Sariano War 2596

[BagaturKhan]

Sariano War 2596

Chiara di Sariano, governor of Sariano system

Not far time ago, i have created with my friend Cetx 2 missions for the Zero Hour game mod Contra about Sariano events. And i really must to post the whole plot-line. This line is quite new.
I hope, its will be interesting for you.

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The star system with two suns, Walcrofta Sariano, was colonized long before the events of the Acheron Galactic War. Formally, it was subordinate to the Artandir Republic, and accordingly, was part of the Coalition of the Galaxy. But due to the great distance from the epicenter of the Milky Way galaxy, the system was granted autonomy. Most life flowed on the exoplanet Sariano-4, the fourth in the system. The rest of the planets were lifeless.
The population of the colony consisted mainly of people from Protego, Tramontina, Beljamonte, Kraskovo and the border sectors of Artandir. Governors were elected by the local population. The president of Artandir was only required to approve and sign.

While the Acheron War with the neo-fascist League broke out in the main galaxy, separatist sentiments began to grow on Sariano. In 2595, the so-called Freedom Committee emerged there, calling on the people to resist the authorities. At first, this organization existed only on the local Internet, but then its supporters increased. By order of Governor Justino Longo, everyone who was somehow connected with the Committee was arrested. It came to attacks on government officials, and then to the introduction of a curfew in several cities on the planet. Longo's police often violated Artandir legislation and resorted to violence and even shooting. All this caused a storm of discontent among the population. Longo also increased pressure on local businessmen, actually suspecting them of financing separatist-minded citizens. However, few people knew that the governor himself was the cause of everything.

Lord Commander of the Defense Forces Alevizo Prada had long suspected that Longo was the culprit behind the separatist crisis on Sariano. The situation worsened considerably in mid-2596, when the Freedom Committee called all citizens of the sector to arms. There were calls to leave Artandir and the Coalition and declare independence "from the oppressors." The Governor ordered that all potential enemies of the system be tracked down and locked up in "filtration camps." All this only worsened the situation. In early June, according to the local calendar, an armed uprising broke out on Sariano-4. Forces supporting the Committee seized several weapons factories. Mass protests took place in the cities of the main planet, turning into violent clashes with the police and Defense forces. Up to 3,000 rebels died on the first day. The losses among the security forces were slightly lower. The death toll reached 1,200 people. Within three days, the Committee had an entire army of drones. However, Lord Commander Prada understood that without the agents working in the Governor's headquarters, the rebels could not gain access to the robotics. The head of the Defense forces reported everything via "encrypted communication" to the headquarters of Lady Chiara the Beautiful, who represented President Cedric's interests in the Far Worlds. According to Prada, Longo was crossing a dangerous line and had to be removed from his governorship. Chiara promised to convey to President Cedric all the information about what was happening on Sariano-4. At the same time, fighting was already breaking out on several planets in the Sariano system. Drones launched massive strikes against the concentration of Defense troops. The Artandir garrison and the Spaddachini company, intended to protect the sector from unwanted intrusions, were destroyed.

Soon Longo gave Prada the order to destroy the Committee forces that were trying to approach the main planetary capital. He urged the Lord Commander to use all available weapons, including nuclear ones. Prada understood that poisoning the capital's environs with radiation would lead to millions of deaths. Nevertheless, he ordered the nuclear missiles to be put on combat alert, but did not approve the order to fire. The rebels were approaching the capital. They had to be driven out of the environs, dispersed and destroyed. Which is what Prada did. The Defense Forces engaged in battle with the Committee's army of drones. The robots were destroyed within eight hours. The living soldiers, subordinate to the rebels, fought reluctantly. After the artillery shelling, the rebels wavered and retreated from the capital. They lost at least 10,000 fighters, including thousands of machines. However, the drones controlled by the Committee managed to cause significant damage to the Defense Forces. Then Longo himself stirred. He announced to Prada that he thanked him for his service, and that from now on, "by the will of the True God, Sariano is free from the Coalition." It instantly became clear that the governor was personally responsible for the uprising. Moreover, he was the main financier of the Committee. Everything was further complicated by the fact that Longo did not act out of a desire to enrich himself, like the leaders of the same Freedom Committee. He considered himself the bearer of the "Higher Goal" and the future autocrat, "the ideal ruler of the new world." Prada accused the governor of treason and ordered the fighters to move to his residence. But Longo activated a mechanoid powered by Elfurr technology. He moved with loyal troops to Prada. As a result of a fierce battle in the outskirts of the capital, the governor's mechanoid was destroyed. The explosion also killed the officers who had sworn allegiance to the traitor.

