(Chapter IV: Mandalore's Banner)

USS Lagrange NCC-26374

The bridge was alive with activity. Federation crewers were manning various equipment stations recording and studying information. A young Andorian lieutenant looked up from a console and called for his captain's attention.

"Captain, the Cardassians are powering weapons and shields!"

Commander Khosk hurried over to the station. "Status of the Imperial ships?" Before the Lieutenant could answer, Aleksei walked over.

"Imperial doctrine requires shields and weapons to be powered at all times unless docked at an allied or Imperial port."

Ensign Robin Lefler spun around. "Captain Logan! Subspace rupture off our starboard nacelle! 400,000 kilometers!"

Captain Logan rushed over. "Status of that rupture!"

Ensign Lefler gulped. "Approaching rapidly!"

Sonya turned towards tactical. "Shields to maximum!"

The order had barely left her lips when a blast of energy consumed the Ambassador-class starship.

Maquis System

The Cardassian fleet fell into to the standard pyramidal attack formation and slowly advanced on the four Imperial warships standing between Legate Nakarn and the assault on Carter's World. Legate Nakarn leaned back in his command chair and grinned. His defeat of the Maquis and the Xindi would bring him great fame back on Cardassia Prime. More importantly, he wanted the enemy's command ship! Its size alone demanded awe.

A glinn manning the ships sensors looked up from his station. "Legate Nakarn, sixty ships have just dropped out of warp!"

Legate Nakarn dismissed the alert with a wave of the hand. "We still hold a large numerical advantage. Press the attack!"

In orbit behind the moons of the system's fourth orbital, dozens of TIE Fighters and bombers, sublight Bajoran Interceptors, Skipray Blastboats and Federation shuttlecraft activated their reactors and accelerated into the battle zone. The shielded Bajoran Interceptors, more closely related to the Imperial Skipray Blastboats than a true interceptor, took point followed closely by the TIE Bombers and torpedo armed Federation shuttles. The TIE fighters flew cover for the heavier ships. Blastboats and Bajoran Interceptors opened the battle with a barrage of concussion missiles and plasma torpedoes. TIE Bombers and Maquis shuttles followed quickly with a salvo of proton and photon torpedoes. Agile, delicate TIE fighters accelerated past the slower bombers and gunboats swarming Cardassian vessels that had been rendered defenseless by the sudden fighter attack. The fighter raid was a signal to the rest of the Imperial fleet to engage the enemy fleet. Broadside-cruisers and the twin Victory-class Star Destroyers fired off hundreds of concussion missiles. Xindi Insectoid cruisers, which appeared to many Imperial veterans of the Clone Wars as two oversized Vulture droids frozen in the act of mating, flew straight into the core of the Cardassian fleet. The Draconis, Unforgiving and Raven closed the distance and opened fire with their turbolaser batteries.

Then the true trap was sprung. Captain Falion smiled broadly as he ordered the gravity well generators to be activated. The mass shadow created by the Chapterhouse did not affect the ships of the Milky Way like it affected the ships of that galaxy far, far away. Instead of forcing the safeties on the enemy's navicomputers from activating and thus preventing the enemy vessels from jumping to hyperspace, the Interdictor's false gravity emitted a rare form of radiation that prevented the formation of a stable warp bubble. No matter the methodology behind the process, the end result was the same. The Cardassians could not use their faster than light drives to escape the Imperials. With a push of a button, the fates of 90,000 Cardassians were sealed.

Legate Nakarn struggled to his feet following a proximity detonation by a concussion missile. He glared at the image of the Imperial command ship filling his view screen. The Cardassian commander had only a moment to shout a Cardassian curse as his ship was destroyed by a heavy turbolaser bolt.

Vokar Nor

The Imperial fleet attacked Vokar Nor in two separate Fleet Elements. The first Fleet Element was composed entirely of Xindi Aquatic vessels. Eight of the massive Xindi-class Star Destroyers were escorted by twenty Xindi Aquatic scout ships. Cardassian Hediki fighters and Galor-class destroyers rushed to engage the Xindi force. Like their doomed compatriots attacking Carter's world, the Cardassians were not prepared to encounter the swarms of TIE fighters pouring out of the bellies of the Xindi Star Destroyers. Concentrated attacks from the Xindi Star Destroyers and TIE Bombers quickly dispatched the six Galors. As the TIE fighters dealt with the Hediki fighters, the Fafnir, Eriadu Citadel, Arcadian and Albion exited hyperspace and unleashed a furious barrage of turbolaser fire. In a blinding display of power, the Cardassian space station was utterly destroyed. The Imperial Fleet Elements jumped to lightspeed with barely any transmissions between the groups.

