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The large black shapes of the three <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dynast<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->-class Battlecruisers hovered like sleeping scorpions over the planet Galantos. The world was the site of the
now-finalized joining of the Outer-Rim Federation and the Duskhan League, which was completed after Jian Paret stepped down as Viceroy. The Council of Castes had approved the joining.
The Federation had now set its sights on a small planet in the outer-rim. A planet with a rather colorful history. A histoy of attack and attempted conquest by aliens from a distant star cluster. A planet that had housed the Galactic Negotiatiors.


Bakura.


Thanks to the courage and leadership of men and women like Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, The Wookie Chewbacca, and Gaeriel Captison, the planet had been saved. At that time, the Federation was a small, quiet trading company based on a small planet in the Minos Cluster.
But they had taken notice of the Ssi-ruuk Imperium invasion of Bakura. They had quietly built up a small, but powerful Navy just in case the Ssi-ruuk decided to come back. But the Ssi-ruuk Imperium had stayed in its own little corner of the galaxy and had not launched an attack since then.
But now after "The Joining", as it was being called, the Federation had discovered some disturbing files in the Yevethan Archives. Apparently, the Duskhan League had fought a small flotila of vessels at Sactitan that were egg-shaped. And the leader of the vessels had said he was part of the Ssi-ruuvi Empire.

This had alarmed top Federation leaders, who then decided that they would have to prepare for another Ssi-ruuk invasion.
So the first step was the planet Bakura. They needed to set up a formidable defense near the entrance to the Ssi-ruuk Star Cluster. And they had mapped out a plan to do so.

The plan was being called "Project Scorpion" and was classified at the highest levels of Federation Security. And three <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dynast<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->-class Battlecruisers had been assigned to the project.

The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Insidious<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> was the flagship. The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Desecration<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> was the left flank. And the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Obsidian<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> covered the right flank. Currently, they were in orbit around Galantos, awaiting their orders from Federation High Command.

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"The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Insidious<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> is provisioned and ready for battle" Commodore Heliz said to Captain Xexes as the captain came on board. The captain was a tall ,green, tough-looking man of the Falleen species. He had fled his world along with his family after the Rogue Empire attacked the planet. He had ended up on the planet Preza in the Koornacth Cluster and had been recruited by
the Outer-Rim Federation. He had attended the Federation Military Academy on Kalarba and had finaly received a command. The heavily armed <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dynast<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->-class Battlecruiser was a Yevethan-designed craft but it still was one of the largest vessels in the Federation fleet. He had been looking forward to this command.

“Excellent work Commodore. I would like to get underway within the hour”

Heliz looked surprised.

“We have a mission?” Heliz asked.

“Yes” Xexes said. “I want to see you in my office in two hours to discuss it with me. Have Captain Jones come as well. He is an essential part of the mission”

Heliz nodded and smiled. “Yes sir” He said.

He was rather looking forward to this.


<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><!--EZCODE CENTER END-->

“Why is Black Hand not involved?” Heliz asked, casting a nervous glance at the stern, grim-faced man in an Army Captain’s uniform.

“Because Black Hand is an independent division within the Defense Department. This is the Army’s assignment”

Heliz sat back uncomfortably. Black Hand was usually in on such an operation. But the good captains had not said anything about it yet. Only that it was a large-scale operation and Black Hand was not involved. He had slowly been working up the courage to ask for a complete briefing on the mission. He was, after all, the third highest-ranking officer here.

“Sir, what is this mission anyway?” He finally asked.

Xexes sat back in his chair and steepled his long, green fingers.

“Commodore, have you ever heard of Project Scorpion?” Xexes asked.

Heliz nodded.

“Only rumors…supposed to be a shadowy, black op organization, created for some unknown reason. I always thought it was stupid fantasy created by a group of Ensigns off Gallinore”

Xexes smiled slightly.

