War on the Horizon

Chapter 57
    • Chapter 57​

    Date: November 4, 3015/04.11.7954 CRC
    Location: Dac, Calamari System (Currently neutral pending Confederacy negotiations), Calamari Sector, Outer Rim Territories

    "My client cannot be held responsible for the actions of terrorists simply because of similar beliefs!" A Confederacy assigned lawyer slammed his fist on the table in front of him dramatically. "As we know, one of the tenants of our nation is that all are presumed innocent until proven guilty. I ask that the Jury, and the judge keep that in mind as we go about this trial."

    I shut the 'Gram off and rolled back over, burying my face into the cold pillow as I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. But this was the first day of my vacation, and my brain was too focused on what was going on in the galaxy for me to properly relax.

    "Ugh," I grunted as I finally gave up on sleep, stretching as I yawned and looked out the window at the sandy beaches and crystal clear sea that stretched as far as the eye could see.

    Slipping into a pair of shorts, I stepped out on the balcony and smiled at the smell of the sea breeze, the salt and somewhat familiar feeling was relaxing in a way.

    "Now, I don't remember if we stocked this place with foodstuffs," I muttered as I turned around and opened the cooler, grinning as I saw a slab of bacon, sausage, and eggs lying within.

    "Now we're talkin'," I opened the packages up and ignited the flat top behind me, bringing it to temp before tossing the food onto it.

    I pulled up a chair and sat down, checking the food periodically as I just allowed my mind to unwind for the first time in a few years.

    "Hmm," I stood up and started a pot of coffee before finding a pair of sunglasses and reclining once more.

    "Knock knock!" I heard as someone entered the hut's upper floor.

    "On the balcony!" I called out, flipping a sausage patty over while grabbing a bowl to scramble some eggs in, cracking them open before tossing the eggshells into a nearby waste bin.

    "Something smells good," Sheppard walked in, his uniform still on. "Mind if I snag a bite?"

    "Be my guest," I tapped the plate I'd set some of the food on with my tongs. "What brings you by? I know that you're not due for a vacation, you just finished up one a few months back."

    "Just wanted to see if you actually were relaxing," he smirked as he snacked on a piece of bacon. "I remember a time when you thought you had to be present for everything."

    "Delegation is the only superpower that exists," I replied as I finished piling my breakfast onto a plate. "And you're the victim of it at the moment. So, if you don't mind, I'm going to go sit out in the sun for a few hours, get burnt, and then come back in for some sleep."

    "Have fun!" Sheppard called out as I began walking down the stairs towards a set of beach chairs. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

    "Uhuh," I muttered. "I'm just here to relax, no funny business here."





    The next day…

    "You're blocking my light," I muttered, glaring at the figure who stood in front of the sun. "Don't you have better things to do than bother me?"

    "I was told that I should rest as well," Siri shrugged. "And someone dropped by to say hello to me. Colonel Hull, meet Jedi Knight Bant Eerin."

    "A pleasure," I glanced at the Mon Calamari. "Now, I was about to take a nap, but someone decided to block my light. Now shoo, get. And don't come back unless you've got a gorgeous redhead in tow!"

    The two Jedi Knights wandered off further down the beach as I closed my eyes again, a sigh of relief as my stress decreased the further away they got.

    "Jedi are trouble magnets," I exhaled. "If it's not one thing it's another."

    I closed my eyes and was just about to nod off when a group of Marksman on leave jogged through, surfboards and other things in hand.

    "Sorry Colonel!" a Taurian recruit grinned sheepishly as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "We're teaching them how to surf, and the best waves are on this side of the island."

    I sat my chair up and looked at the two dozen or so soldiers, the mixture of humans from the Inner Sphere, Outer Rim, and the aliens made it a colorful group both literally and figuratively.

    "Well," I stood up and shook the sand from my shorts, a wide grin on my face "If y'all like surfing, let me find a boat. We're going to have some fun!"

    –
    –
    "I didn't know you knew how to wakeboard, Colonel!" a young soldier dressed in the black shorts and gold shirt of our PT gear yelled out from the boat.

    "It's been a few years!" I yelled back, but I think I've still got it!"

    "What is this?" A Torgrutan asked from the boat as I tossed a line out into the water and began strapping a board to my feet.

    "This is wakeboarding," I replied. "It's a sport that's a ton of fun. It just normally takes quite a bit of funding to get into."

    I hopped off the end of the boat and sank into the water, bringing my feet up and allowing the flat part of the board to face the boat, the line slowly extending until it went taut at about forty or so feet of length.

    "Ready?!" the driver asked.

    I held up a thumb where he could see it in the mirror and the boat began to pick up speed, allowing me to push off of the now somewhat solid water and get up on the surface.

    "Awesome!" the driver called out, beginning to take us for a ride as music began to play.
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWijx_AgPiA&pp=ygUNZm9ydHVuYXRlIHNvbg%3D%3D)




    "Colonel, we're heading back to the on-site housing, you want to come with us and spend some time hanging out?" the soldiers asked as we loaded up the rest of the supplies onto a truck.

    "Nah," I waved them off. "You kids have fun, I'm going to enjoy the sunset for a bit."

    Heading back to my beach chair, I sat down and smiled. Today had been fun. I hadn't been able to just cut loose and enjoy things like this in a few years.

    Then the smile turned a bit melancholy as I remembered the last time I'd been wakeboarding. Of teaching my daughter about the physics of the sport, of my son freaking out when on the board, but loving to go tubing.

    My heart ached and longed for my family, time heals all wounds, but some are never fully sealed, and the hurt leaks out when you least expect it.

    A tear dripped down as the local star began to fall below the horizon, a brilliant glow filling the sky as the clouds caught and redirected the light.

    Picking up my chair, I headed back up into the two story building, putting away the supplies before opening a cabinet and reaching for something I hadn't had in a few years. Pouring a small glass of whiskey, I also pulled out my last cigar and went out to the balcony.

    I sat down and took a sip before opening a box of matches and lighting the cigar, puffing until the end was lit before I watched the match burning away as I tossed it into the wind.

    I sipped my whiskey and puffed on my cigar, the lone moon beginning to rise and cast its glow over Dac while I relived decade old memories as if they were yesterday.

    "You were supposed to last me the whole week," I glanced at the cigar in my fingers. "You're my last one, and I was supposed to wait until the last day of my vacation."

    My chair creaked back and forth as I finished off the whiskey and set the glass down. I would clean up later after I had cleared my head. Stepping out onto the sands I began walking along the shore as the tides rolled out, exposing crustaceans and other creatures that dwelt within the waters.

    And so I walked, the thoughts and emotions within driving me forward as I meandered around the beach before finding a spot to sit down and finish off the cigar, the last puff of smoke floating up into the distance as I let the stub finish burning.

    "I'm pretty sure that those will kill you given time," a feminine voice greeted me.

    "Maybe if I smoked them all the time," I replied, not shifting from my spot among the sands. "But in moderation, it's a tradition that can bring people together."

    "Or bring back old memories?" the voice asked as an elvish looking woman stepped into my field of view. "It has been many years since I felt such sorrow from a single being. Let alone one who only rarely gives off emotion that is perceptible to the Force."

    "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," I finally stood up and reached out to shake her hand in introduction. "I'm Mark Hull, and you are?"

    "Fay," she replied with a gentle smile. "Now, tell me, what troubles you so?"

    –
    –

    Author's Note: We've got a couple of chapters and Then I'm going to call book "One" over and take War on the Horizon off of the update list for a few weeks to a month while I work on something else.
     
    • Chapter 58
    • Chapter 58

    "What can I get you to drink?" I asked Fay as she stepped into the hut that I was using as a home during vacation. "I have water, some leftover soda, or a little bit of whiskey or rum."

    "I will have a little bit of whatever it is that you are having," the Jedi Master smiled warmly.

    "Don't lewd the elf," I muttered under my breath as I poured two glasses of water in the kitchen. "Even if she does look like an unmarried Galadriel."

    "Here you go," I handed the Elf a glass before taking a seat in the other rocking chair and looking out at the moon shining in the distance. "So, before I get into anything deep or heavy here. What led you to be here at this time?"

    "I was invited by an old friend to help negotiate a settlement between the Mon Calamari and the Quarrens," she sipped at the water. "The two peoples are ever at odds with each other, but I believe that we have found a suitable compromise," she paused, collecting her thoughts. "Regardless, I was given lodging among your people after the negotiations were complete. Then, I found myself restless, and began to wander the beaches until I felt your anguish through the Force."

    "You're a Jedi," I began and then paused, allowing silence to fill the air for a second. "I'm not sure that you'd understand what's going through my heart, mind, and soul right now."

    "I have found that I while I may not understand some things, a listening ear is always a good thing to have on hand," Fay continued with that gentle smile.

    "I have everything I've ever wanted in life," I said after thinking it through. "I'm not just in the military like I'd wanted to be for most of my life. I'm the head of a force that would be equal to some of the most elite where I'm from. I'm better off monetarily than I've ever been in life, and I've got friends that are as close as brothers…"

    I trailed off because I didn't want to finish the thought.

    "But I would trade everything to be back with my family again. Even though I know that there's nothing I can do to get back to them, or to bring them back here," I smiled sadly at the elf. "That's why you can feel my 'anguish'. I'm finally dealing with emotions that I've put off for the last fifteen years."

    "If I may inquire," Fay said after considering what I had just said. "What happened to your family that you were unable to bring them? I have seen your soldiers, many of them seem to have come with their families from wherever it is in the Unknown Regions that you are from."

    "My family has been gone longer tan that," I glanced at my water and suddenly wished that it was a stronger beverage. "There was an accident long ago, and I haven't been able to see or communicate with them since. We have been entirely cut off."

