Chapter 19 - An End To All Things

The TIF Flytrap brazenly executed a ID jump directly into Taiidani Imperial space, directly in front of a Imperial Fleet.

The Admiral began ordering all hands to battle stations, by now a routine procedure which they'd been practicing for days now.

Qu'jet was already in his Triikor. He'd taken to sleeping in it already. Bringing one of the big soft pillows wasn't hard, the seat itself was quite comfortable too. Add internal heaters...and it'd be all right.

Except for the bathroom problem, but that's another story. (which I dun want to delve into).

He woke up and threw the pillow into the back compartment, pulling up the seat, looking at the right-hand mounted LCD on the dashboard.

>>TIF forces detected. They do not look friendly. Transmitting all information to the Imperials. Prepare for possible war.

>>Contingencies ready. Pray to Sajuuk that we will not have to kill our own.

The Taiidani fleet advanced on the Flytrap, charging weapons.

On the bridge of the Flytrap, the Sensors Officer ran a scan of the sector and reported in.

"Admiral, TIF forces, closing in...estimated time to firing range is 30 seconds."

The Admiral looked on the view screen, the armada closing in incredibly fast, unusually eager to close into weapons range.

In the center of the armada lay a Saarkin-Cho, which began launching strike craft.

Sensor Ops: "TIF IN WEAPONS RANGE! WEAPONS ARE CHARGING!

"They are standing down?!"

All around them the TIF vessels had disengaged.

"TIN Flytrap, we receive your transmission. Welcome to the fold."

To their port and starboard quarters the 2nd Elite Guard fleet phased into existence, the Cloak Generators deactivating.

"Anybody miss the Second Fleet? This is Admiral Paoslek, lookin' forward to pounding the Emperor, for what he did to our name. We will avenge the name of the Second Elite Guard."

Behind him the bridge crew shouts in agreement.

The comm goes out.
-----

4 hours later

This is Taiidani Imperial News Network!

I am Hruk Quabaal, and this is today's news.

"The Emperor lives people! He lives...the man we thought had been killed lives. The reason why the Beast does not attack us, is because he allied us with them!"

"Yes...thats..."

*sounds of gunfire*

"WE ARE THE TAIIDAN! WE LIVE FREE AND SHALL NEVER BEND KNEE TO NO MAN OR BEAST! DEATH TO THE EMPEROR WHO BROUGHT SHAME AND DISGRACE! DEATH TO THE EMPEROR WHO BROUGHT DOWN OUR EMPIRE! DEATH TO THE EMPEROR WHO WILL BRING US DOWN AGAIN!"

*comm jam, static silence*
------

Qu'jet watched the screen in satisfaction.

It was over! All of it.

Sitting in the "Fiirky-bird", the giant bar built for the strike craft pilots he watched the news, along with practically everyone in the Strike Wings. It was the first they'd heard of the situation.

Turning around he saw sets of eyes glued to the static-ed set, and him.

He coughed slightly.

"Now you know...he lives. As of today, we are no longer the rebels, the hunted. The people know now. Now we must take the battle to the Emperor himself. He must be slain, if we are to survive. He will kill us all in his insanity."

Suddenly the TV set is replaced by TIFnet.

TIFnet Intelligence Relay:

-Taiidan Imperium has broken alliance with Beast

-Naggarok destroyed.

-Emperor at large.

*static*

Watching the set he realizes most of this has come to an end...almost.

Though the Naggarok is gone...the Emperor lives.

The Intercom crackles to life, yet again.

"HYPERJUMP ANOMALIES! ELITE GUARD SIGNATURES! REGISTERY FIRST ELITE GUARDS, ALPHA! ALL HANDS TO HIGH ALERT!"

As silence hits the room there is a mad dash to the hangars, pilots quickly grabbing their helmets off the table and putting them on, masked figures rushing off to assigned fighters, the First Elites moving away from the Quantum Waveform.

"THE EMPEROR! INSANE! TRYING TO GET US ALL KILLED! This is the 1st Elite Guard Destroyer Rupine! BEAST AMBUSH! THE EMPEROR! GONE! HAD TO LEAVE! BEAST! COMING!"

The tattered Elite Guard fleet comes to a stop as more hyper-gates appear, everywhere, up, down, left, right, everywhere...some even inside the fleet.

The organic circuitry comes to life.

Diiiiiiiee....

Another voice is added.

YOU WILL BE BOUND! screams a familiar voice, very familiar, yet raspy in the beast accent.

Qu'jet, in his cockpit, for the first time, was afraid, more then ever. Pure fright.

That voice, was the Emperor.