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New Cold War / Cold War: Month 208, Widespread Events
« Last post by Kurt on June 30, 2022, 10:09:08 AM »Month 208, Day 25, Confederation of Free States (Union-Alliance buffer state)
An Alliance courier arrived over the Confederation capital on this date, with urgent messages for the Alliance Ambassador to the Colonial Union, who happened to be Rehorish. These messages informed the Ambassador of the Colonial Union’s incursion into Alliance space, and the Rehorish and T’Pau suspicion that the incursion was in response to provocation by the D’Bringi. Finally, the directed the Ambassador to establish negotiations with the Colonial Union to determine the extent of the situation and to attempt to determine a peaceful resolution.
The T’Pau and the Rehorish had been united in this situation. While there were some who still wanted to finish the last war with the Colonial Union, particularly in some quarters of the Rehorish government, literally no one thought it was a good idea right now, with the Alliance divided and their communications network in pieces.
The Rehorish Ambassador immediately sent a communique to the Union Embassy requesting an immediate meeting with the Union Ambassador. Disappointingly, he was told that he would have to wait for an opening in the Ambassador’s schedule. Frustrated, the Rehorish Ambassador sent a second message emphasizing the urgency of the situation, only to receive no response.
Month 208, Day 26, Rehorish Prime
Skull-Splitter’s cruiser was met as it entered the inner system by a Rehorish heavy cruiser group, escorted by a pair of light carriers and three light cruisers. The Rehorish ships fell into formation with the D’Bringi ship, which then received a request for a visit from Tai-shu Okada. Skull-splitter quickly granted it, and in within minutes they were face to face.
“I fear that your mission in the Kawasaki system did not go well?”
Skull-Splitter, as always, in his combat armor but without the helmet, shook his head. “It did not, old friend. My presence caused a schism within the fleet that led to fighting almost immediately.” He raised a hand at Okada’s evident alarm. “I was able to stop it before it got out of hand, largely because no matter the outcome they believed they would remain trapped within the Kawasaki system. I suspect that forces loyal to me could have won that fight, but it would have been very bloody, and not worth the fight in the end, so I made them agree to a cease fire in place. Your picket has agreed to allow our two most damaged ships to proceed into your system for repairs. I’m sure you have already seen that report.”
“I have. I fear this means you will not have enough strength to penetrate the defenses of your home world. Likely you would meet this same situation with any group of D’Bringi ships you approached.”
Skull-Splitter gestured agreement. “You are right, I fear. However, my son has suggested a different way.” He gestured Okada over to the side of the room, where floating hologram showed a warp map of the area surrounding the Rehorish home system, out to three jumps. One system, the Aomori system, was blinking.
Okada took in the display. “Aomori? If I remember correctly, we both have a colony there.”
Skull-Splitter gestured assent. “Correct. While the Aomori system was originally settled by your race, under the founding Alliance treaties the second planet was granted to us for colonization, as it was largely unusable to either you or the T’Pau. Our colony there has also gone over to the usurper, and is the closest D’Bringi colony to have done so. My son has suggested that we investigate the situation there more closely.”
Okada’s antennae twitched as he considered the holo display. “For what purpose?”
“My son believes, and I agree, that the usurper’s control of his ‘loyalist’ colonies is paper-thin. More a fiction than anything else. It is clear now that military force will not be the only answer to this situation. We must consider more avenues to advance our cause than just fighting the usurper ship-to-ship in a glorious battle.”
Intrigued, Okada considered the old D’Bringi leader and realized that the other was actually enthused about this approach. “What makes you believe this?”
