</font>

Jutraalian Vessels patrolling the Varonat System suffer massive onslaught from unknown forces. Two Star Destroyers damaged, three Corvettes heavily damaged, two Frigates destroyed, five starfighters destroyed, two pilots killed. Investigation begins.

</font>

Second onslaught of unknown forces. Two corvettes and nine fighters destroyed. Seven pilots killed, Admiral Lual of Kuat comissioned chief investigator.

</font>

Allegiance Star Destroyer Mithril Katana repels raiding force. Parliment of Varonat declares war on the Jutraalian Empire. Myrkr reserve fleet is mobilized.

</font>

Myrkr reserve fleet arrives in Varnoat system. First Varonat Fleet moves to intercept.

</font>

After three hours of fighting the First Varonat Fleet is forced into withdrawl. Casualties include two downed enemy frigates, one downed enemy Dreadnaught. Losses include on Corvette. Twelve fighters downed, two lost. Emperor Fearsons declares war on Varonat.





"The Jutraalian Empire's continual presence within the Varonat system leaves no doubts in my mind of a planned assault on our forces," General Ebideem of the Varonat War Council explained over teh HoloNet newsfeeds. He stood at a well established podeum, his military uniform perfectly ironed for the occasion. Not a single medal or ribbon was missing from his chest.

"And you propose war is the only way? No attempts at negotiations with them first?" Charlee Eliquit asked, the current HoloNet news anchor.

The general shook his head some, obviously supressing a grin or smile or even a smirk, knowing who was most likely watching. "We have been trying that for two years and yet they have only responded through violence and mutilation. For every diplomat to go up, hundreds of crewmembers go down. No longer will we stand for it."

The news anchor nodded, her face impassive. She shuffled through a piloe of flimsiplast until she foudn what she was looking for. She said, "From what I understand, we have been able to set up a Hololink via sattelite with the Jutraalian leader Emperor Fearsons." This caused a moment of surprise in the general, but he recomposed himself. The scarlet eyed emperor suddenly appeared nearest the anchor, dressed in the most splendid of royal robes. "It's good to have you here sir." Fearsons nodded. "Do you have any reflections on the general's statements?"

"Actually I do," he said, very calmly. He turned a cold glare on Ebideem. "First I'd like however to inquire what you would get from lying." The bluntness of the emperor's question shocked the general as well as Charlee.

"How do you mean?" he dared to ask, his posture broken. The emperor's eyes turned to narrow slits.

"Well seeing as my first Star Destroyer only arrived in system two months ago, you exaggerated the lengths of your 'negotiations'. Furthermore, can you tell me which officer you enstated negotiations with?" The general hesitated a moment, then realized there was no way for the emperor to possibly have known every single officer of his fleet and so made a quick lie. After all, this was all about looking good on Holocom.

"Rear Admiral Mardadeek of Averam," Ebideem lied. There was a quick pause as the emperor reached for something off screen, withdrawing a datapad. After a moment or two he looked up, his expression neutral.

"Interesting that there is no Mordadeek in the entire Imperial Navy, much less in Varonat. Perhaps you were deceived?" he asked cooly. Still there was no real expression on his face.

"Perhaps you deceive to better your own aims?" the other hissed frantically. The emperor let a half smile steal the expression of his face.

"So you publicly accuse me of purgery before the whole galaxy that I might end a dispute with your small world?"

"I do."

"And this does not contrast with your previous accusations?" Ebideem froze, trying to shield the surprise from his voice.

"C-Care to explain?" he asked.

"Of course," the emperor responded with a glimmer in his pupiless eye. "Your earlier statements and prior accusations foretold a state in which the Jutraalian Empire subjugates and forces your people into merciless mortification, as well as inhumanly slaughtering them for not mimicking my ideals. With such it is led to believe I am more based around militaristic reprisal to diplomatic infractures than attempting a peaceful resolve. This is true, yes?" Ebideem took a moment to gather his words.