    "I could search for a way to reconnect you with them," Fay offered. "I have seen many strange and unusual things in my wanderings of the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions."

    "I think I just needed to let out all of the emotion one final time," I sighed. "I've been bottling it up because there was always something else I could do to take my mind and soul off of it. Which just made the wound worse. Instead of allowing it to heal, I've allowed it to fester and it finally reached a point that it had to be dealt with if I wanted to move forward."

    "You are surprisingly self-aware of your emotions," Fay finished her water. "I've not met many, Jedi or otherwise that were as knowledgeable about what they felt."

    "I have this thing about self-control," I said after a minute. "I hate addiction, I hate not being in control of my own actions, and you cannot claim to have self-control if you're not aware of exactly it is that you're feeling and how you want to respond to it. Sometimes, that means that I shove the emotions away while I deal with the source of the problem. Sometimes that means that I limit what I am willing to do within a crowd. And sometimes, I let righteous anger take over and I act on said anger. Anger, hate, emotions are neither good nor bad, it's how we respond and act in the midst of emotions that determines what sort of person you are."

    "I would agree," Fay said after a moment. "I am old, Colonel, I have seen much of the galaxy in my wanderings, and even though my Padawan has forgotten much, I do not believe that he understands what you have just described. Now, I have had enough of this talk that brings about a depressing atmosphere, tell me stories of something that is going well. If we only discuss that which brings us pain, we will remain in a place that holds it."

    "Well, the dropship and tank crews are in a competition to see who can do the best nose and body art on their vehicles. Currently though, Hober's crew is winning. Partially because of how good the nose art is, and partially because the crew keeps making Katrina's breasts a bit bigger when Hober is busy doing admin work. They're not at a ridiculous size yet, but they're getting to the point that Katrina would be laughing if she knew. Her husband would be too."

    I smiled as I thought about the probable current Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

    "I kinda wish the two of them were here," I laughed a bit. "They'd have taken the galaxy by storm already."

    "Tell me about them," Fay leaned back, thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.

    "Well, Arthur's the kind of man that has his integrity and refuses to let it be changed or shifted. And Katrina… She's the kind of woman you meet once in a lifetime. If she wasn't already in love with Arthur there'd have been men and women lined up to try and court her, and that's before you get into just the sheer amount of talent and grit that she showed. While I wish that they were both here to lend advice, they both have plenty of work to do if they're going to implement their planned reforms back home."

    I continued to talk about everything that came to mind, my flow prompted by choice questions that brought me further back into the past, until eventually, Fay asked one question that I wasn't sure how to answer.

    "You've spoken a lot about the people you know and love, and the stories that you've shared with them. But I don't want to know about the people around you. Who, is Mark Hull? What drives him? What makes him decide to wake up and go about every day? Or," she seemed to stare deep into my soul. "Are you merely going through the motions because it is what is expected of you?"


    –
    –

    Author's Note: Sometimes, characters surprise you. Especially when they decide that your fun planned vacation chapters need to be sidetracked and a character arc needs to be finished before a fic goes on Hiatus…Remember, Hull. Don't lewd the elf, even if she is Galadriel in Star Wars…
     
    • Chapter 59
    • Chapter 59

    “Does it matter one way or the other?” I asked in response. “I’m content with my life. Even if it has taken time for me to fully process things. I’ve got people who care about me and who I’d die for, and I know that they’d do the same for me,” I sipped my water before rocking a bit and looking out at the stars. “Besides, ‘A Friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’”

    “I suppose that was a bit forward of me,” Fay finally said after the silence had continued for a few moments, only broken by the sound of waves crashing upon the shore. “I merely wish to see what sort of being it is that has such influence among those whom I have mentored and assisted over the years.”

    “I’m an open book,” I shrugged. “What you see is what you get. Just a simple man, making his way through the galaxy,” I repeated a line nearly forgotten in my memory. “I don’t mind questions, so long as I get to ask a few of my own and I get answers.”

    “I suppose that some questions would not be amiss,” Fay replied. “But I believe that if we are to continue this conversation, we should do so indoors, and with some more refreshments.”

    “I suppose you’re right about that,” I looked across the sea as the wind blew, sending a bit of a shiver as the heat of the day finally left the shores. “Now, If we’re going to be talking stories, we’re going to need something a bit stronger than this.”
    I gestured for the elfin woman to follow as I reached into a cabinet and brought out a bottle of whiskey that I’d collected a few years back in the Taurian Concordat.

    “What’s your poison?” I asked as I poured a couple of fingers into a decanter with a bit of ice.

    “What is that?” She asked of the bottle in my hand.

    “Whiskey,” I replied. “I don’t get drunk, but sometimes it does help to tell a story or two when you’ve got a drink to make some of the memories a bit less harsh. And, this one tastes a bit like the ones that I used to sip around a fire with my family, sharing stories and smoking some cigars.”

    “I shall give it a try,” Faye responded. “I have never had any of this ‘Whiskey’ before.”

    “I’ll start you out with a finger, and we’ll go from there,” I poured a second glass before setting it on the kitchen table. “Now, a story for a story?”

    “That’s as good a trade as any,” Fay shrugged as she took a sip of the whiskey.

    I chuckled as she made a sour face at first but then grew to like it more with every sip.

    “That burns pleasantly,” She finally said after a small cough. “Now, where shall I begin?”

    “I’d say at the beginning, but I figure that if we’re trading beginning stories we’ll be here longer than we should be,” I took a sip and savored the whiskey as it left a pleasant tingle on the way down. “You’ve got what, thirty years of stories to tell? And I’ve got some that cover a few centuries.”

    “Something like that,” Fay smiled mysteriously. “But I suppose we should start with something lighthearted, like the time that I was mistaken as a fertility goddess to a culture that had receded to pre-spaceflight…”


    –
    –

    “So, I’m not normally the one to supervise leave. I mean, my callsign is Mom for a reason, but on this occasion, they decided that they wanted to go to a Taurian Rodeo, and despite my warnings, they wouldn’t listen. So, I ended up having to step into my grandfather’s shoes a bit and get into the ring with a one-ton mass of muscle and fat, and have to get its attention before it stomps one of the poor bastards flat. So I step in, and…”

    –
    –

    “So, as you’ve noticed by now, I do not carry a lightsaber,” Fay points out the obvious. “It is not that I am not willing to step in and protect others or use violence when necessary, but it often leads people to underestimate me. For example, there was this one slave trader who believed he had merely captured me and several others and was going to make the sale of a lifetime before he found himself tied up and in an unusual position…”

    –
    –

    “So, we’ve got a mixed battalion, and while the initial assault went off without a hitch, it seems that Saint Murphy had decided that we needed a lesson in humility. So of course, the fucking Big Mac decides to go out of their way to come and see what was up on this border world while on their way back to the CapCon, and boy were they pissed. So with a little bit of warning, we got to work,” My mind drifted back to the battle and those we had lost in it. “We punched way above our fucking weight class, but they still got some of our best people in exchange. But such is the way that things go.”

    –
    –

    As the night wore on, we slowly moved to the twin sofas in the living room as we traded stories, and the drinks changed from liquor to water and eventually a small pot of coffee until the two of us gradually drifted off to sleep, the sun just beginning to peak above the horizon as we snored away.






    “Oh good, you’re up,” Fay awoke to a pleasant smell and a voice calling her name. “

    She took a moment to shake her head and reorient herself, calling on the Force to ease the slight headache before reinforcing her mind to remember specific details.

    “It seems that I am,” she sat up and stretched before glancing at the small kitchenette. “Do you mind if I use the refresher?”

    “Be my guest,” Hull grinned as he moved to a different part of the kitchen. “I already took a shower myself before starting on the breakfast. Take your time, breakfast,” he glanced at a clock and grimaced. “Lunch rather, will be ready in about thirty minutes or so.”

    So Fay entered the refresher and splashed some water on her face before availing herself of the room’s facilities.

    Last night had been… Enjoyable in a way that she hadn’t had in quite a while. Something was refreshing about meeting someone who had no idea of your reputation and who was able to see things with a fresh perspective.

    She would also have to remember to try and collect some of that ‘whisky’ as she believed it was called. The liquid was something that would be very useful and would bring her some goodwill on many of the planets among the Outer Rim where such a drink was luxurious and most relied merely on common alcoholic beverages that were hardly refined.

    But she had spent enough time reflecting on what lay ahead in the future, it was time to focus on what was in front of her at this moment.

    And what that was, was breakfast. Which smelled divine.

    “I take it you don’t get much in the way of fresh food on your journeys?” Hull asked. “Now, this ain’t anything fancy, and it’s certainly not what we’re able to get in the field, but you just can’t beat a homecooked Southern-style breakfast anywhere in the world. That there,” He pointed to a small hand-sized piece of some sort of bread. “That’s a biscuit, and what you’re going to want to do, is douse it in that sausage gravy, then, you’re going to want to snack on some of that bacon and enjoy some waffles. Unfortunately, I used up all of the chicken last night, so I couldn’t do Chicken and waffles, but I figure this is a good enough spread. And, even better, I made enough for it to last me the rest of the day.”

    Then, it seemed the mercenary commander was done talking, because he closed his eyes for a moment, bowed his head, and then began eating like a man possessed.

    “I’d forgotten,” he said in between bites. “How much energy being out on the water takes out of you. But with the local star and the wind, you wind up burning a lot, and well, might as well top off the tank with something hearty. Especially when you’re on vacation.”

    “This is extremely filling and flavorful,” Fay said after she’d finished the first plate, and was reaching for a second. “I shall have to see if I can acquire some ingredients, or perhaps be instructed in the process upon how to make such a meal on my own?”

    “I just follow a recipe,” Hull shrugged. “I don’t have the full recipe book with me, unfortunately, but I’ve got copies of some of the pages I can let you have. I’ll just need to print off a few of ‘em.”