“The usurper is making constant appeals to the general D’Bringi population to support his cause. You’ve seen the messages being sent from the home world. He is constantly making appeals to the people to remember the glories of the past, and promising to bring them back. What my son pointed out was that those messages only connect with a relatively small percentage of the population. The ‘old days’ were really only glorious for a very small percentage of the population, basically the middle and upper tiers of our great clans. For everyone else, every day under the old order was just another day of servitude. I and the other clan chiefs had long been aware that our old ways had to change, that oppressing three quarters of our population would have no good end. The conquests of our early interstellar expansion hid these inequities and divisions within our system very well, at least for a time. In the end, though, I and the other clan chiefs knew our time was limited. There was too much pressure from below, too many who were disenfranchised, for our system to be truly stable. That was why we embraced the changes that came with amalgamation. It gave us a chance to enact sweeping changes throughout our nation, freeing up the bulk of our population to become productive members of society. The changes wrought by this over the last few years have been dramatic, and welcome. Truly, the only ones that want the old days to come back are a relatively small number of older D’Bringi who were privileged under the old order, and some young clan toughs who miss the opportunities the old order brought for glory and advancement. That’s why so many of the smaller colonies scattered around the Alliance have rejected the new government. They are composed of independent D’Bringi from the former lower orders or who were clan-less, and who want to make a new start free of the old ways. Most importantly, I’m willing to bet that there are many on the colonies that supposedly support the usurper that don’t want the old days to come back, and are willing to fight to make that happen. Perhaps they are already fighting. With the state of the ICN we’d have no way of knowing. I want to find out first hand, and the closest colony is in Sasebo. And one jump beyond that is another colony in Aomori. Between the two they should give me a pretty good idea of the state of this ‘empire’ that the usurper has declared.”
Tai-shu Okada sat silently for a few seconds, contemplating the map. After a minute or so he stirred. “Can you widen this map out?”
Skull-Splitter gestured, and the map widened out to encompass the entire Core Sector of the Alliance.
Okada got to his feet and gestured at the map. “Now that secure communications have been restored with the T’Pau, my government and theirs have come to a decision. While we cannot justify direct action against the D’Bringi, yet, it is clear that the Alliance itself is in dire danger. The new D’Bringi government may not have intended to cause this much disruption, but whether it intended it or not, we must act. Therefore, we are going to take the following actions. First, our new couriers are going to fan out across the Alliance, destroying every node of the old ICN, and conveying orders to the local governments to purge their ground-based ICN systems and dismantle them. Secondly, new ICN buoys will be constructed, with safeguards to reduce the possibility of corruption. These will be emplaced along critical pathways to restore essential communications.”
When Okada paused, Skull-Splitter jumped in. “This is wise. The false emperor controls the Alliance communications network, whether or not you can prove it. You took the first step by isolating yourself and establishing an alternate network, but that wasn’t enough. After all, the false emperor still has the advantage of the Alliance-wide ICN. By destroying it, and replacing it with your own, you will be depriving him of an advantage and gaining one of your own.” Skull-Splitter paused, then continued. “I assume you will not be connecting D’Bringi colonies to your new network?”
“We will not, at least not as yet. Perhaps that can change, depending on the outcome of your mission to Aomori.” Okada stopped, considered something briefly, then continued. “I’ll be honest with you, in light of your previous service to the Alliance.” Okada gestured at the map. “This is only the first step. While combined governments of the T’Pau and Rehorish have not yet decided upon the status of the D’Bringi, or a final solution to this conflict, we have decided that we will give tacit support to D’Bringi forces that oppose what my government, and that of the T’Pau, are calling the “illegitimate D’Bringi government”, imposed by force upon the D’Bringi people. At least, they’ll be using that term internally, for now. If left unchecked, this will be resolved by military force, however, we will gladly take any reasonable alternative offered. Give us that alternative, and we can move forward. In the meantime, couriers are being dispatched to the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Fleets, with new orders. The 3rd Fleet will be ordered to withdraw from the Kure system, leaving only scouts, and proceed to the Kawasaki system, where it will intern all D’Bringi ships located there until their status can be negotiated with the D’Bringi government, whatever that may eventually be. Once that is complete, they will join the 1st Fleet here in the Rehorish home system. The 4th Fleet will proceed to the Chruqua Warp Nexus and secure that critical system for the Alliance. All ships transiting the system will be searched for contraband. No D’Bringi ships will be allowed to transit without authorization. The 6th Fleet will be given orders similar to those sent to the 3rd Fleet. They will intern any D’Bringi ships still in the Villiers system, then proceed to the Stahat system, where they will await further orders. From there they can respond to any further Colonial Union incursions, if there are indeed any at all, or deal with D’Bringi subversion. They will have similar orders as the 4th Fleet. All D’Bringi warships to be interned, and all civilian ships are to be searched. We don’t know what has been going on in our own territory, but that will end. We will exert control within the Alliance, and we will re-establish our ability to gather information within our own borders. In the meantime, communiques will be sent to the Associate Members, warning them of the instability within the Alliance, and asking them to remain within their own territories until this situation is resolved.”
