First Royal Fleet Head Quarters Quane Orbit, Sorasora system
Fleet Commander Vance inched toward the Baron's chamber, cringing in fear with every step. Operation 415 had failed, and the unsavory task of informing the Baron belonged to Vance. Baron Ux was not known for charity to bearers of bad news.
As he made his way to the throne room, the Fleet Commander's mind searched frantically for a way to give his unfavorable report without provoking Baron Ux to the wrath that was his trademark. Droplets of cold sweat emerged on Vance's furrowed brow as he arrived at the entrance.
Two Roklarh guards and four sentrybots stood rigidly in front of the doorway. Seeing their huge assault rifles and bulky muscles, Vance began to feel sick. His mind was filled with the thought of himself at the business end of one of the rifles.
One of the guards turned his head toward Vance. It grunted something in its strange, alien language.
Vance's translator headset projected a holographic subtitle in front of the guard. "Fleet Commander Vance, Harris Tyler, ID number 2411 Zeta." he said.
There was a slight pause as one of the sentrybots checked its data banks to verify the Fleet Commander's clearance. "You are clear to pass." the robot chirped.
The door opened with a hiss, revealing the vast chamber inside. The domed throne room's transparent hull allowed the outside light to shine through, bathing the chamber in an eerie glow. Thousands of stars filled the view, with the blue crescent of the planet Quane hanging among them. The polished marble floor of the chamber reflected the entire spectacle, causing the hemispheric dome to appear spherical.
Baron Ux sat quietly upon his royal throne in the center of the room. Fleet Commander Vance could barely discern Ux's wolflike, alien features through the dim starlight.
The Baron spoke, his deep, growling voice rumbling through the chamber. "Enter."
Trembling, the Fleet Commander obeyed. As he walked into the chamber, Vance feared that his knees would buckle. Arriving at the room's center, he knelt before the Baron's throne.
"Rise." said Ux. "Your report, Fleet Commander?"
Vance rose from the floor, on the verge of fainting. He dreaded what he was about to do. "Sire, I regret to inform you that. . . Operation 415 has . . . failed."
"What?!" the Baron roared.
Vance cringed. "The Wrantor task force arrived in the Kaator system thirty-two hours ago, as planned. However, the natives of Kaator. . . refused to surrender."
The Baron bore an alien expression, which Vance assumed to be of rage. "Did not our task force destroy the riffraff?"
"Negative, sire. The Kaator fleet defended their system successfully. The entire task force, including the Wrantor, was destroyed." Vance choked on the words as he spoke them. "They seem to be more skilled in the art of space combat than we anticipated."
Ux stood suddenly, emitting a low growl. Vance knew what the Baron was thinking. The Unified Galactic Imperium had never, since the war that brought it into power, lost a battle. Now they had been defeated by primitive aliens without even the technology for hyperspace travel.
Ux grabbed Vance by the collar, speaking again. "How could the we loose to a mere single-star-system, interplanetary nation?"
The Fleet Commander closed his eyes, resigned to his fate. "I . . . do not know, sire. It is most perplexing."
"Kill them! Kill every last one of the insolent fools! Muster every warship the First Fleet has ready. They shall pay for this outrage!"
"Yes, my lord."
"Dismissed, Fleet Commander." said Ux, throwing the quivering Vance to the floor.
Filled with relief, Vance hurried to carry out his next task.
--Bald Locust (kunra@usa.net)
Capitol City Aanyex, Kaator System
Duke Aughlnon, Prime Minister of Kaator, stood on the balcony of the Executive Palace and smiled at the multitude before him. "It is my pleasure to announce," he stated, pausing for dramatic effect, "that the National Space Corps of Kaator has defeated the task force of the Unified Galactic Imperium that intended to subjugate our world!"
A roar of cheers thundered up from the crowd. In his joy, one of the cameramen nearly dropped his recorder. Even the large grey striders hitched along the roadside sensed the excitement. They grunted and shook their saddles anxiously.
When the applause faded, Aughlnon continued. "Nonetheless, our concerns are not over yet. There can be little doubt that the tyrant Baron Ux will attempt once again to deprive us of our freedom."
This was met with boos and defiant shouts. Cries of "Victory!" sounded here and there.
Aughlnon proceeded to rally the people with flowery rhetoric, inspiring loyal citizens to keep the faith and courageously support the millitary's efforts. In homes and communities around the planet, holovid viewers felt a growing confidence in the future once more.
Yet when Aughlnon retired to his office, he wished for an exalted leader to give him the same inspiration. The battle had been won only by a small margin, and larger Imperium fleets were certainly on their way. Trembling, he buried his face in his hands and wondered if he would be the last Prime Minister of Kaator.
A beep sounded, followed by the voice of the Executive Secretary. "Mr Prime Minister, the Karr Ambassador Yanic wishes to speak with you."
Aughlnon shuddered. He considered the Karr a disgusting species. They ate their firstborn children, bathed in putrid liquids, and rejected the state religion of Kaator. Nonetheless, a visit from the hated race might distract him from the possible impending doom. "Send it in," he replied.
The Karr shuffled into the room and sat on the floor (A stupid Karr custom thought Aughlnon) before the Prime Minister's desk. The creature's stench battered Aughlnon's senses. The thing began to speak through the orifice in its neck, spewing green clouds into the air. "Mr. Prime Minister," it began. "I'm aware of your bias against my people. Nonetheless, for the survival of both of our worlds, my King has ordered me to offer an alliance between our species. Alone, we will stand no chance against the Unified Galactic Imperium, but together we may uphold the indepence we both value."
Aughlnon growled, "Do you realize my people would rather die than accept you as allies?"
"If we don't put aside our prejudices, we may all die."
--Argus Skyhawk
Duke Aughlon turns to the military leader who defeated the Imperium fleet and they agree that the newly raised Spaceforce will ready for another attack. Aughlon dives back into Capitol City politics and tries to build support for an alliance with the creatures from the Gas Planet.
Meanwhile, Ux bets his shaky crown that Kaator will yield enough loot to appease his feudal lords.
--Webkyle
What happens next? You decide. Write a sentence, write a paragraph then send it to me and I will add it to the story.
