Jakri, a world featuring many vast jungles and trees. Cities dotted by step pyramid structures. Despite their primitive outward appearance, this species was advanced. A race of reptilian warriors with an interstellar empire of their own. Their own slave species used for either manual labor or for warriors to augment their own strength. Truly a worthy adversary in their own right, even if they were not the Vortians.
Campaign progress was slow but steady against the Jakriks, cities fell, queens and their kings killed defending their palaces, warriors of many species lay dead on the field along with Irken. Among the most devastating was General Vaukt and his own most trusted loyalists sowing chaos in fully enclosed power armor. Death and destruction, even to some heavier armored members of the Jakrian warriors who clearly saw service abroad in the galaxy.
Meanwhile, far away from the action, Zha, Saro, and others of the Elite and Trooper command staff continued on with their work. Major General Inz was still acting as Saro's understudy, much to her dismay. Everything was proceeding as normal before the door whisked open and entering the room was none other than the Supreme Commander himself, flanked by High Marshal Xilch.
Amidst conversation with Saro, Inz, and a handful of others, the sudden parting of the airlock to the CIC caught the High Marshal's attention in her peripheral view. Looking up, she noted the uniforms, adornments, and then the faces matching them. Her attention fully grasped and lime-green eyes widened in surprise.
"...Supreme Commander Grimm, High Marshal Xilch…" Zha opened, shaking off the surprise as she regained her composure, rounding the holomap table to greet them. "An unexpected surprise. I was not notified you would be paying us a visit. To what do we owe the honor?"
Grimm simply shot a glance at Xilch, "Do you want to tell them or should I?"
Inz, meanwhile, eyed the two. What was the Supreme Commander and director of IIA doing this far out?
Xilch did not immediately respond. Her icy glare remained fixated on Zha unkindly as her wrist lifted. A handful of haptic interface taps later, the airlock parted once more. This time, nearly two dozen IIA Troopers in full combat gear stormed into the open expanse of a room. The commotion of metallic boots hurriedly moving across the deck, clatter of equipment and weapons, and the shifting of armored plating saw Zha, Inz, Saro, and several others at the map table quickly surrounded. The IIA officers' rifles rose, trained on each of them, laser designator sights dancing across their persons.
Zha, taken back by this sudden display of force, was wise to keep her hands aloft. That did not stop her initial indignation and confusion.
"W-what's the meaning of this?!"
"High Marshal Zha of the Imperial Troopers, you are under arrest by the authority of Internal Affairs." Xilch calmly issued, procuring a pair of restraints from her belt.
Her confusion was quickly replaced with anger at Xilch's audacity. Openly, before her entire command staff and bridge crew? An obvious attempt at public defamation, regardless the supposed infraction.
"On what ground?!" She snarled in demand. "I have been nothing but compliant with your people and the Imperial Standard!"
"Obstruction of an ongoing investigation." The IIA High Marshal uttered soundly, stepping forward. "You and your command staff are to be relieved of duty until further notice pending the outcome of this investigation."
Zha's face twisted into one of incredulous disbelief, gesturing to the map.
"Have you blown a fuse in your PAK?! I am in the middle of a campaign, Xilch!"
"Turn around and place your hands behind your back, High Marshal. I will not ask for your compliance again."
Her veiled threat punctuated with a draw of her holstered sidearm, held in her hand at her side, yet to be raised. Zha looked to Grimm, dumbfounded. What had gotten into her? What was going on?
"I have obstructed nothing. We are fully committed on Jakri an-"
Zha's explanation was cut short by the backhanded stroke of the heel of Xilch's drawn pistol to the side of her jaw. A stunning, bloodied blow that sent her to a knee and spun about, duty cap knocked from her head to the deck, and a pair of IIA troopers swooping in to disarm and detain her to be cuffed.
Inz saw Saro spring for his own pistol at the sight of Zha struck by Xilch, quickly wrestling with the shorter man for his weapon. Both Irken inadvertently struck the console that opened a comm line to Vaukt with a hot mic as the two fought and the scene played out behind them as Inz wrestled with him.
"A little help here!" Inz called for the assistance of some IIA troopers.
As requested, a handful of Xilch's officers sprung into action. Easily overpowering the lone Saro and stripping him of his weapon, his troubles earned him a buttstroke of a rifle to the midsection to knock the wind from his spooch and another across the face. Winded and dazed in a matter of moments, his legs were kicked from beneath him and taken to the deck face-first with officers on his back and restraints being applied.
