Admiral Piett wrote:He stages a coup against the federation and if I recall correctly he reintroduces the sieg heil as salute among his supporters...
HEHEHE
Pt 2 of FOTE snipped for good parts.....once again, SPOILAGE APPLIES
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As the meeting was wrapping up, the Defence minister spoke
again. "Well... Mister President.. I must have your leave
shortly. I'm to be at a military parade in Moscow in honour of
the soldiers killed repelling the first Imperial invasion, and I
need to make it to a transporter pad. Can't let Sheppard upstage
me, afterall." Kirk looked up, a bit concerned. "Let Sheppard
upstage you?" The Minister of Defence grimaced. "He's in Toulon,
France, dedicating the first ACR of Hovertanks, Self-propelled
Artillery, and IFVs and the new control station for the
planetary shields and orbital defences. You'd have thought that
the human rest had left petty concerns like popularity and
influence pandering behind a long time ago."
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Toulon, France, that same time.
"With our new defensive installations in place, Toulon, France,
will be the coordination center for a total of Five hundred and
four orbital platforms over Earth. These platforms will be fully
devoted to generating high powered shields, and will be
supported by a series of interlapping canopy shields across the
planet, and a prototype planet-wide ground generated shield
that will also be generated here, and will support the platform
interlocking shield system. Finally, a scrambling field will
also be generated from Toulon in times of emergencies, and it
will prevent the use of transporters planet-wide. I assure you,
citizens of Toulon, your city will go a long way towards helping
in the defence of Earth. I thank you for your bravery and
cooperation in helping with the establishment of this facility!
With our defensive system, now based in your proud city, Earth
cannot fall! Hail Victory!" He raised his hand as he said that,
and the crowd cheered like mad. Mark Sheppard smiled, of course,
a bright smile for the crowds, though he would have rather
preferred a bit of a proud smirk. Some things simply never
changed.
"And now, people of Toulon, people of Earth, I'd like to
present to you the HHT-M-129... The King Tiger Heavy Hovertank!
An odd, treadless, skirted vehicle, something whiring loudly
beneath it, moved into the roped off area.. The vehicle was
huge, yet sleeker than the average treaded tank... Still, a
block, heavy vehicle. The barrel impressively intimidating,
studded with light weapons and missile launchers as well, in a
traditional camoflauge scheme. "This craft has been designed
with purely human technology.. A hallmark of our innovative
ability!" He cried out.. "The main gun is the heaviest yet
mounted on such a vehicle.. And, indeed, the first to go into
our inventory. The King Tiger's main weapon is a Two hundred
milimetre Railgun equipped with armour piercing shells of a new
design.. A weapon that is capable of penetrating the armour of
the heaviest of Imperial attack vehicles!" The crowd cheered
wildly at that; parity with the Imperials was badly wanted.
Sheppard smiled again, as another, smaller tank design
approached. "And this is the HLT-M-120.. A light version of the
King Tiger, which we have named the Panther. The Panther is
armed with a one hundred milimeter railgun and is a perfect
support vehicle for our hovertank regiments. Both designs, and
those for Armoured Personnel Carriers, Scout vehicles and mobile
artillery, will have ground-effect skirted blades, producing an
air cushion that allows the tank to hover within the ground-
effect limits, near Earth. These designs will be capable of far
greater speeds, on par with Imperial repulsorlift tanks. The
Empire might be strong, but the innovation and bravery of Earth
and humanity will triumph! With these new vehicles, the freedom
of humanity will be defended, and Earth will never fall to
outside attack! Our glorious society will last ten thousand
years! Hail Victory! Hail Victory! Hail Victory!" As Mark
Sheppard led the cheering crowd in what could be described as a
rather long rant, but one they drowned in the pure fury of, he
felt his heart surge with pride. He would be victorious. It was
now only a matter of time.
Red Square, Moscow.
