OOC: Red, I'm not in the Alliance. Part of my government supports it, but the I'ase are still independent. This post may change things a bit, however...

==========

There was a knock on Senator Vaten's private office. "Come in."

Councilman P'rek stalked in, as irritated as ever. "Tell me, Vaten, why do we support the Alliance?"

"P'rek, you know that is untrue. We are completely ind--"

"Stop!" cried P'rek. In his right hand a small flak pistol was now held, pointing right at Vaten. "I want nothing to do with your support of the Alliance."

Looking cautiously at the pistol, Vaten was slightly confused. P'rek had always disagreed with him, but what was this about? "P'rek, I don't know what you're talking about."

"YES YOU DO!" roared P'rek. "You've repeatedly attacked Galactica, only to later offer them peace. The Alliance has received none of the same. Don't think I don't see through your plots, Senator."

"P'rek, put down the pistol."

P'rek did nothing of the sort. In fact, he fired it, right at Vaten's chest. Luckily for the Senator, he had true I'ase reflexes, and was able to jump out of the way in time. P'rek rushed over behind the desk and picked him up, held the pistol to his head. In that instant, two burly guards appeared, scorpion rifles in hand.

"Guards...you know who I have here. Don't take one step, or your beloved Senator dies. Lower your weapons. Lower your WEAPONS!"

P'rek was too far along to stop now. Even if he had wanted to surrender, he couldn't. He would be killed on the spot by the guards. He had to do something.

"I want to make a bargain with you. I let the Senator go...if...you, Senator, give me your tactical plans against Galactica."

"I assure you, the I'ase have no plans of this sor--"

"You LIE! I will kill you right here and now, if you speak one more lie!"

"No, it is true! We have no pla--" the rest of the sentence was a bloody gurgle. With one quick shot from the flak pistol, Senator Vaten was dead. Another shot rang out. P'rek was dead, by the guards' scorpion rifles. They immediately rushed off to inform the rest of the Council...

RESEARCH PROJECT
Title: Drone fighters
ETA: 2 posts

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"I may detest what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire

BattleDoctor took a sip of his drink as a Voinian he had just been talking to walked off. The party was in full swing, celebrating the Galactica forces' victory in the capital system of Galactica. Or could it even be called that anymore? There was nothing there now, just a field of debirs rapidly being salvaged by government freighters.

One of the freigters, however, was not out salvaging. They had planned for the celebration to be held on a temporary station, but it hadn't arrived in time. BattleDoctor had to admit, his decorators had done a marvelous job with the cargo hold. There were almost enough holodisplays and banners to make one forget the drab gray walls and exposed power conduits. Almost.

BattleDoctor gave a short speech, making sure to provide ample footage for the GNN reporters there, then returned to the drinks bar. This fizzy Miranu concoction was really quite good, he thought as he downed yet another. A problem had been gnawing at his mind all evening. Yes, the Prylak had been vanquished, at least for now, but how long would the peace last? The other governments were no real friends of his, and his navy was in ruins. Would they show their gratitude by leaving his government be, or would they forget all that he had done and attack him?

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"NEVER EVER EVER stick a Habańero pepper on your **** !" -forge
(url="http://"http://www.dancingpaul.com/")Dancing Paul!(/url)

OOC: Okay, Redchigh, we'll do it your way. Time for the Azdgari to sack Silverstone, and for me to find another way to have the Azdgari damaged (that's more important than the Q'an dying, Red)

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The Azdgari fleet entered orbit of Silverstone, weapons firing. To say they were confused to meet no opposition from the Q'an was an understatement, but that didn't stop them.

Within half an hour, Silverstone was in wrecks, and Azdgari engineers and wreckage commanders moved down, to see what they could retrieve or steal from the remains of Silverstone.

They met great fury, however. Q'an appeared from Silverstone, attacking the Azdgari forces with gluon assualt rifles. Azdgari fell down, their bodies deformed, while the Q'an worked quickly and systematically.