Drenok II

Drenok II had long served as the primary training and logistical base of the Cardassian Army. The world's varied topography helped hone the Cardassian Army into one of the finest ground forces in the Alpha Quadrant. Orbiting the planet was a small Naval base housing six Galor-class destroyers. The location of the planet was deep inside Cardassian space. An attack on this facility was unthinkable. This belief in the system's invulnerability had dulled the defending force's senses. The sudden appearance of six arrowhead shaped vessels was originally taken as a training exercise. That happy illusion was shattered by the locust-like swarm of small one manned fighters. The planet's defenses, realizing that this attack was no drill began to stir. Disruptor and photon torpedo fire lanced towards the approaching attackers.

Captain Paul Lewis stood proudly on the bridge of his Acclamator-II frigate. This was his first combat mission and excitement was surging through him. The small flotilla split into two groups, with the older Acclamator-I assault ships moving to launch their surface attack. A burst of enemy fire struck the bow shields of the Ghania and barely made a scratch. The defending starships rushed forward to engage the triumvirate of Imperial frigates.

The young captain turned towards his executive officer and smiled broadly. "No need for subtlety, target the closest Cardassian ship with every weapon we can bring to bear!"

The aging ship launched a pair of capital ship grade proton torpedoes at a rapidly approaching destroyer. The first torpedo's impact overloaded the enemy's shield and tore a wicked gash in the ship's starboard side. The second torpedo split the ship in two. The Day of Knight had positioned herself between two Cardassian warships and was decimating them with turbolaser and quadlaser fire. The Cardassian warships were outclassed, but fought ferociously. The three Acclamators did not escape with out damage, particularly the Dac Cyclone. The frigate had been too close to an exploding Galor-class and lost her shields. A second Cardassian destroyer fired a volley of torpedoes and disruptor bolts into the bow. Several turbolaser batteries were destroyed and a sizable portion of the hull was breached.

The second group of Acclamators had entered Drenok II's atmosphere launched the numerous LA/AT gunships from their cavernous bays. As the troop ships started initiating landing cycles, the Imperial ships came under heavy ground based disruptor fire. Though heavy in number, the shots could not penetrate the defenses of the invader's massive troopships. LA/ATs carrying squads of elite Stormtroopers had already taken out several of the heavy disruptors. The atmospheric gunships landed at several key strategic targets as the elite shock troops of the Empire fought against Cardassian defenders.

Armored Personnel Carriers rushed from the Cardassian bases with the mission goal of capturing the invader's ships while repelling the attacks. The APCs crested a hill and were greeted by the site of several armored behemoths. Imperial AT-AT and AT-TE walkers stomped forward firing their heavy lasers and mass drivers. The Cardassians outnumbered the Imperials by a sizable number. Though several APCs were destroyed, the survivors returned fire and attempted to close on the walkers in an attempt to get beyond the minimum range of the behemoths.

Gul Jenot winced as a mass driver slug from one of the six-legged walkers ripped apart another vehicle. Struggling to keep calm, he noticed a possible weakness in the large attack vehicles.

"Target the leg joints! Concentrate rocket and disruptor fire! It might be our only chance of stopping them!"

The troopers under his command responded quickly and opened fire on the nearest AT-TE's right front leg. The massive amount of disruptor and rocket fire destroyed the joint of the walker and caused it to collapse. The victory against the AT-TE was short lived. After the squat walker was felled, a group of S-1 and 2-M hovertanks rushed out of an Y85 Titan Dropship firing their heavy blasters.

Gul Jenot activated his subspace radio. "Attention soldiers of the 428th Mechanized Infantry Regiment! Fall back! Condition Bloody Waltz. I say again, Condition Bloody Waltz."

The soldiers under Gul Jenot's command began a withdrawal. Unfortunately, the combined fire of the super-massive AT-ATs, AT-TEs and Imperial hovertanks were decimating the Cardassians. Despite the horrendous casualties the 428th was taking, they still outnumbered the Imperial armored units by a margin of five to one. The numerical advantage was not lost on Glinn Hekun.

"Sir, we still have a numerical advantage! We should be attacking not retreating! If we charge the walkers…"

Gul Jenot's voice was deep in thought, planning his next move even while answering.

