The Committee
"How dare you target my bank!" Rico Belgardi shouted indignantly across the table at Brutus Nogoth.
"It was necessary for my agenda," Nogoth replied coldly and calmly.
In the midst of the bickering Rac Fegal, one of the many alien members of the Union`s Committee sat motionless, watching what he thought to be a simple disagreement of two men, who never shared much common ground to begin with.
Rac reckoned that Belgardi had a reason to be upset, but then again what could you expect from a man such as Nogoth? A terrorist, an idealist, the very word made Rac grin at the idiocy and dangers of those in the room, who were driven by such a mind set.
Yet then again Rac Fegal for one had not ever shied away from decisive action albeit he preferred to keep his own name being smeared. Rac supposed that Belgardi simply did not see the necessity of sacrifices and that made him weak, weaker than Rac.
The dug fixed his attention on the silent chairman of the Committee, Estro Sabrino, who did not seem one bit interested in breaking this argument. There had never been a time when his authority had been questioned, but then again from time to time he had appeared to be more passive than a leader should be.
The union had unexpectedly fallen to a deadly slumber, which would ultimately bring about this bickering that was surfacing in the form of Rico Belgardi and Brutus Nogoth. The industrialists had grown fat and weary with their current holding, none of them had a shred of ambition left and Rac hated to admit he numbered among them.
At the other end of the table, the extremists kept repeating the same patterns. Jumping through a loop, over and over again without ever realizing, that their methods were simply not working. Yet now this time they had directed their violence towards a member of the Union itself, without a warning.
Rac snapped out of his thoughts and was left dumb-founded as the more extremist elements of the Committee had began to leave the table, one by one. This, if anything was a gesture of defiance. Hesitant, Rac raised an eyebrow and threw directed glance at the silent chairman, who did nothing.
"This is getting beyond ridiculous..."
The dug said loud and clear so that even those still on the doorstep could hear him voice his opinion. For once he found the Union to be not as he had imagined it, being at this table seemed no longer a privilege, but a duty that they all had to fulfill.
Not a single word, not even an expression from the chairman as many of the Union`s members walked away from the table. Whether it was simply indecisiveness or some kind of twisted cunning Rac could not tell, but he could tell what ran through his own mind at the very moment.
Anger, disappointment.
Maybe the Union all together was for nothing.
Metellos
The chairman of the Fegal Companies, Rac Fegal sat silently in his luxurious penthouse apartment at the top of Metellos` vast metropolis. Deep in thought he gazed up at the stars, that shone through the window on the roof.
No contact, not a word since the last meeting of the Committee, only a haunting rumor that Estro Sabrino had gone awry along with every bit of military might the Union itself had possessed.
It had truly come to pass, the end of an era, in the end The Union had simply proved too diverse for it`s own good. Where it`s influence had once extended throughout the galaxy, from the corporate sector to the darkest bowels of the underworld, now all that was left were the shattered pieces of mighty organization.
Unity and diversity had been their greatest asset, but the very cause of their downfall. Too many diverse idea`s, beliefs and agenda`s slowly poured into one flask, like water and oil they never mixed. Now the flask was broken and the illusion of something unique was gone. Yet the question poking his gray matter was not condition Estro Sabrino, The Union Or The Committee.
"What now?"
The dug uttered out loud in sheer disbelief, staring into the emptiness of space that opened wide before him.
He had been abandoned by the strongest supporter he had ever gained during his life as an industrialist. Without the Union`s network of contacts and influence his own end might not be too far either. There were many dangers surrounding his companies centered at the heart of the universe. The New Order to name one, spanning vast and powerful as ever around the planets, that he had brought to heel.
But it would not end there, with the Union gone there was no telling what Brutus Nogoth and his ilk would dare throw against him.
Yet he still had options, strings to pull and contacts to exploit throughout the underworld.
Abandon his gains here and move to the edges of the galaxy, to a more secure location? The, more thrilling, life of a smuggler could once more be his, but with even more power than he could imagine.... Hardly, the mere embarrassment that was sure to follow would make him a laughing stock of the entire universe. He was not paranoid enough to turn tail and run at the sight of the imperials.