“The thing is captain, the Project does indeed exist. And three vessels were assigned to it by Admiral Griff himself. You are sitting on the flagship of those vessels”

Heliz tried to hide the pure shock that transformed on his face, but he was only half-successful. His jaw dropped a few centimeters.

“Project Scorpion is real? I never thought…”

“Yes. And Black Hand is not involved because Scorpion operates on its own, independent of all other Federation Departments. You could call Project Scorpion a rogue division”

Heliz sighed deeply and slumped in his chair. Xexes said nothing, obviously wanting the revelation to sink in. Heliz couldn’t believe it! according to rumor, Project Scorpion was a phantom shadow op, always watching, always pulling the strings behind every thing from where to place med tents to huge, large scale operations involving the Federation War Fleet.

But wasn’t that what Black Hand was for? Assasinations, creating and starting planetary revolutions, planning and executing shadow and covert operations?

“But sir…what is this mission?”

“To answer that, commodore, I will have to tell you more than you might want to hear”

Heliz considered that for a moment.

“I am willing to take the risk, sir”

Xexes smiled again.

“I thought so”

Xexes took a deep breath and looked over at Captain Jones.

“Captain?”

Jones nodded and turned to Heliz.

“Years ago, just before the death of Emperor Palpatine, the Outer-Rim Federation was created. At the time it was called “Outer-Rim Trade Inc.”, Based on a Minos Cluster planet. When a reptilian, alien species invaded the planet Bakura they feared the worst and created a small navy to defend themselves. But when the aliens, called the “Ssi-ruuk”, were defeated, ORT was quite relieved. Eventually, they formed into The Outer-Rim Federation and so forth, you know the history. But they always feared another Ssi-ruuk invasion. Thus Project Scorpion was born. It’s only function is to prevent the Ssi-ruuk from invading the galaxy again”

Xexes nodded to Jones.

“Captain Jones is in Army Special Forces. His job is to find the Ssi-ruuk or P’w’eck’s on the planet and destroy them”

Heliz frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

“The Ssi-ruuk are already there? I thought we were going to fortify the planet, not attack it”

“The Ssi-ruuk on the planet are covert operatives. They snuck in there, as part of their pre-invasion procedure. They are setting up a small base, located nowhere near populated areas. When the Ssi-ruuk invasion force arrives, the covert operatives will sabotage the planetary shield to allow P’w’eck landing craft to enter the atmosphere”

“When will the Ssi-ruuk get to Bakura?” Heliz asked.

Xexes frowned, and Captain Jones’ expression stayed completely emotionless.

“We do not know exactly”

“Then how do you know they are even there, or attacking the planet for that matter?”

Xexes and Jones exchanged a look. Jones turned back to Heliz and sat back.

“We have infiltrated Lwhekk” He said.

And that was it. He gave no other information. Heliz stared at him, waiting for him to continue. When Jones didn’t Heliz prompted him.

“What is Lwhekk?”

Jones looked annoyed and Xexes sighed deeply.

“Lwhekk is the Ssi-ruuvi’s homeworld. We infiltrated it six months ago and learned that they were preparing another attack on Bakura”

Jones turned to Xexes.

“May I tell him captain?”

Xexes nodded.

“Our spies use holo-disquisers to make them look like Ssi-ruuvi. The shipyards in orbit around Lwhekk have been producing new Ssi-ruuvi vessels like mad and we know that they are atacking because our men have infiltrated their Central Command or Admiralty. When the Ssi-ruuk come, our men who are stationed on there ships will go ‘Active’ after I give the order to initiate. I will broadcast it over a wide-beam signal. The Outer-Rim Federation fleet will enter the Bakura system. At the same time I will be leading a ground-assault team to take the secret Ssi-ruuk compound. We will try to capture as many of them as possible. When the Ssi-ruuk invasion fleet enters I will give the Initiate Order and our men on their ships will take over the vessels they are stationed on.”

He looked directly at Heliz and gave him a cold stare.