Inz's relief was just as quickly cut short as she was forcibly spun about and face slammed into the map table as restraints were placed on her as well. The entire command staff present was subject to Xilch's summary arrest. Detain now, ask questions later.
"High Marshal-" Inz huffed, held down on the map table. "I have no involvement in whatever is going on with this! These people are running some wild command here. They countermanded orders for me to relieve Major General Saro months ago." She didn't sound pleading but indignant at her ongoing situation. "Inner coat pocket, you'll find my orders to replace Captain Saro on High Marshal Zha's command staff."
"Bring her here." Xilch ordered, the two IIA officers dragging Inz away from the table until she was within arm's reach to have her lapel unkindly folded over and the supposed documentation snatched from within. "...so it seems, Major General…but your involvement is for me to determine. Not you."
The High Marshal's head tipped behind her from where they came.
"To the ship. Secure the others for transport."
"Yes, High Marshal." One of them nodded beneath his helmet, moving accordingly with Inz.
"Wha- Hey! I'm telling the truth! I was following orders!" She pleaded, being drug off.
Xilch, unphased by her begging, watched as Saro and the others were given a similar treatment despite their varying levels of compliance. None dared question or defy Internal Affairs. She turned to address the remaining staff of the vessel, Captain included.
"Until my investigation is concluded, Supreme Commander Grimm of the Irken Elite has been appointed in High Marshal Zha's stead. The campaign of Jakri will continue accordingly beneath his command. Nothing else changes, do not speak of what you witnessed unless you wish to join them for interfering with my investigation. Am I made clear?"
The room remained in stunned silence. None dared speak up.
"Silence is to be taken in the affirmative. Very well." Grimm adjusted his coat and stepped forward. "First, tell that idiot Vaukt I'm revoking his right to command in the field and I want his c'hurta back here, immediately. Second, progress reports, I want them now." The Supreme Commander clapped. "Make it happen, people."
Grimm looked at Xilch with a grin. "Excellent work. I wish you the best of luck on this investigation bearing fruit."
The High Marshal of Internal Affairs spared Grimm the briefest of smirks before composing herself professional once more. There was much to do and time of the essence.
"Likewise, Supreme Commander. May you never find yourself in a similar predicament as your predecessor has. May you find victory here. Glory to the Empire."
Vaukt listened in on what transpired, his mic and that of his team muted in stunned shock. The power armored Irken looked between each other for several moments after Grimm issued his orders. His dearest Zha taken from him by IIA…a boiling rage in him had to be stifled to prevent him from acting.
"General Vaukt, you're hereby ordered to return to the command ship immediately."
First thing's first, he needed to figure out what's going on.
"Tell Zha I'm busy."
"Zha's been relieved of command, Sir."
"On whose authority?"
"Internal Affairs, Sir. Supreme Commander Grimm is now in charge of the campaign and he demands you return forthwith. He's revoking your privileges on commanding in the field."
"I don't give a damn what that idiot says about my privileges. This is my branch I will command as I best see fit for the end goals of the Empire."
"High Marshal Xilch made it explicitly clear prior to her departure that the next orbital bombardment will target your coordinates if you do not comply, Sir. I…don't think its up for debate."
"Perhaps then the High Marshal would then like to explain to the Control Brains why the war is going badly with no real head of SpecOps and be reprogrammed to nothing, hm?"
"That…is not within my scope of authority, General. Only relaying the message. I can only make educated recommendations and my current one would be to recall your team and speak with the Supreme Commander in short order."
"Tell that fool if it's so important he can call me himself. I'm busy trying to win a war here."
A scuffle of auditory scratching from equipment being moved about and a microphone adjusted on the other end could be heard.
"Vaukt? Grimm. I am not in the mood for your obstiance. I am trying to be courteous and speak with you before taking action. Return to the fleet. We have much to discuss if you want Jakri to remain on schedule. Your team can remain on-task, but you need to return. Now."
"My team isn't going anywhere without me, I need to be here to make tactical decisions. You know how this works. I need to know why Zha isn't in charge anymore."
"That is what the chain-of-command is for. I will tell you in-person. This is not a topic to discuss over the radio for obvious reasons, no matter the level of security. Recall your team. End of discussion."
