Captain Jensen reached up and wiped sweat off his brow as he crouched in the dark trench, not daring to peek over the top. Darkness had settled onto the world of Anoat, casting all in the trench around Captain Jensen into complete and total darkness.

He closed his eyes, the ambient sounds of the trench around filling his mind. He heard people coughing, choking, crying, and screaming. The sounds drowned out his own sigh. He had been here for three weeks already, and the signs were showing not only on his face, but on his resolve as well.

He remembered what he had been doing when he had received the comm call that every professional soldier in wartime dreads.

I was sitting in the common room, reading a book by the fireplace. Ah the fireplace! I had almost forgotton, sure it was old-style, but nothing was more enjoyable than to sit by it and read

He smiled as he remembered even that simple pleasure. Such things he had almost forgotten, the warm feeling of the fireplace as he read the morning galactic news. The taste of his wife's food, the sight of her cooking his favorate meals.

His smile quickly evaporated as a minor explosion was heard in the distance.

He sighed again, trying to figure out how this had all started...



Bakura - One Month Earlier


"The rebels are calling themselves the "Liberty Sect" and are determined to throw off our rule of the Ison Corridor."

President Griff rubbed his eyes as his advisors reported to him of another rebellion somewhere in Sovereignty space. In all reality, the most extensive "rebellions" were mostly mere protests. With a single government holding together a unified conglomerate of worlds together, some people were bound to be unhappy as to how they believe they were being treated. ORS could not focus on every single detail on every single one of it's worlds, and therefore could not be expected to be aware of every single little problem and fix it accordingly.

"Have they made any demands?" Griff asked, sitting back in his chair as he released another sigh.

"Yes. We are to pull out of all worlds in the Corridor, and hand control of them to the Sect." One of his advisors, Admiral Keyan said. Keyan was also prone to sighing just about as much as Griff was.

Griff nodded, "And we have given them no answer?" He asked.

"No. We wanted your approval before we did anything." Keyan replied.

Griff was silent for a moment, considering his options before looking to his left, at the figure of black-clad man standing by the window, looking into the Bakuran night sky, "Kovel? What has the Black Hand learned?" He asked.

The Black Hand director turned slowly toward him, "This 'Liberty Sect' is heavily armed and well organized. They have strong leadership - who it is we are still trying to determine - and they are all focused on their goals." Kovel said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "They have the ability to focus on one objective, get it done, and then move on to the next. They are well unified and their members swell every day. I would classify their leadership strucure as highly militaristic. I would assume that a former Imperial or Sovereignty General leads them."

Griff was silent, taking it all in. Kovel was equally quiet, allowing his report to sink in to all those present. The news was dire indeed.

"What about weapons, fleets, ships?" Keyan asked.

"They are highly technological, they do not yet have a fleet to battle us though. Right now they are still small, but they are growing and are attracting many anti-Sovereign supporters." Kovel replied, turning his gaze back to the night sky.

"Do you know what world they are based on?" Griff asked.

Kovel nodded, "Anoat. They control the entire planet." He said.

Anoat... that was a planet deep within ORS territory. Right on the Ison Corridor.

"No wonder they want us out of the Corridor." Keyan muttered, he recieved a round of agreement from all the other admirals around, "They know of the importance of the corridor." Keyan finished.

"Yes." Griff interjected, "Which is why they must not get it. I will not allow these rebels to get their hands on any of my worlds. Admiral Keyan, get to work." he said.

Keyan nodded, knowing exactly what he was to do.

"Fire away, gentlemen." Griff said, again rubbing his eyes.

"Move! Move! Move!" Jensen yelled at eight or nine other soldiers who were nearby him in the trench. It was day now, but there was not much light, several hours before the enemy had begun shelling the Sovereignty forces, hidden in their trenches, with artillery and the smoke and dust now was carried up into the air by the howling winds.

After the shelling had begun, they had been bombed and strafed by the enemy's few fighters - mostly old Z-95 Headhunters that had been patched up. ORS anti-aircraft fire had been intense at first, but the enemy was smart, and hit most of the anti-aircraft positions with their artillery.

After the fighters had passed over, the shelling intensified to the right and left of the trenches, but had stopped at the center, where enemy forces now poured through, running straight at the trenches, blasters blazing.

