CITADEL NEWS NETWORK
BREAKING NEWS - INTAI'SEI CONFERENCE SUSPENDED AMID RUMORS OF A COUP IN THE CARVIN EMPIRE
Welcome to Citadel NewsNet, I'm Emily Wong.
Today on the morning of the 29th of June, Carvin Empire had officially requested to suspend the conference of Intai'sei for an unspecified amount of time after a suspected assassination attempt on the head of its delegation, Zayan Te'Kraan, which took place the previous day. The collective delegations representing the races of Citadel Space formally accepted the request in the afternoon, and future diplomatic developments between the Carvin Empire and the Citadel look uncertain.
The attempt on Zayan Te'Kraan's life took place in the early evening of the 28th, during a private meeting held between himself and the head of turian delegation, Ambassador Orinia. According to the latter, two carvin officers stormed the room and restrained the carvin ambassador, using excessive violence when he resisted. Only an intervention by the chief of security detail of the carvin delegation, Lieutenant No'Kaal, saved ambassador Te'Kraan from what was likely to be fatal injuries. Carvin Empire officials did not refute this version of events, although refused to give further comments on the incident. When asked if she was the target of the aggression, Ambassador Orinia's reply was negatory.
"I believe that ambassador Te'Kraan was the intended target, not myself. The carvins only showed interest in me once I tried to reach for my panic button." She said during an interview a few hours after the incident. However when asked about the subject of the meeting itself, she declined to comment.
Both perpetrators, who were members of a carvin internal security organization called 'Ravashir', have been taken into custody by the Carvin Empire since, aside from the brawl itself, none of them had actually hurt any of the other alien delegates. Zayan Te'Kraan himself was reportedly hospitalized due to his wounds and was left unable to continue his work for a time. Without the head of its delegation and arguably its most experienced diplomat, Carvin Empire is clearly not intent on conducting its diplomatic efforts with this severe handicap.
The assassination attempt itself seems to be a part of a larger movement within Carvin Empire itself. Despite limited communication between carvin and Council spaces due to significant carvin isolation, the scant reports and rumors that did get through suggest that a split occurred within the ranks of the 'Ravashir'. Some of the more radical elements have allegedly stormed several public and state buildings, space stations, and even military facilities, taking command and control over them. This was likely done in an attempt to end carvin efforts of deeper integration with the rest of the galactic community. An anonymous source also claims that they even tried to depose the Carvin Empire's highest governing body - the High General Council, albeit without much success.
Local Army and state police units were apparently deployed to the streets, with intense gunfire already going on in and around the captured and contested buildings. Because Carvin Empire is yet to allow foreign journalists into its space, all of the information regarding these and future developments within its borders will be based on rumors and independent information leaks until the legal situation changes.
A spokesman for the carvin High General Council came forward after repeated inquiries about whether these events will have any significant impact on carvin foreign policy.
"Our people have many reasons to be skeptical and cautious when dealing with other sentient alien life. But not all of these reasons stem from our experiences with the races of the Citadel Council, and none of them justify this method of protest regarding our government's foreign policy." He stated in a communique to the Citadel NewsNet. "All those who take active part in or otherwise support these lawless activities will be considered traitors under the Imperial law and shall be dealt with accordingly. The Empire will not be intimidated by such terror tactics, whether they come from without or within the Imperial administration."
Despite these reassurances, the prospects for stability in the frontier between the Citadel and carvin spaces remains precarious, and will likely continue so until Intai'sei conference is resumed and concluded.
We will share more information as it comes to light in real time.
Chimera Nebula, Maarv System,
Carvistorn Orbit, Battleship Relentless, High General's quarters
1902 Local Time, June 29th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
"So that's that..." Seviros mused out loud, having just finished watching the Citadel NewsNet broadcast.
He sat at his table, with holographic projections of two of his colleagues in front of him - Tivennia Va'Xuun of the Frontier Sector, and Kraytt Ar'Shaan of the Middle Belt. Unfortunately the rest of them couldn't attend, as they had their own matters to attend to in their respective sectors, courtesy of their recent ploy to lure the most extreme elements within the Ravashir and other institutions into overreaction. The plan itself worked perfectly, in many ways too perfectly.
"Good, the narrative will be in our hands. We can control the flow of information to the Citadel long enough to deal with the Ravashir." Tivennia said with a visibly satisfied expression. She had her gripes with the organization for a long time and it was visible to all that she relished in annihilating at the very least its rogue elements.