The Minister of Defence for the United Federation of Planets
stood on the podium at attention. With him were a few fleet
officers and a large number of army officers in their dark grey
uniforms. Infront of them was the parade. Martial, solemn,
unlike the fury of Sheppard's rally in Toulon. Tanks rolled on
their treads in formation, thousands of them, along with mobile
artillery and rocket batteries, and armoured personnel carriers
and all terrain vehicles. Barrels of the tanks' guns elevated,
the massive anti-orbit missiles on the heaviest of the wheeled
and treaded rocket artillery pieces, rolling by in an endless
procession of the replicated might of the Federation's army.
Primitive enough by Imperial standards that the vehicles could
have fit in at such a parade during the 20th century in the same
location without many eyebrows raised.. Atleast, as long as
nobody looked inside... they could still fight, and that's all
that mattered. The commanders of the tanks sat rigidly at
attention, their cupolas opened, hands straightened in salute as
they passed in review, the regimental standards raised high over
the command tracks. On the far side of the parade route, just
across from the viewing podium, a band played.. heavy,
depressing music.. Martial, yet more appropriate for a funeral
than anything else. The citizens of Moscow watched drearily in
their heavy winter clothing... There was snow on the ground. It
was late November. Some things would never change... The
foremost of those was the pragmatic acceptance shown by the
people of Russia. 'Nichevo'.. It can't be helped. The massed
regiments continued to pass in view, as the Minister of Defence
wondered why he'd come. He was simply freezing in the atrocious
weather, but the parade ended before he got hypothermia. Then,
one of the generals turned towards him. "Minister, shall we
adjurn to the Greater Russian Defensive Command Post?" It was a
chance to get out of the cold. He leaped at it. "Certainly,
General Borodino." The man smiled. It wasn't terribly
pleasant. "I'll send for my car." The Minister frowned. "What
about using transporters?" The smile got thinner. "No need to
waste energy." The Minister waited for the car, and hoped it
would get there soon.
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. Greater Russia Defence Command Center.
Minister of Defence Joseph Mackensen had discovered that
Russians kept their buildings just as hot as the outdoors was
cold. Instead of freezing, he'd been sweating to death inside
the command center, and finally General Borodino, after drinking
out of a flask Mackensen suspected did NOT contain synthehol,
offered to take him outside, along the perimeter and the Moskva
river, for a walk to let him cool off. It was already after dark
in Moscow, as well.. A pleasent nighttime stroll would be nice.
And now they were there, walking alongside the shore of the
frozen river. Borodino laughed heartily. "Shall we walk on the
ice, Joseph Nathanovich?" He frowned. "Is it safe?" Another
hearty laugh. "Of course! This time of year, it's thick all the
way across!" Mackensen shrugged, and turned to the Ice, walking
slowly onto the frozen river, Borodino following, in his
footsteps, a bit back. Mackensen smiled, enjoying the rather
childlike sensation, as the snow came down lightly. Neart mid-
river, he stepped.. And the ice cracked, and he fell right
through into the frigid water. Treading desperatedly, he reached
for the slippery ice, trying to pull himself out, screaming to
Borodino for help. But instead of helping, the general calmly
drew his pistol, taking a silencer off his belt and screwing it
on. When Mackensen managed to gain a slight grip on the
slippery, wet ice, the heel of one of Borodino's boots came
slamming down on his hand, and with a crack of broken bone and a
cry of pain, the Minister of Defence's hand slid back into the
water. Borodino leveled the silenced pistol at Mackense's
forehead and fired one shot, killing him instantly. Then, as the
water swept the body under the ice, Borodino turned around and
walked back calmly to shore.
San Francisco, Earth, several hours later, at the Federation
Council Chambers.
Sheppard was standing in the press room. "And so, I must
regret to inform you that Minister of Defence Joseph Mackensen
was killed, when he stepped on loose ice in the Moskva river,
and fell in the waters. His death was accidental, according to
the eyewitness testimony of General Nicholai Sergeyovich
Borodino, and it surely touches at all. Worse yet, his talents
are lost at a desperate time in Federation's history. Therefore,
I have hastily chosen a temporary successor. I'd like to
introduce to all of you Cecelia Gunmundersdottir, the new Acting
Minister of Defence for the United Federation of Planets!"