Skull-Splitter remained motionless as he took this in. Finally, he stirred. “I would wish to resolve this without bloodshed.”
Okada gestured in negation. “I’m afraid that you know as well as I that this is not likely, or even possible. In reality, the question will remain, how much blood must we shed to contain and resolve the situation, to avoid even greater bloodshed? Much depends on you, old friend. Find a way that avoids all-out war with the D’Bringi Empire, and I will convince my government to take it. In the meantime, I offer the use of one of our new couriers, which will allow you to travel much faster than you would be able to in your flagship.”
Skull-Splitter looked relieved. “Very well. I will leave for Sasebo within the hour. Thank you.”
Before the D’Bringi leader could leave, Okada stopped him. “You must offer your people an alternative, if they are to come together to oppose the one you call the usurper. You are the last of the senior clan chiefs, and the last of the senior leaders of the D’Bringi left alive. Whether you declare a new D’Bringi state, or the continuation of the old one is up to you, but you must give your people something to rally around. And that begins with you.”
Skull-Splitter looked thoughtful as he escorted the Rehorish admiral to his shuttle. There was much to consider.
Even as Skull-Splitter set out for Sasebo, courier ships were leaving Rehorish Prime and T’Pau Prime, headed out across the Alliance, ordered to destroy the old ICN network to clear the way for the new comm system.
Month 208, Day 27, Alliance Theom System (adjacent to occupied Dether system)
The Imperial D’Bringi Fleet, recently dispatched from the Stahat system, arrives at the warp point in the Theom system that leads to the human-occupied Dether system. Once there it joins with the D’Bringi ships that were withdrawn from the 6th Fleet upon the announcement of the change in D’Bringi government. These ships are still technically assigned to the Alliance, and while their officers and crews have no particular loyalty to the new government, neither do they have a reason to oppose it.
6th Fleet D’Bringi Ships:
6xBC, 6xCA, 3xCVS, 11xCVE, 3xCTV, 276xF0
Imperial D’Bringi Ships:
3xBC, 3xCA, 3xCVS, 3xCVE, 17xCTV, 195xF0, 18xF1
For now, the D’Bringi ships appear to be content to sit on the warp point, blocking the Union fleet’s route of advancement into the Far Frontier sector. For now, just a few corvette-carriers were deployed to the far side of the warp point to keep watch in the Dether system.
Month 208, Day 28, Alliance Caris system
The Caris system is located in the Far Frontier Sector, two jumps from the Sector Capital in the Stahat system. Caris has two habitable type ST planets, both colonized by the D’Bringi some time ago. Both have small, but growing, populations, and both soundly rejected the Imperial D’Bringi call for unity and loyalty to the new government. The colonists were almost uniformly from the former clan-less of D’Bringi society, and so had been disenfranchised under the old order. They had no wish to return to that state, and so the few Imperial agitators that had popped up after the coup had been dealt with, sometimes harshly, and then life went on. Until now.
On this day, several freighters landed on each of the colonies. Instead of carrying supplies, though, they were transporting troops in Imperial uniforms. These troops immediately fanned out, seizing key installations and critical infrastructure, and within hours the colonial governments were under their control. The invasion was mostly bloodless, as the colonies had been caught entirely off guard. That would change, though. After the capital cities were under control, and the troops had fanned out to gain control of the smaller towns that dotted the surface of both planets, Imperial Security troops disembarked from the transports and assumed control of the capital cities from the combat units. Once in control, the security units began the executions. They had a long list, and they were determined to work their way through the entire list, to ensure that their lesson was learned.
