Mercy is Counter-intuitive

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Aboard the Cuirassier-class Heavy Cruiser Judgement – Location Unknown

“We have cleared the platform Inquisitor,” the lieutenant said, standing at attention near her platform.

“The rest of the task force is in position?” Inquisitor Vel Aath asked, her eyes shifting slowly to the lieutenant. A man who'd climbed the ranks in the Inquisitional purview, the lieutenant bore her gaze with a calm stoicism that was necessary in a Inquisitional bridge officer.

The lieutenant turned to one of the scanner-operators, who looked up and nodded.

“They are ready, Inquisitor.”

The task force assembled was a small one, though well apportioned for its objective: the consolidation of RX-271, and the purging of the established Imperial military garrison there. As per usual in the working of the Inquisition, there were as usual smaller, hidden goals. The Cuirassier-class was the heaviest ship in the fleet; it was to be the muscle and the main ship from which the landing force would be launched. Surrounding the cruiser were two Rapier gunships to defend it in the unlikely case it was attacked by smaller snub-fighters, ships favoured by the Rebel Alliance. Two Nebulon B2 frigates accompanied the force to provide added supplies and staging areas for the landing force.

“Input your coordinates,” she commanded.

“Hyperspace insertion in ten minutes,” the engineering officer called from his post.

“Prepare a message to Inquisitor Helghast's fleet: Preparation complete. Task Force RX-271 underway.”

“At once, Inquisitor,” the communications officer responded. The message took little time to complete, but Vel Aath didn't order the message sent until the task force was one minute from their hyperspace jump. In the meantime, all ships contacted the Judgement and confirmed their locations, cargoes, and destination.

“Ready to jump, Inquisitor,” the lieutenant said, bowing as he approached the command platform. The Inquisitor only nodded, and the lieutenant bowed again, turning to face the flight crew. He in turn nodded, and Task Force RX-271 began their journey to a quiet, pre-industrial planet which had no idea that they were coming.

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Inquisitor Vel Aath surveyed the planet spinning serenely in the viewport with a decidedly predatory expression. There were possibilities on this planet that could very well be turned into realities, and she was bent on turning potentiality into actuality. A planet, small and largely insignificant, with little resources of value to offer the Empire, had an excellent sense of privacy and secrecy due to just that. With a pre-industrial people, there was little to no chance that any of them could leave the planet with knowledge of the operations that would take place in a matter of two months.

“All transports report that they are ready for insertion, Inquisitor,” the Captain relayed from the communications officer. “We have set the task force into formation, but I feel I must remind you that we cannot completely seal off the planet without Inquisitor Helghast’s fleet.”

“I am joining them,” Vel Aath said, turning quickly and making for a turbolift. “Seal off the planet. Should any ships get through to the planet alert me immediately with coordinates for the landing site.”

“Yes, Inquisitor,” the Captain responded, internally trying to figure out how to cover the planet without spreading the Task Force far too thin - perhaps satellite relays set to orbit the planet. The Inquisitor didn’t need to tell him of the consequences of failure.

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Imperial Garrison RX-271-1

There were few cities on this planet; none of the settlements exceeded the thousands in terms of inhabitants. The main garrison for the planet was situated in the largest settlement, whose name bordered on the unpronounceable for the Imperial officers and soldiers. The settlement, labelled Settlement A-193 on Imperial maps, was largely a trading centre, set on the confluence of three rivers and bordered on a large mountain range. Most of the surrounding land was used for herding large groups of animals whose fur was used for making textiles.

“What’s on the schedule for today, Captain?” Colonel Atonai Midosea asked, giving the native serving girl assent to leave his office. His eyes drank in the sight of her until the closing door forced them to turn, almost unwillingly, to Captain Yzalli.

“There’s an issue with some of the outposts towards the forests and mountains sir,” the Captain began. “We’ve not received any reports from them for about a week.”

The Colonel’s eyebrow raised, and the Captain shifted.

“This isn’t a rare event, Captain,” the Colonel said, leaning back in his seat. The Captain stood straighter.

“Sir, we regularly receive reports of no consequence. This is a quiet planet. But we’ve always received something. There has been no word from the outposts for about a week.”

