[Starhawk]

2405.1 A New Dawn
Goin base had been established in the Goin star system over two years ago for the purpose of establishing a forward supply base for the Exploration missions launched by the Royal Navy, but little did anyone on goin suspect just how important they would be to the future of Icara.
It was the third day of Tellus when the military Command attaché to Goin colony walked into the planetary governor’s office, his face pale with exertion as he had just run the full length of the government house corridor.
The Governor turned around to face the young officer grimly and opened his mouth as if he was about to say something before closing it again with a click as his eyes wondered back to the holodisplay on his desk teakwood desk.
Governor Lord Michael Averato was an older man at nearly 100 E-years, and because of his age h was among the first generation to receive the life prolonging surgery and drug that was now common practice, the first generation of treatments stopped the aging process at an older age then the newer generations and gray streaked the governor’s hair, but the man looked no less impressive at his two meter height and broad muscular marine features.
“Governor, Sir!” the young officer braced to attention and saluted his superior (both militarily and civilian) the tension in his voice spoke volumes, the military defense network had discovered the unknown drive signatures nearly three hours ago and although it was estimated that the five unknown ships would not arrive in Goin orbit for another three days the only Icaran warships were still five days away at maximum speed which made the military staff terrified as the planetary defenses were still months away from completion.
“Relax Lieutenant….we’ve still got time to attempt contact.” Averato’s voice was what one would expect from a man of his features, it was gruff and confident and could inspire confidence in the middle of a battlefield….for that is what he had once had to do, for Averato had been a Marine Sergeant 80 years ago during the “great war” which occurred when another colony ship stumbled across Icara and attempted to seize the jewel of a world for themselves, instead thanks to brave men and women of the Icaran military all those invaders found was death and defeat until they were forced to incorporate themselves into Icaran society.
“Yes General.”
“Now what is it that you came running here for?” That same gruff voice asked kindly as General Governor Averato handed the young army officer a glass of water and showed him to one of the big artificial leather chairs in front of his big desk.
“Sir they have already contacted us, they request we send a ship out to meet their task force.” The young army officer was still sweating but Averato suspected it was more out of nerves and anxiety then physical exertion.
“Well then how long ago did their message arrive Lieutenant?” Averato’s voice was calm as ever as this army officer who’s name he couldn’t seem to remember took a sip of water and reached into his breast pocket where he retrieved a data chip.
“About fourteen minutes ago sir, they requested to speak to an authority from our colony.” as he handed Averato the chip the officer took another deep sip of water and waited for his superior to finish playing the message.
After the message finished playing Averato looked up at the army officer with a grin “I think I need a sloop and a platoon of soldiers ready in a half hour Lieutenant.” his voice sounded thoroughly excited as the young man stood braced to attention and headed for the door.