"Are you sure about this?" one Q'an asked another. He was second-in-command of the hastily planned retribution.

The other Q'an, who was bulky and adorned in officer's uniform, nodded sharply. "We'll do what we can."

Q'an moved quickly, hijacking the Azdgari Adrenas that had brought down the troops. While the Azdgari fleet of Azdaras and Athenas began to move closer, already with word of what had happened, the Q'an worked quickly.

As the Azdgari fleet came down within range, weapons barraging the ground, killing the Q'an and destroying the Adrenas too, they set off the trap the Q'an had set for them.

A hundred Q'an reactors exploded, emitting waves of unstable energy everywhere. The Azdgari fleet was for the most part incinerated, even the fast Azdaras unable to evade the explosion.

The planet shook, and began to crack. The process was quicker than anyone had expected. The planet simply began to fall apart.

Three hundred Azdgari vessels, their shields destroyed, scrambled out, back to Azdgari space.

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Word.

Fourteen ships entered the Galactica system, and a keen eye belonging to Casene surveyed the wreckage. Her ships, half invisible to Galactica, swiftly moved closer to where Galactica Prime used to be.

"My God..." Casene muttered. "I was too late." Her scans showed numerous Galactica freighters in the system salvging what they could, and she was relieved that obviously Galactica had been successful -- the Prylak had been defeated.

Casene realised at that moment that the galaxy was no doubt gearing up for another war. With Galactica so weakened, it was only a matter of time. The Mercenary Alliance, friends of the U.E., had enough ships now to seriously damage Galactica, and coupled with the Zidagar, Azdgari and races like the I'ase and Q'an..

Sighing, Casene came to the conclusion this galaxy was definately not a place she should be. But there was one thing that she needed to take care of before she returned to New Sol, perhaps never to return.

"Crew, I'm sending word to Galactica. I'm going to request that we are escorted...to our home. Just one last time," Casene said over the comm. link, her eyes watering. For she was quite certain she'd never see Earth, and Liat, and all the other planets that meant so much to her, ever again. She looked forward to the opportunity to see her homeworld, New Taranto, just one last time. And she expected the other nineteen of them would also be looking forward to such an opportunity.

Guessing that someone of important would be in the system, but not knowing to what extent, she sent out a broad wave message.

"People of Galactica, I am Casene, born of New Taranto...born of the United Earth Federation of Terran Worlds, right hand of Lord Ariq Lance, commander of the Terran Colonial Co-operation. Myself and my crew are sorry to see your system in wreck, and we offer anything in our power to help you. However, we must make a request."

"I well know what happened the last time you granted a request from the Terrans, but we do not want to die - rather, we want to live. Please, show us Earth, show us Luna, show us where we once lived. I have no hostile intentions. I only wish to show my crew their homes one last time, and then I am gone, back into the realms where we must make our lives forever more."

"Please...grant this last request, and I shall make a promise. The Terrans shall never attack a vessel of Galactica, nor will we side with the Mercenary Alliance or..the Azdgari...over you. We the Terrans are neutral. We want but to survive."

She cut the comm.link, and wiped tears from her eyes. Her face was, for a moment, filled with expression, but it was soon replaced with icy calm. Do they know of Lance's fate? Paladin, and now Lance... I cannot say I liked either. But nor can I say I'm up to my duty. Lady Casene - ruler of the Terrans. Am I up to it? Can I handle it? I must. I owe it to my people. I will defend them, for as long as I take breath.

Casene sighed heavily with the realisation her life was no longer hers. Her husband, back at Terra, would be waiting for her. But he could wait, for now. Him and his insane sister, the "seer". Casene was frankly sick to death of her prophecising the future, especially her fake prophecies of her gaining a son. Casene could never have a child, not after what she'd been through. The doctors had said that, both the human ones and the Miranu.

Leaning back on her seat, wiping another tear from her face, she waited for Galactica to respond, glad that in her Thunderhawk she could be alone.

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Word.