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Captain Kirk, Maria Christoph, and four security guards moved
silently through the quiet streets of San Francisco that night.
They were going to meet the President of the UFP in secret; They
needed to discuss further plans to prevent Sheppard from having
total control of the ground armies of Earth. As they walked
through one plaza, though, a public announcement screen placed
there for civil defence emergencies came on. "Warning! Warning!"
The screen announced, as the UFP's symbol flashed on, and then a
stunned broadcaster appeared. "I have this urgent report from
Starfleet command! Imperial ships have been sighted in orbit..
The planetary shield is being raised. All citizens are to report
to Defence Program One, I.." Kirk ignored the droning of the
worried broadcaster, and the crowd of people that was quickly
gathering, as he pulled out his communicator and flipped it
open. "Spock.. Report!" There was a brief pause, and then,
through static. "A major Imperial fleet as arrived off Luna,
Captain. Sensor scans indicate on Executor class Commandship,
six Shockwave class Heavy Cruisers, eighteen Allegiance class
Light Cruisers, fifty four Imperators, eighteen Dominators, and
some four hundred lesser craft. Also.. An estimated ten five
point four kilometer long transports are within the center of
the fleet's formation. The fleet has made no hostile moves
whatsoever; They have not even launched fighters, and have only
raised their shields." Kirk frowned deeply. To use a phrase he
rather liked.. That was damned peculiar. Several times
over. "Any communications from the fleet, Spock?" A brief
pause. "Only one message.. Most curious, Captain.. Directed
towards Earth. It was short, and audio only. 'It is time.'" Kirk
froze. "It is time?" There was more crackling of static. Kirk
winced, and heard Spock's voice again. "es, that is correct,
Captain. Nothing else." And then Kirk heard a stunned gasp from
some members of the crowd. He looked towards the screen. The
image had been replaced with a solid red background, a silver-
black eagle in each corner, and a white diamoned in the center
with a black, winged hammer within it. Directly below that white
diamond was what looked like.. Nordic Runes. A moment later,
that image vanished, and was replaced by a camera view angling
over a huge crowd, packing a wide street in some city center on
Earth.. An older city, one largely unchanged and having had
survived WW III, it looked like.. And, as it continued to pan,
reavealing atleast two hundred thousand people, it reached a
building at the end of the large plaza, and immedietly focused
in on that building. Kirk inhaled sharply in recognition.
The Reichstag building in Berlin.
Then the image flashed to another camera, one looking to a
large podium directly infront of the Reichstag building, which
was currently being used as a museum. Or had been. On the podium
where seven very important people. Four Generals in the UFP
Earth Defence Army, Acting Defence Minister Cecelia
Gunmundersdottir, Johannes Krupp, a close personal friend of
Mark Sheppard, and Mark Sheppard himself. With the exception of
Johannes Krupp, who was wearing a conservative 20th century
styled buisness suit, they all wore dark grey military uniforms
with red armbands, the white diamond with winged black hammer
insignia prominent on them. Cecelia's uniform was gender
specific, with a skirt or possibly kilt slightly more than knee
length. She didn't wear a peaked cap, all the others in uniform
did, with prominent silver/black eagles on them. Behind them
was a massive, long red banner bearing the same white-diamond
insignia, with the black/silver eagle above it, and runes below,
draped from the Reichstag building. Flags of the same style were
flapping in the breeze, huge ones, from two flag poles on either
side of the podium. It was just sunrise there, the sun
backlighting the stage partially, casting huge shadows. Spock
was calling over the communicator for Kirk to answer. Kirk
couldn't.. Focused on the screen intently. And then Sheppard
began speaking.