Month 208, Day 30, Union-Controlled Dether system
On this date a Colonial Union ground force arrived in the Dether system. This was what Admiral Carstairs had been waiting for. With the troops in hand, or nearly in hand, she reopened communications with the Alliance colonial governors on the three colonies in the inner system. So far, they had been uncommunicative and uncooperative. They knew she wouldn’t bombard them, and without troops couldn’t invade them, and so had no way to enforce her will. Now, though, the equation had changed.
As the transports departed the warp point bound for the inner system, she re-opened communications with the colonial governments, informing them that Union troops were approaching and would soon begin landing operations.
That news, confirmed by their own sensors, motivated the governors to respond, and resulted in some intense negotiations. Admiral Carstairs held all the cards, but the Alliance governors were fairly sure by this point that she wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, which was true. Although her orders from Fleet HQ directed her to establish control of the system, and to destroy any resistance, she was loath to just begin indiscriminately shooting everyone in her way. Based on her experience, responding to raids into the Union that killed hundreds by raiding into the Alliance and killing thousands would only exacerbate the situation. She was still hoping a diplomatic solution could be found, although based on what little information was making it all the way out here nothing had been heard from the Senatorial embassy to the Alliance since it arrived in the Confederation some time ago. It was possible that the information from the embassy mission was compartmentalized, but she had a bad feeling about that.
In the end, knowing that they had little choice, the Alliance governors agreed to surrender their colonies to Union control. However, they extracted a promise from Admiral Carstairs that in exchange for not opposing her landings or occupation, she would limit her troops to the spaceports close to the capital cities and the areas surrounding them. Additionally, the governors promised to turn over the goods that would normally be shipped to the Alliance to the Union. Carstairs had found that imminently acceptable, as it avoided all bloodshed, at least for now. For her part, she limited her landings to the immediate area around the spaceports and capital cities, and, so long as the locals behaved themselves, limited her troops to disarming the local militia and observing the activities of the locals.
An Alliance courier arrived over the Confederation capital on this date, with urgent messages for the Alliance Ambassador to the Colonial Union, who happened to be Rehorish. These messages informed the Ambassador of the Colonial Union’s incursion into Alliance space, and the Rehorish and T’Pau suspicion that the incursion was in response to provocation by the D’Bringi. Finally, the directed the Ambassador to establish negotiations with the Colonial Union to determine the extent of the situation and to attempt to determine a peaceful resolution.
The T’Pau and the Rehorish had been united in this situation. While there were some who still wanted to finish the last war with the Colonial Union, particularly in some quarters of the Rehorish government, literally no one thought it was a good idea right now, with the Alliance divided and their communications network in pieces.
The Rehorish Ambassador immediately sent a communique to the Union Embassy requesting an immediate meeting with the Union Ambassador. Disappointingly, he was told that he would have to wait for an opening in the Ambassador’s schedule. Frustrated, the Rehorish Ambassador sent a second message emphasizing the urgency of the situation, only to receive no response.
Month 208, Day 26, Rehorish Prime
Skull-Splitter’s cruiser was met as it entered the inner system by a Rehorish heavy cruiser group, escorted by a pair of light carriers and three light cruisers. The Rehorish ships fell into formation with the D’Bringi ship, which then received a request for a visit from Tai-shu Okada. Skull-splitter quickly granted it, and in within minutes they were face to face.
“I fear that your mission in the Kawasaki system did not go well?”
Skull-Splitter, as always, in his combat armor but without the helmet, shook his head. “It did not, old friend. My presence caused a schism within the fleet that led to fighting almost immediately.” He raised a hand at Okada’s evident alarm. “I was able to stop it before it got out of hand, largely because no matter the outcome they believed they would remain trapped within the Kawasaki system. I suspect that forces loyal to me could have won that fight, but it would have been very bloody, and not worth the fight in the end, so I made them agree to a cease fire in place. Your picket has agreed to allow our two most damaged ships to proceed into your system for repairs. I’m sure you have already seen that report.”
