Crinium laughed out loud.

“There is no need to be so hasty. We did have a mission planned soon, but due to the civil war, it will be delayed, so we can get the crew out once the civil war is done. As for your testing, all I can say is that it will be soon, quite soon.”

Suddenly a Cren rushed up.

“Sir we have some unexpected news. Perhaps you want to see it yourself. This was just broadcasted.”

“Put it on the screen, or more if you need to.”

The images of the three Academies on Farquak appeared. Outside each one were troops wearing the emblem of Par. Suddenly, in front of the Academy on Par, a Cren stepped forward. It was Dawara, son of Sawara. He was obviously the leader of them.

“Crinium, we have control of the three Academies, and therefore, control of the future militants on our world. They have surrendered us, and many have joined.”

The images changed to that of a base, much like the one Jesmin was on, and 48 Saber Assault Bombers fly out, heading towards a distant point in the horizon.

“We know where you are. You have five minutes to surrender and send Sawara out. If you don’t, prepare to die.”

“Sir the bombers are incoming.”

“@#%$. How far?”

“About ten kilometres.”

“That must be Base Two-Four. Base Two Three should be directly in between us, right?”

“Yes.”

“Launch all fighters from that base, and shoot down the Saber Assault Bombers.”

The fighters launched, heading to cut off the enemy, to save Base Lapha-Gamma.

Jesmin had an insight flash into her mind.

“How many other hidden bases are there?”

“16, though most only have 48 Saber Assault bombers and 72 Rapiers.”

“Activate them. I want a third of each force to go bomb the Academies, with Rapiers providing air cover. Get robo-hacks full of class A thermal detonators doing ramming runs into important government buildings in each enemy nation. Get snipers killing important enemy targets. I want three on Dawara alone. Get commandoes and engineers laying traps full of explosives around, but send the locations on secure channels to our forces. Get forces prepare for guerrilla warfare. I want carriers and frigates lying off the coast of enemy nations, launching missiles into their cities. Everything, move out and destroy. All subs in the immediate vicinity of Base Two-Four, destroy it.”

Jesmin smiled as aides rush off to carry out her orders. The war would soon be over, and her crew transported off to wherever they felt. And, she would be tested soon, given and command. Then, she would defect...

Crinium was astounded by the attack. What had happened in this Mon Calamari’s head? Her interrogation had never shown her to be so, well, aggressive. These tactics were crazy.

“Everybody, stop now. Jesmin, what do you think you are doing. We are going in for the big push, yet you are having units set up for guerrilla warfare. You are sending bombers out to completely and utterly destroy our Academies, destroying one whole generation of troops willing to fight for us. You are laying traps, though we have no reason to suspect that they will push us back past those traps and fall in them. The frigates and carriers are bombarding innocent civilians. You are destroying important records in destroying the government buildings. You are utterly and completely getting the citizens against us.”

Crinium prepare to pull his blaster out and shoot her, to rid the galaxy of this menace. It was obvious she was going crazy, and crazy people needed to be healed, in one way, and one way only, death.

Jesmin smiled.

“Is that what you think, you think I am crazy?”

Though Crinium had never said that, it was obvious that was what he was thinking.

“My tactics are sound. Once we start the push, we fall back, and they follow us. Once they are in disarray by the traps, the guerrilla units pop up, shoot a few times, and disperse. The frigates and carriers are there to force the enemy to come out firing, and make easier targets for our sub hunters to shoot down, and subs to shoot. Sub hunters hit subs, while our subs hit sub hunters. Our air fleet flies out, and does bombing runs of whatever they want. The destruction of government buildings provides distractions to the enemy, no doubt their commanders will want to have those buildings protected. We can gain a significant advantage. Oh, and leave your blasters were they are, before you could draw them, well, I wouldn’t draw them if I were you. As for the Academies, once this assault is over, I know of several ways that you can regain the lost troops.”

Jesmin sat down in her chair and sighed, this would be to easy…

Crinium frowned as she warned him not to draw. What the hell could she do to stop him? She kept on threatening him, and that was not good. But her reasons sounded good.

“Fine, continue with her orders. Is Dawara still broadcasting?”

