your offensive making capabilities after the last war and allowed you to rebuild, after becoming embroiled in a war with the Dragons, Coalition elements still attack, my patience will be at an end.

We will cut out your rogue element out like a rotting cancer and destory it.




So:

1). Reitteration of your recognition of the League of Nations
2). Court-Martial of Coalition leaders responsible for base on Glee Anselm
3). Your word that the Coalition is not bent on war and that you will not attack
4). Denounce the rogue elements within your society.


Give me that..."


Kaine's hands went wide.


"...and you can have your people back."







Zell would have asked for the hearts of six Jedi knights, verifiable with a midichlorian scanner, Joren Logan's testicles in a jar of Wookiee piss, a Kashan's head on a pike, and Vonta Horn as a love slave...


...all in all, the wiley Azguard may have preferred that list instead!

Simon's tone was flecked with the usual barbs and insults Regrad had come to expect from his foe, but he didn't hold them against him - the Prime Minister accepted that the nature of the man before him was to probe for weakness and test the character of those he delt with, even if he tried their patience in the process.

Once Simon had finished his speech, Regrad decided to buy himself some time to think. He flipped open his prayer-book at random, glancing down at the first page it opened to.

Last rites.

He smiled. And they said the Gods have no sense of humour?

He looked up from his book towards Simon, giving one last moment to weigh his words before saying "Keep them, then."

He paused, fiddling with the book as though he were preoccupied by it for some reason. After a few moments more, he put the book away and placed both hands on the altar. "All moral, philosophical, and political justifications aside, you're using strategic blackmail and we both know it. I have no problem with that - you have some of my soldiers whom, despite my dislike for their actions, I am still responsible for. Their lives and the damage they could do to the Coalition's reputation and position if misused are simply chips you're bartering for too high a price.

"Would you think I'd rather bind my hands than break my heart? To swear I would never bring force to bear against the Empire when the same Empire has brought force against us on no less than four separate occasions since the 'end' of the last war? To allow someone else to define what 'Rogue' elements exist in my society and what steps must be taked to purge them? I am concerned for the welfare of my people but I am not a fool, Kaine.

"Of course..." added the Azguardian Prime Minister with a wry smile, "Your other demand was most welcome to me - I'd gladly recognize any democratic organization the Empire chooses to submit itself to. It's most gratifying to see that even the Empire can recognize its' ability in maintaining peace and order amongst diverse peoples, although I'm pleasently surprised to find you amongst its' vocal supporters." And why not? Barbs could go both ways. The Grand Marshal was made of sterner stuff.

"Perhaps if you narrow your desires a little to the specific 'problems' you perceive in the Coalition (Besides its' existance, of course) that stay your hand from returning my men, I might be more welcome to pursuing measures. I'm in no place to say yet what action can be taken over the conduct of the officers present at Glee Anselm, for one of the finer points of democracy is that nothing can be decided without everyone first voicing their opinion and having it recorded in triplicate. Anything you do to specify your grievances, however, will make it easier for me to formulate a response."

"Keep them, then."

If Kaine could have laughed in appreciation at his nemesis' frank comment, he would have. As it was, he looked over at the transmission terminal confimring that he would be able to view this conversation over again at his leisure. His face, however, remained impassive throughout his enemy's own diatribe.

He did not rise to the bait as the reptile made hash of his understanding of the League of Nations and the Empire.

Still, what he understood or not wasn't the issue. That he had agreed to at least one of Kaine's conditions (regarding the League) was paramount.

"Regrad, the condition of your hands and heart are hardly my concern. If you feel my reasonable requests are just too much for your own 'empire' to acquiesce too, so be it.

Evidently you feel that the lives of your people do have a limit. That there is a finite cost to be attributed to people caught up in the machinations of their Prime Minister. That's right, Regrad, your machinations... your plots...your schemes. Since you feel that your soldiers are unaccountable for whatever they do no matter what it is and since you feel that there are no rogue elements in your government, we must conclude that what we found on Glee Anselm had the tacit approval of the Prime Minister and, ultimately, the people of the Coalition...since obviously you cannot do a thing without their approval in your vastly overstated democratic government.

Are you so scared of public opinion that you would fail to bring even the lowliest of culprits of this tragedy to justice? Those that not only authorized your base to be built on the bones of the Anselmi but supplied the funding, which would have been considerable by the way...not pocket change lying around..perhaps some Onyxian Commonwealth higher-up?, and the questionable leadership of those in Section 8?

Are these people relatives of Coalition Senators or something? Will they take your political party's contributions or support away if you try to do the right thing?

In any event, I am glad you are deciding to recognize the League of Nations though, to be honest, you have no choice as a world associated with the Coalition has already applied for membership and has been accepted despite our regulations on not joining the Empire. You see, we have no world within the League and the League is built upon the understanding that we will not conquer worlds joined to them. However, nor would these worlds scheme against us and Tirahnn has been an exemplary member of the Independents.

If they leave us alone we will leave them alone. The Tirahnn's are very able politicians, I must admit for their membership secures them from attack should our two powers go to war. Assuming of course, they do not support your war effort... the details are still being worked out and one of the kinks was recognition of their status by the Prime Minister of the Coalition, which you've just given me.

So, when I meet with them, I can encourage them with a successful negotiation of their status and endeavors to peace and security but you will have to explain why there are Coalition soldiers on a dead League member world."

Kaine narrowed his eyes at Regrad, "I wonder what you truly value in a world that applies for membership? Just what is it now that you expeditously watch for..... the ability to face public scrutiny? Loyalty of subjects? Some skill in leadership? Cunning? A single minded persistence?

Amazingly, that's what we look for as well.

But I wonder whatever happened to your righteous nobility and virtue? Are these also not banners that you look for in joining your mess of planets?


No, I will not list our grievances with you. For our...my grievances are not just with you... or your leadership but evidently with your people.

For all your holonet speeches, you are only the voice of your people. For all your schemes in arming natives against us, evidently it is the will of your people. And for your calling upon citizens of the Empire and Imperium to Civil War is really, your people behind the instigation.... and this tells me one thing.

That your people are not accustom to the consequences of their wants. They are like spoiled children that give no thought to the accountability of their actions and so think nothing of making our own civilians combatants in war.

This is why you are powerless to punish even your own officers that err and waffle in embarrassment speaking of triplicate forms to even bring an errant officer to trial let alone punishment. Ironic, since it only took one minor attack by the Imperium to release your already gathered forces for offensive operations instantly.

So no, Regrad, I will not threaten you or insist upon the not attacking us. I do not think you could even have guaranteed a year...for while you may not be a fool, your bosses are. The people. And it will be they who will be held accountable for their actions.


So you've given me one condition and one condition alone.


Therefore, I will give you Mr. Xen Oso back. He will be free to walk your halls unpunished and untarnished by a scheming Coalition empire. Knowing your people perhaps he'll even get a promotion."

Kaine shrugged.

"But everyone else will remain to stand trial for their conduct!"

Kaine leaned forward, "You are always so quick to judge us and other factions and call us to account even for events that happened decades ago...well, why should it be any different for you?"


"In the meantime, allow your Anx and Gravlex Med people repair the tattered remains of what's left of your reputation the best they can. Gods know your soldiers cannot do it anymore."