The Colonel sighed. “What do you think then, Captain? An uprising?”

“Perhaps, sir,” he replied. “I recommend that a detachment is sent to the outposts to ascertain the situations there. We’d have received some sort of communication if it were simply a technological failure of some kind; they’d have sent someone back here for parts.”

Midosea nodded, his bored expression turning into one of thoughtful interest.

“Well, it looks like we’ll need to organize another punitive expedition of sorts. It’s getting boring around here, so I’ll lead it. What about our orbiting guests? Have we any word from them aside from their clearance codes?” The Colonel asked. Captain Yzalli shook his head.

“No sir,” he answered. “They seem to be waiting for something.”

“We are along a major hyperspace route. It’s likely they’re just waiting for the rest of their fleet before they move on,” Colonel Midosea said, an annoyed expression displacing the slight excitement he’d been expressing at the thought of a ‘punitive expedition’. “Though we should have been notified that a merger would be taking place. I’ll write a message against this lack of discipline and disregard for procedure when I return. Organize the expedition, would you, Captain Yzalli?”

The Captain, eager to return to his own native ‘servant’ nodded, and saluted. The Colonel’s hand waved dismissively, and the Captain left, troop numbers and thoughts of civil unrest mixed in with the mysteriously enchanting eyes of Maeve, his servant.

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Aboard the Cuirassier-class Heavy Cruiser Judgement - Orbiting RX-271

What had been a plan for a quick insertion and destroy had changed, due to the uncharacteristically slow response from Inquisitor Helghast. The delay had irritated Inquisitor Vel Aath mightily, such that she had visibly restrained herself from killing some of her inferiors.

“It’s been three days,” the Inquisitor said, staring out the viewport at the serene looking planet. “We cannot wait for Inquisitor Helghast anymore.”

“But Inquisitor, we barely have enough men to hold the main garrison. How can we eradicate them all from this planet with our numbers alone?”

The Inquisitor’s stony gaze quieted the Lieutenant, who gulped and looked down at the glossy black of the conference table.

Vel Aath’s own eyes drifted from the Lieutenant to the hologram of the planet rotating silently. Small lines of text gave details of the concentrations and movements of Imperial forces on the planet with lines connecting the blocs of text with the areas that they described.

“We won’t be alone,” the Inquisitor finally said. The assembled heads of the task force shared a confused glance, and looked back up at the face of Inquisitor Vel Aath through the glow of the holographic planet.

“Prepare for insertion to Garrison RX-271-1,” she commanded. “Every soldier. Every transport. We’ll start from the first, largest garrison, and move onto the smaller ones when we can. But we won’t be doing it alone.”

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Dhomanda A’lainn, Baile Átha Cliath - Imperial Garrison RX-271-1

It was a day that would live on the spoken memory of her people, of the town, for centuries.

***

The communique was brief.

Inquisitor Vel Aath landing with orders from HIM, assuming command of RX-271. Present all soldiers and staff in drill square for inspection at 0900.

Captain Yzalli sighed, and handed the printed flimsy to Lieutenant Caller.

“Inquisitors, sir? Her Imperial Majesty is sending Inquisitors here? Why?” The Captain favoured Caller with a look of exasperated indifference.

“Does it matter?” Yzalli replied. “Whatever the case, send the word throughout the base to fall into formation on the field at 0845. Let the patrols continue. Whoever she is, we can survive a reprimand for that.”

“Sir.”

The next half-hour held more activity than the base usually saw for an entire day. When the transports landed, the place looked pristine. When the transports landed, the Captain felt the first misgivings sprout in his mind.

The ramps lowered, and a woman stepped out, bedecked in black armour and a red cape, a cylinder bouncing from her hip.

“Inquisitor,” the Captain said, bowing. “I am pleased to welcome you to RX-271. The natives call it Domanda Alin.”

“This is all there are?” she asked, scrutinizing the soldiers standing at attention. Black armoured soldiers marched from the transports. The Captain frowned at the sight of them.

“Er, yes. The Colonel regrets being unable to meet you, as he is on an expedition right now. He is seeing to the well being of some of the outposts. With most of the soldiers.”

