The seventh installment of "For Gondacor!"
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“The Drums of War”
Back on Gondacor, tensions between the Chelsyrian Alliance and the Gondacor Federation were taking a turn for the worse. Threats between the two began to be thrown back and forth at an unyielding rate, the Chelsyrians would demand money for frivolous claims, then the Gondacorians would reject. Then on the eighth of November 2227, the Chelsyrian Alliance signed a peace treaty with the Krynn Consulate, ending hostilities between them. The signing of the peace treaty, caused great alarm throughout the Gondacor Federation Council, they now worried that the way was now open for a war between Gondacor and Chelsyria.
With war looming, the Federation Council asked for an audience with President Zocar. Senator Joseti began.
“President Zocar, we, the Federation Council, have grown alarmed at the growing tension between the Chelsyrian Alliance and the Gondacor Federation. Now with the peace treaty between the Krynn Consulate and the Chelsyrian Alliance, we feel that confrontation between the Gondacor and Chelsyria is imminent. We feel that we should move all fleets to areas most vulnerable to attacks form the Chelsyrian fleets. Also we feel that there is a need to construct a new capital ship to more quickly counter the growing Chelsyrian fleets.”
President Zocar responded, “I agree, war does indeed seem imminent. I have been conferring with Head Commander Tarsus, and he is currently drawing up plans for a strike against the Chelsyrian Alliance. He believes if we quickly move against key worlds under Chelsyrian control, we could inhibit their ability to wage war against our border worlds.”
“That would be the best possible kind of strike we could hope for. We need to use our limited amount of fleets to our advantage, and keep the war in Chelsyrian space to limit Gondacorian causalities.” Senator Joseti said agreeing with Zocar’s plan.
“As soon as Commander Tarsus finishes drawing up the plans to strike the Chelsyrian Alliance, I will notify the Council immediately.” President Zocar said leaving the Council chambers.
After returning to his office from the Federation Council, he contacted Commander Tarsus to discuss the plans for the campaign against the Chelsyrian Alliance.
“Commander Tarsus, what is the status of the plans against the Chelsyrian Alliance?”
Commander Tarsus replied, “The plans are progressing along fine, and I hope to have all the logistics of the attack straightened out within the next few weeks.”
“Sounds good! The Council is beginning to understand the need for military action against the Chelsyrians. They have grown more fearful on an attack since the signing of the peace treaty between Chelsyria and Kryseth.” Zocar gladly said to Tarsus.
“At least the Council is finally beginning to see eye to eye with us. We have been anticipating this impending conflict for a few months now.” Tarsus proudly said.
“Yes, I know. Another thing is where do you anticipate our strike will originate from? President Zocar asked Tarsus.
“Well, we have moved most of our fleets to the Chelsyrian border, near Hoth and Rathra, in sectors 05-09 and 06-09. We hope from here we can strike their border worlds near us, which would be Gabe I, IV, V, and Aquilae II, all in sector 05-08. My general tell me that a strike in this area would open up a window for ships to quickly move to Chelsyria.” Commander Tarsus reported to President Zocar.
“I like the plan, report to me when you have finished polishing the plan. The sooner we can get everything sorted out, we can strike the Chelsyrian Alliance, and rid the galaxy of reckless evil!” Zocar ordered Tarsus, and then shut off transmission.
After discussing the war plans with Commander Tarsus, a report came in from the Krynn about the atrocities the Chelsyrians had committed, and the Korath are continuing to commit. Zocar was deeply troubled by what he read, from what the Krynn could tell, the Chelsyrians had slaughtered roughly five Billion Krynn citizens. But the worst was what the Korath were doing, they were committing genocide on a grand scale, one the likes the galaxy had never witnessed. From what the Krynn could gather, once a Korath ship would enter orbit around a planet, all communication with the planet would be lost, and the population would be quickly wiped out. The Korath were moving from planet to planet wiping out the total population of the planet and making the world barren. The information was deeply disturbing to President Zocar, and served to reinforce his commitment to wiping out the evil empires galaxy.
On the 15 of December, 2227 the freighter that Telari Manganthis was taking to Acrea finally arrived, where she meet up with the transport that was heading to Chelsyria from Acrea. On the 22 of January, 2228 her transport docked with the orbital station, Tortu Cor, around the Chelsyrian home world Chelsyria. Realizing earlier that Gondacorians were unwelcome and shot if found in Chelsyrian space, Telari had obtained some fairly convincing holo-disguises that would make her look more Chelsyrian. She knew she had to be very discreet, for if she were found out, she could not even fathom what would become of her. But, she knew the risks were worth the danger, for the truth had to be found out, and the secrets the Chelsyrians might hold revealed.
