NationStates Jolt Archive

The presidents ship, escorted by two cruisers and two frigates, came to a halt in a little used area of space. They awaited the arrival of the Draconis delegate and the beginning of talks.

President Anita de Chong-Markowitz stood at the viewport looking out into the diamond studded velvety darkness beyond. Her youthful looking face, and she was rather young to have the mantle of the Central Worlds laid on her shoulders, held concern. There had been a number of races with which they had had contact but never a major government. Certainly not one that could destroy them easily, from what reports she was given. This HAD to go right or it could spell doom for them all.

She moved away from the window, her pleasant form, which she still managed to work on at least two hours a day in the gym on the ship, moving with a practiced grace. This certainly hadn't started out well. General Quester-Benn and Admiral Quester-Benn had defected. If that came out to the general public it would cause no end of problems. The General, especially, was well liked by the people, and the President herself liked the woman, though she had to hide her respect from certain families.

She sat down at her desk, going over everything she had for the hundreth time. She hoped for the alliance, but what she secretly wanted most was the trade negotiations that would free the Presidents position from the money needed by the high families. If the government were less dependant on the 'old money' then it would have more freedom to do what was necessary rather than be bogged down by the desires of the high families.

Unlike many presidents in the past, Anita truley loved Central Worlds and wanted to see it thrive, rather than be yoked by the control freaks to which it had to rely upon. After all, any government that could so alienate a fine soldier like the general needed something to be done. She sighed and waited, running a hand through her raven black hair as her deep brown eyes went over the reports, yet again.

Space seemed to explode and Hypatia dove out of Singularity. Suddenly she was pinged by multiple weapons locks and she quickly sent out her identification. The I.D. was checked, verified and the weapons returned to scanning the blackness of space.

"Alright", Alex said, "I think I have to go change my skinsuit now."

Tia didn't giggle like she wanted to, because she knew that if she did she wouldn't be able to stop for some time. The irony of being shot down by her own people after what she just went through wasn't lost on her either and it almost made her laugh.

"Yeah", Tia replied, "good thing the shell handles the removal of waste products.

They sent the message that the Draconian representative would be arriving shortly and waiting for docking clearance until after he arrived.

It was then in an explosion of light that the Light Cruiser Tra'kula appeared off port of the small fleet. It was a magnificent sight with it's sloping curves and it's impressive weapons array. It bolstered twin main energy cannons and an assortment of interceptor turrets. But the most impressive fact of it all was the blue aura surrounding the Cruiser from it's sheilds. It was indeed an magnifincant sight.

On Board the Tra'kula-

"Ension extend our greatings to the President, and tell the Marines to get to the docking port." Admirl Dur'uc ordered.

"Yes sir, at once, sir." The ension replied doing her work flawlessly.
"Security forces to the docking port and stand by."

Transmission to Central Worlds

"Central Worlds vessels this is the Tra'kula of the Draconis Federation, please input coordinates for docking procedures and stand by for transfer of diplomats and security forces."

The ensign looked up at Captain Tanreal Reardon. He looked over the scans of the Draconis ship. 'Damn glad we aren't fighting them', he thought.

"Ensign, inform them that they can couple to the starboard aft hatchway. Welcome them to the Alpha Star, and inform Admiral Martin-Hezra Fong of thier arrival. I'll head down to see to it that the legion has things in order."

"SIR, YES SIR!"

The ensign opened his comm, "Attention Tra'kula. You can couple to the aft starboard hatchway. We are prepared to receive you. Welcome to the Alpha Star."

Captain Reardon made his way to down to the quarterdeck off the starboard aft hatch. He didn't really need to be there. The legion didn't need to be checked to see if things were in order, the legion WAS order. He wanted to be one of the first to officially greet those of a new system and by rights as Captain of this vessel he could indulge himself.

On the main deck the men, women and borgs of the legion were already lined up and waiting, the Admiral having passed the word onto their Colonel.

Colonel Veranda Zalinder was a woman who took great pleasure in her position and used it to her advantage any time she could. She and her family had had nothing when she was born and her whole life had been geared toward changing that. By that virtue she made Major Phalis Hsans-Herzog's life miserable.

The Major had been high family but left home because of the political hotbedding that went on. Joining the legion had been a disgrace to them and they disowned him, which was all the better for him as far as he was concerned. The Major had forged what he had out of his own blood, sweat and tears and he was the better for it in his mind. Without family ties he had risen to be second in command of the legion force onboard the presidents flagship, though he was relatively certain that the Colonel didn't believe that.

He stood at attention to one side of the Colonel, looking down the twin rows of people and borgs and felt damn proud to be there.

Captain Reardon entered and approached the dual line of legionarres. This was the part the Colonel hated, he knew. Technically the Colonel outranked him but only a legion general could issue orders to another branch of service. So much the better in his mind, he hated the woman.

"Colonel, is everything in order."

"Captain, Yes Captain. Everything is in order and we're ready, SIR!"

"Excellent", he said and then looked over as the admiral, technically Vice Admiral, entered along with the President.

The Captain turned smartly and snapped a solute. "Company prepared and ready for reception SIR!"

He spoke to the Admiral, speaking only to the President if spoken to.

The Admiral saluted and nodded, "Excellent work, Captain, join us."

The Captain stepped forward past the Admiral and then turned smartly and stood at attention, waiting for the Draconis ship to dock.

On Board the Tra'kula

"Ension inform the marines and rangers that this is a peacefull conference, not a boarding party, their armor weaponry will be sufficent. And when we dock have Ta'mara and Alexial meet me at the airlock."

The ension did her job and informed the marines and rangers to the circumstances. She then docked with the Central Worlds vessel and took over the docking and maintance procedures.

"Ta'mara, Alexial, meet the Admiral at the airlock, that's an order from the Admiral himself." The ension stated bluntly.

_

As Ta'mara was exiting her chamber and dressing, Alexial was doing the same. They then made their way to the airlock to meet up with Dur'uc when they saw the security force Dur'uc had assembled. It consited of thrity two marines, sixteen rangers, as well as as a few platoons of drones.

They spotted Dur'uc at the head of the formation and fell in on both sides, Alexial to his right, and Ta'mara to the left.

Alexial then asked, "I little much, don't you think?"

"Not entirely so, they are merely a show of millitary exelance, and besides it's procedure, and the council would have my head if they learned I failed to meet procedure."

"Yeah their like that, don't hold it against them." Ta'mara said with a chuckle.

The Meeting

As Dur'uc, Alexial, Ta'mara, and the security force made their way onto the President's ship, they made an impressive sight. The marines in good fashion made their way opposite the Legion's postion followed by the rangers. Dur'uc followed by Alexial and Ta'mara, made their way to the President and her ontourage, it was then that Dur'uc first meet the President of Central Worlds.

Dur'uc, Alexial and Ta'mara, showed their respect by bowing their heads and saluting, by holding their fisted hands over their hearts.

"It is an honor to speak with the president of Central Worlds, I am Admiral Du'uc, and this is Alexial and Ta'mara, we are the delegates from the Draconis Federation. We know little about your people, but we are assured that our two peoples can exist in peace." Dur'uc said holding out his hand.

Colonel Zalinder moved to join the Vice Admiral and the President standing on the right side of the president. The Captain had stepped behind the Admiral to the Presidents left, more to be away from the Colonel than anything else. The Major, Hsans-Herzog took lone man point ahead of the column which was to the Presidents right hand side.

Lone man point was a Legion tradition. Being the first into any hostile area it was not unusual to take heavy losses and the lone man point reprisented those lost in combat.

As Dur'uc, Alexial, Ta'mara, and the security force made their way onto the President's ship, they made an impressive sight. The marines in good fashion made their way opposite the Legion's postion followed by the rangers. Dur'uc followed by Alexial and Ta'mara, made their way to the President and her ontourage

Captain Tanreal Reardon's and Major Phalis Hsans-Herzog's eyes locked onto the two women as they approached. The Captain, being to close to his superiors could do nothing but look and once close enough forced himself to look straight ahead. 'I joined the wrong damned service', he thought to himself. He tried to make sure that Alexial hadn't seen him staring, but didn't want to risk glancing at her, just in case.

The Major was better off. Ta'Mara, on his side of the approaching envoy, was off to the side and not directly in front of her. He let out a low whistle, able to do so as no one was around him, and his eyes followed her, admiring the view from both front and back.



, it was then that Dur'uc first meet the President of Central Worlds.
Dur'uc, Alexial and Ta'mara, showed their respect by bowing their heads and saluting, by holding their fisted hands over their hearts.

"It is an honor to speak with the president of Central Worlds, I am Admiral Du'uc, and this is Alexial and Ta'mara, we are the delegates from the Draconis Federation. We know little about your people, but we are assured that our two peoples can exist in peace." Dur'uc said holding out his hand.

The president smiled, though she looked worn and returned thier bow in same fashion before extending her own hand and shaking his.

"President Anita de Chong-Markowitz, Admiral, and it's a pleasure to meet you all", she replied, including Alexial and Ta'Mara in her gaze. "We know little of your people as well, but your recommended by a shell person and that says alot."

The corner of Colonel Zalinder's mouth twitched down slightly as though in disgust but she kept her eyes straight ahead.

"HUUZZZZAAAHHHHHH!!!!!", suddenly erupted from the legionares as the General made her way through the lock and strode forward past them. She commented to them as she passed, "I see you got that arm fixed .... Your looking good Dansin, the docs outdid themselves .... about time you got that uniform pressed Eddilson". Not a person or borg was overlooked in the front row as she made her way forward and not one hesitated to stand even straighter and prouder after she addressed them.

While everyone watched General Micaya Quester-Benn approach the Colonel stared daggers at the woman.

She approached the entourage and snapped to attention, her salute to the President sharp and crisp. The President returned her salute, "As you were, General", then she returned her focus to the Admiral. "Admiral, I planned an informal gathering for everyone to get aquanted before we started the meeting. That is if this is acceptable. If your pressed for time we can go right to the proceedings."

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Tia had docked on the port side and Alex was met by a small group of legionares. They led him toward the reception area where the informal gathering would take place, ready to take him to the meeting if the reception was called off.

"Admiral, I planned an informal gathering for everyone to get aquanted before we started the meeting. That is if this is acceptable. If your pressed for time we can go right to the proceedings."

Admiral Dur'uc smiled and replied, "Freindships must not be made quickly, they must be made to weather the storms and to hold the pressure of their loads. Or else ... they will collapse and will end with nothing but sorrow and regret." Dur'uc smiled again, and bowed his head again, but this time he was alone in this gesture.

"An informal gathering will give us both more time to judge each other's culture, as well as each other. So ... we accept your offer of an informal meeting before we get on with the proceedings, it is a wise descission to never rush into anything important." Dur'uc said using another proverb.

"And now if you will be so kind please direct us to the area where you will be holding this informal gathering, but before we go, may I ask you where my men will stay during the informal gathering?" Dur'uc asked with something unnoticable in his eye, a strange glow of conviction that only a leader such as himself would have.

Captain Tanreal Reardon's and Major Phalis Hsans-Herzog's eyes locked onto the two women as they approached. The Captain, being to close to his superiors could do nothing but look and once close enough forced himself to look straight ahead. 'I joined the wrong damned service', he thought to himself. He tried to make sure that Alexial hadn't seen him staring, but didn't want to risk glancing at her, just in case.

The Major was better off. Ta'Mara, on his side of the approaching envoy, was off to the side and not directly in front of her. He let out a low whistle, able to do so as no one was around him, and his eyes followed her, admiring the view from both front and back.

Alexial was a little embarresed to know that she was being stared at, but she was a little proud of the fact that men of an entirely different species found her atractive. So enstead of bringing attention to the stares she simply smiled to her self and giggled under her breath.

While Ta'mara on the other hand also knew she was being stared at, but didn't care weither they found her interesting or not. She just looked them over and looked back at Captain Tanreal Reardon for a split second. She found it odd that aother woman from a different species would find her interesting.

(OOC - One quick note, though I'll still post. Major Phalis Hsans-Herzog is male, not female. The Colonel is female as is the president.

Admiral Dur'uc smiled and replied, "Freindships must not be made quickly, they must be made to weather the storms and to hold the pressure of their loads. Or else ... they will collapse and will end with nothing but sorrow and regret." Dur'uc smiled again, and bowed his head again, but this time he was alone in this gesture.

"An informal gathering will give us both more time to judge each other's culture, as well as each other. So ... we accept your offer of an informal meeting before we get on with the proceedings, it is a wise descission to never rush into anything important." Dur'uc said using another proverb.

"And now if you will be so kind please direct us to the area where you will be holding this informal gathering, but before we go, may I ask you where my men will stay during the informal gathering?" Dur'uc asked with something unnoticable in his eye, a strange glow of conviction that only a leader such as himself would have.

"You speak with wisdom, Admiral", the president told him. You have but to follow myself and my staff to the gathering. As for your men, I'll make arrangements to have them bunked with my own, you may bring as many as you like. I'll forgo any personal guards, aside from the command staff itself, as a show of good faith on my part as recognition of the show of good faith on yours by agreeing to visit us in our space."

(Ok, then I misconstrude the information and I apologize and will correct.)

"I on my part must follow regulations or face stipulation from my government, that indicates that I take two soldiers and one support unit for each delegate, six soldiers and three drones in total, though as you can tell they carry no weapons other then their armor, equiped weapons, or built in weaponry." Dur'uc replied.

"So lead the way, Madame President, Alexial, Ta'mara, pick six men and three drones then follow." Dur'uc said abiding council law on security at any and all diplomatic missions and proceedings.

Alexial and Ta'mara did as they were bid and chose four marines, two rangers, and three drones out of the formation and left the rest to be taken care of by the president's men.

The Captain led the way, being his ship, followed by the president and vice admiral. The Colonel followed them while the Major issued orders to the Sergeant to get Admiral Dur'uc's people some billets. Once that was done he followed up behind all the others, while Micaya was just ahead of him in Admiral Dur'uc's group.

The room the Captain led them too was pleasantly done in neutral colors and tones so as not to be psychologically oppressive or repulsive to anyone. The chosen furniture was comfortable enough but not too comfortable as to have anyone dozing off. The fare that was laid out was simple, consisting of basic breads and cheese and cooked meat without too many seasonings. Coffee, juice or water was offered for something to drink since alcohol wasn't permitted on board naval vessels.

After Alexial and Ta'mara had selected the soldiers that would accompany them, they fell in behind Dur'uc and followed them to the designated area.

When they arrived Admiral Dur'uc was not dissappointed with the spread, it was simple, but as a great man once said, 'It is the simple things in life that make it worth living.'

