The Crucible

Enterprise

"DARRIUS WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER HER!" Lionus shouted from behind the rogue trader.

Darrius on his end payed him no mind as he watched the last of the Kiba corporation delegation ships head out to a safe warp distance, "I mean just that but it would be nice if you lowered your voice so you could hear the rest of my statements." He said as the ships warped out of sight.

"We need to go get that Xenos witch for what she's done. I'll make her pay for the lives of my men and her traitorous actions." Lionus said gripping his sword with his free hand.

"Perhaps… but we can't make any big moves immediately." Darrius said turning around and leaning back against the railing of the bridge.

"WHY NOT!" Lionus said his temper exploding again.

"Calm yourself Lionus. I said we can't make any big moves. We will make her pay for what she has done and soon but for now we need to play our cards closer to our vest." He said.

"Speak plainly Darrius. I have little temper for you dancing around the issue." Lionus shot back.

With a sigh Darrius rolled his eyes at his imperial friend, "You have little temper for anything at the moment but I will be unambiguous then. Moving now does not benefit us at all. First there is the issue with the station, it's not finished enough to be left to operate on it's own currently. It will be soon but we still need to act as a way station for the time being. Secondly if we move now the remnants of the regent's armies won't be organized enough to help us. Assuming you're right in your assessment" He said.

"The choice is between us and that murder hungry bitch. They will join us, of that I'm sure." Lionus replied.

"Thirdly if we move now we lose an opportunity to show what our modus operandi will be regarding such events. I made a promise to everyone under my banner I will protect them with the full might of the Free Trade Union. In order to promote that we have to let the word get out more. Someone like Nassuc is an egomaniac, she'll brag about our defeat in the hopes that she can consolidate her power then come to take ours. I plan to show her and the world what happens to those who presume such things." Darrius said.

"Then what are you going to do in the meanwhile." Lionus asked.

"Send some delegates, denounce her for her actions and put on a big show. THEN we'll crush her and take everything she valued for ourselves as payment for services rendered." Darrius replied.

"How long will we have to wait." Lionus said with a dangerous tone.

Darrius paused as he considered the general's words, "No more than two months. If you can give me that I can ensure that by the end she will be kneeling prostrate before you ready for your judgement." He replied.

"Unacceptable. My men are still down there. If we wait two months they'll have all been hunted down and annihilated." Lionus said, "...unless I go and make sure that doesn't happen."

"I expected nothing less, I also need you to get into contact with the remnants of the regent's forces. I'm sure if you let them know I'll be willing to let them run their little fiefdoms they'll support us." Darrius said.

"And what of support for me and my men? Wars are won through supplies and we'll have little access to them." Lionus said.

"Check with Rok'Nar, I'm sure he'd be willing to lend a few of his ships for the chance of pay and combat." Darrius said.

"Then I shall take my leave, do not be late Darrius, we shall be waiting." Lionus said turning around.

"I'd wish you good luck but I know you don't need it, so try not to enjoy yourself too much." Darrius said with a smirk.

Palamar prime

The forest outside the capital city was silent in the dead of night. No animals stirred, they had been long since killed off by the chemical weapons unleashed. No breeze blew through, it had long since been halted by the environmental damage the planet had suffered. No people to be found anywhere, they had all since died.

The silence was shattered by the sound of a roaring engine as a small clearing was stuck by a massive wind before three points inside of it were depressed into the ground. From out of nowhere a beam of light pierced the darkness as a ramp extended downwards and several men rushed outside into the clearing scanning the area with their weapons. Once it was deemed clear on of the men signaled inside and several more people stepped out of the cloaked bird of prey.

Lionus looked about the forest with derision. He knew chemical weapons were a valuable tool to a commander but to let them become so commonly used was foolish at the best of times. He was thankfully the outside the city. The forest near it was hit less and thusly not nearly as dangerous to be in once the toxic cocktail had time to settle.

From the woods a group of soldiers came out into the clearing and saluted as Lionus approached, "Do you have a command center set up?" He asked.

"Sir, yes sir. We've set it up in one of the old mines that dot these forests. It's this way, sir." The man replied turning around with his men and heading back into the woods.

"Are we to hide in caves these next two months?" Rok'Nar asked.

