The Republic Chronicles I

[Republican_Man]

This is a story written for my Free Choice piece for my teacher's "Writing Workshop" at school a while back. Please read and give your imput...
I know it's long, though.

The Republic Chronicles I:
Operation Ion Storm

Introduction

IT is the year 2142. In the Orion and Sagittarius Arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, a Republic, including Earth, Sygonia, Lykos, Leparsia, Traqoria, and Sytarria, has formed. In this Republic exists a representative from each planet (the Senators), the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, and all the Secretaries of Government.
Now, after years of steering away from the Alpha Centauri system (after 1st contact, peace was not made), the Centaurians have decided to begin talks of peace. However, when the Starcraft Star Voyager, under the command of Captain James Wesley Azzar, enters the system, he receives a peace envoy, and it is then discovered that they are at war with another race. Once the delegates leave, declaring that the peace talks will be postponed for reasons unknown to the starcraft, the Star Voyager stealthily heads out, and notices that a Centaurian planet is under attack�

Chapter I

The room was of a fairly good size. The oak wood desk, approximately five feet in length, hunched below an old piece of equipment, a Dell Laptop, it was called, from 2020, only booted up with more up-to-date computer technology--he was a sucker for the classics. Pressing against the keyboard�s buttons were the semi-small fingers of the short Captain of the Starcraft Star Voyager as he leaned above the desk in his comfortable leather seat.
A welcome beeping sound was heard at all corners of the room, coming from the door. The Captain looked up. �Come in.�
Standing tall was Leparses Assistant Captain Romulus the Remus. �Sir,� his tough voice began, �we have entered the Alpha Centauri System.�
�Slow us down, Mr. Remus. I�ll be out there in a moment.�
�Already done, sir,� responded the Leparses, nodding. He turned back around and marched out of the room, the doors already closing themselves behind him.
Just one minute later, Captain James Wesley Azzar entered the Command Center.
�Good morning, Captain!� proclaimed the always cheerful, young Pilot Michael Johnsdale, turning to face him from the helm.
�Thank you, Ensign. And a good morning to you, too.� He took his seat in the center of the room and pushed a button on a chair arm next to him. A small computer screen arose from the metallic arm. The three Neural Wires swiftly dispatched from a hatch in the arm, and James grabbed them. After attaching the wires to his head, he began thinking. As he thought, a report came across his computer screen.
Mere moments later, Traquorian Chief Defense Officer Sa�Kab Snath interrupted his mind-to-computer thoughts. �Captain, we are receiving a transmission.�
�Put it on the monitor,� replied the five foot, six inch Captain, arising from his comfortable seat. Replacing the planets up ahead on the monitor, Alpha Centauri starfleet Commandeering Officer Jumba�s smile showed bright.
�Captain,� nodded the Centaurian, his eyes bugging out.
�Commandeering Officer Jumba, how are you?� Asked Azzar.
�I am fine, Captain. Now, how would you like the peace proceedings to proceed?�
�Any way you wish, Officer. The Republic would like to form a long-lasting peace, and we believe that the best way to do it would be to follow those of whom we are attempting to make peace with,� the Captain replied.
�But it is in our culture to let the opposite negotiators choose how the proceedings should occur. We would be honored if you were to decide, Captain,� the black-faced, red-eyed Centaurian said, bringing up his red arm.
�Very well. Would your ambassadors be willing to come to our conference room?� inquired the staunch Captain.
�Of course they would�It would be an honor to come onto your ship. Is one of your hours enough time to prepare?�
�Aye, sir. It is.� Azzar couldn�t hold back his welcoming smile for some odd reason. �So long, Officer.�
The Commandeering Officer put up his six-fingered hand in the air and said, �Chalu�pah!� And with that, the monitor went black.
�Mr. Romulus, you have the Command Center whilst I prepare for the negotiations with the Centaurian Peace Envoy.�
�As you wish, Captain,� the Leparses Assistant Captain stood up while his commanding officer did, bowed slightly like his race does, and took the Captain�s seat. Captain James Azzar entered his Command Office, sat down, and began typing on his laptop.