"Don't get too cocky. The longer we take and the longer we artificially restrict the information flow, the greater chance they find out we're playing them." Kraytt pointed out, having opted for a calm and emotionless look instead. "As much as all of us would probably like it to be the case, the Council races unfortunately do not employ only incompetent morons in their institutions."
He was unique among all High Generals who had ever held the post because he was the first and only High General so far to have been selected from the ranks of the Ravashir. This made his unusually cooperative attitude towards their plan against his former organization all the more surprising, though it did bring many benefits to the table. Thanks to his intricate knowledge of the organization and the various contacts he had acquired during his hundreds of years of work within its structures, High General Council managed to de-radicalize a large number of officers and commissars who were on the fence with the idea of galactic integration, and also push just the right buttons of the biggest radicals for them to react in the intended way.
Kraytt was a calm and quiet man. He liked his paperwork, a steady stream of reports regarding the current state of affairs within and outside the Empire, and to keep crime level within his sector to a minimum. His experience with the Ravashir made him dedicated to the internal stability and security of the people he governed. He was also as ruthless in the pursuit of his objectives as the Ravashir that trained him. He and Seviros often clashed on what course of action should be taken, which is why it was good that this time they were in agreement.
"Thankfully things are going surprisingly well in Varsaai. With the Insurrection trauma still fresh enough, even the civilians are actively fighting the Ravashir. They're scared of another intervention, which is good. Indrigan's problem is less to purge the radicals, and more to keep the civvies from getting in the way of regular troops. And I've seen some reports from his sector, the populace is vicious." Seviros said, bringing up the star map of the Carvin Empire.
"Good, that means he'll deal with it quicker. Once he does, he'll be able to reroute some spare reinforcements or send relief to the most devastated areas in other sectors." Tivennia nodded, visibly pleased by the message. "How's Carvistorn?"
"Not as bad as I'd feared, but still far too many have joined in with the radicals." Seviros took a deep breath and brought up a live news broadcast next to the map of the Empire. "They managed to convince some Army garrison units to fight alongside them and briefly captured an arsenal along with a few spaceports and public office buildings. My pre-placed forces have wrestled the arsenal out of their hands, but fighting is still ongoing in and around the spaceports in Narai and Karto. If all goes well, they'll mop up the remnants by the end of tomorrow."
Indeed the reporter speaking to the camera was accompanying the middle or rear echelon of a local state police unit that was now slowly inching forward, trying to push into a heavily devastated cargo terminal. Mixed in with the policemen were an occasional regular or conscripted Army soldier, giving instructions or leading small groups of uniformed men and women closer to the frontline. They had no tanks or significant air support with them, as Seviros had ordered them to be used as a last resort in such important and delicate areas like the spaceports. Only police APCs with ion and EMP gun turrets accompanied the attacking forces here or there. No loyalist Ravashir personnel was attached either, since they were all placed under surveillance and screened for possible sleeper agents.
"And Mantaar?" Kraytt asked, knowing full well that their biggest military shipyards were located above the planet. Any damage to these facilities would have been disastrous.
"Cleaned up. Most of the Ravashir sided with us, and those that didn't were quickly annihilated." Seviros promptly answered. "However I'm worried about the fatalities among the rebellious military personnel, especially junior officers. We already have a dangerously low reserve of skilled commanders and NCOs and we cannot afford to deplete our officer corps even more."
"I already gave a directive to try and arrest all personnel that had supported the Ravashir directly or indirectly unless they actively resist." Tivennia reassured him, but there was a visible crack in her satisfied expression. "Although... I agree that the troops are way too aggressive. It seems the tension between the Ravashir and the Military was greater than we thought. They slip beyond the realm of simple ruthlessness and into borderline cruelty."
"Let them vent. As long as the loyalist Ravashir are not the target, we shouldn't get directly involved." Kraytt waved her off dismissively. "Besides, local commanders on the ground need to feel that we have confidence in their abilities and judgement. If they deem it excessive, they'll take the necessary steps."
Seviros did not protest, as a matter of fact he largely agreed with Kraytt's judgement. The nature of their posts dictated that they provide only a general direction and guidance, while the middle management would then give specific instructions. However the seemingly apathetic attitude that he displayed to what was essentially the organization that raised him was uncomfortable to look at to say the least.
"I never understood how you could turn on them like that." Seviros said.