On the other hand he could stay his course, even without the Union he had mighty network of industrialized planets under his influence, army of his own and a fleet that ferried weapons of war where-ever conflict was brewing.
Had it not been his dream to create something like that from the very beginning, from the darkness of the underworld he had struggled his way to a position. For once he had been the lackey of crime lords, now even on this world crime lords were his lapdogs and imposed order on the streets, his order.
The Union was never the goal nor forever meant to be his master, it was the means for something greater and a stepping stone on his path to dominating the heart of this universe. Like a vermin he had clung to the Union, but where there was a void there was power to be had. Once more he was truly free to act on his own accord.
There was endless potential contained in his current situation, not many could claim the same and he had done it almost single handedly. The galaxy had been shaken, but it would never end, there would be war and there would be conflict. People like him were always needed, no matter how petty a conflict war brewing there would be always those in need of his merchandise.
Already a new scheme began to brew in his mind, to hell with the Union, his ambition re sparked anew would be enough to support him in making this part of the universe to his liking. No longer a slave, but the master of his own fate.
Rac issued a command in his native tongue, that few in the galaxy, save for his own race, might have recognized. The screens on the far wall flickered to life, the system began opened up a schedule of events to come in the industrialists daily life.
"Computer, call for a meeting with the heads of all departments 8.00 am, sharp. Cancel all other appointments on my schedule... and inform agent 8 to stand by for orders." He commanded with a calm tone whilst making his way to the edge of his apartment where one could view the city below.
"Acknowledged... All former appointments erased, new meeting scheduled and all departments have been notified... Agent 8 is currently located on Corusant, interception of the message by Imperial systems is highly likely, would you like to proceed?" The computer uttered a response as it went through the commands directed at it.
For a moment Rac stared silently at the city below as the computer hummed quietly awaiting new directives.
"Contact name: Nebael."
Rac said with a faint smirk on his face, considering the upheaval the bounty hunter must have gone through these last days an offer to work might prove an welcome change of phase.
At least this former union employee was still eager to work for his cause, for the right price as always.
"How dare you target my bank!" Rico Belgardi shouted indignantly across the table at Brutus Nogoth.
"It was necessary for my agenda," Nogoth replied coldly and calmly.
In the midst of the bickering Rac Fegal, one of the many alien members of the Union`s Committee sat motionless, watching what he thought to be a simple disagreement of two men, who never shared much common ground to begin with.
Rac reckoned that Belgardi had a reason to be upset, but then again what could you expect from a man such as Nogoth? A terrorist, an idealist, the very word made Rac grin at the idiocy and dangers of those in the room, who were driven by such a mind set.
Yet then again Rac Fegal for one had not ever shied away from decisive action albeit he preferred to keep his own name being smeared. Rac supposed that Belgardi simply did not see the necessity of sacrifices and that made him weak, weaker than Rac.
The dug fixed his attention on the silent chairman of the Committee, Estro Sabrino, who did not seem one bit interested in breaking this argument. There had never been a time when his authority had been questioned, but then again from time to time he had appeared to be more passive than a leader should be.
The union had unexpectedly fallen to a deadly slumber, which would ultimately bring about this bickering that was surfacing in the form of Rico Belgardi and Brutus Nogoth. The industrialists had grown fat and weary with their current holding, none of them had a shred of ambition left and Rac hated to admit he numbered among them.
At the other end of the table, the extremists kept repeating the same patterns. Jumping through a loop, over and over again without ever realizing, that their methods were simply not working. Yet now this time they had directed their violence towards a member of the Union itself, without a warning.
Rac snapped out of his thoughts and was left dumb-founded as the more extremist elements of the Committee had began to leave the table, one by one. This, if anything was a gesture of defiance. Hesitant, Rac raised an eyebrow and threw directed glance at the silent chairman, who did nothing.
"This is getting beyond ridiculous..."
The dug said loud and clear so that even those still on the doorstep could hear him voice his opinion. For once he found the Union to be not as he had imagined it, being at this table seemed no longer a privilege, but a duty that they all had to fulfill.