Dur'uc then dismissed his gaurds and let them walk about the room as they pleased, but Alexial and Ta'mara followed behind him to the right and left as they had before, even though he had dismissed them with the rest of the soldiers.

"So Madame President, you don't mind me calling you Madame President do you? If so then, were shall we begin with our informal meeting?"

"So Madame President, you don't mind me calling you Madame President do you? If so then, were shall we begin with our informal meeting?"

The president smiled and gestured toward the couch. "I'm not military, Admiral, I never was. To me informal means just that. Here you can call me Amita. Madame President will do just fine for the summit. By informal I mean we can speak about ourselves or our homes, anything that doesn't have to do with the government and I'm not asking for anything that you can't tell me do to protocol.

"I'll start. I'm married, to a very patient man, with one child. She's doing, I'm afraid to say, rather poorly in school. They say it's because I don't spend enough time with her. Nothing like laying guilt on a me on top of all my other concerns. I started as a diplomat, successfully negotiating several potential hotspots where conflict could have erupted. How I actually got to be president, well, I have my suspicions on that. I would like to say it's because I was best quilified, but I feel that I'm not quite hard enough, however, I do my best.

"So tell me about you, if you can."

The Admiral stood near the President as if it was his place to be at her right hand. The Colonel, however, would interrupt periodically, offering to get drinks or food or just hovering nearby.

Micaya had drifted away from the senior staff to where she was more comfortable, over with the soldiers.

The Captain and the Major had gotten quiet when she came over. "General", they both said in unison.

"Funny, I saw your lips moving and thought you were talking over here, apparently I was wrong."

"We were just discussing the Colonel, Sir."

Micaya nodded. "Well, if your taking bets then I place on the side that says the Colonel WILL wipe the presidents ass if asked."

Both men burst out laughing, suddenly relaxing in Micaya's presence.

"No bet, Sir", the Major put in, "I don't bet my money foolishly."

Micaya grinned and nodded, "Smart man. How are my borgs?"

"Doing well Ma'am, I check them personally every morning."

"Personally as in you tell someone to do it or as in you do yourself?" she asked.

"Oh no ma'am, I check them myself, they're my responsibility just like any bio bod is and it's them that'll most likely haul my ass out of a hot zone."

Micaya nodded, "Good man."

"Ma'am?" the Captain spoke up.

"Yeah cap?"

"The troopers seem to be having an issue in cold climate, any ideas?"

The Major nodded, "Yeah ever since we got the new twos."

"ahh", Micaya was nodding, "yeah, theres a glitch in the processing chip for the thermal regulators. Put in the old T2 chip and they'll be fine. Central should have the new revised chips soon."

The Captain smiled. The borgs might not be his but hated loosing anyone on his ship. "Thank's General."

Micaya nodded acknowledgement and glanced over toward the higher ups.

Dur'uc took a seat across from the president and listened to her tell about herself, then answered her question.

"Very well, I too am married, to an extremely attractive and patient woman, who has thus far given me a daughter and who now as we speak carries my second heir, we both personally hope that the child is male so we can have a son, and so that our daughter will have a brother to care for, but it is still too early for the tests to determine the gender." Dur'uc said with a cheerfull smile.

While Dur'uc was consorting with the president Alexial and Ta'mara were hovering around the crowd and speaking with officers and soldiers alike. They knew that they were catching they attention of a good portion of the room, or in other words the portion that could see them. Which made them both giddy as school girls to be the center of attention for so many people.

(RP some questions for Alexial and Ta'mara, will you?)

(RP some questions for Alexial and Ta'mara, will you?)

(OOC - Okay I'll see what I can do. Really its small, not the room, but the number of people. The president intended it that way and she really did only come with her ranking staff as a gesture of good will. Besides, most of the questions on the men's mind wouldn't be appropriate and would probably get them killed now or executed later. *grin* Let me give you a run down of my people there right now so it's a bit easier for you and I see that I didn't do descriptions for most of them which i'll take care of here as well.

President Anita de Chong-Markowitz - speaking with Admiral Dur'uc. (Mid forties, raven black hair, dark brown eyes, 5'7" tall, 156 lbs)

General Micaya Quester-Benn - speaking with the Captain and the Major. (You know)

Admiral Martin Hezra-Fong - stands near the president and speaks if spoken to. (mid to late fifties, thinning blonde hair, blue eyes, 6'1" tall, 212 lbs)

Colonel Veranda Zalinder - The hovering officer. (late thirties, brown hair, green eyes, 5'9" tall, 200 lbs )

Captain Tanreal Reardon - (Mid thirties, Reddish brown hair, grey eyes, 5'6" tall, 165 lbs)

Major Phalis Hsans-Herzog - ((Yes, HE is MALE)late twenties, dark brown hair, brown eyes, 5'7" tall, 169lbs)

Alex will be joining you this post and later so will two other people, one representative each from SPRiM and MM.

Further descriptions, clothing, appearance and so on can be provided at your request.)

Heavy metallic footsteps were heard coming down the hallway and the President looked up as two borgs stepped past the doorway and stopped. Following them came Alex and he entered the room as the borgs left continuing down the hall. The president smiled and looked at Dur'uc, "Would you excuse me a moment?" she asked politely and then stood up and approached Alex.

"You must be Alex", she said extending her hand. "Anita de Chong-Markowitz", she said as she extended her hand.

Like Alex didn't know who she was, "M - madame President", he stuttered.

She smiled, "Would you join us? I was just getting aquanted with your friends." She gently took his arm and led him over. "Hypatia Cade is with you I trust?"

"Yes Madame President", came Tia's voice from the contact button.

"Excellent", Anita said smiling.

"Now", she said, sitting down again and looking at Alexial, "What about you? Why not tell us something about yourself?"

Alex stood, looking nervous and fidgety.

(I got it, but just have someone ask them, like, where are they from, their families, the like, and you lie you also have a few grunts in there or who else is the General Micaya talking to? And beside I kinda figured that the question for my girls would be inapporpiate, but you know how grunts are, they'll ask question to get hints at the questions they really want to ask.)

"But of course Miss Anita." Dur'uc said responding to request, he too had noticed the approach of the cyborgs and when he saw Alex for the first time he was glad that he'd be able to meet Alex in person.

"Don't be nervous Alex, it doesn't become you." Dur'uc added trying to calm him down before he had a kiniption fit.

(Ummm, if you look at the posts again you'll see very clearly that Micaya is talking to the Captain and the Major. Alexial just missed her question. The President just asked her to tell something about herself.)

Alex smiled at the Admiral. "Admiral, it's good to meet you face to face at last. I can't thank you, or your people", he said looking at Ta'Mara and Alexial, "enough for all your assistance."

"Indeed", the Colonel said as she approached Alex and Dur'uc, "were it not for your intervention all might have been lost."

"Now", she said, sitting down again and looking at Alexial, "What about you? Why not tell us something about yourself?".

"Indeed", the Colonel said as she approached Alex and Dur'uc, "were it not for your intervention all might have been lost."
(Hehe)

"Well," Alexial started, "unlike Admiral Dur'uc I was 'born' on Draco, and I use the term 'born' loosely, you see I'm what is called an Avatar, or in other words a sythetically created dracon. I'm also not married or have any children, but I hope to find a male I can spend the rest of my life with, and plan to make a family with." Alexial said responding to the presidents inquirey.

Dur'uc looked over to the Colonel with a curious glance, "What do you mean by that, Colonel, is it?" Dur'uc asked a little brazenly.

"Well," Alexial started, "unlike Admiral Dur'uc I was 'born' on Draco, and I use the term 'born' loosely, you see I'm what is called an Avatar, or in other words a sythetically created dracon. I'm also not married or have any children, but I hope to find a male I can spend the rest of my life with, and plan to make a family with." Alexial said responding to the presidents inquirey.

Anita smiled. "I hope you get what you wish for. There's nothing like the support of a family and knowledge what waits for you when you can get home." Then she turned to Ta'Mara, "Would you share a little about yourself?"

Micaya had drawn the two men into a conversation about tactics and strategies. The Major and Captain were telling her about the recent multi-national force that had been agreed to and thier first defensive engagement.

"It was a clusterfuck", the Major told her. "Oh they had a great idea alright, but they neglected to think about the fact that each race had it's own way of dealing with combat, so when the shit hit fan nobody was where everyone else expected them to be. The ground forces took an ass kicking until the legion dug in and the navy arrived. The air support and the legions holding was enough to keep things from turning into a rout until they could get everything together."

Micaya chuckled. "Sounds something like the Capellan campaign. We had fought in our own ways, legion, marines, navy. But Capella was the first campaign that needed all three." Micaya rolled her eyes, "We damn near eliminated ourselves from the conflict."

"Indeed", the Colonel said as she approached Alex and Dur'uc, "were it not for your intervention all might have been lost."

Dur'uc looked over to the Colonel with a curious glance, "What do you mean by that, Colonel, is it?" Dur'uc asked a little brazenly.

"Yes, Colonel", she told him. "I meant that if you hadn't been there then we might of lost the ship and the brawn both. I'm glad you were there. Can I get you anything else?"

Ta'mara looked over at the presedent and answered, "Unlike my sister here I don't have any plans for the future other then my service as Tra'kula's SI. But I do have to say, the way my sister discribed having a family, I wouldn't mind making a small one my self" Ta'mara said with a slight chuckle.

"Oh, I see, and no, I am satisified with what I've had. Though I would like to ask, why is that you seem so, up tight, what's your story." Dur'uc asked the Colonel bluntly about her past.

Ta'mara looked over at the presedent and answered, "Unlike my sister here I don't have any plans for the future other then my service as Tra'kula's SI. But I do have to say, the way my sister discribed having a family, I wouldn't mind making a small one my self" Ta'mara said with a slight chuckle.

"Well, I certainly support the family. I can't say enough how much support I get from my own, even if I'm not home often.

"I do have a question, though, if it can be answered. You said your a synthetically created Dracon. Yet you can reproduce? So your biological in nature then."

"Oh, I see, and no, I am satisified with what I've had. Though I would like to ask, why is that you seem so, up tight, what's your story." Dur'uc asked the Colonel bluntly about her past.

The Major almost choked on his coffee, but remained silent, knowing that anything he said, for or against the colonel would somehow be twisted and used against him.

Colonel Zalinder looked offended but answered the Admiral, since she wanted to score points. "Well I was born on MES. That's Melinbar Epsilon station to a rather poor family. I joined the legion as a bio bod trooper in order to make something of myself. I've proven myself in countless campaigns and attained my rank through hard work."

She wore exactly three medals, compared to Micaya's chestful, and every one was meritorious service. Micaya's bespoke of courage, valor, honor and self sacrifice from both purple hearts and medals for humane service. The Major and Captain both looked at the medals the Colonel wore and those that the General wore.

"Careful", Micaya told them, "a girl could get the wrong idea."

Both were mortified and looked at her shocked, until she winked and grinned. Unlike the Colonel, Micaya wore them because she was expected to and then ONLY when she was expected to where the Colonel wore them every day.

"I do have a question, though, if it can be answered. You said your a synthetically created Dracon. Yet you can reproduce? So your biological in nature then."

Colonel Zalinder looked offended but answered the Admiral, since she wanted to score points. "Well I was born on MES. That's Melinbar Epsilon station to a rather poor family. I joined the legion as a bio bod trooper in order to make something of myself. I've proven myself in countless campaigns and attained my rank through hard work."

She wore exactly three medals, compared to Micaya's chestful, and every one was meritorious service. Micaya's bespoke of courage, valor, honor and self sacrifice from both purple hearts and medals for humane service. The Major and Captain both looked at the medals the Colonel wore and those that the General wore.

"Careful", Micaya told them, "a girl could get the wrong idea."

Both were mortified and looked at her shocked, until she winked and grinned. Unlike the Colonel, Micaya wore them because she was expected to and then ONLY when she was expected to where the Colonel wore them every day.
"I see, a self made officer. So I take it that you worked your way through the ranks to get to your current rank. A struggle one would admire, but I see that you were hurt by my question, if that is true than I will not expect you to answer any question that offends you in the future, I'd prefer not to look into your past if it's painfull for you to remember."

Alexial chose to answer the question, "Yes, to a point, our skelitons are a metalic/ceramic memory cell composite, and our muscles are made of a nano-muscular fiber that is 12.36x's stronger then normal muscle, and many of our organs are arificial, such as our heart, liver, and ty'rkio, an organ that helps fight off infection and parasites. But our reproductive and endocrine systems are organic." Alexial explained kindly.

"I see, a self made officer. So I take it that you worked your way through the ranks to get to your current rank. A struggle one would admire, but I see that you were hurt by my question, if that is true than I will not expect you to answer any question that offends you in the future, I'd prefer not to look into your past if it's painfull for you to remember."

The Colonel nodded briskly and then stood by, waiting to see if the Admiral had any more questions for her.

Alex, meantime, had already decided that he didn't like the woman and drifted away from her and the Admiral muttering something about getting a drink.

Alexial chose to answer the question, "Yes, to a point, our skelitons are a metalic/ceramic memory cell composite, and our muscles are made of a nano-muscular fiber that is 12.36x's stronger then normal muscle, and many of our organs are arificial, such as our heart, liver, and ty'rkio, an organ that helps fight off infection and parasites. But our reproductive and endocrine systems are organic." Alexial explained kindly.

Anita listened to Alexial with great attention. Though a diplomat she had a second doctorite in biomechanical engineering, a hobby of hers. "Utterly amazing", she said barely about a whisper, "So your offspring, are they completely bio...."

It was then that two more people entered the room, escorted by the heavy footed cyborgs, who then tramped off again.

Quinton Gorthan-Desmond has black hair and brown eyes. He stands 5' 10" tall, though the most remarkable thing about him, as he wheezes into the room is the incredible fact that he can move at all at 330lbs. As he enters he wipes the sweat from his brow, having made the long journey from the dock to the room, about a whole 600 yards total distance. His age is hard to determine, his thirty-eight years buried in the mound of flesh. He wears the insignia for the SPRiM orginization and as he enters, eyes the food in the room before moving toward the President.

Marianne Noreen-Calabriz pushes back a lock of dark brown hair as her light blue eyes sweep those assembled. Her 5' 2", 142lbs frame is seen only after Quinton, barely, clears the doorway. Though at 34 she's almost as old as Quinton she looks much younger. She's athletic looking and wears the insignia of the MM orginization. She smiles at Micaya as she enters and moves toward the President herself.

"Sorry we're late", Quinton wheezes, "we had to finish some negotiations before we could leave."