"No, I plan to hide in the cave for next two months. You will be out in the field getting your payment in combat." Lionus replied, "I need a command center to work from and apparently Nassuc has given up on almost the entire continent after what the late regent did to it. Along with the cover we will get from the storm clouds above make this the best location for our base of operations."

It didn't take the group long to reach the mine entrance. Several of their group were left behind to conceal the bird of prey. The ship couldn't remain cloaked for such an extended period of time due to it's age. Lionus wanted the ship as a transport for his troops and supplies over the planet and wasn't about to push the vessel more than he had to.

The mine itself was a basic hole in the ground. A pulley system to get people and materials inside and out allowed for entrance into the mine. A short drop down and Lionus could see the effects his people had on setting up the mine as a base of operations. Holes dotted the walls and the entire pulley system could be turned into a killzone at a moment's notice.

Further down and he started seeing more amenities. Beds and cots for sleeping. A communications setup being put in place. There was also the smell of food being cooked further in. The more important thing was that they were far enough down that the poisonous fallout from the surface wouldn't able to reach them once they reached the mines proper.

As the elevator came to a stop Lionus opened the gate and the group moved out of the metal cage, "Sir we have an operations room set up already, a list of our scattered forces for you to inspect and another list of possible contacts we can use to being communications with the deposed forces of the ex regent." A man said holding two data pads for Lionus' inspection.

"Good, I already have a plan of attack in line so priority should be given to getting our communications up and running." He said.

"Any chance of sharing those plans?" Rok' Nar asked.

"Details still need to be worked out but it's a single concept that will be put in place. Public relations." Lionus said smirking at the confused look Rok'Nar gave him, "To put it another way, Darrius will be here to help us take these planets within two months. I plan to make sure the planets are ready for him."

Biogenic facility

Northern Palamar continent.

A few days later

The sergeant peered through his binoculars at the facility before him. It was a massive multi building city built on the far continent from the newly established base of operations. The facility was one of the primary manufacturing locations of the ex regent's biogenic weapons and had been taken over several weeks ago by general Nassuc with the help of the imperial forces.

The cloaked Klingon ship helped them get here but it parked far enough away that it had taken them a several hour hike to even reach the place. Even now if they were to try to reach the nearest buildings it would take them almost an hour of hiking down the mountainside. The facility was located near the edge of a fairly sizable city which meant they also had to avoid civilians and patrols the entire way there. It all meant that while they were planning to attack the facility it wasn't going to be until tomorrow night, allowing them some time to rest after such a hike.

Like many despots the ex regent had built the facility within spitting distance of the nearby city to prevent bombing of the buildings. Even if someone could get a lock on any of the buildings it wasn't always clear whether or not there were any stores of the biogenic weapons inside that could spill out to the city. It was a disgusting tactic that the sergeant knew was particularly effective.

"And now we're going to let it bite you in the ass Nassuc." The sergeant said with a smile.

"How so?" Yamada asked as he moved next to him and peered through his own binoculars.

"Nassuc's forces moved into that base almost immediately after we took it and started producing their own bioweapons. As of yet they haven't used any of them but I'm sure it'll be a matter of time before she wants to increase the size of her little empire. The people of that city don't like being used as human shields for toxic gases and their ire goes to whomevers flag is flying overhead. That's Nassuc's and with the cost of a few small explosions and some propaganda by our very own church it won't take long before those people would like nothing else than to throw out the whole factory." The sergeant said with a smile.

"But what if we rupture one of the storage containers?" Yamada asked.

"Then we'll likely all die but the point will be seen as the same." The sergeant replied, "I doubt that will happen though. We're not here to destroy, just put on a show for the local population. In and out before our little noise makers get noticed. Then fly on back to the base for the next operation."

"What about the other forces out there?" Yamada asked.

"Nassuc may have wanted to betray us but she didn't plan for it very well." He said, "We had forces all over this world and the others. When the signal for the betrayal came through almost all of them were able to get out and head into hiding before the general's own forces knew what was going on. Now we're fighting a shadow war and making it impossible for her to turn her attention to domestic matters. Combine that with the growing imperial faith and she's going to be fixing this planet for well over the two month window we're working in. It's our job to make that work she's doing impossible to finish."

"Well sounds like overtime for us then." Yamada quipped.

"Only in death does duty end." The sergeant said with a smile.

