The Taste of Victory....bittersweet.
"Today on the Imperial News Network our top story is the Imperium's grand victory in the Xillantha and Cepheri systems. Our valiant soldiers have decimated any Alliance resistance and brought two new star systems into the Imperial fold.
Praetor Leonidas has declared an Empire wide day of celebration and prayer to honor our valiant warriors who brought us this victory and to mourn those 12,000 soldiers and spacers that died for the everLasting glory of Icara." The voice of the news anchor was full of practiced calm as she read the reports of the first victories in the grand crusade against the vile Earth Alliance and their unpure forces.
As the people watching were begining to cheer and celebrate the victory in these two systems which had taken six months and 12,000 young lives as well as the reported advance into Nizzorum and the capture of another world already there a single flexy was handed to the news anchor.
Anyone watching the news broadcast could see a sudden pallor come to the normally beautiful face of the news woman, tears began streaming from her face without control as she managed to find her voice.
"May I have your attention please, there has been an.....incident a terrible assault has commenced on the outer colonies in the Creterik system, the Icaran world of Menshara was captured by thousands of enemy soldiers and was then destroyed by the I.N.S.S Avalanche 124 million of our brothers and sisters died....an enemy fleet has begun moving through the system and has also destroyed the colonies on Creterik four and seven, the loss of life is." Her voice gave way into a soft cry as she put her head in her hand and her fellow anchor put his arm around her, his face to streaming with tears.
"The loss of life has been staggering, 1 billion Icaran and Toltayon lives ended, the earth assault fleet decimated the entire populations of these worlds without even attempting to capture them, they also destroyed both I.N.S.S Avalanche and it's 5,000 men and women and an unknown base ship and it's 15,000 man crew. Please call naval intelligence and civilian migration authorities for names of the dead and be aware that Imperial forces can not make it into Creterik in time to save the other worlds as far as they beleive, this means that billions more lives will likely be lost...." as another flexy was handed to the news woman she managed to staunchly read on.
"Our Praetor in his divine compassion has ordered an empire wide day of mourning and has vowed that this Crusade will not end until the Earth it's self lies either under the boots of our Guard and Storm trooper forces or until it is destroyed by our Navy whichever comes first.. Please stay tuned for further updates and pray for mercy on those lives that still remain in the Creterik system and in the systems that were mainly evacuated nearly five years ago today.. and of course for our brave men and women who will lead the charge against our enemy. God bless Icara and may he see her through this darkness stronger then ever."
I'd really like feedback because if you guys don't like this story well then I'll stop typing
[ February 29, 2004, 06:24: Message edited by: Starhawk ]