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 Star Wars Civil War Star Wars Story Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Getrealistic Home Copyright 2000 GetRealistic & CRN |
6. IMPERIALISM Hank Haywater stared out at the planet he had conquered. A steady stream of refugees were leaving the planet, and his fleet had orders not to interfere. Assembled around his flagship was the CRN fleet, strengthened by two new Nebulas. He held in his hand the grim casualty reports. Osh Nabuk's command was almost non-existent, and was now garrisoning the fleet. Kashar's force returned with 600 troops, who, along with Col. Hartiss's command of 1,000 soldiers, was holding the planet. Spaceside was almost as bad. One CAF and a Claw destroyed. Heavy damage to Madab's Claw and to the Intrepid, the former being repaired at the BFS yards on Binar. The extensive damage to the Intrepid would take a week to repair, he had been told. It had taken a direct order to allow Haywater to return to his quarters, which had miraculously escaped damage. A buzzer sounded, jolting him from his thoughts. "Sir, the Cryll is here to see you." Haywater turned the lights on then slapped the intercom button. "Send him in." The door opened, and the one person with more control than Haywater entered. "Admiral, congratulations on this wonderful victory. "May I sit?." The Cryll frowned before Haywater could answer. "Of course, why do I have to ask you if I can sit? This is my ship, my fleet, and as of a day ago, my planet." "Of course, sir." "Admiral, the reason of my visit is to tell you some very important things about your fleet, and this piece of real estate you have given me. First of all, I must tell you I am leaving. The empire has put a rather large bounty on my head, and wish to keep my life. So I will take my Star Galleon and go off into deep space somewhere. You know, see the galaxy. Play tourist. Learn new things. Try new food. Anything. In my absence, you will have full command of the CRN and it's conquests. You will only have to send me reports and listen to my advice. Understood?" Haywater leaned foreword. "Sir, what about Chysslist?" "I was just getting to that. I have created a government on Chrysslist. It will be completely independent of the CRN. It will have no control over Binar or any other conquests, but you will have no authority in the planetary government, or the planetary defense force. You will only be required to send goods from captured territory to Chrysslist, and protect it from enemy attack. I will get you a copy of the Constitution soon." "Sir, do I have orders before you leave?" "First I will give you a general idea of what I want this fleet to accomplish soon. Very soon, I want you to take a gas planet of your choice, to supply the CRN with fuel. Then take your fleet to Covrusa, to stage the conquest of Brankanof. Once that is done, begin operations against Huskusia. The details are up to you. Any questions?" "I'll get it done." "Good. But first, you have an important job ahead of you here on Binar. I want you to take every civilian off this planet. Secure transport and send them anywhere. The important thing is that when you're done, the only people here should be your men." Haywater couldn't believe his ears. "Sir, why?" "I don't want anyone emulating your plan and taking the planet from us. If you don't have the guts to do it, Admiral, I'll find someone." He gritted his teeth. "I'll do it." "Good." * * * Admiral Horacio Devin of the CRN's mining fleet walked through the door of Haywater's cabin to see his prodigy completely drunk. On the floor sat a crate of Whyren's Reserve, already half gone. Haywater turned from his picture window holding a bottle. "Admiral Devin, please take a toast. A toast to my resignation." Then he collapsed. Devin ran over and pulled Haywater to his desk. "Give this to me." He grabbed the bottle and threw it across the room. Then he hit the intercom. "Bring us some caf. Quickly." "I'm tho glad that you'th come here to see me for the last time in an Imperial uniform. Me'sa not feeling too well." With that Haywater vomited all over his desk. His head dropped, hitting the desk in a warm pool of vomit. The door opened, admitting one of Haywater's bodyguard detachment. "What happened here?" Devin grabbed the steaming pot of caf. "No questions. Get a bucket of water and dump it on his head." The soldier's mouth dropped open. "That's an order!" A minute later, a shower of water poured onto the Admiral's