Southern peninsula

Palamar's third moon

Ulthra valley

Rok'Nar gripped his bat'leth closer to his body as he felt his bloodlust grow. He and his men had been assigned to one of the Imperial guard units tasked with engaging the approaching convoy in close combat. They had been waiting in the brush for the better part of an hour now and he knew his men were not likely to remain calm for much longer.

He looked over at the guardsmen and saw the same desire to engage as his own. He suspected it was far more likely due to them wanting to end the waiting rather than the desire to enter glorious close combat with the enemy. The only one he saw of the humans who composed himself well was one who wore a different uniform than the others.

His entire outfit was a black and silver combination topped with a large cap donned upon his head. The man kneeled in the brush like the rest of them but somehow managed to not only keep most of his coat and gear from touching the ground without moving a single inch despite his awkward position. Rok'Nar couldn't help but feel uneasy around him. He and his warriors had the presence of those that killed in glorious combat. The man next to him had a different feel, it reminded him more of a murderer than a warrior.

His musings came to an end as the convoy moved in range. A large formation it held troops in front backed by a tank that had some form of anti gravity device that allowed it to float over the terrain. The supply convoy was located in the middle protected by several men in heavy armor wearing far more intimidating weapons than those in the front. It was followed by another tank and infantry regiment bringing up the rear.

Two explosions rocked the valley as both tanks went up in flames. Two columns of smoke leading away from them gave away the location of the two missile launchers. Both infantry formations began unleashing a torrent of laserfire towards the location of the heavy weapons. Rok'Nar heard more explosions from the front and back but didn't care to pay attention as his legs launched him out of the brush with his men. Shouting a battle cry he charged the nearest heavy infantry.

Bringing his bat'leth down in a wide arc he felt it bite into the man's shoulder. His muscles bulged as he then ripped the blade downwards and let it saw it's way deeper towards his chest before pulling it free. Bringing it's hilt up he smashed it into the man's visor and knocked him backwards bleeding and confused. His next swing was aimed squarely at the man's neck and in his stunned state the man was unable to even resist as the metal cleanly cut off his head.

"Come warriors! It's time for glory!" He screamed before charging the next man.

This one was ready leveling his gun at Rok'Nar. He would have gotten a shot off if his weapon hadn't been shot out of his hand by a fellow Klingon. Rok'Nar took advantage of the man's unuseable weapon by swinging his Bat'leth into the man's side feeling it wedge inside him. With his weapon now held in place he let go of the blade and grasped the man's helmet with his bare hands. A quick turning motion and he felt the next snap and the man's body go limp. Grabbing his blade he placed a boot onto the man's chest and pulled the bloody weapon free.

Looking up he saw the rest of his men engaging the heavy infantry. What caught his attention was the leader of the imperials. He had managed to keep his coat almost spotless despite the wait in the brush. The man was walking amidst the battle casually shooting anyone that got too close to him. Rok'Nar was almost impressed by the casual way he moved about the battle. He seemed more like a man on a stroll than someone in a pitched battle.

Within the next minute the rest of the guards were dead and Rok'Nar had to tally up how many of his own men died in the firefight. He was pleased with the single digit number that came back to him. While he knew the battle would barely earn him a ditty much less an epic sonnet it was still a good fight. He watched as the guardsmen commandeered the convoy carrying the supplies. They would take the supplies back to his ship then they would spend the rest of the day carrying those supplies to the various other outposts and locations for the rest of the imperial forces.

While he hated acting as a supply runner he was knowledgeable enough about war to know it was a boring yet necessary task. Far too often he saw battles lost because supply runners and their guards would leave their routes to engage an enemy bait. The result was always a trap and the battle would always be lost because his people couldn't be bothered to do their job. He appreciated the Imperial's organization which allowed him and his men to blow off some steam during these raids.

He couldn't help but smile, his decision to back these new strangers was paying off far more than he ever could have hoped. The strangely dressed imperial still unnerved him however.

Third Planet of the Palamar system

The third planet of Palamar had no formal name. During the long war between the regent and general Nassuc it had been taken over and renamed dozens of times as both parties constantly tried to control the planet. If one was to ask either of them they would likely have said it carried the name they gave it, if one was to ask the people living on it they would likely have explained to you how much they don't give a shit. It didn't help that most people on the planet were far too busy trying to stay alive during the constant shelling and bombing.

