The Dancer Prince
Chapter 6

Written by Ambassador Yrishna Wolf


The task force of forty vessels rested at full stop within the electrocutive nebula as outside the nebula, fightercrafts in time-shift patrolled the area making sure no Royalist vessel would appear. The fightercraft carrier that laid in the center of this task force was the flagship of the Segan Popular Union, here to bring a quick end to this long-lasting half year long civil war. In front of the fightercraft laying in a triangular defensive pattern were fifteen heavy destroyers of the Mary-Rosbourg class. The vessels, powerful, even if they were starting to show their age, had long been prepared for the forthcoming battle. The massive fightercraft carrier remained oblivious as well to the fifteen light cruisers that formed a rectangular defense perimeter, with ten heavy battleships flanking the fightercraft carrier with a clear intent on making sure nothing touched the fightercraft carrier. The Arcathia, the name of the fightercraft carrier, was named after a miraculous battle during the First Great War against the Carnians. Now, the ship bearing the name of the Battle of Arcathia, would also be a history maker of its own. Within the bridge of the magnificent ship-of-the-line, on the center chair sat the emboldened Vladimir Rosbourg. Vladimir stared at the front screen, seeing the lighting bolts striking dangerously close to his capital ships.

As he heard the whispering of the Styx Arch-Achroid in his head, Vladimir knew the Styx were growing increasingly impatient. Vladimir allowed a sigh of nervousness and discomfort exit through hs mouth. The Styx had promised his people death if they didn't engage in war against the Segan Monarchy, and he knew he couldn't face a Styx massacre of his people. It had boiled down to numbers, the Styx were more numerous and the Selevenar Alliance of Powers nicely tucked in behind the Segan Monarchy wouldn't have lifted a finger to help. Vladimir knew of this, the Rosbourg family back at Chinon would have cheered at the thought of an external power exterminating the "Segan Rebels" which had threatened the illegitimate stability of the Monarchy. As all these thoughts melded in his mind and interracted with one another, his anger rose. Years of intolerable violations by the Segan Monarchy would be repaid, maybe the Styx had forced him to take these course of actions, but he was sure glad. Had they sat and waited, the Monarchy would have grown strong again, and that was inacceptable. This, was the only way, and they were hours away from succeeding. His anger had grown, and at its fever pitch, it caused the Styx Arch-Achroid's command to sound even louder... "Finish this."

"All ships, move out of the nebula and initiate Operation Annihilate 01," Vladimir's voice ordered calmly, he quickly felt the ship moving... this was it, the attack was beginning.

The nebula parted like a dust cloud as ship after ship poured out of it. The defensive network of the entire system flashed for a moment and then deactivated, the Chinon star system stood defenseless as forty enemy vessels prepared for their assault on the new homeworld of the Segan Monarchy. The Prime Minister, whom had been awaiting the arrival of these vessels, stood in triumph on the balcony of the second floor of the Chinon Royal Council District. His people had arrived to sabotage the Chinon start system's extensive defense batteries, and they had arrived to do it undetected. In space, Vladimir's task force assumed high orbit of the defenseless Chinon, there were no ships to answer Chinon's distress calls, even if it could send them. The entire Chinon star system now knew of the traitor in their midst. There were only a few people with the kind of access it would take to deactivate all the defensive and communications batteries of this star system, and even fewer with the motivation to do it. Prime Minister Defont didn't worry, however, he knew the SPU would come out victors in this battle. Word spread quickly in Chinon of the enemy force in high orbit. It had reached the Palace within minutes, and already servants and guardsmen prepared to mount a defense if the Dauphin Crown Prince so ordered it.

The rain had stopped pouring over the palace long ago, and the lingering smell of drying rain was supreme in the Palace gardens. Inside however, no one had stopped to notice the beauty nature was producing in the midst of this "foreign" invasion. High above, from Vladimir's task force, fightercraft squadrons could be seen descending upon the main cities of Chinon. The guns which were meant to repel these squadrons had been silenced by treacherous sabotage, which had secured the mother of all wins. Soon, hovertanks too were being dropped from the support vessels, an entire army was descending upon the planet unchallenged. Deep inside the palace, His Majesty the Dauphin Crown Prince Youri Rosbourg stared with a lost gaze from his second floor quarters. He looked down at the courtyard, a sense of dispair falling fully upon him as he realized the magnitude of the defeat, which had fallen upon him. He had never wanted the task at hand, much less wanted it at age 17, but now that he had been given it, he had failed miserably. He had failed miserably in his task of defending a 10,000 year old legacy. He also had failed miserably in the task of honoring his father's, the Chilam's honor. A small tear formed from the tear duct, running down his cheek, his lost created a huge knot in his stomach.

