General Rathon grinned. "All is ready?"
"Yes sir! We've managed to bring one hundred and fifty of our ships into this system without alarming the Loyalist factions. The other hundred will move straight away to here once we've established command, and we'll show our might!" Second General Codax replied.
Rathon nodded. "Open the viewscreen. I want to see this."
-----------------------------
One hundred and fifty Rebel ships - Zidaras and Zidagar fighters - were spread out throughout the Kedan system.
A lone Loyalist Zidara, flying in on a larger eliptical scout pattern, suddenly came under the fire of twenty "Rebel" Zidaras. The battle had begun.
Already, Rebel ships were in position to begin their horrific slaughter. They opened fire on the Loyalist defenders, outnumbering and outgunning them, as well as having a couple of seconds element of surprise. It appeared that one Zidara under fire from five others, plus the fighters, fell quite quickly.
Losses were incured on the Rebel side, of course, but they numbered only a handful. The battle among the stars was quite quick, and definately decisive.
The harder element of battle took place on ground.
Twenty thousand Rebels, ranging from marines to lightly armed civilians, stormed the planet from secret bunkers. As the Rebel armada came into range, opening up on missile silos and gun turrets, five fighter wings swept down across the planet, wiping out political and military establishments quickly with their specially outfitted dispersal rocket warheads, and others with their phased beams and cannons.
Of the twenty thousand, casualties recorded in at one and a half thousand. The figure was dreadful, but right now, no-one cared.
Kedan now belonged to the Zidagar Rebel Faction, and the people down on the planet were being either killed, imprisoned, or recruited.
Just as the word was out, the other Rebels began pouring in that direction - a hundred military ships, and about twenty Miranu heavy freighters swarming with more loyal Rebel troops.
Rathon, however, had something else on his mind.
"What's this?" he asked Codax, confused.
"The Isolationists have taken Bokac. With the holes in the Loyalist ranks, we were able to get a sneak message from them, through the Loyalists," Codax replied, walking over to a console to display the message.
(MESSAGE TO MIRANU, ZIDAGAR LOYALISTS, AZDGARI, IGADZRA, KAYANS, RENEGADE ALLIANCE)
(FROM: Brokac)
(SOURCE: Admiral Arcturus)
(I am Admiral Arcturus, leader of the Zidagar Isolationists. Just hours ago, I took control of the Zidagar Loyalist base of Bokac. My forces are large in number, and I will not rest till I have complete control over the Zidagar loyalists. As of now I announce the following:
All diplomatic ties will be cut off to all other governments
All Zidagar loyalist leaders will be caught and executed
The Zidagar Isolationist Movement considers all other forces hostile and will be fired upon
Those are my statements. Defy them, and you will pay.)
(END MESSAGE)
Rathon growled. "The Loyalists are weak. They can wait. Gather the forces ASAP. We're going to Bokac."
Codax smiled. "To Zidagar?"
"To us," Rathon replied quietly.
------------------
Word.
(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 10-30-2001).)