It was 1700 hours--5:00 p.m.--and the Centaurian Envoy shuttle was in range of the Primary Docking Bay. The outer-shell of the Star Voyager�s docking bay had been open since the first contact with the race, with the docking bay�s invisible force-shield. Upon the envoy entering range, the force-shield opened up. After the Bay�s force-shield closed, the Captain and Assistant Captain entered the bay and walked over to the shuttle.
The main hatch opened from the back of the Envoy shuttle, and three Centaurians disembarked from the craft--one armed guard and two ambassadors: Nak Zum and Sibo Jubi. Nak Zum, the leader of the group, raised his right hand in greeting. �I am Nak Zum, a Negotiator of Alpha Centauri, or ambassador, as you say it.. This is Sibo Jubi, my aide.� The Centaurian Male opened his hand in a welcoming gesture towards Sibo Jubi. �Please pardon the armed guard. It is a precaution that the Centaurian Negotiators must use.�
�Think nothing of it,� James replied. �Please, follow me.� He gestured his hand, and the five walked briskly out of the docking bay.
Moments later the group entered the Meeting Room attached to the Command Center. �Please, have a seat,� the human captain gestured at the chairs around the oval table. The Centaurian guard stood tall at the door with his rifle in the cross-arm position.
�Shall we begin?� Nak Zum asked.
�Might I offer you a drink first? We have-�
�No thank you, Captain. We are pressed for time.�
�Very well, Negotiators. Shall we begin?� Captain James Wesley Azzar asked.
�Of course.� And so the negotiations began.
* * *