“I have. I fear this means you will not have enough strength to penetrate the defenses of your home world. Likely you would meet this same situation with any group of D’Bringi ships you approached.”
Skull-Splitter gestured agreement. “You are right, I fear. However, my son has suggested a different way.” He gestured Okada over to the side of the room, where floating hologram showed a warp map of the area surrounding the Rehorish home system, out to three jumps. One system, the Aomori system, was blinking.
Okada took in the display. “Aomori? If I remember correctly, we both have a colony there.”
Skull-Splitter gestured assent. “Correct. While the Aomori system was originally settled by your race, under the founding Alliance treaties the second planet was granted to us for colonization, as it was largely unusable to either you or the T’Pau. Our colony there has also gone over to the usurper, and is the closest D’Bringi colony to have done so. My son has suggested that we investigate the situation there more closely.”
Okada’s antennae twitched as he considered the holo display. “For what purpose?”
“My son believes, and I agree, that the usurper’s control of his ‘loyalist’ colonies is paper-thin. More a fiction than anything else. It is clear now that military force will not be the only answer to this situation. We must consider more avenues to advance our cause than just fighting the usurper ship-to-ship in a glorious battle.”
Intrigued, Okada considered the old D’Bringi leader and realized that the other was actually enthused about this approach. “What makes you believe this?”
“The usurper is making constant appeals to the general D’Bringi population to support his cause. You’ve seen the messages being sent from the home world. He is constantly making appeals to the people to remember the glories of the past, and promising to bring them back. What my son pointed out was that those messages only connect with a relatively small percentage of the population. The ‘old days’ were really only glorious for a very small percentage of the population, basically the middle and upper tiers of our great clans. For everyone else, every day under the old order was just another day of servitude. I and the other clan chiefs had long been aware that our old ways had to change, that oppressing three quarters of our population would have no good end. The conquests of our early interstellar expansion hid these inequities and divisions within our system very well, at least for a time. In the end, though, I and the other clan chiefs knew our time was limited. There was too much pressure from below, too many who were disenfranchised, for our system to be truly stable. That was why we embraced the changes that came with amalgamation. It gave us a chance to enact sweeping changes throughout our nation, freeing up the bulk of our population to become productive members of society. The changes wrought by this over the last few years have been dramatic, and welcome. Truly, the only ones that want the old days to come back are a relatively small number of older D’Bringi who were privileged under the old order, and some young clan toughs who miss the opportunities the old order brought for glory and advancement. That’s why so many of the smaller colonies scattered around the Alliance have rejected the new government. They are composed of independent D’Bringi from the former lower orders or who were clan-less, and who want to make a new start free of the old ways. Most importantly, I’m willing to bet that there are many on the colonies that supposedly support the usurper that don’t want the old days to come back, and are willing to fight to make that happen. Perhaps they are already fighting. With the state of the ICN we’d have no way of knowing. I want to find out first hand, and the closest colony is in Sasebo. And one jump beyond that is another colony in Aomori. Between the two they should give me a pretty good idea of the state of this ‘empire’ that the usurper has declared.”
Tai-shu Okada sat silently for a few seconds, contemplating the map. After a minute or so he stirred. “Can you widen this map out?”
Skull-Splitter gestured, and the map widened out to encompass the entire Core Sector of the Alliance.
Okada got to his feet and gestured at the map. “Now that secure communications have been restored with the T’Pau, my government and theirs have come to a decision. While we cannot justify direct action against the D’Bringi, yet, it is clear that the Alliance itself is in dire danger. The new D’Bringi government may not have intended to cause this much disruption, but whether it intended it or not, we must act. Therefore, we are going to take the following actions. First, our new couriers are going to fan out across the Alliance, destroying every node of the old ICN, and conveying orders to the local governments to purge their ground-based ICN systems and dismantle them. Secondly, new ICN buoys will be constructed, with safeguards to reduce the possibility of corruption. These will be emplaced along critical pathways to restore essential communications.”