Captain Garedo Huj, an overweight Strandless in command of a Scout Frigate, slumped in his chair. God, early warning duty was boring. He had been stationed in the Galactica system along with 6 other Scout Frigates to search on their advanced sensors for any sign of non-Galactica activity.

As he relaxed in his command chair, a beeping noise sounded from one of the terminals of his bridge crew. Following standard procedure, the officer switched the picture on the viewscreen to a diagram showing the source of the transmission. After the captain got over his initial annoyance at having a Terran beach scene taken away, he looked closer and listened closer to the message. "Where is this coming from?" he asked

"Not sure, sir. They've got a cloaking device."

As Captain Huj listened closed to tthe message, he realized how important it was. "Relay this to command right away!"

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(Message, Broad Wave)
From: BattleDoctor, Galactica
To: Terrans

Feel free to visit any former U.E. world you may desire. Even if we wanted to stop you from doing so, we couldn't. We thank you for your show of support."

(End Message)

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"NEVER EVER EVER stick a Habańero pepper on your **** !" -forge
(url="http://"http://www.dancingpaul.com/")Dancing Paul!(/url)

Silently over the end of the council meeting, Zacha ships started to gather in Sirabor. They left the worlds and such that many had died to protect and silently gathered around the Ragnorak, a four mile long ship, the last greatest creation of the Miranu people before they were absorbed. Home to 500,000 people, or now it would appear less; much life had been lost and many funerals had been given and it would be some time until the Zacha would become fully mobile again, if ever.

Some 424,000 men, women and childeren had been boarded onto the Ragnorak, newly repaired and retrofitted with new weaponry and a cloaking device, a gift from the I'ase. The Ragnorak would be the only ship in the entire Zacha to be such equiped and would stay that way.

Sisay looked from the cockpit of a fighter from his Falcon, and he was glad to see the Ragnorak. Much had changed since the first return of the UE and Zidagar. The force known as the Prylak had invaded and defeated in the end. The powerful nation known as Galactica had been shattered and now the Mercenary Alliance had more control. Paladin of Earth, once a glourius leader, had died on his homeworld, given back to the world that had given his race life. The last thing would be the new Alliance to shortly formed, but the Zacha would not be around to be a member.

Sisay's fighter docked and the leader of the Zacha walked out of the docking bay, which seemed empty. The commander traveled down the ship's long corridors and up the long transport tubes until he stood before the Command and Control of the Ragnorak. He stepped onto the bridge and all eyes turned towards him. On the bridge were familar faces, but one in particular. It was Hawk Kael, returned from whereever he had went. The two stood looking at each other and both nodded. Sisay motioned for Hawk Kael to take the command chair. "It is yours Zacha Hawk. I forefeit command to you, old friend."

Hawk nodded his thanks, his face showing some surprise on the Kisani's face. It was one rare thing to see such on Hawk Kael. He silently took the command chair and Sisay took the first officer's post. Hawk Kael spoke then. "It would seem we have reached a role in our lives. We have lost many comrades and friends, but their deaths have not been in vain. Pray that such a sight as the Prylak are never seen again and look forward to the future, for now this time has drawn close that this reing of chaos is nearing an end."

He turned to look at the helmsman and said, "Helm, send a fleet wide message to all other Zacha vessels. Tell them to macht our course and to engage. Let us return to the stars as we have done for these past ten years."

When the message was sent, all ships within the Zacha fleet entered formation. There were hundereds of them, many warships and many aradas and fighters. It would take time for the Zacha to rebuild their forces but it would come to pass someday. At the word of Hawk Kael, many jump points opened up, giving the appearance of stars being born in glory. All ships lept into the jump points and with that left Sirabor behind.

A message was sent shortly after that to both the Zidagar fleet and BattleDoctor of Galactica.

(Message, Broad Wave)
To: Rima of the Zidagar
BattleDoctor, Galactica
From: Hawk Kael, untraceable

Know that this year has brought about many changes. The Commonwealth has been broken by choice and we fully intend that it stay that way. Galactica has been shattered and will need to rebuild its forces. In that respect, the people of Stror have decided to secede to BattleDoctor and Galactica, asking for full installion into the government and to stay on their worlds.