    “That would be most helpful,” Fay said after she pushed a second plate away, her stomach feeling as if it would burst. “Now, unfortunately, I have responsibilities to attend to, the Quarrens and Mon Calamari are not likely to agree on something without the neutral party benign present.”

    “Sure,” Hull replied. “But let me know if you want to do something like this again, it was fun. Haven’t gotten to share stories like that with anyone in a good long while.”

    “I am certain that our paths will cross again,” Fay stood up. “And when that occurs, we shall have even more stories to exchange.”

    “See you round the ‘Verse,” Hull stood up and shook her hand. “And let me know if you need any help with those negotiations. I’ve been known to do one or two of my own, you know.”

    “If I ever need salvage rights negotiated, you’ll be the first to know,” Fay laughed before finally leaving the hut and heading for the nearby town, she had a speeder to catch and a job to finish.

    “What an interesting encounter,” she mused. “I wonder what his future holds?”

    But she did not reach into the force to attempt to catch a glimpse. Some things were better left unknown. For even a glimpse of the future could send one spiraling out of control, and if there was one thing Fay had learned over her centuries, it was that control was necessary for any being, not just a Jedi.
     
    • Book 1 End.
    • Chapter 60

    "Assassinations! Multiple assassination attempts were made against the representatives from the Confederacy standby for the latest news." Coruscant Information network

    "Hapes Consortium opens embassy in Confederacy, stating. 'This is to promote trade and cooperation between both of our nations.'" Eriadu General News

    "Tensions rise as more systems join the Confederacy of Independent Systems!" Galactic Herald

    "Katana Fleet completes refits and is deployed to assist in patrolling the Hyperlanes, bringing trade and the economy to an all-time high!" Business insiders

    "Confederacy of Independent Systems celebrates serious victory as several pirate strongholds are cleared out by the Confederacy's newly established Naval forces." Holonet News Network

    "Trial of Ex-Senator Orn Free Taa is held and publicly shown via multiple news networks!" Eriadu General News

    "Senator Orn Free Taa is convicted of multiple accounts of murder, kidnapping, and funding terrorism. Sentencing to commence by the end of the week!" Outer Rim Publications

    "Dac joins the Confederacy of Independent Systems after the Confederacy negotiates a treaty between the Quarrens and the Mon Calamari!" Holonet News Network

    "Breaking! Trade Federation invades Beloria, homeworld of the Marksman Mercenary corporation!" Eriadu General News

    "Information from Beloria becomes Scarce, nothing has been heard in months. Are they even still there? Tune into the Coruscant Information Network as we listen to the Experts. Tonight at 10! " Coruscant's Tonight show

    "Senate refuses to bring Trade Federation to heel as the Confederacy Representatives have requested. The Confederacy prepares for war!" Outer Rim Publications

    "Count Dooku issues statement. 'We will not be responsible for beginning a war. But we will defend ourselves. And should a war come. We will finish it." Galactic Independent News

    "New ships come off the Rendili's yards, the Confederacy fleet grows stronger!" Coruscant Information Network

    "Due to slim Majority, Senate votes to censure the Confederacy, Eriadu, Naboo and others stand opposed!" Eriadu General News

    "In stunning move, Kuat moves to repeal the Russan Reformation, the Senate flounders as the Trade Federation is driven off of Beloria by the Marksman." Outer Rim Publications

    "Mandalore elects new leader, one who vows to 'Honor our past, but look to the future.' Outer Rim watches closely." Holonet News Network

    "Marksman launch retaliatory strike on the Trade Federation's Homeworld of Nemoidia. The Galaxy holds its breath." Galactic Independent News.

    "Republic unveils secret military force, the galaxy stands on a precipice!" Eriadu News Network.


    To be continued in Book 2...
     
    • Book 2: Chapter 1
    • Chapter 1

    Date: March 26, 3017/03.26.7956CRC
    Location: Beloria, Independent world

    “Trade Federation ships, you are entering space protected by the Marksman Mercenary Corporation, please state your intentions or prepare to be fired upon,” Jasiah Ali, the Togruta captain of the CR-70 Two Birds, One Stone broadcast to the Trade Federation ships before shifting position to look at his bridge crew.

    “Launch our fighters, and get me a line to Commodore Jewel,” Captain Ali ordered calmly. “That’s not a trade fleet like the others that have shown up.”

    “Aye sir!” the bridge officers began to perform their jobs at their usual efficiency. “Fighters are deployed and taking up escort positions. Captain, they’re asking for orders.”

    “Have them disperse and begin heading into the system. They won’t be more than Vulture fodder here.”

    “Captain Ali, you put in a priority Comms request,” Commodore Jewel appeared on screen, her appearance that of someone who had just stumbled out of bed.

    “Yes, ma’am. There’s a Trade Federation Fleet here at the Hyperlane entrance, they’re refusing to respond to hails and outnumber our defense forces by ten to one.”

    “Get me scans of the ships,” the commodore was now fully awake. “Begin transmitting now and then begin pulling back to the rest of our forces.”

    “We won’t be able to make that,” Ali glanced at the navigation officer who simply shook his head with a sad smile. “We’ll do our best to stall them. But I’m fairly sure that you’ll want to let the Colonel know to prepare for a possible invasion.” The Togruta laughed a bit. “I’m hoping I’m wrong, but this isn’t the usual fleet that stops by to trade with us before moving on.”

    “Captain, Lucrehulks are launching fighters, and the Munifex light cruisers are powering weapons and shifting into combat positions!”

    “Commodore, we’ll hold them off for as long as we can,” Ali had the tech cut the transmission before shifting to focus on the battle in front of him. “Begin evasive maneuvers, and find me the ship that looks like it’s in charge of the fleet.”

    “Analyzing signals,” the comms officer turned and began to scan the fleet.

    “Munifexes are opening fire!”

    “Use our portside chemical thrusters,” Ali held onto the captain’s chair with a tighter grip than normal, his orange knuckles turning white. “Get us around. Ensign, I need those readings!”

    “This Lucrehulk is sending and receiving the most signals,” a Lucrehulk in the middle of the overlapping fields of fire of the other nine converted freighters was illuminated.

    “Send transmissions to the fleet inside, and find me a weak point in the fleet, we’re going to bleed them and then we’re leaving.”

    “Captain?”

    “Have our squadrons get under our deflectors and get me hyperspace calculations ready,” Ali stood up and tapped the holographic display. “We’re crippling one ship and then leaving the system. I’m not wasting our lives today. Not when we can go get the rest of our fleet.”

    “Understood, sir,” the CR-70 shifted and approached one of the Munifex Light cruisers, the aerospace fighters grouped up under the corvette’s deflectors until given the order.

    “Fighters are to launch torpedoes. We’re going to follow up with concussion missiles and then jump.”

    “Sending coordinates to fighters, all are signaling reception of orders and jump coordinates!”

    The four fighters immediately split up and began to accelerate past the corvette, the sixteen Proton Torpedoes clustered on the Trade Federation vessel as a trio of Concussion missiles entered the fray before the fighters and CR-70 vanished into hyperspace.

    The first four torpedoes detonated upon the deflector shields. The next four did as well, but the last eight tore a gaping hole in the side of the vessel that the concussion missiles detonated inside of, triggering secondary explosions.

    –
    –

    “Ma’am, the Two Birds, One Stone jumped to Hyperspace, and the Federation vessels just shot our Hypercom relay!”


    “Hopefully they manage to make contact with the rest of our fleet,” Jewel stood over the tactical table. “But until then, we have a job to do. If they haven’t detected us by now, they will soon. So we’re going to go into hiding. The shadow of the gas giant should be sufficient to block our signals from the enemy until we’re ready to move.”

    “But won’t that leave the ground forces open to bombardment?”

    “It might,” Jewel sighed. “But I’m not wasting your lives. And the Colonel won’t be wasting lives either. The main base and the big cities all have strong deflectors. It’d take more than a fleet of this size to take those shields down. Which means that it’s going to turn into a ground fight.”

    “Then it’s going to become a slugfest down there,” her XO shook his head. “What’s your plan here, Commodore?”

    “Captain, we’re going to be a thorn in their side, the sensor ghosts that go bump in the night. But we’re going to have to wait for the right moment. Otherwise, we’ll lose all of our ships and they’ll still have to deal with a ground invasion,” she sighed. “We just don’t have the firepower to deal with what they brought.”

    “We’re sending the Stings down to assist,” Jewel looked at the comms officer. “Get Commander Hober on the line, he’s going to need to move now before they get to deployment zones.”

    “On it,” the XO moved to begin issuing orders to the rest of the fleet while Jewel began recording a brief message.

    “Transmit this to Hober, he’ll need to give this to Colonel Hull,” The commodore moved back to the tactical console. “Then pull us back behind the Gas giant.”






    “Colonel,” Commander Hober handed me a datapad. “Critical information on enemy fleet strength and assets in the system are loaded onto here.”

    “We’re evacuating the civilians to our bunkers now,” I replied. “Keep your dropships under the shields for now. I really hope the Gungans didn’t sell us shit for the defenses.”

    I stood up and stripped my external uniform off, revealing the cooling vest and shorts that I wore when piloting my Warhammer. “You should get back to the Archon’s Favor,” I strapped a holster to my thigh and slid my sidearm into it. “We’re going to need the air support.”

    “You’re joining the fight, Sir?”

    “It’s my base,” I grunted. “And my world. The Trade Federation doesn’t know that they’ve fucked with the wrong group yet…” I trailed off as I stepped out of the office and looked past the translucent shields at the descending droid ships. “But they will.”
     
    Last edited:
    • Book 2: Chapter 2
    • Author’s Note: Finally… Some Giant Stompy Robot action.