When Okada paused, Skull-Splitter jumped in. “This is wise. The false emperor controls the Alliance communications network, whether or not you can prove it. You took the first step by isolating yourself and establishing an alternate network, but that wasn’t enough. After all, the false emperor still has the advantage of the Alliance-wide ICN. By destroying it, and replacing it with your own, you will be depriving him of an advantage and gaining one of your own.” Skull-Splitter paused, then continued. “I assume you will not be connecting D’Bringi colonies to your new network?”
“We will not, at least not as yet. Perhaps that can change, depending on the outcome of your mission to Aomori.” Okada stopped, considered something briefly, then continued. “I’ll be honest with you, in light of your previous service to the Alliance.” Okada gestured at the map. “This is only the first step. While combined governments of the T’Pau and Rehorish have not yet decided upon the status of the D’Bringi, or a final solution to this conflict, we have decided that we will give tacit support to D’Bringi forces that oppose what my government, and that of the T’Pau, are calling the “illegitimate D’Bringi government”, imposed by force upon the D’Bringi people. At least, they’ll be using that term internally, for now. If left unchecked, this will be resolved by military force, however, we will gladly take any reasonable alternative offered. Give us that alternative, and we can move forward. In the meantime, couriers are being dispatched to the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Fleets, with new orders. The 3rd Fleet will be ordered to withdraw from the Kure system, leaving only scouts, and proceed to the Kawasaki system, where it will intern all D’Bringi ships located there until their status can be negotiated with the D’Bringi government, whatever that may eventually be. Once that is complete, they will join the 1st Fleet here in the Rehorish home system. The 4th Fleet will proceed to the Chruqua Warp Nexus and secure that critical system for the Alliance. All ships transiting the system will be searched for contraband. No D’Bringi ships will be allowed to transit without authorization. The 6th Fleet will be given orders similar to those sent to the 3rd Fleet. They will intern any D’Bringi ships still in the Villiers system, then proceed to the Stahat system, where they will await further orders. From there they can respond to any further Colonial Union incursions, if there are indeed any at all, or deal with D’Bringi subversion. They will have similar orders as the 4th Fleet. All D’Bringi warships to be interned, and all civilian ships are to be searched. We don’t know what has been going on in our own territory, but that will end. We will exert control within the Alliance, and we will re-establish our ability to gather information within our own borders. In the meantime, communiques will be sent to the Associate Members, warning them of the instability within the Alliance, and asking them to remain within their own territories until this situation is resolved.”
Skull-Splitter remained motionless as he took this in. Finally, he stirred. “I would wish to resolve this without bloodshed.”
Okada gestured in negation. “I’m afraid that you know as well as I that this is not likely, or even possible. In reality, the question will remain, how much blood must we shed to contain and resolve the situation, to avoid even greater bloodshed? Much depends on you, old friend. Find a way that avoids all-out war with the D’Bringi Empire, and I will convince my government to take it. In the meantime, I offer the use of one of our new couriers, which will allow you to travel much faster than you would be able to in your flagship.”
Skull-Splitter looked relieved. “Very well. I will leave for Sasebo within the hour. Thank you.”
Before the D’Bringi leader could leave, Okada stopped him. “You must offer your people an alternative, if they are to come together to oppose the one you call the usurper. You are the last of the senior clan chiefs, and the last of the senior leaders of the D’Bringi left alive. Whether you declare a new D’Bringi state, or the continuation of the old one is up to you, but you must give your people something to rally around. And that begins with you.”
Skull-Splitter looked thoughtful as he escorted the Rehorish admiral to his shuttle. There was much to consider.
Even as Skull-Splitter set out for Sasebo, courier ships were leaving Rehorish Prime and T’Pau Prime, headed out across the Alliance, ordered to destroy the old ICN network to clear the way for the new comm system.