"Well I, given the-"

"Am I right or wrong?" Fearsons pressed, cutting him off. He gave the other debator a look obviouisly saying Remember, you're being watched on HoloCom.

"This is true," he finally admitted.

"Now if I were this mass tyrant who would spell out doom for anyone opposing me, why would I have to shield myself behind lies and deceit? Would I not just pound you down like a worm?" The general was in awe. Fearsons was playing off his every word, every syllable like the master politician he'd heard so much about. He quickly tapped his knuckle against his podeum, telling Charlee he was done.

"I'm sorry Emperor Fearsons, but the time for now has run out," and with those words the holograms of both men shut off. She continued with her other news broadcasts.




General Ebideem stormed into the corridor of his flagship, a Mon Cal Cruiser tabbed Dead Man's Truth, rage beyond simple anger flaring in his eyes. The emperor had just made a fool of him and he could not stand for that. Those Star Destroyers in orbit would pay now. To win a war one needed the political advantage as well as the militaristic, and so far the political advantage was dwindling because of some Jedi a million lightyears away.

Two of Ebideem's advisors came from other doors in the corridor and immediately took up stide on either side fo him.

"What orders have you for us now sir?" the first and to his left, Colonel Mordat, asked. He coudl sense the apprehension in his commanding officer. Ebideem intook a stressful lot of breath.

"How many Star Destroyers are left in the reserve fleet?" he asked.

"Six sir."

"And total?" The advisor consulted his datapad for a moment.

"Twelve sir."

"All Imperial-Class?" Ebideem asked.

"Aye sir. We also have two Victory-Classes on dry dock," Mordat assured. The general gave out a resounding sigh. Where he was weak in politics he made up for with military tactics. That should be sufficient for thwarting the Jutraalian Empire...for now. But then again they were reknown for their military tacticians. On the other hand, Varonat was so small and far off why would they waste their best military resources when they are needed elsewhere?

"I have a plan."




Emperor Fearsons's holo transformed into a stern glare.

"What do you mean you can't find them?" he scolded, his crimson eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Their fleets are remotely scattered, their forces hidding...we are unable to track them at this range," Admiral Lual reasoned, yet kept his stance at attention. "We could easily debark soldiers for now and launch the ground wave."

"No," the emperor said solemnly. "They are hiding on the moon of Varonat and are slowly sneaking toward Hoth. A pre-emptive strike now on the ground would immobilize our forces temporarily, but that would be enough time to destroy a major portion of our fleet."

"My lord, with all due respect...they have no way of getting to Hoth, our interdictors would-"

"They are travelling on sublight drives. Bring two thirds of the Katar Fleet and Legion Fleet in to bare on them."

"But where would they be sir?" The emperor thought for a moment.

"To Hoth Three...be ready."

</font>

Katar and Legion Fleets clash with Varonati Reserve and First Fleet near Hoth Three. Dreadnaughts surround and begin to pound the Varonati forces while the fighters move to eradicate static defenses on the Star Destroyer.

</font>

Legion Fleet loses one Star Destroyer and six fighters, the Varonati Reserve Fleet is completely destroyed, the Varonati First Fleet surrenders.

</font>

Varonati ground forces mobilize for an assault on the remaining sector fleet. Intell leaks to the Mithril Katana and it moves to rendezvou point of Varonati forces.

</font>

Mithril Katana locates enemy fleet, battle ensues.


Admiral Lual chewed down on his lower lip and gripped dangerously tight on the rail bar as another volley of turbolasers collided against the hull of the Allegiance Star Destroyer.

When the weapons finished their recharge cycle they let loose a volley in return, continuing the slugging match between the two battleships. A missile went off somewhere and a cascade of flames belched from the belly of the Star Destroyer to the starboard of the Katana.

He could literally see the armor peeling off of the now flaming Star Destroyer, its hulk superheating before pivoting and rotating. It was beginning to lose power, this was seen as lights began to flicker on and off throughout the entire ship.

In one last act of defiance the Star Destroyer shot all sixty of her turbolasers out, beating dangerously against the Katana before the old ship burst into a fiery ball of death.

