I gave you an order!!

He was only 25 years old, and never experienced anything remotely close to combat, and he was thankful for it. It wasn't until the fleet was mobilized and sent on it's way that everything began to go downhill. They called it the 'Campaign of Reclamation' or 'Age of Reclamation', he'd heard numerous different versions of it, it didn't exactly matter to him. He was proud to serve. They all were. They were told outside of their borders were dozens of colonies, dozens of systems, waiting, begging to return to the fold of the Empire. That they needed to be liberated from the Facists, Pirates, and corrupt governments that run them. He truly believed in the cause. And they were told nothing. Only what the Empire wanted them to know. 

"Victory over the Facist government of Laos', as the locals celebrate their return to the Empire!" The military news would say, "Rebels fighting against the Puppet regime on Zeta Prime today welcomed the return of imperial forces, who helped them secure the system today, bringing the Shipyards of Harlus back under the Imperial banner!"

It was all propaganda of course, but there was some truth to it all. Many colonies were far better off under the banner of the Empire before it's defeat. The Terran puppet governments truly were either corrupt or too weak to protect their own citizens. Piracy was such a minor part of space-faring before the war.. then after.. it exploded. That too, was the fault of the Terrans. They took all of Xenon's ships, and just handed them out to whomever. They didn't really think about who they were giving them to, or cared. Yeah.. there was propaganda alright. But the truth was there. He knew this Campaign was not only about taking back much needed territory, but it served the purpose of training the inexperienced Azen military for the fight to come. And it was going smoothly. 

Until Aowala.

The system was fortified. Or so they were told. The strongest influence of the Terrans was right here, and to take the rest of the sector, the needed to cut the head off the snake right here and now. It was all fucking civilians. The defensive relays were all civilian space stations. The fleets defending 'military convoys' were actually defending fleeing refugees. It was a clusterfuck. It was... it was a massacre. 

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

"Picking up an additional four ships, bearing about 200 kilometers away."

"Copy that, bringing up display now."

The display across the deck switched from their former target and enemy combatant fleet to the silhouettes of four vessels, rapidly fleeting from the Imperial fleet

"Lieutenant Aki, what's the reading."

Aki's augmented ears twitched slightly at her name and she turned to the screen, reading through a list. "Three freighters, 2 Lambert Class Heavy Freighters, and a Stokov Industries Light 'Kuvko' class light freighter. One Escort. Stalwart class Corvette."

Lieutenant Eto scrolled through his screens. His four eyes skimming through the data being brought in from other allied ship readings, and the ship's systems themselves. There was a radio frequency being sent out. The ships were sending out an S.O.S on open channels. "S-sir!" Eto exclaimed, waving the admiral over, "We've an outbound transmission from the formation."

"Play it."

Eto's fingers scrolled across the panel, tapping on the screen.

The radio cracked slightly as a voice came through. It was female, panicked, and clearly afraid. "THIS IS THE FERDINAND! WE ARE BEING PURSUED BY A XENOS BATTLEGROUP! WE ARE A CIVILIAN TRANSPORT EVACUATING REFUGEES! THEY'RE FIRING ON CIVILIAN VESSELS!!" The message began to replay

"That's enough. Cut the transmission and order the Yashida to intercept outbound frequencies. Fire on all vessels."

Both Eto and Aki looked to Admiral Yu, somewhat surprised

"Sir, those are civilians!" Eto protested gesturing to the display screen "This is.. this is-"

"Lieutenant, this is war These are Pirates, and smugglers. The fleet was given it's chance to surrender and they refused. All actions against the Empire will be treated as hostilities."

"But Sir!"

"Lieutenant I believe you were given an order."

"Admiral, the group appears to be moving into position of a slipspace highway to make a jump." Aki stated turning to Yu

"Lieutenant Eto, that is an ORDER!"

Eto sat there. His hands trembling on the monitors as they moved the turrets into position, allowing the computers to take over from there. His hand over the command button to signal the systems to fire at will. Yu's eyes locked on the trembling Eto. He closed his pitch black eyes and let go before tapping at the screen. 

A barrage of fire came from the cruiser's canons, before the rest of the battlegroup unloaded a barrage on the four ships.

"The Empire has no place for scum like them." Yu muttered as the display read numerous hits across the board. The one of the freighter's slowly was consumed by a white light afterwards, before another. The corpses of the vessels listed before falling apart.

All the while every comm, every radio frequency was filled up from SOS transmissions across the system. All of them claiming to be civilian vessels. One by one the transmissions cut dead and the voices fell silent. Then there was nothing for a long while, before a friendly frequency announced: "Aowala has been captured. Glory to the empire."

Eto sat there, slumped in his seat, staring at the display. "What have we become.." he softly whispered to himself. He knew they weren't Pirates or smugglers they just shot. It was their commander trying to cool their nerves. But they all knew what they just did

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

On January 2nd 2771, the Azen Empire launched a 'Campaign of Reclamation' on many of it's former territories that had been stripped from them after the crushing defeat of the first war. (They were stripped of nearly everything. The Terrans took agricultural worlds, industrial centers, drydocks, mining facilities. They were not only declawed, but left with almost nothing. The former Territory of the Empire was divided up and puppet regimes were placed in control of them all under Terran Federation Supervision. ) But through time, the Empire rebuilt it's military. Reconnected with facilities that had gone dark, and prepared for the long haul ahead. 
The Campaign of Reclamation was the beginning of it all. They showed up to systems in number, and issued a single demand. Join peacefully, or be taken back by force. Many Nations, which were sympathetic with the plight of their former nation, and wished for it's rebuilding joined without hesitation. Their fleets and militaries assimilated. But then there were others. Which were blinded by Terran propaganda, calling them all 'Xenos' as a way to dehumanize them, to spread xenophobia and hate. These systems were blind.
-but now they all see.

Humanity will be united, for a better tomorrow. 

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

The Azen (Xenos) Empire is an Empire that expands many different systems in the free colonies, and specializing in genetic Augmentations. Medicine is cheap, and mods are a popular choice for many people. 

Previous image: 

Part of the

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwt1uu…