Not a single word, not even an expression from the chairman as many of the Union`s members walked away from the table. Whether it was simply indecisiveness or some kind of twisted cunning Rac could not tell, but he could tell what ran through his own mind at the very moment.
Anger, disappointment.
Maybe the Union all together was for nothing.
Metellos
The chairman of the Fegal Companies, Rac Fegal sat silently in his luxurious penthouse apartment at the top of Metellos` vast metropolis. Deep in thought he gazed up at the stars, that shone through the window on the roof.
No contact, not a word since the last meeting of the Committee, only a haunting rumor that Estro Sabrino had gone awry along with every bit of military might the Union itself had possessed.
It had truly come to pass, the end of an era, in the end The Union had simply proved too diverse for it`s own good. Where it`s influence had once extended throughout the galaxy, from the corporate sector to the darkest bowels of the underworld, now all that was left were the shattered pieces of mighty organization.
Unity and diversity had been their greatest asset, but the very cause of their downfall. Too many diverse idea`s, beliefs and agenda`s slowly poured into one flask, like water and oil they never mixed. Now the flask was broken and the illusion of something unique was gone. Yet the question poking his gray matter was not condition Estro Sabrino, The Union Or The Committee.
"What now?"
The dug uttered out loud in sheer disbelief, staring into the emptiness of space that opened wide before him.
He had been abandoned by the strongest supporter he had ever gained during his life as an industrialist. Without the Union`s network of contacts and influence his own end might not be too far either. There were many dangers surrounding his companies centered at the heart of the universe. The New Order to name one, spanning vast and powerful as ever around the planets, that he had brought to heel.
But it would not end there, with the Union gone there was no telling what Brutus Nogoth and his ilk would dare throw against him.
Yet he still had options, strings to pull and contacts to exploit throughout the underworld.
Abandon his gains here and move to the edges of the galaxy, to a more secure location? The, more thrilling, life of a smuggler could once more be his, but with even more power than he could imagine.... Hardly, the mere embarrassment that was sure to follow would make him a laughing stock of the entire universe. He was not paranoid enough to turn tail and run at the sight of the imperials.
On the other hand he could stay his course, even without the Union he had mighty network of industrialized planets under his influence, army of his own and a fleet that ferried weapons of war where-ever conflict was brewing.
Had it not been his dream to create something like that from the very beginning, from the darkness of the underworld he had struggled his way to a position. For once he had been the lackey of crime lords, now even on this world crime lords were his lapdogs and imposed order on the streets, his order.
The Union was never the goal nor forever meant to be his master, it was the means for something greater and a stepping stone on his path to dominating the heart of this universe. Like a vermin he had clung to the Union, but where there was a void there was power to be had. Once more he was truly free to act on his own accord.
There was endless potential contained in his current situation, not many could claim the same and he had done it almost single handedly. The galaxy had been shaken, but it would never end, there would be war and there would be conflict. People like him were always needed, no matter how petty a conflict war brewing there would be always those in need of his merchandise.
Already a new scheme began to brew in his mind, to hell with the Union, his ambition re sparked anew would be enough to support him in making this part of the universe to his liking. No longer a slave, but the master of his own fate.
Rac issued a command in his native tongue, that few in the galaxy, save for his own race, might have recognized. The screens on the far wall flickered to life, the system began opened up a schedule of events to come in the industrialists daily life.
"Computer, call for a meeting with the heads of all departments 8.00 am, sharp. Cancel all other appointments on my schedule... and inform agent 8 to stand by for orders." He commanded with a calm tone whilst making his way to the edge of his apartment where one could view the city below.
"Acknowledged... All former appointments erased, new meeting scheduled and all departments have been notified... Agent 8 is currently located on Corusant, interception of the message by Imperial systems is highly likely, would you like to proceed?" The computer uttered a response as it went through the commands directed at it.
For a moment Rac stared silently at the city below as the computer hummed quietly awaiting new directives.
"Contact name: Nebael."
Rac said with a faint smirk on his face, considering the upheaval the bounty hunter must have gone through these last days an offer to work might prove an welcome change of phase.
At least this former union employee was still eager to work for his cause, for the right price as always.