Downfall (Provisional RPG)

[La Forge]

Downfall



The following is an excerpt from the files of Imperial Historian to High Emperor Nicolai Zaroff, Ivan Romanov...

Professor Romanov, I. Reporting--Imperial Historian



"In the year of 2401 A.D. in the Hera System of the Andromeda Galaxy, all hell broke loose, on the planet of Venus II, a human-inhabitated world, terra-formed and colonized by ancient humans, hundreds of years ago, after the race had discovered interstellar transport (which, might I add, is the speeding up of the speed of light, in order to accomodate for such travel).



General Viktor Zaroff, a high-ranking, power-hungry general in the Royal Imperial Army of Venus II, who had built up a vast army of genetically-enhanced humans, using a mysterious drug known as Vicis, under the nose off High Emperor Yun-Seong Chang, Emperor of the Hera System, the only human inhabited system in the Andromeda Galaxy, excluding the ill-fated colonization expedition to the Zeus System.

General Zaroff and his secret army, using advanced weapons, managed to set up a coup d'etat, overthrowing the Emperor and taking control of the Royal Imperial Army and the entire system as a whole, in the end, after a bloody two-year war, resulting in the deaths of billions and the pollution of Venus II, with the use of biogenic weapons.



NOTE: As we all know, now, the biogenic weapons resulted in the creation of the Outcasts, vile mutants, formerly humans, who were transformed by the biogenic weapons in the war, with increased physical strength and extended lifespans, who supposedly live in the Wastelands of Venus II and abroad, on the other planets affected by these biogenic weapons in the war.. It is believed, now, that the Outcasts have finally been eliminated, however, people traveling in the Wastelands still believe that the Outcasts remain, with their numbers increasing by the day. This is simply speculation, however, and, in my expert opinion, I believe that the Outcasts are truly gone. That could be an old man's false hope, but, the facts point towards this conclusion. There have been no Outcast attacks in many years. The only other possible explanation to this, besides the idea of their extinction would be the idea that the Outcasts are planning something...One can only shudder at the thought. The Outcasts were not people, if you can still even call them that, to be laughed at. In any case, back to the topic at hand...

After imprisoning the former Emperor, Zaroff declared himself the new High Emperor of the Hera System. However, some of the leaders of the other planets in the system, led by Ondore the IV, the Governor of Mercury II, opposed the new emperor.

Zaroff, using his vast military might and tactical prowess, began a conquest of the rest of the galaxy, using the powerful starships of the Imperial Space Force, lasting over three years.

During this time, the rest of the system had been crushed by Zaroff's overwhelming military forces, with Ondore, the leader of the opposing leaders, dying at the hands of Zaroff, himself, to the crazed general's diamond encrusted rapier, ending the resistance posed by the other planets, with Zaroff's conquest of the system finally coming to an end.



Now, the Hera system truly belonged to Zaroff and for the next fifty years, Zaroff ruled as High Emperor of the Hera System, ruling the system iron fist, his tyrannical reign cruel and inhumane.



The present year, 2454, fifty three years after Zaroff's conquest of the Hera System, the elderly general had grown ill, placing his eldest son, Nicolai Zaroff, in charge of the system.

Nicolai Zaroff has brought peace to the system, after his father's evil reign. The new Emperor made grand promises, of reformation and the abolishment of the military.

While Nicolai governs the system fairly and justly, the Resistance, a group dedicated to destroying the Zaroff regime, fights the Emperor, endlessly. These misguided fools do not see the light. High Emperor Zaroff is a good man, with promises of a better future, for all.



However, the Resistance has become a problem, over time, fighting the Emperor and his regime at every chance, commiting acts of terrorism against the government, and, according to the High Emperor, must be eradicated, before the Resistance could cause any further harm to the fragile government.

I couldn't agree more..."

END

The following is the account of the Hera Resistance, known amongst themselves as the Children of Hera. This Resistance group's sole purpose...to bring down the Zaroff regime and all who support it.

Downfall

[La Forge]

RULES

General Rules

1. No God-Modding

2. No Spamming

3. No Controlling Other's Characters

4. Follow the General RPG Guidelines

...and blah, blah, blah. You know the routine.


Character Rules

1. All characters (for the moment) must be human.

2. All characters must be members of the Resistance (I will allow exceptions--Imperial officers, govt. officials, mercenaries, civilians, etc.)

Joining Rules

Character BIO Format

To join, PM me with the following, in this format.

(Picture)
Name:
Occupation: (Resistance member, Imperial officer, govt. official, mercenary, civilian, etc.)
Home-World: (the planets in the Hera System are the same as those in our solar system, with the numeral II added to each name. EX: Venus II, Mercury II, Pluto II. Exception: There is no Earth II)
Year of Birth:
Age:
Species: (Human only...for now.)
Sex:
Height:
Weight:
BIO:

[La Forge]

CHARACTERS



Played By: La Forge
Name: Jaclyn Rozzaria
Occupation: Resistance Member; Leader of the Mercury Branch
Home-World: Venus II
Year of Birth: 2420
Age: 34
Species: Human
Sex: Female
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 119 lbs.
BIO: Jaclyn Rozzaria was born to Gerard and Angelique Rozzaria on Mercury II, in the year of 2420. Jaclyn's mother, Angelique Rozzaria, formerly Angelique Ondore, younger sister to Michel Ondore the IV, the Governor of Mercury II and leader of the Resistance, during the conquest of the Hera System, led by the power hungry madman, General Viktor Zaroff. Ondore, himself, had been killed in the bloody stuggle, lasting an entire three years, at the hands of Zaroff, himself. Angelique Ondore, the future mother of Jaclyn Rozzario, who had been nine years old at the time, managed to flee Mercury II, with the help of her deceased brother's allies, to Venus II, the hostile, Outcast-ridden planet. Venus II was no place to grow up. However, given the circumstances, Angelique had little choice. Angelique had managed to scrape out a meager existence on Venus II, fighting for the Resistance against Zaroff's oppressive regime, before, eventually falling in love with fellow resistance member, Gerard Rozzaria. In 2420, at the age of twenty-nine, Angelique had given birth to the Rozzaria's only child, Jaclyn Rozzaria. Jaclyn was never told of her family's lineage. The young girl was forced to grow up on Venus II, as her mother, before her, had, learning the ways of the Resistance member; guerilla warfare and survival skills, at a young age. At the age of sixteen, in 2436, Jaclyn, after her training had been complete, moved to Mercury II, her mother's homeworld, with a false I.D., a virtual unknown in Zaroff's eyes, to serve as the Resistance's eyes and ears on the planet. Jaclyn remained on Mercury II, until the present day, serving the Resistance, all the while. During this time, Jaclyn's parents had died, in a horrible Outcast attack on their camp, on Venus II. To this day, Jaclyn has not shed a tear for her dead parents. The woman had seen plenty of death in her time and the deaths of two more people; despite her personal connections to them, did not affect her, any differently than it would if anyone else had died. She has promised herself that she would grieve for them, when the time comes. That time, in her eyes, would be with the downfall of the Zaroff Empire and all those who support it. That was her parent's wish and as their only daughter, she vowed to uphold those beliefs. She would pass those very same beliefs on to her children, if it were the will of the Gods for her to do so. However, that day has still yet to come. "Grief comes after the battle". That had been taught to her by her mother, back when she was a child, on Venus II. In her eyes, the battle was still ongoing, despite what those who had given up on a chance at freedom thought. There were many people across the system; civilians included, who wished for an end to the Resistance. Some believed that the Resistance was doing nothing other than angering the Imperials. Everytime the Resistance would pull off something big, the civilians were punished for it. These people appreciated what the Resistance was doing, however, knew that defeat was inevitable. Jaclyn called these people quitters. In her eyes, people like that had done exactly what Zaroff had wanted...given up and bent to his will. She would never be such a person; to give up and surrender when so much was at stake. She would fight Zaroff until the last breath. Jaclyn is tough; both physically and mentally. She has a thick emotional shell, with little affecting her emotionally. She trains, physically, every day, being well versed in the martial arts and excellent with a both a blade and a rifle. In fact, she carries the same blade that her uncle, Michel Ondore the IV, fought with, for the Resistance, so many years ago. Without such training, however, she would hardly be an efficient Resistance member. The Imperials were a superior enemy, with superior manpower, firepower, and technology. The Resistance is lacking on all three fronts. Lastly, the Resistance leader is quite attractive, however, in the disparity of war, she has given up on any chance of love. Her sole purpose in life is to fight the Empire and anyone who stands for it and that was all. Love did not factor into the equation. In any case, Jaclyn continues the fight against the Empire, as the leader of the Mercury II Branch of the Resistance, the underdogs, endlessly fighting Zaroff's evil regime...