“Yes, and constantly updating it.”
“Excellent. Soon we should see our fighters…”

On the screens the images turned, facing away from the Academies. Saber Assault Bombers and Rapiers came roaring in, the former on an angle, the latter breaking off, to engage any threats. The Cren taping continued, though the image was changing, and it was obvious that landspeeders were taking them and several other people, out of the range of fire. The Saber Assault Bombers came in, launching missile off at the Academies. Salvo after salvo hit the Academies, and Crinium looked away from the glare. When he looked back, the buildings were ruined, and fire was evident in the surrounding area. Suddenly, on one of the images moved upwards, and Rapiers were shown swooping down at the convoy of airspeeders, and suddenly the image went blank. In other areas, Rapiers were commencing strafing runs, though at other targets, but gradually, each screen went blank. The image of Base Two-Four was still evident, and Dawara continued to talk.

“Crinium, you have just destroyed three major military Academies, and killed Cren who were supporting you. Now, you go and assault Base Two-Four, trying to assassinate me, though I am not there. I am hidden, and everything you try to do will just kill innocents. Relent your assault, admit defeat, and surrender. Or allow us to break away from your realm.”

“Dawara, you are a traitor, you attacked the rightful government, split the military, and tried to assassinate me. You are the one who should surrender, we all know that you are doing it to gain a foothold on our world, and then try to increase the economy. But, after studying what you and you farther have proposed, you will only increase the riches of the rich, and decrease what the poor has. You will demilitarize our planet, thereby leaving us open for the Jed to assault. You will increase your own power and money, though decrease that of those who need it the most. Demilitarizing our world alone will destroy several thousand jobs, if not a million jobs. The former military officers and troops will be poor. My way gives the option for the poor to gain a job, free of charge, plus we provide food and boarding for them as they train. You are wrong Dawara, we will win, and you will lose.”

“I am wrong? No, I am in the right, and you will pay for this civil war Crinium, you will pay severally.”

“No Dawara, I will not pay. I have all ready paid, my friends were assassinated by your father. You will pay. Cease your assault now or else…”

“My father was framed by you Crinium. And what are you going to do?”

“Your father killed my friends. It is my right to avenge them, and kill your father, who happens to be under my control. You surrender now, or else he will pay the price, and I will go in with absolutely everything I have under my command, and wipe out you and your followers. You were stupid enough to believe that I wouldn’t be able to find you, but my crew has been triangulating your position. We know you are on the Missile Cruiser, and thanks to some friends, you will soon be captured as well.”

Crinium turned away form the screen, and hit the button, to mute everything he was saying to Dawara.

“What is the position of our insertion team?”

“They are landing now.”

“Excellent.”

Crinium smiled, and waited for the news to come, the news of Dawara’s death or capture.

Up in space, onboard the Missile Cruiser.

Derakh smiled as the insertion team came onboard the ship. It was good to be out of prison and up in familiar spacecraft.

“All teams move out, head straight for the auxiliary bridge, take control of it, and then vent the rest of the ship to space.”

“Sir, we just receive information indicating that the leader of our enemies is onboard and that we should capture him. He is isolated in private quarters near the bridge, though he does have some other Cren near him.”

“Isolate that section, make sure that he survives. I want him captured once the rest of the ship has been taken care of.”

“Yes sir.”

The force of 600 assorted aliens moved off to the auxiliary bridge. Suddenly enemy troops stepped out and started to shoot at them, from behind cover.

“Throw concussion grenades at them, seek cover.”

The insertion team, dropped down, and found some cover, though it wasn’t much. Suddenly the heavier whine of an E-web heavy blaster was heard. Derakh reached down into his belt, and pulled out a class A thermal detonator. It had enough power to completely obliterate anything within 20m of the center. He tossed it over a trooper who had a grenade launcher. As it was loaded in, Derakh tossed other, minor thermal detonators to obliterate the ceiling of the hall. Suddenly the ceiling was alit with 5m explosions. Then the trooper launched the thermal detonator. It soared through the air, and landed beside the E-web heavy blaster, exploding on contact, ripping a hole through the floor, and the halls above and below. The enemy formation was obliterated. Harpoon guns were fired, to create a bridge o a level thirty meters above, and the insertion team continued. When they were directly below the auxiliary bridge, a shaped charge was placed, and immediately stun grenades were thrown up, and then the crew jumped up, firing stun blasts. Since not everybody could fit inside, only fifty entered, while the rest stayed in the general vicinity. The crew in the auxiliary bridge quickly shut down all life support to the rest of the ship, with the exception of where Dawara was and transmitted to Crinium that they had taken control of the ship, and that they just need to get Dawara. Also, he requested for crewmen to be sent up so it could be put back to battle readiness. The battle in space would soon be over.