"Quite alright", Anita replied, "Allow me to make introductions. This is Admiral Dur'uc, representative of the Draconis Federation. This is Alexial, Admiral Dur'uc's aide. His second aide, Ta'Mara. And his personal guard", she said sweeping the others but careful to politely include them.

With each introduction first Quinton then Marianne reached out to shake hands, stating what an honor it was to meet each one, and they actually seemed pleased and then smiled and nodded politely toward the guards.

"I believe you know my staff", she said gesturing toward her own people in the room. "This is General Micaya Quester-Benn."

"Ahh", Quinton said, "I've heard so much about you, General", he said extending his hand which she shook.

"Gauranteed that seventy-five percent of it is bullshit and the rest is exagerated", she told him good naturedly.

He chuckled and nodded as Marianne stuck out her own hand. "You don't know me, but I remember you."

"Is that good or bad?" Micaya asked.

"Good", she said smiling, "though I feel bad. your saving me was to cause of one of those purple hearts."

"And you joined MM. Then my sacrifice wasn't a vain one. It's an honor", she told the woman.

"And this", Anita continued, "is Alex and Hypatia."

Quinton and Marianne shook his hand as well, both telling him that it was a pleasure to meet them both.

"And now", Anita continued, looking at Dur'uc, "the meeting may commence, unless you would care to relax a bit more before it starts. I've left the schedule, especially the time frame, very flexable."

Anita listened to Alexial with great attention. Though a diplomat she had a second doctorite in biomechanical engineering, a hobby of hers. "Utterly amazing", she said barely about a whisper, "So your offspring, are they completely bio...."

"Quite alright", Anita replied, "Allow me to make introductions. This is Admiral Dur'uc, representative of the Draconis Federation. This is Alexial, Admiral Dur'uc's aide. His second aide, Ta'Mara. And his personal guard", she said sweeping the others but careful to politely include them.

"And now", Anita continued, looking at Dur'uc, "the meeting may commence, unless you would care to relax a bit more before it starts. I've left the schedule, especially the time frame, very flexable."
Dur'uc, Alexial, and Ta'mara each took their time shaking hands and accepting praise from the other members of the sumit.

Admiral Dur'uc waved his hand and answered, "I beleive I should let Alexial finish your question then we may begin the meeting at your leisure, Anita." The Admiral said briskly looking over at Alexial who was patiently waiting to finish her question.

Alexial nodded and answered the president question, "As for your question Madame President, yes, they would be fully organic, no bio-mechanical or synthetic alterarions would be present in any child born from an SI Avatar." Alexial was a little glad that someone beyond her own creator thought her reproduction capabilities were 'amazing'.

Admiral Dur'uc waved his hand and answered, "I beleive I should let Alexial finish your question then we may begin the meeting at your leisure, Anita." The Admiral said briskly looking over at Alexial who was patiently waiting to finish her question.

Alexial nodded and answered the president question, "As for your question Madame President, yes, they would be fully organic, no bio-mechanical or synthetic alterarions would be present in any child born from an SI Avatar." Alexial was a little glad that someone beyond her own creator thought her reproduction capabilities were 'amazing'.

Anita smiled at Dur'uc for allowing her time for her inquisitiveness and paid close attention to Alexial's answer. She placed her right hand under her left forarm and left hand on her heart as she considered Alexial's answer, then shook her head again. "Incredible. Absolutely incredible", she said as she ran through her own knowledge, saddely lacking in comparison to the Dracon's.

"How did you overcome the organic mechanical rejection factors? I mean we can replace organs and have for some time, even connect neuro fibers such as Miss Cade has but .... A complete integration has so far been beyond our science. To my knowledge we've not had even one complete success in full integration", she stopped, looking at Admiral Dur'uc, "unless this information isn't within my purvue to know, of course. If so I fully understand."

"How did you overcome the organic mechanical rejection factors? I mean we can replace organs and have for some time, even connect neuro fibers such as Miss Cade has but .... A complete integration has so far been beyond our science. To my knowledge we've not had even one complete success in full integration", she stopped, looking at Admiral Dur'uc, "unless this information isn't within my purvue to know, of course. If so I fully understand."
Dur'uc smiled, "Well not the details but Alexial can give you a run over if she wants to." Dur'uc said looking over at Alexial who was more then happy to ablige.

Alexial tried her best to discribe it without giving away to much information, "It's all about the material that the mechanical device is made out of, that also inclines the bio of the bio-mechanical. Because it's a living machine, a machine that repairs it's self by regenerating new cells. But is not created from carbon atoms as are our biological cells. I hope that wet your appetite a little madame president."

Anita laughed, a few years seeming to slip away and not unpleasant to hear. "Wet my appetite. I'm positively drooling. Not carbon atoms, so therein lies the key." She nodded, though she couldn't think of what might be used, but at least it was a start, something they hadn't had. They had tried only with carbon based cells. "I can't wait to do some research on this. Though like so many other things I'll never get the time", she sighed.

The years seem to come back again, "Well I suppose we should get this underway. If you would follow me?"

She led the way back out into the corridor, and followed it a short way. Then she went up a flight of steps, turned and followed another corridor to a door. She opened the door and stepped in, gesturing toward the metal table and chairs. "If everyone would take a seat, we can begin." She gestured a seat at one end of the table, "This one is yours Admiral", she told him, using a formal appelation now that they were at the summit table. She took the seat at the opposite end and everyone else took thier seats.

Dur'uc took the seat that Anita or Madame President had indicated for his use, and on his right hand he had Alexial sit, and on his left Ta'mara resided. They were now aware that this was the formal part of their meeting and would be treated with utmost importance.

Thanks to Dur'uc's excellent plublicity ploy to have the citizens of Draco and her colonies demand diplomatic hearings with this new race, made him smile with pride at the fact that if he had done nothing. They would not be here today disscussing peace agreements with Central Worlds.

Alexial quickly thought to Dur'uc, 'I hope they don't expect us to give them everything we worked so hard for over on a silver platter.' Alexial stated in her thought and turned to better see the rest of the room.

Ta'mara on the other hand sent a thought to Dur'uc saying, 'I hope the fat one doesn't expect us to feed him.' Ta'mara said almost making Dur'uc smile.

'Ta'mara be kind he is still a diplomat no matter his gurth, but I do hope they don't expect us to become like him. And begin to eat anything in sight and end only when you reach your toes.' Admiral Dur'uc made a humorous joke that almost make Alexial and Ta'mara both scream with laughter, but instead they turned back to the Admiral and chuckled a littlt.
"OK, no more jokes this is serous, we are the diplomats of Draco and must act accordingly, now turn around and given me your advise on each proposal." Dur'uc said fighting off the effects of his own joke.

"Madame President will you begin the proposals?" Dur'uc asked Anita formally but in an indearing tone.

Anita took out a pair of half rimmed reading glasses and picked up the data pad in on the desk. She refreshed her memory on the events of the meeting and then set down the pad and removed her glasses, setting them on the table. She stood up and walked over to the plassteel window through which Tia was plainly visible.

“Miss Cade is our first order of business”, she said and turned around. “I …”

The Colonel stood up, “Mrs. President.”

Anita cocked an eyebrow but nodded toward the woman, “Colonel?”

“I know this isn’t, technically, the purview of the military”, she began.

‘Damn straight it isn’t’, Micaya thought, wondering what the Colonel was up to.

“However being as there are technologies on board then I think it would be unwise to turn over this piece of equipment to the Dracons …”

Alex lunged toward the Colonel with a strangled cry as she referred to Tia as a piece of equipment. Micaya reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to sit back. She looked over at the Colonel in fury but said nothing though, technically, she could have ordered her out of the room. But as the woman had pointed out, this wasn’t a military matter and until she did something more than express her incredibly warped opinion then Mic’s hands was tied.

It was Quentin who caught everyone’s attention, however, as he lurched up from his seat, his face going a startlingly color of red and purple.

“WHHAAAAT!!! How DARE you Captain.”

“Colonel”, she replied.

“IDIOT is more like it! You DARE insult my client? How do you get off referring to Miss Cade as a piece of equipment?” He looked at Micaya, “I see you were right in calling us in, General.”

Anita and Alex both turned to look at Micaya. “I thought it wise”, she replied.

‘Wise’, Anita thought. ‘Certainly. But how did you get them here so fast?’ she wondered. It typically took weeks to get representatives with their backlog of cases.

“Colonel”, Marianne said from the place in her seat. “I’ll address the charges to be brought against you later.”

“CHARGES?” the Colonel looked at Marianne.

“Right now, however, I think your pathetic opinion has been heard, noting and dismissed, at least by this office and, no doubt, by SPRiM.”

“Colonel”, Anita said, getting the woman’s attention. “You are hereby relieved of duty.”

“Relieved of duty?” she asked.

“It frightens me, colonel, to think that you have risen this far in a force where the primary soldiers are cyborgs. Beings that, by your own admission, you consider nothing more than equipment. And it terrifies me to think of just how you might use such … equipment …. in the field. You are dismissed, Colonel, and you WILL be brought up on charges, AFTER a psychological evaluation. You are confined to your quarters.”

“This is a JOKE”, she said looking around the room.

“NOW!” Anita shouted and slammed her fist on the table. This made the Admiral jump who looked at her in wonder, never having seen her so angry in the six years he served as her advisor. She slapped her hand on a button on the desk, “GUARDS.”

The Colonel smiled at Anita, knowing what the President had already forgotten. She hadn’t brought any guards with her.

Micaya stood, her needler slipping from it’s place in her cybernetic leg, and leveled it at the woman. “I’ll be happy to take her out”, she stated.

Both the President and the Admiral looked at her, not quite sure how to translate just what the General meant by ‘taking her out’.

Dur'uc smiled and offered, "Madame President, I beleive my guards can be of service here." Dur'uc said looking over to the Colonel, who by now had two gaurds behind her, who had appeared out of no where.

"Madame President, do you have any objections to a foreign soldier escorting a Central World officer to your ship's brig?" Dur'uc then turned to the Admiral and asked, "If the President has no objection I would kindly ask that you appoint one of your crew to direct my men in taking the Colonel to your ship's brig." Dur'uc said with a stone face expression that hid his true emotions about the situation.

"I have no objection at all", Anita said and then looked at Dur'uc, "and I would greatly appreciate your assistance."

Admiral Hezra-Fong looked at Captain Reardon, "Show them the way Captain, then return here."

The Captain nodded and then stood up and faced the now Ex-Colonel. He could think of a least two times that a brainship had pulled his ass out of a bad situation and could distinctly remember the cyborg trooper who had carried him from his downed fighter for eighteen kilometers and through initial heavy fire to save his life. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to give me the pleasure of resistance", he said to her with hatred burning in his eyes.

"Captain", the Admiral said calmly, though he didn't bother to correct him.

"sir", the captain replied and led the way out, the Colonel following, glancing at Dur'uc's escort.

Quinton squeezed his bulk back into the chair again, still red faced with anger as he made a note on his pad, while Marianne, also, made notes.

Once they were out Anita sat down, cradling her badly bruised hand in the other.

"Miss Cade", she said, "I offer you my most sincere apologies for that incident. Rest assured that proper measures will be taken."

"It's okay", came Tia's voice, though it wasn't the jubalent Tia.

"It's NOT okay", Alex said, "there's NO excuse for that."

Micaya patted him lightly on the arm after returning her needler to it's hidden compartment.

"Indeed", Anita said, "I am shocked by this." She looked at Major Hsans-Herzog, "Major, what do you think of Miss Cade?"

Phalis looked at the President, "I uhh, I'm not sure how to answer that Ma'am, I've never met the woman."

"She's the shell person that is the first topic of discussion."

Phalis shifted in his seat, "As I indicated Ma'am, I never met the woman." He wished to hell he had better a answer, he certainly felt that the President was looking for one.

"She's a shell person", Anita said, "you can give me an answer based on that can't you?"

"All do respect Ma'am, but that's like asking me to give my opinion about a bio bod just cause they're human. I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I'm not sure I understand your question."

Anita smiled, "For once, Colonel, I'm glad that someone doesn't understand a question I put to them."

Now Phalis was really confused, but he wasn't about to question her. "That's ahh, Major, Ma'am."

"Not anymore", Anita told him. Suddenly something occured to her and she looked at Admiral Dur'uc, "Admiral, you are aware of what SPRiM and MM are?"

"Not anymore", Anita told him. Suddenly something occured to her and she looked at Admiral Dur'uc, "Admiral, you are aware of what SPRiM and MM are?"
"I'm afraid not, but I can make a logical guess to the first organization, given from the Quinton's reaction he is with the organization that funded Tia's shell operation, thus I take it SPRiM is either a legal organization or the shell organization where Tia was made into a ... brainship, as you call them." Dur'uc said both inquiring into her question, and making a guess.

"As for MM, I have no clue as to answer that question Madame president, though, I beleive it might be either political or millitary in nature." Dur'uc add speculating about the nature of buisness MM was involved with.

(OOC - actually Quinton represents SPRiM, Phalis is the military man, now Colonel, major until about 30 seconds ago game time. I'll just post as though you meant Quinton)

Anita smiled. "SPRiM is the Society for the Protection of the Rights of Minorities. MM is the Mutant Minorities group. Before the formation for SPRiM, MM handled everything. Although MM still has a heavy hand in the protection of Shell People they're moving away to the actual mutant colonies for which they were originally formed."

"Then they are both political special interests groups. I can barely remember the last time I heard those words, special interests groups. I'm also a little suprised that you catargorize those evolutionary differences as sub-speices." Dur'uc said raising his brow.

"But now that we are finished with the introductions and ... interuptions, I beleive that we can move on with the writng of charters, trade agreements and diplomatic channels. Now if the party of the government of Central Worlds submit their suggestions?" Dur'uc asked politely.

"Well", Anita said, "as I was saying, the first order of business is Miss Cade. She wishes to contract out to your government, unless I'm misinformed. Assuming that's correct I had Quinton and Marianne go over Miss Cade's financial recordes, perfectly within thier purview I assure you. Based on thier information Miss Cade has completed her contract with Central Worlds and therefore has the right to contract out. My only reason for addressing the matter is that no shell person has ever contracted out to another government before. By that I token, I would like to reserve the right to have the offices of SPRiM and MM doing thier yearly checks, with any files pertinent to Miss Cade to be turned over at the time of thier investigation. I assure you that his is standard procedure even in Central Worlds and I'm also sure that you can understand our concern."

"Yes, I do understand your worries, but I do not believe you are asking the correct person to answer that question. I believe that if Miss Cade, who is the one most affected by this arrangement, has no problems what so ever with the proposal. Then the Dominion would be willing to accept, but only on the condition that Miss Cade agrees to your proposal." Dur'uc said giving Tia the ultimate decision, to be responsible for her own future.