Played By: Founder
Name: Ciro Riaus
Occupation: Former Imperial Noble/Free Lance Mercenary
Home-World: Jupiter II
Year of Birth: 2424
Age: 30
Species: Human
Sex: Male
Height: 6'1
Weight: 180 lbs.
BIO: Ciro Malak was born to a noble family on Saturn II in 2424. He lived through the terrible reign of General Viktor Zaroff. His earliest memory is of his parents being murdered by soldiers at the behest of one of Viktor's top lieutenants. They were extremely vocal in their political idealogy and opposed the coup that put Viktor in power. Saturn II was a neutral world mostly, but they had a semblance of political power in the system. Ciro's parents created a Loyalist organization who wanted to restore High Emperor Yun-Seong Chang to the throne. The movement began to grow, but Viktor quickly silenced his parents by sending a dreaded lieutenant to deal with his parents. They were lined up against a wall and shot to death. Ciro and his younger sister, Natasha, managed to flee and stowed away on two different transports. His transport dropped him off on the desolate world of Uranus II. His sisters transport moved onto a different direction and to this day, he doesn't know where she was. Uranus II was a bleak, mining world. Virtually no settlements existed, save for outcasts and miners. A group of nomadic monks found Ciro, who was nearly dead from the heat of the desert sun. They took him to a monestary they created and raised him. The monks were peaceful scholars who favored knowledge and wisdom above all else. Ciro read the many texts they had, including one about his family. His noble family were had their own special crest, language, garb, and even fighting style. He learned everything he could in an effort to try and keep a piece of his royal roots with him. The monks frowned on him learning the martial arts and sword play, wishing he kept to his studies. As he continued to grow older, Ciro's anger grew with him. He vowed to hunt down and kill the emperor with his sword. That day never came sadly. The monks, ever nomadic, set out to leave Uranus II and find another world to study they myrian of texts that they carried. Ciro did not want to leave with them, wanting to set out on his own and to avenge the unjust deaths of all those who oppose the emperor. They bid farewell and Ciro went into hiding for years. Eventually, he resurfaced and left Uranus II. He dare not set foot on Saturn II or Jupiter II. By this point, the general's son has taken over. However, this made no difference. As long as the general breathed, Ciro would hunt him. Ciro left to Mercury II and began his revenge...



Played By: Lord Borg
Name: Maya Reyes (trill the r. Ray-es)
Occupation: Ex-Imperial Scientist (Designed many things, including weapons)
Home-World: Pluto II
Year of Birth: July 4th, 2430
Age: 24
Species: Human
Sex: Female
Height: 5' 4" (1.63 m)
Weight: 120lbs
Special: Has a tattoo on her right arm, �audentes fortuna iuvat� (Fortune Favors the Bold)
BIO: Maya Reyes was born on July 4, 2430 (A rather ironic day, considering the oppression the emperor held), to Andr�s, and Anita Reyes. Andr�s was in the military, serving Viktor Zaroff with an undeserving loyalty. Andr�s, while loyal to his family, put his service and oath to Zaroff first, and up most. Anita came from a wealthy family, which only increased when combined with the money Andr�s made. Maya grew up in a rather large house, being somewhat na�ve to the outside world (Or universe for that matter), as far as she was concerned, the Imperial Army was there for her protection, and the rebellion was the one committing the evil acts seen across the universe. She grew up with an avid interest in computer systems, and learned such things as weapons, self defense and training from those around her. Maya worked hard on her schooling earning high honors and grades in many classes, and eventually moved on to work for the Imperial Army when she sought out employment. She became a scientist, and sat at a computer, working on various designs for the Imperial Army, ranging from weapons, to transportation. While she had ignored what she was told was propaganda all her life, one fateful day, she was walking though the jungle, as she always had and came across an encampment. She was approaching when the army arrived and brutally slaughtered the poor peasants there, who were trying to hide. Recognizing several people from being under her father�s command, she went home and confronted him about it. It was there she learned the truth, and begged him to make it right. Seeing what kind of person his daughter was, he disowned her, and told her that he�d shoot her dead if she was still in the house five minutes later. Since then, she has been on the run, traveling from planet to planet in the system, even leaving a time or two. Eventually, her struggles lead her back to the Hera System, in particular, the planet, Mercury II.



Played By: Tuvok8971
Name: Jerme Brown
Occupation: Resistance Member
Homeworld: Saturn II
Year of Birth: 2403
Age: 51
Species: Human
Sex: Male
Height: 6'0
Weight: 147 lbs.
BIO: Born on Jupiter II, he was taken away from his parents, by Imperial soldiers, at the age of 6. They took him to Mars II, where he was put in a training camp to become a Imperial Soldier. The training was hard and exhausting, Jerme still became a soldier though. In 2441, Jerme escaped from the trainingscamp. While he was searched on Mars II, Jerme stole a shuttle and headed for Mercury II. The journey was long and Jerme almost got out of oxigen, he still managed too get on Mercury II. When he arrived at Mercury II, with the shuttle, the residents first thought he was an Imperial soldier. Jerme was take prisoner by the resistance and brought to the Resistance leader on Mercury II. After being captive for several weeks, Jerme was released when they discovered he was an civilian from Saturn II and escaped from a training camp on Mars II. Although Jerme was tortured by the resistance, he still joined them to fight against the Empire.

[La Forge]

Timeline/Terms/Misc.

The Planets of the Hera System

(Political Alignment will be updated along with the RPG)

Venus II

RESISTANCE PLANET

Imperial Presence - Low

Population - Low

Venus II was once like the Earth of the Milky Way Galaxy, before it was ravaged in the war on Venus II, over fifty years ago. Because of the radiation spread in the war, with the biological weapons, most of Venus II is polluted and therefore is filled with Outcasts. There is still a habitated region, where mostly poor people and escaped fugitives live.

Mars II

IMPERIAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - High

Population - Low

Mars II is a penal colony, very similar to the Earth of the Milky Way Galaxy's moon. Mars II is the home of the criminals, who work in the Imperial factories, making weapons and other things for the Imperials, out of Mars II's plentiful raw materials. Mars II is very mountainous. Besides the factories, the planet is relatively uninhabited.

Mercury II

NEUTRAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - Medium

Population - High

Mercury II was once a thriving planet, before the war. Now, it is a broken land. The Resistance has a mole as governor on Mercury II who assists the Resistance. Mercury II is a neutral planet. Due to a treaty, signed by the governor of the planet, during Zaroff's conquest of the system, Mercury II is allowed to govern itself to an extent. Mercury II is a blend of the future and the past.

Neptune II

NEUTRAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - Low

Population - Low

Neptune II is comprised of a vast ocean, with dotted islands spread throughout. Virtually uninhabited. The only inhabitants of Neptune II are bands of sea roaming nomads. Neptune II, however, has an extremely exotic zoology.

Pluto II

IMPERIAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - High

Population - Low

Pluto II is the main military outpost for the Imperials. Pluto II is the location of the Imperial military bases and weapons research facilities. Pluto II is tightly guarded, with a high-tech oribital security system. Civilians are not allowed on Pluto II, besides the family's of Imperial soldiers and scientiests. Besides the military facilities, Pluto II is mostly a dense jungle.

Saturn II

NEUTRAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - Medium

Population - Medium

Saturn II is a neutral planet, which is almost identical to the Earth of the Milky Way Galaxy. There is nothing special about Saturn II.

Jupiter II

IMPERIAL PLANET

Imperial Presence - High

Population - High

Jupiter II is the capital of the Hera System and the home of the Zaroff's. The planet is a city-planet. Jupiter II is very industrial and is high-tech, with an orbital defense system similar to the security system of Pluto II. The residents of Jupiter II are almost solely Imperial supporters.

Uranus II

RESISTANCE PLANET

Imperial Presence - Low

Population - Low

Uranus II is a desert planet. Imperial mines dot the planet, powered by slave and criminal labor. The majority of the population on Uranus II consists of the desert-dwelling nomads. Uranus II is a dangerous planet, with a shady underground criminal organization, who control the lucrative spice mining operation. Dangerous gigantic worms roam the planet's gigantic deserts.

The Zoology of the Hera System

Outcasts

Threat Level - High

The biogenic weapons used in the wars on Venus II, fifty years ago, resulted in the creation of the Outcasts, vile mutants, formerly humans, who were transformed by the biogenic weapons in the war, with increased physical strength, heightened reflexes and instinct, reduced intelligence, and extended lifespans, who live in the Wastelands region of Venus II and on the other planets affected by the biogenic weapons in the Zaroff's conquest. It is widely believed that the Outcasts have been wiped out by the Imperials, after the war. However, it is only a rumor.

[La Forge]

Downfall

Chapter One

The Children of Hera

-----------------------------------------------

Civilian Space Transport, the Galtana



On the lower deck of the old, rusty, space-faring piece of stellar trash known as the Galtana, a Hermes-class starship, a class designed over fifty years ago, before the wars on Venus II, a woman of about thirty or so, with long wavy brown hair and plump pink lips, sat on a little wobbling wooden chair, her hands folded, in front of her, resting on an old wooden table, which looked as if it could fall to pieces at any second.

This woman was Jaclyn Rozzaria, a member of the Resistance, also known as the Children of Hera, a group dedicated to the freedom of the people of the Hera System. Jaclyn had fought the Empire, the hostile oppressors who controlled the system, ever since she could remember, having been taught the ropes of a resistance fighter by her parents, who, too, were Resistance members. Over time, Jaclyn had become a prominent member of the Resistance, snatching the position of the leader of the Mercury II branch of the Resistance.

Now, at this very moment, Jaclyn was returning from a trip to Saturn II, a relatively neutral planet, in the scheme of the Imperial-controlled solar system, where she had met with the leaders of the other Resistance branches, throughout the Hera System, to discuss past and future operations. In essence, the meeting had been about the future of the Resistance.

Things had not been faring too well for the Resistance. Over time, the public, who had been in favor of the Resistance, at first, supporting their actions, as the group fought the Zaroff's corrupt regime. However, eventually, public opinion swayed. This was partially due to the media, controlled, like everything else in the system, by Zaroff and the Empire, creating a false image of the Resistance, dubbing them "petty criminals" and "terrorists". With time, people began to believe these false accusations. The people were becoming fed up with being punished for the Resistance's actions.

However, despite all of this, Jaclyn and her fellow resistance members pushed on, fighting the good fight. Still, life was hard, living under Imperial rule. Censorship, lack of human rights, random executions, corrupt military...the works.