The Liberty Sect. Not much could be said about them, they were secretive, you rarely saw them when fighting them, they were technologically advanced, and were fierce fighter. If they lost their blaster, they pulled a sword that all of them kept at their sides and would fight you hand to hand. If they lost their leg, they would crawl towards you. They would fight with their last breath, and would try to kill you even as they fell from sustained wounds.

They were mostly humans, for humans had colonized Anoat centuries before. The colonists gradually killed off any other sentient life, and had lived mostly in peace untill the superpowers of the galaxy rose up. They were sunjugated by no less than three different governments, the Old Republic, the Empire, and the New Republic. Now with the Sovereignty closing in on them, the Liberty Sect - mostly born on Anoat - decided to put an end to it before the Sovereignty came for them.

They were all young boys who had seen far too few years. Most of them didn't show it, but all of them were afraid.

Jensen was a veteran of many wars and battles. Originally a native of Bakura, he had left his family aqt a young age to join the budding Outer-Rim Federation, which eventually became the Outer-Rim Sovereignty. He watched, from a troop transport ship over Tatooine as President Griff announced that Bakura had petitioned for membership within the Sovereignty. Jensen had been happy, and soon was granted leave to see his wife and children, who lived on Bakura.

He had fought in the battle of Karnak Alpha, and the Kathol Sector wars. But he had never known the horror of trench warfare. He had always thought, as a young child and growing up, that wars of today were fought with advanced technology, and were often swift with few casualties to the winning side. There were weapons that could destroy entire worlds in one shot, surely old-style of fighting was now obsolete.


He was wrong.


Trench warefare could not be considered "obsolete" even with the advancements in armament. In warfare, one often had to go back to basics to survive. And to win.


The soldiers came to him as he called, and they all stepped up on the raised platforms and got into firing position. The Liberty soldiers charged, with all brawn and no finese. It was a death charge.

"Fire." Jensen said quietly, and tried to close his eyes as blasterfire erupted from the ORS trench, cutting down hundred of young men in raging torment.

Jensen closed his eyes and tried to shut out the screams of the dying as he pulled the trigger again and again...

...and again...

Night in the trenches.





“Here.” At the sound of the voice, Captain Jensen looked up from his light sleep, nodding at Sergeant Callum as he handed him a ration pack.

Callum was Jensen’s deputy officer in Jensen’s squad of twelve people, and was about fifteen years Jensen’s senior.

“Tough day today.” Callum said, taking a seat next to Jensen.

Jensen nodded, biting into the ration pack, which was just nutrients packed into a tight, cold square. The taste of the stuff always reminded Jensen of dirt and grass, mixed together. He had been told in basic training all those years ago that it had everything the body needed.

“Yeah…tough day.” Jensen muttered.

“You know, I always thought that this kind of warfare was outdated. You ever think that, cap?” Callum asked thoughtfully.

“Yeah.”

“All this technology we have these days… it shouldn’t be like this.” Callum said.

“You would rather an orbital bombardment?” Jensen asked.

”No… I would rather we weren’t here.”

“War is necessary, though.” Jensen said, “The people of the galaxy need it.”

“It might be necessary, but with all this advancement we have gone through… it should be easier.” Callum replied.

“It is easier. At least to those back home.” Jensen replied.

Callum thought for a moment, his old, leathery face unreadable. It was times like hat, Jensen knew, that Callum was trying to find a way to say a certain thought, “I wonder what the people back home think about all of this. If they even know what’s going on. Some people can go through their entire lives oblivious to what really goes on in places like these. Some people have no idea what soldiers have to go through.”

Jensen was silent, biting into his ration bar again, “Perhaps all these advancements in technology were never supposed to make things easier for us, but easier for those who never see that technology do what it was meant to do…”

Callum shrugged, finishing his own ration bar, with more than a grimace, “You know… why do those pukes in the R&D department have to make new types of blasters that sometimes never see action when they could spend their time making better-tasting food for us. After all these years…I still hate this crap.” He said.

”If you close your eyes, and try hard enough, you can almost make it taste like fried dewback.” Jensen replied.

“Sir!” One of their squad members, a mere Private 1st Class, Cal Suthers, suddenly turned around to face the two men, motioning for them to come look at something. Jensen and Callum both responded, “What is it, Cal?” Jensen asked.