"Now we understand from what Miss Cade has told us is that the planets of Central Worlds are sparse in resources. One, most of all is top grade lumber, we understand your need for the materials, but what you must understand is that our culture does not permit unnecessary destruction.

Which in your eyes must seem wasteful, not using readily abundant resources, but we propose that we open select forests to Central World lumber companies, on the indisputable condition that the use of clear cut harvesting is banned under threat of capital punishment and expulsion. We instead suggest the use of area harvesting, a method that removes a number of trees that are excess in a certain area, without clearing the entire forest."

Dur'uc let the President discuss it before he added, "The punishment that we have incorporated into the agreement must seem barbaric or excessive to you, but you must understand. Forests are sacred ceremonial places, and major cultural features to my people, and the fact that we are even willing to allow you to harvest any part of any of the forests. Shows that we truly want to aid your people; it is our hope to one day be able to go to your worlds and see forests much like our own growing freely on your worlds." Dur'uc said whole heartedly.

"Yes, I do understand your worries, but I do not believe you are asking the correct person to answer that question. I believe that if Miss Cade, who is the one most affected by this arrangement, has no problems what so ever with the proposal. Then the Dominion would be willing to accept, but only on the condition that Miss Cade agrees to your proposal." Dur'uc said giving Tia the ultimate decision, to be responsible for her own future.

"I'm afraid Miss Cade has no choice in the matter", Anita told Dur'uc. "The Colonel we just escorted out is a fine example of why. Even if these people are hired with the best of intentions it doesn't mean that, should thier immediate supervisor change hands, they won't be abused by someone else in the future. We're very strict about that. It's because of our lack of ability that they're shelled, and we see to it that they're not abused. I'm sorry Admiral but neither your nor she has any say in that matter. She's already aware of that, I wanted to make sure you were."

"Now we understand from what Miss Cade has told us is that the planets of Central Worlds are sparse in resources. One, most of all is top grade lumber, we understand your need for the materials, but what you must understand is that our culture does not permit unnecessary destruction.

Which in your eyes must seem wasteful, not using readily abundant resources, but we propose that we open select forests to Central World lumber companies, on the indisputable condition that the use of clear cut harvesting is banned under threat of capital punishment and expulsion. We instead suggest the use of area harvesting, a method that removes a number of trees that are excess in a certain area, without clearing the entire forest."

Dur'uc let the President discuss it before he added, "The punishment that we have incorporated into the agreement must seem barbaric or excessive to you, but you must understand. Forests are sacred ceremonial places, and major cultural features to my people, and the fact that we are even willing to allow you to harvest any part of any of the forests. Shows that we truly want to aid your people; it is our hope to one day be able to go to your worlds and see forests much like our own growing freely on your worlds." Dur'uc said whole heartedly.

Anita sat for a moment before responding. "And what does the Draconis Federation want in return?"

"Then it was not a suggestion it was a demand, understood, but an individual who no longer relies on a brainship would no longer fall under your jurisdiction correct?" Dur'uc asked with a smile.

"Sadly, there is no resource we need in return, nor is there any technology you can offer that we do not already possess. If you want to add it up to the facts, it is more or less a trade for good will and influence. Your government's good will, and Dracon influence within Central Worlds' affairs. The council wishes to influence the progress of your people, technologically and culturally, and the only way we can do that is by offering a resource that is rare on your worlds for such influence." Dur'uc said confessingly so.

"Then it was not a suggestion it was a demand, understood, but an individual who no longer relies on a brainship would no longer fall under your jurisdiction correct?" Dur'uc asked with a smile.

Anita smiled, "I had thought of that. And your absolutely correct. That's why I'm going to have SPRiM and MM download Tia's organic memories and stored data from her banks before the procedure. Once it's done they'll ask her some questions that she could only answer from her organic memory. Assuming she passes, and rest assured Admiral that I believe in your good will and I believe she'll pass, then she'll be free of those restraints. She will, since she will be unique, at least to Central Worlds, have the right to ask for representation at any time she feels, but we won't have to check on her regularly. I ask you to understand that we're only trying to protect her, not question you, or your motives."

"Sadly, there is no resource we need in return, nor is there any technology you can offer that we do not already possess. If you want to add it up to the facts, it is more or less a trade for good will and influence. Your government's good will, and Dracon influence within Central Worlds' affairs. The council wishes to influence the progress of your people, technologically and culturally, and the only way we can do that is by offering a resource that is rare on your worlds for such influence." Dur'uc said confessingly so.

"Concerning your offer", Anita said and stood up again. She sighed and placed her hands on the back of her chair, only to pull away her injured hand, "I'm afraid I must respectfully decline."

All of her people snapped thier heads around to look at her. "Madame President?" the admiral asked.

"I'm sorry Martin", she told him then looked back at Dur'uc. "Admiral, as tempting as your offer is, and believe me when I say that it is tempting, I must decline. Central Worlds has gone through a great deal of struggle to get where it is today. Yes, we have our problems, but we've gotten this far and we can continue. I will not have this nation become a burden, charitable case or hanger on. That's not fair to you and it's not what I would like to see happen. Unless there's something that we can offer to you Admiral then I must refuse, for both our peoples."

"I understand, and I can only empathize being a father. I know that you are only interested in Miss Cade's saftey, and I would be insulted is you weren't. Though I do beleive you are confused on how the operation will work, and what exactly will happen as an after effect, though I see no problem with the tests." Dur'uc said with a genuine father.

"Good choice, the Consul and Council would be hunted men if the people knew that they made such an offer. Though I offically must be shocked and supprised that you rejected the offer, I understand wholely and pesonally wouldn't have agreed either. Though if there was anything that you could offer beyound what the Council wants, I'd weigh the possible worth and benefit then decide. Though if you do have something that is unheard of else where in the galaxy, or is more abundant in your sector then it is in ours, please do put it on the table." Dur'uc said with a sigh.

Anita thought about it a moment. "Well we have gold and precious gems in abundence, as well as some other precious metals." She stopped a moment and then looked at Dur'uc. "We also have the Beta Corviki energy systems. We still use drives, but the Corviki used the energy in thier own bodies, channeled throught the system, in order to power anything they had. While we haven't fully harnessed it we've already had one brainship come in after her drives were destroyed in a freak accident using the corviki device and her own energy to move. Would this be of any interest to you?"

A smile crept across Dur'uc face as he answered, "Hmm, that would interest the council greatly, but it is still an unfounded technology, and would require great cooperation and resources to understand and control. I am not sure if it will persuade the council after the public hears of there less than honorable actions, but none the less it is something the Dominion does not have, and would be seen as a rare trading commodity. Given, further research into it would be needed to reveal it's possible worth, but undoubtably it would be worth the crusifixtion of the old Council." Dur'uc said stroaking his feather mane as he pondered pequeriously.

"Further trade agreements, such as manufactured goods and less valuable resources, can be agranged in future delegations. That is if you do not have an urgent needs for other resources at this time. If not than we can move onto other matters." Dur'uc said suggestingly.

Anita wished they had more of a handle on the Beta Corvikia technology, but at least it was something that Central had to put on the table. When he mentioned less valuable resources she had to wonder just what he meant. "Less valuable? Like what? Central is rich with some, though it's useless as a fundamental need. What seems less valuable to some could very well be valuable to Central. Although to move on I was wondering if Draconis would consider a mutual protection pact. I know that with your advanced technology there's not much threat to your nation as a whole but if Central worlds could buffer an attack, at least from one side, well, any life lost is a tragedy, any that could be saved is worth the effort."

Dur'uc's eyes became cold and narrow as he calculated the presidents words. "What you ask of me and my people is no light matter to be disscussed with such frail and petty words as these that fall with my breath. You ask us to risk our own to protect those we have only come to know exist, why should we, why should we yet bleed our blood in battle for those who know nothing of us. Why are you so willing to bleed the soldiers you hold so dear, why would you risk the children of your state to protect those you have but meet?" Dur'uc asked sternly as he leaned forward and to effect.

Neither Alexial or Ta'mara had ever heard Dur'uc voice so cold and void of sympathy. They had never thought that their Admiral could ever be so cold hearted, even with someone he only meet. And for once Alexial and Ta'mara were genuinly shocked by the Admiral's actions.

Anita leaned forward, "I wasn't aware that familiarity was required for the excercise of compassion, Admiral. I'm suprised, by what I've been told of you and your people, that such is a requirement. Forgive me for judging your people to highly. To answer your question it's because we believe in the fundamental principle of freedom and the sovreign rights of others. Make an unannounced visit with any of our people and ask them what they think. I'm willing to bet that most would support my statements."

Dur'uc smiled and let his head fall to his chest. This brought forth a confused look on both Alexial's and Ta'mara's faces, they had absolutly no clue what was on Dur'uc's mind, wich both worried them, and excited them.

Dur'uc then shook his head and looked back up at the president, "Madame President, if you had reacted anyother way, I had orders to break off talks immediatly. Do forgive my methoods, but the council is more demanding then my beautiful wife, and I hate to dissatify either. The Council forsaw that you would desire a mutual defense pact, and debated furiously before agreeing on the matter. They decided if there is to be a mutual defense pact between Central Worlds and Draconis Federation, you must levy the right to declare preemptive war, and secondly, there is to be no exchange of millitary technology before a waiting period of ten years, non-negotionable. Think it over and decide." Dur'uc said with that same smile he had before.

Alexial then leaned in with Dur'uc and asked, 'Why didn't you tell us this before meeting?'

To which Dur'uc replied, 'Orders are orders, no one was to know other then myself and the council members.'

Anita sat back, a bit embarrassed now at her venomous response but understanding the wisdom of Dur'uc's council. Offer the freedom of choice and see what the true response is.

"Well", she said, "I can understand your tactics. I apologise for insulting manner of my response but I've never been accused of being soft spoken." She stopped a moment and then continued, "I'll agree to the levy of preemptive war, on two conditions. I reserve the right to declare war on a nation who has conducted first strike against a nation with whom we have treaties, and two, that we be allowed to conduct covert operations for the purposes of information gathering.

As for your requirement concerning millitary technology I'm afraid I cannot agree to it. Our minimum waiting period is twenty-five years. We've found that it's a more comfortable period for people to get to know each other, civilian and government alike. Then, and only after conferences, can military knowledge be exchanged. Even then it must be a gradual process as to much knowledge to quickly tends to lend itself into the hands of disaster.

Furthermore, we reserve the right to offer medical knowledge to any who ask. We don't seek anything in return for this."

"Agreed, on both accounts, but is that Central World cycles or Draco cycles? Because if it's twenty-five Draco cycles, then from what I understand you will be waiting longer then you expect. The capital planet of Central Worlds only has a three hundred sixty five day year, and a twenty four hour day, correct. While on Draco, we have a five hundred forty seven day year and a thirty six hour day. So please clarify, Central cycles, or Draco cycles?" Dur'uc asked nicely.

"Understood but there must be an exchange of biological information, the last thing I want happening is a Federation or Central citizen dieing because of an emergancy opperation without the medical preperation I received at your fine medical station." Dur'uc added wisely.

"Actually Rigel has a twenty-seven hour rotation and a three hundred seventy-two day year. But, if it's alright with your council, we would like to have it agreed to represent Central cycles. Of course we would be willing to accomodate Draco cycles."

Anita folded her hands on the table, again forgetting the bruised hand and sitting back again, "We're not asking for technology here. We're asking for friendship. There are nations with whom we have no trade agreements or exchange of technology, only mutual protection. The only other thing that we ask is an exchange of cultural knowledge. This is for two fold reason. We do have an interest in the cultures of others, but mainly because when we were forced to settle in this area we lost all knowledge of our origins. We hope to one day find our parent system and make contact."

"No, Central cycles are acceptable. But there might be a problem with a cultural exchange. The last time we tried a cultrual exchange, we started a war that lead to the xenocide of another species. I do not beleive that Central Worlds is ready to experience the Dracon culture un-censored. Nor do the Council or the people have any will to change our culture to fit the views of others, that has been one of our distinctive views since our race was born. But do not think that I would not support such an exchange, if the Council and the people beleived some good would come of it." Dur'uc said with a heavy hearted sigh.

"Well I wouldn't want you change because of us. We seek only knowledge, not a change in either culture. But", she said holding a hand up, "as I said it's only something we ask for, it's not something we demand or expect. Our cultural files will be open to your people, as much to prevent any unpleasant incidents as to provide understanding of us. If you choose to open such knowledge to us then we would accept it willingly, if not then we wouldn't be offended."

"Understood, we will first let your government see our cultural achives, and let you censore what you beleive needs to be censored, before you release such information for public use. We do expect you to censore a majority of the material for your public's use." Dur'uc said with an expresssionless face, as if he was ashamed of some of the files within those achives.

Anita raised an eyebrow, "I see we have a misunderstanding. When I say your people, I mean your collective government officials. Cultural information of other nations is for governmental use, not for the general public. Only information regareded as necessary for our peoples interaction with yours so as to avoid incidents due to ignorance is given out to the public. The rest is strict clearance to government officials and, later, researchers assigned to any informational exchanges. That's it. I assume that the same would be granted in exchange?"

Dur'uc smiled and replied, "I believe we do have a miscommunication, when I say public I mean those who are nimble enough to get through your electronical defenses. And do not tell me that your people do not have hackers who can find their way into a governmental database. We gave up the concept of the 'perfect cyber defense' long ago, instead we use those very same hackers who make their way into our 'secure' databases to further governmental goals and to increase the security so that the next hacker must be better then his or her predecessor."

Anita laughed a moment before she continued. "You have no idea how refreshing just hearing that simple truth is. I get so tired of people trying to convince me that thier systems or our new systems are completely secure. Oh yes, we do have hackers that we have to deal with. And yes we can't always stop them. In all actuality we've found that the best defended systems are those which shell people run. They can often ... feel ... someone hacking in and then they can change the program with a thought, literally. But even they aren't completely safe. Thank you, Admiral, and I mean it sincerely, thank you for your honesty."

Dur'uc chuckled lightly and bowed his head in sign of respect, "It is in my nature to be honest. Matter infact, I feared that very trait when I asked for my wifes hand in marrige. I must have been a wreak by time I asked her, but she accepted, and I'm all the better because of it." Dur'uc said relating the situation to his personal experience.

