The deck of the Star Destroyer Resolute remained curiously silent as the
announcement echoed from the bridge speakers.
Yansen Tarr clenched his fist angrily and turned to look at the man standing beside him. "What does the fool think he's doing?"
His Executive Officer, Lieutenant Brenten, shook his head slowly and said nothing.
"Ensign Thompson," Tarr said loudly. "Turn the ship about. The Rebel Corvette that has just entered the system -- full ion cannon bombardment on my mark."
"Yes, sir."
The seconds ticked away rapidly on the main viewscreen as the giant wedge- shaped ship turned to pursue its smaller prey.
"Sir." The Communications officer looked up from his panel urgently. "Admiral Trelfsky demands to know why you are disengaging from the attack."
He would want to know, Yansen thought disdainfully. What a farce this is.
"Ignore the Admiral's transmissions," he said aloud. "What range to the Corvette?"
"A thousand kilometers, Captain."
"Very well. Fire."
The bridge lights dimmed noticeably as the damaged ship re-routed power from critical subsystems to the ion cannons. Scintillating bolts of blue lightning shot from the bow of the Star Destroyer and traversed the void of space in milliseconds, striking the Corvette along her stern.
"Corvette shields down to twenty-nine percent, Captain," the Weapons officer said.
Now we're getting somewhere. "Fire."
A second bombardment lanced from the Resolute and struck the Corvette, further crippling the Rebel ship.
"Where are the reinforcements?"
"Fifteen minutes away, sir."
"Status on the Corvette?"
The Weapons officer consulted his display screen, then looked up. "Shields down. Armor integrity, eighty-five percent. Main propulsion, ten percent. Weapons, offline."
"Excellent. Pull her into our launch bay and take all crew as prisoners. Stun settings only."
"Yes, sir." The Weapons officer spoke into his comm unit.
"Well, Dale," Yansen said. "What do you think?"
"Captain." His XO spoke quietly. "We disobeyed a direct order from a Fleet line officer."
"And?"
"We'll be court-martialed." Brenten paused. "Won't we?"
Yansen smiled thinly. "We'll be promoted. As soon as Lord Vader regains consciousness and hears of our actions... let me put it this way: I'll be surprised if Trelfsky survives tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
"There is another question on your lips, Lieutenant. Out with it."
"Sir... what happened to Lord Vader?"
"I'm damned if I know," Yansen said. "His Sith ways are best left unstudied. Perhaps the Rebels have found a Jedi."
"But..."
Brenten was cut off as the Sensor officer raised his voice. "Captain, Admiral Trelfsky's ship is fleeing the Mon Calamari cruiser. Their shields are down."
Yansen shared a glance with his XO. "Open a channel to the Mon Cal."
"Channel open, sir."
"Rebel scum, hear me." Yansen said. "You've bested one Imperial officer -- be content with that. We've captured your Princess and you have no hope of regaining her. Mark my words... if you engage me, you will die. End transmission."
All eyes were locked on the Sensor officer as he studied his panel. He looked up moments later and grinned. "Sir, the Mon Cal is entering hyperspace."
Yansen allowed himself a tight smile, then spoke. "Status of the Corvette?"
"Sir, the crew is in our brig. A search is being conducted for the Senator as we speak."
"Very well. I will be in my stateroom, Lieutenant. Keep me notified of developments."
The diminutive Yansen Tarr turned and left the bridge.
Yansen Tarr clenched his fist angrily and turned to look at the man standing beside him. "What does the fool think he's doing?"
His Executive Officer, Lieutenant Brenten, shook his head slowly and said nothing.
"Ensign Thompson," Tarr said loudly. "Turn the ship about. The Rebel Corvette that has just entered the system -- full ion cannon bombardment on my mark."
"Yes, sir."
The seconds ticked away rapidly on the main viewscreen as the giant wedge- shaped ship turned to pursue its smaller prey.
"Sir." The Communications officer looked up from his panel urgently. "Admiral Trelfsky demands to know why you are disengaging from the attack."
He would want to know, Yansen thought disdainfully. What a farce this is.
"Ignore the Admiral's transmissions," he said aloud. "What range to the Corvette?"
"A thousand kilometers, Captain."
"Very well. Fire."
The bridge lights dimmed noticeably as the damaged ship re-routed power from critical subsystems to the ion cannons. Scintillating bolts of blue lightning shot from the bow of the Star Destroyer and traversed the void of space in milliseconds, striking the Corvette along her stern.
"Corvette shields down to twenty-nine percent, Captain," the Weapons officer said.
Now we're getting somewhere. "Fire."
A second bombardment lanced from the Resolute and struck the Corvette, further crippling the Rebel ship.
"Where are the reinforcements?"
"Fifteen minutes away, sir."
"Status on the Corvette?"
The Weapons officer consulted his display screen, then looked up. "Shields down. Armor integrity, eighty-five percent. Main propulsion, ten percent. Weapons, offline."
"Excellent. Pull her into our launch bay and take all crew as prisoners. Stun settings only."
"Yes, sir." The Weapons officer spoke into his comm unit.
"Well, Dale," Yansen said. "What do you think?"
"Captain." His XO spoke quietly. "We disobeyed a direct order from a Fleet line officer."
"And?"
"We'll be court-martialed." Brenten paused. "Won't we?"
Yansen smiled thinly. "We'll be promoted. As soon as Lord Vader regains consciousness and hears of our actions... let me put it this way: I'll be surprised if Trelfsky survives tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
"There is another question on your lips, Lieutenant. Out with it."
"Sir... what happened to Lord Vader?"
"I'm damned if I know," Yansen said. "His Sith ways are best left unstudied. Perhaps the Rebels have found a Jedi."
"But..."
Brenten was cut off as the Sensor officer raised his voice. "Captain, Admiral Trelfsky's ship is fleeing the Mon Calamari cruiser. Their shields are down."
Yansen shared a glance with his XO. "Open a channel to the Mon Cal."
"Channel open, sir."
"Rebel scum, hear me." Yansen said. "You've bested one Imperial officer -- be content with that. We've captured your Princess and you have no hope of regaining her. Mark my words... if you engage me, you will die. End transmission."
All eyes were locked on the Sensor officer as he studied his panel. He looked up moments later and grinned. "Sir, the Mon Cal is entering hyperspace."
Yansen allowed himself a tight smile, then spoke. "Status of the Corvette?"
"Sir, the crew is in our brig. A search is being conducted for the Senator as we speak."
"Very well. I will be in my stateroom, Lieutenant. Keep me notified of developments."
The diminutive Yansen Tarr turned and left the bridge.