"I wish we could but those tanks are far superior to our own! I called for a Condition Bloody Waltz because of this situation. We're going to fight a guerilla campaign against them."

Glinn Hekun screamed. "But this is Cardassian soil! Our people have held this world for nearly 2,000 years! We can't let these invaders take hold of this world!"

"We won't! We'll make them pay for every centimeter! I swear I will fight them to my last breath!"

The Cardassian APC's top turrets swiveled 180 degrees and continued to fire in defiance. Several shots hit Imperial tanks, doing surprising damage. The Imperials may have repulsed the first Cardassian attack, but the battle for Drenok II was far from over.

Enclave System, Enclave Sector

A member of Moff Matale's staff entered the primary war room and stood at attention. The young man was waiting for a conversation between his Moff and Admiral Zel to finish. As the conversation died down, Moff Matale motioned him over.

"Yes, Tycis?"

"Sir, we have just received a report from all fronts. Captain Mindus reports that Vokar Nor has fallen. The ships under his command are awaiting orders."

Admiral Zel thought for a moment before answering. "Inform the good captain to hold position and await the arrival of the Lucrehulk assault freighter Tau-4. Once the Tau-4 arrives, a surface attack is to be launched."

"Also, we have received word that the assault of Drenok II has begun. The Gage reports that her ground forces have achieved a breakthrough and are pushing on the largest civilian population center of the southern continent. In Service Bound reports that the 22nd Telosian Heavy Armored Regiment repulsed a major attack on their position. Our counter attack captured the enemy's base of origin. Currently, we are in control of 10 of the planet's surface."

Moff Matale smiled. "Excellent! Status of the conflict in the Maquis Sector?"

Tycis nodded. "It is going well. We have suffered minimal losses to our Xindi and fighter units. Captain Seldi has reported that the 'Cardies' are attempting to retreat through an open corridor he left in his formation."

Moff Matale's eyes shot open wide. "What! I can't believe he would be so inco…"

Admiral Zel silenced the Moff with the wave of a hand. "It isn't incompetence, he has merely created the illusion that the enemy can escape. The Interdictor is still active. The Cardassians cannot escape."

USS Lagrange NCC-26374

The subspace shockwave had subsided and systems were beginning to come back online. Captain Logan frantically rushed about the bridge checking the status of her ship. Aleksei kneeled over a wounded crewmember. He knew his connection to the Force and abilities were weak. After wrapping a strip of fabric in an attempt to stop the bleeding, he reached out with the Force and tried to help keep the young Lieutenant from losing consciousness.

Commander Toron Khosk knelt beside the wounded crewer and scanned him with a tricorder.

"You shouldn't be conscious, Gren."

"I felt something… It was like a breeze at the back of my mind…"

Commander Khosk glared at Aleksei. "What are you doing?"

Aleksei stood up quietly. "I used the Force to keep him conscious."

The Tellarite looked away. "You can't really believe in that mystical garbage can you?"

"The basis of all things is faith."

Toron growled. "Mysticism has no place in this age."

Aleksei did not respond, but instead walked across the bridge to Captain Logan.

"Are you all right, Captain?"

Captain Logan looked up from her console. "I'm fine. How are you holding up?"

Aleksei took a deep a breath. "No problems. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nothing right now. If you will excuse me." Captain Logan smiled politely as she hurried around the bridge in an attempt to aid her ship. Aleksei Jakari knew that he was not very useful in this situation. Captain Jakari was completely unfamiliar with Federation technology. Also, his attempt to keep the Federation Lieutenant from losing consciousness had drained him mentally, physically and spiritually.

Maquis System, Maquis Sector

The Battle for Carter's World had been a bloody campaign. Cardassian losses were staggering. Maquis elements in the Imperium fleet estimated that Cardassian losses were nearly 80 percent. The Imperium's casualties were no where near as monstrous, but in certain areas were severe. Numerous fighters, bombers, Bajoran Interceptors, Federation shuttles and Raiders had been destroyed. Two Dozen Xindi Insectoid cruisers had also been destroyed. Imperial ships survived the battle largely unscathed, though there were notable exceptions. Sanction, a Broadside-class missile cruiser, was damaged in a shoot out with a Cardassian vessel and later destroyed when the same ship rammed her at maximum warp.