“This will all happen at once. I have planned this Operation down to the letter”

And to Heliz’s great surprise, Jones smiled.

“And the Ssi-ruuk will be sorry they ever came to Bakura”

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> “Pter!”

Pter Thanas turned around and smiled. Gaeriel came running toward him. He reached out for her as she came and picked her up, swinging her around a little before kissing her.

“I’m so glad your home Pter…you’ve been away too long”

Thanas smiled and hugged her tightly.

“I know. But I’m home now”

He looked around.

“Where is Malinza?” He asked.

Gaeriel beamed.

“She’s sleeping. Come on”

His wife took him by the hand and led him into their modest home. She led him through the hallways and up the stairs untill reaching a specific door and pulling him through it.

He smiled as he saw where he was. It was a baby’s room, with light pink and yellow walls and a crib in the corner, guarded by an ever-faithful nanny droid sitting by the crib. When they approached the droid stood and spoke in low tones.

“Hello Mistresses and Masters. I am glad you are back. The baby is sleeping right now”

Gaeriel nodded and patted the Nanny Droid on the shoulderr.

“It’s okay,. I juts wanted Pter to see her”

The droid also nodded, in its limited way, and shuffled off. Leaving Pter And Gaeriel alone with their child…”<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Pter woke up, and smiled inwardly to himself. That was his favorate dream. But it was also sad. It was about a life that he could’ve had. But never did. Fate had a different plan for him. And it followed through, although Pter would give anything to live the dream.

Gaetiel was dead, killed in the Corellian incident. And Malinza was on Bakura, being taken care of by reletives. Luke Skywalker had promised that he would protect Malinza and was doing so. But who knew where Skywalker was…all Pter knew was Malinza was on Bakura.

And now he was on his way to Bakura, but not solely to see his daughter. He was on a mission for the Outer-Rim Federation. He had been ordered to establish good relations with the planet. Why? He didn’t know. But his orders were specific. Use any means necessary to get Bakura to join the Federation.

When he had received them, he had been delighted. He was finally going to see his daughter, after all this time.

“Bridge to Captain Thanas”

“Thanas here’

“Sir the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dominant<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> is preparing to enter the Bakura system. ETA….two minutes”

“Understood”

Pter stood and slipped on his uniform jacket. And fastened his Federation captain insignia to his chest. He took a moment and stood in front of the mirror, staring at his own reflection. He was wearing the black and red uniform of a Federation starship Captain. The uniform was completely black with red seams. Emblazoned on his chest was the Federation insignia, a red Scorpion within a circle. His mind flashed back to long ago where he was wearing a different uniform. A dull gray and black uniform with the Imperial insignia on his chest. Admiral Griff had been kind and had named one of ORF’s Carrack-class Light Cruisers after Thanas’s old command and given it to Thanas to command now. But these were different times. This was his future.

A few minutes later he entered the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Carrack<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->-class Light Cruiser’s bridge and went directly to the center chair.

“Sir Bakura is hailing us”

“Put in on”


A holo of a tall thin man with graying hair and piercing eyes appeared on the projector on the center of the bridge.

“I am Prime Minister Seoul Andrzej. Please identify yourself and state your intentions’

“I am Captain Pter Thanas of the Outer-Rim Federation Light Cruiser <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dominant<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. We are on a mission of peace.”

“<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Pter Thanas?. The one who defected to the New Republic and helped defend our world?’

“The same”

“I would be honored to meet with you. You are one of Bakura’s saviors”

Pter frowned slightly.

“I am unaccustomed to such praise. Please forgive me if I’m being rude’

Andrzej grinned widely.

“You will soon be accustomed to it here. Please enter orbit. I look forward to our meeting”

“I will as well” Pter replied.

The Prime Minister’s transmission winked out and Pter sat back down.

“Enter orbit and prepare a shuttle” He said.

“Be careful Commodore” Jones said as he checked his blaster rifle.

