NationStates Jolt Archive

Lakfakallae. It was the pride and joy of the Abh Empire as it housed over a million Abh and their kin as it was the greatest of the Imperial space cities. Orbiting around an artificial sun, the entire artificial system was powered by the thermal energy that was syphoned from the sun.

In the midst of layers of dimensional inhibitors and FTLi, a flotilla of Imperial Star Forces vessels drifted lazily on patrol. It was by far the largest gathering of Abh ships in all of the Empire as they guarded the capital city tirelessly. Most Imperial officers were confident in their ability to defend the capital if any agressor dared to try and attack their space jewel. Mine fields were everywhere and could be activated at a moments notice, defense systems filled the emptiness of space, and there was enough personnel to repel a full scale invasion.

Clearly they were not concerned about any outside threats. Security in the capital was as tight as it could possibly be with very little economic traffic and nothing foreign coming in and out of the capital unless it was purely there for diplomatic purposes which were few these days. Even the greatest sneak would think twice before attempting to make their way towards Lakfakallae. Most sane ones gave up on the idea before even attempting.

However, there is a first time for everything. It came as a surprise to all one day when the master supply officer found three hundred D'Haran soldiers laying unconcious on the cold floor of Lakfkallae's cargo bay. One particular individual stood out among all the rest as he wore all black with a golden cape strapped around his shoulders.

Sirens went up all over the city and it was put on immediate lock down for the time being and until further notice. Somehow someone snuck three hundred Imperial citizens, that were reported to have been captured by the enemy, back into the capital. There was no clue how this could have happened save one.

The captor of these soldiers was one nation in particular during the feint on the realm of the Maker Mind early on in the Extra Solar Union war. However, any nation within that alliance could have returned the prisoners without any knowledge. Now the real mystery began and the list of potential suspects was shortening. Though there was no real substantial evidence to point fingers at anyone for now.

Shuttles, fighters, flying cars; smallcraft by the thousand were liberally scattered about the KCV Catheter's 'Car Park', the lower of two massive hangars the Dreadnought-turned-Hospital possessed - a hectic display of arrivals and departures in the wake of the ship's recent arrival at a KAG base of some respectable scope.

It was through this mess of half-organised chaos that a lupine figure strode, of ashen fur and ebon suit, mirrored shades and fedora, an umbrella tucked under one arm.

About him, a thousand conversations tickled his enhanced hearing, filtered and parsed by his neural lace - the KCV Laporte had vanished, the rumour mill spoke, not seen sense departing the Catheter a week ago, sense picking up three hundred Abh Prisoners of War for transport to the Home Cluster, where it had obviously never arrived.

Conspiracy theorists were having a field day.

The wolf frowned, continuing his stroll toward the bay's air shield, not quite sure how he felt about that - the operation had been flawless in execution, meticulous in planning, and tho only recently conceived, effectively years in preparation, sense the onset of the war.

Flawless. And yet as soon as the Abh opened their mouths, much of what happened would be known, and more could be guessed at - nothing compromising, of course, and indeed a carefully calculated showing of cards, but for a man used to living in the shadows of perception, his work known only to a few select peers, it was at the same time both welcome recognition - if anonymously so - and a deeply disconcerting level of exposure.

With a sigh and a chuckle he shook his head, opening the umbrella as he stood before the air shield, and finding some small amusement at his own brooding. What was done was done, he resolved, as he held the umbrella aloft and stepped into space, toward the future and his next assignment.

With all the commotion of security guards running around and a contigent of Imperial Marines encircling the Jade Throne, it didn't take long for inhabitants of the massive space city to realize that something was going on. The buzz of news and rumors reached one set of pointed ears. Due to his rogue actions on Caprica, Force User Abriel Doron had been punished by the ex-Emperor's Council and sentenced to serve at court as a security official in charge of keeping the paranormal off the station.

Making his way to a turbo lift, Doron sent a few guards to sweep through his assigned area to double check all security ports and then report back in while he checked out the cargo bay in question. As the elevator took him deeper within the city, he couldn't help but wonder who it what was going on. Something tugged at his senses that brought him to believe that someone powerful was waiting for him. An odd feeling that had not been felt for a long time.

The lift came to a stop on the main cargo bay level and everywhere were Palace guards scanning the entirity of the area. A fine tooth comb was being taken to the place and no crate was being left uninspected. It would take a serious toll on the shipping for the day but a draw back that was well worth the price. All around were soldiers that were either unconcious or sitting up and being checked out by medical personnel. The strange thing about it was that they were all D'Haran soldiers.

"Greetings Excellency."

Doron returned the salute quickly while scanning the room. "What happened here?"

The officer shook his head. "No one really knows. One of the guards was making a routine inspection over the cargo bay after the scanners picked up something strange. When he got down here, he stumbled upon 300 D'Haran soldiers. All unconcious. None of them have any recollection how they got here."

"Interesting. Thanks for the report."

Doron prepared to head off and do his own looking around when the officer stopped him again. "One more thing Excellency, one of the D'Harans..."

"Yes? What is it?"

"It is the Lord Rahl of D'Hara. He has returned with them."

It took a moment for it all to settle in Doron's mind before he darted off through the cargo hold to find his long lost friend. It took his ability with the Force to locate the single man int he multitude but once his Force registered with Richard's aura, it hit Doron like a freighter.

Doron weaved through a few more crates until he spotted Richard Rahl sitting on folding chair with a medic hovering around him asking a million different questions along with Star Forces officers handing over datapads for paper work to be filled out. When Richard caught a glimpse of Doron heading his way, the man gave a small grin.

"Richard!"

Doron and Richard clasped arms as they met. A brief reuniting under troubled times but a happy one in any case.

"Good to see you again old friend. Tell me, what have I missed since I've been away from the Empire?"