“That makes things both easier and more difficult,” she said. The Captain looked at her questioningly.

“How so?”

She never answered his question. An explosion ripped its way through the communications tower, and the black armoured soldiers were firing into the assembled ranks of Stormtroopers. A blade of red energy had jumped into her hand, and he could feel it burning through his body. The pain was both intense and muted, and Captain knew he was dying. The blade was pulled out of him, and he collapsed to his knees. The woman strode off, sure of his demise.

Around him was complete chaos. Some of the Stormtroopers had managed to escape into the base itself, and people were running everywhere. Bodies littered the ground, and before he lost consciousness, Captain Yzalli noted that not one of them wore black armour.

***

The base had been subdued within half an hour. There were still some pockets of resistance in the city itself, but not a word had been breathed on the planetary comm channels, and though the noise and smoke would get some attention, it would be some days before they had to worry about the Colonel and his ‘punitive expedition’. Vel Aath was irritated at the coincidence, as that thousand strong force was about as strong as her regiment. And there were still secondary garrisons to consider, scattered about the planet.

The Captain, Ramorum Yzalli, was being held in a cell at the moment, still unconscious.

“Inquisitor,” an Inquisitorial Sergeant broke into her thoughts. She turned, and the trooper pushed a woman forward. “This one speaks Basic and the native language.”

Vel Aath nodded.

“Can you understand me?” she asked. The girl nodded. Vel Aath shook her head as if amused. “Speak. If you cannot speak I have no use for you.”

“Y-yes. I speak.”

“Good. Now I understand you don’t have a writing system for your language, correct?”

Veskasa watched as the city-folk cleaned up the base’s remnants. Already the regiment’s engineers were planning to rebuild the facility, along with the main Inquisitorial stronghold that was to be based in the mountains.

“No,” the girl replied as soon as she understood the Inquisitor was not going to look at her for answers. “We do not.”

“We will have to remedy that,” the Inquisitor murmured, before speaking in her normal, commanding tone of voice. “I want messages sent to the clans of the surrounding area. All clan heads and warriors are to assemble here within a week, or they will be killed, down to the children and goats.”

Vel Aath turned to look at the girl, who was frozen stiff in surprise and fear.

“Do it now, before I find someone else, more willing, who can.”

The girl ran off, leaving the Inquisitor to look at the rubble of the Imperial base and see in her mind’s eye the tower that would rise in its place.

[Y'roth Helghast]

Task Force Witch Hammer came out of hyperspace just before RX-271. The timing was much later than Inquisitor Helghast had anticipated, however other events had stalled their arrival. If those other events had not been essential, the Inquisitor would not have expended the time. It was fortunate that the Inquisitoriate was such a stalwart entity because the initial reports that had been intercepted from Inquisitor Vel Aath were very promising.

Captain Rawlson, lead fleet officer and commander of the Soul Eater, the flag ship, of the Task Force turned to face the stoic Inquisitor who stood in the back of the bridge, ominously observing everything that was going on.

"Inquisitor, communications have been established with Task Force RX-271. They are patching you through to Inquisitor Vel Aath."

The tall man, with swept-back, black hair, and a face with an expression colder than any human turned his gaze from the abyss of information he was viewing with his neural implants and looked at Captain Rawlson. The fleet officer felt something inside him shiver, nothing physical, more like his soul. Inquisitor Helghast's eyes then turned back to the stars and the light of his red eye shifted sightly, indicating that he was once again viewing more incoming data.

A communications officer raised their hand to signify that Task Force RX-271 had reached Inquisitor Vel Aath. Helghast needed no prompt at this point. He spoke and Rawlson was sure he saw a few of the shipmates jump in their seats. It was good to have a figure of such imposing fear about the bridge, made for excellent discipline. Y'roth Helghast spoke and his voice was carried to the planet below via enhanced, encrypted signal.

"Inquisitor Vel Aath. Task Force Witch Hammer has arrived in orbit. What is your current status?"