    Chapter 2

    Losk Shigro looked out at the vast array of droids and tanks that were lined up in the fields surrounding the mercenary's base. A sense of pride filled him as more landing craft landed and dispersed more and more droids to join the assault. This was the first test of the more ‘independent’ droid forces, and as such, he had one of the first production models of what was being called a ‘tactical’ droid.

    “Have the cowards stepped outside of their shields yet?” Shigro turned to ask the Tactical droid that stood nearby.

    “Negative,” the droid replied. “They have not left the safety of the base’s shields.”

    After the local star began to set though, things began to go wrong.

    “Tactical droid,” Shigro peered through the Electrobinoculars that he had bought years ago. “Do you hear that whistling noise?”

    Before the droid could answer, an explosion ripped the Neimoidian from his chair and threw him to the ground. The darkness was now illuminated by the destruction of the artillery pieces, the flames of ignited Tibanna Gas showed the wreckage of half of the artillery pieces that had landed.

    Then Shigro began to scream and cover his ears and head as the ground began to shake. A War droid with blaster barrels for hands appeared out of the darkness, a searchlight on its shoulder shining a light on the remaining artillery pieces before it rotated and began to shoot ion cannons at the AATs that turned to face it, the assault tanks melting away and exploding as other war droids followed.

    Even the smallest of them stood as tall as the nearby trees among the surrounding forests. The largest of them had a skull for a face, a glowing red eye gleaming before a red laser cut across the B1s that covered the fields.

    The large one also had another trick, and a large bore weapon in its shoulder thundered, a slug the size of a hovercraft carving its way through several multiple troop transports.

    But Shigro simply hid as the giant war droids decimated large swaths of his forces before vanishing into the night once again, the only sign that they had even been present was the scattered limbs and craters of destruction from the weapons they had used.

    With shaking hands, Shigro pulled himself out of the crater that he’d fallen into and looked around at what had once been a grand droid army.

    “Sir, we must counterattack,” the tactical droid crawled toward him, the head, an arm, and torso all that remained of the machine. “If we are to maintain operational control then you must give the order.”

    The Neimoidian shook as he tried to process. But he couldn’t hear anything, there was a loud ringing in his ears, but nothing more. Eventually, the ringing slowed, and he could make out what was being told to him.

    “Sir, your orders?” he heard, but when he tried to speak, nothing but air came out of his mouth.

    So he breathed for a moment more before he tried again.

    “The Savages can have this world,” Shigro finally climbed to his feet and surveyed the area. “Someone else can deal with these monsters.”

    –
    –

    “Damage report!” Sheppard’s voice came over our secured comms, his Cyclops coordinating the entire operation.

    “We’ve got some armor state red here. Those tanks hit harder than we expected,” I responded. “A few weapons need to be replaced, but Alpha Battalion’s still solid and able to fight.”

    “Bravo’s having to drag a few lighter forces back with ‘em,” Sheppard informed me over a private channel. “Couple of Rookies and Regulars got cocky and we lost a couple of mediums to missile fire.”

    “Which rally point do you want us at?” I asked.

    “Beta. I want you at Beta. I have a feeling that things are only going to get worse from here.”

    “They outnumber us more than a hundred to one,” I replied. “If things only go well for us, then Murphy’s got worse plans for us later.”

    I glanced at one of my displays to make sure that I was headed in the right direction before nodding to myself and switching my mic back on.

    “Alpha’s moving to Rally Point Beta. Let me know where you need us next.”






    The local star peeked over the horizon, the light shining down on what had been a hellish battlefield during the night and revealing that which had been hidden by the shadows.

    There, on the plains that surrounded the Marksman Base, lay the remnants of a shattered force. Droid parts littered the fields and the artillery guns were all either aflame or destroyed. Craters deep enough to bury the droids were embedded in the ground next to the Trade Federation artillery pieces, and the few landing craft that had been on the ground were broken, their wings and repulsors damaged by the fighting.

    Flames of Tibanna gas still burned wherever the storage had been ruptured, and the flattened heads of massive slugs were embedded into whatever it was that had finally stopped them.

    By contrast, the Marksman base appeared pristine, with a shimmering translucent shield rising in a dome over the buildings.

    “You mean to tell me, that you have fled at the sight of our objective?” Nep Valva, the head of this expedition glared at Losk Shigro. “You were given all of the tools needed for success and yet you have failed.”

    “They struck in the night, and took us entirely by surprise,” Shigro shook his head, trying to get rid of the low buzzing noise that he could still hear. “They were outnumbered, but it did not matter, for they stood as tall as the trees around us, and destroyed much of what we deployed.”

    “Luckily for you,” Valva sat down. “I believe in second chances. So you will have another opportunity to prove yourself. You have three days to consult our archives and figure out how to deal with these mercenaries. Then, you will execute your plan. And if it is not successful then the consequences will be fatal. You know just as well as I do that there can be no loose ends on this one.”

    “I will require a cruiser on standby for orbital fire support,” Shigro looked at the image of the planet. “What were our orders involving the civilian population?”

    “It is as I said before,” Valva leaned forward. “We were told to leave no loose ends.”

    “Then I will complete my plans and consult with the tactical droid. He was able to analyze their attacks. Perhaps there will be more that he has for us to utilize against this foe.”
     
    • Book 2 Chapter 3
    • Book 2 Chapter 3

    Two weeks later…
    Location: Serenno, Serenno System, Aubek sector, Confederacy of Independent Systems

    “Commodore Frye,” Captain Jasiah saluted.

    “Captain,” She nodded at him. “I assume you have your final report ready for me to review.”

    “Yes, ma’am.” He set the datapad down on the table. Commodore Jewel ordered me to head directly here and collect what reinforcements I could.”

    “It’ll take a week at minimum to get all of the ships patrolling the hyperlanes back here and then another two weeks to get back to Beloria,” Frye sighed as she looked through the information on the datapad. “You’re certain that this is the group they had?” She passed the datapad over for him to look over the ship counts again.

    “Well, we did manage to take out one ship on our way out,” he modified the number. “But I expect they may have replaced that ship if we don’t return soon.

    The door then slid open, and four figures stepped through.

    “When do we depart?” Count Dooku sat down at the conference room table.

    “Pardon me, sir?” Kaylee cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “I’m afraid that I misheard you.”

    “When are we departing to relieve Colonel Hull and his forces?” Count Dooku asked more firmly.

    “Count,” Captain Jasiah shook his head as his montrals twitched in time with his lekku. “You are the head of a Nation, and we cannot allow you to come with us. After all, what would you have us do if you fell on the field of battle? What would become of the Confederacy?”

    “I am not the foundation of the Confederacy,” Dooku’s voice seemed to echo through the room. “The founding documents will see to it that it endures beyond my demise should it happen.”

    The Count leaned forward, and his blue gaze turned icy.

    “I will not be found idle when my friend comes under siege from those who seek to do evil to him.”

    “It’ll take a week or two to gather our forces,” the Commodore sighed. “Any faster, and we risk pushing the hyperdrives beyond their limits.”

    “Where do you need us to help?” Siri spoke up.

    “Ensure that the repair yards are ready for emergencies,” the Togrutan captain looked up. “The captains will be pushing their ships, and I bet we’ll have some issues that pop up.”

    “I will see to it that they are free for use,” Dooku replied.

    “Thanks,” Kaylee smiled shyly. “We’ll need all the help we can get.”






    “Jacen,” Satele called for her brother in the middle of the massive repair bays that dotted the Marksman base.

    “Who’re you looking for?” A Twi’lek asked.

    “My Brother Jacen,” Satele replied. “He’s joined the mechanics here about a year ago.”

    “Let me check the records,” The woman wiped her greasy fingers on her coveralls before grabbing a datapad and flipping through it. “He’s at garage number fifteen. This garage is listed as number twelve. So you’ll need to follow this route to get there in good time.”

    “Thank you,” Satele gave a slight bow and glanced at the map, looking through it and nodding at where she needed to go.

    Leaving the garage, she jogged a few streets down before noting the number on the side of the repair bay she entered.

    Thankfully, this was the right Garage, and Jacen poked his head out of a nearby engine when she called his name.

    “What?” Jacen asked.

    “We need to talk,” Satele gestured for him to follow her.

    “What is it this time?” Jacen sighed. “I’ve got to get these fighters back in the sky, I don’t have all day to talk.”

    “My unit’s getting deployed to capture one of the Feddie ships,” Satele sat down on a nearby workbench. “I just wanted to let you know in case something goes wrong.”

    “Hey,” Jacen pulled his little sister into a hug as he reached out through the Force and began to radiate waves of peace. “Remember to slow down and listen to the Force,” he poked her forehead and then grinned as she rubbed the now sore spot. “You’ve had good training, rely on that and the people beside you and you’ll make it through this.”

    Jacen then pulled the girl in for a hug, his large arms wrapping around her as if a heavy and warm blanket.

    “You good now?” He asked.

    “Yeah,” she smiled up at her oldest brother. “I’m good now. I just needed a minute to be a scared little girl again.”

    “Everyone needs the chance to be scared,” He reminded her. “It’s the only way we get to be brave.”






    “Alright people,” I looked at my consoles and ran through some checks. “Give a status and ready-op. We’re playing distraction for Mathis and his crew this time around. So watch your fire, and keep your IFF tuned.”

    “I’ll be on standby for the IFF jammers they introduced,” Sheppard informed us. “As soon as I’ve pinpointed one, I’ll have arty deal with it.”
    “Copy that,” I shifted my ‘Mech’s sensors to active and began scanning around me. “Alpha Company, let’s move.”
    We had quickly shifted our unit composition after we had pulled off that first ambush. As we had predicted, it didn’t work a second time, and even though we had an edge in quality, Trade Federation droids and Tanks were cheap. They could afford to throw bodies and ammunition at us in amounts that we couldn’t counter. So our slower units had been grouped together and they relocated and moved with the artillery emplacements.