The sloop Angela was privately owned by the VenStar corporation, but she was also the fastest intra-system craft in Goin and that meant even though she was totally unarmed she was the only choice. Her captain was somewhat less then thrilled when a platoon of army troopers arrived at his berth and informed him that he was going to take the planetary Governor to meet with an unknown government’s task force in his unarmed transport and let everyone within a kilometer radius know it.
The “task force” was a small fleet in and of it’s self, the long range sensors of Angela showed four destroyers, a frigate and a much larger vessel that must be the flagship and as those sensors confirmed mass and size readings the civilian captain practically crapped his vac suit and had to be “reminded” by an army trooper just how important this mission was before he continued on his course.
But finally the task force was in communication’s range, and Governor General Averato smiled to himself as the civilian captain switched on the ship to ship com net. A female face wearing a camouflage uniform with what Averato guessed to be a rank insignia on her collar, appeared on the screen …..a human Averato noted, and by her skin tone and features he guessed her ancestors came from Northern Europe, or North America back on old Earth, well at least they had a common ancestry to about half of Icara‘s population. He thought humorlessly as he noticed she seemed to be analyzing him just as closely.
“I am General Governor Michael Averato of the Icaran Royal Colony and Base of Goin, whom am I addressing?” His voice was as pleasant as he could manage as the face on the screen blinked her eyes numbly for a moment.
“She certainly is a young thing.” one of the civilian crewmen whispered as he caught a glimpse of the attractive young face on the screen…..she was certainly young looking but Averato waved his hand harshly at the man who had spoken….the Last thing they needed to do was offend someone before they even began talking to them.
“Sir, I am Lieutenant Liza Adare of the RANS Sunburst.” Her voice was pleasant but numb sounding as she seemed to be looking at her control board for a moment.
“Sir I have you at baring nine-oh-five mark two seven, please continue your approach vector until you reach this point.” A small light dot appeared on the sloops astrogation screen, then the young woman continued on in that same pleasant voice. “Then change your vector to two seven five by three, you will dock with Sunburst directly, please do not violate that heading or our destroyer screen may open fire.” her voice sounded like she was giving a genuine warning as she looked back at the screen and smiled politely.
“Thank you Lieutenant Adare, we will not violate your given course, I assure you.” Averato said in as cheerful a tone he could manage after being told he’d be blown out of the stars if he so much as violated his course.

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Thirteen minutes later the tiny 500 ton sloop Angela slipped quietly alongside the massive 400,000 ton light cruiser Sunburst and cut her power. Averato couldn’t help but notice that just one of the cruisers massive cannons was all it would take to easily destroy his puny sloop in a single shot, he shivered at the thought and forced himself to relax.
A docking tube extended from one of the mane blisters on the warship’s hull and linked with the sloop’s own docking tube, slowly the sloop was pulled in toward the massive ship’s airlock. A light clinking noise alerted the Icarans that they had attached to the warship’s hull and a rushing of air signaled the pressurization of the two docking tubes.
“Sir, please allow four of my men to go first, just in case they are planning something sneaky.” Sergeant Yu’s voice rang out as he slapped the butt of a magazine, securing it to his auto-rifle, a series of responsive slaps announced that the entire platoon had slapped their magazines into place.
“Alright Yu , four men that’s all, I don’t want these people to think we’re trying to board them.” Michael smiled and the young looking Sergeant grinned back as he went about selecting the four troopers he wanted to take point. A sloop boarding a ship this massive was utterly impossible and all of the military personnel present knew the Governor was making a tension breaking joke but the civilian crew went pale as the four troopers stepped into the tube.

Four army troopers stepped out of the airlock, their green fatigues and gray flak armor and helmets looked oddly out of place in the massive boat deck that stood before them, four columns of soldiers stood in parade formation, each representing a different field, the first column that the Icaran soldiers took note of was the one with a large group of men and women carrying rifles of some short slung over their right shoulder.
The other three columns wore different uniforms that the Icaran troopers did not recognize and carried no weapons. As the Governor stepped out of the airlock he too paused a moment, attempting to count how many men and women were in each of the four columns.

Behind Governor Averato the rest of his platoon fell into parade formation, though they were obviously far from relaxed as they watched their armed counterparts very closely from across the boat deck.
Three officers stepped forward from between the two centermost columns and walked proudly towards the Icaran Governor, two of the officers were tall men, one wore a white and tan uniform with red blocks on his chest that Averato assumed was a rank insignia, the other two officers wore the camouflage uniform that the Governor recognized from the young woman on the com screen, in fact he noticed with a wry smile that the officer to the Flag officer’s left was the same young woman who he had first spoken to.

“Governor Averato I presume.” The tall officer’s baritone voice was strong and confident as the officer offered his hand to the Icaran Governor.
“You presume correct….” Averato’s voice was questioning as he waited for this foreign officer to formally introduce himself.
“Ah….forgive me, I’m sure you do not recognize my rank insignia, I am Admiral Magill of the Rebel Alliance fifth squadron.” The Admiral released his firm handshake with a polite nod and turned to introduce his officers.