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

Three more days had passed before the clan heads and their warriors arrived, and the main wall for the base was now erected completely, and the natives were now digging the sub-levels out, while the engineers set up the foundation of what was being called the Black Tower by the natives. Atrapes had been firm in his desire to use as much stone as durasteel in its construction. This baffled Vel Aath somewhat, but she followed his orders completely. The procession of clan heads and their warriors was a shorter than she would have assumed - only 200 to 300 strong. Even so, she made sure the black armoured Inquisitorial Troopers flanked them as they entered, to show them who was in power here. Some of them didn’t seem to care for the danger, and Vel Aath respected that. It would be a useful trait for the work she wanted them to do.

“They do not like being threatened like that,” the girl said, looking tired and afraid.

Vel Aath did not respond, as one warrior stared at her severely, saying something to the men behind him, making them laugh.

“He said that if he had known the Strangers had sent a woman, they must have weakened considerably since the time they had first arrived. And he would have come only to show her what he thinks of being commanded by a woman.”

Vel Aath regarded the man for a moment, and then raised her hand toward him. He began to choke, and the men shifted back a step, their eyes widening, and murmuring to themselves. Some stepped forward, but the clan heads stopped them, regarding the Inquisitor with more than a little wariness, while the warrior collapsed, dead.

“That is why the Empire has chosen me to lead here,” Vel Aath said. The girl translated her words with a wavering voice.

“Inquisitor,” a trooper marched up to her, and saluted. “We have a message from Inquisitor Helghast. He has arrived and wishes to make contact.”

“I will accept the transmission here,” she said, an idea forming.

“Yes Inquisitor,” the trooper responded, and gestured to two other troopers behind him. They staggered up, carrying a large holoprojector between them, and placed it on the ground. Vel Aath moved to stand in front of the transmitter.

The clan heads shifted a bit when Helghast’s figure blinked into existence. He was intimidating after all, and Vel Aath smiled. When he started speaking, the silence behind her had a weight all its own.

“Translate,” she commanded the girl, who nodded quickly and began to jabber out as much as she could of the male Inquisitor’s words. Her speech was halting, but clear.

“Inquisitor Helghast," she replied, nodding when he had finished. "Our current situation is secure, though the main garrison, a force about a regiment and a half in strength, was out of the base at the time of the attack. There are smaller outposts with attachments to them as well. They are still at large. We have a force about a regiment in strength at our present location, settlement RX-271-1. It is believed that the former commander is now aware of the nature of our orders and is trying to flee for his safety.”

[Y'roth Helghast]

Inquisitor Vel Aath had a cold beauty that even a heartless machine of a human like Helghast could appreciate, like a duelist admiring a saber of master craftsmanship. Inquisitor Atrapes had chosen well it appeared from the reports that IMP was collecting from Vel Aath's Task Force.

"Task Force Witch Hammer is capable of implementing the Exterminatus Doctrine, if necessary, Inquisitor Vel Aath. For now, I can engage the outermost outposts at once while you push forward from your position and we can meet in the middle."

The holographic image of Helghast flickered as his optical implant flashed with a greater flux of information.

"What information have you gathered concerning the Jedi that used this place as her refuge and any known associations? I see no reports concerning that subject."

The fleet of Task Force Witch Hammer was already starting to move already in accordance with Helghast's mentioned strategy which IMP had already translated into operational orders for each element that would be making planet fall. Inquisitor Helghast was also implementing the measures to be taken when it came time to conduct mass executions to ensure that any underground force adepts were rooted out. The fact that a known Jedi could hide amongst a planet garrisoned by Imperial forces suggested a degree of complacency and rot that could only warrant one true response from an organization as loyal to the Empress and the Empire, the Exterminatus Doctrine.

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

“There is nothing to report at the moment,” Vel Aath replied, “With the garrison commander still at large and with soldiers, I have not been able to spare any operatives or begin a thorough search of the planet. Probes have been released, but I doubt we will see any effective information coming from them, other than a more up to date reconnaissance and topographical map of the planet.”

The men behind her shifted as a group while a group of three probe droids floated past. They had undoubtedly seen some of the technology that the Empire had brought to its base here before, but that had been only a small part of the technical superiority of the galaxy-wide government. Large machines - cranes and the like - had been ferried down and were now, under the supervision of the Inquisitorial Corps’ engineers that she had brought with her, speeding up the construction of the Imperial base that would be set up here. Scores of native workers hauled the dirt out with crude sleds, and were pulling the foundation stones, most of them several tonnes, into position.