    Of course, the Trade Federation had learned quickly that the counter to artillery was air support. But their air support was trash, and they had no counter for massed Partisans that coordinated fire with the local ‘Mechs.

    After organizing our defenses for our mobile artillery, we had to reform our mixed units, and anything that was able to move at a speed at or faster than 86 km/h had been grouped together. Which all culminated in what was happening now.

    Drawing on faint memories of a Star Wars scene long ago, I knew that the Droids, even though they weren’t entirely controlled by a central brain anymore, were still reliant on the ships in orbit for the advanced tactical and strategic decisions. So we were going to capture one of their ships and have a company of Mathis’s best try to eliminate or capture the vessel.

    –
    –

    We broke through the trees, a handful of branches breaking as I pushed through them and opened fire as soon as I had a lock onto an AAT.

    Ducking under the dumbfire missiles, I moved closer while it cycled through the reloads, my lasers carving away at one of the large wheels and rending the machine only partially mobile.

    Behind me, the group of Toros, and freshly built Phoenix Hawks began to tear into the forces, the tanks finally responding and hammering into the biggest target they could find.


    A trio of AAT’s focused on me, and I checked the battlefield to ensure that they were entirely focused on the ‘Mechs attacking instead of the trio of Maxim hovercraft that were penetrating deeper into their lines and moving towards one of the giant landing craft.

    “And now, the droids had our number and their cannons began concentrating fire, the heavy weapons slowly turning armor plates into slag as we fell back in good order, the Pixies moving through and burning their ammunition stores to the ground as we pulled back into the trees once again.

    “Trojan Horse secured,” Mathis’s calm voice informed us. “We’re in hiding until this ship’s in orbit. We’ll be comms silent until mission completion.

    “Godspeed,” I replied.


    Author's Note: Sorry for this being late, I was sick for the past two days and my brain was too fried to write during that time. Expect a lot of my fics to get updates today.
     
    • Book 2: Chapter 4
    • Book 2: Chapter 4

    Date: April 12, 3017
    Location: Beloria, Independent world

    “Fuck, this is heavier than it should be,” I picked up one of the Battle Droid’s blasters and hefted it. “Hell, my Carbine’s better than this. This piece of junk might be smaller, but it’s not that much lighter than it. And my Carbine has more features.”

    “It might be heavy and cheap, but the internals are good,” a tech nearby tossed another blaster into a nearby crate. “We can rebuild them into small arms for our use, and it’s cheaper than starting from scratch.”

    “We’ll have to make them lighter,” I weighed my carbine in one hand and the E-5 in the other. “Because this is shit.”

    “Droids don’t care about weight,” he reminded me.

    “Which is why we’re salvaging them,” I agreed.

    I turned and looked at Major Naomi Brown as she stood on top of a (mostly) intact AAT.

    “What’s the verdict?” I asked as she dropped down and brushed some dirt off, her sunglasses dark in the cloudy sky.

    “Well, they’re not junk,” she slapped the side. “For cheap tanks, they’re actually better than a Scorpion. They’ve got decent armor, speed, and armaments. As many as we can grab for salvage, we’ll take and rebuild into something that we can use.”

    “Match them up with the rebuilt droids the techs are working on…” I trailed off.

    “They’ll be a disposable but effective force,” she agreed, leaning on the tank until a short hum was heard and the damaged AAT began hovering again.

    “Got it working!” a head poked out of the tank.

    “Nice!” Naomi grinned at her husband.

    “I’ll go ahead and load it onto the trailer,” he replied.

    “So, we should probably finish this up. It’s about to rain.” I glanced up at the dark clouds that were heavy with rain.

    “That cloud cover is the reason this area isn’t crawling with droids yet,” she replied. “If we have to work in the rain to get the salvage, so be it.”

    “Fair enough,” I glanced at the other half-dozen tanks that her crews were working on getting running again. The other salvage teams used cables to tow the tanks onto the large flatbed trucks.

    “Let’s hurry it up, people!” Naomi yelled out. “Cloud cover will only last so long!”

    The next hour was wet and windy as we loaded up all the scraps of the battlefield onto the recovery vehicles, our ponchos only doing so much to prevent the heavy rain from soaking our uniforms.

    “Alright,” I nodded at Naomi as she climbed into her Manticore. “Let’s head back to base before this gets any worse.”

    “Be careful,” she glanced at the ladder running down the side of my ‘Mech and floating every which way in the wind.

    “If this job were safe, none of us would have taken it,” I grinned as I grabbed onto the ladder and began climbing up, the wind pushing it less now that my weight was on it.

    I made my way up the ladder and crawled into my cockpit, sealing the door behind me and pulling my soaked working uniform off, leaving me in my (Somehow) dry underwear.

    I tucked the wet clothes into a storage compartment before retrieving a dry set and climbing into the chair.

    I plugged my cooling vest in and began powering up the ‘Mech. Bitchin’ Betty’s voice was a comfort as the storm continued rolling in.

    “Colonel!” A voice called out as my comms board lit up.

    “Go ahead,” I replied, seating the microphone and helmet onto my head.

    “The Federation decided to use the monsoons as cover,” Sheppard’s voice came over the channel reserved for the command staff. “They’re pushing into the main city. The Governor, planetary reps, and Local Law Enforcement are all that's left in the city. Peterson’s moving infantry in, but he’s only going to be able to get a company or so there in time to actually do anything.”

    “I’ll send the salvage teams and their escorts on ahead. Naomi, what can you detach to come with?”

    “Pair of Hunters and four Jaguars,” she stated. “I’ll run escort on the recovery teams.”

    “Copy that,” the channels shifted as the Major barked orders, and a fireteam of vehicles peeled off to support me, the Jaguars moving ahead to screen the slower-moving Hunters and my own ‘Mech.

    “Peterson, armor and ‘Mech support is en route, ETA Thirty Mikes.”

    “Copy that. We’ll dig in around the generators.”






    Lightning illuminated the dark skies around the city, revealing clusters of Battle droids crossing the shields and into the city. Tanks and Hailfire droids alternately floated and rolled closer to the shields, a handful of larger silver droids intermixed with the shorter Tan B-1s used by the Trade Federation for years.

    “Losk, you must ensure the shields fall, and the government is secured. We are supposed to eliminate the mercenaries. They do not own the planet, and as such, if we can secure the government, they can revoke any legal status that these mercenaries have to occupy this world.”

    A robed Neimoidian glared at his underling through the Comlink.

    Losk Shigro looked at the holographic pedestal inside of his armored tank.

    “I will see that it is done,” he replied as the tank shuddered under the wind. “But the local weather is impeding our progress.”

    “This monsoon has been projected for weeks, according to all local weather monitoring stations. Nep Valva crossed his arms. “This is the perfect time to strike.”

    “I agree,” Shigro accepted. “But I believe you underestimated the power of this storm; the droids can barely stand in these winds.”

    As they continued to speak, lightning streaked across the skies and struck a lightning rod embedded into the ground near the outskirts of the capital city. The thunder shook Shigro’s command AAT, throwing the hover tank askew for a brief moment.

    The comlink shut off as the storm continued to roll in, the hologram distorting before finally shutting off.

    Finally, the Trade Federation crossed into the city, and the storm intensified.

    More lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder broke the sound barrier louder than ever.

    But it wasn’t thunder… And the storm hid more than the Trade Federation ever expected.
     
    • Book 2: Chapter 5
    • Book 2: Chapter 5

    “Uh, Captain, did you give orders for Profit Margin to shift formation?” A B1 asked.

    “No,” Nep Valva shited in his chair. “Establish communications with the ship. I will correct Prirrikoak Tandoy in this error.”

    “Link’s established,” the droid replied.

    “Merchant-Captain Tandoy, you will return to your position in the blockade immediately, or I will see to it that your commission is revoked.”

    There was silence on the comms for several seconds before a figure appeared on the holographic pedestal.

    “This is Major Paige. While I appreciate the offer of a commission in the Trade Federation's internal ranks, I think I’m perfectly fine where I’m at. And we thank you for your contribution to the Marksman’s fleet.”

    The Merchant-Admiral was stunned into silence as the only other Lucrehulk moved outside of the formation.

    Then, the fast-moving droids crewing various stations began to slow down. The enhanced programming boosting their overall efficiency and ability to think independently dropped as the second networked core fell out of the network.

    “Open fire on the Profit Margin!” Valva finally screamed. “We cannot allow them to capture more of our vessels!”

    “Roger Roger! Roger Roger!”

    The turbolaser batteries across the Trade Federation battlegroup began to open fire, their first volleys shattering harmlessly against the Lucrehulk’s shields before it disappeared into hyperspace.

    “Corellian, nine hells!” The Merchant-Admiral swore. “Begin bombarding the Mercenary base. Overwhelm their shields and destroy it.”

    “Uh, sir, are you sure?”

    “Of course, I’m sure!” Nep retook the seat. “Do not stop firing until all that is left is glass.”

    “Roger Roger.”

    “We can’t find the base,” a droid reported.

    “What do you mean you can’t find the base?!”

    “The Monsoon, it’s blocking all scans, sir.”

    “Then send in another group of droids! I don’t care what you have to do, but I want this mercenary group eradicated now!’






    Meanwhile, droid teams marched slowly through the shrieking wind and torrential rain; the only illumination provided was the occasional lightning strike and the droid’s lights mounted on their backpacks.

    Later studies would show that the Trade Federation had gone cheap on the B1 droids photoreceptors, and as a result, the few columns missed the architecture that seemed out of place in the deserted city. The tracked vehicles that had entered the city scarcely thirty minutes prior were lying in wait in small alleys and hidden by the surrounding storm.