Heliz nodded to Jones and did the same. The strike team was getting ‘suited up’. They were all wearing dark green, tan, and black fatigues. All were carrying concussion grenades and blaster pistols as well as rifles. Jones had insisted that Heliz come along. Xexes had smiled slightly and agreed. Heliz didn’t complain, he thought it might be good for himself.

After he was suited up and armed he took the moment and looked over the team.

Stiles, the group’s sniper, was a farm boy from Tattooine who had joined The Federation just after Epsilon was attacked. He had been sent to a secret military training facility and learned the sniper trade.

Cretch, the group’s only Yevethan, stood stock still and didn’t talk much. But Heliz knew that was because he didn’t like non-Yevetha. Like all of his species, he was extremely xenophobic. But he didn’t question his orders, and he seemed to respect Jones.

Flem, the teams resident demolitions expert, was a Kubaz who spoke basic. He liked to crack jokes like handing people their wallets and telling them they should be more careful. He left his home planet Kubindi when MCR took it over and had joined the nearest Federation recruitment post. He was old friends with Jones and good friends with Stiles.

Mence, was the electronics expert, he was a gruff human who had a tan, wiry face. He was the tallest and largest out of the group and he looked as if he could take a Wookie down and expect to win. He was from Corellia and he loved to drink and was almost never seen without a cloud of t’bac smoke around him. He loved to smoke.

And then there was Jones. A mystery to all except Flem. The man seemed to have gone through something that hardened him. Jones never smiled and nobody except Flem knew his first name. Popular rumor ranged from that Jones didn’t have a first name, to he was a shape shifter. Whichever, he proved to be an excellent commanding officer.

Heliz himself was from the planet Chandrilla. He was a former Black Dragon Fleet Captain and had commanded his own vessel, A Lancer-class antistarfighter frigate. He kept a small metal model of it in his office. After The Rogue Empire had taken Chandrilla from The Black Dragon Fleet he resigned from that faction and joined the Federation after the Epsilon slaughter. He had worked his way up to Commodore and was now assigned to Federation Security. Although he was supposedly an advisor to this mission and an observer, he didn’t mind doing some of the dirty work.


“Alright, load up” Jones called out to the team. And they complied.

“Good to go?” Jones asked and everybody yelled “Good to go!”

Jones nodded and they all sat down and strapped in. Jones nodded to the pilot of the cloaked transport and they disengaged from the airlock of the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Insidious<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. Heliz again looked over the team and had to smile to himself. They were so calm and cool. Never breaking a sweat. Heliz himself was a nervous wreck inside and he found himself feeling slightly jealous at the other members of the team’s skill at keeping their composure. Oh well. He would never be doing this again.

“Captian Pter Thanas!”

“Prime Minister Andrzej, it is an honor to meet you”

“No, no, no! The honor is all mine. I am proud just to standing here with a living legend like yourself!”

“Legend?”

“Yes my good captain! You are a hero!”

“Wait I am not a-“

“Nonsense! Come, come! We must go and talk, no?”

“I agree”

“Good, good”


Prime Minister Andrzej led Thanas into the Bakuran Capital Building and to a private conference room. There the bright attitude the Prime Minister had been keeping up suddenly vanished and the man looked sullen.

“Captain” Andrzej began. “I am glad you finally arrived. I have been trying to get in touch with the Federation for months now”

Even though Thanas was utterly surprised by the Prime Minister’s new persona he was somewhat curious as well.

“We received those messeges but we have been very busy these last few weeks. We just completed a merger with a group in the Core”

“The Duskhan League”

One of Thanas’ eyebrow’s lifted.

“You’ve heard?”
“Yes”

“Interesting. Anyway, may I ask what is the matter?”

“Everything!” The Prime Minister suddenly exploded. “We are scared out of our minds. We have detected Ssi-Ruuvi scout ships at the edge of the system, so we know what they are planning”

“And what might that be?”