Lual blew out a careful sigh, not letting his hopes rise just yet. There was still a small fleet to finish off here.

A frigate far ahead too went up into flames, and the vicious Missile Boat Squadron dubbed "Crimson Angels" zoomed from its midst, two of them having pummeled down a battleship, remarkable.

Admiral Thrawn had done something very right when he made that fighter.

Four Star Destroyers remained in the vacinity and they were closing in fast on the Katana. There were simply too many of them. Maybe if he had some reinforcements he could take them but as it was four Star Destroyers and six lighter star cruisers were simply too much for the oversized Star Destroyer.

He turned back to his XO, Captain Etherway, who stood uneasily at the sight of the oncoming craft.

"Etherway order a retreat, we've done what we came to do, fire a few last shots at the nearst Star Destroyer and withdraw," he ordered, looking back at where the smaller ships were attempting to flank the Mithril Katana. They did not seem to realize that the old baby still had some tricks in her.

She shot off a quick few blasts of laser cannons that merely scraped the energy shields, followed by an enormous blast of all turbolasers that sent miniature shockwaves throughout the entire MC-40.

"Ha! How's that for power?" Lual cried out excitedly. The Missile Boats pounced on the smaller Mon Cal Cruiser to finish it off.

Several tiny explosions across its main structure indicated where missiles impacted on its surface before the entire thing went up in smoke.

The XO of the Katana took a step toward the admiral.

"Sir, Crimson Angels indicate complete emptiness of missile tubes," Etherway reported firmly, enforcing Lual's resolve to retreat.

"Okay tell them to make the jump to hyperspace, how long until we can?"

"Thirty seconds sir."

"Alright then," the admiral spared a glance at one of the oncoming Star Destroyers, "give them a quick goodbye present, full powered shots."

"Yes sir."

Lual exhaled sharply and watched out the rear viewport at the sight of the nearing Star Destroyer. It took a few blasts at the Allegiance Star Destroyer, followed by a sudden full volley from every available turbolaser.

The green blasts ripped across the shields and hull, tearing chunks of it off. It must have powered down shields to boost speed.

In a second the Star Destroyer began to get smaller and smaller before it disappeared entirely, replaced by blue streaks, then a spiraling, pulsating tunnel.

They'd escaped.

It had been recommended to a certain Grand Admiral that a stature increase may be needed. The recipient of the advice approved and agreed, afterwards being fitted for a pair of black officers’ gloves, which he had previously not worn. While he was the Supreme Inquisitor and a Grand Admiral, he wanted only to intimidate the disloyal and his enemies, not the officers and men whose peak efficiency he relied.

However, he had come down with a slight cold not many weeks before, and thus his personal physician had advised the gloves. So be it.

Fortunately, they match, thought the Viscount del Forza as he strode towards the bridge of the Super-class Star Destroyer Intimidation, thankful that the regulation hand wear was fashionably compliant with his black breeches. Behind him strode one Inquisitoriate Guard and one Fleet trooper, both identical save for tunic color, one black and the other red. The Supreme Inquisitor had replaced his other guard to foster a better relationship with the Fleet. He was, after all, one of their number before his appointment to head the Inquisitoriate.

As the Viscount neared the bridge, a yeoman came to attention and was prepared to shout the typical ‘Grand Admiral on deck.’ Del Forza shook his head and continued on, the yeoman returning to his parade rest position at the head of the aft control corridor.

The middle aged commander of the Intimidation, Captain Arrant, turned about from his position astride the catwalk upon hearing the four almost in step footfalls approaching. He saluted properly, and it was returned promptly by the commander Special Task Force L, Grand Admiral Ierin Viscount del Forza.

“ Time to real space reversion?”

“ Ten minutes, Admiral.”

“ Excellent. At last communication with the Katana, did the Voranati have any interdictors are abolishers present?”

“ No, Admiral. They would not be able to field any. The Voranati can barely afford to maintain their few Star Destroyers.”

“ Good. Is my flagship ready, captain?”

