The Dark Lord stood silently upon the command bridge of the Sovereign Class Super Star Destroyer, Procurator. He stood awaiting the transmission of the Jutraalian Empire's Inquisitor and the location of their meeting. It was odd, opening communications with the Jutraalian Empire once more. Odd indeed.

The bridge bustled with noise and chatter, as always, even as they merely seemed to drift through the system. Efficiency was the credo of the Dark Lord of the Sith and his main objective for his men. They preformed their jobs well, and he was pleased.

This meeting would undoubtably be a difficult one, but perhaps it would go well and serve in fostering amenities between the two superpowers. Perhaps it would serve to end hostilities all together. Only time would tell.. .




Sovereign Class Super Star Destroyer "Procurator" (Flagship)
(10 squadrons TIE Phantoms, 10 Squadrons TIE Defenders, 15 Squadrons TIE Interceptors, 5 Squadrons TIE Bombers. 75 AT-AT, 120 AT-ST, 4 Lambda-Class Shuttles, 20 MT/191 Drop-Ships, 20 Gamma Class Assault Shuttles, 1,500 Droideka Destroyer Droids)


Imperator Mk III-Class Star Destroyer - "Sovereign 1"
(3 squadrons TIE Intercepters, 2 squadrons TIE Phantoms, 1 squadron TIE Bombers, 2 gamma class assault shuttles, 4MT/191 Drop-Ships, 4 AT-AT's, 20 AT-PT's)
Imperator Mk III-Class Star Destroyer - "Sovereign 2"
(3 squadrons TIE Intercepters, 2 squadrons TIE Phantoms, 1 squadron TIE Bombers, 2 gamma class assault shuttles, 4MT/191 Drop-Ships, 4 AT-AT's, 20 AT-PT's)
Imperator Mk III-Class Star Destroyer - "Sovereign 3"
(3 squadrons TIE Intercepters, 2 squadrons TIE Phantoms, 1 squadron TIE Bombers, 2 gamma class assault shuttles, 4MT/191 Drop-Ships, 4 AT-AT's, 20 AT-PT's)
Imperator-Class Star Destroyer - "Sovereign 4"
(3 squadrons TIE Intercepters, 2 squadrons TIE Phantoms, 1 squadron TIE Bombers, 2 gamma class assault shuttles, 4MT/191 Drop-Ships, 4 AT-AT's, 20 AT-PT's)

" Stand easy, Captain."

The commander of the Super-class Star Destroyer Intimidationackowledged his superior, but he could not actually take in the order to its true meaning. Nothing of what was going to be done was in any way easy. His ship was careening through hyperspace towards a neutral planet, above which sat, or soon would be sitting, a dark Lord of the Sith and a comparable amount of Imperial warships.

The Grand Admiral had to know what he was doing, for the sake of the crews under his command. He obviously was unsure, either, having removed every Fleet soldier and stormtrooper with his elite Inquisitoriate Guard divisions, should fighting erupt. His was an optomistic, yet cauious mind.

" The galaxy is vast, Captain. Without any enemies to speak of, its sheer size would consume us. It is better to have some enemies you can be sure of with allies to hold them off, then a dozen friends on who's loyalty you cannot rely."

" Yes sir."

The Supreme Inquisitor smirked. His captain was doing his job excellently. He assured the crew he believed in his commander, but was repared for the worst.

" Reverting to realspace, sir."

" Excellent."

The white starlines ahead shortened into small forms and then pin pricks against the matte black of space. The stars were very dense, and several planetary systems could be made out. The Supreme Inquisitor had arrived in the Galactic Core.

And there was someone waiting for him.

" Imperial warships off the bow!"

" Shields up!"

The Grand Admiral tugged at the low waist of his white tunic, having adopted the uniform of the Jutraalian Fleet rather than the Inquisitoriate. Somw of his men felt betrayed, but those with a higher than rating sense of command knew that he needed to show solidarity with the majority of the Armed Forces during the current times. Things were unstable at best, and the Empire was always on the brink of war. It was paramount that the Fleet know all of its Grand Admirals were completely dedicated.

" Belay that order. If they fire, our armor will hold until we bring up the shields. But I am not here to start a war. And I doubt my counterpart is either. If they were, an Abolisher field would have scattered our remains across hyperspace. Open a channel. Let the parley begin."