    But their photoreceptors of the droids and the sensors of the AATs missed all of it, their artificial eyes gliding over the blocky structures as their columns moved towards the shield generators.

    If they’d been in a ‘Mech of their own, this is when Bitchin’ Betty would have told them, “Mech Power up detected!” But unfortunately for the droids, the only sign they got before destruction was the illumination of a brilliant searchlight.

    Ruby and green beams illuminated the dark sky, the lasers carving away at one column, a steady roar of what could only be described as a heavy slugthrower shattering the few Droidekas that had rolled into the city.

    And in the rear, the AATs were stopped by the electromagnetic pulse of a brilliant particle beam. The artificial lightning melted armor and slagged controls when the insulation failed, and the electricity arced into the controlling droids.

    Then it was gone. The giant war machine vanished into the monsoon once again.

    Then, paired-up tanks began to light up the darkness across different city sections with their armaments.

    A Jaguar and a Hunter shattered the foot troops with the first missiles fired, the machine guns finishing off those that remained as the AATs and Hailfire-Class droids returned fire, shattering armor panels and melting portions of others before the tanks vanished into the night again.

    At another column, a pair of Jaguars targeted the droid armor first, eliminating the AATs before all of the missiles of one Hailfire destroyed the tracks of the lead Marksman tank, the personnel within abandoning the tank and disappearing into the buildings and darkness as the rain intensified.

    Lightning flashed again, and thunder echoed through the city. The Trade Federation forces began to regroup and push forward, and the tactical droid began analyzing the situation and shifting troops to cover the gaps that had been created.

    There was a problem, though. The Trade Federation columns had slowed to a crawl as they analyzed every city block for possible ambushes.

    “ –Sk S–gro,” the communications were static. “--l –t of t– city. E–m–a–e mercenaries. P–fit Margin –pt–ed.”

    “Blasted device,” Losk slammed his fist into the pedestal, shorting out the device. “With the lack of any orders from above, we will with the last objective we were assigned. Pull the columns together. We will destroy the generators before falling back and waiting for the monsoon to clear.”






    Date: April 20, 3017 AD/20.04.7956 CRC (Coruscant Reckoning Calendar)
    Location: unnamed system, Seswenna Sector

    “Alright, we’ve got confirmation that the Trade Federation is still in the system,” Frye looked at the holograms of the various captains in her battlegroup. “Stick to the plan we worked out, and remember, it’s monsoon season on Beloria, so make sure that the ground forces are prepped for that eventuality.”

    “I will join the ground forces,” Count Dooku stated from his place on the bridge. “I believe Knights Tachi and Olin will participate in the battle for orbital control.”

    “We brought our fighters,” Olin leaned over the view of the system. “We can fold into your squadrons.”

    “Unless you’ve worked with them before, you’ll just confuse the squadrons,” Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell shook his head. “You can go in as an attached pair to Hitman, but the other squadrons are still too green to know how to coordinate extras.”

    “We can work with that,” Siri replied, exchanging a nod with her old padawan.

    “Captain,” Frye glanced at the captain of the Liberty.

    “Sound Combat stations,” the man ordered as he secured his helmet. “You might want to get to the fighter bays; we’re about to jump.”

    –
    –

    The Marksman battlegroup in Beloriahad had not been idle when the Trade Federation had entered. They had been positioning and preparing for reinforcements to jump into the system. They understood that, given their smaller numbers, they’d only be sacrificing their lives. So, as soon as the first vessel from Commodore Frye’s relief force jumped in, they acted.

    The Leviathan, Victoria Jewel’s flagship, was the lynchpin of their plan. The ancient vessel moved and powered up the interdiction field. Fighters, CR-70s, and a lone Dreadnaught flanked her as she blocked off the Trade Federation’s escape.

    “Welcome to the party, Kaylee,” Victoria grinned as she noted the other woman’s flagship among the reinforcements. “Let’s give them hell.”

    “Just keep them from leaving. We’ll handle the rest,” Frye replied.

    The five Dreadnaughts and their escorts launched fighters and began targeting Federation vessels.

    “I want that Lucrehulk dead,” Captain Mattis ordered the Liberty’s crew.

    “Aye, sir!”

    The ship turned, and its batteries began focusing on the donut-shaped ship, her escorts fending off the cruisers and frigates on her sides while the large vessels started to exchange fire.

    But the Lucrehulk, for all of her upgrades and modifications, was not a dedicated warship like the Liberty or her sister ships, and her shields began to fail under direct fire.

    “Jack of All Trades is breaking apart,” An aide reported to Frye as she looked at the battlefield.

    “Get Search and Rescue ready. We’re not done with this fight yet,” Frye tapped a button on the table. “Polite Society, pull back and rotate out with the Independence. There’s no need to take more punishment.”

    –
    –
    The battle in space didn’t last much longer after the Lucrehulk was destroyed, and the few remaining cruisers surrendered instead of having their vessels destroyed and their lives lost.

    Search and rescue teams were dispatched, and the salvage teams began combing through the debris, pulling whatever they could from the wreckage.

    But down below, the storm was still ongoing, and the Federation ground forces hadn’t heard the ending bell….
     
    • Book 2: Chapter 6 New
    • Book 2: Chapter 6

    My Warhammer shook as heavy winds battered against it; the consistent rain drowned out even the subtle vibrations of the seventy-five-ton war machine’s fusion engine.

    “Colonel, we’ll have to pull back into nearby structures!” Julia Watson’s voice was complimented by static on our secure frequency. “We’re starting to have to use the tank’s ballast pumps!”

    “There’s a parking garage a thousand meters to our south,” I checked the current map layout we had been using. “Park on one of the higher levels and get dried out. I have a feeling that this rain will stall them out before long.”

    After watching the lights on the vehicles move further away, I backed my ‘Mech into an alleyway and shifted into a stable crouch.

    “Monsoon season,” I sighed as I set an alert chime on my sensors and pulled out the sleeping bag I kept in the cockpit. “It just had to be Monsoon season.”

    The enemy wouldn’t be moving through the night. It was dark enough in the day during the monsoon season. But at night? No, no one with any sense moved at night in this weather. Not when you might turn a wrong corner and be face to face with a tornado or some other Act of God.

    I double-checked that the searchlights were off and then slid into the insulated bag, a small pillow separating my cheek from the cold metal surface of my cockpit.

    As the raindrops shattered harmlessly against the external armor of my ‘Mech, I closed my eyes and drifted away into Morpheus’s realm.

    –
    –

    Six hours later, I opened my eyes to a gray sky. The rain still fell, but the pitch black of the night had given way to a blurred light.

    Groaning, I climbed out of the sleeping bag and packed the kit, storing it before groaning as I stretched.

    “Fucking back,” I put my hands under my shoulder blades and leaned back to a series of ‘cracks’ running down my spine.

    Grabbing my cooling vest, I slid it back on and climbed into the command chair, the active sensors powering on once more as I secured my neurohelmet.

    “Peterson, you got a sitrep for me?” I keyed my mic.

    “No movement as of yet, Colonel,” he replied. “Rain’s not comin’ down quite as fierce. I expect they’ll hit us soon.”

    “Roger that,” I pulled my ‘Mech out of the crouch and shifted out of the alleyway, moving down the street towards the shield generators. “I’m Oscar-mike to your position,” I then changed frequencies. “Watson, get your vics in position. We’re expecting enemy movement soon.”

    “Copy that, Colonel, mounting up and moving out!”






    While the short company was preparing to stave off what was left of the Trade Federation’s ground forces, something else was happening in the skies above.

    “The Monsoon will go on for a few more days!” the shuttle pilot yelled over the sound of the wind. “But it’s died down enough for us to set down more troops. We can’t land inside the city. The wind’s too strong! So we’ll put you down on the outskirts, let you move in.”

    Count Dooku was silent as he braced against the handle above him, his armored fist clenched tightly as the shuttle hovered off of the ground, the Marksman troops jumping off as a few tanks and ‘mechs fell from other shuttles in front and behind them.

    “Major Sheppard,” the Count’s smile was grim.

    “Yan,” the Marksman XO grinned. “Good to see that you took my advice on the armor. You ready to shred these fuckers?”

    Dooku raised his hand, and his lightsaber flew to it, the blue beam igniting before vanishing again.

    “Lead me to the front lines. It is high time that I faced the enemy.”

    “Well, follow me,” Sheppard climbed the ladder up into the cockpit of his Cyclops, the aging Chief of State following him.

    “There’s a fold-out chair behind you,” Sheppard handed the other man a cooling vest. “And you’re going to want to put this on. My ‘mech doesn’t generate much heat, but there’s always a chance of something going wrong.”

    The Assault ‘mech moved behind the rest of the armor and ‘Mechs, the rain coming down around them while troops in powered armor held onto the outside of hovercraft, APCs, and other vehicles.

    As they followed, Sheppard connected Dooku to the ‘Mech’s communications systems and demonstrated how the command console worked, allowing him to glimpse what the battlefield looked like before they moved into proper combat.

    “Command, armor is taking heavy fire from the nearby buildings. Looks like someone wised up on the enemy side.”

    “That’s why we have infantry and armor,” Sheppard replied. “Dismount and start clearing houses. We’ll take care of enemy armor.”

    APCs sped through the streets, and powered armor clad infantry moved from building to building while the tanks and Mechs offered support.

    “Colonel, we’ve got limited contact here,” Sheppard’s battlecomputer pushed through the storm's interference to link up on the battlenet. “What’s your status?”

    “You’re on their flanks!” distant explosions were heard. “We’re heavily outnumbered here. I would appreciate some support!”

    “Monsoon only let up enough to get us near the city,” Sheppard sighed. “Not enough for air support to assist.”

