Consider time. What if the smallest actions could alter the past? What if
the tiniest changes could affect the course of history? Consider this as
you ponder today's tale of Alternate History.
One extra bit of effort and reflexes from a captain. Reassignment of a single trooper. The hunch of a former guardsmen. Could these two things have saved the Empire?
5 Years after the Battle of Endor.
Major Grodin Tierce, attired in full stormtrooper gear, paced down the halls of the Star Destroyer Chimaera. From outside, Tierce could hear the sounds of battle ringing around the shipyards of Bilbringi. Tierce had heard vague reports that smugglers had attacked the Imperials from the inside. Tierce had been reassigned by the Grand Admiral himself, put on sentry duty in the bridge of the ship. Tierce didn't know what was so special about himself, but he followed the orders. No, he thought, doing a slight mental backtrack. He, Grodin Tierce, had been one of the best, and elite Royal Guardsmen to the Emperor himself. As Tierce walked, he felt a prickling along the back of his neck. Something small, almost imperceptible, ran itself down his back, and he stopped, and looked at the door he had just passed. It was the Grand Admirals secondary bridge. He turned back, and walked to the door, knowing full well he would probably be reprimanded for entering the Grand Admirals chamber during a battle. Bracing himself, he stepped in front of the door, and as he was about to enter, the wail of an alarm cut through the ship. Without a second thought, he darted through, blaster drawn. "Read it, Captain." Thrawn's voice cut through the sound of battle like a knife. "Mount Tantiss is under attack, sir," Pellaeon began. "By 2 species of natives, Rebel saboteurs, and a group of Noghri???" Pellaeon trailed off in disbelief, and seconds later lunged for the alarm. Just as he hit, and the siren began its wail, Rukh shot his hand out and caught Pellaeon in the throat. Pellaeon looked up, and saw Rukh dart toward Thrawn, and with a sudden surge of helpless rage, closed his eyes so not to witness the awful event. Tierce leapt through, and with training born of the Royal Guard, shot at the small, half-sized alien darting toward the Admiral. Caught in the head, Rukh fell to the ground, his assassin knife clattering to the floor next to him. Cocking a single blue-black eyebrow, Thrawn smiled softly as he said "Well done, Trooper. You will be very well commended for this. But for now, we have battle to win." Pausing slightly, Thrawn's smile faded as he said "Thank you, trooper." Tierce saluted, and smartly turned and left.
5 years after the event.
Sighing almost imperceptibly, Mon Mothma wrote her signature next to the others of the New Republic government, or what was left of it. She glanced to her left, out the window of the Imperial palace, to where the citizens once again were ruled by the Empire. Just 6 hours prior, the Empire had arrived at the final bastion of New Republic power, Coruscant. And now, seated next to her were Borsk Fey'lya and Leia Organa Solo. And across from her, flanked by his second-in-command Grand Admiral Pellaeon, sat Emperor Thrawn of the New Empire. Bilbringi had marked the beginning of the end. After the destruction of the two major sector fleets there, Thrawn had wasted no time conquering the planets in the Sesswanna and Correllian sectors, not to mention taking back Mount Tantiss. And now, after that declaration of rebellion so many years ago, the Empire had won in the end. But perhaps, she thought, this Empire would stick to the principles it started with, as Emperor Thrawn claimed it would.
Epilouge And so, for a thousand centuries, the New Empire ruled the galaxy in benevolence and peace, under the leadership of Emperor Thrawn, who through clone bodies and brain transplants, kept peace and order through the galaxy.
One extra bit of effort and reflexes from a captain. Reassignment of a single trooper. The hunch of a former guardsmen. Could these two things have saved the Empire?
5 Years after the Battle of Endor.
Major Grodin Tierce, attired in full stormtrooper gear, paced down the halls of the Star Destroyer Chimaera. From outside, Tierce could hear the sounds of battle ringing around the shipyards of Bilbringi. Tierce had heard vague reports that smugglers had attacked the Imperials from the inside. Tierce had been reassigned by the Grand Admiral himself, put on sentry duty in the bridge of the ship. Tierce didn't know what was so special about himself, but he followed the orders. No, he thought, doing a slight mental backtrack. He, Grodin Tierce, had been one of the best, and elite Royal Guardsmen to the Emperor himself. As Tierce walked, he felt a prickling along the back of his neck. Something small, almost imperceptible, ran itself down his back, and he stopped, and looked at the door he had just passed. It was the Grand Admirals secondary bridge. He turned back, and walked to the door, knowing full well he would probably be reprimanded for entering the Grand Admirals chamber during a battle. Bracing himself, he stepped in front of the door, and as he was about to enter, the wail of an alarm cut through the ship. Without a second thought, he darted through, blaster drawn. "Read it, Captain." Thrawn's voice cut through the sound of battle like a knife. "Mount Tantiss is under attack, sir," Pellaeon began. "By 2 species of natives, Rebel saboteurs, and a group of Noghri???" Pellaeon trailed off in disbelief, and seconds later lunged for the alarm. Just as he hit, and the siren began its wail, Rukh shot his hand out and caught Pellaeon in the throat. Pellaeon looked up, and saw Rukh dart toward Thrawn, and with a sudden surge of helpless rage, closed his eyes so not to witness the awful event. Tierce leapt through, and with training born of the Royal Guard, shot at the small, half-sized alien darting toward the Admiral. Caught in the head, Rukh fell to the ground, his assassin knife clattering to the floor next to him. Cocking a single blue-black eyebrow, Thrawn smiled softly as he said "Well done, Trooper. You will be very well commended for this. But for now, we have battle to win." Pausing slightly, Thrawn's smile faded as he said "Thank you, trooper." Tierce saluted, and smartly turned and left.
5 years after the event.
Sighing almost imperceptibly, Mon Mothma wrote her signature next to the others of the New Republic government, or what was left of it. She glanced to her left, out the window of the Imperial palace, to where the citizens once again were ruled by the Empire. Just 6 hours prior, the Empire had arrived at the final bastion of New Republic power, Coruscant. And now, seated next to her were Borsk Fey'lya and Leia Organa Solo. And across from her, flanked by his second-in-command Grand Admiral Pellaeon, sat Emperor Thrawn of the New Empire. Bilbringi had marked the beginning of the end. After the destruction of the two major sector fleets there, Thrawn had wasted no time conquering the planets in the Sesswanna and Correllian sectors, not to mention taking back Mount Tantiss. And now, after that declaration of rebellion so many years ago, the Empire had won in the end. But perhaps, she thought, this Empire would stick to the principles it started with, as Emperor Thrawn claimed it would.
Epilouge And so, for a thousand centuries, the New Empire ruled the galaxy in benevolence and peace, under the leadership of Emperor Thrawn, who through clone bodies and brain transplants, kept peace and order through the galaxy.