Anita smiled. "Well my husband was a bit bolder. He decided to ask me at a diplomatic dinner right at the table. I suppose he figured that if I turned him down at least it would be with subtle diplomacy and easier to bear. He dropped the ring in my soup when I accepted. I still get jokes about the expenisive Chantivel Eclet soup. But yes, my life has been much better since that day. It's at least nice to know that your aware of the fact that no security it perfect, though we try our best. And all the files we accumulate are placed under the watchful eye of Annelia, the shell person in charge of our archives, though we do supplement her with the most sophisticated security we can get. Though already it has been breached once", she said as she looked at Micaya.

Micaya grinned, "There isn't a system out there that Forrester can't hack, why do you think I chose him as my second and placed him in charge of my intelligence."

"Well all you had to do was asked", Anita told her, though she didn't seem upset at all.

"Yeah, but that's not as much fun."

Anita shook her head and chuckled, "You two are a pair."

Dur'uc smiled at the light hearted conversation and hated to interupt it, but asked, "Shall we continue with the discussions?" Dur'uc asked politely.

Anita nodded, refocusing on the meeting. "Well I suppose that the next order of business, for us anyway is General Quester-Benn."

Micaya tensed, though it was hard to tell, simply ready for whatever action she needed to take.

"Now I don't propose trying to stop her leaving. The General's skills are above any on this ship and most if not all in Central Worlds. What I would like is for one, to know why You are leaving us, General, though I suspect I know why, and two .... Due to the General's well known reputation and the sheer number of those who admire her I would ask a favor of you both. If we could say that she was assigned to Draconis as a diplomat, rather than leaving us."

"Well I can handle the first part", Micaya said, "I don't like the way that the High Families have a heavy hand in the government. I don't fight for them, I fight for the people."

Anita looked a bit surprised at this, "It's not because of the trial?"

"Because of the price on my head for testifying?" Micaya snorted. "Do know know how many people have put out contracts on me? I know CenSac is trying to track down the proof they need, but it makes no difference to me. As for the second", Micaya shrugged, "I would rather let people know."

"I understand", Anita said, "but that being the case then we'll end up with one of two scenarios. The people will be disillusioned by the government, leaving them more open to criminal elements or they'll try vigilante attacks against anyone deemed to be with the family, whether they are or not."

Micaya hadn't thought of that. She sat back a moment then replied, "Alright, I'll go along with it if Draconis does."

"I understand where you come from, and if it were not for that damned honest trait of mine, I'd agree with you hands down. That to hide the truth about Micaya's decision would be best for the majority, but, that isn't the truth is it? Madame President, you and everyone else here, knows with whom the true power lies, and they profit while the masses suffer. I hate the thought of letting such pain continue, but to tell the truth, innoncent children will suffer. That is why I can neither agree, or disagree with that proposal, no ... that request. I am sorry Madame President, I can not decide."

It was then that Alexial spoke up, "Perhaps there is one way that can satisfy both our needs."

Ta'mara then took over were Alexial left off, "Madame president we propose that in order to give closuer and to satisfy both parties, that you agree after a set amount of time after we sign these documents, that you will reveal the truth about Micaya's leavind Central."

Alexial then spoke up again, "Let us say, ten years, after that time perhaps with Draconis support the majority of power will be held within the Central government, and not the families. Do we have an agreement? Full disclosuer after the agreed time." Alexial asked tactfully.

Anita sat back, thinking. She wanted the truth out there, but the high families had the power in resources. "What you ask is difficult. We would need to be self sufficient. Right now the high families have such power because they control the vital resources. We can't lawfully take that away. I don't know that I can promise to be in that position within a certain time frame."

Alexial spoke up, "Very well then, we will not hold you to a time frame, but we would like the truth to eventually make it to the people, we will leave such disclosuer issues with Central Worlds governing body, not the high families." Alexial said.

All while Dur'uc listened, he began to calculate how long that would realy be, and from his figures, if it was even in Anita's life frame, it would be one of her last acts as president before retirement. If Central World presidents did retire. "We will agree with Alexial's proposal, if you will agree? And if you do mark it down as one proposed by Alexial Ty'ran." Dur'uc added knowing very well Alexial would become embarrased over such recognition.

Anita nodded. "So noted, Alexial Ty'ran. Also Agreed to. Once we are able to come out under the yoke of old money then we'll make it known to the public why General Quester-Benn left." Anita stopped to think for a moment, barring trade everything else seemed fine. She wished that trade was possible but she wouldn't become some hanger on. "I think that about covers what I had, anything further that you'd like to discuss?"

Dur'uc looked at her and answered, "Yes, future meetings, we may wish to make future meetings. To disscuse the possiblility of making admendments to our aggrements as we see fit, to make the agreements and trade more effiecent. They can be held either at this exact star location every decade, or at a more permanent location on any planet within Central Worlds held territory, do we have an agreement?" Dur'uc asked some what pleased by Alexial's solution.

Anita nodded, "Ten years then, that's acceptable. Five is the standard for Central. As for where, we normally alternate so that the burden doesn't always fall on one nation to make the trip. The next would be in the Draconis Federation at a time and place of your choosing, the following in Central Worlds, etcetera. Some choose to always hold them in thier space, some won't hold it in thier space, the Clone Regime, for instance, won't hold meetings in thier space for thier own reasons."

"That's because they're back stabbing sons of bitches", Micaya stated.

Anita grinned, "Not exactly the way I would of put, as a diplomat and president."

"No but it's true and you know it. That's why you finally ordered the war council against them. It wasn't until we showed them that we were done with they're double crossing that they stepped in line with everyone else. And it wasn't until we had a president with a backbone that it got done."

"I'll take that as compliment, General, though I wasn't happy about having to give that order."

"No one is happy to order men to death, that's the difference between a good leader and a tyrant", Micaya stated.

Anita nodded, "So history has proven", she looked at Micaya, "I think the diplomatic meetings are going to get alot more interesting. But I also think that something will get done with your there." She turned back to Dur'uc again, "So ten years and alternating our meetings between our nations, this is acceptable?"

Dur'uc listend to the president and halted her, "Madame President, your standard is more then acceptable, it's prefered even. As for the meetings that will take place in Draconis space, will be held at Quanitina, a large oceanic planet on the edge of Draconis space. An extremely beautiful planet with three moons, if you ask me. The coordinates of Quanitina planet will be given to you after the summit has ended." Dur'uc said with a head bow.

"Very well, we'll have to contact you as to the location of the next conference. I have no set location. Someplace close to where I am at the time. I would have liked to have had this meeting In a more pleasant location, but I was near here and therefore it seemed best. I would like to say, though, Admiral, that this meeting has been absolutely wonderful. I'm sure you've been in enough to know what I mean", Anita told him, smiling.

"You would think that wouldn't you, but the last act of diplomacy I was in charge of was convincing my wife to marry me. The truth is that we have only meet one other species before today, and if it wasn't for my own pull in the council. We would have prefered to remain secluded." Dur'uc said in one final act of humility.

"Then I sincerely hope that we'll be a boon to you and raise thier desire to meet others. There can be difficulties with meeting other races, but so much can be gained as well. That's been our experience. And I thank you for your efforts to get this meeting to take place. And thank your wife as well, for her patience in your work here. Her sacrifice is appreciated as well."

"I will tell my wife what you've told me, and I too hope that the Draconis can meet other species as honorable as yours." Dur'uc said standing then bowed his head.

Anita rose and bowed, "Well feel free to stay for dinner. It will be in only a few hours. Informal of course". She walked over to the door as the rest of her people rose to thier feet. She opened the door, smiling and then raised an eyebrow at the Leiutenant standing outside.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, you left orders not to interrupt the meeting."

She nodded and the Leiutenant entered, walking over to the admiral. He handed him a padd and stood by at attention.

"Our closest forces?", he asked, frowning at what he read and passing it on to Anita.

"Sir, we're the closest, sir."

Anita looked up at the Admiral as he nodded, "Contact the third strike fleet, we'll move back to a safer location."

"No", Anita said, "We're closest, we'll go in."

"Ma'am, the Kolnari are ruthless, if they capture you..."

"Then Central Worlds will continue under the senate until a new president is chosen. We're the greatest hope our people on Valinor II has and I won't have that hope taken away simply because of me. Set course for the Valinor system." She turned to Dur'uc, "I'm sorry Admiral it seems that we'll have to forgo that dinner."

Dur'uc grinned and replied, "Of course, assiting our allies comes first."
He then turned to Alexial and Ta'mara the gave them their orders, "Alexial Ta'mara, return to the Tra'kula, get the drones, dropships, and armors operational. Then order the rest of the Marines and Rangers to ready for combat. I'll ready the Marines and Rangers we have aboard to drop from Central's Fleet."

Alexial and Ta'mara saluted and made their way out of the room and back to the Tra'kula.

Dur'uc turned to the Admiral and asked, "If that is acceptable with you Admiral?"

The Admiral looked at Dur'uc, and he didn't look happy. "Alright to have a Draconis representative, the FIRST Draconis replresentative to ever meet with Central Worlds AND my own president on board a vessel that I'm taking into a combat situation? No, it's not alright with me", as he looked at Anita. "But I don't think I have a choice in the matter."

Anita handed the padd back to him, "I'm afraid your just going to have to deal with it. Lead us to the war room Admiral."

He nodded, "Colonel, Captain. If you would follow me Admiral Dur'uc", then he looked at Micaya, "Care to play soldier one last time before you start commanding a desk?" he asked her grinning.

Micaya grinned back, "You have a way with women, Admiral", she said gesturing for him to lead them out.

Anita looked back at Alex, "Go to Miss Cade and decouple. Wait here and well return for you", she then looked at the SPRiM and MM representatives, "Go with him."

Then she turned as the Admiral led everyone to the war room.

(OOC - May as well continue here. I haven't been able to figure out how to make links.)

Dur'uc followed the Admiral and the rest of the millitary staff as they made their way to the war room. Dur'uc felt very much at home, it wasn't like his command deck but it was simular, he then looked around the room to find many soldiers staring back at him, only to look away when he looked at them. 'Obviously they've never seen a Dracon before let alone one in their war room.' Dur'uc thought to himself.

"Admiral if you will inform my troops of the situation they will begin preparations for combat."

"Right now we don't have much to go on. Civilian comm reported thier attacks. We know at least one city was hit. They'll hit the rest, strip what they want and nuke the whole place from orbit. Scorched earth policy. We're going to jump in behind the largest moon and send in a recon team. Once we have the information we'll formulate a plan of action."

"Understood if you'd mind I'd like to send in an attachment of my Rangers with your Recon force if you have no objections?" Dur'uc said with a great authority that almost came naturally to him.

As Dur'uc was in the war room he receive a comm on his earimplant from Ta'mara, 'Back in control of the Tra'kula, I can pilot her anywhere you need my Admiral just command and I shall obey.' It was Ta'mara back to her playful mood a good sign for the battle ahead.

He then received a second comm from Alexial, 'Ready to launch on your command Dur'uc.' Dur'uc was glad to hear from them again an he knew that the Tra'kula was safe in their capable hands.

"Well I appreciate that Admiral Dur'uc, but that'll be extremely difficult. The craft we use for scouting are our 'Wraiths'. Two man cloaked fighters. We'll see what we have to deal with to get down and take all the help we can get. Once on the ground General Quester-Benn will take over."

"My rangers specialize in covert ops and recon, they'll be our eyes and blades on the ground while your Wraith are on the fly. They are also equiped with personal optical camoflage so discovery won't be an issue. All I need is your approval to drop them behind lines from your ship, Admiral.
After you give your approval, they will descend to the suface via specially made drop pods. Once on the surface they'll take out any threats that may prevent our descent, and prepare a drop zone for the General and her men as well as the rest of my own force." Dur'uc told the Admiral.

The Admiral looked at Micaya who nodded. "Alright, we'll take out the anything else in the air and begin sending the drop ships on your mark."

"Sir", the comm officer interupted.

The admiral looked over at the leiutenant.

"Miss Cade is clear", he stated.

The admiral nodded and looked back at Dur'uc, "Decouple your ship and prepare to jump."

Micaya pulled up a 3D image of Valinor II that took up a large portion of the center of the room to begin plotting recon reports.

"Ofcourse Admrial." Dur'uc said lifting his hand to his ear.

Dur'uc then subvocalized to Ta'mara the orders to decouple their ships and to translocate to the coordinates indicated.

He then turned his attention to the hologram and looked over it closely.

The ships moved forward and spread out, creating thier jump points. They slipped into the singularities and emerged moments later on the far side, just behind the moon. Immedietly scans commenced. The room darkened and a surrounding hologram of the space outside the ship came up, leaving the world hologram in the center of the room. The moon was prevalent and sliding around and behind as the enemy ships came into view. They began closing the distance as the Admiral spoke out, "Ready all missle bays, fighters on standby, prepare to fire.

On the central hologram red areas appeared where cities stood, showing where the enemy had already landed and fighting had begun. Thirteen ships were present in the system, not including the personel ships and Micaya frowned as she looked about and at the ground assault areas.

Dur'uc subvocalized his commands to Ta'mara, Alexial, and the rest of the crew, 'Ta'mara take point, and ready to fire all main cannons at my command. Alexial form around the Central Worlds ships, and defend them from imbound fighters and missles using the mobile armors and drones.

Crew to your battle stations, pilots to your armors, Marines to the drop ships, Rangers to the insertion pods, prepare for major combat. This is not a simulation, do not fuck around out there, our else you won't be going home, at all.'

Dur'uc then watched the lights on the holo change position and kept track of their own position. "So Admiral what's your plan to get us to the surface after we scout?"

(OOC - It's not lights indicating the positions of the ships in space. Your actually standing in the middle of the hologram, almost like your standing in space except you have the crew stations as a background. If you ever saw Babylon 5, the Mimbari war cruisers, thier tactical rooms, that's what I mean. You see the ships as though your standing out there, though magnified to get a better view.)

"We're going to punch through there", the Admiral said, pointing to a point in the enemy line that seemed thinnest, "we'll get you in close enough to drop your rangers and then turn and deal with the bastards. As soon as your rangers give the signal we'll drop our ground forces and many fighters as we can spare to keep your hair clean down there. General?" he asked, looking at Micaya.

Six cities already showed red on the smaller hologram of the worlds surface, she reached out and turned it, the world turning to face the two Admirals.

"We'll land here", she said, pointing to a traingle of three red cities Three more lay more to the north of the triangle. "That way we have three targets to choose from. "I'll take the T-2's and T-3's to Cierra", she continued, pointing to the southwestern most city, "Admiral Dur'uc, have your ground forces take Alpha", she pointed to the southeastern most city." I'll send the quids to Beta and have them hold against advancement from there", she finished, pointing to the northern most city of the triangle, "once those are secured we'll push northward."