Manifest: Flag and Escort

Super-class Star Destroyer - Intimidation
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer - Sovereign
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer - Invincible
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer - Rampant
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer - Emerald

The Dark Lord received word that a communications channel had been opened with the vessels now visible, even to the naked eye, off his bow. He turned and gave a signal for the main communications system to be activated so that he could speak from his current location.

"Greetings, Inquisitor, we have been waiting for you.. though not long."

The Dark Lord rarely displayed pleasantries of any sort. Especially with those who were not his brothers in the Dark Force, or superior Imperial Officers. However, in this forum he thought it best to show atleast a semblance of etiquette and courtesy.

"We would be pleased to accept your party aboard the Procurator. Or, if you wish, we could secure a meeting place on the planet below with minimal effort."

He waited. This was a pivotal decision, though it was made to seem simple. If his counterpart accepted his invitation aboard the Procurator, that would indeed be a grand show of trust. If he asked that they meet upon the planet, it would be an understandable precaution. Either way, the meeting would soon enough be underway.

" We would be pleased to accept your party aboard the Procurator. Or, if you wish, we could secure a meeting place on the planet below with minimal effort."

The Grand Admiral listened and smiled. The message was audio only, a standard operations protocol among Imperial warships: first meetings and contacts were done by aduio so as not to give the viewer any insight as the command operations of a Star Destroyer or other vessel.

" Sir?" asked the flagship's captain. " How do we respond?"

The Supreme Inquisitor inhaled and extended his chest. " We act civil. They have offered to do something, and we shall agree, only do it for them to show our willingess to participate."

The captain looked bemused, but did not reply. The Grand Admiral turned to the port crew pit and his surface barrage chief, one of the many fire control technicians on the bridge.

" Find me a spot that is surrounded by trees, cool, and dusk."

" There are several thousand to chose from sir."

" Pick one."

The Warrant Officer, Second Class, turned to his display and then back at the Supreme Inquisitor. " Sector 7, Grid 8-H."

The Viscount arched an eyebrow, and the Technician went on. " The floor and room number I had my honey moon in, sir."

" Good man." The Admiral turned again, only his head, and looked at the ventral battery commander. " Give me a five second barrage, all available guns, on that location. Leave nothing standing. I want a clearing for our landings."

" Aye sir!"

Several orders were relayed, and the Intimidationvibrated slightly as several thousand terrawatts of energy was transformed into lethal bolts that would pierce the atmosphere and create a swath of destruction for the Imperials and Jutraalians to meet on.

Several seconds later, a transmission went out.

" A Space has been cleared. Our shuttles are on the way."

"My Lord, they appear to have blazed a clearing on the planet's surface. Obviously they wish to meet there."

The Dark Lord responded coldly.

"Obviously. Prepare a landing party. We will meet them on the surface. Also stand by all fighter and bomber parties. They will be dispatched weather this meeting goes well or not. If it goes well, they will be dispatched to the surface to 'encourage' the planet's residents to resist the Empire no further. If the meeting takes a turn for the worse.. well, I am sure you can guess who will see the business end of their weapons in that circumstance."

The Dark Lord moved towards the main hangar bay. His dark cloak flowed around him, swirling with each step. Darkness seemed to gather around him like a rolling fog. Finally, he reached the docking bay and was met by a full squad of Sovereign Protectors, a group of Noghri Warriors, another group of Massassi, and a legion of Stormtroopers.

"When we reach the planet, the Stormtroopers will remain in the landing craft until called for. We do not need to overwhelm our counterparts. Understood, Sovereign Protector Hannad?"

"Understood, sir." came the answer through an armored helm.

Boarding the landing crafts, they departed for the surface. Maim could likely handle the Inquisitor's troops on his own, without so much as another man to aid him. However, when this meeting was finished he also planned to take the planet under Imperial Rule. For this, he would need more men as a show of force.

The crafts departed for the clearing, making good time and not delaying a moment longer than necessary. Punctuality, another firm belief of the Dark Lord. If something was to be done, do it as soon as possible. Waiting needlessly was a sign of the weak, or the foolish.. .

The Grand Admiral moved along the three hundred meter docking bay, itself a small casm on the vast ventral surface of the Intimidation. Next to him strode Field Marshal G'mont, commander of the Imperial Jutraalian Inquisitoriate Field Troops assigned to the mission. All together, ten light armored divisions filled the hulls and rooms of the five varrying Star Destroyers. The Grand Admiral was unsure of how many to bring.