To the Zidagar, we offer you the moons of Sirabor as a gift. You may not have a homeworld to go back to, but we would give you this system to settle down. It is all we can offer you.

(End Message)

The Commonwealth lasted far shorter then expected. In the end the people chose to disband it for fear of a war they did not want. The Commonwealth had been a dream in the hopes of peace, but where it would fail, perhaps the new Alliance would hopefully succede.

(This message has been edited by Captain Whitehawk (edited 10-17-2001).)

Casene smiled, her face composed once more, at BattleDoctor's reply. She sent a message to him, a short, and informal one.

"Thank you. I never thought I'd say this, but for once I meet a Voinian whom I can but like. I hope to talk to you again some time," she says, her fleet leaving the Galactica system before the sentence has died off.

They began their journey, through Saalia, through Centauri. As they entered Sol, and viewed with great pain the Hell that Earth had become. Casene's Thunderhawk, and the other ships, glided down close to Earth's atmosphere with permission from Galactica.

Their ships hovered over where they knew Paladin to have died, and Casene murmured a short hymn in honour of him. Then, her Thunderhawk raised higher in the atmosphere, the other ships parting around the area, and then, Casene's ship fired a single starlance, down, down at the Earth, at the exact point where Paladin had fallen.

The ceremony was a strange one, but it was also quite short. With that, the Terran ships split up, every pilot going to a place important to them.

Casene moved off towards New Taranto, with more hopes than most. She intended to go back to her real home - not just the space, not just the planet, but the building. Old memories... bad memories... my home, our home, I remember...

Casene forced herself to shrug. Her mother had died giving birth, and her father had died in the battle of Pokoren. It was for this reason why Casene was so greatly pained to admit that not every Voinian was evil. But she couldn't lie to herself.

She sighed, and fell softly asleep as the Thunderhawk took her on the journey to her home.

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CD: We're coming along here. When REDchigh gets here, he can make his post, and then... Carnotaur, two things I'd appreciate it if you did. 1) sealed off the Q'an Empire from the rest of us with a sub-space inhibitor, and 2) formed the Alliance. Zidagar will go willingingly, and the Azdgari are so hurt you can practically conquer them. Would you?

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Word.

(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 10-17-2001).)

A pair of dark blue eyes gleamed in the darkness of the silent, still bridge. "Captain Daeron was ambushed by a MA strike team. The beacon was destroyed, and Daeron was unable to escape," a whispering voice said behind the figure.

"Very well."

"Your orders, sir?"

"Engage the Slipstream Drive. Take us 50 light years away from the edge of explored space, and hold position there."

"Very well, Admiral."

--------------------

A massive group of MA warships had assembled across the border of MA space. Scorcher had been ordered by Carnotaur to put the border on alert and fire on any Galactica vessel he saw. Meanwhile, Carnotaur, after dealing with a few Prylak survivors, was heading off towards Azdgari space...

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The Mercenary Alliance bursted into the Azdgari system and Carnotaur hailed the planet. "Azdgari Emporer Yoo Oe; as of this moment, I order you to surrender all Azdgari territory and all Azdgari vessels to the Mercenary Alliance. If you do not comply, my fleet will do it forcefully. I don't want to create even more bloodshed, and neither do you. Respond now, or I will open fire."

--------------------

(MESSAGE TO RIMA, ZIDAGAR)
(ENCRYPTED)
(Rima, Galactica is crippled, the Azdgari will be under my control soon, and the Prylak are defeated. I see, however, in all this death and destruction, a new hope; the Alliance. The Azdgari will be the first ones to come under Alliance control, and I'm sure that the Zidagar would agree to join as well. Probably so would the Alliance supporting I'ase, but I am unsure of that. Your response?)
(END MESSAGE)

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The answer from the Azdgari was obvious; YooOe surrendered, unconditionally, and so MA terroritory was greatly enlarged. Immediately Carnotaur ordered the rebuilding and fortification of the Azdgari sector, as well as an extreme increase in the rate of shipbuilding. Now over 500 ships could be built in the amount of time it usually would have taken to build 200.