“ The Intimidation is fully at your command, Grand Admiral.”

The Viscount nodded and mounted a command chair behind where the captain stood at the mouth of the catwalk and the bridge proper. “ Prepare to deploy our two Interceptor Recon squads. Upon reversion, launch the entirety of the 171st Wing’s Primary Fighters in skirmish formation. Ready the 81st Skipray Squadron for launch.”

“ As ordered, Admiral.”

There were four ships accompanying the Intimidator each only one fifth the command ship’s immensity. Each was an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer, fully armed and operational. It was this Special Task Force that would restore order in the Voranati System and put to flight the militants that had created trouble for the Jutraalian Empire. It was the duty of the Inquisitoriate to settle all disputes and return order to chaos, thus the full compliment of Inquisitoriate Security Troops replacing the stormtroopers and Army personnel as the resident soldiers on the small armada.

In the troop quarters aboard the Intimidation, 40,000 Inquisitoriate Troops were readying themselves for battle, organized into four fully integrated, combined arms Light Armored Divisions.

The other four Destroyers held four more divisions, totaling eighty thousand all told. Man for man, the sheer ruthlessness of the Inquisitoriate troops equaled five times their Army opposites.


* * *


“ We have reversion to real space!”

“ Conn-sensors. We have three ships in the vicinity. One Victory-III-class Star Destroyer and two light cruisers. Corellian configuration. Length: 400 meters each.”

“ Recon TIEs deployed and moving out, 171st moving into skirmish positions upon bay clearance.”

“ Shields report to full.”

“ Engines read one hundred percent.”

“ All weapons have reported ready.”

“ Sovereign, Rampant, Emerald, and Invincible are all requesting orders, Admiral.”

Grand Admiral del Forza, sitting calmly on his dais mounted command chair, was drinking in his surroundings. With the bridge lights dimmed for battle, all on the bridge proper could see the outskirts of the Voranat System perfectly. The system itself was an astronomical rarity, possessing a cluster of triple stars. One was a neutron star, and the three together burned hot enough to preclude life from ever forming on the inner most four worlds. Voronat itself, eighth from the sun, was beautiful, grey and white clouds mixing in the atmosphere to create a brilliant picture atop a sphere of shaded green.

All but one of the planets were orbited by several satellites, and the lonely planetoid had been all but destroyed several millennia before by an undocumented biological warfare campaign. Legend had that it once teemed with fifty billion sentients, all wiped from the stars in less than a month.

Space itself was packed with stars, the entire region above, below, and beyond densely populated with light. A cloud of fluorescent gas seemed to be just floating a hundred kilometers off the ventral hull of the Intimidation.

Such beauty can only be interrupted by men and their wars, but shall always remain present.

The Viscount hesitated for only a scant few seconds before snapping into his role of commander.

“ Every fourth battery is to fire in tandem with the others at Calibration One. All others, standard. Forward trained weapons, fire on my command.

“ Sensor officer-”

The Viscount was interrupted by the polite reminder of his Captain. “ Sir, Calibration One are practice rounds. They’ll do no damage.”

“ I am aware of this, Captain. We need the appearance of harm.”

The Grand Admiral returned to his orders, knowing that an intelligent subordinate was more effective than a berated, ignorant, and silent one. “ Sensor officer, with each salvo, send a mezon pulse out towards the VSD. Seventh frequency.”

“ Aye, sir!”

At a glance, the Viscount could see recognition blossom on the captain’s face.

“ Range, two hundred kilometers, Max Effect for heavy our turbolasers.”

“ Commence firing, forward heavy weapons. Target the VSD. Sensors, execute my orders precisely. Bring up the starboard Destroyers twenty thousand meters ahead and give the cruisers a broadside, full force. Port Destroyers, hold at station keeping.”

From the starboard side, the Sovereign and Rampant moved forward, the inertia building as the ionization reactors flared to life. Slowly, they accelerated to one quarter flank speed. Upon reaching their positions, the aft drive engines were cut and forward thrusters driven to full, pushing the seventeen-hundred meter vessels back against their momentum in a successful hope to halt their movement.