“I thought I saw something move out there, and I thought I heard something…” Suthers said hurriedly.

Another private next to Suthers turned to them, “I didn’t see anything. Probably hearing things again, Cal.” He said.

“I swear I saw something move!” Suthers replied.

“Enough.” Callum said, as Jensen reached for his commlink, speaking quietly into it.

“I need illumination on sector three-zero-five-zero-seven.”

A pop resounded in the darkness, and with a flash and no other sound, the area in front of them was fully exposed in bright light.

Revealing the surprised faces of about fifty Liberty Sect foot soldiers.

Jensen signaled, and blaster fire erupted into the night again, with twenty of the Liberty soldiers falling in the first few seconds of the battle. The remaining surged forward, with half of that number cut down, leaving about fifteen alive, who managed to get into the Sovereignty trench.

One landed near Jensen, a boy of eighteen carrying a blaster rifle with a bayonet on the business end. Both men froze, and time seemed to stand still. This was not the first time Jensen had looked into the eyes of his enemy. Most of those in the past matched him for age, and had that calm, professional look in their eyes.

But this was different. This boy was the same age as Jensen’s son, and if that weren’t worse, he looked like Jensen’s son as well.

The boy seemed indecisive for one split second, which was his final mistake. Jensen was already moving left as the boy finally came to his senses and stabbed forward with the bayonet. His thrust missed Jensen by a good six inches, who then slashed out his his right fist, catching the boy on the chin, and sending him to the ground, unconscious.

Jensen then looked around; soldiers of his squad were engaged in hand-to-hand combat along the trench. Time seemed to move slower. Jensen watched as his well trained soldiers did what they were supposed to do.

Kill.






“I just don’t get it.” Jensen said, looking around, the next morning, at the various bodies that now littered the Sovereignty trench on Anoat, “They attack us with fifty men, we kill them all… and it achieves nothing!”

Callum regarded him carefully, “This is a war, Cap, what do you expect? These guys are not used to this kind of war. They’re still putting out feelers, still finding their way.”

“And in the meantime we are making no headway. We haven’t moved from this spot in two weeks. We need to start advancing.” Jensen replied angrily.

He had just learned that one of the young soldiers in his squad, Private Stransk, had been killed in the raid the night before. He hadn’t really known the kid, and that is what irked him the most.

Callum came to stand by Jensen, so he was able to speak to the Captain in some measure of privacy, “I know that you blame yourself for the loss of Stransk. Don’t.”

“I didn’t even know where he was from. What kind of leader am I if I don’t give a damn about my men?” Jensen asked.

“Would it have been easier for you if you did know where he was from? Would it have been easier if you knew if he had a family? A wife? A lover?” Callum asked.

Jensen has to relent. He nodded to Callum solemnly, “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”





The four, seated men in the Tactics Room looked up as Jensen and Sergeant Callum stepped into the briefing. Both men saluted the ranking officer, General Garen as he motioned for them to be seated, “You are a little late, Captain Jensen.” Garen said, not looking up from the holomap of Anoat.

“We experienced a raid last night sir… I was engaging in cleanup.” Jensen replied.

Garen nodded, “I heard you lost one. I’m sorry…”

“He knew his duty.” Was all Jensen could say.

“Yes indeed. Well… I am glad you have arrived, let’s get down to business. We have finally received reinforcements from Hoth, but we only got about half of what we were expecting. Most were diverted to Ison and other hotspots, so we didn’t get as many as I requested.” Garen said, pointing to the three new divisions that were now prominently displayed.

The map showed the large area with two blue lines, Garen pointed to this first, “The trenches are eighty meters apart, with a massive kill zone in between. They have artillery, and it is accurate, the Sect uses it effectively as a shield, and it has stopped all of our previous attacks. We have four new divisions, each with three thousand men, two artillery divisions, and three armored divisions. The air force I have held back for this moment, now is the time to strike.

“But first we need to see what we’re up against.” Garen pointed to the area beyond the Sect trench, to one large red blip, “Past their positions, this is our last major obsticle from reaching the capital. They have the here, about fifteen thousand strong, if we can get through that, all we have left if the capital – Anoat City.”

Jensen spoke up, “How are we supposed to break out of the trenches? We advanced all this way, until they stopped us cold, about five thousand of us. We’ve been held up for weeks.”