    “Shit,” Hull’s voice responded. “You’re going to have to push in and take them out. We’re watching our fire for now, but if we have to cough up some funds to restore some buildings, I think that’s a price I’m willing to pay at this point.”

    “We’ll get there as fast as we can. Just hold out a bit longer.”






    Standing in front of a crippled Hunter, I absorbed fire from the AATs while the tank crew scrambled out of the tank and into nearby buildings.

    A lucky shot rocked me back before I made the offending hover tank vanish in a swarm of smoke and explosives, my short-range missiles ripping the enemy armor to shreds before I stepped away to dodge the next wave of fire.

    I was ignoring the wireframe overlay in the corner of my vision. A desperate hope in my heart that if I didn’t acknowledge it, it wouldn’t be true.

    “Heat Sink destroyed!” Betty alerted me to yet another heat sink falling to a luckily placed shot. I was now drenched in sweat, and my heat curve was only helped by the fact that one of my PPCs was gone. It had been deleted by a cluster of hailfire missiles early on, and I had been left without one of my primary weapons for most of this engagement.

    “Colonel, my Jaguar’s toast,” Captain Julia Watson coughed into her comms. “And we’re too far apart for you to get us out of here,” I could see the tank through enemy lines, the battle droids surrounding it with heavy weapons ready to finish it off. “Give ‘em hell for me.”

    The light tank’s turret shifted and began to fire everything it had left. Coaxial machinegun fire tore nearby droids to shreds while the main gun finished off yet another AAT.

    I pushed my ‘Mech to its limits, trying to break through the enemy lines to the last of my tanks. I’d ensured that all my crews made it out of this alive. I wasn’t going to let one die in front of my eyes today!

    A missile curved in and slammed into my cockpit, while an AAT round hit my gyro, the sudden hit sending me off balance and into the ground, where things went black.

    “Shit,” I groaned as I picked my head up from where it had fallen.

    My gyro had stopped moving entirely, and the wireframe readout showed that everything had been stripped down to nothing more than the bare skeletal structure of my ‘mech’s chassis.

    “Sensors offline, gyro offline,” Betty began listing the critical damage before I muted her and tried to restart the gyro.

    “C’mon,” I tried to restart the stuck balancing device, only for grinding and a screech of metal to stop them from spinning. “Work you piece of shit!”

    I slammed my fist into the panel and button.

    The sound was worse this time, and I grit my teeth as the gyro hesitated and then smoothed out.

    “Hell yeah,” I grinned, reaching out with my remaining PPC to stabilize and assist in moving my ‘Mech upright. “Well fuck.”

    The droids had seemingly left Watson’s tank alone, but now they were entirely focused on my fallen ‘Mech, the last fifty or so remaining AATs weapons pointed directly at my center torso.

    Sighing, I reached for the ejection handle and began to pull it down before I paused at the sound of explosions.

    My mouth dropped open, and I watched in awe as a Hetzer drifted around a corner, it's AC-20 carving open everything in its path before a lance of Toros and Centurions followed. The ‘Mechs blazed a path forward as a Cyclops turned the corner, its bulk towering over the droids before a blue beam of light dropped down to support the Mithril squads that dropped off the ‘Mechs.

    I closed my eyes and rested my head against the back of my command chair. It had been a fucking long day, and the cavalry had finally arrived.
     
  • New
    • Book 2: Chapter 7 New
    • Book 2: Chapter 7

    The day began with a funeral…

    It wasn’t the first funeral I’d overseen as the head of a mercenary company, and it wouldn’t be the last. I had had men and women die under my command. I’d seen death up close and laughed in her face as she attempted to snatch my life from me.

    Regardless of how things went, there would always be a part of me that felt guilty for living when others died. There was something inside that screamed and railed against the cold and brutal reality of the world. I had done everything possible to ensure that those under my command lived. I Had nearly paid the ultimate price myself. But it was never enough.

    The bright young commander of the combat vehicle Fireteam would probably never walk again. Most of her command was dead. And Peterson’s infantry had been whittled down to a mere handful before Sheppard had broken through and came to our aid. For all that people would believe that we had won, we had still lost.

    –
    –

    We had pried the ground-side leader of the Trade Federation out of his tank and began interrogating him. I knew I couldn’t handle the questioning, so I withdrew myself and buried myself in other work. All of this resulted in what I was doing right now.

    “Are you ready, sir?” Julia moved the hoverchair beside me.

    “No,” I shook my head. “No one’s ever ready for what we’re about to do.”

    The two of us made our way to the first house, one of many we would visit today.

    “Mrs. Jefferson?” I questioned the woman who stood at the door.

    The woman knew what we would say before we opened our mouths to speak again, and tears began flowing.

    “Please, come in,” she choked out through broken sobs.

    Entering the house, we helped her to a small sofa in the living room of their comfortable home.

    “Mrs. Jefferson,” I allowed a tear to trail down before steeling myself for what came next. “I regret to inform you that your husband Kyle perished during the battle against the Trade Federation forces.”

    “How did he die?” She asked.

    “He was a hero,” I tried to smile and failed. “One of our tanks was disabled, and the rest of the crew was injured. He pulled each of them out and into safety before finally succumbing to his injuries.”

    “And the bastards that killed him?” She lifted her eyes. A harsh, bitter anger shone through them. “What’s going to happen to them?”

    “We destroyed all of the droids,” Julia said after a minute.

    “No,” The widow replied. “What are we going to do to the Trade Federation?”

    She wasn’t the only one with that question, and after two weeks, we finally had an answer.






    “You understand that I cannot sanction this as the head of the Confederacy of Independent Systems,” Dooku sat on the other side of my desk, a sad, tired look in his eye.

    “I know,” I replied. “But if I don’t retaliate, there will be even more consequences.”

    “You didn’t let me finish,” the older man smiled sadly. “I cannot sanction the action as the head of government. But as a friend, I wholeheartedly support this action.”

    “I thought vengeance wasn’t something the Jedi favored?” I raised an eyebrow.

    “It is good that I am not a Jedi, then,” Dooku replied. “I understand the political ramifications of what will happen if you do nothing.”

    “I’ll try to leave the Confederacy out of things,” I tapped the desk. “But I can’t promise that the Republic will have a good reaction to things.”

    “Beloria is an independent world,” Dooku shrugged. “The politicians will scream regardless of what you do.”

    “Then I might as well go all out then.”

    We continued discussing plans for a little while before the other man departed; he had to return to Raxus and ensure that the CIS was seen as blameless in anything that happened in the near future.

    But I wasn’t alone for long.

    “Need someone to break you out of here?” Siri asked, her arms crossed underneath her chest.

    “My knight in shining armor,” I grinned back. “Here to save me from the dreaded bars of paperwork!”

    “There are droids that can do this,” she picked up one of the sheets and frowned at the language she couldn’t read.

    “Sure,” I agreed. “But I’d rather have a medium that no one can hack, slice, or understand outside of my inner circle.”

    “Right,” she blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. “You look like you need a drink, and I want a story.”

    “What I need, is a damned cigar,” I sighed. “But I haven’t found any yet, so I’ll have to settle for a drink.”

    I stood up and walked to the door, the Jedi Knight following as I closed and locked the door.

    So we headed for my house, I needed a break after two months of a hellish siege and living in the cockpit of my Warhammer, and Siri wanted to make sure that her friend wasn’t too close to the edge.

    “Listen,” I said after I opened the door to my small house. “I already did my twenty-two today. You don’t have to worry too much.”

    “I don’t even know what that means,” she frowned. “But no one needs to be alone in a time like this.”

    “We’re corrupting you,” I chuckled as I flipped lights on and pulled a mostly-full bottle of whisky out of a cabinet.

    “I suppose,” she set the bottle down on the small four person table while I grabbed glasses. “Now, tell me what happened on the ground and I’ll do the same for the space battle.”

    We shared stories of the conflict long into the night, the bottle still mostly full as we only drank sparingly when we needed to wet out tongues. Because sometimes, all you need to make it through the darkness is a solid friend by your side and enough ammunition to kill anything that stands in your way.







    “Hmm,” I woke up gradually, for once the klaxon of my alarm clock having been silenced the night before.

    “Fuuuuck, that was some good sleep,” I sat up and stretched, the endorphins making me sleepy for a moment before the fog of the morning vanished.

    Even through the stress, I had been able to find some rest and peace, and that was something I hadn’t had in years. Then the warm body next to me shifted and the memories of the night before came back like an F-15 beating the atmosphere into submission.

    “Whelp,” I glanced at the nude blond next to me. “Might as well enjoy it.”

    I scooted back down and pulled the comforter back over me. I’d deal with that potential issue tomorrow…
     
  • New
    • Book 2: Chapter 8 New
    • Book 2: Chapter 8

    It was Siri shifting the bed that woke me up the second time. The blond stirred and eventually opened her eyes before stretching, the visual doing some… Exciting things to certain parts of her anatomy that caught my eye before I shifted them back up to her face.

    Her eyebrow was raised when my gaze finally reached her eyes, and I blushed and turned away. It was odd; I hadn’t been in a relationship for twenty years, but it put me in a situation where I could forge a new romantic bond, and I felt like a teenager again. My emotions were everywhere, and I didn’t know how to feel or what to say anymore.

    My decision to put off dealing with the emotions and other issues until now was biting me in the ass. For all intents and purposes, I was a widower who also had two dead children. Even after moving on in life, I still found myself hung up on this. I couldn’t handle things right now, so I was going to do what I’d done in the past when dealing with my emotions recently.

    She must have seen something in my face because she sat up and grabbed my hand.

    “Mark,” she said softly. “Please turn and look at me.”

    I sat back down on the bed and looked at her, my eyes finding her crystalline blue ones and searching for something that indicated this was more than a one-night stand.