Telari, right after exiting the Acrean transport, sought out the nearest information panel she could find on the station. The stench of the station was almost nauseating, and she could barely stand the sights of the poor half whipped workers tending to the station. She continued down the long corridors of the dismal Tortu Cor station, the deep red and orange lights made it difficult for Telari to make out exactly where she was going, but she finally came across what appeared to be a computer consol. Using her translator, she began to go through menus on the screen, and after some time she finally accessed information on centers of learning and repositories of documents. Not to her surprise, there were no libraries on the planet, the Chelsyrians could care less about books and the arts, besides the arts of war. There was one place in the capital city, Chelsyria Prime, where some documents were kept, the Chelsyrian Hall of Records, it was also a museum of sorts towards Chelsyrian military achievement.
With a place to start found, Telari now had to find transport down to the surface of the planet. She pulled up the transport schedule on the information consol, and looked through to find a transport heading down to Chelsyria Prime. When Telari found one, she began to make her way down the winding corridors of Tortu Cor to the space docks on the lower levels of the station. The corridors twisted and turned in every direction, as if laid out at random, and done so on purpose to confuse anyone going through them. The flashing red and orange lights were also very disorienting, and only served to give Telari headaches. After what seemed like an hour, Telari finally found her way to the space docks, where she was to disembark for the capital city, and hopefully find the answers she sought.
Meanwhile on Chelsyria, in the Empress’s sprawling royal palace, Surrelia was once again worked up into a irate rage. She was throwing daggers into doors, and was screaming with rage at the news she had just found out.
“LOKE! Get the hell in here!” Empress Surrelia screeched at the top of her lungs.
“My Empress, what seems to be the trouble?” Loke said in a nervous tone.
“Our listening post have just picked up what appears to be Gondacorian plans for an invasion of Chelsyria! What do those ignorant pigs think they are doing? If they want to play war, we can do the same. Loke, get me my Chief General of the Military, Songore. There is much that we must discuss.” Empress Surrelia said in a demanding manner.
“Of Course my Empress, is there anything else you need of me?” Loke asked.
“Well, I really do need to relieve some of this rage! Why don’t you bend over, and hand me my whip.” Empress Surrelia said with a growing smile.
“As you wish my Empress, I am only here to please your every whim.” Grudgingly Loke said.
SMACK, SMACK, SMACK, the whip cracked across Loke’s back. But, by this time his back had grown so chaliced by the constant beating, that he felt almost nothing. Loke new better than to make any sound, for if he did, it would only mean more suffering at the hands of Surrelia.
“OH! I feel much better now. Run along Loke, and fetch my Songore, we have so much we need to catch up on.” Empress Surrelia said, letting the words roll off her tongue, and wrapping her arms around herself.
“I will get General Songore immediately!” Shouted Loke scurrying out of the royal chambers.
Within a few minuets, Loke returned with General Songore, and warned him that Empress Surrelia was in ‘one of those moods.’
“My General Songore!” Empress Surrelia shouted, barely containing her excitement.
“High Empress Surrelia, how may I be of service today? Songore said in a commanding tone.
“Oh, don’t be so commanding and stern. You military types are all the same, loosen up a bit…That is an order.” Surrelia said cackling to herself, knowing the power she had over him.
“Ok, What would you like of me today?” General Songore expressed with some emotion.
“Ah! That’s much better. Now to business. Our listening post have picked up information that those Gondacorian pigs are wanting to play war. What do we have to wipe them out, and rid the galaxy of the Gondacor Federation.”
“Well, our fleets outnumbers theirs two to one, so it shouldn’t be a problem if they attack. If they actually think they can win a war, and try, the heads of the military believe that the Gondacor Federation can be defeated in two to three months. They just don’t have the capacity to wage an effective war.” Songore proudly said to Surrelia.
“How wonderful, maybe we should attack first, and take them by surprise? Wouldn’t that just be wonderful, We can finish the job we started over a millennia ago, and exterminate all eighty billion of those pigs.” Empress Surrelia said, loving her idea.
“That is a great idea Empress Surrelia. It would be in our best interest to attack first, and bring the war to Gondacor space.” Songore agreeing with Surrelia said.
“Great, put some plans together, and bring them directly to me when they are completed so we can go through them together. I knew I could count on you, my Songore. Now run along, and draw up those plans.” Empress Surrelia said giving him a lustful eye, and twirling a dagger in her hand.
On the first of February, 2228, news reached Gondacor that the Korath had declared war on the Jessuins, and were continuing their invasion of Kyrnn. Then on the 15th of February, the Acreans decided to declare war on the Paulos, and take their only world. With the increasing hostilities the galaxy started to destabilize, and descend into conflict.