“Another invasion of course!”

“You don’t know that for sure. Maybe they are just curious”

“No they aren’t. I helped fight the Ssi-ruuk. I know them. They are angry at the defeat of their last invasion. And they want revenge!”

“Prime Minister…”

“I will not hear of it. We need your protection Captain”

“The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Dominant<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> is much too small to defend against an invasion. I will have to send for more ships, but not before I know for sure if the Ssi-ruuk are going to invade”

“Oh they are going to invade, I proimise you that”

“Execute”

Heliz knew what to do. When the word ‘execute’ was spoken that meant that they were to disembark from the stealth transport and onto Bakura.

The ramp doors opened and Heliz jumped out with the rest of the team. The transport was hovering a few meters off the ground so it wasn’t a very far distance to go. Heliz hit the ground on his backside and stumbled up and a few meters forward near a tree with the rest of the team. He turned and saw Jones as the man jumped and landed in a perfectly executed shoulder roll. Jones then stood up and hurried over to where the team had gathered and then pulled a comlink out and spoke to the pilot of the transport.

“Ranger Team Stormhawk is ready to roll”

“Good luck Stormhawk One”

The transport recloaked and soon the sounds of its engines were faint in the distance. Jones led the men a kilometer into the jungle before stopping and crouching down.

“We have made it to our first checkpoint. Unload the GPS Monitors and lets get a fix on our next checkpoint”

The team then broke out several pieces of equipment and a small computer terminal. Jones stared intently at the images of the Bakuran jungle for several long minutes before ordering the equipment to be restored. Heliz walked over to the Captain, curious as to what he had found.

“Sir, have you located the next checkpoint?”

“Yes… but there is a problem”

“What is that?” Stiles, the sniper, asked.


“The GPS has also located a small encampment two clicks west from here. The camp is set up in such a way and locationg that it can only be veiwed from directly above, as the GPS Probe has done. It appears to be a P’w’eck and Ssi-ruuvi scouting camp, a separate part of the main Ssi-ruuk compound”

“Are we going to take it?” Mence asked.

“Yes, but we need to cut off their communications first, and then attack. We cannot let the compound know we are here. Now lets move out”




The Ssi-ruuvi commander climbed to the top of the hill and used his macrobinoculars to sweep the area south of Scouting Base Camp 2. He swept the binocs from left to right and carefully watched the terrain. Nothing.

A couple of P’w’eck scouts had reported some human movement to the south. But now the commander saw nothing. Either the humans were completely oblivious to the nearby Ssi-ruuk camp… or they knew about it and were moving into attack position.

He swept the south area one more time and again, saw nothing. One of his lieutenants climbed the hill and stood next to him.

“Anything?”

“No.” The commander said, “But I do not like this. Have the scouts reported anything else?’

“Nothing. We have lost contact with them”

The commander whirled to face his subordinate.

“What?!”

“Yes. Last contact was twenty-five minutes ago.”

“Send out more scouts and a few of our search-and-destroy teams.”

“Yes sir”

The commander turned to face the south area again and raised the binocs up to look through them…

..and then he fell. A blaster bolt came out of nowhere and caught him directly between the eyes. He fell and rolled down the hill.

The lieutenant pulled his paddle beamer out and crouched before a skeletal being came up from behind him and hit him with the palm of his hand. Normally that would not do much against a Ssi-ruuvi. But his atacker was Yevethan and all Yevetha had a bony protrusion on palm heel of their hands. The spike entered the unsuspecting Ssi-ruuvi at the base of the neck and killed him instantly.

Scout Base Camp 2 was under attack.


Cretch let the reptillian being slide of the spike of his hand and dropped to one knee. Jones, Heliz, Mence, and Flem came up and laid down at the top of the southern hill and began picking off the Ssi-ruuvi and P’w’eck that were running toward them. Cretch ran down and began killing them in hand to hand combat, and was doing an excellent job of it too. Stiles, the sniper was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t fight because another blaster bolt came from nowhere again and struck its Ssi-ruuvi target. The Stormhawks we a well-oiled machine and they were working in perfect tandem. After a few minutes the previous owners of Camp 2 were dead and new occupiers entered.