Another shuffling clatter of operators being exchanged followed.
"General? The General Cirn is positioning itself over your team in low-orbit…I…don't think it's wise to call his bluff, Sir."
"I'm calling it. Maybe the Supreme Commander doesn't know this so I'll enlighten him. I've documented every single one of his shortcomings over his years in command. It's linked to a deadman switch hooked directly to my vital signs. I die, his entire service record gets broadcasted across the Empire."
What if it's real? Is Grimm really that intent? Two political machinations coming together in a collision? Change of strategy.
"Tell you what, I'll compromise. I get the subject matter of why Zha isn't in command, my team and I will come back. How about that?"
"Pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. I can't say more. Please, sir."
Tense seconds of time passed. The cruiser up above charging its guns. He was serious So a prison break would be the outcome? He needed transit.
"Fine, my team are headed back to the Conventia and our frigate will come link up with the battleship."
"Yes, Sir, understood. You are preemptively cleared to dock per Supreme Commander Grimm's request."
"Fine, out." The guns energy up above dissipated as he signaled his team to start heading back.
"General, what is this? What's going on?" One of his officers asked.
"I don't know. But no matter what, no surrendering your arms or your armor once we're aboard. Stay together. I need to feel out what's going on and develop a plan. If we need to, we'll shoot our way out, but that's a last resort. I intend to walk off the ship and track down wherever they've taken Zha and the others."
"Understood, sir, you have our support."
Vaukt, in the meantime, sent a message across his encrypted channel to his own loyalists. A simple "Be alert for updates." If he needed to tell his assets to go into the wind, he needed them prepared for the eventuality.
Grimm may have only expected one man on the bridge, but instead he got an entire spec ops team in power armor, none daring to lower their helmets, still armed, Vaukt included, though who he was proved obvious with the General insignia on his pauldrons. He seemed incredibly unamused as he held his assault rifle at the trail in his left hand.
"Some real nerve you got, you know that?" Instigation. Make him think nothing's changed.
The Supreme Commander tempered his own rise in agitation for a change. Equal parts several months of brooding and his own personal life changes having a great deal of influence. Unexpected as his team's arrival was, it was unsurprising involving Vaukt and his everlasting paranoia.
"Believe it or not, I am equally as surprised as you are." He earnestly began. "I had been appointed command of the Tallest Miyuki and yet to receive campaign orders. Badly as I wished to return to the front, in the High Marshal's stead was not what I wanted."
He paused, considering his words as he placed his hands behind his back.
"I wished to speak with you to ensure as little disruption of the campaign as possible because of these unexpected events. You are the resident expert here now, after all. I spent a great deal of time…humbling myself, Vaukt. I don't expect you to take that for face value but at least allow me the opportunity, would you?."
"First of all, why I wasn't told this in the field defies all expectations. You could've told me this over the secure channels for this campaign."
"Certainly, I could have. An extra precaution to not take any chances on our behalf. Your branch specializes in disrupting communications and listening in on enemy traffic. The same can always be used against us. Last thing these cretins need is a morale boost discovering the command staff of the campaign decimating their world was relieved of command…and before you ask, High Marshal Xilch did not make it prudent to me as to why specifically. Only that she and her subordinates have been in obstruction of an ongoing investigation. I wish I could tell you more."
"The second thing, orbitally bombarding my position. Really?"
"The High Marshal's idea, I assure you…she is aware of how…stubborn you are and needed to motivate you. Let's be honest, Vaukt…you would have told me to "go fuck myself" if we're to use colorful Vortian language…but now that you are here, we have a job to do and a planet to finish conquering."
"You're right, I would tell you to go fuck yourself." Vaukt's armored head nodded. "Just like I'm highly considering telling you right now. Your idea, Xilch's, I hardly give a flying fuck. One of you two idiots tried to kill me and that makes me very hardly inclined to help you. If anything maybe I should pass it onto Burgg how you two like derailing campaigns and killing your own allies while I'm at it."
"Oh, come now…" Grimm chuckled despite Vaukt's threats. "You know me well enough by now that if anyone wanted you dead, it would have happened already. You and I have had our differences in the past. I am here to work alongside you to ensure victory…"
He paused, opening his overcoat wide intentionally so Vaukt could clearly see he wasn't reaching for a weapon, but instead a small dataslate. Retrieve it from his pocket, he tossed the device for Vaukt to catch.
