Plurga remained silent.

There was nothing to say to the man (he appeard to be human) who was obviously a represenative of the Union. The masked man had not come to ask for an opinion, or for any assiatnce. He was delivering a message. More than a message, he was delivering orders. That fact irked Plurga to a small degree, but he hid his displeasure. The man had also brought some reassurance, which was something Plurga had been dearly lacking.

Finally he decided to speak.

"Unless you have anything further, then I permit you to leave. As you very well know, I have an important task to prepare for, and a limited amount of time to do so."

Plurga's voice was curt, but not hostile. He was pressed for time and a sense of urgency creeped into his voice.

He turned away from Thrax and cast his gaze at the datapad before him.

Time of Imperial Blockade: 26 minutes


Each of the battleships sat around Nal Hutta with their prows pointed at the Glorious Jewel as the world’s residents called it. An array of formidable warships dotting her starscape, Nal Hutta appeared more a porcupine than any valuable gem. As far as Grand Admiral Desaria could tell, there was little about the planet below that made it glorious. An unearned title in the eyes of the Empire, then.


Baron Desaria could remember assignments from the beginning of his career and, in nearly twenty-five years of loyal service, had never visited the besieged world: to be sure, he was quite glad of that fact. Evocar – the world’s pre-Hutt name – was now a wasteland of foul-smelling swamps, gaudy palaces, and sprawling compounds for the slithering beasts’ army of minions. This was, of course, according the Imperial Academy’s planetary information class – information that was never disputed.


“ Admiral – report from Squadron II – VSD Imperium. A group of ships has been pulled from hyperspace. Five ships: three frigates and two large freighters. They read as armed – Threat Level Three.”


Grand Admiral Desaria turned aft and looked down into the crewpit, the fleet-tactical liaison officer engrossed in his display. “ Are they hostile?”


“ They have raised shields and have weapons-hot energy readings, Admiral.”


“ Very well. Follow protocol.”


Smaller than the atoms that floated free through the void of space, a transmission worked its way to the Imperium repeating to her Captain the two simple words uttered by the youngest member of the Twelve ever to hold such a prestigious rank. Without heisting, the Victory IV-class Star Destroyer rotated full to starboard, presenting a complete broadside to the quintet of vessels that had blundered upon the Imperial blockade.


From the gundecks of the battleships came a flurry of energy, a sheet that lashed out at the leading frigate and enveloped it totally. Lightning danced across her shields as generator after generator was overloaded, the fury of forty turbolaser cannon producing a great hellstorm upon them. Trailing in the wake of the salvo were forty proton torpedoes that impacted upon an unprotected hull. Explosions swelled into the void as one after another merged into a ball of flame. From stem to stern the vessel was engulfed as ammunition began to cook-off from her stores. Rather than explode gloriously, the fire died when all fuel had been spent. In the place of the ship that had entered Hutt-space was a twisted mass of steel and hull-beams surrounded by quickly expanding cloud of debris.


“ To the warships approaching – halt your engines immediately and prepare to be boarded. Failure to comply with all haste will result in the total eradication of your force. This is your only warning.” Grand Admiral Desaria received an acknowledgement from his communications officer that the intruding ships had received the transmission and was anxious to see their reaction. To intrude on an Imperial military operation was folly – to defy the Guard was death.

Omega Thrax walked quietly around his underground bunker after having left Plurga the Lesser's palace and now examined the Imperial fleet. He cursed the Imperials brutish stupidity, firing first at a merchant only showed him they weren't worth even being pleasant to. What was worse were those ships were Fegal Company merchant ships... a recent addition to the Union web of influence. A most irritating development, the Chairman would be very upset...

"Open com channel twelve"

A screen buzzed to life as a tight beam transmission bounced effortlessly off an orbiting satellite towards a patch of space far out of local sensor range. The waiting Union battle group sitting their recieved it and completed the conneciton. A man in a black uniform and beret appeared on the screen and saluted.

"Commander, the Imperials are proving rather stupid and aggressive. Be ready to move on my orders if they come."

The man saluted again and the transmission cut. Thrax turned his attention back to the Imperial forces as well as the reports streaming in from the palaces of both Plurgas. The Union had its agents everywhere and these were supplying Thrax with needed information since it was becoming clear that the Empire would likely have to be educated in the dangers of playing their silly little conquest games with one of the Union's puppet organizations.