Callum also spoke, “They have downed all of our aircraft, just as we have downed theirs, and we have fended them off, just as they have stopped our advance.”

“I requested special forces along with regular army troops. They have arrived and are formulating a plan. If we can knock out the eight anti-air sites along their entrenched positions, we can bomb them to hell.” Garen replied, “Jensen, I am giving you command of six more squads, which will bring your total to a hundred men. You will be at the spearhead of the attack, once the defenses have been destroyed.”


Sergeant Callum leaned back in his seat, “So the Spec Forces go behind the Liberty lines, destroy the defenses without any problems. The Air Force then flies in, bombs the anay position, and then after all that, we waltz in and take the trench? And all of this is supposed to go off without a hitch?”

Garen stared at Callum, “Yes.” He said.

Callum and Garen stared at each other for a long time, almost to the point where Jensen was beginning to feel tension building in the air. Since the start of this campaign, Callum had complained nonstop about what he viewed as ‘military mistakes’ made by Garen.

Just when he thought the tension was going to burst, Callum smiled slightly, “Okay.” He said.





Forty-eight hours later – Trenches of Anoat



Darkness had yet again fallen on the world of Anoat, plunging everything into darkness. But it was not total darkness, with the reinforcements, supplies had been brought in, along with night vision equipment. No more sneak raids by the enemy. But the troops hidden in the Sovereignty trenches did not seem very comforted. Word of the coming ORS offensive had spread throughout the troops like a wildfire.

“This smell like an ambush to you?” Callum asked, placing his well-chewed cigar in his mouth as he looked out at the blackness.

“They know we are planning something. They know we don’t just intend to sit here forever.” Jensen replied in a hushed voice.

Callum, cigar in mouth, stared out into the blackness, where somewhere, lay two thousand enemy troops, hidden in a ditch in the ground, much like the Sovereignty forces, “They know. If it were I over there, I would be ready for the attack. The last attack, that will decide whether we live or die. The fate of a world is soon going to be decided, as is the fate of this region of space.”

Jensen nodded, doing as his comlink suddenly beeped once, then twice in quick succession, then once more before going silent, “The Special Forces are in position. That was the command post signaling that we should get ready. The air raid is on the way…” Jensen said, stepping up and peering out into the darkness as Callum motioned to the individual squad commanders, who readied their men for the attack.

Suddenly, three great explosions shook the ground, and lit up the night sky. Jensen counted, he knew that there were eight main anti-aircraft emplacements that needed to be removed before the air strike could commence. He waited in quiet anticipation of more explosions.

But none came.


Callum looked out again, the explosions that signified success for the special forces mission still not visible. Finally, he turned back to Jensen, “Something’s wrong.”

Jensen nodded, pulling his comlink out and requesting an update from the command center, which promptly responded, “Special forces are reporting only nominal success, they are unable to complete the final phases of the mission, and they are withdrawing.” Was the answer. Upon hearing this, Jensen sighed, the plan had failed.

Suddenly in the air, a whining was heard, starting from far away, but gradually getting closer. Callum turned from his view of the field and looked back at Jensen, ”Those are our aircraft.” He said quietly.

“Command?” Jensen asked. As he did so, comm. chatter suddenly went haywire, like a small explosion as someone realized that the air strike had never been called off.

Screams of “Pull up!” and “Abort!” resounded from the comm. link… but it was much too late. The aircraft screamed over the ORS trench positions, almost too fast too see. Small streaks of light were then seen over the enemy trench as the automated anti-aircraft weapons did what they were built to do.

The ORS bombers were doomed, and they were all, one by one, shot down.

The aircraft – Mostly K-wing bombers and X-wing fighters – were downed before they reached the enemy positions, and therefore crashed in the kill zone between the two armies. Already, Jensen could hear the alarms ringing as hundreds of enemy soldiers – lit by the flames of the three downed anti-aircraft weapons – poured over the lip of the trench, trying to reach the multiple crash sites.

It was in this single moment of chaos that Jensen saw his chance. His one and only chance to make good out of this terrible situation.

He looked to Callum, who was watching him, “Your orders sir?”