“This is Captain Parrin, commander of Starburst..” he waved to his right and the other officer offered his hand to Averato. “And this is Lieutenant Liza Adare, my chief communications officer….we have much to discuss Governor.” the Admiral continued in his same neutral baritone as he gestured for Averato to follow him, he also made sure to make a point of ignoring the platoon of Icaran soldiers standing in the bay.

As they walked down the corridor from the boat bay Averato and eight Icaran troopers looked around at the large open rooms and long corridors that these “Rebel Alliance” folks seemed to prefer, it was very different then the confined corridors and segmented compartments Icaran ship designers preferred and also a lot less safe as if any of those big open rooms took a hit the whole section would be harder to seal off, at least as far as Icaran tech went.

“So Admiral” Averato cleared his throat uncomfortably trying to think about all the repercussions his question might have…but as the Admiral paused and looked him square in the eyes Averato realized he’d already gone to far to clam up now. “Why exactly do you call yourselves the Rebel Alliance?” his voice stayed solid and confident but as the Rebel officers paused the Icaran commander wondered if he had asked to bluntly but then the Admiral’s face broke into a smile and Michael felt himself relax noticeably.
“Well Governor, our colony was established by the Northern Economic Block just before the fall of civilization back on Earth, and even though we found ourselves on a new world, light centuries away from Earth and their power base the NEB government stayed just as cruel and non-democratic as it had before, police actions and sanctions were commonplace until a group of men and women finally began to fight back.” The Admiral’s smile faded somewhat as he remembered some horror of the past. “Well so you see these brave men and women were outnumbered and outgunned almost one hundred to one but they fought for over a century they fought until finally they formed a Rebel Alliance that included many NEB army units, and finally they achieved victory….in their memory we have become a Democratic nation, and we have kept the name Rebel Alliance.” Admiral Magill frowned for a moment before continuing on down the corridor in silence.
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“So Governor, you speak for your uh what did you call him again?” Admiral Magill’s baritone sounded crisp as he looked over the treaty papers again reviewing the conditions laid down therein.
“Praetor, Admiral and yes I speak for the crown in this matter.” Governor Michael Averato smiled as he signed the piece of paper that was laid in front of him.
“So, our two star nations shall have a non-aggression pact with one another in so far as we will not colonize within your territory and you will do likewise and not colonize any of our worlds.” Magill said formally as he handed a copy of the treaty to his Icaran counterpart.
“Precisely….and perhaps someday a stronger alliance can come of this.” Averato’s left eyebrow raised when the Admiral frowned rather then replied.
“Governor, please understand that my nation is a democracy, so far as you’ve explained your system of government you are far from democratic, I’m afraid I doubt my people would want a closer relationship with a monarchy such as yours….please take no offense.” The RA Admiral sounded genuinely like he was trying not to offend his counterpart but it was also obvious that he hid some personal distrust of the Icaran form of government and so Averato chose not to push the subject further.
“Very well then Admiral, I must be taking my leave of you now to get these reports back to my own government.” With a nod Averato and Admiral Magill stood and shook each other’s hands.
Averato’s party was escorted back to the boat bay by Liza Adare, and as sweet as ever she bid them farewell. The old General couldn’t help but like the young woman, she had been his liaison to her Admiral for the past two days and had been a competent and sweet young woman considering she was dealing with complete strangers with an equally strange form of government in her eyes. With an inner nod Averato decided she reminded him a lot of his daughter back on Icara who had sent him a message only a month ago proudly announcing her enlistment into His Majesty’s Royal Navy, he bade her one Last farewell before boarding his sloop.
Two hours later the sloop Angela was heading to a rendezvous with the destroyer HMS Victory and her squadmate HMS Tiger who were patrolling the far end of the system hunting down a criminal syndicate that had been smuggling in various prohibited goods such as tobacco and stronger drugs.