Less than an hour later, there was an interruption in the negotiations. �Captain, we are receiving a priority signal from Commandeering Officer Jumba. It is important,� Second Assistant Captain and Chief Defense Officer Sa�Kab Snath interrupted forcefully. �Should I transmit it to the Conference Room�s Main Viewer?�
�Yes, do so,� replied the Captain, hiding his disturbed tone the best he could.
Less than thirty seconds later, the video of Commandeering Officer Jumba replaced that of the Spacefleet logo on the Main Viewer. The Centaurian negotiators and Spacefleet officers stood up. The Captain fixed his shirt. �What is the problem, Officer?�
There was no smile on the officer�s face-just a disturbed look. �I must have my officers back on the ship immediately. It is imperative that they dock within the next ten minutes.�
�May I asked what the problem is, sir, and inquire if I can be of assistance?� the Captain asked sternly.
�No Captain. All you can do to assist is to get my men off your ship NOW.� The Commandeering Officer was furious.
�As you wish. I will storm them out now, but I warn you--we haven�t gotten very far, Officer Jumba, and if--�
�Enough, Captain. We will contact the Republic as soon as possible to resume the negotiations--they are to be postponed for now. Just get my men here instantly.� The screen went blank and then was replaced by the Spacefleet logo.
Without talking to any of the two Star Voyager crewmembers in the room, the three Centaurians burst out of the room, the guard leading them up ahead. Azzar ordered Remus, �You have the Command Center. I�ll get to them.�
�Aye sir,� Romulus the Remus said as the Captain stormed ahead of him on the Command Center. Azzar rushed toward the Elevation Lift behind the Centaurians.
�I don�t believe that you need to run, gentlemen.� The Captain had stopped at that point. There was no reply. �Gentlemen?� The door slid open, and silence had engulfed the entire trip up. The three Centaurians burst out of the elevation lift and charged to the bay, the guard leading them. Azzar had to run to catch up and stay with them.
When the group entered the bay, the guard took out a remote control and pushed a few buttons. Following that, the back hatch of the envoy shuttle opened. �Wait!� Azzar shouted. �Can you--�
Before he could get far in his sentence, the hatch began closing. Azzar ran out of the room and back to the elevation lift. �Command Center,� he ordered the computer. �Pump it to Level 3, the fastest speed.� Less than a minute later, the Elevation Lift came to a halt.
�Mr. Snath: prepare to open shields!� James Azzar proclaimed the order loudly.
�Aye, sir�Preparing�� the Traquorian Tactical Officer replied. �Opening shields for the shuttle to disembark."
�Give me a comm., Snath.� The Captain�s tone was rushed as he gave the order. This was a side that his crew had never seen of him. �Ambassador, you may now disembark�Follow our procedures, please��
�Sir...� The Traquorian�s tone was somewhat nervous.
�Yes, Mr. Snath?�
�They envoy shuttle has already disembarked, Captain,� the tough Traquorian stated. �According to the computer logs, they disembarked almost immediately after the shields were opened--and without reporting in.�
�What! This kind of conduct-Get me Commandeering Officer Jumba on the line,� the Captain commanded roughly. "I don't know how things are done in there fleet, but we follow procedures!
�Sir, he�s gone�Hailing him won�t work as well,� Sa�Kab replied.
�Damn! Do you have his ship�s Ionic Signature?� Azzar inquired.
�I�m afraid not�we can�t track him. There�s no Ionic Signature from his ship, sir.�
�For cripe's sake! Turn this ship around, and transmit a message to Station Alpha now. Mr. Johnsdale, turn this ship around. Go to Pre-Ionic Speed.�
�Aye sir,� Johnsdale stated.
�Sir,� Sa�Kab replied, �Our transmissions have been jammed for some reason.�
�See if you can figure it out.�
The ship sped off, and for 10 minutes went through space.
Suddenly the craft came to a halt. There were several brief explosions.
�Open a channel to the lead ship.�
�We can�t get an open channel, Captain,� Snath said.
�Very well�Stand by��
There was an explosion shown on the main monitor off the port bow. The unidentified ship fired on the planet down below, as another starship flew after it. The defending ship was shot at five times, and then an explosion.
�Captain, I have assessed the battle,� Snath said.
�And?�
�Sir, the Centaurian planet Century is under attack!� Sa�Kab Snath, the Traquorian Chief Tactical Officer of the Star Voyager, proclaimed.
�Hmmm.� Captain James Azzar replied, entering keys into his main computer. �Mr. Johnsdale, do we have an identification lock on the ship yet?�
�No, sir,� Michael Johnsdale, the tall, slick, yet overweight black human helmsman and navigator answered worridly. �However, I do know that the markings of the ship identify Naotorians�it�s a Naotorian Warship, Captain!�
�Naotorians? It�s been 30 years since we last saw them!� The captain, a five foot seven, 6-pack-having 4th-degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo asked with a nervous tone.
�Confirmed,� Sa�Kab�s raspy voice proclaimed, with an unfortunate tone. �We are being transmitted a message.�
�Put it on the monitor.� James replied, as the man stood up and walked toward the screen.
�It�s on, Captain,� came Sa�Kab�s voice.
�You have entered the Zone of the Naotorians. Identify yourself and your means for being here, or we�ll fire!� A tall, odd looking humanoid said.
I�ve never seen a Naotorian before�My what big ears and facial ridges they have, Azzar thought. �I should be asking those questions, sir. I am Captain James Azzar of the Starcraft Star Voyager. This is not you space�this is Centaurian space, is it not?� By now, James� face was stern, frowning, and although he was nervous, he didn�t show it.
�You are correct. But now the space is Naotorian space��
�Could you please explain to me your reasoning for this?� The human Captain�s great self control, learned in TaeKwonDo, was being lifted as the punches hit him.
�By the decision of the Naotorian Command Council! Pathetic human!�
�But--� Before the man could finish, the monitor flicked off. �Damn!�
�Your orders, Captain?� the Chief Defense Officer requested.
�Well, we know that we want peace with the Centaurians, and as of now we can�t help them�� The captain said, his tone actually upset.
�But Captain!�
�Take us out of here!�
The Leparses Assistant Captain entered the bridge from the Elevation Lift.
Turning his small head to face his friend, Captain James Azzar declared, �You�re late, Commander. �
�Sorry, sir. I�was detained,� the Commander replied.
�I understand,� nodded Azzar, knowing all about Leparses culture.
�Give me a status report, Mr. Snath.� The Assistant Captain took his seat next to the Captain.
�It appears that the Centaurians are at war with the Naotorians, sir,� the Chief Defense Officer said.
�Hmm�What do you think, sir?� the Commander turned to face his Captain.
�Well, we�re gonna leave. Before we can help them, the Senate, Chancellor, and the Chancellor�s administration must give us the order, then we can take action. I know it�s stupid, but�� The captain�s face was stern, once again, not showing any sign of being nervous, although he really felt butterflies in his stomach. �Commander?�
�I agree, Captain.� Unlike Azzar, Romulus let his anxiety get the best of him.
�But Captain! I-� Anger surging through the Traquorian, his fat face lit black.
Calmly, the Captain replied, �I understand, but no. Pilot,� James stood up, �take us out of here�Bring us to System One.� The Captain knew that the right thing would be to help them out, but he was too stuck on following regulations.
�Aye, aye, Mon Capitan,� the pilot, Johnsdale, replied, tapping keys on his consol.
�Ionic Speed ,� ordered the Captain, sitting down. He lifted a finger, pointed it out, and finished, �Initiate.�
And with that, the Starcraft Star Voyager, its wide, yet not too long torpedo-shaped starship with its circular disc above it, turned around and moved into hyperspace.