Kraytt glanced at him with an expression of mild irritation. "I told you before, I am loyal to the Empire just like the Ravashir taught me. I'm simply granted a broader perspective which they lack, and thus I can understand the importance of our active participation in the wider galactic politics. If some within the Ravashir cannot see this, they are just as dangerous as the criminals they are supposed to fight."
All three of them went silent for a few seconds, and Seviros' eyes caught a large explosion in the background of the news broadcast. He couldn't see what exploded but still winced nonetheless. Even with concentrated effort it would take months for all the damage to be repaired.
"What's the status of our assets operating outside of the Empire?" Kraytt changed the topic.
"The Null Group had received warning through a secure transmission prior to the hostilities, but the Ravashir did not seem to target them." Tivennia replied. "They are reporting in as usual."
"And the Normandy?" Seviros asked. He half-expected Tivennia to give him that annoying grin of hers, but surprisingly her expression remained unchanged.
"Safe. I've personally warned Commander Shepard about the Ravashir, and sent a staff officer from the High Command to settle it. Good thing too, the Ravashir wanted Shepard gone." She answered then turned towards him, without a cheeky smirk. "You were right, Commander Shepard came through and spared us from the trouble of getting a replacement."
"Good. One less problem on our heads." He said emotionlessly, but privately he felt a slight hint of relief. However the mention of Shepard reminded him of something else. "Speaking of which... there's a matter we need to discuss. Specifically how you omitted several crucial details in your first report regarding the Great Wound blackout."
Tivennia's expression soured, although it bore no hostility, more like frustration or shame. She knew what he was talking about and no matter how much she tried to hide it. "I believe that we could have chosen a better time-"
"On the contrary. I'd like to hear you explain yourself as to why you lied to the High General who currently holds the Carvistorn sector and thus maintains seniority of rank over you." Kraytt interrupted her. His face showed no malice, only curiosity. Granted it was probably just his Ravashir training at work, but nevertheless it made Tivennia compelled to respond.
"I did not lie about sending 3 vessels. I have ordered a temporary deployment of two of my frigates and insisted upon a cruiser to accompany them." She stated clearly and bluntly. "There was a delay with the cruiser, as it was in a different system."
"Yes, I went through these reports in your sector already." Seviros said coldly. "What I didn't see there was a reason to segment your forces like that. Because of this carelessness, we've lost three ships and their crews."
"This decision was made by the admiral in command of the fleet. You both said that we should trust local commanders to make the right decisions." Tivennia protested.
"Not when they're making a mistake that could cost thousands of lives." Seviros retorted.
The female High General scowled in anger. It wasn't hard to figure out that she disliked being put on the spot, though to be fair it was only Seviros and Kraytt around this time, not the whole council. She was widely known to be bold and sometimes reckless in her handling of certain issues, but this time it bordered on negligence. Sure, her own subordinates partially bore the blame but they did not answer directly before the High General Council. She did.
"While I accept... the blame placed upon me for... mishandling this situation, according to Ri'Kaan's report the fragmentation of forces may have actually result in the Grox pulling out and not destroying the station, leaving us with something to investigate." She tried a different angle, but Seviros shook his head the moment he heard her speak the words.
"According to his SPECULATIONS. The Normandy never found anything more than some engine exhaust, so it's impossible to tell what happened for sure." He corrected her. "Ri'Kaan specifically underlined the theoretical nature of that claim. We have to work with facts, or at the very least significantly substantiated rumors. This, unfortunately, is neither."
"And even if we take what he claimed as fact, you still lost a cruiser and two frigates near a space station that officially doesn't exist. Those were not just ships, there were almost half a thousand sailors on all three vessels. Their families will no doubt ask questions about their disappearance." Kraytt pointed out. He didn't sound as hostile as Seviros, though the accusatory nature of his statement was still self-evident. "You must come up with a convincing story and clean up this mess. We've already set quite a fire under ourselves with the Ravashir affair, there's no need to start another."
"...Of course." Tivennia answered after a short moment of silence.
Despite her hostile expression, Seviros knew she felt guilty. He had known her ever since both of them were nominated for the post of High General. This was but one of many masks all of them had to learn to wear for varying occasions. And he also knew that they were perhaps a bit too harsh on her. After all both he and Kraytt spoke with the benefit of hindsight, even if most of their criticism was still valid.
"Well then... I'll have my chief of staff send you regular updates about the situation in my sector. You should do the same." The ex-Ravashir High General said and let out a satisfied sigh. "Kraytt out."