The Admiral nodded and then turned and looked at the ships arrayed against him. 'Ghu guide our hands', he muttered, "COMMENCE ATTACK."

Missiles leapt from thier launch tubes as fighters clawed for the free area of space. As soon as they were clear the Wraith fighters vanished from sight, only thier transponders giving any indication as to where they were. Almost at the same time the Kolnari launched thier attack, missiles and fighters leaping toward the oncoming relief ships. "COUNTER MEASURES", the Admiral ordered, and anti missile missiles were launched, anti missile laser batteries ready to attack what got through. "PARTICAL ACCELERATORS AS SOONS AS WE'RE IN OPTIMAL RANGE", he orders and the weapons officers nodded.

(What ever)

"Admiral if we attack them at their weakest point they will know we are sending scouts. But if we send our stealth craft through their weakest point alone, your wraith and my insertion craft, we can bypass the enemy fleet and have a force on the planet before they suspect it." Dur'uc said making his revisions.

"Admiral, also if we attack their weakest point they will have us surrouned. They out number us in great proportions, so, we must attack them where they are strong to thin out there ranks. Enmasse they will not have the same manuverablity as us so that is out greatest oppertunity to cull their number and even the feild." Dur'uc said making his suggestions.

"But ultimately the plan to attack is your's, I don't have the force necessary to engage them on my own, so I am reduced to assisting you in your actions." Dur'uc said while subvocalizing to Ta'mara.

'Ta'mara take those missles out and don't hit any freindlies in the process.' Dur'uc said giving Ta'mara her orders. Instantaniously Ta'mara fired all her cannons and took out the mass majority of the imbound missles as Alexial and the armors engaged the Kalnori fighter craft.

(What ever)

(OOC - What kind of fucking reply is that? If you don't understand what I'm saying then say so and I'll try to make it clearer.)

(I dont like you plan its to obvious and leaves us exposed on our flanks. I dont like to be outflanked.)

(Did you think that, 1) There's a reason for it based on Central Worlds technology and 2) The fact that Central Worlds has never fought in a mult-national force before? The Admiral is a soldier, not a mind reader, he has no clue what your ships are capable of, not you - his for that matter. So why not try a simple IC inquiry or offer an IC idea of what your capable of instead of a snide remark? I'm sorry, I'm normally very tolerant but shit like that pisses me the fuck off.)

(All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War

The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.
-Sun Tzu, the Art of War

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
- Sun Tzu

If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve. If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.
- Sun Tzu

Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve.
- Sun Tzu)

(It has nothing to do with power, but numbers and skill, if we remain in a whole so will they, and they will surround us. If we spread apart they will cut us off and destroy us one by one, while if we remain in small numbers in few groups, then we can be assured victory thorough position and deceite.)

"Admiral, though the Tra'kula is only a single ship if we use our main cannons properly we can devestate them, both physically and mentally. We can wipe out the vast majority of their numbers before they figure out how to counter our cannons. So if you position us in the center of your line we will be attacked the heaviest, thus giving us amble opertunity to devistate them." Dur'uc added.

"Proceed as I ordered", the Admiral told his people. "If you want to strike at them from the fringes and harrass thier flanks, feel free. I know my ships, Admiral, you don't. I'm not afraid that they'll encompass us, I'm counting on it."

"The commader that is arrogant, either has nothing to fear or nothing to lose. So which are you, the commander with nothing to fear or nothing to lose?" Dur'uc asked coy.

Dur'uc then set about subvocalizing his commands to Ta'mara, 'Ta'mara move the Tra'kula below the densest enemy formation and ready for my command." Ta'mara obeyed her orders and began navigating through the Central Fleet to her destination.

"Admiral it is my plan to create shock and carnage through the densest portion of their line. If you don't want to risk any causualties, I suggest that you keep all small craft behind or away from our cannons, in this sector." Dur'uc said telling the Admiral his plan as he showed the area he was refering to. Dur'uc then went into detail, "As you can see Admiral this area right here has the densest formation of enemy ships, it is my plan to postion the Tra'kula below their formation and to fire all of the Tra'kula's cannons through their tight formation. Since they are so close together they will no be able to escape, and they will then think twice about engaging your ships head on. Chances are they will merely think that my ship is just an experimental design for a new Central Worlds ship class.

"Martin?" Micaya asked.

"I wish I could answer the question. I guess we'll find out." He looked at Micaya, "We have the new paracs on these ships. They've done well in the tests and in the combat they've seen but frankly they still make me nervous as hell. The good thing is that the Kolnari haven't seen them yet."

He looked at his comm officer, "Relay the Admirals orders to our fighters, but I want them in the area until he's ready to fire. Let them think he's moving to outflank them and then clear right before he fires."

"ETC?" he asked toward the tactical station.

"85 seconds to optimal."

He nodded, and then looked at Dur'uc, "Tech heads", he snorted and then looked toward the forward part of the room where the kolnari ships where bearing down. "Always have to mess with what works."

"That is the ever continuing process of regenisis." Dur'uc said with a smile. "It is my experience that 'tech heads' as you put them, always mean the best, but it doesn't always turn out that way."

"Now Admiral I will give your fighters the required time to get out of the Ta'kula's line of fire, but I can't give you too much time or else the enemy would be on the Tra'kula in a melee before we were able to get off a shot." Dur'uc said voicing his concerns.

Martin reached down, "All fighters break off", he announced and watched the ghostlike figures in the holo move out of the way. He looked forward at the advancing Kolnari cruisers, thier weapons at this range hitting the shield and thier missiles and projectile weapons pounding the hull.

Regardless of the Admirals present opinion of the tech heads, he was damn glad that Central had some great minds. The lack of materials made the need for sustaining what they had that much more important. Because of that the shields were not only designed to stop impacts and beam weapons but to spread it across itself so that no one point weakened. It also absorbed energy and channelled it back into the weapons and shield, thereby increasing firing capability by cutting down recharge time. They also made the hulls out of articulated, honeycombed duraplas. The resilient material not only was difficult to destroy but because of the articulating plates and honeycomb strutcture, actually gave to physical impact. Most ships wouldn't have been able to take the pounding that the ships were taking.

"Ready that paracs", he ordered as the ships were close by.

Each triangle of energy cannons were built around a heavy partical accelerator cannon. The cannons extended from the thier protected bays and began to charge as each set of energy cannons began to focus on specific areas on shields of the designated ships. Martin glanced at Dur'uc, "May fortune favor the foolish", then looked toward the gunners stations, "Fire."

The partical accelerators let loose on thier prey, the beams smashing through the weakened areas of shielding that the cannons had been working on. Upon impact it started a chain reaction of accelerating particals that ripped the ships apart. The only explosions from the shots were those of now released energy on board the ships they hit.

As the Tra'kula made it's way to it's destination, the edge of the combat area and far the the flank of the enemy she then aimed all her weaponry at the enemy fleet and awaited her Commander's signal.

And as Dur'uc saw the Tra'kula finnaly get into position he have Ta'mara the signal she had been waiting all this time to hear and respond to. 'Fire'.

Dur'uc subvocalized his command to Ta'mara, it was a simple command but the one that would win this battle, 'Fire, then engage at will.'

The Tra'kula fired it's awesome array of cannons taking out all nearby craft, wheither the were fighter craft, support craft, or full sized ships. They all faded within an explosion of light. While the immediate enemy was completely destroyed, the more distant targets were taken out by a cross fire of cannons. Tra'kula's long range cannons cut through space and destroyed any vessel too close to its beam, and as Ta'mara urged the Tra'kula forward one could almost say that the ship itself was enjoying the battle.

As quickly as the battle had begun to close distance it cesed in a fury of blinding lights and smaller explosions. Admiral Dur'uc looked over to Admiral Martin to see his expression of the capabilities of the Tra'kula.

Admiral Hezra-Fong looked old. Like the commander who had seen enough of warfare and battle to know that the taking of lives was a waste, but did so for the cause that he believed so strongly in. He looked over at Micaya, "It's your game now, Mic."

She nodded, her look very much the same as his for a moment, before she covered with the soldiers mask of necessity and looked over at Dur'uc, "Alright", she told him, "give me a place to park."

Anna watched the cruisers as they came with trepidation. The fear she felt, not for herself but for her people. She watched as the cruisers exploded, thousands of souls vanishing in those bright lights and felt appalled by the very idea. She closed her eyes, tears streamining down her cheeks for the beings whose lives where lost, enemy though they may be.

Dur'uc walked up behind Anna and placed his hand on his shoulder, startling her, "My people beleive that all beings, no matter their crimes return to the same place. We beleive that when one dies they return to the bossom of the mother, only to be born anew. If it pleases you, we will make a memorial to their dead and ours alike, so that those who pray here can not seperate one from the other. For in their final moments they were closer to the one who killed them, then they ever were to us." Dur'uc said with the face of a weathered veteran.
_

As the cloaked Dragu insertion craft entered the atmosphere they moved to the landing area to drop the rangers to the surface. As they neared the drop zone they readied to drop their pods and take off. The Rangers inside th pods had been trained to do exactly this, to drop behind enemy lines and to clear the way for a Fleet landing. It was then that the lights in the pod room went red and they began to drop the pods systematically.

The pobs screamed through the sky, but went unnoticed as was planned, and when they struck ground they created micro craters. The Rangers inside opened their craft and exited, rallying toward their company commander to begin their mission.

Anna turned and looked at Dur'uc, a bit startled at first as she didn't hear him approach. At his words she smiled and nodded, "I would like that very much." At the announcement that Dur'uc insertion teams were heading out she sighed. She hadn't forgotten about the bloodshed yet to come, but never having been a soldier she had at least hope for some respite before it started again. She placed a hand on Dur'us's arm and squeezed it lightly, giving a brave if saddened smile and then moved toward the worlds holo as her own ships moved closer. She wanted to go to her quarters, 'No', she thought to herself, 'actually I want to go home.' She thought it strange that under such conditions all she could think about was being with her family. When she turned she realized that Micaya had left at some point and she hadn't even seen her leave.

Micaya turned from Dur'uc as soon as she made her request, or the closest to making a request that she could get after so many years of command. She made her way to the bays, wanting to see the troops she would lead. When she entered they were all assembled. Not one of them hadn't heard of General Micaya Quester-Benn and even Razzkill looked forward to fighting with her. He figured he'd try to keep himself alive long enough for her to join them before attempting a suicide run again. Micaya walked the lines, commenting to those she knew, giving a good word or two to those she didn't. When she had reviewed them all she stood by as the entered the dropships. The Wraiths were already outside and the Valkryes were launching. After the last legion members was on the last drop ship she stepped inside and nodded to the deck sergeant. He pressed the button to raise the door and then her dropship launched, followed by the others.

Anna knew enough to recognize the signatures and pointed at the holo, "Martin, why is the General's ship first? Isn't that against protocol?"

"Since when has General Quester-Benn ever followed protocol?" he asked. She raised an eyebrow and he nodded, "The others should land first, but she won't allow it. Hers is the first land and she always the first off. She won't leave planetside until all her people are either returned or ... accounted for."

Anna looked back at the holo, clasping her hands in front of her. She could think of nothing to say. She could order Micaya to follow procedure, but the woman had done things her way, and she had never lost.

**********************************************************

Skrelik L'Yarin trudged along, scouting the area and keeping an eye out for any possible enemy activity. He led the small force of fifteen men and wished that he had been assigned to one of the city attacks. He had looked forward to facing the scumvermin and watching them die. He would have sighed but that it would be picked up and he would be reprimanded. He and his team never saw the rangers as they moved along, nor the insertion pods....

(What's the terrain like on the planet?)

After the rangers had regrouped, their company commander, Second Lieutenant Ty'qwei Draz'na divided his company's three platoons up and sent his second and third platoon toward the southern cities to see if the enemy had instituted any defenses. With strict orders not to enter the cities themselves unless other wise directed.

Commanding his first platoon he gave them orders to break down to their individual squads of five units, and search for and destroy any nearby defenses and enemy patrols. While giving them orders to avoid large enemy forces and enemy bases.

The Second Lieutenant then ordered his first platoon sergeant to set up a secure channel with the Tra'kula.
_

It wasn't long after the platoon sergeant, one Sergeant Tul'yana Yui'teir, established a secure communications link with the Tra'kula that one of the squads sent out to investigate the surrounding area ran across a patrol.

The rangers held the high ground as they watched the fifteen unit patrol force appear on the horizon. The squad leader, one Corporal Quen'tai Dur'tar ordered two of her men, down the slope and across the narrow ravine. There she planed to ambush them and claim her first independent victory.

As they watched them advance she gave them the command that would initiate their attack, over personal comms, "The signal to attack is a whistle over the comm, got that?" In unison her men replied, "Yes ma'am." They then watched them close the gap slowly and when they were right under Quen'tai's position she gave the signal to attack. On the signal they aimed their pulse rifles and fired.
_

Within seconds Quen'tai's squad had killed thirteen, mortally wounded one, and severly wounded another. It was then that Quen'tai gave the command to halt as she moved out onto the skirmish feild still camoflauged. She then ran across the two suvivors and instantly put the mortally wouned soldier out of his misery by unsheathing her wrist blades and quikly decapitating him.

As for the second she moved over to him and pushed her knee into his stomache and disarmed him. Deactivating the camoflauge she then began to question him.

(I'll let you catch up first before I start questioning him.)

(OOC - Yes, the planet. It's got a faster rotational period and is slightly larger then earth. The rotational period is twenty hours. This has made the equatorial circumference larger and flattened the poles somewhat. The initial landing area that Micaya picked is in the hills just north of the equatorial mountains. Northward the land flattens out and so she chose the two more difficult areas first as the city she's having you strike at and the her first target is in the mountains. Her third target is just north of the hills, giving artillary the advantage of height should the city need to be bombarded. The other three cities are more northward on flat terrain giving the advantage to the entrenched Kolnari inside and leaving advancing forces to move on open terrain. She hasn't considered a plan to take those three yet, she'll figure that out once she has the initial three.)

As the kolnari moved along all hell broke loose. They move with the great speed that was needed on thier world, but not fast enough. They hadn't considered an attack out here, they hadn't been ready and they didn't have any equipement to detect the cloaked rangers. The fight was short and furious but woefully against the Kolnari as the rangers cut them down. When Cranim E'Ierin looked up at the face of his enemy, spit in it, clamped his jaw shut, swallowed and died.

(Give me an idea where your heading. The city your attacking obviously, after securing the area. Are you scouting Mic's city? Are you scouting the third city on the list to retake? I just need an idea.)