The ships began firing and the fegal ships almost got the chance fire back all tough that would have been for a while until they would have tried to jump back to hyperspace, but stupid as the captains could be they didn’t know that they couldn’t. Shouts of panic came out from the officers as one of the frigate’s were destroyed and Jezk was on the edge of a nervous brake down because he didn’t know what to do until the imperials answered their transmission and the quarren obeyed immediately.

“To the warships approaching – halt your engines immediately and prepare to be boarded. Failure to comply with all haste will result in the total eradication of your force. This is your only warning.”

Jezk was very confused of the imperials words as he shut down all battle functions, which would leave them exposed, but that was million times a better chance to survive from the imperials grip than try to run from them not to mention fight them. The Baal was on it’s way with Rac Fegal aboard to solve the situation because there were no other diplomats in the Fegal Companies or Rac hadn’t never prepared for such an possibility and besides it was Fegal`s monthly shipment to Nal Hutta. He wouldn’t let the work of a month slip from his hands because of a blockade, in the end Fegal`s ships would luckily leave Nal Hutta and they would have to find another place to sell the remaining weaponry. Jezk ordered to check if the other ships were damaged and then condition of the cargo, then he turned to attend to the matter at hand. Dealing with the imperials was never a good thing because they hated all alien races or at least they didn’t have any access to their fleets. Human’s were like an endless plague that destroyed everything that they got in their hands, only because they might first together build a great empire, but then they got greedy and slashed each others throats. Jezk opened hailing frequencies to the imperials all tough he had messaged before.

"Your demands have been fulfilled imperial, as I sent you a message earlier we are part of the Fegal companies and these ship are transports for the company’s merchandise. Without question we were attacked even before we could almost possibly act, but leaving that behind what is your business around Nal Hutta, our leader will be here soon so don’t make any rush acts as a cruiser appears and what are your demands imperial? Knowing your kind...”

Jezk spat "You make ones all the time...."

------

As Jezk made contact with the imperials cruiser named Baal was making it’s way towards Nal Hutta with an especially furious dug on the bridge with peaceful intentions, but violent thoughts. Rac would have wanted to squeeze the living hell out of the imperial prick who dared to do this, but in away he had a reason for happiness because he had just succeeded in one business so this obstacle could be flanked perhaps by selling the weapons to another buyer. The most disturbing point in this hole mess that the Union would be involved, which got chills run trough his spine because he very well knew what the union was capable of.

Baal was travelling in hyperspace and captain Sedra had ordered all shields and threatening weaponry offline so that this wouldn’t end up as a shooting. Rac prepared to meet this imperial leader personally or trough messaging ways, Rac had to give the man credit for attacking the hutt space, but he couldn’t know about the Union. At least these events had a positive side one way or another, the hutts would have more time in their hands and the Union could prepare if they even did such things or cared about the hutt`s fate. Rac himself had many connections and friends on Nal Hutta, he had made numerous successful smuggling trips for the hutts and avoided failure, but most of all he had avoid the punishment.

Sometime later when the imperials had answered the Red Talon`s message Baal appeared from hyperspace with no signs of battle, but hailing frequencies were very functional. Rac looked at the "glorious jewel" and the ships around it, the imperial fleet was truly magnificent, but the sad truth was that everything died sometimes. For The New Order Rac hoped that to happen very soon.

Whether under the direction of a cowardly or wise commander, the Imperials knew not: they cared only that their directives were obeyed without question or hesitation. Crews stood down immediately and received rather ehavily armed boarding parties. A contingent of five hundred men boarded each carrier while another company each entered the nearby frigates. Holds were checked, manifests were read, and officers were questioned by stern-faced soldiers of the Imperial Fleet Assault Corps.


" Admiral, we have completed our scans of the ships. They are carrying weapons and munitions, mostly in bound for the Hutt world. The crew has been cooperative but silent so we are not sure of their final destination."


Seated upon his command chair, the Grand Admiral looked down at the quarter-sized hologram, his gaze set upon the pale blue and white form of FAC Major Townsend. " How much of these munitions are confiscatable?"


The hologram snorted. " Over thirty percent, Grand Admiral."


" Very well - collect your teams and report back to the Imperium. Desaria out."


No sooner had the hologram faded and the Admiral's white sleeved arm passed though it than one of the triangular bow viewports changed into the form of a man named Rac, the newly arrived leader of the Fegal Company.


