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NDak

The Game's Afoot

The RES Victory sliced through the stray dust of the Ouburis Cluster. Her wing ships following with deadly quickness. Her prey barely had time to react when the guns of the flagship of the Romulan Star Empire came ablaze, tearing through the hulls of her Andorian target. On the Oira, the visage of Daise'Enriov Destorie N'Dak loomed ominously, a dark smile upon his face.

 

“Target neutralized, Rehhkai.”

 

The tactical operations officer's voice was deathly cold, like a machine. Some of his advisories, and even allies would have found such a quality disturbing, but to Destorie he found it surprisingly comforting. It meant that his crew had dedicated themselves to him, the Empire and their mission—destroying any who would oppose the Chosen.

 

“Begin searching for any survivors.”

 

“And what do you wish us to do with them?”

 

“Bring them aboard, question them...and dispose of them.” His voice remained flat and constant. Cold as ice, he'd not flinched at all.

 

“Sir,” a more dynamic voice called from the command pit below him. “I've detected a second wave of transports coming from the third planet...they must have been hiding, hoping we'd not notice them.”

 

Destorie moved down to the central status monitor to get a better look at the situation on the tactical readout. “Those appear to be human medical transports.”

 

“It would seem so...”

 

Destorie crossed his arms and considered his course of action. “Order Riov tr'Khall to take his squadron and eliminate them. I don't want them letting the Andorians know where we are.”

 

The young communications officer next to him nodded without hesitation. “As you command.”

 

A few minutes later, he watched as the glowing yellow dots representing the medical transports flickered and died, along with everyone aboard. Again, the smallest traces of a smile began appearing on his lips. Yet another successful attack.

 

He couldn't help but feel pride as the war he'd so wanted continued to bode well for his people. All across the front-lines, the strength of the Empire was being proven. With only minor setbacks, they'd managed to drive the Collation forces from their borders into an utterly defensive position.

 

One lingering worry did still exist though. So far the main fleets of the Collation forces had managed to elude him. While he'd hoped to avoid direct conflict for as long as possible, he also knew that if they were to win this war...they'd have to do it quickly and decisively. For all his bluster to the Senate, he was all too aware that the Empire could not possibly hope to win a sustained conflict against the combined forces of the Collation. That was why he was hoping to find at least one of the main fleets of the Collation. A single victory over their main fleet would deal a crushing blow their already tattered morale. And as long as they maintained their fleet, forcing a surrender from such stubborn foes would be almost impossible.

 

“I will be in my chambers, continue recovery operations and then make course for our next target.”

 

“It will be as you wish,” the second in command said sharply, giving the supreme commander of the Romulan Star Navy a salute.

 

--

Sometime passed in his chambers before he heard the knock at his door. “Come in,” he said over a stack of space charts.

 

The third officer came in, walking quickly in measured steps, but Destorie could tell that the officer had something of importance to tell him. Silently, though, he wondered why his first—tr'Jahin—would allow the third to deliver what was clearly information of some value.

 

“What is it, El'Riov?”

 

“We've completed questioning the survivors of the attack.”

 

Pleasing, but not all that important...unless... “And?”

 

“One of them...” the third officer was almost giddy and his voice was shaking as he spoke. “One of them claims to have the location of the Andorian main fleet.”

 

The time-weathered face of the Romulan Admiral brightened before growing dark again. “He could also be lying.”

 

“Yes, sir,” the third nodded, undeterred by his commanding officer's negativity. “You are welcome to question him yourself.”

 

Lifting a brow much in the manner of his Vulcan cousins, Destorie glanced at the third officer for a few beats. “That will not be required.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Well...did he give you coordinates?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Destorie again considered his next course of action with careful deliberation. It could easily be a trap. It could also be the break he'd been looking for...either way...it merited his full attention. “Have the th'ann brought to the central br'tehh. Inform Riov tr'Jahin to dispatch a drone to those coordinates.”

 

“It will be done. And if his information turns out to be incorrect?”

 

“Space him.”

 

The third officer smiled deviously. “As you wish. And if his information checks out?”

 

“Then we will do what must be done...”

 

"And what of him?"

 

"He will live with the shame of knowing so much death was the result of his weakness. I can think of no worse punishment."

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