Sariano-4 capital

After Longo's forces were routed and the traitor killed, Prada ordered the "filtration camps" to be vacated and then several businessmen who had allegedly suffered from the former system leader's threats to be arrested. As it turned out, they had been helping him finance the Committee and were also preparing to separate the sector from the Coalition. The businessmen claimed that Longo had behaved very strangely before the betrayal and that he had persuaded them to betray him by threatening their families. The Lord Commander listened to the traitors, but nevertheless ordered them to be taken into custody. He intended to bring them to trial so that they would pay for their actions. Soon Prada held a video conference with all of Sariano's mayors and military representatives. Aleviso announced that until all of the traitors were caught, he would become the temporary head of the system. None of the Sariano elite condemned Prada. Everyone understood that his actions were aimed at protecting the sector.

Soon Lady Chiara arrived on Sariano, accompanied by 30,000 Coalition fighters. She announced that President Cedric was appointing her acting governor. Prada agreed, given her training and experience, and not ignoring the fact of their close relationship. 30,000 fighters were deployed in several cities of Sariano-4 at once. Within a week, the new government had identified up to 10 rebel cells that had collaborated with the Freedom Committee. Longo's "swindlers" were also found, mercenaries called upon to intimidate all those "disloyal" to the former governor. There were shootouts in several regions. The mercenaries refused to surrender and died in battle. Chiara personally participated in some operations, as she had an officer's rank and combat experience in the past war with the League.

But this was far from the last test for Chiara and the Lord Commander. Several mercenaries who had previously worked for Longo blew up the orbital defense stations, bringing them down on the capital. Only the activation of the energy shields at the right time saved the situation. Otherwise, there would have been many more victims. Then came reports of a small alien armada approaching Sariano-4. The aliens never made contact. However, the hulls of their insect-like ships clearly showed images of "crying faces." Prada immediately realized that Longo was not just a traitor. He clearly knew that an alien fleet was heading to the system, and was obviously collaborating with them. Chiara ordered that weapons be distributed to all Sarians who knew how to use them, so that they could protect the system. The aliens tried to land within the capital of Sariano-4, where battles with Longo's forces had recently taken place. But Artandir reinforcements of Chiara managed to destroy their landing shuttles. Some stormtroopers still landed within the city. There they were met with fire from tanks and heavy artillery. The aliens tried to attack the Sarians' positions with drones, but this option did not work either. Chiara's troops went on the offensive and destroyed all the aliens on the surface. Then nuclear strikes were launched against the invaders' ships. The Sarians launched at least 10 warheads. This ended with the destruction of the command ship in orbit. The aliens retreated, suffering heavy losses. At the same time, several copies of their technology remained on the planet's surface, which Chiara found interesting.

Thus, the new governor of the system, together with the loyal Lord Commander of the Defense, managed to defend Sariano and push back the invaders. President Cedric, having learned of the victories in the distant sector, ordered that Chiara (who became known as Chiara of Sariano) and Aleviso Prada be awarded urgently.
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[BagaturKhan]

Chiara`s Defense Forces

Chiara's troops showed the greatest effectiveness not so much in the confrontation with Longo's mercenaries, but with the invasion of sinister aliens. It is not for nothing that Governor Chiara has now begun to be compared with the most prominent female commanders of the Coalition, such as Admiral Ahmanet User-Kaf or Admiral Katarina Valarti.

Chiara's corps includes not only representatives of the various human states of the Coalition, but also aliens. For example, among the 30,000-strong corps, one could find Nicomedian medics and Zenovian engineers.
The soldiers were well trained. After all, the War with the Acheron League had just recently taken place, and it was this conflict that became a kind of "training ground" for these warriors.
There are no neophites, only the strong spec-ops veterans and proffesionals (in Arthandir lang it sounds as "Legio Veteranii".

After the victory in Sariano-4, by the order of president Cedric there was formed the special division with name "Chiara`s Defense Forces". To serve in these forces became the honour for any soldier.

[BagaturKhan]

The true reason of the Longo betrayal

In fact, the true reason for Longo's betrayal was a banal obsession. The governor had no control over himself before committing treason. Many businessmen who knew him well claimed that Justino Longo had changed a lot. He was strange, spoke very fast, his eyes were "running", his skin was white and painful.

The Enchanting Stone (Cursed Stone) was to blame. It was this thing which confused Longo's mind and destroyed his personality. But the one who controlled the governor obviously knew that the planet Sariano-4 would soon be subjected to a massive attack by unknown extraterrestrials. So it is reasonable to say that the system leader was nothing more than a puppet. Longo had special locket with Enchanting Stone within. Some people saw it and after the investigation process start, they informed about it lord-commander. This arthefact was destroyed in the governor`s mechanoid in the city battle.

After the alien attack and information about Stone, Aleviso Prada clearly noted in a conversation with the military council that Longo should not be considered a real traitor. But those who carried out his orders (mainly for the sake of reward) were worthy of severe punishment. The mercenaries who blew up the planet's defense systems clearly knew that the governor was not himself, but their work for the aliens was voluntary.