“I will be ready to march on the commander within two days at most. Our satellite network over the planet will be complete by tomorrow. Then he will be crushed. With your arrival, we can begin much more quickly, but they still must be exterminated before we may begin our investigations in earnest.”

[Y'roth Helghast]

"Be ready to assault as soon as your satellite network is complete, no later than tomorrow at dusk."

Helghast refused to allow the rot to entrench itself within the planet and turn this into a protracted engagement. Inquisitor Atrapes might have plans for this planet as indicative of the ground work noted in construction reports but Helghast had clarified the intent of his presence for the sake of efficiency. As much as he desired to support all facets of the Empire's work, he recognized the finite resources, namely time, and made do with what he had. He expected other loyal servants of the Empress to do the same.

"I will forward you my projected strategy immediately. Submit your operations order and IMP will make the coordination. Veritas Vincit, Inquisitor Vel Aath."

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

“I said at the most, Inquisitor Helghast,” Vel Aath reminded him, a small hint of indifference and cold humour in her tone, lost though it would be on her ally. “In fact, order the ships in orbit to have it done by morning; the synchronization of data may be bit off by the time we attack, but all we need is his location, nothing more. The probe droids can do the rest. I am forwarding the operations order now.”

The holoprojecter whirred as the repulsors started, giving the watching natives something to wonder about; they had seen the Scout Troopers though, and once they’d acclimated to the idea of the projector, the sight of it floating was something they could easily accept as well.

“Veritas Vincit, Inquisitor.”

Helghast’s image flickered away, and Vel Aath checked the unit strapped to her forearm; her own way of accessing IMP, without all the implants and such that Helghast used with such skill. Helghast needed such abilities to coordinate his missions perfectly. Vel Aath’s missions were mostly scientific and reasearch based, which didn’t require the level of upgrading Helghast had. She turned to the clan heads and warriors.

“You will join me and Inquisitor Helghast in crushing the soldiers that were here. Depending on how you do, I may consider lightening the quota of labour from your tribes.”

All she’d needed to say, however, was that there was going to be a battle with the garrison soldiers. All of the warriors smiled, and shifted eagerly, while the clan heads nodded warily, noting the work being done around them.

Plans were changing, and for the better.

[Veskasa Vel Aath]

The morning dawned dark and cool, a fog hanging heavily on the slopes of the forested hills that led up to the mountains. The only good thing about these conditions were that he was as hidden from his enemies as they were from him.

He glanced at the native he was using as a guide. The boy glared at him and pointed up to the mountains, visible in the distance as dim silhouettes of great earthen spires and towers. A cave system was there, and Colonel Midosea planned on using them to enact a guerilla campaign of sorts until he could get the equipment to make a long range holographic transmitter and bypass the treasonous bastards that were mounting their attack on his command and planet.

“Sir, we have reports of movement in the forests ahead of us,” a soldier said, saluting. The Colonel frowned. “They appear to be natives from what we could see. We could not ascertain numbers or armament.”

“That's at least some relief,” the Colonel sighed. “Set up into formations and direct Third Company to attack and disperse them. Move Fifth Company along their right flank to guard. We shouldn't need artillery or armour. Move the army along behind the lead elements and stay on guard. Losses should be kept to a minimum.”

“Yes sir,” the soldier responded and went to relay the orders.

---------------

“The auxiliaries report that the Garrison force is moving forward towards their position,” the Inquisitorial Lieutenant reported. Inquisitor Vel Aath nodded.

“Inquisitor Helghast's plans are to commence an attack when air support begins its firing into the enemy's positions. Move our troops into position. It won't be long now.”

Vel Aath didn't bother surveying the map in front of her. She knew some tactics, to be sure, but she was well aware her forte was not military tactics and strategy, but knowledge of the Force and a good number of sciences, as well as interrogation techniques and other skills. Combat itself was a skill she was versed in. A blaster pistol and lightsabre hilt rested on her hip, ready and waiting to be used.

She almost couldn't wait for the attack to begin.