�The Senatorial Council will now come to order,� the Council Chairman ordered. The tall, 8 foot 1 inch Lyhosian�s blue blood rose to her face. �Today, we primarily have the Chancellor and the Secretary of Defense. The chair now recognizes Spacefleet Captain James Azzar of the Starcraft Star Voyager. Captain?�
The short human walked up to the small Senatorial Council�s black podium, Assistant Captain Remus and Chief Defense Officer Sa�Kab Snath following right behind him. While the Captain stood up behind the podium, his two crewmen sat in two of the seats behind him next to the Chancellor and Secretary of Defense.
Turning towards the Chairman, James began, �Chairman, Chancellor, esteemed members of the Senatorial Council. I am here today to discuss an urgent matter. Yesterday, at 1300 hours, my starcraft, the Star Voyager, was in the Alpha Centauri Sector. We held Lyhosian Ambassador Lijono in the craft, and she discussed peace talks with the Alpha Centaurians. Then, one of her meetings with the Centaurian peace envoy was interrupted. The Centaurians said that there was an urgent matter to attend to, and so they left the ship in their shuttlecraft.
�After intercepting some garbled transmissions before that, I decided that something was going on. I ordered my pilot to search for the source of the distress transmission, and he did so. We noticed that the Centaurian Imperium planet Century was under attack�by the Naotorians. The captain of a Naotorian Warship declared that we were in their space, but we left just in time. Members of the Council, I urge you to take action. This threat is not only against the Grand Imperium of Alpha Centauri, but us as well. If you remember the Naotorians from the past, after the Starshuttle Star Voyager made 1st contact with them, we noticed that the an invasion of Alpha Centauri was being made.
�At that time, the dispatching of the remaining 5 ships of the shuttle fleet and 5,000 troops were sent to save them. Peace was not made, for odd reasons, however. But remember and note that before we went to their aid, the Naotorians attempted a failed attack on our planet, and then we took action. We must do the same thing now. Mr. Chancellor?�
As the Captain sat down, the Chancellor took his place behind the podium. �Senatorial Council, Mr. Chairman,� nodded the tall, dark Chancellor James Earl McCoy, �I completely agree with Captain Azzar. We, the people of the United Republic of Free Systems, must take action. We must go to war.�
Standing up, the extremely tall Chairman, her ears pointing up all of the sudden, walked over to the podium, next to the Chancellor. �Now, let�s take a vote. Fill out your computers for the following voting question: Should we go to war with Naotoria?�
After five minutes of waiting, the eighteen members (two from each of the nine planets) of the Senatorial Council had completed filling out their Neural Computer Voting File. A Neural Computer is a computer that consists of 3 wires coming from green glasses screen that touch the head of each senator. Each Senator, and almost everyone in the Republic, has one, and the Senators use a file called the Voting File to make their votes. Whenever one has a Neural-Computron Computer attached to them, all they have to do is call upon the memory in the computer�s hard drive with their mind and the activity that they request occurs. Then, in the case of the Senatorial Council, each Senator transmitted their results to a computer datapad of which the Chairman reads.
�The Senatorial Council has reached a verdict�� The Chairman read his datapad. �Please remove your computers.� Following that statement, each of the Senators removed their �Neurtronic Wires,� followed by the glasses screen. �Fourteen Senators vote no and four Senators vote yes. Therefore, we will not be going to war.�
The Chancellor, who had sat back down, arose, and the anger he felt in his body arose and was clearly shown on his face. Sometimes he really gets mad in a way most people would not want of their leader. The good Chancellor often shows his emotions way too often. �You people,� he rose a finger, �you people! How could you do this! An entire sector needs our help�and you don�t want to go to war! Would someone who voted no care to tell me why they did it?�
The Syttarrian Senator, Remiono, arose, his beak dispatching from his face like a Spacefighter coming out from inside a flagship. �I voted no. Going to war with another would cost billions of centrons. Not to mention the rebuilding of the Alpha Centauri system and Naotoria. Plus, you must put into account-�
�Isn�t that just a small price to pay for freedom of two civilizations? Isn�t it? If these two civilizations are free, we would have two more allies to help us with any future discussions with other unknown civilizations. I�m not saying that they would automatically join our Republic, but��
�I�m sorry, Mr. Chancellor, but we have reached a verdict,� the Chairman said�
Under his breath, the Chancellor muttered, "Damn Constitution."