Upon reaching their positions, the two ships, the Sovereign trailed slightly to its port by the Rampant, released the brunt of their firepower on the two cruisers flanking their elder and enemy ancestor. Heavy turbolasers, lasers, and dual ion cannon let loose their neon and azure fury, cascading at the smaller ships. The cruiser pair made a valiant effort to turn and meet their attackers, but by the time their yaw was finished, both were no more than durasteel hunks of debris leaking oxygen and the bodies of once-live crewers and officers.

As the Imperial warships completed their halt, the dagger-shaped command vessel fired as well. The Victory III-class Star Destroyer, designed with increased armor and shielding, buckled and shivered, her shields dropping and armor growing black with every passing second. Her shields held inn places, and in others, long enough for the armor to withstand what was left of the first salvo.

A second would have finished her off, had her commander not ordered a rapid withdrawal.

“ Victory, sir!” cried the vessels executive officer, a young Balmorran native.

“ Not yet. The invasion of the planet lies ahead,” the Captain replied.

“ As does the remainder of their fleet. Gone does not mean beaten.”



OOC-Chadd, I will post the second half later.


Ship Manifest

Task Force L

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 Special Task force had made the way into Varonat itself easily accessible and open for the Jutraalian invasion. The territorial defense fleet had been routed, and whatever surface troops the Varonati could field would stand no chance against the hardened and fanatical soldiers of the Inquisitoriate Infantry.

Or so it appeared. The ever increasing presence of ease unsettled the Supreme Inquisitor, his hunch that something was amiss growing with every kilometer his force advanced towards its target.



" Continue on course. Ready all ships for battle. Begin calculating firing solutions for fire support. Coloenl Drost, give me a reading on the ground."

" As ordered sir. Compiling now."

" Good."

The Supreme Inquisitor had made himself very familiar with the terrain of Varonat and its ease of assault. There were only three mobile formations in the Varonati army with adequate equipment, training, and supplies to pose any threat to the Jutraalian landing forces. All three had been grouped into a Corps, the IInd of fifteen on the Varonati roster. However, quite correctly, it had been positioned one hundred kilometers north-west of the capital city of Var Prime. tactically speaking, it was in an excellent position to repell a conventional assault, for the area around it was rolling hills, grasslands, and in perfect weather. The Corps had been deployed between two heavily industrialized cities, Arrim and New Oran.

Protecting the capital city itself was an overstrength infantry division of twenty thousand.

The tactical mistake was that the Supreme Inquisitor had the habit odd doing the opposite of convential movements. The rugged terrain of the Terril Mountains and the difficulties of bringing an assault down on a city itself were inviting to the Grand Admiral.

It was such that the Viscount had picked three different landing zones that would suit his purposes and bring the invasion to a rapid conclusion. The troops under his command were of an excellent calibre, but too few to even begin a protracted war of occupation.

Foremost among the targets was Varr Prime itself, where four light armored divisions could be brought down inside the city limits by assault shuttles and Sentinels, as well as large troop barges once the main space ports had been taken or throughways cleared.

Next was the Arvin, a massive state controlled agricultural combine twenty kilometers from Varr Prime's suburbs. Ninety percent of it was Wirri wheat, a potent and tasty grain that grew in tall, waving fields dozens of kilometers across. The region was discounted as a landing zone because to leave it either in thed riection of the capital or a neighboring city, Roorvil, the Terrvil mountians had to be crossed.

Thirdly was Paradise, a massive city built along a water front fifty kilometers south of the Captial City. That would be the only place the government could flee. An assault landed there could divide in half, one force occupying the outlying areas of the capital and the other taking it ouright.

The decision would rely on what the bridge's Army liaison officer reported.

" The mobile force, IInd Corps, has been given orders to move on New Oran. Their coming closer to the capital, but any response would still take an hour at best speed for their advance elements to arrive.

" Two more infantry division have moved into the capital region."

