Akuin Yuklón: Jackpot

COMMAND CENTER, CRUGI MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, A-DISTRICT, 

 CRUGI-OCCUPIED SAN FRANCISCO. 

 Nekus Akuin stood beside the holographic screen, watching the security footage and virtual reports of the attack on the military station in C-district, last week. The replay was showing how two battlewagons were destroyed by an explosion that took the base unawares. The flames were of a bright green hue, unmistakably the work of an expert skilled with Esegron explosives.

As Myrixs rushed out of the main building, armed with pulsers, another battlewagon was blown apart. In the confusion and chaos, Akuin saw the humans crouch forward unnoticed, into the barracks, all clad in black overalls and cloth masks. Counting the dark figures on the screen, he knew not more than a dozen men were involved in the attack. They began shooting, even as another explosion struck a different part of the base. The Myrixs had no time to organize themselves and fight back. Many of them were already engulfed in the green flames before they were gunned down. It was all over in three-quarters of an hour. All the battlewagons were destroyed, the Myrix troopers and their Crugi officers dead, the base decimated and the rebels gone before the reinforcements arrived. The footage ended.

 "Play it again!" He shouted to the trooper seated in front of the console. The Crugi flinched at the order but obeyed anyways. The video started over again, with the quiet serenity of the base and two Myrix sentries, gibbering in their native Achilon tongue, as they went about patrolling the perimeter of the base.

 Too clean. Way too clean, he thought. The rebels had no glitch in their plans, no mistakes or faults whatsoever. They had planned ahead and prepared themselves for any mishap from occurring. Using Esegron explosives enabled them to destroy the Imperium-coated battlewagons, which were obviously the strength of the Occupation in fortified areas. They had left no loose ends or flaws that he could use as clues in finding the perps of the attack. Watching the footage for what could be the hundredth time that morning, using different camera angles and perspectives, Akuin searched for any tiny details he must have left out in his search for a possible trail. He was surprised that the 'rag-tag force of hungry earthlings' which branded themselves as the Resistance, could be so organized and disciplined to this extent. He had underestimated them. 

 Recently, the rebels had grown more daring and bold in their attacks. Two weeks ago, a battlewagon was blown up using Esegron and the next week, just days after the attack on the base, a patrol team was ambushed in D-district and all its members were killed. Akuin knew the Resistance's strategy was to render the troopers immobile by destroying the battlewagons and slowing down the supplies. 

 This was all as a result of the rebellion brewing in Los Angeles. The San Francisco rebels were misbehaving to also prove to their neighbors that they too, were opposing the Occupation. However, in a few weeks, Akuin knew everything would return to normalcy.

 Being the governor of the region was a huge honour for him, after the conquest of Earth. It was a great opportunity for him to show off his leadership skills and possibly prepare himself for a promotion to the rank of a Motidunesin. Yet, one obstacle stood in his path.

That obstacle came in the person of Nekus Togún, who was assigned as the Huwisus of San Diego and Los Angeles. It was unusual for two Huwisus to be appointed in the same state and it was a known fact that both Togún and Akuin hated each other. However, Akuin knew that Dunesin Agemon assigned both Nekusi so that they could serve as watchdogs to their colleagues.

 Nekus Togún was a great fighter but when it came to diplomacy, he was quite terrible. In his first two years as the Huwisus, the rebels had blossomed into a serious threat to the Occupation in California. Many of them were secretly moving to San Francisco and Sacramento to stir unrest amongst Akuin's once docile and meek populace.

In a bid to curb the unrest in the western coast, Agemon was personally travelling from the nation's capital to California with his private fleet to put an end to the menace. Akuin also wished that he would terminate Nekus Togún's status as a Huwisus, in order to prevent more trouble from brewing in the state.

 "Nekus!" His most trusted aides, Dumus Arsemo came inside. His eyes however, did not move from the screen.

 "Dumus Arsemo, report."

 "It seems Dunesin Agemon would be arriving sooner than expected, Nekus." He informed.

 "Why's that?" 

 "I just got off the communication channel with his private fleet, cause I observed a sudden change in course on the systems' radars. I inquired and was told the Dunesin would not be arriving with his fleet."

 "What?!" Akuin turned immediately. The fleet was the only thing to put the rebels to check, and instill fear into the hearts of the masses. It was the only force Akuin knew could restore the balance and order of the Occupation in California and neighboring states. 

 "Dunesin Agemon is arriving early, with a caravan of battlewagons, en route Las Vegas towards the state's borders. His fleet, under the command of Motidunesin Amdalén, is bound for the city of Mesa for a brief and urgent mission, but will join us much later," Dumus Arsemo explained.

 "He is taking a huge risk to travel by land. Surely, he should be aware of this, or isn't he?" Akuin said calmly and walked up to the part of the room where some vats were placed on a table. Raising one of the smaller vats, he filled a flagon with a dark liquid. A lover of wines, Akuin stored large quantities of the Crugi native wine, Cudelis, in his chambers and had them always ready at hand for his use.

 "I do believe he does, Nekus."

 "We must prepare for his arrival then. Have the Gakron slaves clean out the guest chambers and ready a regiment of Myrix troopers to herald his caravan. We must be good hosts and ensure that his stay here, is comfortable and worthwhile. I hope you will see to that specifically, Arsemo." He sipped from his flagon.

 "You have nothing to worry about, Nekus. Your orders will be swiftly carried out." 

 "Excellent. Any news from San Diego or Los Angeles?" He turned back to the screen, flagon in hand.

 "Nothing that wasn't expected. There's been an uprising lately. A rocket-propelled grenade was fired into the chambers of Nekus Togún during the last hours of the yesterday. Some guards were killed but most of the rebels were captured and executed."

 Akuin couldn't imagine an RPG being aimed and fired at his window while he was asleep. "And our dear Togún? Was he hurt?" He inquired hopefully.

 "Apparently not. Nekus Togún was strangely not in his chambers when the attack began."

 "Such a shame. I was hoping that our dear Togún would be approaching retirement due to being handicapped or worse. Have someone investigate why he wasn't in his chambers that night." He tipped the flagon and drank the liquor, enjoying the rich and satisfying taste it left on his tongue. He stared at the screen again and his eyes caught something. "Bogdøl, rewind the footage thirty seconds backwards."

The Trason did as commanded. 

 "There. Stop!" Akuin stared at the screen closely, which was paused at the point when the rebels were about to leave the base. He asked the Trason to zoom in the screen towards one of the burning battlewagons. The green flames illuminated one of the rebels who was surprisingly unmasked. The male looked young, no more than eighteen years of human age. 

The picture was still dark and incomprehensive, but he knew with the FR-sensors and the human tracking systems, he could get a clear picture of the teenaged rebel in not less than a week. The rebels might have been smart, but he was smarter.

 "Jackpot," He said and finished the contents of the flagon.