He gave him and Tivennia a polite nod before terminating the connection, leaving two of them alone once again. The moment that Kraytt left, Tivennia's angry look was replaced by exhaustion and shame.
"Seviros... you know I'm more pissed about this than anyone else." She said, her eyes staring at the ground.
Very, very rarely did she allow herself to be so vulnerable, and as of now Seviros knew about one person around which she was comfortable with dropping her barriers to this extent - himself. Granted, they did have a substantial common history and their relationship was much more personal than between any other High General. The only reason it was tolerated in the first place was that it stemmed from a fierce rivalry between them, with bruised dignity and ego on both sides. Nonetheless they did know each other well, perhaps more closely than it was healthy considering their posts.
"I know, and I'm likely less angry about this than the others." Seviros answered half-reassuringly. "But this is your screw up, and I would be irresponsible as the current Carvistorn Sector holder if I didn't hold you accountable for it. All I demand now is that you fix it, preferably quickly and quietly."
"I'll see it done." Tivennia gave him one last apologetic look before she too cut her connection, leaving Seviros alone to ponder the events that were transpiring across the Empire.
Overall, despite a slightly larger than expected number of rebellious Ravashir, their plan was going well. If they kept to their timetable and eradicated the rebellious elements within a week, the major crisis would be averted. However it was imperative that they act swiftly and decisively, as risking another Insurrection was out of the question, especially since this one would not be limited to a single sector but had the potential to turn into an all-consuming fire. This is why, despite his reasonable reservations, Seviros was willing to deploy elite and mechanized troops in case significant delay would occur. It would result in more devastation and bloodshed but it wasn't the first time he made a call like this. The difference was that back then his enemy was an alien invader, not his own kin.
As for that, the news of the Grox potentially returning to threaten the Empire once again were disconcerting, but it would have to wait until their present crises were addressed. However even though a mere thought of having to face them again caused dread to overtake Seviros, he controlled himself. They were defeated before, under his own command nonetheless, and so they could be defeated again.
Personally he also found the news about Virox's well-being to be reassuring, not only because the report he sent was just as disturbing as the schism within the Ravashir, but also because he knew that the kid would try to take excessive blame upon himself, even when it wasn't justified. It was partially Seviros' fault, after all he had him trained as a soldier at little over two years old. And while a sense of duty and responsibility were both important qualities of a soldier, it wasn't hard to come to the conclusion that Virox had over-learned this particular lesson.
He just hoped that Shepard's influence would bring about a change for the better, no matter how painful the process may be.
Serpent Nebula, Widow System,
Citadel, Presidium, Human Embassy
18:33 Local Time, June 29th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
The news about a rumored coup attempt in the Carvin Empire spread through the galaxy like wildfire, sending both political and media circles into shock. Hundreds of predictions and conspiracy theories have been propped up by an equally massive number of self-proclaimed 'experts' that began discussing the possible reasons and consequences of such an event. Not an hour went by when a take even more ridiculous than the previous one made rounds through the forums and news outlets, without a care in the world for verification or constructive criticism.
It wasn't just the media sphere that was shaken. Within minutes of the news appearing on the front pages the market went into a frenzy, as panicked investors of both Council and non-Council races viewed it as an inevitable collapse of relations between the Citadel and carvin spaces. Whatever hope was there for a peaceful resolution of the issue of carvin blockades seemed to have evaporated in their eyes. Major industrial conglomerates and megacorporations with offices in fringe systems like Illium or in the wider Traverse saw their share and stock values plummet once again after a brief rebound caused by the beginning of the Intai'sei conference.
And to top it all off, Anderson had to deal with the political blow-back hitting the Alliance for even allowing this incident to happen. An ambassador of a foreign power almost beaten to death during a conference hosted by humans was like a dream come true for those who saw human rise to power as too rapid and ambitious for their comfort. Politicians with borderline xenophobic rhetoric all began to speak up about the inability of the Alliance to protect its own citizens, let alone those of other powers, and called into question the decision to admit humanity into the ranks of the Council.
Anderson found some consolation in the fact that the conference itself was Udina's little pet project, so the old coot could not blame him for this particular scandal. And Udina was much more skilled in the art of sweet-talking, so he would have smoothed things over much better than Anderson ever could.
The earpiece in Anderson's left ear suddenly emitted a faint buzz. He reached for it and pressed the button on its side with anticipation, hoping that the caller was who he hoped it was. "Yes?"