The Ghost Fleet was composed of two vessels, the Clarel Class Heavy Destroyer which was fast and mobile, extremely agile and extremely hard to detect. Supporting the Clarel Class Heavy Destroyer were the Selevenar Class Heavy Battleship, whose superior firepower and strength made them capable of taking care of a Federation Pacifica Class battleship or a IAP Cunningham Class battleship with relative ease. The Ghost fleet, all vessels member of it, had dissappeared mysteriously following the conclusion of the final battle that had driven the Styx Syndicate and Consortium out of the Milky Way Galaxy. However, despite this fact, there were several government agencies which had gotten their hands "in various ways" of the technical specifications needed to make the Clarel Class Heavy Destroyer. Amongst them was the Royal Legionaries, whom had sat quietly watching the civil war unravel. Now, seeing it almost ended, the Legionaries chose this, amongst all times to act. The Clarel Class Heavy Destroyer remained in high orbit as well as a cloaked shuttle escaped from its shuttlebay, heading for the palace with its precious cargo, time was of the essence. The shuttle sped past the invasion force unnoticed, the plan was succeeding... so far.

"Prime Minister Defont," Vladimir Rosbourg's voice sounded through the intercom, as he watched the percentage increase slightly, "The invasion is 37% completed. We wish to congratulate you for a job well done."

"Thank you, your majesty," The Prime Minister glanced over as around him the Royal Council awaited the arrival of the invading force, "I am glad you were able to arrive here in time."

"It was no trouble, no trouble at all," Vladimir answered, looking over and smiling still unbelieving that they really had done it.

Youri had barely noticed the shuttle that had landed in front of the palace walls, and taken off just as soon as four people had been dropped off. The doors to his quarters opened to reveal his grandmother, the Reverend Queen followed by his cousin who looked surprisingly just like him. He looked at his grandmother questioning, he hadn't seen Edward Defont in a very long time, and now he was here when it was most strategic not to be here. Edward was wearing clothes that were not indicative of his rank either, and Youri's eyes bulged when he began to undress. The Reverend Queen nodded for Youri to do the same, not a word was exchanged as they switched clothes. Youri was even more surprised, Edward looked exactly like him, there was no difference to be noticed. It was the result of many, many years of breeding amongst the Defont, Rosbourg, and Denmont families that had allowed for this miracle to occur.

"You're right Edward, this plan will work," The Reverend Queen spoke, as she walked out.

"Edward, it is good to see you," Youri looked, "What are we doing?!?"

"We're making sure you survive, cousin," Edward looked over the window," They will arrive soon, you should go somewhere else in the palace, we can't get you out, they'll notice the transporter signal, in any case, it is better that you stay here."

Youri was escorted out of his chambers as Edward practiced speaking in Youri's voice. Youri looked back, as Edward looked into his eyes. Something was up, but he couldn't place his finger on it. As he looked outside, he could see there was no time at all. The crash of the gates as they were forced onto the ground was loud and deafening. Hovertanks, carrying the flags of the Segan Popular Union rushed onto the palace courts, as troops began to pour out onto the palace's gardens. The flag of the Segan Monarchy was unceremoniously lowered, as a white flag was raised in its place. The civil war, for all intent and purposes had just been won by the Segan Popular Union. Edward's training, however, paid off quite well and the entire exchange had been completed without a hitch. Now, Edward thought, all Youri needed to do was survive in time for the counter-assault.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"We, the people of the Segan Monarchy, combine together to congratulate our victorious troops! The Segan POPULAR Union has succeeded in doing what we all thought impossible a decade ago. Thanks to the support of the Royal Council, our Prime Minister, and the Segan People, we can confirm now that our mandate has succeeded! It was our faith in the Quadaz, our faith in Segan law that made all of this possible! It was possible thanks our ships, our guns, but it was only possible thanks to our people. We are one again, one nation, one mind, one voice. The Segan Monarchy has been hurt, we've been hurt by the Styx, we've been hurt by the Intergalactic Alliance of Powers, and we've been hurt by Youri Rosbourg's campaign against our people! We will take revenge now upon what has been done to us. The Segan POPULAR union is popular not just with our soldiers, but also with you! We will continue to represent our interests in the Intergalactic Alliance of Powers, we will continue to represent our interests in the Selevenar Alliance of Powers, and most important of all, we will continue to rebuild what has been destroyed. We will not arrest any of you for your actions, we know that it was Prince Youri Rosbourg who put you all up to this and he will be taken care of...within the bounds of the law. We will be sure to make our Segan Monarchy, a happy Monarchy! Salve, peace and may the Quadaz be with all of us!" Vladimir Rosbourg finished his speech elated, but he knew many were watching, he had a job to do now, ensure the Monarchy united, survived.