head. The soldier made a quick exit, cumbered by a bottle of Whyren's Reserve. Haywater's head rose slowly, to greet the stern face of Devin. Holding up a datapad, he asked, "What is the meaning of this?" "That would be my resignation." "Made up before or after you were drunk?" "Before. I think." "Why would the most gifted officer in this military want to resign?" Haywater gestured to the planet floating outside. "Today I received an order to dispel every citizen from this planet. I was told to execute those who wouldn't leave. I have no love for the Binarians. None for Chrysslist either. Did I just say that? I must be really drunk." "That's beside the point. If you don't like the Binarians, why do you have a problem with this order?" "Because it is orders like these that made me leave Imperial service. This is a moral line I will not cross. If I have to do things like that to have command, then I'm better off on some backwater planet as a beggar." Devin leaned across the chair. "First of all, Hank, I know your kind. You're a born fighter. If you were not part of a military, I believe you would go crazy. Don't even try telling me different. Plus, from the day I met you I knew you were not a quitter. You would see anything you do to the bitter end. This order here is just a bump in the road. Follow it, become commander of all CRN forces, and you will have the power to prevent this from happening again. I know you would never let a bump in the road get in the way of your goal, whatever that may be." Devin patted his one-time subordinate, and now commander, on the back. As he got up he noticed the crate of whisky. Shrugging his shoulders, Devin left the room cumbered by two bottles. Haywater looked at the datapad on his liquid-covered desk. With one swift move he brought out his blaster pistol and blew it across the room. * * * A completely sober Haywater looked up as the two army commanders entered the room. "Welcome, generals." The Colonels Osh Nabuk and Blem Hartiss stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other. "I have deemed that you both are worthy of promotion. Please sit." As they sat down, a soldier entered with the crate of Whyren's Reserve. "What shall I do with this?" Haywater looked at the generals. "You guys want any of this?" They shook their heads. He turned back to the soldier. "Send two bottles to the officer's mess. You can keep the rest." "Thank you, sir!" Haywater looked back at his infantry commanders. "As you have probably heard, I have been named the supreme CRN commander. As a result, I have planned some restructuring of what has been a badly run navy. Our ground infantry and garrisons will now be placed in a department known as the CRA, or Chrysslist Republic Army. General Nabuk will have command of this department, which includes the troop transports. I want a standing force of 1,000 troops to accompany our navy, plus 55 on each frigate, and 200 on the Intrepid and Poseidon. In addition, I want 1,000 soldiers on each conquered planet. Any questions?" Hartiss spoke up. "What is my position?" "You will be the military governor of Binar. I believe the palace on Binar is ready for your arrival. You may leave now, general. I'm sure you have much to do." He exited, leaving Haywater and Nabuk alone. Haywater handed over a datapad. "We will be using the same plan on Brankanof. I know that sounds stupid, but the wheels were set in motion a few days ago. I just learned about it myself. We will be using the same format. I'm afraid there's not much we can do from here. The attack will begin in three weeks. One to take and subdue Sol, and two to bring the fleet to Covrusa to prepare for the assault. I hope you can raise an army by then. Dismissed." * * * Bok Quesh had been trying to sleep for hours. His taskforce, consisting of the Poseidon, two Nebulas, the Lancer, and a CBV, a gravity well carrying vessel, was in hyperspace headed toward Sol, the gas giant. They were scheduled to arrive in twelve hours, but it might as well be twelve days if he couldn't get any sleep. The holoprojector came to life. Again. A humanoid form in a black cape looked strait at him. "Mr. Quesh, I have been searching for you. Come over to the dark side...OR DIE!!!" With a Rodian squeal, he ran out of the room. * * * "...or we could come on the night side. The defense force may not be as alert." Haywater studied the 3-D picture of Brankanof. He and Madab sat in the Intrepid's briefing room, planning the assult. "But that will only