Down on in Base Alpha-Gamma, Crinium was pleased to hear the news. He had no doubt that when Dawara was captured the back of the rebellion would be broken, especially if a fair and legal trial was offered. Soon, he would be able to continue with his plans, though now that he thought of it, perhaps he should establish a base on Farquak Junior, for researchers to look into designing more ships for the Farquak Empire, it might make the rebel nations happy, or at least, happier…

Jesmin smiled as her orders started to get carried out once more. Crinium wasn’t as tough as he wanted to portray. As the discussion with Dawara was finished she smiled, and glanced down at some screens. The cruisers and frigates had just entered into range, and the sub hunters and subs were coming up fast. The traps had been set and the guerrilla warfare units were ready. Now, AT-HAs moved forward at a terrifying speed, and started to bombard garrisons from five kilometers away. Then, enemy troops moved forwards to repel them. As AT-ATs tried to move into range, they were blasted by the turbolaser pulsors, or the heavy particle cannons. Then more AT-HAs came in to defend, and Jesmin’s forces started to retreat. As the enemy came forward, traps blew up, destroying the enemy forces. Then snipers popped up, shooting down troops, while other troops fire grenades and rockets at enemy tanks. AT-ATs moved forward, as did AT-HAs. The ground battle mop up was commencing. Flashes illuminated the cities in the distance, as robohacks exploded against buildings. Over see enemy subs popped up to fire at the cruisers and frigates, and were destroyed by the sub hunters. When frigates moved in to destroy the sub hunters, subs popped up to destroy them, and the friendly frigates moved out to destroy the enemy sub hunters, that were appearing in the distance. Then everything moved out and fired on the enemy cruisers. The battle was moving along quickly, and the scenes were similar in every nation. With battles going on everywhere, and all in favor of Crinium’s side, the outcome was obvious. Suddenly the message from Derakh, her former Noghri Special Forces commander, came in. Dawara would be captured soon.

“Sir, I would like to report that the traps have worked with the best efficiency. Their ground forces are uncoordinated, and their water fleet is getting sunk. The only thing force that repels us is the air force, though they have sent away several airspeeders to seek out and destroy the robohacks, and since they aren’t very important, all our air force is concentrating on defeating their Rapiers and Saber Assault Bombers. Also, we have some frigates and carriers incoming to destroy their enemy fighters, while some stay to destroy the airspeeders sent to eliminate the threat of the robohacks. I believe that now would be a good time to start gathering up the shuttles needed to take my crew away, and get the military officers here to test against me.”

Jesmin leaned back in the chair, hoping he would agree, though there was a small part of her dreading that he would make some excuse not to do it at that moment…

Crinium smiled.

“I appreciate your help, but there is no need to test you. We have been recording everything that happened, and based on some decisions, we have decided to give you the rank of Admiral, and second in command of our military, answering to myself, being the leader of the military, and the High Council, being the government of this world. Unfortunately, though you have these powers unofficially, we can’t actually give them to you officially until after the war is done, and I have had some discussions with the High Council. A rift has been made due to this war, and we need to repair that rift, before is widens, and a split is made. As far as your crew goes, we have 15 Sentenial Shuttles complete in our shipyard, and they will be transported out as soon as the Missile Cruiser is completely taken over, and the war is over.” Crinium waited for news of the space battle to come in…

Up in space, the life support on the Missile Cruiser had been reactivated, and crews were arriving in the hold, to activate weapon systems and things like that. Derakh, the Noghri, the Wookies and a squad of Cren Troopers were making their way down to the room in which Dawara was. Derakh checked the Stolkhi Spray Stick was activated, indicated for everybody to set their weapons for stun, and he knocked down the door. Two Noghri, a Wookie and four Cren Troopers rushed in, aiming at the escorts. Derakh squeezed in between two Cren, and fired his Stolkhi Spray Stick at Dawara. The net expanded out, and trapped him to the floor.

“Send a mission accomplished signal to Jesmin, then get these prisoners down to a shuttle.”

One of the Cren quickly identified the escorts as leaders of the other nations, which had joined the Par Alliance. This would mean the end of the rebellion.

Down in Base Alpha-Gamma, the news hit the base with cheers. Crinium immediately grabbed his comlink, and started broadcasting.

“To the rebel forces fighting, I, Crinium leader of the High Council, and leader of our military, order you to stand down. We have captured your leaders, who would have killed all resisting forces if they had won. Unlike them, we are going to show you some mercy. Our forces will fire on any force that fires on them, otherwise, you are free to land, and we will ignore the fact that you ever rebelled. Unfortunately for your leaders, we will not ignore them. They will be put to trial, and then punished or released, depending on the verdict of the jury and judge.”