Month 208, Day 27, Alliance Theom System (adjacent to occupied Dether system)
The Imperial D’Bringi Fleet, recently dispatched from the Stahat system, arrives at the warp point in the Theom system that leads to the human-occupied Dether system. Once there it joins with the D’Bringi ships that were withdrawn from the 6th Fleet upon the announcement of the change in D’Bringi government. These ships are still technically assigned to the Alliance, and while their officers and crews have no particular loyalty to the new government, neither do they have a reason to oppose it.
6th Fleet D’Bringi Ships:
6xBC, 6xCA, 3xCVS, 11xCVE, 3xCTV, 276xF0
Imperial D’Bringi Ships:
3xBC, 3xCA, 3xCVS, 3xCVE, 17xCTV, 195xF0, 18xF1
For now, the D’Bringi ships appear to be content to sit on the warp point, blocking the Union fleet’s route of advancement into the Far Frontier sector. For now, just a few corvette-carriers were deployed to the far side of the warp point to keep watch in the Dether system.
Month 208, Day 28, Alliance Caris system
The Caris system is located in the Far Frontier Sector, two jumps from the Sector Capital in the Stahat system. Caris has two habitable type ST planets, both colonized by the D’Bringi some time ago. Both have small, but growing, populations, and both soundly rejected the Imperial D’Bringi call for unity and loyalty to the new government. The colonists were almost uniformly from the former clan-less of D’Bringi society, and so had been disenfranchised under the old order. They had no wish to return to that state, and so the few Imperial agitators that had popped up after the coup had been dealt with, sometimes harshly, and then life went on. Until now.
On this day, several freighters landed on each of the colonies. Instead of carrying supplies, though, they were transporting troops in Imperial uniforms. These troops immediately fanned out, seizing key installations and critical infrastructure, and within hours the colonial governments were under their control. The invasion was mostly bloodless, as the colonies had been caught entirely off guard. That would change, though. After the capital cities were under control, and the troops had fanned out to gain control of the smaller towns that dotted the surface of both planets, Imperial Security troops disembarked from the transports and assumed control of the capital cities from the combat units. Once in control, the security units began the executions. They had a long list, and they were determined to work their way through the entire list, to ensure that their lesson was learned.
Month 208, Day 30, Union-Controlled Dether system
On this date a Colonial Union ground force arrived in the Dether system. This was what Admiral Carstairs had been waiting for. With the troops in hand, or nearly in hand, she reopened communications with the Alliance colonial governors on the three colonies in the inner system. So far, they had been uncommunicative and uncooperative. They knew she wouldn’t bombard them, and without troops couldn’t invade them, and so had no way to enforce her will. Now, though, the equation had changed.
As the transports departed the warp point bound for the inner system, she re-opened communications with the colonial governments, informing them that Union troops were approaching and would soon begin landing operations.
That news, confirmed by their own sensors, motivated the governors to respond, and resulted in some intense negotiations. Admiral Carstairs held all the cards, but the Alliance governors were fairly sure by this point that she wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, which was true. Although her orders from Fleet HQ directed her to establish control of the system, and to destroy any resistance, she was loath to just begin indiscriminately shooting everyone in her way. Based on her experience, responding to raids into the Union that killed hundreds by raiding into the Alliance and killing thousands would only exacerbate the situation. She was still hoping a diplomatic solution could be found, although based on what little information was making it all the way out here nothing had been heard from the Senatorial embassy to the Alliance since it arrived in the Confederation some time ago. It was possible that the information from the embassy mission was compartmentalized, but she had a bad feeling about that.
In the end, knowing that they had little choice, the Alliance governors agreed to surrender their colonies to Union control. However, they extracted a promise from Admiral Carstairs that in exchange for not opposing her landings or occupation, she would limit her troops to the spaceports close to the capital cities and the areas surrounding them. Additionally, the governors promised to turn over the goods that would normally be shipped to the Alliance to the Union. Carstairs had found that imminently acceptable, as it avoided all bloodshed, at least for now. For her part, she limited her landings to the immediate area around the spaceports and capital cities, and, so long as the locals behaved themselves, limited her troops to disarming the local militia and observing the activities of the locals.