Heliz took a deep breath and gasped slightly as he saw a beheaded Ssi-ruuvi body laying dead near the comm building. He turned to look at Jones, who was walking next to him.

“Are you used to this?” He asked.

“Yes” Jones replied, “I have seen a lot of it, too much”

“Does killing ever get easier?”

Jones looked down and for the first time since Heliz had met him, Jones lost some of that briskness that he had worn like a second skin.

“Yes… it does”

“Why don’t you stop. Transfer out of the army.”

Jones stopped and turned to Heliz.

“I have no where else to go, Commodore”

And then Jones began walking again. And Heliz felt a sadness for Jones. The man knew nothing but death, yet he still had a softer side. But then again, this was war. These days, it seemed like the galaxy is always at war. This galaxy never knew peace. Perhaps someone should try to make a little more peaceful, try to make a difference.

“But who?” Heliz wondered aloud. Mence turned and looked over at him.

‘What?”

“Oh… nothing?”

Mence raised an eyebrow.

“Whatever” He said, and then pulled a t’bac ciggar out of his pocket and lit it. Heliz simply shook his head and kept walking. He was suddenly becoming very uncomfortable with these people.

_Transmission//
_
_Destination: Federation Flagship Scorpion- Sevvana Sector_
_
_Transmission Text_

Admiral Griff, The Dominant has arrived at Bakura and we have evidence of an impending Ssi-Ruuvi Invasion of the planet. Note, the evidence is not confirmed and this may be a hoax. Please Advise.


_End Transmission Text_
_
Pter Thanas, Commander- Dominant. Stationed, Sevvana Sector. On temporary assignment in the Bakuran System,. Authorazation: Thanas, six, six, pi, one alpha tango. EXJ **** _ Dominant.
_
_
_
_
_End Transmission_




Pter stepped away from the computer terminal on the Dominant. He had just sent a messege to Admiral Griff, the Federation leader, requesting orders. The situation had not changed at all except for the fact that Pter had ordered the Dominant’s limited sensor capability to try and find a Ssi-Ruuvi scoutship that the Bakurans claimed had appeared off and on for the last two months. The Prime Minister insisted that the Ssi-ruuk are planning an invasion which would begin any day.

But so far the reports had not turned up anything.

Pter sat back in his chair and stared at the constant sensor reports scrolling down his screen. One, supposedly inconclusive piece of data listed an object moving away at maximum range. It was a long-distance holocam that had caught the object. Bored, Pter decided to watch the ten seconds of holodata. The screen changed to show a view of space at maximum range. For ten seconds nothing happened. Pter again looked at the data and watched it. Again he could not see anything. Intrigued he spoke to the shipwide computer.

“Computer, display unidentified object when it comes up”

He watched the data again and this time, at 9.76 seconds into the tape, the computer froze the datatape and circled a small portion of the screen.


“Full magnafication. Localize on unidentified object”

The compter zoomed in on the circled portion on the screen, but all Pter saw was static.

“Clear the image to its fullest”

The computer did so and Pter peered intently at the cleared image.

And gasped.

He had hoped he would never see that again.

In the middle of the screen was…

An egg.



Thanas burst into the bridge of the Dominant.

“Batlestations!” He barked and suddenly the bridge came alive. All the lights went red and the weapons on the ship suddenly charged up and began scanning space for targets.

“Sir!” The sensor operator said from his station, “Bakuran and our own sensors are picking up a large fleet of egg-shaped vessels. We have matched the designs with that of the Ssi-ruuk species”

“Send an emergency messege to the Federation fleet. Have them send as many ships as possible to Bakura. We need assistance now!” Thanas yelled as he took his chair.