The planet itself was unintresting in most regards. A small world, standard atmosphere, and few hardy plants that survived the constant warfare. What made it so contested was it's position as the gateway to it's moons. Each moon was a treasure trove of resources that was still highly concentrated despite the near constant war and mining each side tried to do. Their abundance was due to the fact that whoever controlled the planet controlled access to the moons.

Orbital guns, gravimetric field distorters, planetside tractor beams, and defense shields meant that you had to control the planet before you could gain access to the materials located in the moons. Even now with the regent killed and Nassuc in control of Palamar prime it was still contested by the regents still loyal armies. While Nassuc's forces held the advantage and weapons the ex regents forces still fought on. Fighting was constant and fierce and the only sign that things had changed was the people opposing the general were doing so on their own.

Rut almost felt like he was back on his adopted home of Cadia as he watched the patrols going in and out of one of the massive planetary gun emplacements. He and his squad of Kasrkin had been hiding in the cliffs overlooking the base for a day now. Rut's eyes had been watching and studying it for any weakness they could exploit that would allow them access to the gun itself.

The betrayal had been as well organized as he had expected with his own troops devastating the squadron assigned to them. From what he had seen of the Palamar military he wasn't impressed for a moment. Even here amidst this planet of war they were soft and weak. He saw that none of them truly had the resolve to chose to live their lives on a planet of war and to him both sides were guilty of letting it continue for so long.

Rut planned on making sure at the end of two months there would be no drawn out war over this planet, "Wadda we got?" He asked his second.

"Looks like no easy way in boss." Castella said.

She was his second in command and the face of the squad. He ran the missions and led the squad, she planned the missions and dealt with people that would be offended by his feral nature. She could have been promoted up the chain of command several times but refused. Rut assumed it was to stay with the squad. To this day he didn't understand why beyond that, but knew there were many things he didn't understand.

He licked his teeth and felt the sharpened edges scrape against his tongue. Unlike her he was a low born feral man to many people. Taken from his home and thrown into the war hell of Cadia he found a home in the melee and combat. When he was assigned Castella he assumed it would be for a time before she, like dozens of others, moved on and left the hell he lived in. He wasn't sure how many seasons it had been since they first met but he appreciated her and her ability to deal with the people who wanted order more than results.

"Good, knocking onna front door is fun." Rut said with a smile.

"I said there were no easy ways in. The front door is not one of them. There's a pumping station for the bases sewers a few miles away. If we can get in there we could likely make it into the base via the pipe systems for the guns coolant chambers." Castella replied.

Rut looked at her for a moment as he processed what she said before replying, "Water pump cooling thing… won't that make us into stew before we get in?" He asked.

"Unlikely, the ex-regents forces don't have any ships so the gun itself will idle for the foreseeable future which means the water won't be cooling the gun nearly as much." She replied, "Also if we're quick about it we should be able to get out before it boils us alive."

"Gun no fire, water not hot, sneak in when they don't look?" He asked going over the plan in his mind.

"Yeah, once we're in we set the bombs and get out through one of the gates." She added.

"Get in truck and quiet out. Got it." Rut said.

He slipped on his rifle and helmet and headed back into the caves that dotted the area around the gun. As the two of them moved other Kasrkin's from his squad joined up and confirmed what Castella had told him. The easiest way in was the coolant system and that was a lot easier a target to attack than the base itself.

Visualizing the task at hand was easy for Rut. Talking to his troops about it was the hard part. He was able to learn and adapt to many of the imperial guard tactics, strategies and techniques but the imperial common language always dragged him down. Combat and orders were something that he could act on and learn through actions. Words were just that to him. Lines upon lines of shapes that confused him more often that not. Castella helped him with his learning but it was a long slow process that wasn't helped by him having to learn another language now that there were here.

As he looked down upon the pumping station he saw Castella's assessment of the situation was correct. The pumping station was riddled with holes they could use for any sort of approach. Looking at the base he began seeing the path they could take to get inside the facility and to the main water lines. It had to be a stealth mission or the enemy would likely be able to kill them all at any point in time once the mission began. The key to taking out the planetary gun was the ability to remain undetected.

"Two sundowns, then we move." He said looking down at the station.