Chapter 1
The VON Empire
Outside VON orbit
The O.A.S.I.S.
September 29 2332
Standing in the observation deck of the OASIS, Aiden was accompanied by his brother, Richard. Both of them were side by side, watching as troops, civilians, and large crates were moved on to ships waiting in the Hangar.
Richard was a tall man, broad shoulders, and a chiseled jaw line, short stubble lined the side of his face; a crew cut and no sideburns said that he was all business. Aiden was lost in his thoughts for the upcoming Confederate meeting. He was dreading it. All the lost time he’d spend going to and from those meetings only to simply be there and die a little bit inside. The only good thing he got out of joining the Confederacy was how he was able to divert the enemy’s attention for some time now. He used them simply as a shield he could put up whenever they decided it was time to strike. Before Aiden could even stop his own thought train, Richard jerked him to his senses.
“Aiden? Aiden!” Richard had to scream to get his attention. “I really wonder what goes on in that head of yours sometimes; you tend to be really absent minded whenever these meetings of yours come up.” Richard cracked a smile.
Aiden couldn’t bear to return the gesture. “You know I dread these things Richard, I hop on a ship and take the ride to the slip-space portal and then still once I come out of slip space I still have to wait five hours to just get to the port which will take another half an hour to get to my chair.”
“You seem to be pretty specific about this.”Richard laughed.
“When you go somewhere over and over and over and you have to sit countless minutes finding the most ridiculous ways to entertain yourself two things happen: you either stop or start counting.”
“Agreed, that actually happened to me once in occasion.”Richard looked at his brother.
“Then obviously you see my point.” Aiden continued staring at the commotion below.
Richard nodded in acknowledgement, and turned to the window to see a transporter dock, open its doors and activate its lights to give away a welcoming invitation.
“Your ride is here. Don’t take too long this time, I get bored really easy.” Richard waved toward the exit to the observation deck. Following his suggestion, Aiden made his way toward the hangar following an amount of salutes from deck officers, he then made his way to the ship and as the doors closed he could see Richard still in observation wave goodbye at him. Aiden turned and went inside as the doors closed.
Middle of slip space
Aboard a democratic vessel en route to Confederate meeting on earth
September 29 2332
Finally after getting to his seat in the meeting room, Aiden had sat down comfortably and leaned back in his chair rather unprofessionally. He was rather early this time. Most of the ambassadors hadn’t arrived yet. Taking advantage of their absence, he started to review his plans for when he’d get back home.
His schedule wasn’t as jammed as an ambassadors slash leader slash general slash etc. he could do with something though. If those men don’t get here soon then I’m going to get on the first ship out of here. Aiden was lost again in his thoughts when several other men came strolling into the room and took their seats. Most, he knew were from other planets, other colonies and settlements sprawled across the galaxy, he wasn’t, he was royalty.
By the time the room was full Aiden had already just about been ready to collapse from inactivity. Just then, the Confederate President had spoke, the president of the Interstellar Confederacy of United Nations.
Aiden rolled his eyes.
“Gentlemen it is time we began this meeting” Agreed. Aiden thought.
As you know Gorrean and his army are still at large, and we have all been putting our best foot forward.” He paused.
“Some of us anyway” he spoke just low enough so that only Aiden could hear him.
Aiden didn’t like where this was going.
That rebuttal earned the president an inappropriate glare momentarily, and then it disappeared when other delegates started looking.
“The growing threat cannot be ignored much longer. We must use the offensive position and show Gorrean that the confederacy is not something to be trifled with!”
Classic politics Mr. President it only works on some people, but not me. Aiden couldn’t help but imagine what’s coming next.
“And to take on this offensive we are all going to need further support and more reinforcement.” Uh oh.
“Ambassador Aiden I am officially requesting your word in aiding us in upcoming battles.”
Aiden was dumbfounded at first, not knowing what to say.
Of course he would have to help out confederate forces against Gorrean, of course he would help but he had a feeling they were asking for something more than that. Still confused Aiden responded as simply as he could. “Pardon me?”
“I ask that you and your armies will assist the confederacy further in the upcoming battles. It is crucial that you help us.” The president stared expectantly at Aiden.
“Are you asking that I move my forces here to the Milky Way? I don’t suppose I could do that.” Aiden waved the suggestion away.
“This isn’t really a request, it’s an obligation you have to the confederacy.” The president leaned toward him.
