The city was a shattered mess. The battle for the planet had taken months, as the Commonwealth invaders fought first with the People's Party military and then the shattered factions of the collapsing totalitarian government.
The EMP bombardment had killed all electrical power over a fifth of the planet's surface. Brownouts stilled rolled across the devastated cities of the Republic.
In the center of Corneria City, the vast fortress-warren of the Party Headquarters was half demolished. Some of the outlying facilities were mere craters- targets for the Commonwealth's bunker busters. Above the edifice, a single flag flew- the mon of the Commonwealth, Sword and Suns displayed proudly.
Regualr patrols of Commonwealth soldiers marched through the city. Over a billion Legionnaires occupied the world and it's orbitals, along with thousands of Agency operatives and millions of Peacekeepers. The planet was firmly in the grasp of the Commonwealth.
Chef-Admiral Jaqueline St. Juste looked out over the city. Fires still raged in some of the outlying regions, and thick plumes of inky smoke linked the landscape with the grey arch of the sky like the pillars of some vast temple, dedicated the vengeance and war.
An underling had just brought the latest reports from the Commonwealth picket squadrons. Corneria's regional space was quite safe, guarded by the weight of the Commonwealth's fleet, but the rest of the Republic was in shambles. The destruction of the central party had triggered revolts on almost every world of the Republic. Already, many of the recently annexed outer systems were sending envoys to Corneria, declaring their independence. In the central worlds, Commonwealth assault fleets had been darting from world to world, landing fast raids and blasting centers of the old government to peices. Minor factions of the old Party had risen in most of the central worlds, tossing down the old central government.
In less than three months, the People's Republic of Corneria was returning to the chaos of independant worlds and feifdoms which had spawned it. It's totalitarian regime had provided stability for as long as the armored fist of the People's Navy and Army had forced the worlds into the fold. Now, with that gone, old local loyalties were reasserting themselves.
St. Juste looked up from the report.
"Excellent, Leutnant. I expect that the new Senate's ruling has arrived?"
The Cincinattus Clause had been revoked mere weeks ago, and the newly appointed senators were now meeting at a provisional capital on Togo Station.
"Yes, Madam Admiral."
St. Juste examined the document. It did not surprise her.
The orders were simple- the Commonwealth was not to bother itself with the affairs of the collapsing People's Republic. Diplomatic relations were to be opened to any of the newly arisen feifdoms, especially those rim worlds that had been under Cornerian control for only a short period.
Corneria herself was to remain under Commonwealth control, as a full citizen-world of the Commonwealth. Orders to prepare for the construction of a large, orbital space station were in the works. Corneria Station would act as the hub of Commonwealth influence and trade in the Galactic northeast.
Finally, the detailed examination of the Cornerian records was to be completed. No time was to be wasted on the interrogation, trial, and punishment of captured Cornerian officials. The Agency of Internal and External Affairs had long suspected the Cornerians of the famed Desjardins Incident. If any evidence could be found that the Cornerians had planted the explosive device which had killed millions on Desjardins months before the commencation of hostilities, it would be.
St. Juste looked up. She had a tall order before her, and would see it through.
"Well then, gentlemen, let's be about it."
-: ENDRECORD :-
Glory to the Commonwealth!