“Get everyone up. Take squads four, six, ten, eight, nine, and five, secure the crash sites and keep them busy. The rest are to come with me for a flank. Get a call to command, have them bring up reserves.” Jensen said, snapping a new power pack into his blaster pistol.

Two hundred men were under his command, as close to a thousand moved out of the trench to engage the Liberty troops already on the field. The two hundred that were with him followed closely, divided into squads of ten each. They moved to as far east as the trench went, and discreetly climbed out, moving along the flanks of the oblivious Sect troops, who were now exchanging blaster fire on the open field with ORS forces – led by Callum.

He turned to his nearest subordinate, “Take ten squads, get into position in their flank, and open fire. Everyone else, follow me. Move!” Jensen said.

A hundred ORS forces, among those following Jensen, all moved back to the west, where the main fighting was going on. Jensen and the remaining hundred soldiers broke into a dead run, trying to blend in with the darkness as they approached the enemy trenches. As they approached, he spoke into his commlink, “Command, you guys had better have some air cover ready for me when I give you the signal. We’re going to take down those defenses.” He said, and then switched it off as they reached the near-empty enemy trench.

It was a lot like it’s Sovereignty counterpart, but it was more hastily built, and did not have any of the ‘comforts’ the Sovereignty one had. A few dozen or so soldiers still occupied it. Jensen knew from intelligence reports that the Sect communications was very poor, so he knew it would be at least half an hour before they could get their reserves into the battle.

With a signal, the Sovereignty forces opened fire on their outnumbered opponents, who turned, surprised. As the blaster war broke out in the Liberty trench, Jensen, followed by a dozen or so soldiers moved down the trench to the first anti-aircraft emplacement. The soldiers with him quickly placed thermal detonators, destroying the emplacement.

At this time the Liberty soldiers fighting Callum’s group noticed something was wrong and some attempted a retreat to protect the anti-aircraft defenses. Callum pressed on, urging his men to fight harder as Jensen and his team moved down the line to the next anti-aircraft emplacement, destroying it and then moving down to the next… and then the next…



Afterwards, Jensen barely heard the bombers sweep over the field, past the Liberty trenches, where the Liberty reserves were struggling to make their way to the battle.

After a few passes, and the falling of concussion missiles, it was all over.

"Sir..."


General Garen did not turn as Captain Jensen entered his office, in the Sovereignty Command Headquarters, ten kilometers from Anoat City, "Captain, please sit down."

"I've been standing in the trenches for four weeks, I'd rather stand, if you don't mind." Came the answer. Garen nodded, still not turning. The spires of the tall buildings on Anoat City could be seen in the distance. The city was under siege at the moment, with the recent defeats of the rebel Liberty Sect forces in the trenches, and open field.

The rebels had retreated all the way to the city, with Sovereignty forces close behind. Now the city was all but encircled, waiting to fall. Even now Sovereignty forces were entering the city, all would be finished within two hours, "I wanted to commend you on your quick thinking three days ago. You won the battle for us." Garen said.

"No sir. My men won it." Jensen replied. Garen nodded again.

"Indeed." The general said.

Jensen was silent for a moment, before speaking up, "Sir, I started out with over a thousand men, and now I have ended up with less than four hundred."

Garen nodded, finally turning from the window, and his view of the city. He expected to see the same man he had briefed on the upcoming battles four days ago, instead, he saw something completely different. Jensen was dirty, his uniform in tatters, he had obviously not shaven in three days. His uniform was bloodied in several different locations, but whether it was Jensen's own blood or the blood of others, Garen could not tell. The Captain Garen now saw was no more than a broken shell. A broken soldier.

When Garen remained silent, Jensen continued, "Sir they died in a war they never wanted. When this is all said and done, no one will remember their names. There will be no parade, no welcome home parties, no medals. Those guys fought and died on a planet they had never heard of until they got here." The captain said, tears begining to form in his eyes.

Garen was still silent, and Jensen continued, "Sir if I may be excused..."

"No." Came a new voice, from behind Jensen. The voice was a gruff one, one borne of many years of fighting, "Please stay captain."

Jensen turned around slowly, he knew the voice. Everyone in the Sovereignty military knew that voice.

"Mr. President..." Jensen said, saluting smartly.