"...as for your concerns in filing complaints to the Warmaster or the Tallest…this should allay them."
He looked the contents over…and suddenly he was glad he had his armor on.
Tuu…that bastard. He warned Amka, but not well enough. Now it came back to bite them all. Nossa as well…should've banished her to Dirt long ago. If only she weren't so good at her job.
Armored optics leveled at Grimm as he threw the dataslate aside without a word. What could he even say?
Grimm's visible brow furrowed at his display, confused.
"Something wrong, Vaukt? I simply wanted you to be aware of why the High Marshal was relieved of command so we may smooth things over and proceed accordingly."
"This is about the Shadow Strikers. It has nothing to do with her."
"So I have been made aware…but as you read, that team may serve the Tallest, but they are still part of Special Operations. Internal Affairs, as we are both aware, are typically prohibited from meddling in Special Operations for a myriad of reasons. Mostly because it would be impossible for you to do your jobs without facing constant punishment and harassment for it."
The Supreme Commander paused, slowly walking towards the thrown dataslate to retrieve it.
"For the High Marshal of Internal Affairs to petition the Control Brains with the Almighty Tallests' endorsement for an exception to the Imperial Standard for her investigation…something must truly be afoul. You're in the dark as much as I am. I was quite literally drug along from the bridge of my vessel and unable to pack my things. I'll have to send for them soon."
A likely story if there ever was one.
"Well, then perhaps you won't mind working with the dynamic duo that is Major General Sko and Major Kiz again. If this is as important as you say it is then clearly I have my own investigation to head up. The head of the Invaders and an Invader officer coordinating SpecOps from here should be more than sufficient for the campaign."
"Of course not. My only regret was how Vylat fell through and we were unable to work more closely together." The Supreme Commander obliged. "...as for taking on your own personal project, I advise against it. Whatever level of obstruction Zha was or was not guilty of saw her relieved of command. We don't need other high-ranking officials meeting a similar fate…but this is only a suggestion."
"You've brought that grave matter back to my attention. I filed the report yet it wasn't followed up on. So I have to do it myself, clearly, like everything else I want done right." Vaukt started stepping back towards the door. "The Empire's security does come first, does it not?"
"That it does. The past several months have been…chaotic to say the least for all parties involved." Grimm summarized, gesturing to Vaukt. "Whatever it is you need to straighten out, follow up with me, would you? I am serious about having a better working relationship with you. Whatever I can do to assist, let me know."
"Right." The behavior from Grimm was enough to throw his paranoia meter as he turned and left the bridge with his team. He was in on this, surely the mastermind or a pawn in the scheme by Xilch. Whichever it was, he was certain they were hot on his heels. Getting far away from Jakri was the first priority. Back on the Conventia, the frigate decoupled from the ship and headed off for elsewhere in the Empire.
Helmet retracted and sitting at a console on the bridge, Vaukt sent an immediate urgent hail to the Shadow Strikers on one of their encrypted channels, hoping Vult or Corr would be readily available to pick up on the other end.
A handful of rings over the connection concluded before the popping hiss of static and a crystal clear image of Vult appeared. Clearly he had been roused from his bunk in a dead sleep, fatigued. Brow furrowed in confused annoyance beneath the glow of his desk lamp, his natural palm rubbed at his eyes.
"...Vaukt?" He peered groggily, wearing underclothes. "What is it?"
"Not good news in the least." He looked at the tired commander and his groggy girlfriend in the bed. "Sorry to wake you both from your slumber but we have a serious problem."
"Normal serious or more serious? Every problem involving us is serious."
"Greatest severity serious. Where's your team headed right now?"
Vult gave pause, fighting back a yawn as he attempted to wake up more with a shake of his head.
"Received orders to rendezvous with the Massive. New assignment from the Tallest most likely."
"Yeah, you're going to want to skip that meeting."
Vult's bleary, blue eyes blinked.
"...you want me to…skip a meeting and defy the orders of the Almighty Tallest?"
"Yes, yes I do. I'm certain we're all compromised. They just arrested Zha and her entire command staff not even an hour ago. I'm certain they're onto me because they're onto you."
That…was concerning. Equal parts concerning as it was troubling. The Commander, now sitting upright and about as wide awake as one could be with such shocking news, sat there in contemplative silence. So the inevitable was beginning to rear its head, fast quicker than any could anticipate.