Jaclyn could only sigh at the thought of what the once proud system had become. As she sat at the table, with her long legs crossed, over the other, in a very unlady-like manner, pondering over the state of the galaxy, while quietly sipping away at a vodka on the rocks, in a chipped martini glass, held tightly, in her pale hands, the Galtana sped on towards Mercury II, her destination.

Outside of her private quarters, which consisted of an uncomfortable cot and a toilet and water basin, all in the same room, people, civilian and Imperial soldier alike, bustled about the slow moving starship, continuing with their daily lives, waiting, like Jaclyn, to arrive to their destinations. Life on a starship was a dreary one. Cabin fever ran rampant. The only solace that she could find on long interstellar voyages was the bottle, a nice vodka martini, on the rocks.

The five foot seven woman was dressed in civilian clothing, a white tank-top and a pair of slacks, with her hair tied back in a pony-tail. Her free hand was tapping away, impatiently, on the wooden tabletop, the sound echoing throughout the cabin, the sounds bouncing off of the steel walls.

Jaclyn was a recluse, preferring to remain unseen. After all, being a member of the Resistance, it was her job to remain unseen. Essentially, she was a shadow. She didn't exist. In fact, she carried a false identification card, at that very moment, which lay on the table, in front of her.

The false I.D. read her name was "Viviana Tyrol" a clothier from Jupiter II, heading off to Mercury II, to start a new business. In fact, her real intentions on Mercury II were far from starting a business. She had to return to her post, as leader of the Mercury II branch of the Resistance.

At the meeting, back on Saturn II, it had been decided that more action on the side of the Resistance was required. Apparently, the Empire was not listening to the Resistance; as usual. In order to grab Zaroff's attention, the Resistance would have to pull something big and she knew exactly the right person to help her pull off such a stunt, the Governor of Mercury II and friend, Marcus Umbranox.

However, the Galtana was still two days from Mercury II. Hermes-class starships, despite the name, were quite slow, in this day and age. Titan-class starships, which were exclusively reserved to the Imperials, were the fastest and most powerful starships in the system, known to the public, anyways.

Still, she had been going out of her mind, sitting in her "cell", for over three days, already...three uneventful days. No...she had to do something before she went outright crazy. Perhaps she would head to the bar on the second deck. If there was a hub of activity on the Galtana, both Imperial and civilian alike, that area would be the bar. No matter who you were, everyone enjoyed a good drink. Jaclyn, herself, included.

After downing the rest of her drink and putting out her cigarette, which she had been twirling around her thin fingers, for the past few moments, taking an occasional puff or two, before she rose from her seat, with a loud creaking sound, pulled on her leather jacket, with a stiletto knife strapped to her thigh, with a garter, for protection, and, exited the cabin, heading out into the crowded hallway, off towards the Galtana's bar, in search of some action on the, so far, dull voyage.

"Maybe I should rough up one of those Imperial bastards." Jaclyn thought, with a grim smirk on her face, as the rusted door slid open, revealing the hallway and those in it. "Damn. Busy day today." she remarked, mentally, as she joined the throng of people, out in the hall, off towards her destination, the bar.

+ 7 Dilithium. Wonderful detail. Good post.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Civilian Space Transport, the Galtana

Maya Reyes stared into the mirror of the bathroom she was in. She was studying her self, after deciding to retreat to the restroom that was at the bar. She had taken this moment to remove her jacket, standng there in her outfit, which was a black tank top, and a pair of black jeans along with black boots. She made sure they were a tad bit smaller, her clothing, being on the run, she would use anything to her advantage. She had already twice came to check points where the guard wasn't exactly looking at her eyes when they were speaking. It was hard being on the run, between who her father is, and the fact she worked on pluto, her face was known in areas. She sighed and bent down over the sink and splashe water on her face, the cold sending shivers down her spine. She stood back up and looked into the mirror, her eyes drifting down to her shoulder on the mirror, seening the ink marks of her tattoo.

audentes fortuna iuvat she said to her self as she reminded herself what the tattoo stood. It was latin, for "Fortune Favors the Bold". She wondered if she would ever find out if that was true.

She let out a sigh and picked her long black jacket, which counting the hood, went from the top of her head, down to the floor. It contained long sleeves, which would cover her tatt, something people would not really know about anyways, but usually military had a tattoo, and even then, it was something to do with their service, or their branch. Maya was placing the jacket on when someone banged on the door. She looked over slightly with a scoff then looked back to the mirror. She didnt close the jacket in front, but did place the hood over her face, to try and hide her features. She could just hide in the cabin for the entire trip, but would go nuts. As the door was bannged on again, Maya thought back to the days when she would have simply taken a military transport, one that could have gotton her to her destination much, much faster. She looked down to the floor as she moved for the door, touching the tab to unlock the door and move though it as it opened. A woman was standing there, and spoke at her with a tone of impatience in her voice.

"It's about time!"

Maya made a sneer and spoke at the woman, not liking her additude towards her.

"Vaya al infierno, Vos puta pendeja"

The woman looked at her and narrowed her eyes.

"Excuse me? What did you just sa--hey! I'm talking to you!"

Maya ignored the womans hollors and walked back into the bar area, looking around carefully getting a baring on her surroundings. She sighed again and moved her way for the actuall bar, wanting anything with alcohol in it, as the life she had been going though, the lies shes faced all of these years ate away at her. She had made weapons and technology that helped the very people she thought she was fighting. Depression raged though her and she had thought many times about taking her life. She moved for the stool and spoke clearly to the bartender.

"Give me something strong, I don't care what it is."

+ 6 Dilithium. Good post and I like the detail with her tatoo.

Founder

[La Forge]

Galtana, Bar

"Give me something strong. I don't care what it is." a woman dressed in odd attire, consisting of a long black jacket, which went from head to toe.

The bartender, a man of about forty or so, had seen plenty of shady figures such as the woman who sat at the bar, in front of him, during his long life as a bartender. However, the man was feeling a strange vibe from this one. This woman was different than the others.

The balding man simply shrugged off the though, not wishing to cause any trouble. For all he knew, the woman could be an undercover Imperial. The bartender wouldn't want to act up in front of an Imperial. That could only mean death. Living under Imperial rule was hell, in every way possible. Still, this was the life he was given and he would live it, as best he could, despite the poor conditions.

At the thought of the Imperials, the bartender shot a quick glance down the bar counter, where two off-duty Imperial soldiers, still dressed in their armor, only without the helmet and visor, sat, drinking away, laughing and shouting. The two were obviously drunk. In a nutshell, the Imperials were causing a ruckus in his bar, as usual. However, the man knew that he couldn't think of it as his bar. The bar belonged to the Imperials. As was everything in the damned system, the bar that he operated was owned by the Imperials and they could shut him down and lock him up in an instant, for the smallest thing.

The man realized that he had a customer and quickly snapped to attention, looking to the woman, Maya Reyes, who sat at the bar, before him.

"'Something strong', eh?" the bartender repeated her words, as he sat the dirty glass that he had been cleaning with a cloth rag down on the counter and turned about, to look at the various bottles of alcohol that lined the shelf, behind him.

After a moment or two of rummaging around, on the shelf, in search of an appropriate drink, he pulled down a dusty glass of bourbon and poured some of it into the glass that he had been cleaning earlier. The man placed the bottle back on the shelf and placed the bourbon-filled glass in front of the woman.

"I hope bourbon is okay." the bartender remarked, with a friendly smile, the same friendly smile that all bartenders wore. All a facade, however, it was expected of them, especially in these grim times.

Meanwhile, Jaclyn Rozzaria, dressed in normal civilian clothing, entered the busy bar and sat down at the bar counter, between Maya Reyes and the rowdy Imperials.

Jaclyn snapped her finger, to grab the attention of the bartender, and, asked for a vodka martini, on the rocks. The bartender complied, pouring her the requested drink, before he moved off, to attend to another customer.

The young woman downed the drink, quickly, before she asked for another. Jaclyn was a heavy drinker, without a question. She drank, all the time. She favored vodka, but, she had no reservations about any alcohol. She would drink it all. She found alcohol to be her only saving grace in the dark world that she lived in. She knew it was a bad habit, drinking, but, she kept at it, anyways. It felt good and that was all that mattered.

As she steadily sipped away at her second drink, the nearest Imperial soldier, on her right, looked over to her, with a stupid drunken look on his face. The man had a long inkvine scar running down the side of his mouth. His cold blues were fixated on her chest. Just another Imperial pig, looking for a good time.

"Hey, baby." the Imperial spoke, his voice slurred and his breath reeking of alcohol.

The man was obviously drunk. A look of complete disgust appeared on Jaclyn's face, at the sight of the drunken Imperial. She was forced to pinch her nose together, in disgust, because of the horrible smell of alcohol that spread from the Imperial's mouth. A disgusting sight, then again, all Imperials were, drunk or not.

"You look pretty good. How about you come back with me to my cabin. I'm off duty for another half-hour. I'm sure that we could find something to do." the Imperial proposed, with a sly smile and a hiccup.

+ 8 Dilithium. Really good post. Once more, the detail is fantastic.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Bar

Maya stared at her glass for a moment as it was sat down in front of her. She hated how she drowned her self in the drink, but what else was there? Drugs? No way, the only drug one could find was Tiandal, and it was a poison, that Maya would never put in her viens. She allowed a slight look over to the woman that sat down next to her and ordered a Vodka.

amature Maya thought.

She picked up her glass and downed the contents and set it back down, she had noticed the woman next to her do something similar with hers. Maya smirked slightly and snapped for the bartenders attention. She simply pointed to her empty glass, wanting more of the Bourbon. Maya sneered when she heard the drunk Imperial speak, the slur of the voice gave her an idea of how durnk he was. He was probably in the bar since dinner, which was some time ago. Hearing the woman sigh in disgust as the drunk came on to her, wanting a good time it seemed, Maya took another gulp of her Bourbon. She slid her eyes over, making sure to make it look like she was ignoring what was going on. Once she found out what Imperials were, the only good Imperial, was a dead one.