President Griff stepped out of the side room where he had been and into the lighted office. He offered no salute to Jensen, "I have been told of your, and your men's heroic efforts on the battlefield three days ago. The actions of your men won us the battle, and now we have defeated potential terrorists. I wanted to tell you that you and your men have saved Sovereignty holdings and countless millions in the Ison Corridor worlds." Griff said.

Jensen was silent, so Griff continued, "The six hundred and eighty-two Sovereignty soldiers who perished in the battle three days ago will all receive special commendations, and those will be given to each of their families. Reparations have also been paid to their families, for their kin's heroic deeds. I have taken special care to make sure that each soldier who dies on Anoat will receive full military burials."

Jensen nodded, "On behalf of my men, sir... thank you."

"No thank you. For your actions on the field, you will receive a promotion to Colonel, and will receive the Valor Cross, the highest award given to soldiers in the Army." Griff said.

Jensen raised his hand to salute again, but Griff waved it off, instead offering his hand. Jensen took it, a small smile appearing on his face.



Anoat City - Three Days Later[/b]



General Garen strode up the steps of the blasted and collapsed Anoat Capital Building, where several dignitaries awaited. By Garen's side was Captain Jensen, and Sergeant Callum.

The dignitaries were representatives of the members of the newly created Anoat government. The day before, the Liberty Sect had officially surrendered to Sovereignty forces as Anoat City fell around them. The Sovereignty had taken thousands of prisoners, who were all happy to trade in weapons for food and water.

Supplied has become increasingly scarce on Anoat after the Sovereignty blockaded the world and destroyed supply routes to the city. Food quickly became nonexistant and the Liberty Sect soldiers raided the civilian markets and stores, stealing all the food and water. Sect soldiers also went to the numerous hospitals, and took every scrap of medical equipment and supplies they could find.

When the Sovereignty forces finally took control of the city and the Sect surrendered, they immidiately restored order to the then-lawless city. Supply transports from nearby ORS worlds landed, giving the starving men and women much needed food and medical supplies. Griff had announced to the rest of the Sovereignty that major combat operations on Anoat had been completed and the new governmentm set up entirely by the citizens of the planet had petitioned for ORS membership. Griff swiftly granted it, and announced reconstruction efforts had begun.

The dignitaries welcomed Garen, who was Griff's representative in the signings that would signify Anoat's official entrance into the Sovereignty, as well as Jensen and Callum, whom they considered heroes who fought for their freedom.

The three Sovereignty officers followed the dignitaries as they led them into the building, to solidify Anoat's Sovereignty membership.




*




"I have tracked Liberty Sect agents to Ison, Varonat, and Hoth." Kovel said to Griff, as both watched the Garen, Jensen, and Callum step into the building.

Griff has been offered one of the best suite available in one of the many hotels in Anoat City for his stay - which was only going to be one day. Kovel has just joined him, for his intelligence report on the scattering of the Liberty Sect.

"So they made it off Anoat?" Griff asked.

"I do not believe they ever were here. Before the city was taken, a single transmission burst was detected by the Le. The transmission was not coded, and we have decerned three words from it, 'rancor, dewback, bantha'." Kovel replied.

"Not dinner reservations on Tatooine, thats for sure. Some kind of code?" Griff asked.

"Code words are more like it. The Liberty Sect people here knew they were doomed, and they probably wanted to make sure their agents knew this. The transmission was not focal, so it did not go to any one receiver, but it spanned the entire outer rim. Everybody must have heard it." Kovel replied.

"It seems they aren't defeated just yet." Griff mused.

"I agree. They lost their central focal point - Anoat. So they don't have central leadership anymore. But I am sure their are Liberty Sect bases near Bakura, Endor, Tatooine, and in the Corridor itself." Kovel said.

"And what about the leader ofn the Sect?" Griff asked.

"Unaccounted for. We have no one in custody who claimes to have led the Liberty Sect. Which gives us two guess, either he or she escaped, or was never here. I tend to lean towards the latter." Kovel said.

"Why?" Griff asked.

"Because it is what I would have done. Ruled from a remote base, sent orders every day, received profits. All hidden and safe." Kovel replied.

"I assume you are already working towards locating this mysterious leader?"

"Yes. No exact pinpoint yet, but I will locate whoever it is soon enough." Kovel replied.

Griff nodded, "Find them as quickly as possible."

Kovel nodded, and then left.