" Good afternoon. This system is claimed by the Galactic Empire and your ships arrived in contravention of it. That one was destroyed is regrettable, but then it is an acknolwedged danger of operating in this region. Soon, with the Empire in control of it, you will not have a need for warships to protect company assets."


The Grand Admiral stood and placed his hands together at the small of his back. He gave the executive on the opposite end of the transmission on a temporarily un-blocked channel no time to interject. " In regards to company assets, your ships are carrying some ordance that are illegal under Imperial Law. Since a blockade is in effect, I would be well within my right to confiscate the merchandise and your ships. However, I am not going to do that. I have other matters to attend and I do not like distractions. You will order your ships to come about and depart immediately this system and you will give me your word that those weapons will not be sold to organizations entities or persons that would use them against the Empire. Excuse me a moment."


Having spent the last year with an Admiral's flag flying from the bridge, the crew knew well Baron Desaria's moods and tendancies - they also knew his innuendo and veiled orders. In this case, an older but quite fit Commenor-native shut off the transmitter while his commander turned to another matter.


" Captain Vorran, have we had any success communicating with whomever is in leadership down there?"


The reply came solemn from the tall Corellian. " No, Admiral."


" Very well - we give them another hour then we commence firing. Continue to check all orbiting vessels." Desaria returned to the silent image projected upon the viewport. " Sir, have you any questions before your ship's weigh anchor?

Rac floated on his bridge in his chair inspecting the situation, the imperials had layed a blockade on Nal Hutta and were going to end the hutts for good, but Rac smiled because the fools didn`t know what was waiting for them. Rac was only concerned to get his ships away from Nal Hutta and sell them somewhere else, then the channels opened and the imperial leader took contact with the cruisers bridge. Rac opened the channel and began looking at the leading ship itself as he spoke.

" Good afternoon. This system is claimed by the Galactic Empire and your ships arrived in contravention of it. That one was destroyed is regrettable, but then it is an acknolwedged danger of operating in this region. Soon, with the Empire in control of it, you will not have a need for warships to protect company assets."

Rac snorted as a comment and continued listening this man, who was undoubtably a man of great influence and couldn`t care less about Fegal companies as the blockade of Nal Hutt was on his responsiblity. The man continued his explenation and very demanding ways.

" In regards to company assets, your ships are carrying some ordance that are illegal under Imperial Law. Since a blockade is in effect, I would be well within my right to confiscate the merchandise and your ships. However, I am not going to do that. I have other matters to attend and I do not like distractions. You will order your ships to come about and depart immediately this system and you will give me your word that those weapons will not be sold to organizations entities or persons that would use them against the Empire. Excuse me a moment."

This made Rac smile with few thoughts in his head "Only if you knew..." Rac smiled and began rubbing his loose jaw skin in thoughts as the imperial had something to do. Surely Rac`s ships could destroy few of theirs, but by then they would have been uterly destroyed and Rac would be history. Rac was here to avoid a conflict and to secure his cargo except for the destroyer, which was blown up, but that was a necessarry loss when thinking about the slight breather Rac would buy for Nal Hutta in a way. Rac looked back when the imperial continued.

"Sir, have you any questions before your ship's weigh anchor?"

Rac nodded in his chair and began talking.

"Who ever you are imperial, I ensure you that I have never sold weaponry to those who fight against the galactic empire, I sell them to people and aliens all across the galaxy, I first check who I am dealing with, but I can`t know if a business man on mon calmari might sell them on to groups that are hostile to you. It`s not my problem that you might be facing my products, but I am not going to stop selling them because there are many others who also sell weapons and I have intended to be on the market for a long time. If you come across the world of Fresia and are intrested in buying weapons then drop by at my office."

Rac smiled with a touch of mockery in it.

"You`ll hear about my company in the core worlds imperial and what comes to my war ships imperial that is none of your business. They are heavily armed transports in the end and my supply have been attacked by pirates, you can`t asure your protection even in hutt space if the pirates attack my ships on the outskirts of this system by flashing out of hyper space. Besides it´s all my proterty and I will protect what is rightfully mine with the way I want, but I will never rise a weapon against the imperials that I can asure you, but now... farewell until we meet again perhaps..."

Fegal companies ships turned and the connection was shut rudely, then the ships started their engines and flashed to hyperspace towards another place to sell their products, and then they would return to Fresia to wait for another supply. Rac had avoided a conflict and buyed his allies sometime....