Thus began the United Federation Alliance...

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OOC: Yes, the name Federation Alliance is from Golden Horizon, but heck, it's a good name and I like it! The name may not stay in the case that I find a better one, but for right now, I'm going to keep this one.

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If at first you don't succeed...Hit it harder! - Me
--------------
Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

MOD: Pretty much good, Carno, but Prylak don't have slipstream technology. : ) Just forget it, though, we're so close to ending...

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Word.

She looked at the two messages, a place for her people and a new goverment for them. She smiled, and first she responded to Hawk Kael.

To: Hawk Kael
From: Rima
We thank you for this gift. You truly have given a great gift to us. We will always remember this great service youi have done us.
end message sequence

Rima sighed and smiled. All ships would go to Sirabor, but then their fate would not be up to her. Their was a suspicious moisture in her eyes as she looked at the Star charts and then started to answer her other message.

To: Carnotaur of the Alliance
From: Rima of the former Zidagar
As you can see from what I put as who I am, we will agree to the Alliance control. The Zidagar have only two small planets, and we cannot survive alone. Our goverment is no longer a goverment. We are yours, and we do go willingly.
end message sequence

Rima sat down, the tears in her eyes. She looked out of Savior at the fleet. Her gaze fell onto the old Zidara. She smiled. Even in the mist of all this chaos, the ship they had used for as long as they could remember was still in use. And even when the Zidagar were only a memory to the other races, the spirit of the Zidagar would live on in the Alliance. They would forever live, even should the name, and the memory die.

ooc: Edit: I had to edit because of the finale. Didn't want to ruin SD's writing.

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Of course Women don't work as hard as men....They do it right the first time.
My AIM is Rima17456

(This message has been edited by Rima (edited 10-17-2001).)

OOC: Some people seem to be confused about the current status of my government. It is breaking up. Two influential members of the Council are dead, and while it is true that some of the remaining ones do support the Alliance, some support Galactica and others support neither. This post will initiate the complete destruction of my current government.

===========

Arriving on Keld, hundreds of shock troops poured out of Nedra to combat the rebellion. I'ase were vicious fighters when they had to be, and within hours, Keld was safe. Aboard Nedra, however...

===========

The remaining members of the Council were gathered around a table. General Tasina, recently promoted, was acting chief. He spoke now. "You all believe different things. Some of you support the Alliance. I say, if you do, join them. They will welcome any support, and we will not pursue you. The same goes for any supporters of Galactica. For you who wish to remain independent, we must begin to rebuild our government...

"The first step, as I see it, is to have no one person in power. The Senator, while being part of the Council, was more powerful than any of you. We could even give the Council a new name if we wanted...maybe the Assemblage. But that can come later."

They all spoke at the same time. From what Tasina heard, he gathered that nobody would leave until a new government was firmly entrenched. For now, that was the best he could hope for...

RESEARCH PROJECT
Title: Drone fighters
ETA: 2 posts

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"I may detest what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire

Quote

Originally posted by SilverDragon:
**MOD: Pretty much good, Carno, but Prylak don't have slipstream technology. : ) Just forget it, though, we're so close to ending...
**

Ah, yes, but that's what you think. I'll explain the whole thing later to you on AIM.

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If at first you don't succeed...Hit it harder! - Me
--------------
Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

Hehe, don't worry about it, Carno. Actually, the Prylak use different technologies and ships in each of their conquered galaxies. In one, they have three types of ships. Prylak Battlecruiser, a ship you don't want to mess with. Prylak Dreadnought, a ship you really don't want to mess with. And the Prylak Starfortress, a ship that makes you think "wait a sec, didn't Esponer say NO supercruisers?"

Oh yeah, thread ended.

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Word.