Aboard the Tion class Star Destroyer Dragon's Fang, in hyperspace.......

It had been a long time since Commodore Harker had been out into combat, too long in fact. The last operation he had commenced had been the takeover of Lowick, adding it, and it's precious gems to the ranks of Farfalen. But once again he would get a chance to prove his loyalty to the Black Dragon Empire, and Farfalen. But even though Vincent hadn't seen combat for a while, that didn't mean that he was totally inactive. He had been a busy man, touring facilities, teaching young officers in training, helping to keep everything in tip top shape. But he wasn't totally active either. Shortly after Lowick, he had met and fallen in love with a beautiful human female named Numia. He had spent a little bit of his off time with her, and as a result, he was now engaged to be wedded. Of course, he hid this information from the other officers, but he doubted that he could do so for long, or even if they didn't already know, right from the start.

Anyways, these thoughts won't help him much other than give him a few happy memories, of which he had precious few of remaining. He returned back to the present world, and gave the bridge around him a quick going over. The Farfalen troops had melded in well together with the Black Dragon Empire troops, and for the several months since their merger, things were going according to plan very well. He walked from the bridge to the war room, intent on going over the maps and intelligence reports, as well as his order of battle, one last time. He arrived in the war room to find one of his subordinate officers, Major Fredrick Kurfurst of the Black Dragon Empire going over the intelligence reports as well. By all apperances, Honoghr at last known was a desolate planet, not worth nor capable of saving, doomed to the fate that had been bestowed upon it by first the battle dating back to the clone wars, and then the Empire's cruel trickery that had enslaved their race and kept it that way for more than forty years. At the current moment, Galatic Coalition fleet strength at the planet was unknown, but due to their recent war, and losses, it would seem likely that their presence there was neglible, if not nil. Still, all the precautions would be pulled to ensure that the operation went off without a hitch.

His OOB was still unchanged, a total of 20 capital warships, and 40 picket ships, along with starfighter support. He smirked. Whatever GC presence was in the area would be in for a rude suprise when his fleet had finished deploying. He glanced at his chrono. Damn, near time for the fleet to come out of hyperspace. He dismissed the major to proceed back to his post, and likewise himself fled out of the war room to the bridge. He glanced at his chrono again......

10......9.......8.......7.........6.........5.........4.........3..........2.........1......... Then the stars flashing by the viewport were no longer doing just that, and they reverted to their normal forms. Around his flagship, the other vessels also dropped out of hyperspace, and began moving into their assigned formations. Shields were raised, weapons were charged, and the interdictors raised their gravity well generators to block off the escape of any enemy vessels within the system. The fleet immediatly scanned space around them for the presence of any enemy ships. Ahead lay a dull brown world with a speck of green in the northern hemisphere. The planet was still a far distance, so they were out of range of any planetery based weaponry. The Black Dragon Empire had arrived within the system of Honoghr.

OOC Manifest:

5 Tion class Star Destroyers

300 Tion X-303 DeathGliders

10 Tion Dragon Claws

360 Tion X-303 DeathGliders

3 Wraiths-Assassin class

2 Devastator Missiles

2 Immoblizier 450s

8 class-M Gravity Wells

40 Kessel class Gunships

Onboard the Regional, Imperial Star Destroyer Mark II

The captain of the Regional had been told of the approaching fleet. In the case of such an emergancy, he had a special dossier of orders, spread out on his table now. He'd liked his posting on Honoghr, there was so few people on the surface that mostly his only job was to sit back and make sure everything was in order.

He was, in fact, sitting back now.

This was because about a couple hours ago, he'd recieved orders on a secure line from the CIB, that a situation was transpiring and to be on the look out for any Imperial or Black Dragon warships, both suspected to be to blame for the sudden loss of communications around the so called "Peace talks"

Barely ten minutes later, they'd recieved another communique. Apparently, the Dragons had released a doctrin which put their area squarely in the "Whats' mine is mine" area. Suspecting an attack, he now recieved his orders, which as I said were spread out in front of him.

There were only a handful of scattered settlements of Noghri on the planet, it hadn't taken long to gather them up. Some had complained that this was unfair, but the tribal-elder types had made their case against living under the Dragons. Sometimes with anatomical graphs and charts. Now that they were all safely aboard, and their fears confirmed, the ships had fully calculated their jump to safety and had been loitering around the edge of the gravity well from the planet.

"They're powering up weapons and shields, sir. And some interdiction vessels are just entering now."

"Send out the order to initiate the jump" said the captain "Thank goodness they didn't jam communications, saves us a little trouble. We'll be out of the system before they have a-"

He was interrupted by the feeling of entering hyperspace, putting light-years between them and the interdictors in a few seconds.

"-chance to... well, we've alreadly left. Good job everyone, set course for Leritor. I hope they enjoy the surprises we left them."