In the Ion Office of the Chancellor�s Star House in Earth�s �high above water� city Starington, named after the Republic�s founder and first Chancellor, Jorge Starington, the Chancellor paced back and forth in front of his desk. In the three chairs in front of him and his desk sat Captain James Azzar, Secretary of Defense Baghonos Zibo, and Secretary of State Joel Limbaugh, facing the viewscreen on the wall. On the viewscreen was the Vice-Chancellor, Lindsey Johnson, a human from New York, Spacefleet Admiral Ja�quest Sn�Kad, and Stararmy General Brian McCommerger.
�Sir, I don�t think it�d be prudent to send troops to war in Naotoria and its systems and Alpha Centauri and its systems, or even them alone,� came the voice of the former James Sengenberger Enterprises Vice-President--turned Secretary of State Joel Limbaugh. �Without the support of all the planets, Senators, and people, we have little to no argument against them-�
�We have a very good argument, Mr. Secretary,� butted in the Chancellor.
�-That they will agree with,� the Secretary finished.
�I see. Then do I stand alone?�
�No, sir, Mr. Chancellor. I�m with you. I believe that freedom should come for all, no matter who they are. After all, we are the United Republic of Free Systems, key word being free. Earth fought for freedom for ourselves from the Terran Empire that was carved from the aftermath of World War IV, and why shouldn�t freedom and justice happen to others?� Captain James Azzar stated with much enthusiasm and anger.
�Those are very good, true words. Does anyone else believe in this war?� The Chancellor asked, the melancholy feeling he had showing in his voice.
�I would be willing to participate, as I agree completely with you and the Captain,� Stararmy General Brian McCommerger stated, also with enthusiasm. Of course the trained, self-controlled complete and total military man did have the average military sternness that all military personnel have in their voices.
�Lindsey? Admiral Sn�Kad?� The Chancellor would not step pressing on.
�I am sorry, sir, but I am inclined to agree with the State Secretary," Lindsey answered, a resentful tone in the tall, blond woman�s voice. She had been friends with the Chancellor for an extremely long time, and she was the Lieutenant Governor of Earth under him three years ago, and before that the partner Senator, both Republicans, for the Moon in the Senatorial Council. Throughout all of these things, the two have been close friends and have rarely disagreed on topics. And she completely resented the fact that she had bluntly completely disagreed with one of her oldest, best friends.
�I as well must decline. If we had support, I would work towards freedom for the two Imperiums, but we don�t, so�� Admiral Sn�Kad, his face showing rising blood.
�Personally, I believe in freedom for all, but this is just way over our heads, Mr. Chancellor,� Secretary of Defense Baghonos Zibo declared, seriously, his face showing no emotion, as is usually for a Lykosan�s face to show. �However, I would support a war with Naotoria.
�Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Very well then. I already talked with the other secretaries, and only Secretary of the Treasury Sytto Iversionesion and Senior Star House Press Secretary endorsed the idea, and they can�t really do much, support wise� I am very disappointed in the cabinet and governing group that I have chosen�� The upset, angry--no furious--Chancellor stated bluntly, regretting what he had to say and just did say. �Okay. Dismissed.�
The viewscreen on the wall flicked off, leaving the Eagle-and-Star symbol of the Republic in its place. All four of the men in the room stood up. �Well, Mr. Secretary,� McCoy said, facing Limbaugh, �you may go. As for the Captain and Mr. Zibo, I would like you to stay.�
�Thank you, Mr. Chancellor. And I am sorry about my decision, sir,� acknowledged the Secretary.
�Of Course.�
Secretary of State Joel Limbaugh turned and walked out of the room.
�Mr. Chancellor?� came the voice of Captain James Azzar.
�Yes, hold on just a second�General McCommerger will be back on the viewscreen in a moment,� McCoy ordered.
A minute later, General McCommerger replaced the Republic symbol. �Sir?� pressed the Captain.
�I have a very important thing to discuss with the three of you�One that could change the course of life on Naotoria and Alpha Centauri, and all the planets within the two Imperiums,� pressed McCoy.
�Sir, you don�t mean�?� began Azzar.
�Yes I do. I am going to make an executive decision, even without the approval of the Senate, Congress, and most of my advisors. We are going to try to round up as many people as we possibly can and head over to the Centaurian Imperium. Here�s what I want you to do��

Chapter II

Captain James Azzar entered the bridge of the Starcraft Star Voyager from the Elevation Lift. �Mr. Remus, call all the Command Staff to the Main Conference Room immediately. I�ll be there shortly,� ordered the officer.
�Of course, Captain.�
Five minutes later, the entire Command Staff of the Star Voyager had assembled in the Main Conference Room. The beauty of the stars shown through the huge windows of the room as the Captain entered. The man noticed Commander Romulus the Remus, the Leparses Assistant Captain, Lieutenant Snath, the Traquorian Chief Defense Officer, Ensign Michael Johnsdale, the human helmsman and navigator, Commander Mynch, the Lyhosian Commanding Engineer and the ship�s Second Assistant Captain, and the human Chief Medical Officer Elizabeth Reynolds.
The entire senior staff stood up at the sight of their commanding officer. �Please sit down,� order the Captain, in a polite but what seemed rushed tone. �Now I warn you. What I am about to tell you may be startling to you, and I would like to state first that you do not have to do this mission if you don�t want to.�
�Aye, aye, Mon Capitan,� said the always cheerful helmsman and navigator (pilot). Azzar glared at his pilot with a dark smile on his face.
�You all know that I have spent the last three days on Earth. I went to and met with the Senate and then the Chancellor and several of his Advisors, including Admiral Sn�Kad, the leading Admiral of Spacefleet, and Imperial General McCommerger, the leading General of Stararmy.� The Captain shook his hands for a second and then ceased. �Now, the Senate voted no on the resolution for war with Naotoria.�
�What! They can�t do that! I-� Now the pilot was angered, a sight little seen by his colleagues.
�You are out of turn, Ensign. Now please be quiet.� Azzar was furious. �As I was about to say, almost all of the Chancellor's Advisors, except for the Secretary of Defense, Stararmy General Brian McCommerger, myself, even though I�m not exactly an advisor, and about two other Advisors, the Treasury Secretary and Senior Star House Press Secretary, I think. But they have little to say toward a war. Now, listen. After my meeting with the Chancellor and the Advisors, Secretary of Defense Baghonos Zibo, Stararmy General Brian McCommerger, and I were told to stay after.
�The Chancellor was very clear in his explanation: He has asked the Secretary of Defense to conjure up as many starcrafts in Spaceflee and Stararmy General Brian McCommerger to get as many military personnel as possible and myself�Well, I was told to take the Star Voyager and lead the fleet that the Secretary conjures up and bring them to the Alpha Centauri System. I would command the crews of the Army Transport ships, although General McCommerger will be there. The General will lead the ground assaults. Now, remember, almost the entire Republic objects to this plan, so this Operation, Operation Ion Storm, will need to be swift and secret from all of those that do not know about our mission. Does anyone object to this? If they do, then they could always be sent to Earth on leave and be killed if they say anything about it.�
There was an ere silence. No one stood up, no one objected, no one said anything. Until��Sir, we would never leave you to go alone, and even though our chances of winning are slim, we will always stand by you, Captain. We will take a chance.� Ah Johnsdale�not just my pilot, but my moral officer as well, thought James after the pilot made that comment.
�Then it is settled. We will leave in five minutes, after I inform the crew. Mr. Johnsdale, set course for the military outpost forest moon of Vendi, Ionic Speed 5. When I give the order, you�ll initiate.� The Captain had cheered up a bit, forcing delight showing all over his face as it lit up.
�Aye, aye, Mon Capitan!� came the voice of the twenty-three year old pilot.
�Dismissed,� saluted the Captain. All of the Senior Staff, except the Captain, stampeded out of the room. �Oh, God I hope this works.�

On Military Outpost Vendi, the forest moon of the Gas Giant Klinggass, General Brian McCommerger walked through the halls of the Command Headquarters. As he entered the Command Center of the headquarters, Sergeant Commander John Gallaford walked up next to him.
�Joining in this war is dangerous. If word gets out, it could generate a recall of the Chancellor, and get us out of a job.� The Commander was an extremely serious fellow, and one of the General�s oldest, best friends.
�Not if we can prevent many others from hearing of it�Please meet me in my Office in five minutes,� the Marshal General stated.
�Yes sir.�
Five minutes later, Sergeant Commander John Gallaford entered the Office of Marshal General Brian McCommerger, the automatic electric doors closing behind him.
�Sir?� asked the Commander, standing at attention.
�At ease, Commander,� ordered McCommerger, and Gallaford did just that. �Please have a seat.� When McCommerger sat down, he immediately sank into the green, comfortable military chair. Ever since the fall of the Terran Empire in 2045, chairs had become more comfortable in military establishments, as one of these types of chairs had been what Arnoldo �Adolf� Mussater sat in in his office.
�I have ordered you here to discuss a very important matter. Here is the response from yesterday�s meeting that I went to: Only the Chancellor, Secretary of Defense, Captain James Azzar of the Starcraft Star Voyager, and I agreed that we should go to war. And so the Chancellor has a plan�We are to prepare as many troops as possible, without alerting those commanders loyal to the word of the Senate and the consensus of the majority of the Chancellorial Advisors, grab all available Troop Transport starcrafts, and head to a rendezvous point in orbit of the Gas Giant Gassius in the Gassias system. There we will meet up with Spacefleet�s Alpha Fleet, and proceed to the Alpha Centauri Imperium�s planet Century.�
�So, what do you want me to do now, sir?� inquired Gallaford.
�I want you to transmit messages around the Republic and see which army battalion commanders and generals would support the war,� the General pressed. �I will deal with this outpost, however, and Lieutenant General Marcos Marson will get Troop Transports together to pick up all the supporting troops. To each army commander that would support the war, get them to have their troops stand by. We have only three hours, so make it quick.�
�Yes sir,� acknowledged the Sergeant Commander.

The Star Voyager and the Secretary of Defense�s ship, the Washington, had entered orbit of the forest military outpost of Vendi. Each ship dispatched a shuttle, which included the leader, his assistant officer, and one or two security guards or Secret Service men, and when the shuttle touched down, each group left and headed to the Command Headquarter�s Conference Room.
�Secretary,� nodded Sergeant General Brian McCommerger, �Captain. Let us begin the meeting. Computer, activate viewscreen. Download Secretary Zibo�s Operation Ion Storm.�
�Accessing,� came the monotonous voice of a female.
�Secretary?�
Arising from the chair he sat in, the Secretary walked over to the viewscreen. A moment later, pointing at it, he began. �You can see here the planet Snaggus, the Gas Giant of which everyone will be meeting at. From that planet we will proceed to liberate the Centaurian capital Centauri�.� The Secretary of Defense completed his discussion of Operation Ion Storm, and answered the others� questions, the group got to work.

Chapter III

Less than four hours later, the Star Voyager rendezvoused with the rest of Alpha Fleet and the other fleet known as Troop Fleet, in orbit around the gas giant Gassius. The Marshal General Brian McCommerger was on his command ship, the Crusader-class starcraft America.
�Attention all starcraft. Attention. This is Captain James Azzar.� The Captain was standing up at this point. �Proceed to Centauri. Once we get there, begin Operation Ion Storm. End communication.�
�Communication closed,� came the voice of the Chief Defense Officer.
�Mr. Johnsdale, Ionic Speed,� ordered Azzar.
�Aye, Captain.� This time, Johnsdale was a bit frightened, and Azzar was stunned. This was the first time since Johnsdale�s first month as a crewmember that the young adult had said just plain �aye, Captain.�
The Literature-class starcraft left the system, unknown what dangers may await them�

Back on Earth, a recording played of Chancellor James Earl McCoy earlier speech that he madeon this new crisis. �Four days ago, Alpha Centauri Imperium was invaded by the Naotorian Imperial Empire, also known as the Naotorian Imperium. Then, upon the return of Captain James W. Azzar of the Starcraft Star Voyager, the Senate and majority of my advisors voted no on the resolution for liberating this country from its new bondage, as well as the Naotorians� I could not stand for this, so I took decisive action� I had Marshal General Brian McCommerger and Captain James Azzar act as heads of a liberation strike, and now they are now fighting on and around Centauri.
�Now I believe that freedom should come to all�not just for us. We have gained a staunch ally in the war, actually. Saotorian Prime Minister M�chtok Bosh�naosh Fiye has sent aid. Now that this has been unleashed to all, nearly all of the Armed Forces of the Republic are en route to the Alpha Centauri and Naotorian Sectors to either give aid to those in the Centauri System, or to just liberate the Naotorians and Centaurians now�Thank you, and have a nice day��
�So, Madame Viceroy,� said Ion News anchor Bill O�Reilly of the O�Reilly Factor, great-great-great grandson of the nationally syndicated television host of the O�Reilly Factor, which is now hosted on Ion News, which is what became of Fox News in the late twenty-first century, �Do you think that the Chancellor�s statement was justified? Do you agree with your fellow Republican about going to war on this new threat?�
�No, I do not,� replied the Viceroy of Leparsia�s continent of Vicron. �Most Republicans, along with the Democrats, Terranians, Sippocrates, Annocrates, Anarchists, Reformers. and Independents oppose the war� Very few have endorsed the war, as a matter of fact. Most think that the Chancellor has taken this threat way out of proportion.�
�And why do you think that is thought?� asked the �No Spin Zone� host.
�Two giant groups of forces against one.�
�But isn�t ours bigger than theirs combined? Plus, don�t you think that, being that the Centaurians are not yet loyal to the harsh rule of the Naotorians, we have a high chance of winning?�
�Higher than is speculated, but�we still are weak�Most of our troops are fresh out of the Academy, given that we rebooted the Republican Army that was disbanded in 2112 when we decided to make Spacefleet our only source of defense. I mean, the training academy for the Stararmy just opened five years ago, and few members of the military were in the army that existed in 2112, before it was disbanded, so��
�Well, I understand that the Chancellor may be under the threat of a recall from the Republican people. Would you support it?�
�Yes, and I�m sure all the people opposing the war would agree. I voted for him, but he just hasn�t done a good job.�
�We haven�t had a recall since Jonathon Clinton, great grandson of former President Bill Clinton of the United States of America and the second Chancellor of the Republic of Earth, which eventually became the Republic we know of today. Well, we�ve got to take a break. Thanks, Viceroy, for your time with us. Next up, we go to Democratic Senator Michaelson of Mars to see his views on this issue. Remember, you�re in the No Spin Zone watching the O�Reilly Factor on Ion News, the Republic�s only Intergalactic News station, fair and balanced.�

�Report!� proclaimed Captain Azzar.
�Shields are down to seventy percent, Captain!� the Traquorian Chief Defense Officer yelled back.
�Fire all Ionators!� ordered the Captain.
�Yes, sir,� replied the Defense Officer. All of the Ionators fired at one of the Naotorian Warships.
�Fire the Ionic Defense Missiles! Ensign Johnsdale, dispatch the Spacefighters! Mr. Snath, lower the shields for fighter dispatch!�
�Aye!� came the reply. �Sir, we�re being hailed.�
�On screen.�
�Aye!� proclaimed the Defense Officer.
�Captain Azzar, allow me to introduce myself. I am Admiral Caste of the Alphaain resistance. How can my convoy of six Warships and I be of assistance?� there was a hint of reluctance in the rushed voice of the Admiral.
�You can start by securing the landing of our brown troop transports!� suggested Azzar.
�Sure thing,� came the reply, and the screen went back to its main picture.
�Sir! All the Spacefighters have been dispatched!� replied the pilot. �You can put the shields back!�
�No, I�m afraid I can�t!� The Traquorian�s face lit with fright. �The shield generator�s been hit!�
�Ms. Mynch, fix that generator!� ordered the Captain.
�Already on it, sir,� came the woman�s voice.
�General, you may start your landing!� the Captain said over his comlink.
�Very good. We are starting our landing,� replied the human General.

Do you have any ideas for what I should do next? Any suggestions for battle? I want some input as I want to get this story to get further along and be really good!

[Voy_Girl]

Hmm... Romulus and Remus,

[Republican_Man]

Yep.

Does anyone have any thoughts?