[La Forge]

Galtana, Bar

"Maybe I'll get my wish." Jaclyn thought, with a concealed smirk, as she remembered her wish to 'rough up an Imperial', when she left her cabin. This Imperial, the drunk one, sitting beside her, definitely deserved a good beating.

"You want me...to go with you?" Jaclyn asked, rhetorically, as she turned to face the drunken Imperial. The Imperial nodded, with his sly smile widening, the inkvine scar below his lip widening with it.

"Yeah. I'll pay, too." the Imperial added, in an effort to lure the woman to agree to his proposal. "Five credits." the Imperial stated, with a proud smile, as if five credits were a lot. To a beggar, perhaps.

"Oooh! Big man!" Jaclyn scoffed, as she finished her drink, gently placing it down back on the counter-top. "'Five credits'. What do you take me for? Some cheap-ass *beep*? I don't think so." Jaclyn snapped, insulted by the man's offer.

She would never accept such an offer from an Imperial or anyone, for that matter. She was the leader of the Mercury II branch of the Resistance. She would never stoop so low, no matter what she could gain in the process.

"Will you or won't you?" the Imperial asked, anger swelling up in his voice. The man didn't like being insulted in such a way by a simple civilian. After all, he was an Imperial, the best of the best. No one talked to him that way.

"No." Jaclyn replied, simply, with a sly smirk. She loved toying with Imperial scum, to get under their skin. Anything she could do to hurt the big bad Imperials.

By this time, half of the bar was looking to Jaclyn and the drunken Imperials. Not often did you see someone stand up to the Imperials, publically. Doing so meant punishment and no one dared to think about the punishment.

It was obvious that the the drunken Imperial man didn't take Jaclyn's reply lightly. Rage swelled up within him. Emotions were uncontrollable, especially when drunk. A person's demeanor could change, in an instant. Drunks were unpredictable. Especially Imperial drunks, who already had a nasty temper to begin with.

"You bitch! Do you know who I am? I'm a soldier of the Empire! I serve High Emperor Zaroff! You had better listen to me and you better listen good. What I say goes. No ifs, ands, or buts. Now, I said that you were coming with me and I meant it!" the Imperial shouted, as he grabbed Jaclyn, roughly, by the arm.

Jaclyn felt dirty simply by touching the Imperial. However, she easily managed to twist out of the Imperial's strong grip. In one quick movement, she brought her elbow down on the man's exposed arm, snapping the bown instantly.

The Imperial fell from his stool, landing on the hard steel floor, clutching his broken arm, in pain. The other Imperial looked down at his fallen comrade, in shock, over what had just happened.

Jaclyn simply paid her tab and rose from her seat, spitting on the downed Imperial's face, in the process. As she began to head towards the exit, the other Imperial rose from his stool, after the woman.

"Hey! You! Wait! Don't you think you can just walk away! You assaulted an Imperial officer!" the slightly less drunk Imperial shouted at the woman, as she was lost into the crowd, heading towards the exit.

+ 7 Dilithium. Good post.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Bar

Maya watched the events unfold with interest, much like the rest of the patrons in the bar. She found it amusing, how someone was refusing an Imperial, a drunk one at that. She slid her eyes over to the woman, seeing obviously, what the man was looking at, the woman did seem to be a looker. Maya jumped back slightly when the drunk Imperial fell down off his stool. The woman stood, spat on him then walked off, ignoring the warnings the Imperial was giving her. Maya smirked and stood, and moved for the door. She heard the Imperial speak again, yelling to the other woman.

"You get back here! You know whats good for you?!"

Maya made a sneer as she moved though the doors looking for the form that just walked off. She saw the woman walking down the hall and moved to catch up, wondering just who she was. As much as the thought repulsed her, if an Imperial came up to you, pubiclly, you took an interest. Maya would have done just that, then knocked him out behind the bedroom doors.

"You bitch" a voice yelled faintly, the Imperial raging with what just happened.

Maya continued to move towards the woman, making sure no one else was around, and that there was room to defend her self. Maya whispered carefully.

"They will be looking for you now."

+ 3 Dilithium. Nice post.

Founder

[La Forge]

Galtana, Hallway

As Jaclyn moved to the exit of the crowded bar, she was stopped by the woman sitting next to her, back at the bar counter, Maya Reyes.

At the sound of a voice behind her, Jaclyn spun about, expecting to see the Imperial from before standing there. Instead of an ugly Imperial soldier standing there, ready to strike, Jaclyn found a Hispanic-looking woman, with long dark hair, who looked to be about few years younger than herself, standing there.

"They will be looking for you now." the woman had whispered, after the two had left the bar and were now standing in the virtually empty outside of the bar.

Jaclyn cracked a sly smile, to the woman's comment.

"Don't I know it." Jaclyn replied, with a faint laugh.

However, she said little more than that. She didn't mention the fact that she was a Resistance member. She didn't know who this woman was. For all she knew, the woman could simply be another Imperial pig, with better looks. She had to be sure that the people she told such important information to, were trustworthy.

"May I ask your name" Jaclyn asked, politely, curious as to who this woman was, as she lit up another cigarette, with a match. "Sorry about the smoke. Bad habit, I know. I just can't seem to bring myself to quit." she added, in case the woman objected to her smoking. Frankly, Jaclyn didn't give a damn. She would smoke if she wanted to and that was final.

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Hallway

Maya narrowed her eyes at the woman for a moment. She could be an undercover, trying to get to Maya, but she pushed that thought aside, if Imperials knew she was on the ship, they would be shooting, not sending undercovers after her. She looked up and down the hall when the woman asked about her name and lit a cigarette.

"That's quite alright...let me help."

Maya reached out and took the cigarette from the woman. She waved it around in the air, letting the smoke and smell travle around the area then threw it to the floor. Maya reached out and pushed the woman forward to get away from the corridor, and the attention. When they reached her door, Maya pushed the woman in and then closed it just enough so she could look out the crack to see if anyone was coming.

"You are a fool, picking a fight with an Imperial, drunk or not."

Maya continued to peek out the door and pulled her hood down, and gently pushed it closed when some people started coming down the hall.

[La Forge]

Galtana, Cabin

Jaclyn had been taken aback when the woman had taken her cigarette and cast it to the floor. At that second, Jaclyn wanted to slape the woman across the face for doing such a thing. Seconds after that, the woman pushed her down the hallway, into a nearby room. Now, the woman was pushing it. Who the hell did she think she was, anyways?

Once in the room, the woman peered outside, into the hallway, for a moment, before she closed the door and pulled down her hood.

"You are a fool, picking a fight with an Imperial, drunk or not." the woman had scolded Jaclyn.

From those words, Jaclyn got the vibe that this woman was no Imperial. The way that she had said the name "Imperial"...with such disgust and hatred. The woman obviously had some kind of grudge againts the Empire. Still, Jaclyn couldn't jump to conclusions, just yet. The woman could be an undercover agent. Perhaps even a mercenary.

After all, Jaclyn being who she was, she probably had a high bounty on her head and the Gods know what people will do for a few credits in this day and age. If she was anybody else, Jaclyn would probably have accepted that Imperials offer, from before. However, Jaclyn Rozzaria, the niece of Michel Ondore the IV, would never stoop so low, for a few credits.

In any case, Jaclyn decided to try and learn a bit more about this abrasive woman who had the gall to push her around. The woman had a strange aura about her and Jaclyn was determined to find out more. There was more to her than met the eye.

"Just who the hell do you think you are, little girl?" Jaclyn snapped, as she took a step away from the mysterious woman.

Frankly, Jaclyn was insulted by the way the woman had acted. Jaclyn was an adult woman, capable of making her own decisions. She wouldn't have some little girl pushing her around. She already had the Empire and Zaroff doing that.

"I can make my own decisions, thank you very much." Jaclyn continued, with a trace of anger in her voice. Still, she made sure to keep her voice low. She wouldn't want an Imperial to hear this conversation. "I've been..." Jaclyn began, however, she silenced herself, quickly and abruptly.

Jaclyn was about to say that she had been fighting the Imperials all her life. However, she managed to stop, mid-sentence, before she blew her cover. Jaclyn couldn't let the woman know who she was. Not yet. She didn't know if she could trust her, yet.

+ 4 Dilithium. Good post.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Mayas' Cabin

Maya snapped her head to face the woman she was looking at. She may be taller then her, but she also looked wirely. She made a slight snear and spoke with contempt in her voice.

"Little girl? You best watch who you speak to!"

Maya walked over to the woman and gritted her teeth.

"Take care of your self? You know your chances of getting off this ship alive is now?"

Maya shook her head and smirked sarcasticlly. She looked over the woman again and sighed. She removed her jacket and spun around to the door again and leaned againts the wall on her left side, her right side, including her tattoo was exposed.

"The Imperials on this ship know your face by now, your in for a long trip. If you get lucky? You can get pass the check points."

Maya peeked out the door again then looked over to the woman.

"Lucky for you, this room reads empty on the scanners, they wont even check it."

Maya took another peek out the door then closed and locked it. She looked over to the woman and studied her for a moment.

"Your definitly not an Imperial undercover, they are to stupid to put on a show that elaborit. I'm gussing your actually on the run from them, why, I really don't care."

Maya shifted her weight, there was not much space in these cabins, the length was slightly longer then a bed, and the width was enough to move between the bed and the toilet/sink. Maya surprised her self, she usually would never do something like this, but she supposed it was due to some recent expearences when she tried to turn a Imperial away. She cleared her throat and spoke again.