"The package is ready, Councilor *huff*. You can proceed with the acquisition at your leisure. *huff*. But, uh... do come alone. Too many eyes are *huff* bad for this type of business." A characteristic muffled voice of a volus came through.
"I'll be down in just a moment." Anderson cordially replied before ending the call.
He had made a controversial and potentially dangerous decision to purchase some information from the Shadow Broker, and there was only one person on the whole Citadel that had a reliable line of communication to him. It was practically an open secret that Barla Von worked for, or at the very least with the Shadow Broker. Anderson saw him as an uncomfortable but still necessary asset that he wished he used less frequently.
The transaction was borderline illegal, since aside from Anderson's own money (position of the Councilor paid much better than his previous post), some Alliance public funds were also involved. However because the information could have a major impact on the security and political interests of the Alliance, it was probably less of an evil than some wrinkly-ass politician getting himself yet another solar yacht. That and Von was famously a shrewd banker, making him uniquely qualified to transfer the money in a proper and more importantly inconspicuous way.
Anderson left his room and headed down through the wide hallways of the Presidium. No matter how many times he did so, he could not stop himself from marveling at the architectural wonder of the station. The sleek yet durable halls put even the mighty and dignified asari architecture to shame. The artificial lake and grasslands that adorned the great ring forming the basis for the five massive Wards was a sight to behold both now and during the 'night'. The only arguably unpleasant part of his journey was the elevator ride and the music playing inside. Anderson was convinced that it wasn't the Keepers who were such big fans of neo-synth.
The road wasn't long, and after a few minutes he was already walking through the rich alleyways of the financial district. Interestingly, several businessmen and shopkeepers were engaged in quiet but still heated debates, gathering in small groups here or there. They complained about the chaos taking the galactic market by storm because of the carvin withdrawal from negotiations. Predictably most of their comments were ignorant or even racist in nature, but then again it wasn't their job to worry about inter-species relations. That responsibility unfortunately lay with people like Anderson.
Finally he reached the small (for Presidium standards) yet well-furnished office of the volus banker. He adjusted the collar on his suit and shifted his gaze towards the only other occupant of the room sitting comfortably at his desk. "Hello, Von."
"Greetings, Councilor *huff*. Can I safely assume that you came without... escort *huff*?" Barla Von politely asked.
"Yes, it's just the two of us, like you asked." Anderson answered.
"Good. It means we can *huff* proceed with the exchange." The banker said before pressing a button on his desk and the door to his office closed shut.
For the uninitiated such a move would have probably raised some major red flags, but Anderson learned over the many times he had done business with the volus that this was simply a precaution, and a necessary one given the... rather unique nature of some of his services.
"I saw your colleagues outside being quite on edge, but you don't seem nearly as worried as them." He noted, trying to lead the conversation onto the main reason of his visit.
"Yes, because they don't know what I know." Von replied, slowly opening his personal computer. "I know where the wind blows and where the credits flow *huff*. Granted... *huff* my competitors are aware of my *huff* privileged position, so I must be extremely careful to not disclose my true intentions *huff*."
"And what would those intentions be?" Anderson asked.
"To capitalize on the lucrative trade between the Carvin Empire and the Council space that *huff* will inevitably flourish once the carvins crush the rebellion within their borders." The volus said with a hint of satisfaction, then looked away from his computer and at Anderson. "If your hope is to resume the negotiations with the Carvin Empire then you shouldn't worry *huff*. They seem just as eager to return to Intai'sei as quickly as possible."
That was a giant weight off of Anderson's shoulders. The worst part about this whole debacle was not knowing the true intentions of the carvins. Sure, their official stance was to resume negotiations as soon as they were ready, but if there was a significant internal opposition to their diplomatic efforts, who could have known if this wasn't just talk to placate the anxious delegates of the Citadel races? Now however they could rest easy and make all the necessary preparations for the reopening of talks, hopefully from an advantageous position. Udina would no doubt want to know about this in order to react accordingly.
"Any idea on how long this rebellion will last? Does it have any chance of success?" Anderson inquired further, although realizing that now he was stepping into the territory that was not entirely covered by the transaction.
Understandably Barla Von did not answer immediately. There was no way to discern his emotions under the pressure suit but the feeling that the subject was touchy was blatantly evident. Anderson understood his unease. The carvins made it abundantly clear that they despise the Shadow Broker and have gone public with their desire to dismantle their network and possibly even kill the mysterious individual (assuming it was one person). And information from the Carvin Empire was already hard to come by, even for the Broker. Therefore any leaks would inevitably provoke a harsh response from the carvins if discovered, putting a target on anyone even remotely associated with the leaked information.