" How many troops is that between the Arvin, Varr Prime, and Paradise?" asked the Grand Admiral.

" Seventy-eight thousand."

" Damn!!!" The outburst caused many brief glances at the Grand Inquisitor. The sum total of the Jutraalian infantry allocated to the attack was eighty thousand, supported by massive amounts of armor and urban assault vehicles. Either way, the closeness of the numbers alarmed the Grand Admiral.

" We will have to rely on better aerial support and our fire support. We will go after the capital. They should not have more than fifty inside.

" That's it, then. Give the Codeword: Plutarch. The Intimidation's Corps is to bdeploy first, followed by the Sovereign's and the Rampant's. Deploy the 172nd as support. All forward batteries are to switch to the Surface Frequency and follow all fire commands. Rotate to fleet out, Pattern Omega, around our aft. Brin the aft shields to full and funnel power from the launch bay delfectors and the bow shields. We're going to rely on the others for our defense."

" As ordered, sir."

* * * *

The human officer rapidly promoted to Brigadier General had found himself sitting behind a plush desk in the of the largest towers in Varr Prime. From his panoramic office, he could see everything to the west, and from the others, every part of the city. He had been appointed to command the defenses of Varr Prime, and had deployed the two brigades under his command as best he could.

That was not the best it could be, sadly, for much of his needed equipment, anti fighter weapons and artillery was still in the depots and being shipped three hundred kilometers to him.

It would never arrive in time, the reports from the system outposts being that the Jutraalian fleet ahad arrived above and was preparing its invasion. The Government had not fled, unlike almost two million of the capital city's ten million people.

A briefing was being given when folders fell and pens snapped, the view from the conference room one of beauty and horror. Against the afternoon sky descended a swarm of small shuttle sized craft, each ferrying between twenty and one hundred soldiers to the planet from the fleet above.

Amongst the swarm were six squadrons of TIE Defenders who wasted no time in mapping out the fixed positions held by the Varonati and engaging them.

" Sound the alarm. Bring up the central reserve and throw it against that landing site...if we can stop them from getting established, wecan stop them from staying."

* * *

The landing force came down in an almost ceaseless stream of transports, shuttles, and barges. They landed on platforms, roves, on roads, and in parks. From their hulls and bottoms jutted landing ramps, and outmarched the harbringers of Jutraalian Justice, the Inquisitoriate.

Their uniforms were grey and black, their blast helmets camouflaged between the three colours in what was known as the Urban Warfare scheme. Their wepons had been pattern as such too, the only standard remaining and undecaled piece being their ammunition clips.

The troops did no marching, instead they ran from their transports to high and concealed positions to shield the landing area from a countr attack, which was due to come.

When the infantry had been deployed, the armor came, their barges unloading dozens at a time. From the bulky shapes came walkers, urban assault vehicles, command chariots, and Personal Walkers, a machine that gave a single infantryman the power of ten times his number of foot soliders.

Within ten minutes of the first touch down, five thousand troops and a hundred vehicles had been landed and deployed.

Shortly after this establishment, the sky was filled with neon engery lancing down from above like the Fires of the Gods. Buildings were set ablaze, debris crashed into the vacant streets below. By then, the Varonati response had been taken, their own troops moving into the assault.

The TIEs kept out of the way, not wanting to become friendly casualties, and instead took to interdicting the main roads to and from the city. Convoys were shot up and transports set aflame.

A half an hour into the operation, three full divisions totalling just over thirty thousand men were inside the city. casualties were mounting on both sides, the fanaticism of the Jutraalians colliding head on with the defenders of their homes.

What turned the tide was equipment and un unrelenting barrage. Every grouping of attackers was smashed apart, every vehicle commandeered or brought to bear near vaporized by concentrated turbolaser fire.

* * *

" Captain, you have command of the Fleet."

" Sir?"

" I am going to the surface. Appearence of the brass at the front fosters morale. Never seeing ones commander fosters mutiny."

" I wish I could go with you sir."