eliminate one threat. We'll have a powerful Brankanofian battle fleet facing us which will be alert at all hours. But a sleeping defence force is one advantage we could use. Computer, plot courses for the night side." Haywater's comlink buzzed. "Sir, the taskforce has reached Sol. We are recieving the sensor feed. Shall I transfer it to the briefing room?" "Very well." * * * Nicole Nolan looked out at the planet she unexpectedly had to conquer. An hour ago she had been summoned from her Intruder to Bok Quesh's quarters. She found the Rodian dead from his own blaster pistol, and command of the task force had been passed to her. Now she had to do her duty. "Open communications to the planet. Get me someone who has the authority to surrender it to me." Her communication officers immedietly got to work. In front of the Poseidon, the task force formed up. Directly above her ship, the Lancer was positioned, escorted by the CBV. On the flanks were the Nebulas Intruder and Battle of Binar. Haywater listened, perplexed. He exchanged a look with Madab. "No way that was Quesh." He his his comlink. "Captain Quesh?" "Quesh is dead. This is Nolan. Don't worry, Admiral, I know what his plan was. Excuse me-I've got a communication coming in. Poseidon out." Nicole sat back in her chair. "Onscreen." The image of a Twi'lek materialized. "Welcome, forces of the Cryll. Why do you visit with warships and...troop transports?" "We have come to give you an offer to become a commonwealth of the CRN. You will find abundant markets for your goods and will be protected from attack. All we ask is that your defence force stand down and prepare to recieve our ships and people." The Twi'lek stared out onto the bridge of the Poseidon, his fury boiling over. "Traitors! You lying scum, do you not remember that we sheltered your admiral and leader. And this is what you show us. Even if you take our planet, our vengence will come. On that day, miss Captain, you will be sold into the vilest of places, and your body will be used to provide my men unending entertainment! As for my planet, come and get it!" As the transmission ended, Nicole Nolan tried to forget what he had said. She had heard people attack her fleet and here home, but in her entire military career, she had never heard a personal attack on an opposing commander. As a minority in the navy, she had prepared herself for almost anything but this. An abrubt hand on her shoulder joltet her from her thoughts. "Your orders?" "Let's take them out." Haywater watched on the display as the Lancer headed toward the enemy fighters, supported by the CRN's motley fighter command. He turned to Madab. "They will pay." "Of course. But admiral, you must realize we are in a different arena now. Such a personal attack would've never happened in the Imperial navy. But our little fleet commands nowhere near the respect Coruscant's ships did." Haywater nodded and turned back to the display. The enemy fighter's had been routed and were fleeing toward a repulsorlift city, pursued by friendly fighters. "I really wish I had Col. Nesh. He was possibly the best fighter pilot I ever commanded." The officers turned at the sound of a voice behind them. "You called?" Nicole let a smile form on her lips. I would be scared, too. Her two Nebulas were positioned on either side of the capital city, and the Poseidon was bearing down from a third direction. The Twi'lek had committed suicide, and she was waiting for the transmission from the new leader, which came within minutes. The planet was her's. * * * "We feel much safer with your presence here, Admiral. With Binar Fleet Systems assembling at Brankanof, we felt a retaliatory strike would be aimed at us." Haywater, Kashar, Madab, and the Covrusian Cashmire were walking through Covrusa's royal palace with it's elected ruler, Shev Niron. Haywater turned to him. "We feel indebted to you for the use of your men and such a fine officer such as Captain Cashmire. But in all honesty, we are not here on a defensive mission. Covrusa will be the staging point of our attack on Brankanof." Niron stopped and said, "Admiral, if that is your intention, then you must hear a piece of information I received this morning. Brankanof's navy has sortied out somewhere in the vicinity of Zan Coltariot to take some piece of real estate. The planet is undefended. Take it. Outflank the Binarian colony on Brankanof's moon and force them to flee. Go foreword in the standards of our two planets and win this war" Chapter 7 |