(You had my rangers drop into the area between three cities, I sent two platoons to investigate the southern most cites, and have devided my first platoon into their five squads and sent them northward to clear out any possible patrols before the company commander has them regroup and advance to the northern city. As of right now most of the rangers are still in the wastelands. So it's moutainous, are there forests, yes no? Or are they wastelands, that's all you had to say.)

Quen'tai wiped off her face plate in disgust, and ran her wrist blades through his abdomen spilling his entrails. "Disgusting." While her squad mates chuckled to themselves. "Do you four have something to say." Quen'tai said brandishing her wrist blades.

They replied in unison, "Uh no ma'am." "We don't have anything to say, ma'am." And with that they held their silence and returned to their duties.

They marched toward the northern city for some time until they received a comm from their company commander, "Corporal Dur'tar take your sqaud and meet up with the rest of your unit at the coordinates specified." Those were Lieutenant Draz'na's commands and with those command she lead her squad to the coordinates specified on the HUD of her face plate.

(Actualy hill terrain with pockets of trees. Going to a friends house, will do a post later tonight or tomorrow.)

Micaya and the legion were just entering the atmosphere when Quen'tai met with the rest of her platoon. The Generals plan was to attack the southeast city with her forces and for Dur'uc to attack the southwest with his. She would send the quads to the northern city to contain them until she could swing north. Her ships were clearly visible now as they came through the atmosphere, heading toward the chosen landing area to be deployed.

Each unit of the Ranger units saw Micaya's approach, second platoon was in the ruins of the south western city clearing the remaints of a battery system they found. While third platoon was cleaning up after a short fire fight at the edge of the south eastern city, it was when Micaya began her approach that they saw a battery system come online and begin to fire at the drop ships.

"Where were they hiding that?"

"I don't know, but we got to take it out. Xei see if you can't hack their system, I saw an access port on the second floor."

Xei saluted and responded before he ran upstairs, "YES SIR!"

When Xei reached the second floor he saw the access port and hacked in manually. He ran over hundereds of bits of code in seconds until he found the command codes to shut the system down. Within minutes he had hacked their system, and brought it down under their command. He then called his platoon sergent over the comm and said, "SIR, MISSION SUCCESS!"

"DAMN GOOD WORK XEI, DAMN GOOD WORK!"

Micaya's drop ship landed on a hill while she issued orders for the others to drop down onto slopes. When it landed the back door opened and Micaya, alone, strode out, surveying the surrounding area. Finally she held out her hand and a Sergeant came down the ramp. She was young, pretty and had a nice figure. She handed Micaya the spec visor and Micaya used it to scan the area, wind indicators, temperature, radiation readings and distances ran along one side as it zoomed in and out. Only after she was certain that the area was clear, or as certain as she could be did she open her com, "Alright, deass and form up." The other shuttles opened and the legionarres began exiting the dropships.

The first ones out where the huge quads. Big pillbox like borg on four large legs with heavy missile and machine gun mounts as well as heavy blaster turrets. Once out the settled down and released the borgs and bio bods who had been settled within.

The T-2's were humanoid, about two and half meters tall and over a meter wide with .50 caliber machine guns on thier right arms, heavy lasers on the left. Over the right shoulders were micro missile launchers and the other had grenade launchers.

The T-3's were actually the newest design. They were a heavy battle platform with the T-2 machine guns, missiles and grenades and the quads heavy blasters. Added to that were several sam launchers. The most unique features were the two flits assigned to each T-3. Semi-intelligent brains with minimal weaponry that acted as scouts for the larger battle platform and followed the command of the brain for that platform. Micaya waited for a sitrep from the commanding officer of the Ranger forward team while her people formed up, ready to move out.

After the remainder of the drop ships made their way to the surface Second Lieutenant Ty'qwei Draz'na opened a comm to Micaya and gave her an update. "General, I'm Second Lieutenant Ty'qwei Draz'na of the Second Ranger Battalion. My men have allready scouted the area inbetween and around the cities without much luck. The enemy seems to be holding the inner parts of the city and avoid going inbetween. It seems to me that your men will be in for a room to room melee unless you can take them out some other way. Good luck general, I have a platoon of rangers near your target. If you can get in contact with them I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving you aid.

As for myself I'm heading north with first platoon, Admiral Dur'uc should be sending our marines down any second. Over and out."
_

After Micaya droped to the surface the Draconis Marines began their drop. They filed into the drop ships and into the APC's then droped entering to atmosphere, while mobile armors began to enter the amosphere aswell. They then made their way to their drop zone, just out side the city ruins where the rangers were.

They made their way to the surface without incident and made their way into the city without engaging any enemy forces, but once inside the city they encoutered heavy resistance.

Resistance would be heavy, Micaya knew that. She hadn't anticipated much out in the open. The Kolnari were a race whose people were born, lived and died in thier ships. Now they would have the advantage of not having to be careful with thier heavy duotirium explosive rounds. Blowing out a wall wouldn't result in a breach of hull integrity. She ordered the quads north with orders to hold an assistance they might try to send to the cities that she and Dur'uc's forces were trying to reclaim and then took her borgs and bio bods and headed southeastward.

Once close to the city she surveyed the surrounding area and pulled the city schematics from the shell person who still had control of the planetary information not from his position in the southern hemisphere. She met up with Dur'uc's rangers and went over the plan that she came up with.

"Here's the main entryway into the city", she said pointing to the large main road that wound up through the mountains into the city. "That's the way I want you to go in", she told them, anticipating resistance from the Dracons since her own people wouldn't question her orders. "But first..."

She pointed to a river that ran down from the mountains and into the city were a hydroelectric plant used the water flow to power almost everything in the city. "I'm going to lead the T2's through this river, into the plant, which you can see is in the center of the city, and launch an attack from within. Once most of them commit to the attack the T3's, legionarres, and you", she said looking at the rangers, "will move in. As soon as the attack begins I want you", again looking at the rangers, "to move in and take out any heavy artillary guarding the road so that the rest of my forces can move in. I wouldn't ask you to do that if we had half the camo ability you do. Everyone understand?"

"Here's the main entryway into the city", she said pointing to the large main road that wound up through the mountains into the city. "That's the way I want you to go in", she told them, anticipating resistance from the Dracons since her own people wouldn't question her orders. "But first..."

She pointed to a river that ran down from the mountains and into the city were a hydroelectric plant used the water flow to power almost everything in the city. "I'm going to lead the T2's through this river, into the plant, which you can see is in the center of the city, and launch an attack from within. Once most of them commit to the attack the T3's, legionarres, and you", she said looking at the rangers, "will move in. As soon as the attack begins I want you", again looking at the rangers, "to move in and take out any heavy artillary guarding the road so that the rest of my forces can move in. I wouldn't ask you to do that if we had half the camo ability you do. Everyone understand?"
Sergent Meru T'qwei spoke up after General Micaya was finished, "General Micaya, ma'am, all do respect we are stealth troops not assault, I can not except your orders to enter the city through it's main artery. I agree that my pltoon would do better at taking out heavy artillery positions then your own, but our armor doesn't allow us to remain entirely hidin on the move. So any attack we would make through a heavily defended area would be noticed."

Sergent Meru T'qwei then made her suggestion, "Ma'am, now if we use this secluded trail we'd be able to make it in record time and not rish discovery. Ultimately the discission is mine, but I would like your approval General." Sergent Meru T'qwei said stating her authority in the discission.

"That trail leads to the middle western area of the city and even then it's walled. There's only the two ways in. This city was built long ago as a buffer against the indigs. Now I agree that I don't want you in the main course of the combat, but I there is no way in except the northern and southern arteries and the underground river inlet that the borgs and I are going to use. If you can tell me how your going to use that trail, scale the wall, move through the occupied city and THEN hit the heavy artillary instead of letting me launch an attack then my people outside attack and then you move in while they're occupied then I'll be happy to agree."

Sergent Meru T'qwei smiled through her tranlucent face plate as two metal blades unsheathed from her armored boot. She then unsheathed her wrist blades and showed them off to the general. "General Micaya, these blades are for more then just slicing up the enemy, ma'am. My platoon and I will make it over that wall, we will not fail. Our armor does more then just protect us, perhaps after this battle I'll show you what capabilities it has." Meru said with a grin.

She then made a gesture to her first sqaud leader telling him to ready the others, they were moving out. "I hate to leave you General, but we have a mission to accomplish." She then picked her weapon up and walked to the door, made an about face and saluted, before she left with the rest of her unit.

"Alright", Micaya said when she left, "lets look like we have a purpose. I'll take the borgs up the mountains and come in from the south, you, Major, take the T3's and form up in front. I'll start the attack, they should take out the emplacements and then once I have thier attention, you hit them."

"Sir, Yes Sir."

"Don't be late", she said and headed out to the T2's and then toward the mountains via a different route than the 3's, bio bods and the Major.

Sergent Meru T'qwei and her platoon didn't have time to spare, using the nanotech muscles in their armor, they moved at phenominal speeds to make it to the the wall at the end of the trail. Once there they set about scaling the almost impossible wall face, the work was difficult to say the best and death defying to say worst. Once they reached the top of the monumentous wall they looked down over the ruined city and began scanning for enemy artillery positions.

The artillery positions, sixteen in all, were set up in pairs. Each pair was close enough to cover the other with a heavy automatic gun placement as well as the artillery platforms. Each position had four Kolnari. One at the fireing control for the artillery, one to feed the main gun, one to man the automatic and one spotter.

**********************************************************

Micaya mounted one of the borgs and took the lead as they made thier way around the city, through the difficult terrain. She then entered the river, her and her borgs walking along the bottom, since being a cyborg herself she was able to fill a self contained oxygen supply. They made thier way along the bottom of the river, using sonar and satellite mapping and then entered the underground river that would bring them up in the hydro plant, after cutting through the bars of the river gate. Once inside, Micaya waited for the Dracons signal, before launching her attack, in order to try to get as much attention as she could from the Dracon's mission.

**********************************************************

Artillery and gun placements for the southwest city, the one the Dracons were attacking, were much the same. The only notable exception was a heavily defended building and the presence of prisoners, something the Kolnari were not known for taking.

Sergent Meru T'qwei saw the sixteen exposed artillery positions and made the comman discision to devide her platoon to engage each opf the positions simotaniously. After Meru had made the tactical discision, they made their way down the wall the same way they made it up, and as they moved silently through the rubble the began to move to there preordained targets.

They each began there team or one man assaults by locating and taking the spotter out witout being discovered them selves. They then took out the gunner, before they finally moved to neutralize the gunning crew. When they were finished not a soul had seen the exerts of the Draconis rangers, one they hoped would not be discovered for hours.

Did you forget to radio Micaya or were your people going to do something else before radioing them?

(OK, the Rangers are the Draconis equivalent of Navy SEALs, but yes I forgot to RP the report of there success, though the report would be short and vague.)

Sergent Meru T'qwei then set up a secure line to General Micaya and sent here a simple short and extremely vauge message, "Mission Success." With those words Sergent Meru T'qwei had sealed the enemies fate.

(Sorry bout that.)

(OOC - No that's okay. I wasn't sure if she was going to do something else is all.)

Micaya sent out her message. She wasn't one to waste words and they knew thier duty already. "Now".

Micaya and the T2's emerged from the lake before the hydro plant and targeted the positions of the enemy. Micro missiles launched and as they advanced the grenades were set off as they closed on the flanks of the enemy, catching them by surprise. Death rained about the Kolnari as they tried desperately to rally thier forces and slowly began a counter attack. Micaya pressed the hardest to east, west and south, leaving the north more or less alone, except those who came to close. Just as the northern city forces began a concentrated effort thier lines were shattered again as the bio bods and the T3 platforms struck hard, having no resistance at the entrance. The concerted effort failed and Micaya pressed her advantage against the other directions until finally thier resistance were isolated pockets. It was then that she gathered the forces again.

"All right, the easy parts over", she said grinning, knowing that hidden resistance pockets always tended to be the most difficult to clear. She looked at Sergent Meru T'qwei, "Your people have performed extremely well, give them my compliments. And if they're willing, I think thier talents might work will in this regard. I plan on sectioning the city. Searching each section and then closing it off with my troops until we have them cleared out. If I could split your people among my own men then it would be a great help."

Sergent Meru T'qwei smiled and replied to the General's request, "As long as you don't bring any building down on top of any of my soldiers head, we would be honored to aid you further." Meru then let General Micaya devide her troops as they were needed and joined the General in her personal unit.

"General, this question has no tactical value, but I request to ask you if you've ever thought of having your implants replaced?" Meru formally asked General Micaya.

Micaya divided her troops, giving equal number of available Dracons, T3's, T2's and bio bods. Her own sector was one the showed the heaviest resistance and she began the room by room search. It would take the rest of the day and well into morning before all the sectors were cleared, but come daybreak the city would be liberated and she would give her troops a rest before preparing for the next assault, that she didn't anticipate being too difficult.

Micaya pointed at two borgs to follow her into a hostile zone to clear it out and looked at the Sergeant. "I've got the best that Central has to offer. If I could get better I would. In fact several of the replacements I have are illegal, but better than Central standard."

Meru smiled and kept up with General Micaya, "That's good to hear, I hate to say it but your implants look absolutly hidieous. Perhaps after this campaign we can get you the finest the Federation has to offer, and scrap those rusty old parts." Meru said with a chuckle as she activated her armor's camoflauge and slipped past General Micaya.

Micaya then received a short range comm from Meru, "General, seven Kolnari, straight ahead. General this has no tactical value either, but the Kolnari are kinda cute if you ask me. It's a shame we have to kill them, or that they choose to take their own lives. I wonder if we can get one of them to surender, might make things a little easier if we could get information from a captured Kolnari."

(Wink wink, nudge nuge, slap across the face, kick under the table, bob's your uncle.)

"Yeah genetics blessed them with some FINE bodies", Micaya agreed. "But for trying to get information, good luck. One, they prefer to die rather than be captured. Two, they're highly resistant to every Central has, and three they advance themselves through personal prowess and power in information, so the lower the rank the more ignorant they are."

"Andis, Fenring, take right, Paskin and Ehrins, take left, I'll go straight up with Mhrolin and Xanst."

"Sergeant, if you want to try to capture one you have about 45 seconds."

'God it's been so long', she thought, male or female didn't matter, she was just too busy.

"As for those replacements, sounds good to me."

Meru scanned the seven men and saw that the one in the center was commanding the others. Whether he was in command or not, he seemed to know what he was doing. She then saw him run back and man what seemed to be a heavy machine gun. 'That's the one I'll take.' She then moved silently through the rubble and over the ruins right behind him, and waited.