"Sit" she said simply.

The woman had not budge and so Maya spoke again.

"Sit" Maya said more forceibly.

With a sigh she went to the fuacet and turned on the water splashing her face again. This ship smelled, it felt dirty, and it was crapped. The days when she worked for the Imperials, they were differnt however, they were not worth it, when the Imperials did what they did.

"What is it you do, anyways, girlie?"

+ 5 Dilithium. Fiery Latina. Muy caliente!

Founder

[La Forge]

Galtana, Maya's Cabin

During the last five minutes of conversation, Jaclyn had realized that the woman was no Imperial. Also, Jaclyn realized just how feisty this woman was. Just as Jaclyn thought, there was something...different about this woman.

Still, the woman's attitude was not helping. Jaclyn was not a woman to mess with. After all, she had been fighting the Imperials since she was ten years old. And, that was exactly what this woman was doing. She was pushing Jaclyn's buttons and Jaclyn didn't like it. Not one bit.

Jaclyn was used to being the one in control, being the leader of the Mercury Branch of the Resistance and all.. Being pushed around by some little girl? That was worse than any Imperial torture. It bruised her ego, a rather big ego, which is something that Jaclyn took great pride in. Without it, life under Imperial rule would be much harder to bear. With it, she was able to laugh when she should be crying.

The woman had asked Jaclyn to sit on a nearby wooden chair, quite rudely. Jaclyn chose to stand, simply to spite the woman. Meanwhile, the woman walked over to the sink basin and washed her face. Jaclyn watched the woman, warily, before she spoke, again.

"What is it you do, anyways, girlie?" the woman had asked, as if Jaclyn would answer, truthfully.

"I'm a clothier." Jaclyn replied, almost instantly, stating her false occupation that was recorded onto her also false identification card. She knew that the other woman would see right through that facade. Jaclyn had meant it that way. "I'm from Jupiter II. I'm on my way to Mercury. Looking to start up a new shop." Jaclyn continued, a faint smile on her face. "The name's Viviana Tyrol. You still haven't told me yours." Jaclyn asked, again.

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Maya's Cabin

Maya studied the woman in the grungy mirror. She gave some sort of story of being a clother, which was doubtful, considaring the state of dress she was in, not to mention, despite the low level of access for Civilian travel, surely someone who makes clothes could get a better transport. The name was probably fake to. Maya sighed and stood strait and sighed. She got a grungy towel and dried off her face and hands.

"Um...Elsa. The names Elsa."

Maya turned and looked to 'Viviana'. She doubted that was her name, regardless, she brought it, for now. This 'Viviana' brought her self some trouble, though Maya caught on what happened, she'd hate to be on the reciving end of an offer from one of those pigs. Maya tossed the towel down to the side of the sink and sighed again.

"Well, 'Viviana', you've got a reputation building. I'm sure you know that when starting a business, starting fights with Imperials is the last thing you want to do. You see, they can shut you down before you can start. I'm sure you also know, that by embarrasing them infront of thier friends, theey find a way to get you into a dark alley way, alone. You. Dont. Want. That."

[Tuvok8917]

Mercury II, Hidden Base

Jerme looked around, his eyes watching everything he could see.
They still didn't notice he was acctually from Jupiter II. A citizen from Saturn II, bwah he couldn't even think of that. Still he had a grudge against the Empire. That they took him away from his parents wasn't the worst thing.. but that his father even gave him away like a birthday present, no that was something he could never forget.

On the other side of the room was a small table. A few people, sitting on small chairs or on the floor, where playing poker. Jerme looked at it. He didn't know why, but he had potential for them. They where in great danger and lost familly or friends everyday, yet they could relax and have fun. Jerme never imagined he could do that. Since he joined the Resistance, he was always standing in the shadows. He never talked with people, only if he had too, never played games with them, only if he really wanted too. He didn't care what the other of him think, he was just himself.

A man, who is playing poker, drawed Jerme's attention. It seems the man had lost all his money and was now getting angry. He insulted the others, telling them they where cheating. The other man didn't payed attention too him. The man walked away from the table and saw Jerme looking to him. The man walked slowly towards Jerme, keeping eye contact.

"What ya lookin at?"

The man asked, in a rough low civilized langues. Jerme rose an eyebrow, wondering why the man started talking too him.

"I saw that you lost the game."

Jerme said, who wasn't insulted by the mans attitude. The man looked angry at Jerme.

"You find that funney, don't ya? He asked Jerme. "I can tell with one look into ya eyes."

The man said, hoping that Jerme's eyes would sparkle. Yet they did not. They where just staring, in the distance.

"Ya heard me, oldy?"

The man asked Jerme. Jerme looked too the man again, wondering why the man was so aggressive.

"Yes, i heard you." Jerme said. "Yet why should i reply, if you already know the answer?"

Jerme asked him. The man scratched his back and looked confused. He then gave Jerme another angry look, turned around and walked out of the room.

+ 5 Dilithium. Good post.

Founder

[Founder]

Saturn II, Imperial News Center

The Imperial News Network, or the INN, was the most popular or rather, the only channel in all of the Hera System. It was heavily censored by the Imperial regime in power. The leading voice on the INN was Aaron Grant. He was an avid supporter of Zaroff and did everything he could to help the man rise into power. A lot of his monetary funds went to Zaroff's cause. As a reward, Zaroff made Grant the "voice of the empire" and allowed him to speak for hours, weekly, on the empire. Essentially, it was propaganda, nothing more or less. He was given pre-approved speeches and spoke on how glorious the general and his son were. Even the son was...very different from his father in his beliefs, or at least it appeared so, Aaron still supported his rule. He agreed with the strict politics of the Empire and it showed in his speeches. Every viewxreen, holographic channel, and radio would play his voice. You had the option of changing it to censorerd music, but many would be forced to listen to Grant's ramblings in some shape or form. Tonight, he spoke about the resistance as he always did. He demonized them to the public. It was his "patriotic" way of denouncing the "terrorists" in the name of the empire.

"Terrorists, all of them. Every single one. Man, woman, or child. It does not matter," Aaron Grant said, "There is no real difference. They seek to destroy our way of life, our culture, our heritage, our freedom."

Dozens of screens all over the imperial center were showing the old man speak. This news center was unimportant in most ways. Dozens of news center were spread out across the system but mainly for broadcasting, nothing more. Aaron Grant spoke from Jupiter II, the Imperial capitol. That was where the largest news center was. That was where he spoke from or...that is where people thought he did. In reality, that was simply a red herring to safeguard any terrorist attacks. Losing the "voice of the empire" would be a serious blow to the Imperial's image. Aaron Grant really spoke on the planet Saturn II, his world of choice. It was vastly similiar to Earth in many ways. Aaron loved sitting back and enjoying the beaches on the planet with any woman of his choosing. It was a cushy life really. He was paid an exorbonent amount of money, given women, lives by the beach and all he had to do was sell his soul. A cozy deal if there was such a thing.

"My brothers and sisters," He said passionately, "This is not something we can allow. Not something we can tolerate. We sit back, our senses dulled by the paradise we live in."

The sound of him slapping his hands echoed in the halls of the building.

"Wake up," He yelled loudly, "We'll neve be able to defeat these bastards unless full support is thrown behind our glorious and wise leader.
High Emperor Nicolai Zaroff wants to unite us all. He wants peace, but they want war. This can not be tolerate. Our beautiful system has been through enough! It is time that we fight back. Route those bastard terrorists wherever they may be!"

The sound of loud applause could be heard erupting. The image of Grant changed to show pictures of captured rebels being shot to death against a wall or locked away in small cages or being led with their hands over the heads by Imperial troops.

"Wait, wait, wait," He said, pretending to sound excited, "I've just gained news that terrorists were apprehended on Pluto II before they could destroy one of the research facilities. All of them were immediatly put to death. Now if that ain't some great news, I don't know what is!"

Once more, the sound of applause could be heard offscreen. Conveniently, they never showed the audiance, but that was because armed troops were pointing weapons at them and forcing them to cheer and clap. The news of the terrorists were of course fake. None were killed or apprehended, but fear mongering was an excellant tool.

"A new curfew has been put in place on Pluto II," He announced, "A most wise decision from our leader. We can never be too careful."

The news of the terrorists was just an excuse for the government to enact a curfew through "legitimate" means. Now they had that excuse thanks to Aaron.

"Those bastard terrorists were lucky I was not there," He said defiantly, "Or I would have showed them just how damn patriotic I could be!"

Once more, forced applause could be heard. It was good that all of the constant applausing was being done or that Grant was loud. It allowed a figure, dressed in all black, to sneak around the building. He had used an old duct system to enter the building and was making his way towards the room Aaron was speaking in. He dispatched guards quietly as he continued onwards. Their helmeted bodies slumped to the ground, barely making any noises. Surveillance equipment would be unable to track him as he timed his movements to avoid them and kept to the shadows. The figure inched closer to two unsuspecting guards watching Grant's room. He watched as the surveillance equipment moved away from the guards momentarily and took the oppurtunity to shoot both men with a silenced weapon. They didn't even have time to cry out before falling to the ground, dead. The figure stepped out of the shadows, while Grant's viasge could still be seen on the screen.



Ciro Riaus stood outside of the door, listening to the man speak. He found it difficult to control his urge to throw up. Aaron Grant's incessant whining and fake bravado was just a little too much for him to stomach. Ciro, a mercenary, was hired by the rebels to deal with Grant. While he took the mission, this was not all about money. No, this was personal for him.