The Viscount smiled. " No you don't. You're a fleet officer and have not been trained for ground combat. It's nothing to be ashamed of, Captain. Walker commanders make horrible riflemen. It's the way of the Service. Carryon. And watch out for that Destroyer!"

* * *

The Viscount did in fact board a transport to the surface of Varonat, not taking any special means. He took two guards and stepped onto a company transport which was going to ferry C Company, 2nd Battalion, Fourth Armored Grenadier Regiment to the western part of the city where a thousand defenders had managed to make a fortress out of a factory.

The ride down was turbulent, range extended repeating blasters firing at every thing in the sky. When one was silenced, another opened up.

All the way down, the Company commander pleaded with the Supreme Inquisitor, in his standard duty uniform with nothing more than a blast helemt and camouflage smock for protection, to return to the flagship. The Grand Admiral had to pull rank and half heartedly threaten him with a court martial before he relented. The Viscount took up a blaster rifle, replaced his short ranged disruptor piece with a standard side arm, and jovially sang a battle hymn with the men.

None of them forgot, however, that they were going to go into battle with their commander, the Supreme Inquisitor. As Inquisitoriate troops, this made them almost invincible.

* * *

The hatch opened and they all stormed out, the sound of jackboots on metal replaced by jackboots on pavement. The first few men were cut down by a repeating blaster, the company landed in the middle of the fortress zone. It was quickly silenced with a flechette grenade fire at long range, shredding every occupant of the room where it had been set up.

The company cheered as it charged, the Viscount at the head of them, his back hunched and his face afire. The group of them, over a hundred strong, fired from the hip at a barricade that had been set up in seconds by smashing four repulsor lift trams together.

The first elements of the wave reached it and scaled the ramparts. The Inquisitoriate infantry were prone to give themselves up to rage, and the figthing quickly degenerated into hand to hand fighting. Bodies fell onto the trams and the debris littered street on either side, shots coming down from the windows above.

The Grand Inquisitor took up a position behind the tram and took aim at every enemy soldier he could find. One shot went through an officers chest plate. He dropped to the ground. Another took out a sergeant wielding a vibro axe that would have killed a platoon commander. Five shots. Then ten. The Viscount used up an entire magazine before he leapt into the melee with the others.

His action was shortlived.

The high pitched whine of projectile shells inbound forced ome into shelter and other to fight harder. The Supreme Inquisitor was one of the latter, giving no thought to his own life. He soon was forced to.

The shells struck the buildings and sent their sides careening into the street. Defenders and attackers alike were crushed by the debris. Those who survived battled on, the other of the battalions comapnies charging ahead on side streets.

In a matter of minutes, the street was enshrouded in dust and flame.

When it cleared, there was not a soul left standing.



* * * * * * *



The Battle for Varr Prime lasted five hours before it was announced cleared, the government in captivity and most of the senior staff to the Army dead, having fought hard from clerk to quartermaster general.

The IInd Division, as well as the remaining Varonati troops never made it inside the city to interfere, nearly all of them casualties to the orbital bombardment inflicted from the Intimidation.

By the official surrender of the Varonati, the Super Star Destroyer had fired over fifty thousand rounds, thirty guns temporarily out of commission due to the most intense wear of their lives.

The remnants of the Varonati fleet were dispatched with ease by the four accomapnying Star Destroyers of the special task force. Their defeat was primarily owed to the advance knowledge of theri arrival from the VSDs mezon traces.

Casualties on the Jutraalian side ran at nine thousand dead, nine hundred fifty missiing, and seventeen thousand wounded. The Varonati suffered almost equal casualties inside the capital city, and another twenty eight thousand casualties outside.

The most notable casualty of the attack was the Supreme Inquisitor of the Jutraalian Empire, found after the attack by a mop of squad of Personal Walkers.

The Grand Admiral was found with his unfirom in tatters and most of his blood gone. His face was covered with scars and his right arm lay mangled and in an unnatural position.

He was alive, and rushed to the Intimidation for treatment.

Varonat now flew the flag of the Jutraalian Empire, albeit under occupation.