Jesmin smiled as the plan went as she had hoped. Now, the Missile Cruiser was captured, and the troops of the Par Alliance were probably going to surrender. She had been given her command, and could now influence Crinium into taking Lwhekk and Bakura. She would lead the assault, and though she would have convinced The Farquak Empire to come out of hiding and take over the galaxy, she would buy transportation to various systems, hoping from planet to planet, until she returned to Mon Calamari controlled space or Mon Calamari itself. Then she would visit Emperor Teebo, beg forgiveness and regain a command. Then she would lead a fleet against The Farquak Empire, liberating the citizens of Bakura, and then maintaining a firm grip there, defending them from any attacks that Crinium might want to wage. If the Cren persisted, an attack against Farquak would be simply, and easy to start. Then, the threat of the Cren would be eliminated.

“All troops, if they do not fire, don’t fire on them, we have sent out a warning, if they ignore it, wipe them out.”

Though Jesmin hated the Cren, she was sure that some of them probably wanted to be liberated, and could be reformed, plus enough blood had been shed for one day. Now all that was left was the troops to transmit a surrender message, and then she could convince Crinium to attack the galaxy…

Crinium smiled as reports started coming in.

“Sir we have reports of numerous subs moving up to the surface and stay stationary. Rapiers and Saber Assault Bombers have fled from the battle, and are returning to air bases. Troops are sitting down, not firing. Tanks are fleeing, with weapons disengaged, and are broadcasting surrender messages. Cruisers, frigates and sub hunters are sending messages of surrender. Numerous airspeeders are landing. Unfortunately, we do have reports of some units continuing to fight.”

“Wipe out all units continuing to fight. What are our losses?”

“Numerous AT-HAs have been destroyed, most active ones are only good enough for scrap. The fighters lost about half their strength, same with the airspeeders. Troops had 40% losses, water vessels are down to around 38% vehicle losses, though several crews managed to get to escape boats.”

“Not good. Continue the mop up; Jesmin and myself have things to discuss. Also, inform the High Council that the military will be controlling our government for a while, until after the whole civil war has been finished, and the trials are complete. Also, once we have new appointees from every nation that needs one.”

Crinium beckoned for Jesmin to follow him, and left the room, heading to a briefing room…

Jesmin followed Crinium out of the room, and through the corridors to the briefing room.

“I assume you want to inform me of something that you don’t want the other people in that room knowing?”

Jesmin smiled, knowing she was right, she had sensed a wave of surprise come off Crinium when she had said that. Now she settled down into her thoughts, to try and think up he might want. Perhaps he was thinking of mounting an assault himself, though the reason for it wasn’t something he wanted the rest of the troops knowing. Yes that was probably it. She quickly held up a hand, stopping his response.

“I have devised a plan for you, and plan for how you can regain the losses you have suffered without any difficulty.”

She had phrased it perfectly; Crinium had leaned forward in his chair, waiting for a response, truly intrigued. She pushed her advantage.

“If you assault Lwhekk, you can gain the knowledge they have of enteching a life essence into a droid, which creates a large opportunity to improve on your Rapier. This would allow you to make them have strong shields, or more weapons. They would not need to suffer in the case that someone jammed your transmittions to the Rapiers. You could even make the Saber Assault Bombers controlled by life essences, adding more weapons and better shielding. The possibilities are endless. What you need to do is get Lwhekk under your control, and get recruits from them. To do this, to a fast, military strike against Lwhekk, take it over, and subjugate the population into joining you. Then, fake a Ssi-Ruuk attack on Bakura, and then fake them retreating when we bring in ships to save the Bakurans. They will vote to join us, and if anybody attacks, will always be with us. They will send their sons and daughters out to serve under us. Later on, once the whole High Council issue is resolved, we can go and convince the Ssi-Ruuk to join us peacefully, and even given the P’w’ecks some friendship. Offer the Ssi-Ruuk some human slaves that happen to disappear of Bakura once in a while. After that you can go out and conquer the whole galaxy, with myself at your side, though you can dodge the planets of your allies.”

Jesmin waited, she had just outlined a great plan, which would easily convince Crinium to go out and take the galaxy, with her at his side. She would soon be in charge of the assault, and able to conveniently disappear on Bakura…