"I'm afraid I have to go for the night ladies and gentlemen," He said, "But I will leave you with this last note. The terrorists...will. Not. Win. Do you hear me? I'll repeat it. They will. Not. Win. Our victory is inevitable because we fight wtih freedom, morality, and courage on our side. They have only bloodlust on their side. This is the voice of the empire signing off. May the High Emperor triumph."

The last sentance was repeated by the audiance and the screen went black with only the imperial logo on it. Ciro slid his fake imperial pass, which has a high level clearance, over the marker on the door. Immediatly, it slid open.

-Imperial Center, Aaron Grant's Chamber-

Grant stood along in the massive, luxurious room. Dozens of camers were set up, pointing to a wall that had blue screen behind it. A podium was set up and Grant would speak from there. Imperials on the capitol world would supplement images and sounds for Grant. He was standing now in front of a screen, speaking to some person, finished with his speech.

"You bloody idiot," He yelled into the screen, "I told you to film me from the right side. These cameras are positioned to looked at me from the center. My right side is my beauty side. Get it right or I'll have imperial shock troops sent to your home."

The man on the screen bowed his head, "I'm so sorry sir. Please, forgive me. We will fix that, I promise."

Aaron rolled his eyes, "You bloody well better."

With an agravated grunt, he clicked on a remote which shut off the channel connecting the two men. He walked over to a bar and poured himself alchohal, relaxing for the day. The room was beautiful, save for the spot with the news equipment. A nice bar, a massive bed, you name it, he had it.

"Nice place you got here." Ciro said from the shadows.

Aaron turned around in shock, dropping the glass on the floor. It crashed loudly, causing small particles to fly about it.

"What the hell are you doing in my room!?" He screamed, "How did you get in here!!?!??"

He rushed towards a button on the wall. No doubt it was to contact security. Ciro raised his weapon and fired into Aaron's kneecap. The older man screamed and dropped to the ground, clutching the bloodied spot. He face went pale from the pain and shock. Ciro took a step closer as Aaron crawled towards the button.

"You bastard," He said in a trembling voice, "Do you know who I am!?"

Ciro smiled, continuing to walk closer to the pained old man. He stepped on Aaron's fingers, crushing them under his boot. Once more, the old man screamed in pain. Ciro squated down in front of him.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

Aaron, tears streaming down his face, looked up at him. He slowly shook his head, honestly not remembering who Ciro was.

"I'll refresh your memory," Ciro said, "My father was a noble by the name of Keanu Riaus. Remember him?"

Grant cringed when Ciro stepped down on the fingers with more force at the mention of his father. However, even through the pain, Grant recognized that name. Keanu was famous for his political controversy. He spoke out against the current High Emperor's father many times. Aaron had met him at a dinner party and denounced him as a traitor.

"You were the one who had sent the troops to my home," Ciro said through gritted teeth, "You destroyed my family. You destroyed a life I could have had and I'm going to return the favor."

Grant continued to cry as he spoke, "Your father did that. I wasn't the only one who pointed fingers at him..."

Ciro twisted his foot hard, prompting a cracking sound from Aaron's fingers and a scream from his throat. He grabbed Aaron roughly and dragged him to the podium, propping him up against it.

"Stop crying you whiny bastard," Ciro said, "I have a speech prepared for you. Read it or I'll kill you."

He took out a dirty piece of paper from his jacket and laid it on the podium.

"Don't pretend you don't have access to the INN either," He said, "I know you do. I figured out you were located here and everything else about you. It was painfully obvious that you lived here when I noticed all the troops guarding this place. It wasn't easy getting to your room either."

Aaron, beathing heavily, looked down at the paper. He shook his head, exasperated as he spoke.

"I can't say this," He said, "They'll kill me. Nothing you do will be worse then what they'll do to me...please don't do this..."

Ciro shook his head, "No one will kill you. Your good friends with the old general aren't you? You helped finance his little stuggle. He'll forgive you. You say this, then I'll let you live. They'll forgive you and then you can go back in the air and lie about how you fought against the evil terrorists that forced you to say the bad bad things. Everyone wins. I'm not hear to kill you. I'm here to disrupt the network. Now say it."

He activated the network, as could only be done in this room or the capitol. As soon as the cameras powered up, Ciro pointed his gun at Aaron, forcing him to speak. All over the Hera system, people could see Aaron's flushed and tear stained face appear. He held the paper in his hands and looked into the screen.

"My fellow imperials," He said in a shaky voice, "I am here to tell you that as of this day...I, Aaron Grant, the voice of the empire am now...protesting the reign of Zaroff and his ilk. I..."

He looked off screen, searching for a way out of this. Ciro pulled back the trigger of the weapon, prompting Aaron to continue.

"...I...uh...feel that this empire is a sham," He said, "I can no longer in good consciounce support this family's regime and their grapple hold of the Hera system. Their unlawful ousting of the original high emperor must be protested, not welcomed with open arms. Let us not forget the many killed under the general's rule. Many...families broken."

Aaron looked over at Ciro as he said the last part.

"I hope that you all find the strength to accept my decision," He said, "And I hope that you all will join me. In closing...may death befall the High Emperor and his family. I will now...take my life..."

He looked up at Ciro in shock, not understanding why he had to say that. Ciro promptly answered by firing the fun, accurately hitting him between the eyes. Aaron fell over the podium, dead. Ciro pulled a disk out of his pocked and inserted it into one of the consoles. A virus spread out, disrupting the INN.

"Mission completed." He said.

At that exact moment, a loud alarm rang out within the complex.

"Time to go." He whispered.

Ciro rushed out of the room, hearing the distant shouts of imperial troopers down the corridor. He tossed his handgun aside and yanked out a machine gun from within his jacket. His finger pushed down on the trigger and bullets erupted from the barrel. Ciro quickly shot each camera that would give him away. He quickly followed his path that led him inside and quickly made it back outside before being spotted. Unfortunately, troopers were waiting for him as he pulled himself out of the secret entrance.

"Don't move!" One shouted.



In the outside it was wickidly cold. The troopers wore long dark jackets to cover themselves as they were forced to guard the outside. Before saying one word, Ciro executated a martial arts katra he remembered from his family books. He lifted one leg, forcing him to stand on only one. With his raised leg he kicked the guard away, while leaning to the side and yanking the maching gun from the other guard. He fired on the guard and then killed the other one on the ground. Ciro ran through the snow as he heard guards yelling and rushing towards the sounds of the machine gun fire. His ship, a small, one man fighter was hidden in the brush. Ciro continued running, ducking his head as machine gun fire nearly clipped his head. He yanked a small device from the inside of his jacket.

"Now." Ciro said.

His thumb pressed down on a button, causing a loud whining sound, then behind him an explosion.



The complex went up in flames, bringing a temporary end to the INN. Ciro knew this was a hollow victory. The empire would simply replace Aaron and bring back the INN within the month. It didn't matter though. This would be a painful blow to the imperials and was one step closer to the end in Ciro's journey. He leapt into his fighter and took off before any patrol vehicles could catch up to him. Now, the only thing left was to fly to Mercury II and recieve the rest of his payment...

+ 10 Dilithum Good post, that is, a long post, time and effort is clear.
-Lord Borg

[La Forge]

Galtana, Maya's Cabin

"I can decide what I want and don't want, lady." Jaclyn retorted, with a stern look on her face, her arms folded across her chest, in an impatient fashion. She was fed up with this woman.

What right did she have to scold her? This "Elsa" if that was even her real name, which Jaclyn highly doubted, didn't know the first thing about the Imperials. Jaclyn was a Resistance member. It was her duty to fight them, in any way possible. Earning a reputation, albeit, a nasty, yet false, reputation, from the Imperials was obligatory when you were a Resistance member. You have to ruffle their feathers up a bit. Get their attention, so to speak. If you don't do that, why should the Empire even listen?

"Now, I don't need you telling me what to do, missy. I'll do whatever the hell I want to, thank you very much. If I want to give one of those goddamn Imperials a bloody nose, I'll do so, you got it?" Jaclyn snapped, anger clearly apparent in her tone of voice. Frankly, this "Elsa" was pissing her off, with her smug, superior, smart-ass attitude. Jaclyn, being a Resistance leader was not used to such treatment, especially from little girls like this one.

However, as Jaclyn opened her mouth to speak, once more, she heard a commotion coming from outside, in the hallway. She moved to the door and opened it a crack, to see what was going on.

"What the fu-?" Jaclyn began, as she peered outside, through the crack in the cabin door. However, she quickly silenced herself, as to not give away her position to those outside.

Outside, in the hallway, people were flocking to the bar. Something was going on inside. Jaclyn had to know what it was. Being a Resistance member, she had to keep her eyes and ears open to everything that was going on in the system.

Jaclyn closed the door, quickly, before she turned to face the woman, "Elsa", behind her.

"Come on, girl. Something's going on out there." Jaclyn said, forcefully, still intrigued by the mysterious woman, as she turned and reopened the door, before entering the crowded hallway, joining the throng of people, heading back to the bar.

Galtana, Bar

Inside the bar, she saw a large mass of people surrounding one of the several old viewscreens mounted on the wall. The picture was horrible, however, the sound was good enough.

Even though she could barely see who was talking on the monitor, she knew, instantly, from the sound of the voice whom she hated so much, who the speaker was. Aaron Grant, the self-proclaimed "voice of the Empire".

Jaclyn listened to the man, whom she hated so much, with all of her cold heart, seeing as he spread false messages about the Resistance, to sway public opinion to the Imperials.

However, Grant's speech this time was different, somehow. He wasn't spreading his usual ridiculous Imperial propoganda, aimed at destroying the Resistance and all those who support it. No, this time was different. Grant sounded frightened. Even with the terrible picture, Jaclyn could see the fear in his face, his face flushed, with tears running down his cheeks.