"I will provide this particular piece of information *huff* solely based on our past commercial relations *huff*." Von finally spoke up. "But... *huff* I will not include it in the data package prepared for you *huff*. If anyone asks, I will deny everything, and my lawyers will know how to prove my innocence *huff*."
"Good, because I'm not planning on going to court." Anderson reassured him.
"Very well... *huff*. The rebellion is unlikely to force any concessions upon the carvin government *huff*." The banker said in a much quieter voice than before. "Apparently carvins are purging most of their ministries *huff*. Of those that had been ousted, at least a million were killed already, with more to come *huff*. The carvin military is showing no mercy and arresting or shooting everyone even remotely associated with the revolt *huff*."
"That's... concerning. But we can't exactly impact what's going on out there. The best we can hope for is a quick resolution." Anderson said.
"Indeed." Von nodded before pulling out a small metal object from his computer and handed it to him. "Here's all the information agreed upon."
"The chit is not spiked or anything?" Anderson jokingly asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.
"I pride myself on the quality of my services *huff* and I would never want to antagonize one of my better paying customers." The volus answered, almost offended by the assertion. "And if the Broker wanted to access your personal data, *huff* he wouldn't need to lower himself to such basic tricks."
"I'll take your word for it." Anderson chuckled and turned back to face the door, giving Von a small bow as he did so. "Pleasure to be doing business, as always."
"Likewise, Councilor." Von said, releasing the lock on the door, and when Anderson passed through it he added "Though I wish I shared your optimism for cooperation with the carvins."
Anderson didn't know what that last bit meant, and the volus already closed the door behind him. Did he know more than he was letting on? Perhaps he didn't believe in a true betterment of relations with the Carvin Empire. Or he simply wanted to wring the carvins dry for all the credits he could. Regardless, this wouldn't change anything in Anderson's plans. He knew what he had to do, and although it involved talking with one of the most proud, selfish, pompous, and insufferable men within the entire Alliance government, it was probably worth the effort.
Udina's going to be ecstatic when he hears this. He thought, choosing the correct number on his omni-tool.
They were back in the game.
Frontier Sector, Qreten
Outskirts of the 'Coldstream Channel' Hydroelectric Power Plant
03:01 Local Time, June 30th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
The troop transport shook lightly from an explosion that rocked the ground just a few meters away. A cloud of dirt and rocks was launched into the air before falling unceremoniously upon the metal armor of the vehicle, causing barely audible banging to ring inside. A near miss. The driver turned the vehicle sharply to the right, steering it around a large crater from a high-caliber artillery shell that blocked their path just ahead. In an instant the passengers felt a powerful jolt from the sudden change of direction, but all remained in their places.
All nine of them were the men and women of the local Qreten garrison, who had been sent to accompany regular Army units in crushing the uprising staged by the Ravashir and their sympathizers. Barely twelve hours ago they helped put down another group of rebels who tried to take control of a local warehouse, however they got no chance rest in between their assignments other than during the ride to the power plant.
Aside from the occasional blast, buzzing emitted by the transporter's point defense lasers, or rattling of its autocannon, the interior was relatively quiet. Two soldiers were resting, their eyes closed and their chests puffing only slightly with each slow breath. Others made last minute inspections of their rifles and equipment, or stared at the rear exit hatch of the vehicle, their way out once they entered combat properly. One kept throwing a primed grenade upwards and catching it every time it fell down, deactivating it and repeating the process. A female sergeant stood in between the seated soldiers, listening to the comm chatter from the wider Battlenet through her earpiece. None of them spoke a word.
Another explosion erupted just above the troop transport, this time accompanied by a strange buzzing sound. Lights inside flickered for a brief moment and the soldiers all shivered in almost perfect unison, as an uncomfortable feeling of numbness ran through their cybernetic implants. An EMP missile. Fortunately most of the blast was absorbed by the MCT's energy shields and ablative armor, preventing lasting harm to both the machinery and the troops inside.
"Status!" One of the drivers shouted from behind the wheel, and after receiving a host of positive replies he added "Bastards are dug in around and into the plant itself! I'll try to get as close as I can, but you'll have to take the ridge by yourselves! We'll provide fire support!"
