SilverDragon sat calmly at the head seat of a long steel table. The room he sat in was plain grey, completely unadorned, with only the table, and a number of seats, in the entire room. This was the famed Council Chamber, in the Gateway, the name given to the seat of all Igadzra Union operations - generally a palace. The Gateway was huge, but unlike the rest of the planet it was on, the planet of Cerberus, it was empty. The entirety of the Gateway was plain. Grey walls, grey floors, and plain steel furniture. It represented the Igadzra perfectly, it showed that they were perfect purity, and that nothing could contaminate them. The Gateway was such because it was found that the contamination of ornaments clouded the minds of warriors and politicians, so such luxuries were vastly avoided under federal law.
The Gateway wasn't just the seat of the Igadzra Union, but a city in it's own right. It was also the largest shipyard in the Igadzra Union, and perhaps the largest in this galaxy, as the Gateway was over fifty kilometres across - fifty kilometres of underground facilities, large starports and scanner towers. A large amount of the Igadzra fleet was based there, and most operations in research would be, and have been, carried out within.
Thoughts of the majestic Gateway were not on SilverDragon's mind. Nor was the power of the Igadzra Union's Navy, which was seeming increasingly inadequate, especially with the Akrahd Union, a race of vicious creatures, only fifty or so light years from the facilities on Draco.
SilverDragon had called the meeting on that day not to discuss military, at least not directly, but politics. The Igadzra Union had no allies, and was, by ancient texts only, actually at war with many races. Those wars had long since been ignored, and nobody seemed to remember that the Igadzra Union were in a state of war with all Azdgari and Zidagar. Only the politicians, who sat around SilverDragon, seemed to care, and that annoyed him to no end.
"...with the Zidagar? Never!" one official complained heatedly, smashing his hand on the table. This reaction could be expected, as most Igadzra 'officials' were actually leading officers in combat.
One slightly more schooled 'official' decided to try and explain, in a sickeningly calm voice, the problems with siding with the Zidagar. "The Council specifically said that no alliances with other Crescent races should be allowed. And we must respect them..."
"The Council are old," SilverDragon replied, not letting him finish. His eyes shone in the light - determined eyes. SilverDragon would not let this opportunity pass. "And long since gone. We are no longer subject to them. We do our own wish, and surely you must understand that we need to survive."
"We must continue this. Any who seek to say that we bear no allegiance to them are heathens," the second official continued after letting SilverDragon speak. "We must follow our traditions, or we are not Igadzra."
SilverDragon shook his head. "The Zidagar are not who they used to be, nor are we what we used to be. We are not the Igadzra - not the warriors that we used to be - anymore. We are the Igadzra Union, and only the name is similar. Admit the change, and accept it. For otherwise we are doomed to see the Edien, and Akrahd, wrath. We cannot survive with only enemies. Even the most thickheaded of you should surely understand that."
Most of the officials seemed taken by SilverDragon's words. They had known him for a long time, and trusted him. Some had been in office longer than him, but they all recognised his abilities, and many of them considered him family. They know knew he wasn't a tool to be toyed with, but was a powerful leader, and they had to come to terms with that.
One of the officials - one who most opposed SilverDragon, as SilverDragon had only come to office nearly seventeen years after he had; he being a man named Olira Canjaur, who had many times run for President, and thus Canjaur was particularly jealous, to say the least, of a former squadron leader who had incredibly come to be President within a year -rose to speak, but SilverDragon stalled him with a calm hand.
"Take a vote. Who would wish us to send an emissary to Titan of the Miranu?" SilverDragon asked, his voice powerful. "Who here cares enough about the people , and less over the customs , to save our poor race?" SilverDragon made his words dance, and the effort was working. "Who will show the iron will to stand up against our true enemies, instead of fighting the pathetic races who are better suited as decoys?! Who will follow me? "
The officials, save Olira Canjaur, leapt into shouts to the affirmative, worked up over SilverDragon's voice, rather than his words. SilverDragon could have ended this earlier using his voice, a skill he had long since mastered, but he was waiting for a good reason not to ally with the Zidagar. He had not found one.
"Then so be it. Olira Canjaur, Head of Sanitary Operations and Captain of the I.U.S Soulwrath, you shall travel to the system of Titan and meet with the similarily named Titan of the Zidagar."
Canjaur was shivering in anger. "I'll get you for this....." he grated, the anger overflowing in his voice. Even the other officials were shocked by the pure hatred in the voice.
"I'd enjoy watching the Soulwrath, a pitiful Izaga, crush itself against my majestic vessel, the Heart of Steel, the most powerful new model Igazra the Igadzra Union command, Canjaur, but perhaps we should stick to more sensible courses of action," SilverDragon jested. "Get to Titan," he said, his voice suddenly much darker, "and go - now!"
Even SilverDragon was shocked when Canjaur scurried off - almost at a run - straight away. After a moment, SilverDragon turned to the others.
"I'm going personally to visit our friends the Miranu. We can't afford to use resources, so I'm going in an Izar. Keep the Heart of Steel well, everyone," SilverDragon stated, and then stood up to leave.
After saying goodbye to the odd official, and having to assure another he'd be fine, and he would take two Izar escorts, he finally got out and set off for Dock 1, Bay 2, where his smaller Izar rested. He had yet to name it, but perhaps he would soon enough.
A mere two hours later he was in space, with two Izars escorting him, as he had promised. With a final systems check, he set off on the short journey to Athena, to meet with Rima of the Miranu.....
- - -
The science team at the Gateway were busy on a project SilverDragon had earlier assigned them with. In fact, they'd just started, but it had been in the air a few days before they had begun.
The project was called Igazrada Project. To build the greatest vessel ever seen - an Igazra to an Igazra - a huge dreadnought, called the Igazrada. Although it would take some time, SilverDragon had requested the project be done, as the Igadzra Union needed a force that was not just respectable, but mighty.
Little did the galaxy know how much the Igadzra Union were now to act, after such a long silence to everyone else. Now they were here, and now they would begin their epic.
- - -
We are more than shells, we are more than minds. We are the Igadzra.
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That's all very nice, but where are the guns?
- SilverDragon
(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 08-08-2001).)