It was then when Micaya and her cyborgs began firing on the bunker of Kolnari that Meru made her move and took the Kolnari down. Grappling with him she finally got her legs around his and got on top of him, forcing his face into the dirt. She then shoved her armored glove into the back of his throat so that he wouldn't be able to yell, or swallow any suicide pills. She then waited for Micaya to help her.

While Meru heard the screams of the other Kolnari as they were torn apart by the general's crossfire, she laid there ontop of her prisoner, her legs stratled around his, his arms held behind his back with her left hand, and her armored glove his his mouth, that would be the postion General Micaya would find Sergent Meru T'qwei and her Kolnari captive.

(I don't mind working with that but need one thing explained. And it's my fault you didn't know so I'm to blame. The Kolnari having recently taken the planet and being extreme paranoids would be wearing battle armor. It's powered assault armor with a force field. If you can tell me how she overcame that then we'll go from there, otherwise you'll need to change the post. As I said, my fault, I should've told you they would be wearing the battle armor.)

(Well I don't know about the force feild, I guess she suprised him on that, after all she was camoflagued behind him, or his wasn't working, after all chances are he was in a previous fire fight. As for overpowering him, I forgot to infrom you as well that the Rangers use Battle Armor with nano fiberic muscle, much like your own power assault armor, except lighter but just as strong. That also helps to make the scaling the wall in record time possible, so we both have something to apologize for.)

(okay, I'll just say the force field was down, will post tomorrow.)

(Sorry, forgot I needed to post, was waiting for you)

Micaya and the borgs tore through the Kolnari and stopped near Meru. They scanned the surrounding area several times before they were satisfied that there was nothing about and then Micaya turned back to the sergeant. She stood, as though waiting to see what would happen next.

(It's ok, I don't know anything about Kolnari so correct me if I do anything wrong.)

Meru then pulled a length of cable out of her cable wheel and bound his feet and hands behind his back. She then straddled his back and patted his head in an extremely demeaning and humiliating manner. Meru then sighed and whistled, "He put up quite a tough fight, it was a pain to hold him down, but now we have someone to question, and or interrogate." Meru said with a twisted smile.

She then began to play a little game with her young captive, like the game a cat played with it's prey before devouring it. She began by turning the young Kolnari soldier over and straddling his abdomen, she then took off her face plate and body armor, revealing her well endowed feminine form. She then stretched backwards reveiling more of her feminine charms before she began removing his armor. "So soldier, how long has it been since you were last with a woman? I can believe it's been quite a long time hasn't it?" She said taking off his breast and groin plate.

The Kolnari said nothing as she took her actions. He only tried to bite on the poison tooth in effort to die. After her question his only response was, "Scumvermin".

Micaya stepped over looking at some of the dead Kolnari before she finally stopped at one and looked at the Meru. "Sergeant", she said bending down near the dead one, "As much as I'M enjoying this. And I am as have equal preference to either sex." She removed the helmet to reveal a dead Kolnari female. "But he's probably been with one recently as they're warriors are both sexes."

"General."

"Micaya, go."

"We have movement from target three."

"Quads have them?"

"Negative. Thier heading north."

'North', Micaya muttered, "AWAY from us? Confirm."

"Confirmed, they're moving away."

"Understood, out."

She looked at Meru, "Unless it's your intent to continue to perform your striptease, not that I would mind, I think we should move. There's something very wrong here Sergeant. VERY wrong."

"I see." Meru said with a grin.

Meru than sighed and stood up, she then stretched and put her body armor and faceplate back on. As she did so she looked over at General Micaya and said, "General I don't need your permission to drag the prisoner along, though I would like your consent. I'm not sure what you think is going on, but I can't leave a prisoner of war behind for the enemy to reclaim, should they find him."

She then walked over to the female Kolnari and closed her open eyes as she threw her prisoners capsule teeth into the pile of corpses. Meru then pulled out an incendiary grenade from her pack, armed it and threw it into the bunker setting the bodies on fire and beginning the process of turning those dead into the ash from wince the came.

Meru then bowed her head and muttered a few sentences before she moved over to the Kolnari warrior and threw him over her shoulder.

"I don't know what's going on. But there were still comm satellites in orbit. Now the Kolnari are retreating. This isn't their way. Take out everything in space and then take everything they can carry, then get out. That's how they work", was the generals only reply, now that the rather pleasant interlude had passed.

The Admiral turned as a warning went off on the situation board, he quickly moved over and then turned toward the comm officer. "Get me the General, NOW!"

"General Quester-Benn"

"Micaya, go"

"Get the quads away from target three"

"Leader to Razkill, get away from the city"

"Razkill, confirmed"

"Admiral, what th...."

But her question was answered as the city, still full of civilians but devoid of Kolnari was engulfed in a nuclear blast from a bomb they had left behind. Razkill had finally gotten his wish.

Micaya took two steps forward, her mouth hanging open, barely breathing as she watched the destruction of over 50,000 innocent people.

The Admiral went silent as he witnessed the explosion and could only watch the mushroom cloud expand.

Anita reached back to sit down as she witnessed the senseless destruction of thousands of lives. She missed the chair, falling to the deck.

"BASTARDS", Micaya yelled out and turned to stare at the kolnari over Meru's shoulder.

Meru unsheathed her wrist blades and pointed them at the General, "General, if you want to kill this Kolnari, you'll have to go through me first. He's a prisoner of war and as a prisoner of war of the Draconis Federation, he has rights, one of which forbids his execution without a Draconis court mandate. So if you want revenge you'll have to find it with the Kolnari that are retreating, understood!" Meru said without a moments hesitation after seeing Micaya's understandable anger.
_

Admiral Dur'uc eyes watched in horror as the reports of a nuclear explosion on the planets surface flowed back to the war room. Dur'uc raised his hand to his earpiece and muttered a single phrase, 'Ta'mara, N-Jammers, now!'

Ta'mara hesitated and even questioned Dur'uc orders, 'Admiral, are you sure, it will make communication with all ground forces impossible?'

Admiral Dur'uc was furious but still answered calmly, 'I'm sure, I'll inform our allies of my action, now launch them.'

'Yes, sir.' Ta'mara complied with Admiral Dur'uc's orders and launched several N-Jammers at the planets surface, but did so grudgingly knowing what the effects would be within the effective area.

Admiral Dur'uc then turned to the President and Admiral and spoke, "The events that have just transpired are a travesty, but what must be done to prevent such an event from repeating will have irreversible effects on the targeted area. I have already enacted the prevention method, but the terminal effects to enacting this method are that all nuclear reactions, both Central and Kolnari, civilian power generation and weapons deployment will be negated. As well as the complete loss of communications with all ground forces, within the area of effect. While within the effected area all communications will be reduced to ten kilometers, any communications outside ten kilometers will be scrambled.

I know that the thought we ... that I could have prevented this is much to bare, but given the necessity of communication, and certain irreversible effects. I did not think it was wise to use the N-Jammers unless I was one hundred percent sure that they would prevent more suffering then they would cause. If my decision was not acceptable, I will endure what ever punishment you would have for me for such a decision." Admiral Dur'uc said with a stern military face as he told them he could have prevented the nuclear attack.

Micaya glared Meru, half tempted to do exactly what she needed to do to get her revenge. The only thing that stopped her was the newborn alliance between Central and Draconis.

The Admiral nodded in understanding and walked over to help Anita up. He then turned to his people. "Monitor as best you can."

"I'm going to my room", Anita said, barely above a whisper.

"A good idea Lady President", the Admiral replied, and watched as she went out.

Micaya turned from Meru and called the troops around her. "This is General Questor-Benn. We are going around the city to pursue the retreating Kolnari. No quarter is expected. None will be given. Out." She then proceeded to head down the hill and around the city at a jog as the rest of the legion followed.

Don't you think the Kolnari would begin questioning Meru, I do.)

As Meru saw General Micaya Questor-Benn turn from her and head off at a jog with the rest of her legion in pursuit. Meru was in no mood to see General Micaya Questor-Benn so instead of catching up with the General and taking the lead, she instead stayed to the far rear to better protect her newly acquired prisoner.

It was then that Meru saw several missile like devices split up in the atmosphere and head off in ever direction, she knew what that meant, N-Jammers. She was relieved to know the fact that all future attacks like the one she and Micaya witnessed would be prevented, but she also knew what this meant as well, communications block in access of ten kilometers. But should she inform the General, she already knew she'd do anything for revenge, so instead of reporting it as she would have, she waited for the General to question her, should she at all.

Meru then looked over at her prisoner and sighed.

(Kolnari don't ask questions of scumvermin, as they refer to anyone who isn't Kolnari, no matter the situation. His only thought is to take the first opportunity to kill himself so he's not disgraced by begin seen by his peers.)

They moved around the city and were in pursuit when night fell. The bio bods were exhausted and got first rest while the borgs took watch. A humanoid being with a pelt of fine soft fur approached the General. He didn't look tired or even winded.

"They're moving fast, they're up to something."

"What are they up to?" Micaya asked him.

"I don't know General, but I can feel it."

Micaya nodded. She had served with Surekill Lightfoot before and had learned to trust his judgement.

"Micaya to fleet .... Micaya to fleet, come in fleet." She sighed, "coms are down or jammed. Lets just hope they're skill up there. Take a rest Corp, we head out at first light."

He nodded and went to eat and bunk down.

Micaya walked back the way they had come for a short way and looked off in the direction of the destroyed city.

(That's a problem right there, first you don't create a race just to be the enemy you need to fuel your millitary conquests. Second all races whether freindly, agressive, or nuetral live for more then just conflict, so don't say the Kolnari do. And last of all, even if he hates all other species, he's intelligent, and wasn't born a killer, so he's going to wonder why an enemy just saved his life from one of her allies. SO please expaned your view on the Kolnari, and let the act like a normal species and not just the enemy of Central Worlds.)

(1-The Kolnari are paranoid. They feel the universe is out to get them. This is based on the fact that the very planet they grew up on is extremely inhospitable, thus the reason for their strength, speed and healing ability. As well as a certain innate protection against radiation. Though that came later after several nuclear civil wars, but is also lent to the fact that the ozone layer is practically non-existant. In fact thier immune to gamma radtiation. They believe that no one is kind. Therefore his viewpoint is that if you don't kill him now then you'll kill him later.

2-They call themselves 'The Divine Seed of Kolnar' out of arrogance (though they don't believe they are arrogant) because they do have superior traits and they firmly believe that everything is a test in order for them to make themselves even better and ultimitely rule the universe. Like the Japanese Samuri they believe that they will disgrace thier predicessors and thier decendents. Clan leaders act on this in that they make eunich slaves of the family of someone who fails or is a traitor. Treachery includes giving information, the beginning of giving information is talking to captures. Even those who never gave information but talked to captives, if it's found out, are treated as traitors.

3-I didn't create the Kolnari, or Central Worlds for that fact. The Kolnari were created in the stories I read and I'm playing them as they were set in the books. This includes being captured. The only change I made in Central worlds was incorporating the legion (another series of books) because in the central worlds stories they never went into the military of Central all that much. But there were two books on the Kolnari.

4-Don't tell me how to run my nation or it's enemies. I'll run them how I like, just as everyone else runs thiers the way they like. If you don't like it then leave a post here and I'll end this thread and you don't have to RP with me again.

(Fine I may very well, but your wrong on number two.

That may be so, but the Dracon a race based lightly on the Dracon of DnD, and have abilities equal to the Kolnari, a race from what you've told me is lightly based on the Drow of DnD. The Dracon may not have every ability equal to the Kolnari but they are strong enough to be seen as above humans, the fact that a female Dracon, even in nanotech armor took down a male Kolnari would make him think.

Also the Samurai did not allways kill themselves after a lost battle, many infact became Ronin, masterless samurai, and lived to fight another day, they also might even defect to the other side after proving that they truly wanted to defect. The fact that you relate them to the japanese samurai leads me to suspect that he might see the Dracon as superiour to Humans, even if he see's her as an inferior to his own race. That then leads me to suspect that he might speak to her to learn more about her, and ultimately try and escape, or even try and capture her, so that he might better judge her race.

LASTLY, even if they are paranoid, pyschology dictates that he'd try to find a way to escape, and escape would entitle tricking Meru, and to deceive anyone he'd have to speak to them. Not every Kolnari or Jap is perfect, that is how we won last time, and that's how we will ultimatly win this time.)

Meru then looked around for a suitable place to camp for the night, she knew it would be dangerous but she decided to camp away from the main force with her prisoner tonight, and would try and talk to him.

She found her location, it was a semi enclosed area with a dead tree nearby to secure her prisoner, a large cliff to secure her right flank with, and a medium sized boulder to secure her left flank. She then placed him down infront of the tree and tied the cord around his feet to the tree before starting a small fire. "So you hungery, thirsty? Or are you still too proud to take food and water from a female scumvermin?" Meru said with a smile as she readied her MRE and purified some local water.

(Your taking it to far. I meant only that the code would dictate that a samuri's family before and after would be held accountable. I didn't mean they were exactly like them. They aren't aside from that fact. Samuri were honorable, Kolnari aren't. They aren't judged for honor's sake but for the belief that if they fail then thier seed is unworthy. Kolnari are extremely ruthless even to each other. Murder is a way of advancement. A new disease is intentionally spread among young and old alike in order to build resistance. They don't make alliances. The only people they deal with is the occasional mercenary and then only if the stakes are low enough but the mission needful enough to have to be done. Therefore give it someone less worthwhile, then kill them afterward. They simply don't deal with anyone else on any level, and certainly not just soldiers or they risk the ire of thier superiors. Now if he was high ranking then MAYBE. And then only if he felt he could gain postion in the clan by using someone outside of it.)

The night passed without incident. The Kolnari simply sat, brooding, testing his bonds from time to time saying nothing.

(Can't you have him say two fuckin words? Seriously, you think she's going to talk to Micaya after what happened between them? And besides you never stated a rank for the Kolnari, so for all I know he's a fucking general, and it's not good game ethic to just pass off someone.)

Meru sighed and ate her MRE before she took a drink of the water and spoke to her prisoner again, "What's your rank soldier? You can tell me that, right? Name, rank, and serial code? It's not like your ever going to see another living Kolnari, not with the way the General is, she'll kill ever Kolnari she finds, male, female, young, old, all alike. A pity really, but you on the other hand will remain within protective care for the rest of your life, so you might as well get to know your captor, might make you life in a Draconis Federation prison more comfortable."

(I've not resolved the other thread yet, still waiting. I'll be going on vacation from 7/2 to 7/10 and won't be able to do anything until the 11th. Once that thread is done, or at least far enough along that I can determine what will happen here I'll post.)