"Understood!" The sergeant responded without even looking at him.
Their company was tasked with taking the ridge near the right bank of the river. The power plant was actually located upon a small natural waterfall, therefore both of its flanks downstream were protected by escarpments that were fortunately much easier to take than the behemoth that was the power plant itself. In this terrain tanks and other armored vehicles could provide effective fire support, a comfort that they would not enjoy when fighting for the dam proper. Other allied troops were reportedly assaulting the facility from the upstream direction in an effort to dilute the advantage of being fortified inside the massive structure.
The rebels were holed up like vermin, deep inside the hulking mass of concrete and machinery, and while some of them could probably be captured alive as instructed by the Frontier Army Command, the Ravashir were undoubtedly intent on fighting to the death. No soldier who had met them could fool themselves into believing that they would even think of surrender. They had to be dragged out of their holes and slaughtered, one by one.
Among the troops was one man in his early 150s, playing with an old-fashioned Zippo lighter. The small device had long ago run out of fuel, so he just kept opening and closing the lid to pass time. It was a small trinket that his brother had sent him from one of his missions deep in the Terminus Systems. Practically worthless by modern standards, but precious to its present owner.
As the autocannon atop of the vehicle rumbled once again, sending vibrations through the steel hull, he wondered if his brother was alright. Did the Ravashir try to kill him too, or worse, to convince him to join them? Did they fail or succeed? A sense of dread briefly set upon him. No... he wouldn't. His brother was a model soldier, one that all others could aspire to imitate.
Banishing the invasive thoughts, his mind drifted to the image of his wife, a doctor-mechanic in a local hospital. No doubt the beds and operating tables were filling with wounded at this very moment. He saw with his own eyes the horribly disfigured faces and bodies of his comrades who fought and bled in this pointless fratricidal rebellion.
Then he thought of his two children, a six year old daughter and a two year old son, who were now staying at home since both the schools and daycares were closed for the time being. Perhaps they were watching the news, hoping to find their father somewhere in the background of the live broadcast. Thankfully there were no journalists attached to his unit, so in an unfortunate event that he was wounded or killed, his children would be spared the gruesome sight.
It was for them that he was fighting. Their future was at stake and he would not have them live in an Empire plunged into bloodshed and chaos by those who falsely claimed to protect it. Most of the men and women from the garrison had families or relatives on the planet so they undoubtedly felt the same way. And Stars forbid that something like the Insurrection happened again on their land. They had to stop it.
"Shit, missile salvo! Brace for impact!" The driver suddenly called out from behind the steering wheel, and yet another distant EMP blast caused brief numbness in the bodies of the soldiers inside.
But there was no respite for the passengers, as the vehicle was then violently shaken by a powerful explosion. Sparks flew all over the place from the now dead lights which illuminated the interior just moments ago. A cloud of smoke poured inside from the driver's compartment followed by pained coughs and groans. Soldiers were almost knocked off their seats, saved only thanks to the buckles strapped around their torsos and shoulders. An infernal ringing caused by the blast deafened their ears.
Their sergeant somehow managed to retain her balance in spite of the explosion, and stumbling towards the rear end of the vehicle she yelled "Out! Out!"
The soldier quickly hid the lighter in one of the pockets of his armor and unbuckled himself, following into the steps of his comrades. Having forced open the rear door of their transport they all ran outside and into the darkness of the night, rifles raised. Both on their right and left other MCT's drove towards the enemy positions situated at the top of the ridge ahead. Some were compelled to stop and drop off their passengers further away, while others pushed on closer towards the escarpment.
Bright near-white lasers cut the air around them, leaving streams of superheated gasses where they passed, and scorching marks on their wrecked vehicle or the nearby grass wherever they struck. Even with magnifying sights, the only thing that could be seen at the top of the ridge were helmets and rifle barrels poking out of hastily dug foxholes. Storming these positions would be a tough and dangerous job, even with the armored and mechanized support they had.
"Get ready to attack! I want fire superiority and grenades thrown the moment we reach their positions!" The sergeant called out, peaking out of cover ever so slightly to observe the enemy defense line. "Alright, let's go! Or'Zaal, take point!"
The soldier silently obeyed, moving to the forefront of their group. He took a deep breath, sparing one final glance at their entrenched foe. In an instant, all of his personal feelings were gone. He had his orders and would carry them through to the very end of either the mission or his life.
Right now, Arill Or'Zaal was an extension of the Empire's will.
