SaKhan Kathya Olezko finished her double-goat milk chai in the makeshift command post they had put up on Thadora’s Land. Clan Steel Viper’s Gamma Galaxy had been on the planet for a week now, with operations well underway to secure the planet. Planetary militia and Schofield’s Garrisoneers were not match for the battering ram Khan Hartford Zalman asked his second to take to the world. I should have just deployed a single cluster to this world and hit the Marian Hegemony immediately, she thought as she savored the cinnamon in her drink. With the current food shortages in the Union, this single drink was worth about as much as the datapad she was holding.

Two knocks on the frame. Kathya looked up. The massive frame of a Greenhaven Gestapo-assigned AsRoc officer and Star Captain Revan greeted her gaze. Those secret police surats always make sure they can intimidate us. “My Khan”, started Revan, “I have news from the front.” Most of the operations were going smoothly. A few populations center had been occupied with minimal opposition. The locals were not happy with it at first, but once the merchant caste and the Republic’s diplomats started dealing with them, things looked better. Minimal terrorist and partisan action troubled what they were doing for now.

“And the news is good, quiaff”, she asked, ready to dismiss the intelligence officers. The Gestapo Major Lonbello cleared his throat and replied with a falsetto tone which did not fit his physique: “Not exactly, Lady Olezka.” The saKhan put her pastry down on the plate and glared at the secret police officer. “There is someone else on Thadora’s Land,” continued Juan Lonbello. “They also have plans that go counter what we are doing.” Kathya got up and started squeezing her hands into fists rhythmically. “The Marians, I assume”, she asked, sure of herself. “No, my Khan. It appears to be someone else altogether.” Revan was much smaller than Lonbello, an Aerospace fighter phenotype, but his voice was much deeper. The saKhan did not like that.

“Star Commander Cooper attacked a targeted supply depot, and as his star was securing the area, an infantry squad destroyed documents.” The young brunette knew that. She had read that report, one of the better operations in this initial week of fighting. Lonbello took over: “Me and my men questioned the prisoners, and we analysed what was recovered. Those infantrymen and their transport VTOL were not part of the planetary militia but worked with them.” The saKhan was interested in where this was going. Maybe there would be a challenge to her Vipers on this planet after all. “We also recovered 3 Alamo-class missiles from the depot.”

Kathya Olezka stopped breathing for what felt like a minute. Nuclear weapons? Here? The Watch, AsRoc and the Burrocks had guaranteed that there were no nuclear weapons on site on Thadora’s Land. The whole point of this strike was to secure a “breadbasket” planet. The world turning into an irradiated wasteland was the opposite of what she wanted to happen. “Did you”, she started, before being interrupted by Major Lonbello. “The weapons were dismantled and disarmed, Lady Olezka.”

A sigh of relief. This could have gone sideways very quickly. “Would not the militia, or whoever brought those weapons in, need a delivery platform for those missiles? They only have light aerospace assets, as per our reports.” Star Captain Revan coughed to get Kathya’s attention. “Do you remember the recon in force we ordered in canyon country?” The saKhan nodded. A simple operation, sending a heavy combat star to make sure nothing would cause trouble. “The team recovered 6 Mechbuster ground attack planes. Just large enough to carry an Alamo missile.” The saKhan started doing the math in her head: “You said three missiles. Now six planes. Something…”

She was interrupted by the AsRoc-trained Gestapo (or was it Gestapo-trained AsRoc) officer: “So we are likely missing at least 3 missiles. Maybe more.” The saKhan flipped the field table and punched her chair in rage. The Major continued: “I gave the serial number of the missiles to one of my contacts in the Republic. He ran them by the Blessed Order. It appears these weapons are from a Circinus Federation stockpile that they had given their late president.” Star Captain Revan continued for his AsRoc counterpart: “The weapons went missing before the Federation’s collapse, likely to be put in the hands of one of the many pirates or mercenary outfit in this lawless region of space.”

SaKhan Olezka walked up to the Star Captain, grabbed him by the throat and lifted him two feet off the ground. “You listen to me”, she began. “You find those weapons, and you disable them. Then, you find whoever brought them on this world. Then, we kill every single one of them, except their commander. I want to kill him myself. Is that understood?” She dropped the Star Captain, who fell on the ground with a loud thud. “You could have killed him”, Major Lonbello continued as the Star Captain saluted and ran out of the room. The saKhan snarled at the Gestapo member before putting her table back upright. Lonbello bowed, and quickly left the room.