Soft streaks of luminous blue flames streaked behind the immense figure, escorted on either side by a small task force of warships. The lush green orb that stood in the distance brought a soft smile to the Lord Admiral's face. The words still remained potent on his mind, the eternal words that rang freely of the coming days of conflict.... 'I have honor, and that honor requires that I inform the galaxy that the Holy Domesthian Empire is one and the same with LFX.'

Redemption Fleet had been dispatched in direct response to the raging Propaganda War that had been waged between the Holy Empire, and the Jutraalian Sovereignty. Varonat had become the center of attention. A sparsely-populated world littered with thick jungles, lush plains, and towering mountains in the backwaters of the Ison Corridor, merely a fraction of a jump from Bespin would prove to be the perfect staging point for an open assault on what had become this self-proclaimed Holy Empire.

The Fleet eased forward, maintaining a safe orbit around the planet, yet a defensive posture should enemy warships arrive. "The ground Task Force has been prepared, Lord Admiral." a young ensign with pale blonde hair spoke in an excited, yet well mannered voice. Xilen Darkflame nodded his head, and with the flick of his wrist, dismissed the Ensign.

His nose flared, breathing in the faint, musty fragrance of the manufactured air that continued pumping into the bridge of the Darkflame, a faint reminder of his duties to the Jutraalian Navy. Years of service had served to train his sences to distinctify exactly what was going on about the bridge, mechannically, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

From the Transparisteel viewing port, the small landing craft came into view, under heavy escort by Chiss Clawcraft. He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head as he kicked hhis black leather boots up onto the arm of his massive command chair. "Ensign," Xilen's voice sounded once more. "Keep me posted every few minutes with the readings coming in from our long range scanners. I want to know everything that goes on within the Bespin System ten minutes before it happens..."

The ensign chuckled, and nodding his head, offered an entheusiastic "Yes, Sir!"

<hr></font><hr> Imperial-Class Star Destroyer (Mk1) - Darkflame
<font size=-2>24 Chiss Clawcraft, 36 TIE Defenders</font>
Lancer-Class Frigate - Desperation
<font size=-2>No Fighter Compliment</font>
Lancer-Class Frigate - Isolation
<font size=-2>No Fighter Compliment</font>
Lancer-Class Frigate - Eternity
<font size=-2>No Fighter Compliment</font>
Lancer-Class Frigate - Residence
<font size=-2>No Fighter Compliment</font>
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Dreamscape
<font size=-2>4 Chiss Clawcraft</font>
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Lordship
<font size=-2>4 Chiss Clawcraft</font>
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Imperial Honor
<font size=-2>4 Chiss Clawcraft</font>
Carrack-Class Cruiser - Iron Fist
<font size=-2>4 Chiss Clawcraft</font>
Interceptor-Class Escort Carrier - Eternal Silence
<font size=-2>96 Chiss Clawcraft</font>

300 Droideka Destroyer Droids
75 All Terrain Tactical Enforcers
5 All Terrain Armored Transports
10 Armored Assault Tanks

The first real assignment his fleet had been given. Now they were headed into the heart of battle. Some may not return, but surely the day would be won.

Tav Kennede had been given specific instructions that his fleet's true origin be known to none, including it's crew. As far as they knew he was the first and last line of command. They followed his orders as if he was a God. Only two men in the galaxy knew who really pulled the strings of the "Dark Force". Neither of them would ever tell it's secret.

He stood on the bridge of the lead vessel, affectionately dubbed the "Katana". Starlines shrank to pinpoints of light as the fleet exited hyperspace.

The warning flaxons flared as they entered so close to another fleet of vessels.

The Dark Force was comprised of thirty five Sith Battle Cruisers. They were all matte black and transmitted no beckons of any kind. They were completely unmarked and untraceable in any way shape or form. For all intents and purposes, they came from no where and were no one.

The communications channel opened.

"Xilen Darkflame, this is Tav Kennede of Dark Force. We are here to assist you."



Sith Battle Cruiser - Katana
Sith Battle Cruiser - Razor's Kiss
Sith Battle Cruiser - Nightblocker
Sith Battle Cruiser - Thwarter
Sith Battle Cruiser - Destroyer
Sith Battle Cruiser - Hammer
Sith Battle Cruiser - Sword
Sith Battle Cruiser - Shield
Sith Battle Cruiser - Rapier
Sith Battle Cruiser - Blade
Sith Battle Cruiser - Starblaze
Sith Battle Cruiser - Platue
Sith Battle Cruiser - Starfire
Sith Battle Cruiser - Nova
Sith Battle Cruiser - Dwarf
Sith Battle Cruiser - Thunder
Sith Battle Cruiser - Black Night
Sith Battle Cruiser - Midnight
Sith Battle Cruiser - Impact
Sith Battle Cruiser - Impulse
Sith Battle Cruiser - Fireblaze
Sith Battle Cruiser - Pyre
Sith Battle Cruiser - Damnation
Sith Battle Cruiser - Eternal
Sith Battle Cruiser - Hellfire
Sith Battle Cruiser - Brimstone
Sith Battle Cruiser - Elliminator
Sith Battle Cruiser - Victory
Sith Battle Cruiser - Warrior
Sith Battle Cruiser - Warcraft
Sith Battle Cruiser - Domination
Sith Battle Cruiser - Pathfinder
Sith Battle Cruiser - Enterprise
Sith Battle Cruiser - Voyager
Sith Battle Cruiser - Eyefire

A faint snap-crack preceeded the deep, stout voice of the Dark Force Fleet commander. ""Xilen Darkflame, this is Tav Kennede of Dark Force. We are here to assist you."

Xilen stood in silence, admiring the size of the newly arrived warfleet of dark and sinister Sith Battlecruisers, each of them prepared for war, should it come to pass. His eyes squinted with distrust as he smoothed the wrinkles from his black uniform.

"Do we have a lock on where they came from, Ensign?" Xilen looked on curiously at the tactical scanning station beneath him, a sly grin creaping across his face. The Ensign shook his head, yet spoke not a word as he continued to franticly work at his station. The Admiral merely nodded.

The flick of a red button opened a link between the two ships, nothing more than an ocverlooked local frequency, should they be detected. "Commander Tav Kennede, of the Dark Force. I am Lord Admiral Xilen Darkflame of the Jutraalian Second Imperial Warfleet, Redemption. I must admit that the sudden, and unexpected arrival comes as a bit of a shock, and how you've managed to escapt the detection of our long range scanners is quite impressive...."

The Admiral paused, his grin melting into a faint chuckle as he once again approached the viewing port, his hands folded neatly behind his back as he watched the numerous vessels of the mysterious Dark Force continue to melt out of the thick blackness of space.

"Yes, I am sure you are confused. However, we made many micro-jumps. We do, after all, value our privacy and secrecy. However, we are indeed here to assist you and I know far more than you can image about your plans for this sector of space."

Tav Kennede straitened his uniform. It was the uniform of an Imperial Grand Admiral, only modified with the insignia and slight design changes of Dark Force. Infact all of the uniforms worn upon his ships were originally of Imperial origin, but modified for this specialty task force of unknown origin. They were, to anyone's account, nothing more than a group of well trained and commanded pirates.

"In the future, however, please address me as Grand Admiral Kennede, I shall also be sure to use your title in the future. We can't have insubordination running rampant upon our ships, now can we?"