"My fellow imperials, I am here to tell you that as of this day...I, Aaron Grant, the voice of the empire am now...protesting the reign of Zaroff and his ilk. I...I...uh...feel that this empire is a sham. I can no longer in good consciounce support this family's regime and their grapple hold of the Hera system. Their unlawful ousting of the original high emperor must be protested, not welcomed with open arms. Let us not forget the many killed under the general's rule. Many...families broken. I hope that you all find the strength to accept my decision. And I hope that you all will join me. In closing...may death befall the High Emperor and his family. I will now...take my life..." came Grant's fear-filled voice through the monitor. Seconds later, a gunshot could be heard, with a gunwound visible directly in the man's forehead, as he slumped over in his seat, dead.

A hushed silence fell over the room, only to be broken by Jaclyn's slow clapping, happy to see the bastard dead.

"Good job, Riaus." Jaclyn thought to herself, with a dark smirk, as she remembered her contract with the mercenary, to kill the "voice of the Empire" himself. It appeared that he had succeeded.

+ 7 Dilithium. Wonderful job connecting the stories.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Bar

Maya had followed after placing on her jacket and placing the hood over her face. She glared at the TV at the sight of Aaron Grant, whom she was aware of in person, not just his reputation, he was one of many her father saw at times. She raised her eyebrows at the speech he gave and wondered what the hell was going on, when suddenly a gun fired into his face. She jumped slightly when the gun fired. Maya's jaw dropped, while she was pleased he was dead, she didn't expect something like that to happen. She looked around as the Imperials started to speak amonst themselves, some calling others. Maya looked over to the woman she stood next to who was actually clapping, yeah, that would go unnoticed in a room filled with no sound. Maya was about to reach out to the woman, to stop her idocrocy when an Imperial stepped forward, followed by some of his buddies.

"You think that's a good thing? Maybe I should teach you a lesson."

Maya stood in her place but muttered towards the Imperial Officer.

"Usted perra imperial. Le ense�ar� uno si usted la toca."

The officer looked over to Maya in the jacket and narrowed his eyes, he didn't understand what the woman had just said.

"Excuse me?"

The guard stepped closer to the two woman, and reached out for Maya.

"What did you say to me, Girlie?"

Maya hated to be touched, she reached out and grabbed the Imperals arm and pushed it up, a sickining crack sounded as his arm bent into an unnatural position. She quickly spun him around and kicked him at his knees, knocking him down on the floor. Maya grabbed the gun and placed it on the Imperials temple.

"Back Off!"

+ 6 Dilithium. Su poste es realmente bueno.

Founder

[La Forge]

Galtana, Bar

Jaclyn watched as the woman, "Elsa" walked up from behind her and stood up to the Imperials, after Jaclyn's display of "affection" for the dead "Voice of the Empire".

The woman, "Elsa', said something in some foreign language that Jaclyn had never heard of to a group of off-duty Imperial soldiers, who had emerged from the crowd, due to Jaclyn's clapping. Apparently, the Imperials hadn't taken her clapping at the death of one of their most beloved public figures all too kindly. Figure that.

When one of the Imperials reached out to "Elsa", in a threatening manner, the woman had grabbed the Imperial officer's arm, breaking it, before she spun him about, knocking him down to the floor, with her foot, taking his gun in the process. The woman, "Elsa" held the weapon to the man's temple.

"Back off!" the woman had shouted, at the downed Imperial. Jaclyn watched these events transpire with a faint grin displayed on her pale face.

"I like this woman." Jaclyn commented to herself, mentally, as she watched the Imperial man squirm, as the other woman held the gun to his temple.

However, immediately, after the Imperial officer had been bested by the "Elsa" woman, one of his buddies stepped forward and lunged towards "Elsa", in retaliation.

Jaclyn, however, had managed to grab the man's arm, before he could get to the other woman, and, pulled the Imperial officer to her chest, putting him in a tight head-lock.

"How do you like that, you filthy bastard?" Jaclyn sneered, as she pulled the man's gun from his holster, aiming it at the other two Imperial officers. "Back off, scumbags!" Jaclyn shouted at the other two Imperial officers, forcefully, saliva spraying from her mouth, without waiting for a reply from the Imperial officer in her grasp. "You take another step, and, I'll blow his goddamn brains out!" Jaclyn threatened the others, as she took a step backwards, towards the exit, hoping that the other woman would follow suit. While the two may have their differences, Jaclyn was sure, now, that this "Elsa" was no Imperial supporter. She wouldn't want to see her hurt.

+ 5 Dilithium. Good post and detail.

Founder

[Lord Borg]

Galtana, Bar

Maya gritted her teeth towards the Imperials that tried to make a move on her. She narrowed her eyes and spoke out.

"Do that again! I'll put a bullet in this Puta!"

Maya forced the Imperial up and started moving for the door carefully, checking for any ambushes. She spat at the Imperials and muttered a few curseres in her native tounge as she continued for the door, wondeirng if the other woman was going to follow, who ever the hell she was.

[Tuvok8917]

Mercury II, Hidden Base

A loud noise came from the right corner. In the right corner was a small an entrance too another small room. A man came rushing in the room where Jerme was. He breathed heavily and a big smile was seen on his face. Jerme looked at the man, wondering why he was so excited. The man walked further in the room and then started to tell that Aaron Grant, the voice of the Empire was killed. Immediately, the guys playing poker got up and started too celebrate and making lot's of noise.

A small grin was shown on Jerme's mouth, but was quickly been forced back to a mellow look. He was happy that the man was finally dead, yet he felt sorry for him. Aaron Grant wasn't really such a big enemy for the resistance in Jerme's eyes. He was just a puppet of the Empire, being used by the Emperor himself. Jerme said a quick prayer for him, hoping the man would now rest in peace.

Suddenly a door on the left side of Jerme slammed open. A tiny, big breasted man entered the small room. Immediatly everyone stopped with celebrating looking too the man who was now slowly walking too the center.

This man is called John Moody. He was a resident from Venus II who moved, along with a few others, to Mercury II. John Moody was one of the long time members of the resistance, feared by many, but highly respected even by enemies. He had been a bodyguard of the Ondore familly for many years and served only Jaclyn's mother. Now he serves Jaclyn herself, protecting her as much as he can.

As soon as the man stepped into the center, pushing away the pokertable, he looked around the room. It was very difficult too see in what mood John was. If you looked closely though, you could always see his mood in John's eyes. This time his eyes where narrowed and filled with a strange sort of energy. As soon as he started talking, the room filled with a bouldering noise.

"Alright, listen up you scumheads!" John buldered. "I want everyone here in 2 minutes, ya got that!!"

The tiny man ordered too the others. The others nodded and immediatly walked too the right or left too enter other rooms and chambers. Anyone, but Jerme. Jerme was still standing in the left corner, the only movement was his chest that goes up and down. The man named John Moody looked at him.

"You, come here!" He buldered. Jerme looked at him and walked too the center. Although Jerme was a few inches higher then the yelling man, John always managed too look others right into thier eyes. "Didn't you hear my order?!"

The man yelled, his face becoming red of the blood pomping trough his body. Jerme slowly nodded, feared the man would explode if he kept yelling. Suddenly, the man calmed down and laughed. Jerme rose an eyebrow, wondering why he suddenly changed.

"Gwahahaha, you are the first who obbey me." He said. "Still i can not allow that. Miss Rozarria is coming back soon and i need everyone too clean up these damn holes!"

The man still looked angry, but his eyes where calmly and relax, yet very alert. A sigh escaped from Jerme's mouth as he started talking.

"Of course, i will do as you please."

Jerme said too him, then he turned around and walked out of the "Poker Room".

+ 6 Dilithium. Good post.

Founder

[Founder]

-Mercury II, City-

A small, one man fighter roared through the atmosphere and approached a populated city on one of the continents. Ciro Riaus stared out of the cockpit, looking down at the city that grew as he approached it. An incoming message from the port authorities came in, demanding clearance. He frowned and typed out a series of numbers and letters on the console, sending them a fake, but seemingly authentic authorization code. A moment later, a confirmation message appeared and they allowed him to land on a designated pad.

"Stupid Imperials." He muttered.

The fighter swooped over the city and gently landed on an empty landing pad. Ciro hoped that none of the locals tried to steal anything from it or the imperials perform a random check. It was filled with illegal modifications that would immediatly give him the death sentance. He leapt out of the fighter and rushed to join the bustling metropolis down below. There was an imperial presence on the planet. Not many, but it was certainly noticable. They patrolled the streets with large weapons, ensuring the local populace follows the law and acts in an orderly manner. Ciro kept his head low, not wanting to be stopped by any of the Imperial troopers. He wanted to get his meeting done with the rebels and leave. The punishment of being caught speaking to a rebel was of course immediate death. It seemed to be the punishment of choice within this government. Ciro rushed through the crowd, not able to hear his own thoughts from all the shouting and sounds of vehicles roaring ahead. He continued walking until he entered a very poor area. Homeless people, prostitutes, drug pushers, and others crowded even these streets. Ciro looked around, searching for the building that he had first met the rebels. He was pulled out of his thoughts when a man approached him, holding vials of Death Juice. A popular narcotic that would literally kill you after initial use, but the euphoria you would endure would last weeks and literally make you feel completely at peace. Many people that were dying of terminal illnesses requested taking that to no longer feel the sting of pain from their disease.

"Hey man," The dirty person said, "Want some?"

He opened his jacket, revealing the vials inside. If an Imperial trooper caught him, he would serve life just for trying to sell it.