"People of Earth. The time has come for a change. You have been
held in the grip of a tyrannical communist police state for to
long! Repression, conformity, society over the individual. These
were the evil tenents of the Federation. These are the things
that have repressed you. The brutal thought police of the
Federation and their accursed 'Rehabilitation Centers' have
turned tens of thousands into near-mindless zombies simply for
being different. Some of the most creative people our race has
ever produced had some chemical differences in their brains,
including Zephram Cochrane. These people the Federation have all
but exterminated; My chief military commander, Marshall
Gunmundersdottir, is one of the few who still has her mental
faculties intact. The stories of brutal repression many of my
people can tell you would sicken you, but the Federation, with
the help of the so-called rogue organization 'Section 31' have
hidden these truths from you, and turned humanity into a mockery
of it's self." He smiled brightly. "But in doing so, they made
themselves weak to invasion. And they had to turn to someone who
still knew how to think freely to defend them from the Galactic
Empire.. Me. And I realized that it was in my power to free the
people of Earth, of the Federation, and give you a government
that you the basic freedoms that have been witheld for so long
from you!" He raised his hand in the air, a finger pointed to
the sky more than anything else as he shook that hand and
shouted. "In the sky above us.. An Imperial fleet sits!! BUT
THAT IMPERIAL FLEET DOES NOT ATTACK!" He face was flushed red
now, with adreneline coursing through his veins as he
shouted. "It does not attack! It does not attack because I have
ASKED them not to.. And they have agreed!" Kirk's worst fears
were realized in a heartbeat. The crowd fell silent around that
display screen. "The agreement is simple.. There are enough
planets for the Empire in this galaxy without the Federation. If
you throw off the yokes of Communist Opression, then the Empire
will fully honour a treat recognizing the sovereignty of the
former Federation... Which shall now be called the United Human
Confederacy of Earth!!" He grinned with pride, his hand
clenching into a fist. "We can rise up, and smash the chains of
opression! WE MUST! Evil cannot triumph! Communism is the source
of all the wickedness that has plagued us. Your leaders have
turned you all into mindless drones.... NO MORE!! NO MORE!! Join
with me.. Follow my lead, fight against the Federation! Toss
aside the opressors.. The freedom to live how you choose is
your's for the taking!! This is the time of judgement, I tell
you! Let true men, true sons and daughters of our beloved Earth,
our Holy Terra, Rise up, and defeat their communist overlords!!!
I SAY! RISE UP! RISE UP! RISE UP, AND BECOME LIKE THE WIND! LET
YOURSELVES BECOME A TORRENT! A GREAT RIVER, A GREAT GALE! TOSS
ASIDE YOUR OPRESSORS! IN THE NAME OF THE GODS OF ASGARD AND
VALHALLA, OF ALL THAT YOU HOLD HOLY, RISE UP AND BE LIKE THE
WIND!!!" He was screaming at the top of his lungs, as the crowd
before him stirred, the people near Kirk stirred, everyone who
heard him stirred; one way or another. There would be, there
could be, no neutrality in this. And then, his deafening speech
reached it's crescendo... "HAIL VICTORY! HAIL VICTORY! HAIL
VICTORY!"Each time, his right hand shot up in what could be
called a half-hearted stop signal from a traffic cop. But Kirk
recognized that old salute, as the officers and Johannes Krupp
brought their hands up with each salute in another version. The
meaning could be many, but whatever, the intent was clear. An
old way of life was rising on Earth. After the second world war,
they had said it would never happen again. The Colonel Greene
had proven them wrong. After Colonel Greene and the third world
war.. People turned towards space and the dreams of the
Federation. But from space had come those who's demeanour was an
eerie replica of that of ages on Earth long gone, and from Earth
had risen up those who would only to quickly return to it. Kirk
thought, Kirk was certain, the Federation of today had it's bad
points.. But now.. This had come to pass. There was no hope for
reform.. Just the choice. Kirk knew where his loyalties lay. He
would stand by the Federation to his death. Even if it meant..
fighting those who had been born on the same planet he had, in
open war. The most sickening sight was how the crowd responding,
roaring out the hail the three times, and then again and again
as Sheppard led them through it with never-tiring fury,
saluting, shaking fists to the sky, and trembling with rage. And
here, to, Kirk heard it from off the vid, some of the people in
the crowd doing the same... And then they saw the men and women
in starfleet uniforms in their midst.. And Kirk saw a pure
hatred and fury in their eyes that nearly frightened him. It was
beginning.
