Beyond - Legends THE NEW IMPERIUM - The Second Great War, Part 3: "Shattered Visions"

SUMMARY: The New Imperium is being driven back before the unstoppable onslaught of the Altarin?Dakor. One world after another is falling to the enemy. Desperately the NI focuses its efforts to devise a plan to halt their inexorable advance, even while treachery has its grip on the highest levels of NI government. The enemy turns it sights next to the prime, valuable worlds of Sigma and Pax, while Varnus continues to be encircled and the Jedi try to hold on to their most fragile hopes. Can the tide be turned?

These stories feature Maarek Stele and Kir Kanos, as well as a host of completely original characters. The majority are all-original.


*Formatting issues may make it harder to read on the message board. This story is also available online at* http://www.newimperium.org/archives/chapter14.htm
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Prologue



Orfellan, Pax System

1925 Hours



The Lambda-class shuttle cut its way through the atmosphere of the planet Orfellan, air streaming off of its triple set of fins as the blue-green surface grew in size below. Oceans covered most of the world?s surface, but the several large continents were resplendent in deep hues of green. Several large cities predominated, and the shuttle was bearing down on the largest of these. Jedi Paladin Guan ?Havoc? Narsh, occupying the shuttle copilot?s seat, turned away from the view and checked his screens once more. Everything was in the green. He nodded to Paladin Roger Macreed in the seat next to him, then turned to the image on the comm screen above them. Waiting for his update was Jedi Grand Master Alyx Misnera, also head of NI Special Operations and the director of their current assignment. Guan turned on the audio comm.

?ETA to landing, three minutes,? he reported. ?We?re all ready.?

?Good,? his superior replied from the command ship in orbit. ?Remember to head for the CEO?s complex directly. He?ll be the one who?s really in charge of things; the NI Governor is just a figurehead in this system. Whatever?s going on down there, the CEO will know about it.?

?Don?t worry, boss,? Guan said. ?We?ll take care of him. I just hope he doesn?t soil himself knowing seven Jedi will be breathing down his neck.?

?Just be on your guard,? Misnera admonished. ?I?ll be watching over things here in orbit. If you notice anything amiss, inform me immediately. There are any number of reasons why the CEO and planetary governor would shut down communications with the rest of the New Imperium. None of them bode well.?

?Understood, sir,? Guan said. ?We?ll get to the bottom of this and be back in no time.? He nodded respectfully, then reached up and shut down the connection. Glancing at a side screen, he saw the five other Jedi accompanying them in the passenger hold. They seemed fully equipped and prepared for anything.

?Let?s set her down, Roger, and give these officials a proper Jedi welcoming.?

?Sounds good to me,? Paladin Macreed said, coaxing the throttle back and veering for the center of the city below. Outside the cockpit, the sprawling main city of the pleasure-world Orfellan stretched on for untold kilometers. They approached the central area of the city where the tallest structures lay, and Macreed aimed them for the landing pad designated to them by air traffic control. Strangely, few other ships were occupying the surrounding airspace; it seemed that with the renewed AD assault, this world that thrived exclusively off of tourism was starting to see a serious recession in business.

Macreed guided the shuttle between several towering skyscrapers, dropping towards a large, wide-based structure surrounded by a massive park area. The building was several stories tall with a large dome on top, and numerous balconies spaced throughout. Obviously this wasn?t just a center for business, but for pleasure as well. Just like the rest of Orfellan.

The shuttle?s wings folded up and the landing gear extended, and the ship touched down lightly onto the assigned landing pad thanks to M