(OOC Manifest:

Imperial Star Destroyer Mark II
MC-90
MC-90
Defender Star Destroyer
Victory Star Destroyer
Aegis Star Cruiser MK. II
Majestic Cruiser
Silencer Cruiser
Intimidator Cruiser
Bird-of-Prey
Bird-of-Prey
Bird-of-Prey
Bird-of-Prey
Predator Anti-fighter Corvette

200 E-78s
200 Tie Defenders
200 SABs/SFFs)

On board the Dragon's Fang, currently approaching the world of Honoghr....

Admiral Harker cursed his missed opportunity, as they had arrived just too late to trap an enemy fleet within system. He made sure that a report be composed for the intelligence services, for it was all but too obvious that they had been tipped off to the approach of the Black Dragon Empire fleet. Well, let's see if they could take advantage of the situation. Certainly, right now it would appear that they had control of Honoghr, which was their primary mission, but Harker had a feeling that the leader of the Black Dragon Empire had wanted more than just the planet it's self. Certainly, it was a stragetic resource, and territory, but so are it's people, espically so considering the fierce tenacity, and cunningness of it's people, the Noghri. Although the vass majority of them had been evacuated before the crisses of the Yuuzhan Vong to the planet of Wayland, some tribes had still lived on the planet. May still live on the planet, and may still be there, perhaps ignoring the Galatic Coalition's call for evacuation, as Harker fully expected for the Coalition to do, those peace loving babboons. No, not babboons, gungans. Oversized toads, slopping in green muck, with nothing better to do that to fill their fat stomachs, and to ensure those that supplied them with the food to do so remained unharmed, thus their staunch opposition to war. Harker smiled at this, and allowed a breif moment of humor before his sense of military duty returned to him.

"Deploy the fleet into a blockade pattern. Have the Interdictors move in as well, and power down their gravity wells to fifty percent power projection over distance capability. I want the planet blanketed, but not the whole system. If anyone else comes to play, I don't want to disappoint them with a long wait. Then, prepare for a ground invasion. Black Dragon Empire troops, and Farfalen Riat class Tanks will form the spearhead. Farfalen reservists will provide a reserve force in case we run into unexpected losses. Order the shuttles to be deployed." ordered Admiral Harker.

As the fleet settled into a widely dispersed holding pattern, and the interdictors redeployed their gravity wells, Harker sat back in his chair slightly. Then, new contacts lit up the sensor board as shuttles, escorted by deathgliders, issued from the many capital ships, and headed down to the planet below......

<B>Tion Star Destroyer <I>Erebus</I>.</b>

"<I>Erebus</i> has established position above the most concentrated area of the Noghri villages, Captain," the nav officer called to his superior. He turned to look up at her, barely able to hear himself over the comm chatter from his earpiece. "From our sensor sweeps, there are about less than 20 percent of the Noghri's population remaining."

"Hold here," she replied. "Have my shuttle prepared to be dispatched to the surface to meet their maitrakh. It seems our Coalition friends have taken their fair share of their people and ran off."

The nav officer nodded to her and turned to face the displays he had indicated. Captain Adaala brushed her brown, shoulder-length, braided hair out of her eyes and cursed herself again for not tying it back away from her face. But she hated fussing with herself, considering it too feminine a trait. Being feminine, she was learning, was not the most ideal situation within the Imperium, so she made a concerted effort to appear as unfeminine as possible. She even thought about cutting her hair short. In her heart, she was certain her gender was why she was being held back and utilized to the best of her abilities. Her current assignment, she felt, was proof enough of that.

<I>Of course</i>, she told herself, <I>I've only been assigned to command the <b>Erebus</b> for a few months now, but that still should afford me a measure of respect I have yet to see.</I>

Instead, she found herself on the relatively peaceful and dull-brown planet of Honoghr to establish relations with the Noghri's tribal leaders, as the Black Dragon Empire made themselves the new heirs to their world. Not exactly a dream assignment, and Adaala suspected she had been given the task to meet these alien natives simply because most of her other colleagues, who were senior to her, felt the assignment beneath them. Granted, there was always something of value to learn from new cultures, and Adaala would have been the first to argue that fact to anyone else, but she wondered for the umpteenth time just what could be learned from this debacle.

"Hangar bay has informed your shuttle is ready," a comm officer called to her right.

"Inform Admiral Harker I am on my way to the surface. And have a complement of death commandos await me there."

"Yes, Captain."

<center>*****</center>

<B>The Surface of Honoghr.</b>

The Noghri were waiting for them as they stepped from the shuttle: two of them standing side by side, with two guards by the doors of a large village hut. Adaala glanced at the group, threw an evaluating sweep around the area, and then turned to her First Prime of the death commando team. "Wait here until the Riant tank force arrive, Commander," she ordered him quietly. "Get your men started on a check of the perimeter around the village. I want no surprises while this meeting is going on. If Coalition remnants are here, I want them spotted and eliminated."

"Yes, Captain." He waved his TC-7 heavy blaster rifle in the direction toward the village.