Time of Imperial Blockade: 1 Hour, 9 minutes


The chamber was dark, the only light provided by the wash of brilliance from Nal Hutta's sole star. Through the blackness strode Telan Desaria visible only by the radiance of the decoration at his neck and the rank plaque on his chest. Inhaling slowly, he kneeled upon a circular pad that whirred to life. It took every effort in recalling years of honed discipline to retain the calm required of any Grand Admiral. His trepidation was reasonable, however.


The space before Desaria filled as a holographic projection grew exponentially in size until it dwarfed the positioned aristocrat. First to form was a smooth robe that carefully concealed the upper half of a face, then a medallian that clasped together a cloak - when all was done Grand Admiral Desaria was face to face with the Emperor.


" Your Majesty."


" Your status, Grand Admiral."


" All is proceeding as planned, Your Highness. We have not yet made contact with the planet's leaders, but we are near-complete with our search of all orbiting vessels. We have interned twelve ships and confiscated the cargoes of fifty more. Preliminary estimates report we have removed two billion credits-worth of illegal merchandise."


" And the Hutts themselves?"


The Grand Admiral smiled tightly to himself but did not let any emotion through the stern facade he showed. " We have secured the useage of a division of Inquisitoriate troops. They are more...adept...to complete the eradication than the Guard. Using my men would undermine their morale and unit cohesion."


There came a pause in whcih time the Admiral's blood ran cold. Had he displeased his Emperor? Was he to be robbed now of his lifetime of work? Caprice was a luxury almost every ruler indulged in from time to time and Desaria had no wish to be caught at such a time.


" You have done, Baron Desaria. Continue your campaign. You do credit to your training. Bring glory to the Empire."


There was no reply sent from the Suvarov as the HoloNet signal was silenced on the Coruscant end. When the lights came back to full power and the visage of Emperor Hyfe was gone, Desaria exhaled, not realizing that for the entire conversation he had barely moved a muscle.





Time was running out for the Hutts. A single communications channel remained un jammed and unblocked, and continually monitored and it was upon it that the ruler - or rulers - of Nal Hutta could place the only hope that the Inquisitoriate would be turned loose upon the world with specific targets instead of free reign. The latter set of orders would be followed by an old but increasingly more frequent practise known as Base Delta Zero.

The time had come.

Plurga sat in his throne room, alone. The numerous minions who served him had been banished from his presence, and Koril had been instructed to allow for no interruptions, with no exceptions. A pair of Klatoonian guards had been posted with him to ensure that no unwanted visitors dropped in while Plurga spoke with the Imperials.

The communications equipment was arrayed in front of him, a simplistic droid controlling its operation. Plurga had donned the odd looking "uniform" he had been issued that showed his station as the head of security for Nal Hutta. It was better described as a shawl, as it was draped over his "shoulders" and did not close completely over his stomach, despite the fact that Plurga was not nearly as massive as some of the older Hutts. He made a hand motion to the droid, who opened a channel to the Imperial fleet waiting above.

"Imperial forces, while it is an ominous sign that a spacefleet has appeared over our glorious jewel and not announced its intentions, I bid you greetings from the Desilijic clan, the masters of this world. My name is Plurga Desilijic Fiere, but you may address my as Plurga the Lesser, which is my title, in deference to my Uncle, Plurga the Hutt, who is the head of our clan. I have been authorized to speak by my uncle, in my position as head of security for Nal Hutta.

It is my understanding that you have recently fought battles in our sector of space and taken casualties. I express the condolence of the Desilijic clan for your loss, and I regrettably tell you that those casualties were caused by the impetuous actions of another Hutt clan. In these matters and others, I ask humbly for an audience with the supreme commander of this fleet, so that we may discuss the circumstances and the outcome of the current situation and the events leading up to it."

Plurga sent the recorded message up to the Imperial fleet, and signaled the droid to notify him if there was a reply. There was a chance that the Empire would ignore his comminuqe, and in that he case he would have to immediately begin the defense of the world. He had landlines and com-links standing by to begin mobilizing the Nal Hutta's defensive forces and multiple links to the palace from which the planet's shield generators were operated. The shield could be raised in minutes.

Still, he held out hope that he could open civil negotiations with the Imperials. All would rely on how his message was received by the Imperial commanders.