"I seriously suggest you get away from me." Ciro threatened.

The man noticed the dark, serious look on his face and turned, running into a dark alley. Ciro finally noticed the run down building, that may or may not have been the rebel headquarters on this planet. Ciro seriously doubted it was mainly because the Imperials were so close by. It wouldn't really be smart to hold these top of operations so nearby. He entered the building, stepping over a homeless person that was sleeping at the foot of the door. The latter of which was broken and did not require I.D. Ciro followed the old path he had before and entered a large, seemingly empty room.



"Hello?" Ciro called out.

Strangely, there was no response. A part of him wondered if maybe he should have called ahead, saying his mission was complete. However, he did not have to do that. No doubt millions within the system witnessed the death of Aaron Grant, including the rebels. They had paid him half and claimed they would pay the rest once the task was complete. Ciro vowed to kill dozens of rebels if they did not pay him. He had no moral qualms about doing so either. Ciro was not officially part of their struggle, but he did take most of his jobs from rebels. After what the Imperials did to his family, he vowed not to serve them or do any missions for them. This was non-negotiable for him.

"Ah Mr. Riaus," A voice said, "We were wondering when you would show."

Ciro turned his head, not reacting in surprise by the sudden voice. He looked around, but couldn't see anyone.

"Where are you?" He asked.

The voice quickly responded, "Right here."

A chair in the corner of the room swiveled around to reveal a rather young looking male. He looked extremely arrogant and didn't seem to fear Ciro in the least.



"May I just say that you did a fantastic job." He said.

Ciro was not impressed by the boy's rather egotisical sounding voice. However, he knew better then to approach him. No doubt there were security devices in place that would easily kill Ciro if he took one step towards the young man.

"Where is Jaclyn Rozzaria?" Ciro asked, "I was told she would be the one to give me my payment."

The young man smiled and shook his head, wagging his index finger.

"Her location does not need to be known to you," He said defiantly, "You will deal with me, Marcus Crow."

Ciro frowned, not really liking this change. He had hoped to meet the leader of the rebellion on this planet. The merc for hire had spoken to her, but only through text. She seemed intriguing and her past was hauntingly similiar to his own.

"I won't deal with a nobody," Ciro said, "This is insulting. Do you know who I am?"

Marcus laughed, leaning back in his seat at the same time.

"Your nobility shows through your arrogant demeanor towards me," He said, "Don't you get that this group, the rebellion, will not bow to monarchies or nobles or people with so much money and time that they must spend both on making others miserable? You are a mercanery for hire, nothing more. You will recieve your payment and then await further instructions. Understood merc?"

Ciro stood tall, his hands behind his back and stared at the smug child.



He took no steps towards the boy, but looked like he wanted to reach over and kill the bastard.

"I didn't know the rebellion was so arrogant that they were recruiting snot nosed little brats to be their middle men." Ciro insulted.

Marcus pressed the tips of his fingers together and held them close to his face.

"Keep talking," He threatened, "You'll be lucky to leave here alive. You filthy mercs are all the same. You don't even care what is happening in the Hera system. No, what matters to you all is money. Wealth. Why? So you can turn into the new establishment? The new government that will be the oppressors?"

The boy eyed Ciro closely, desperatly wanting to kill him. He was a young, impulsive, and overzealous member of the rebellion. It was really unknown why he joined, but he followed Jaclyn blindly. His loyalty was not in question, but his ability to be logical certainly was.

"Your stupidity shows not only in your choice of clothing but your words as well," Ciro spatted back, "I don't care about money, but it is needed to further my...mission, my personal mission. You accuse me of trying to overthrow the status quo in an effort to place my beliefs over theirs, yet that is exactly what your petty rebellion is attempting to do."

Marcus' face turned a dark red as he grew angrier. He snapped his fingers and three men appeared from various doors, all heavily armed. Ciro didn't bat an eye, but turned his head to observe where each rebel was.

"I'm sorry we couldn't see eye to eye Mr. Riaus," Marcus said, "We had more missions lined up for you, but I can not in good conscious, continue to fund people who care nothing for our cause. You could easily switch to their side for money. I won't take that risk. Good-bye...Ciro."

Immediatly, not wasting one second, Ciro ran and did a side flip over a stack of steel boxes. The bullets fired from the rebel's weapons bounced against the boxes, giving Ciro a chance to grab his guns. He waited until he heard the rebel's guns click empty and them trying to reload. Immediatly, using his memory, he rolled from behind the boxes and began to open fire. His arms moved with such swift procision that not one of the three rebels had a chance to reload and were immediatly killed.



Once all the rebel guards were killed, he looked back towards Marcus, but saw the chair was empty. The little weasel bolted and tried to flee, but Ciro was faster. His longer legs easily allowed him to catch up. With a strong blow, he slammed the hilt of the gun against Marcus' back. The man grunted and fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Now you listen to me you little piece of s**t," Ciro said angrily, "Tell me where your damn leader is or I'm going to fill your head with so many bullets that they'll be making pencils with all the lead inside there."

Marcus rubbed the back of his head in pain and looked up at Ciro.

"She isn't here!" He spatted, "But she will return and she'll kill you for what you've done!"

Ciro knelt down and grabbed Marcus roughly, pointing the gun inside of his mouth.

"Then we'll wait until she arrives." He said in a deep voice.

[La Forge]

Galtana, Hallway

Jaclyn had slowly made her way out of the packed bar, her gun aimed at the three Imperials at the front of the big crowd in front of the television monitor, which now displayed only static, after Grant's death. She ready to pump those Imperial full of lead if one of them even moved a muscle towards her. She knew that the Imperials were only waiting for Jaclyn to slip up, for her to lose her footing or something of the sort, to give them an opening to shoot her down, right there.

However, Jaclyn's movements were precise and exact, not once giving the Imperials an opportunity to shoot her. She kept the Imperial man in front of her, at arm's length, trapped in her strong grasp, using the man as a human shield. She knew that the Imperials wouldn't care about killing one of their own to get to her. Those Imperial bastards would kill their own mothers if it suited them.

However, the point of using the man as a shield was his armor. The Imperials wore suits of light armor, similar to bullet-proof vests, that couldn't be easily penetrated by mere bullet-powered weapons. Jaclyn thought out every little detail about her escape, in advance.

Soon, the woman managed to exit the bar, holding the Imperial in front of her, at arm's length, using his body as a shield, her hand held roughly across the man's mouth, to keep him quiet. She wouldn't want the man shouting for help, as she tried to make her escape.

However, the second after she had exited the bar, into the hallway, the Imperial soldiers followed her, guns in hand. By this point, Jaclyn had realized how much of a nuisance these pesky Imperials had become. Still, she knew that this whole situation that she was in was all her fault, because of her ego.

The trip aboard the Galtana, from Saturn II to Mercury II was supposed to be a quick, simple voyage, completely uneventul. However, because of her ego, Jaclyn had to cause trouble with the Imperials, as she had done on countless occasions. While Jaclyn was a good leader, she was reckless and sometimes she let her gigantic ego get in the way of things. This was one of those times.

Knowing no other solution, Jaclyn quickly shot down the Imperials, in front of her. One. Two. Three. All three fell to the floor, dead, after a bullet had pierced through each of their skulls, into their brains. Jaclyn was no amateur with a gun. She had been using them since she was six years old, having killed her first Imperial when she was only nine. Death was nothing new to her. In fact, she enjoyed seeing dead Imperials, in an almost sadistic fashion.

In any case, Jaclyn left the bodies of the Imperials behind, along with the woman, "Elsa", if that was even her real name. Jaclyn's top priority was getting off of the Galtana, alive. After all, she had just killed three Imperial soldiers, in the middle of the hallway. However, her face had been obscured, by her Imperial hostage, which would work to her advantage. She wouldn't want any witnesses recognizing her, later, on a wanted poster.

With her hostage in hand, Jaclyn made her way down the hall, before bursting into a cabin, to find it empty. Jaclyn roughly threw the Imperial soldier to the floor, quickly spinning around to lock the door, to prevent any intruders.

Galtana, Empty Cabin

After locking the door, Jaclyn turned about to get a look at her Imperial hostage. The Imperial squirmed on the floor, after hitting his head against the cold steel floor, when Jaclyn tossed him to the floor. Realizing a way to get out of her current predicament, Jaclyn bent to the floor and smashed the butt of her gun into the Imperial man's face, bashing in his nose, spraying blood onto the gun and Jaclyn's pale face. The woman quickly wiped the blood from her face before she inspected the Imperial's body, to see if he was still alive.

Nope. The man was dead. Perfect. Jaclyn stripped the Imperial man from his armor, leaving his naked body on the cold floor, before she changed into the Imperial uniform. She pushed the corpse of the Imperial man under the cot, before inspecting herself in the mirror above the sink basin, now dressed in the Imperial uniform. Some blood remained on her face. She quickly washed it off, with a wash cloth.

After cleaning herself up a bit, Jaclyn looked just like an Imperial. While it was sickening for her be wearing that Imperial uniform, she saw no other way of getting off of the Galtana in one piece. She would have to wear it, no matter how revolting it may be for her to do so. After all, Mercury II was only an hour away. She wouldn't have to wear the outfit for too long.

With a heavy sigh, Jaclyn pushed the visor down, in case anyone remembered her face, holstered her gun, and, exited the room, heading off down towards her own room, in Imperial disguise. No one recognized her, along the way.

Soon, the Galtana would land in Mercury II's capital city, Vera, where Ciro Reius, the mercenary she had hired to kill Aaron Grant, waited for her, with her assistant, Marcus Crow, held hostage.

+ 6 Dilithium. Nice post.

Founder