Adaala turned to the head Noghri. "Are you the maitrakh?" she inquired, gesturing at the waiting Noghri. The maitrakh bowed and strode forward toward them.

"I am," the Noghri mewed. "I am named Toax. I am clan leader of this village. Please come inside to proceed with our talks."

Adaala threw a glance at one of the Dameun priests, who had quickly taken position at her side, and together they followed. There was an unusual welcoming ritual, and then the Noghri clan leader led the way into the large hut.

She'd expect that the maitrakh would have managed to round up perhaps a handful of her people for this visit by their new masters. To her surprise, she found that the clan leader had in fact turned out half the village. There were several rows of them, children as well as adults, lining the hut walls from one end to the other. Toax was seated in the clan High Seat in the back of the room with her bodyguard standing again at her side. The guards who'd met them at the entrance stood facing them with a second tier of elders another foot back. Standing with Toax as well, his steel-gray skin a marked contrast to his leader's older, darker gray, was a young Noghri male.

Toax rose to step forward and kneel before Captain Adaala and her entourage. "I greet you, visitors from offworld," she mewed again gravely, spreading her arms out to her sides. "We are honored to make your acquaintances."

"I am honored as well," Adaala replied, nodding her head slightly. "We are representatives of the Black Dragon Empire. We mean you no harm to your clan or your culture. We have simply come to claim what is rightfully ours from the Galactic Coalition. We have no qualm or quarrels against the Noghri people."

Toax rose and eyed her thoughtfully as her bulky frame resumed back upon her seat. "The Coalition were very busy rounding up many of our people and warned about you. They say you are evil. They say you would suppress us," she said. "For a moment perhaps you were related to the Empire. Is this so? Not many of us remain here because of these convictions, but a few of us are quite... stubborn."

"The Galactic Coalition say many things," Adaala said dryly. "But our actions will speak louder than their lies. Our forces are landing here to secure against any oppression from the Coalition. We are not here to suppress you. Your culture will remain intact as is, and your world will become part of our Imperium with all its blessings and protection."

"And will you keep this promise? We have been given many in the past." Toax asked, turning to stare directly at her.

"Yes, maitrakh," she said, crossing the room and stepping around the assembled group of Noghri elders. "The Black Dragon Empire will promise to restore your world as it once was, before the horror the Galactic Empire had delivered in the past."

Adaala shifted her gaze to Toax. "But there is only one small price." The maitrakh stirred, as if about to say something. The Captain folded her hands behind her back, and she subsided.

"In our Imperium, loyalty and honor hold high value, as well as devotion to our beliefs," she said, choosing her words carefully. "You have much to be proud of here. We only wish a few of your people to serve with us aboard our ships as warriors and guardsman. Your reputation of being fearsome warriors is well remembered among the stars. We only wish to partake of this honor to serve alongside. All we ask is your devotion in return for our protection and services."

"I wish to speak with my elders. To discuss what you have offered with them, and to see what you ask is... acceptable."

"Yes, maitrakh, of course," Adaala replied, gesturing to the band of Noghri behind Toax. "We will not interfere." She stepped away and made toward the exit.

The Dameun priest met her. "A waste of time, you think, Captain?" he asked mildly. "You didn't even let me speak of our beliefs."

Adaala glanced at the priest, standing a bit toward the exit of the hut. The Noghri leaders didn't seem to be listening to them, but it would probably still pay to be tactful. "Diplomatically, this is the best method to approach these aliens. I'm sure in due time it will be worthwhile to extend our beliefs once they have settled upon our rule. For now, we need their alliance to ensure us of their loyalty."

"They seem unsettled," the priest told her quietly. "That much I saw in the maitrakh."

She turned to face him. "It is a naturally unsettling experience to face the new heirs of your world, don't you think? They are aware they are few in number and know we have the power to commit genocide if we wished. Therefore, it would be in their best interest to see what we have to offer before they would consider any kind of resistance."

Toax rose from her seat as they finished, and for a pair of heartbeats the air between the Captain and the Noghri was thick with tension. The maitrakh spoke in her atrociously mangled Basic as Adaala turned to face her.

"Your terms are acceptable, speaker of the Black Dragon Empire."

Adaala hinted at a smile. Slowly, Toax resumed her seat. "And to secure our loyalty to your new Imperium, I offer my son, Rux, into your service."

"Excellent," Adaala spoke, shifting her gaze to Rux. "And we are honored to have your son join us." She and the rest of her entourage bowed.

"Your son will return with us," she said. "In the meantime, our forces will provide you with supplies and aide, while we establish a garrison to protect your world and your people. In time, you will see we are not as the Galactic Coalition say we are... just merely misunderstood."

"We look forward to the completion of your words, Adaala," the Noghri clan leader emphasized. "Perhaps this will be the beginning of a new era of our people."

"I wish it so," she agreed.

<I>Perhaps indeed...</i>