Outside Grepon City
Hirkado-II, Hirkado System — Severian Principate Territory 43 ABY

With the Brotherhood on the watch, the people of Grepon City were ready. The first strike had been a preamble, testing the waters of the defenses of the system. The second strike, the pirates arrived in force, expecting slaughter and the pillage of a wealthy city.

“They really did come back,” Kora said, watching the blips on the sensors appear, ships arriving in high atmosphere.

“They smelled easy prey. We have a job to do. Let’s get some answers,” Edgar replied stoically. The pair pulled their lightsabers from their belts, as did a handful of others from the Brotherhood that had been left here waiting. Those who didn’t, pulled out their own weapons of choice. Blasters and rifles, swords and knives. The Brotherhood was no stranger to conflict, but in this situation, it was more than just fighting. It was defending the innocent, righting a wrong, and following the trail to those who sought to destroy the Principate and the Brotherhood for good.

Those in the city who were not aiding in the defense had been sent to bunker down. The streets were clear, something the pirates should have picked up on as they dropped towards the surface. But so eager were their thought of credits, they had landed and were out of their ships before they noticed what was wrong.

And by then, the Brotherhood was upon them, Edgar and Kora at the front of the defensive movement.

Read the complete fiction here.

Welcome to the seventh chapter of Parabellum, ending our third cycle adventure with the Severian Principate. In this case, the majority of you pledged to help investigate the stolen goods over helping the Principate stand more independently. As such, the Collective has gained a new system, but the Principate’s alliance with us has never been stronger.

Summary

• While investigating Edgar and Kora stop another mercenary attack on the Hirkado System.
• They discover the mercenaries are paid by the Collective to strike at Principate Systems.
• Darnic Herharl realizes he has been found out.
• Fellow Principate leaders Julibrad Whitfer and Madiaja Farhol feel overwhelming guilt and plan to confess to the rest of the Principate about selling out their goods.
• Darnic decides to change his system’s allegiance.
• Teebu representing ACE uses intel from Julibrad and Madiaja to find Tenixir Revenants Mozt Theahis and Nadee Loorlervarr.
• Mozt and Nadee confess to stealing stuff for the Collective but insist that after Coruscant, the Revenants have cut all ties with the Collective.
• They provide a location for where they would drop supplies to the Collective.
• The Principate apologizes to Dacien and Thran, as it was their own people causing the issues.
• The Principate vows to stand at the Brotherhood’s side when the war against the Collective finally kicks off.
• Darnic meets with Rath Oligard, and his system is formally welcomed into the Collective’s organization.
• Rath is annoyed about losing supplies.
• Varryn Antillus confirms their contingency plan for this happening is in place.
• The Council discusses whether it is work springing an obvious trap due to the potential of learning more of the Collective’s plan.