" What does one bring to a meeting of his master's archenemy. A Garrison? An escort? An invasion army? What do you suggest, Aril?"

The grey haired officer next to the Corellian aristocrat replied softly. " Whatever you think can outmatch his own escort. I would recommend nothing less than a regiment of troops. He will undoubtedly bring at least that many as a show of power. From what I know of the man, he will want to display his own prowess. Not to offend, but to assure that you are dealing with an equal."

" Do you, honestly, anticipate a problem?"

" No. The Empire has too much on its plate to allow itself to become embroiled in a war with us."

" Good. Load the 2nd Infantry onto shuttles and take them down. I will go with the first echelon. Our gunners have targetting solutions on their ships and the landing site, exactly why I chose the field, so we would have the better barrage telemetry, just in case."

* * *

A flurry of Jutraalian shuttles arrived in the clearing, their Imperial numbers doing likewise. From one of the heavily armed Assault shuttles marched the Supreme Inquisitor and Grand Admiral, Ierin del Forza. Behind him stood four red tuniced Inquisitoriate Guards, and behind them was forming a parade phalanx of the 2nd Jutraalian Infantry Regiment.

The Dark Lord strode from his landing craft, accompanied by a flanking force of Imperial Sovereign Protectors, Royal Guards, Noghri Warriors and Massassi troops. Collectively the group was imposing, to say the least. Motioning to one of the Noghri, a large table was brought forth from the landing craft and surrounded with padded seats. A conference table, in the middle of a razed clearing. An odd sight indeed.

The Dark Lord waited, in silence, taking his seat at one of the heads of the table. His accompanying force remained standing a bit back to give him breathing room. He waited, patiently, for his counterpart to arrive.. .

Xilen was a master of disguise, and his unique ability to shapeshift was an unmatched asset to the Ancient Sith Empire. He looked down in admiration of his current form, a bright red metallic uniform with a red cloak drapped behind him. His stomach was much more toned than the bodies he had chosen before.... he liked the feeling of power.

His soft footsteps crept over the damp soil, as silently as any other had. Imperial Royal Guards were renouned for there decipline, and obedience. A soft smile crept up from behind his mask as he stepped up behind the Dark Lord of the Sith, his Sovereign Lord, and Master.

No words were exchanged from the Viscount del Forza to the officers that surrounded him or the Inquisitoriate Guards who fanned out behind. All knew their parts. IF all went well, they would stand at ease and enjoy the cool, Commenor spring. No words would pass from anyone except the Grand Admiral.

If all went well.

The Supreme Inquisitor moved forward, leaving his guards a few paces behind. He concealed no weapons, his disruptor pistol in a holster in plain site. He needed only one side arm, and he was as lethal as the men he commanded.

At the tabel he sat, facing down its stained surface at the Dark Lord of the Sith whom he had never seen, one engaged, and now was to parley with.

" I am Grand Admiral Ierin del Forza, Viscount of Raenoria, Supreme Inquisitor to the Jutraalian Empire. I am here on behalf of my government. My time is yours."

The Dark Lord smiled curtly. He had seen the man many times over holo images and other gathered intelligence. However, to see him in person was an all together new experience.

"As you know, I am Dark Lord of the Sith and Procurator of Justice. I am addressed as Lord Maim but in matters of state such as this, you may address me as Diete Somir, my given name."

The Dark Lord looked over a datapad then back to the Inquisitor.

"I am not here on behalf of the New Order. I am here today on behalf of the Ancient Sith Empire, my Empire. It is true that we do serve the New Order and are emphatically loyal to them. However, today is a matter which concerns only the Sith Empire.

It seems your Emperor and I are not exactly on friendly terms, a fact which serves only to punish those who serve us. It is not in the best interest of either Empire to have it's members squabbling and dying over a feud between it's leaders. Therefor, I come to propose a truce of sorts. Chadd Fearsons may do as he wishes regarding our personal relationship. If he wishes to continue upon the course of deadly enemies, so be it. However, I am sure you would agree that our Empire's do not have to suffer the same fate.

My people have not strove for greatness only to have their talents squandered on a bitter rivalry between to men. In goal and method our two Empires are not all that dissimilar. We believe much the same, though from time to time our methods do indeed differ.

I will not beat around the bush. Does being the enemy of your master also, in turn, make me your enemy? And if so, does that carry over also to my Empire and in turn yours?"

The Dark Lord sat silently, waiting for a reply.. .