Captain Seldi stared out at the debris that littered the space of the Maquis system. Unit cohesion between the forces of the Imperium was better than he could have hoped. At times, it seemed unnatural. The Xindi, Maquis and Imperials had only entered this alliance a more than a standard month ago and already were carrying out joint missions. Jedi Master Tycho had once told Zev that there were no coincidences or luck. There was only the Force. Zev had never understood, or tried to understand, the mysteries of the energy that powered both the Jedi and Sith. He never doubted its existence or potency. Could this alliance, this Imperium, have a destiny? Could he?

"Excuse me, Captain Seldi." Commander Ro's voice shook him from his contemplations. He turned and nodded.

"Yes, Commander?"

Ro took a deep breath before speaking and allowed the pent up adrenaline to bleed off. "Sir, Admiral Zel has requested a report on our current situation."

"Very well. Damage and casualty reports?"

"Damage for the Draconis was minimal. The shields never dropped below eighty percent. Casualties for the fleet were moderate. The Xindi Insectoids and Bajoran Interceptors suffered the most casualties. TIE fighters and bomber losses were surprisingly low. It seems as if the Cardassians were completely unprepared for the use of large numbers of fighters. The Galors weren't designed to target small, agile craft."

"Thank you Commander. I will report our situation and relay our new orders when they are received."

Enclave system, Enclave Sector

The Gubernatorial aide entered the waiting area and nodded briefly in Ry Vaan's direction.

"Captain Vaan, the Provisional Council will see you now." Usually, being called captain was a sign of respect. The aide practically spat out the word. Ry Vaan's already negative opinion of Imperial bureaucrats continued to sink deeper into the pits.

"Thank you."

Ry Vaan had been elected leader of the Spacer's Guild. Normally, he would have been honored to become the head of such an organization. However, this 'honor' made him the point man for negotiations between the Empire and the small alliance of smugglers and independent freight jockeys. Usually, an Imperial Moff would try to overwhelm visitors with overt displays of wealth and power. Moff Matale had no opportunity for such tactics. The Imperial Enclave was struggling to establish itself, economically, politically and most importantly; militarily. Enclave was being bombarded by propaganda raging against the aggression and war crimes of the 'Cardassian Union' against the various sapient races of this new galaxy. The Guild wasn't buying into the propaganda. The Guild was buying into the business opportunities the current reality created. Guilders possessed the only privately owned hyperspace capable freighters and courier ships in this strange new galaxy. Whether the Imperials wanted to admit it or not, the Spacer's Guild could provide valuable services.

Moff Matale was seated behind his desk. The Moff looked as tired as some of the government types Ry had seen during the Clone Wars, but fatigue was a definitely visible on the Moff's face.

"Welcome, Captain. I hear that your 'Guild' is looking for work."

Ry Vaan's annoyance with the casual dismissal in the Moff's voice was growing, but he held his tongue in that regard.

"Yes, Moff Matale. The Spacer's Guild knows it can be a valuable asset. We have several hyperspace capable freighters and courier ships."

Moff Matale leaned back in his chair. "We don't need couriers. Our communications are as secure as any sapient can make them. There are several Xindi corporations and Maquis companies that have expressed interest in making use of your services. But that is not why I called you here. I am willing to grant you and your allies' Letters of Marque."

Ry Vaan rubbed his hands together. "So, there are no jobs directly from the Empire?"

Moff Matale tapped something into a datapad. "Not from the Empire. I expect your comrades to make their decisions regarding the Letters of Marque quickly. We need them to put pressure on their convoys."

Ry Vaan nodded. "Will we receive updated star maps for all the Guild ships?"

"Of course. Additional assistance will also be provided for those who accept the Letter of Marque."

"Thank you, Moff Matale. I will relay the information to the rest of my guild."

Ry Vaan walked out of the Moff's command center and headed the nearest public transport center. The Imps had made decent progress in getting a working society up and running. The shipyards were being constructed and the citizens had jobs lined up. Soon people would begin to forget the majority of their predicaments. The Stormtrooper patrols that were so common back home were being replaced by standard army troops. Most of the stormies had been transferred to the front lines. The whitewashed media reports actually weren't hiding much. Ry Vaan and the other smugglers had learned to recognize the code words for distortions of the truth. There were only a few instances were Ry had picked on the 'real' meanings. One involved the Dac Cyclone and the amount of damage she had sustained in the orbital battle of Drenok II. The reports had said the damage was 'minor and repairable and casualties were light.' The smuggler knew that actual damage to the ship was significant and casualties were near 15. The Imperials didn't have access to their industrial and recruitment base. Unless they recruited from the new territories they had absorbed, the Imperial Army and Navy would be in danger of eventually running out of manpower.

"When it rains…"