    Seeing that she now had my complete attention, she continued to speak.

    “Mark, I chose this. And while I didn’t intend for things to spiral as fast as they did last night, I don’t regret a single thing. You and I have become close, and I’ve come to realize that I don’t just want to be friends with you. The things that you spoke of when talking about your family and your wife. I want that. I want the love and companionship. I want the ability to pass on what I know to my children, And more importantly, I want all of those things with you.”

    I was silent. There was a battle between butterflies and a pit in my stomach. A war between happiness for the future and the sadness of what I hadn’t entirely dealt with yet. My heart beat in my chest like an old Celtic drum, the beat driving blood into my ears.

    “I…” I began and choked off. “I think I’d like that as well. But I’m going to be honest here. I’m a fucking mess. I mean, look at me. It’s been nearly twenty years, and I still haven’t fully dealt with the loss of my family.”

    “Something that I am learning from you and those around you,” Siri smiled. “Is that emotions simply are. It is how we respond to those emotions that results in actions. I think you have made progress. But you blind yourself in this moment because sometimes grief can rise again in moments of joy and stress. I will never replace the love that you and your wife shared. But I hope that in time, it will grow to love that equals that of what you once had.”

    The Jedi Knight pulled me into a soft kiss.

    “Now, enough of the heavy subjects,” she stood up, grabbed her Jedi Cloak, and slung it over her shoulders. “I’m a bit hungry.”

    “Right,” I latched onto something familiar. “I can whip together some breakfast. Do you need to use the bathroom or anything?”

    “I wouldn’t mind using your ‘Fresher,” Siri sniffed at her armpit before wrinkling her nose.

    “Shower’s the second door on the left across from the toilet,” I told her as I pulled a pair of gym shorts on. “Now, I’ll start breakfast while you shower.”

    As she left the room, I moved to the kitchen, my mind beginning to sift through my emotions while my body went through the motions of making breakfast.

    “Something smells delicious,” a voice broke me out of my reverie, making me jump slightly.

    Siri stood at the entrance of the kitchen, her still damp hair a bit of a mess and one of my shirts swallowing her frame.

    “My tunic is going through a cleaning cycle, she explained. “So I grabbed what I thought would fit out of your clothes. She shrugged. “I believe I was wrong.”

    “Nope,” I replied. “In fact, I think it looks better on you than on me.”

    Shifting something so it wouldn’t be noticeable, I grabbed the plates and began to ladle food on them, two cups of coffee joining the table as I cleared off the liquor bottle and decanters from the night before.

    As we sat down, the atmosphere began to lighten, and I felt us settle into a routine we’d shared while searching for the Katana fleet or during our travels to Coruscant and back to the Outer Rim.

    We ate and talked, the topics shifting from our opinions on certain people to hobbies that I found interesting and would like to share with her someday.

    We went over philosophy, and eventually, the topic drifted to the events of last night.

    “I don’t regret it,” she said quietly after we’d finished our food and were left with coffee. “You do know that, right? I saw a chance to show you I was serious and took it. And you know what,” a smirk slid across her face. “I’d do it again, too.”

    I felt my cheeks burn at how she looked at me before I replied. “Yeah, it’s been seventeen years since I’ve done anything like that.”


    Siri finished her coffee and placed her cup by the sink before moving over and sitting on my lap.

    “We could try round 2.”

    “While I’m tempted,” I shifted awkwardly. “I think that I have some work to do.”

    “Someone else can do it for once,” she got up and tried to pull me out of the chair to no avail. “You’re about to be busy.”


    Author’s Note: This is a bit of a shorter update. But I felt like it was necessary.
     
  • New
    • Book 2: Chapter 9 New
    • Book 2: Chapter 9

    “I’m going to be turning in my lightsaber,” Siri and I sat around my small dining room table. “While I have sided with Count Dooku lately, I have not officially left the Order.”

    “You don’t have to do that,” I offered. “I understand that this won’t be the same sort of relationship that I had previously.”

    “No,” Siri shook her head. “It would be wrong of me to remain in the order when I have violated one of its tenants.”

    “It’s not against the code to be married or have a family, Siri,” I replied, sipping at my coffee.

    “All the same,” she sipped at her coffee. “I will not wander the galaxy while being heavily pregnant or having someone to return to every night. And while the Code may not say anything about marriage or love, the current beliefs of the Council and the majority of the Order would likely have them cast me out regardless of any arguments that I would make.”

    “It’s your decision,” I shrugged. “And it’s not like I don’t have a replacement for your lightsaber if you want to swap the crystals between them.”

    Siri reached out a hand and called said lightsaber to her hand, her thumb finding the switch and igniting the violet blade with a snap-hiss!

    “It is not quite the same as mine,” she examined the length of the blade, the warm hum filling the air when she moved it. “But, this would serve as an adequate replacement until I built a new saber.”

    “You’ll be heading to Coruscant then?” I asked.

    “Yes,” Siri said, deactivating the lightsaber and handing it to me. “I have a few things to do before I return.”

    “I’ll be waiting,” I replied. “But I might not be on Beloria when you return.”

    “Striking back against the Trade Federation,” Siri nodded.

    “I’m not going to be in the field on this one,” I tapped the table. “I’m going to be coordinating the attack from orbit.”

    “Then I suppose we should get moving,” she stood up and grabbed her cloak.

    “Yeah,” I stood and hugged her, gently kissing her forehead. “I’m not sure I like us having to separate so soon, though.”

    “Your sense of duty and responsibility is one of the things that drew me to you,” Siri looked up into my eyes. “Do not lose it now.”

    “Let’s get you to your ship then,” I gently kissed her lips and helped her into her cloak. “The faster we both resolve our projects, the better.”





    Date: May 27, 3017 AD/27.05.7956 CRC (Coruscant Reckoning Calendar)
    Location: Beloria, Independent system

    “When’s the ceremony,” Jack Sheppard grinned at me as he entered the briefing room.

    “Ceremony’s after we finish our next job,” I replied. “Now, take your seats; we need to get started on this.”

    The two of us waited as the remainder of the command staff entered the room and began taking their seats.

    “Alright, listen up!” I stood up. “We’re going to make this as quick and dirty as possible. I’d hate to kill all of you with a PowerPoint.”

    The staff chuckled, and I gestured for Sheppard to hand out the plans.

    “Next month, we begin OPERATION: PEDESTAL,” I looked around the room. “While Neimoidia is not the current capital of the Trade Federation, it is still considered one of their most important worlds and is decently defended.”

    I clicked, and an image of the planet and the spade around it appeared.

    “Our goal is twofold,” Sheppard took over the next part.

    “One, we’re going to destroy the fleet defending Neimoidia in detail,” Sheppard nodded at Commodores Victoria Jewel and Kaylee Frye. “The second is to invade and strip the planet of any and all factories dedicated to the supply of war materials to the Trade Federation.”

    “Rendili’s supposed to have quite a few ships ready for us by the middle of next month,” I clicked over to an image of the ships in question. “Assuming that they managed to stick to the deadlines, then we managed to get another dozen Stings. They’ll be operating as escorts for the new Inhibitor-Class battleships and Gladius-Class cruisers we’re testing out.”

    “I wasn’t aware we’d licensed the Sting out,” Hober commented.

    “We’re going to be treating them as gunboats,” Jewel nodded at the newly promoted Commander. “Congrats on your promotion, Hober; you’re now in charge of all the Stings used in your AO.”

    “Inhibitor.” Kaylee’s brow furrowed in thought. “That’s the class based on our Leviathan?”

    “Yup,” I nodded. “According to the information I’ve got, the crew requirements and control schemes are nigh identical to the Leviathan. We should be able to acclimate rather quickly.”

    “Anyway, in-depth planning is to be conducted by the individual unit commanders,” Sheppard glanced at each of those COs. “You have a week to assemble your operational plans based on what intel we can get. We’ll approve or tweak things as we get closer to the invasion. Now, are there any questions?”

    “Are we planning on an occupation?” Peterson glanced at the rough notes he’d jotted down.

    “No,” I shook my head. “We’re sending a message, not dealing with insurgencies.”

    “Good,” he gave a sigh of relief. “I’d hate to get bogged down like that.”

    “You and me both, brother,” Sheppard nodded in agreement.

    “I assume my marines are to act as usual,” Major Paige grinned.

    “Pretty much,” Jewel replied. “Have some of your people on standby for boarding actions if we spot an opening, but aside from that, simply stay on defense.”

    “Anything else critical that needs to be drawn attention to? I asked

    “Where are we getting the crews for these new ships?” Kaylee asked. “I’ve got training cadres, but not enough to fill the personnel requirements for this many new ships.”

    “We’re shifting the Gozantis down to system defense only,” I replied. “And stripping them down to skeleton crews.”

    “That’s still only enough to crew half of the ships you’ve got listed here,” Kaylee flipped through the printout. “So what aren’t you telling us yet?”

    “The CIS has paid us to conduct ‘Training cruises’ for their new navy personnel,” I confessed. “They’re all green. But people like Representative Clay still wanted to support us, even if they couldn’t do it publicly.”

    “I’m pretty sure I saw him publicly supporting us, " Mathis said. “He’s not a silent individual on shit like this.”
    “No, but the others allied with him are mostly quiet,” I responded. “But that said, the crews will be made up of CIS personnel that we’ll be training on the new systems in real scenarios before transferring them back to the Confederacy Navy. And we’re boosting recruitment for our own space-bound forces as well. Expect promotions and lots of training to come over the next month. We’re about to be very busy people. How we handle this going forward will cement our reputation in the galaxy, whether for good or ill. Now, you’re all dismissed. Take your time and put together solid plans. I want this slow and smooth.”
     
  • New
    • You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top