"...not that I don't believe you, General…what does Zha's arrest have to do with you or us? I'm…not following IIA's logic. Did I miss something?"
"Not putting two in the back of Tuu's head is what. He spilled it to Invader Nossa about your PAK tampering. Nossa, who was working as an IIA mole."
"The smallest loose thread left and one of your Invaders pulled it free." He dejectedly spoke in a myriad of frustration and disdain for the supposed elite of elites in Special Operations. "...what makes you so certain that is what has happened? We've been preoccupied with our own assignments. You and Zha have been on the other side of the universe. What specifically has you so rattled?"
"Ever have Supreme Commander Grimm trying to be nice to you?"
"Personally? No…but he was pulled off-duty and placed under probation for almost six months. Anything is possible when faced with certain death."
"Very uncharacteristically so. Not to mention he was planning to orbitally bombard me personally if I refused to leave the field to meet with him personally. He said it was Xilch. I don't buy it for a second."
"...would you have left the field had he not?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
"So we both answered our own questions then." Vult attempted humor. "...you weren't picked up by IIA, nor were any of your subordinates. Why?"
"Our veil is only going to protect us for so much longer. They went to the Tallest with this information Tuu gave them. They petitioned the Control Brains, with the Tallests' own endorsement, for an exception to the Imperial Standard."
"I see…that is…concerning." Vult acknowledged, shaking his own stun at this revelation. Xilch was clearly not messing around and intent on uncovering whatever was going on by moving proverbial mountains to make it happen.
Hesa sat up, yawning and coming over, dressed in only her own underclothes. "Vult, come back to bed, will you?" A pause as she realized who was on screen. "…Oh…Oh hi Vaukt…"
"Hesa, I'm seeing more of you than I ever needed to."
"We were sleeping…"
"...Needless to say, I have a hunch that if you go meet with the Tallest, they're going to have you arrested and your team massacred."
"On what grounds? The uncorroborated statements of a former member of the team not spreading rumors out of spite?" Vult countered, the gears already turning. "Better yet, why aren't you on your way to Mirage to make your displeasure known? He's not untouchable anymore, remember? Not that I am encouraging harming him but scare him straight, if you will."
An exasperated sigh followed as Vult smoothed his antenna, one full and the half missing, back before speaking again.
"Regardless, I can't disobey direct orders from the Almighty Tallest, Vaukt. Especially not at this point in time. It's too suspicious."
"Actually I'm not on my way to Mirage's location. I'm putting distance between myself and Grimm. Going to try to comb the system discreetly for where they took Zha and the others. Might reach out to you know who." Vaukt sighed and shook his head, everything seemed to be going faster than he anticipated.
"Besides, I got my loyalists on Mirage going after a lost frigate." A small allusion to their planned false flag operation. "I would otherwise ask Amka to introduce Tuu to the finer points of an airlock but he's currently in no position to do so."
"Even so, the wrong sort of retaliatory action accelerators our undoing." Vult calmly reasoned, considering their options. "All I can ask of you is to not do anything drastic. Not until I have an opportunity to speak with the Tallest first. If what you say is true, everything will be left in your capable hands. Otherwise, deviation will attract more suspicion and justify IIA's actions to look closer."
"Fine. Just…be on your guard, especially if someone decides to start peering around your PAKs on that ship. I can give you until then, but I intend on busting Zha out of wherever she is."
"I'm always on my guard. It's why I'm still alive. Just don't do anything reckless and stupid. I get enough of that from my own team members."
"I'll save reckless and stupid until after my suspicions are confirmed."
Hesa yawned as she wrapped an arm around Vult. "They…they still didn't ask to see me personally for whatever reason did they? I worry because…well-"
"Because you're supposed to be a rotting corpse at Sub Zero Station?"
"Yes, that."
"All the more reason to stay on the ship." Vult added, turning his attention back to Vaukt. "I'll keep you posted unless you hear about our untimely demise first. I've got an emergency staff meeting to hold. I mean it, no heroics. You get yourself in a bind, I don't know you or why you're defying orders. Vult out."
The transmission severed, leaving Vaukt to his blank screen and thoughts.
Zha…his own plans, his troops….so many pieces left to acquire but time is running short. He may have to play with what he's acquired and dealt by the end of the defections. First thing's first, find Zha.