Chapter 3
by Falen
The organization had been fighting for freedom for nine long years. For those first two years, it was a peaceful group. They used friendly politicians and officials to try to further their agenda, staged protests to garner public support, and fought for what they believed with nothing but words. But those efforts were ineffective. The government had rebuffed it all, and the organization faltered, precariously close to utter failure. Within the organization, there were two types of members. One group, comprised of older citizens, statesmen and diplomats mostly, who wanted to keep fighting with words. The other group, mostly younger revolutionaries, wanted to use other tactics to fight for their freedom.
Their other tactics became apparent when an explosion rocked the Effinian capital of Joh-Natun in the third year of the group's opposition to the government. Yet this explosion didn't destroy a government facility, military base, or other symbol of the ruling regime. Instead, the four thermal detonators, each placed in the corner of a large durasteel structure, detonated at a meeting of many of the older members of the organization. The old leaders of the group were all killed in the blast; those who wanted to use words to oppose the government were mostly killed. The few who had somehow escaped the mass assassination went into hiding, afraid of those who had risen to the helm of the group.
Codius Zimmerden had led that uprising against the old-timers. Now he was the sole leader of the People's Free Defense Force (PFDF). He didn't regret the blood that was spilled that first day; it was for the good of the revolution. His own father's death was necessary, as well. The old man had gotten soft, leading those interested in using diplomacy to work with the government. A senile cripple, it was better for him to die.
Not that he, or his fellow diplomats, were the first. Since then bombs had been used effectively by the PFDF numerous times. Used in assassinations, murders, economic disruption, or simple terroristic activity, the explosions created by the PFDF kept the emergency service units plenty busy. And it wasn't just PFDF bombs, either. Spices, glitterstim and others, were imported and sold off to the masses to fund the PFDF, while simultaneously weakening the government's hold on the peoples' petty minds. Committed rebel groups engaged in street wars with government forces, while isolated government patrols found themselves ambushed and destroyed.
Now, after five long years of leading the organization, Zimmerden's forces had achieved a valuable victory. Hacking into government systems, infiltrating government organizations, using every technique available to them to garner more information about the rulers that they hoped to dispose of, the PFDF had uncovered a valuable secret. Effenia's core was made up of platinum. With that bargaining chip on their side, the PFDF could have a powerful tool to finally dispose of the government and take control for themselves. With that much platinum, the organization didn't even have to stop with Effinia. It could make Zimmerden into a very powerful man.
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"Guess who's back?" yelled now Second Lieutenant Davin Falen as he stepped into the main lounge of the ISD Chimaera. The room was filled with some familiar faces, and some not so familiar. A few other officers quickly came over to greet the recent return from the Imperial Naval Reserves. Other unknown officers slowly came over to introduce themselves. Soon some of the "old-timers" were wrapped up in reminiscing about past experiences, while some of the newer members of the Navy listened nearby. After a while of the stories, the topic of conversation abruptly changed.
"So where the hell are we, anyway? I never even heard of this place, Effinia or whatever, until I was told this is where I would be meeting the Chimaera. New Imperial planet, miraculously?"
"Yeah, supposedly they've got some weak government and need our help dealing with it," shared Lieutenant Phantom. “The FA had sent down what was the Chimaera regiment to help out, but we're hearing rumors that they aren't dealing with Rebels.†She continued, “Supposedly, the rumor is we're getting something out of that planet, and the troops down there are protecting it."
“Wait, hold up,†replied Falen. “What was the Chimaera regiment? It isn’t anymore?â€
“You really have been missing out, Falen,†piped up Lieutenant Commander Muscat. Muscat was the first ever Imperial squadron commander to advance past the rank of Lieutenant, but Muscat had taken it all in with his normal modest attitude. “The Legion was disbanded. They merged with the Army. The troops now on Effinia are technically the Nemesis Brigade, but they’re operating under us.â€
“Another rumor is that the Nemesis is also on its way.†It was Phantom sharing again. “Whatever’s down there is supposedly worth a lot to the Empire, and we’re making sure we keep it covered.â€
The conversation gradually shifted away from the topic of the planet over which the Chimaera now sat, silently waiting in space. It was a discussion of old times and new times, and everything that had happened since Falen’s last exit from active duty. It was good times for all, but there were no assurances that those good times would last.