Jones smiled a smile that one could only describe as triumphant. He was listening in on the Bakuran and ORF comm traffic over a long-range comlink. He had been a little surprised at the appearance of the Dominant in orbit but he shrugged, and figured it was for the best. The three Dynast-class battlecruisers were safely cloaked in high orbit of the Bakuran sun. Under Xexes command, they would be more than a match for the Ssi-ruuk fleet. Even before Jones’ men take over most of the invaders’ fleet.


“When will you give the order?” Heliz asked nervously.

Jones didn’t turn to look at him.

“When I’m ready” He said simply.

Heliz sighed and gripped his blaster rifle a little more tighter. Jones finally stood up and ordered, “Lets go”

The group moved out and headed east, toward the Ssi-ruvvi encampment. After several more kilometers Jones raised a hand and then motioned for the group to begin moving silently. Cretch, the Yevethan, moved ahead at Jones’s orders and peered over a small hill. He stared intently over the hill for several long minutes before crouching down and turning to Jones.

“Shre’ tag ‘bakuga” (We have arrived)

“Meca” (Good) Jones replied.

“Alright everyone. Saddle up and lets lock and load. Stiles, find a good line of sight position. You fire the first shot. Cretch, you fire the second with the MRL (Mobile Rocket Launcher). Heliz, you fire the third with your rifle. Mence, you fire the fourth shot with the Heavy Repeater. And Flem you will stay with me and we will throw thermal detonators as well as fire with the rifles. Mence, wait untill I have fired then open up with everything.

“Got it boss” Mence said, grinning.

“Alright. Positions everyone”

The group spread out and each took up positions about ten meters apart from each other. Stiles climbed a tree and set the barrel of his longblaster and the barrel of his projectile-firing sniper rifle on a tree branch that was horizontal. He closed one eye and targeted the head of an important-looking Ssi-ruuvi and aimed carefully…

“Fire!!!” Thanas thundered.

The Dominant unleashed everything it had on the invading fleet. But it didn’t stay still like a sitting duck. It moved in and out of the invader’s fleet. The first turbolaser blasts from the small Carrack-class cruiser slammed into an egg-shaped vessel…

The blaster bolt from Stiles weapon thundered out of the barrel and slammed into the Ssi-ruuvi’s head, killing the reptile instantly.

The follow up shot from Cretch, which happened to be a large heat-seeking rocket hit a communications tower and obliterated it. Heliz squeezed the trigger of his carbine and watched the bolt hit a Ssi-ruuk in the leg and knocking it several meters. Mence fired from the Heavy Repeater and killed another Ssi-ruuvi and Flem and Jones began fireing as well. Stiles fired with his projectile rifle and killed another. Then Mence opened up fully with the heavy repeating blaster. Heliz watched in horror as more and more of the alien beings fell left and right. He just couldn’t understand the slaughter of so many living beings. He looked to his left and saw Jones, a comlink to his lips. Heliz closed his eyes as he heard the word that Jones spoke.

“Initiate”



The space battle wasn’t going well. The Ssi-ruuk had nine ships in the battle against just the Dominant. Thanas was just about to order his ship to crash into one of the Ssi-ruuvi ships when his sensor officer turned around, triumph on his face.

“Sir, the Ssi-rruvi ships are turning on each other. And three Dynast-class cruisers have arrived on scene. They are sending the invaders into retreat!”

Thanas sat back and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It was over and he could get on with his life.


The aftermath was simple. The Ssi-ruuk invasion fleet was gone, it went back to the borders of the Ssi-rruk empire. Jones was successful in taking the Ssi-ruuk compound and Heliz went back to the Obsidian. Only him, Jones and Xexes knew about the shrouded organization that was responsible for the defense of Bakura. And for pursuading Bakura to join the Federation. It was entered as the 5th Federation planet. Project Scorpion continued to live on in mystery.

OOC: Oh @#%$! Am I under attack??