112162-the-black-dagger-society

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The Black Dagger Society
 
 
Chiron was an ugly little moon in a forgotten system out on the fringe.  Barely habitable, it was little more than a smuggler haven and a fuel stopover for passing freighters.  It might have remained completely obscure if it hadn't been for the discovery of the black metal.  Stronger and lighter than Galactium, the rare metal was perfect for tools, weapons, and even starship components.  Seemingly overnight, dozens of mining companies set up shop on Chiron, and the fledgeling colony there became a boom town.  In a massive celebration during the first year, the leaders of the colony were each presented with an ornate dagger made of the black metal, in recognition of their work to bring prosperity to the people of Chiron.
 
For a few years, Chiron became almost a paradise - a jewel of the fringe.  The scruffy spaceport became a bustling commerce hub, and the surrounding slums began to transform into a city.  But the freewheeling, freedom-loving spirit of the original inhabitants was still there.  While the local sheriff kept things mostly under control, Chiron was never a very orderly place.
 
But that all changed when the Dominion arrived.  Warping a fleet into orbit, the Dominion commander in the sector announced that he was annexing Chiron, and that all residents were now Dominion citizens and subject to Dominion laws, and retroactively owed taxes for all the years that they had been residing on Chiron.  Needless to say, the reaction of many of the colonists, smugglers, pirates, and various independents on Chiron was swift and violent.  In response, the Dominion commander turned his fleet's guns on the colony, declaring that they were more trouble than they were worth, and could be replaced with loyal citizens "of proper breeding and character".
 
Thousands died as their homes were blasted by orbital bombardments.  Families were torn apart in the chaos, as the people streamed towards any ships they could find to try and escape.  A motley collection of shuttles, freighters, and lifeboats managed to launch before the spaceport was completely destroyed, but with few weapons, they were no match for Dominion warships.
 
The story might have ended in tragedy but for the hubris of the Dominion Commander.  He ordered one of his ships, the Sword of Galeron, to retrieve the refugees and imprison them for trial back on Cassus.
 
It was a youth that struck the first blow.  A young human, who had watched his family perish during the bombardment, armed with little more than a makeshift club, attacked one of the Dominion guards.  He was promptly gunned down.  But the one spark was all it took.  Enraged, the people of Chiron - men, women, and children - overwhelmed the security forces and stormed the bridge of the Sword of Galeron.  The final call from the ship's captain was a desperate plea for help.
 
The rest of the Dominion fleet reacted instantly, attempting to destroy the Sword of Galeron, but the refugees aboard managed to bring the engines online and escape, although the ship was badly damaged.  Coming out of warp in a nearby asteroid field, the ship was adrift and unable to move.
 
As luck would have it though, word had spread about the happenings at Chiron, and when a passing freighter discovered the Sword of Galeron, suddenly the refugees of Chiron found that they had more friends than they thought.  Ships came with food and medicine, weapons and volunteers.  Pirates, smugglers, mercenaries, independents - anyone in the sector with a grudge against the Dominion came to help.
 
The group knew that the Dominion would hunt them down, and so they began a nomadic life, moving from one star system to the next, never staying in one place too long.  When they found a chance to strike the Dominion, they did, always careful never to put the ship, and the families living on it, in too much danger.  The warship, long since repaired and renamed to the Black Dagger, became feared by Dominion forces throughout the sector.  Rumors spread that it was a ghost ship, crewed by shades of all those killed in the Chiron bombardment.  Even though the ICI and Dominion command did everything they could to shut these rumors down, every time a Dominion ship was lost, the Black Dagger was blamed.  Every time a patrol didn't report back, crews whispered that they had been taken by the ghosts of Chiron.
 
It was not to last however.  Lured into an ambush, the Black Dagger was severely damaged again, and forced to flee with Dominion forces hot on its tail.  The leaders of the ship convened in council, and decided that they could not survive on their own.  They had heard of the recent discovery of Nexus, and that the Exile fleet had gone there, so they set the ship's course and entered their cryo pods.
 
The ship's drives finally failed just as it arrived at Nexus.  Trapped in a decaying orbit, the Black Dagger would never fight again.  But it had brought the refugees of Chiron a second chance.  After making contact with the exile arkship, rescue shuttles were quickly dispatched, and the people of Chiron found themselves with a new home.
 
For some, this was enough.  They chose to settle in Thayd or one of the many towns springing up on the planet, to make Nexus their new home.  But many could not forget what the Dominion had done to them, and were not content to live quiet lives knowing that what happened to them could happen to others.
 
The ones who chose to continue the fight made a pact with each other.  To always stay together, to always help each other, to never stop until the Emperor and his cronies paid the price for all the families and lives that they had destroyed on all the planets like Chiron.  As their symbol, they adopted a stylized black dagger, based on the few remaining blades brought with them from Chiron.
 
In the months since their arrival on Nexus, the Black Dagger Society has made good on their promise.  Operating in small groups, they have developed a reputation for daring operations - rescuing prisoners, raiding deep inside Dominion territory, running blockades, and assassinating Dominion commanders in the field.  They've been so effective that rumors have begun spreading through the Dominion legions on the ground.  The ghosts of Chiron have come to Nexus.	
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			...whoa. This is awesome. I love it. I...damn. This makes me want to be part of it >.> 	
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...whoa. This is awesome. I love it. I...damn. This makes me want to be part of it >.> 
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			This made me teary. Great background story. It almost (ALMOST) makes me regret having to hunt you refugees down and bring you to justice.	
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Bring it, you dommie *cupcake*.  We'll see who brings who to justice.
 
;)	
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Bring it, you dommie *cupcake*.  We'll see who brings who to justice.
 
 ;)
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I believe I had a run in with one of your guildmates last night! A Mordesh named Doctor something... Can't remember his name. Sorry! xD He escaped the clutches of justice and walked away victorious... for now. I will not let that go unanswered! ;P
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Ah, that was Doc Harker.  You don't wanna underestimate him :)
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			Loved reading this :) great story! 	
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			wicked, thanks for sharing that	
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