Throughout the bridge, all eyes had fallen on Grand Admiral Desaria. Only four minutes remained until he would order to total eradication of Nal Hutta and give a free hand to the gun captains and battery commanders on the Guard's battleships who each felt he had a score to settle with an overwhelmingly evil world. However, as a Grand Admiral, he to realize that above the honour of one man or even a group of men had to be placed the common good - indeed the good of the Empire. There were a times when the sacrifice of a man's honour was a small price to pay for the trillions of innocent civilians who slept blissfully in their ignorance. As commander of the Guard, Desaria had tainted his own to maintain the purity of his men - clearly evidenced by the presence of the Viscount del Forza.


" Grand Admiral - we are received a recorded transmission from the planet. Origin: one of the larger palaces near the north-axial pole."


" Project it."


Two dimensional though it was, the incarnation of a Hutt on the bridge was unmistakable. Desaria allowed his eyes to bore into the massive orbs that rotated in thick-fleshed sockets. He saw the immense yaw of a mouth as the universal translator changed Huttese to Basic. The Admiral notcied this Hutt wore a close proximity of clothing, a cloak about his neck pinned by a rather ornate gilded device which as an aristocrat he could appreciate. The Hutts always had a reputation for cunning and brilliance, though used to a less than above-board goal.


"Imperial forces, while it is an ominous sign that a spacefleet has appeared over our glorious jewel and not announced its intentions, I bid you greetings from the Desilijic clan, the masters of this world. My name is Plurga Desilijic Fiere, but you may address my as Plurga the Lesser, which is my title, in deference to my Uncle, Plurga the Hutt, who is the head of our clan. I have been authorized to speak by my uncle, in my position as head of security for Nal Hutta.


It is my understanding that you have recently fought battles in our sector of space and taken casualties. I express the condolence of the Desilijic clan for your loss, and I regrettably tell you that those casualties were caused by the impetuous actions of another Hutt clan. In these matters and others, I ask humbly for an audience with the supreme commander of this fleet, so that we may discuss the circumstances and the outcome of the current situation and the events leading up to it."


Grand Admiral Desaria drummed the gloved fingers of a hand on the arm of his command chair while the other caressed a jaw protruding in thought. " Lieutenant Wosten - I believe it is safe to assume they lack HoloNet or real-time communications."


" It is, Admiral. They may have some in-system RT capabilities, but those are on channels we are jamming. We have not been able to sort them out yet,"


" Very well - -record and send: Plurga the Lesser, I am Grand Admiral Telan Desaria, Commander of the Imperial Guard. What have you have said places blame for the actions of the past week squrely on the shoulders of someone you know and can lead us to. I invite you to my flagship, the Suvarov. You may bring whatever attendents and personal guards you desire. I will expect you in thirty minutes."


Lieutenant Wosten clicked a few keys, presaging the transmission's sending down into the murky atmosphere of the world below.


" Captain Vorran - prepare an honour guard for our guest. Full dress. Tote out an entire regiment in the landing bay."


The flag-captain acknowledged and scurried off, making ready the preparations that would impress and awe the arriving Hutt. There were many forces in the galaxy that could claim to master pageantry and form, but none could equal the splendor of a well-drilled Imperial formation on parade and display.

The shuttle hurtled upward, unescorted, from the swamps of Nal Hutta toward the waiting Imperial fleet. It's meger weapon's systems and sheilds remained powered down as a sign that the vessel was not a threat, and it flew much slower than its top speed, as to not be considered suspicious. As it came within range of the Suvarov's tractor beams, the shuttle slowed, allowing the Star Destroyer haul it slowly into on of the hanagr bays.

Once secure inside the hangar, the shuttle extended a landing ramp, and its occupants began to disembark. A pair of Klatoonians exited first, in the dress-battle guard of their people, each holding a large melee weapon in both hands. The weapon was a cerimonal one that had been used in the distant past by their ancestors, deadly in its own right, but no very suitable for modern combat. To that end, a pair of blaster pistols could be seen holstered on either side of their torsos. Following the two guards were Koril Tur, Plurga's Twi'lek majordomo, decked out in his Sunday finest, and a recently polished protocol droid of non-descript origin. Plurga came next, moving under his own power, the shawl like military uniform still clung around his shoulders, closed with an ornate clasp. He was followed by another pair of Klatoonians, perfect clones of the first two.

The small entourage stopped as they stepped out of the shuttle. Before them was the amazing sight of an Imperial honor guard, awaiting their arrival.