“Do you realize that moving that much of my army would leave my home planet-nay my entire force-vulnerable to attack simply because of paranoia? No I can’t.” Aiden fake-chuckled.
“This is a union! We work together or fall apart!”
The president started to show his temper, he slammed his fist on the podium.
“I have been putting in as much effort as anybody else!”He yelled from his chair.
That earned him a few sarcastic stares.
“I am sorry, but what you are asking of me is simply not an option, it seems it is time I take my leave.” He got up and started for the exit.
“You will not! This meeting is not over!”The president screamed from behind him.
“It is for me.” Aiden took another step away.
“IF you leave now I will be forced to impeach you from the confederacy!” The president waved a finger at Aiden.
Pausing for a moment, Aiden was faced with an opportunity not only to get out of the confederacy but finally get out of sight of their watchful eyes. Tempting. But there were still needs that would have to be fulfilled using their resources.
“Alright, I will move my forces.” Aiden sat back down, faking defeat.
“Okay then, now that that issue is in order, we can move on.” The president said, and settled back down, fixing his glasses.
“Issue? I’ll show you an issue” Aiden whispered under his breath. He was furious. He didn’t expect the confederacy to act so ridiculously, things would only go downhill from here.
Finally after another hour of political nonsense and planning, Aiden was able to depart.
Leaving was the only thing on his mind at the moment. That was mistake number one for him.
Upon going to the hangar and entering his ship, he found the slain bodies of his guards; each one had multiple gunshot wounds and burns.
This was the work of regular Frumantarii: Gorrean’s soldiers. Cautiously Aiden sealed the vessel and worked his way to the cockpit only to find three men standing there weapons ready. They were muscular, masked, armored, and deadly.
This was exactly the kind of thing I expected to find here, especially with my luck. “Aiden.” One of the men spoke his name roughly. “You will come with us if you do not want to follow in your men’s footsteps” The man stepped forward. His stance was showed he was a professional.
“You obviously don’t know anything about me other than my name or else you wouldn’t have done this.” Aiden gritted his teeth.
“We know more than you name Aiden, much more, now disarm yourself or be killed” The man held out an open, and expectant hand.
Reluctantly Aiden disengaged his blasters, and handed over his sword. It almost killed him to, they’d been through so much together.
“Good.” The man nodded, and before Aiden knew why he was already being stunned and shocked. Pain suddenly shot through his body in unbelievable voltage. He then fell over and receded into unconsciousness.
VON orbit
Eminence
September 29 2332
James Crafton is sitting in the operations deck when he decides to spontaneously check on one of his friends, Aiden the leader of the planet where he had made a home for himself, met a wife, and raised a family.
Opening his computer desk he types in the special code needed for access, does a little bit of hacking here and there to get into the camera feed on the democratic vessel Aiden was located on and stared into the screen, the smile on his face had disappeared when he noticed several men climb into view and start beating down the first guard, even after they knew he was dead they had gone overkill, firing several shots through the guards armor, and moved onto the next and the next and the next until all of them were dead. Crafton watched in horror as there was nothing he could do to stop the slaughter.
His stomach flipped when he noticed Aiden climb onto the ship, the first thing he noticed was the look on his face. Aiden get out of there right now, NOW! Crafton could only watch as his ally was quickly surrounded. They began speaking as Crafton watched as Aiden disarmed himself. When he was stripped of his weapons he saw another man walk toward Aiden from behind and stab him, what Crafton did know was that the weapon was for stun and hurt and that it wouldn’t kill him. Crafton quickly could tell that this was a kidnapping.
When he had finished watching the horror he paused. Several of his men had watched their officer’s face pause in expression. The first thing Crafton had to do was call Jayson.
VON
The Citadel: upper metropolis
September 29 2332
Jayson was fiddling with a broken pen spring unprofessionally when he noticed the red bleeping coming from his plasma screen when he answered the call he knew immediately who it was and opened the screen for conference. “Brigadier General nice of you to ca-“Crafton cut him off.
“We don’t have time for formalities Jayson, Aiden is in trouble!”
Jayson paused, dumfounded. He studied Crafton’s face as well, the man’s complexion drained from his face, turning it into a pale white. His eyebrows curved giving him a more serious look, his hazel eyes flared with anxiety and his hair was a mess.
From the way he was looking at him he could tell he was in total disarray.
After pausing for several minutes Jayson finally got the composure to ask. “What happened?”
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