Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any characters in it. I do own Mar Blice and Upsen Jakon.
Authors Note: My first story. I've always loved Thrawn, and thought this would be a great place to write about his travels in the Unknown Regions of the Galaxy. The first chapter is incredibly short, I know, but I'm hoping the next one will be longer. I plan on publishing a chapter a week, but as we all know plans can go haywire, so...
The black emptiness of space was met by the sudden appearance of a ship exiting hyperspace. Mar Blice stared out the porthole from station Alpha, and sighed. The Imperial starship Admonitor was exactly on time-as always. Blice eased out of his chair, and hobbled over to the comm station. His prosthetic leg was old, and worn, and had to use a cane for support. He stared out at the dagger shaped hull of the Star Destroyer, and sighed again. He reached for the comm switch and casually flipped it on.
"Research Station Alpha, this is the Imperial Star Destroyer Admonitor. Do you copy?" Someone asked in a very professional, calm and yet slightly cold Coruscanti accent.
"Uh, roger that Star Destroyer, this is Mar Blice. I read you, over." It had been years since he had practiced radio calls. Usually he let the techs or someone else handle the comm, but they were gone.
"Idiot kids..." Blice muttered under his breath. "Where are they when you need 'em?"
"Station Alpha, this is Commander Voss Parck of the Imperial Star Destroyer Admonitor. Prepare to receive landing party." It was a new voice this time. Calm and controlled, like the comm officer.
"Roger that Admonitor, we'll be waiting for you. Over, out." Blice was pretty sure his comm procedure was out of date, but he hoped they got the idea. He let a smile form on his mouth at the thought of his time with the fleet, before the rise of the Empire. He reached over to the in-station intercom.
"Station Alpha, this is Mar Blice. Imperial party approaching, so let's be on our best behavior, all right?" He keyed off, grabbed his cane, and hobbled off to the hanger to meet his incoming guests. Invited, or otherwise.
Upsen Jakon checked his breather tubes once more. They were connected, and supplying a ready amount of oxygen. He went over his life support unit on his chest, checking every was in working order. When he was satisfied, he nodded to his mechanic, who sealed the canopy.
"This is Gray leader; all wings, report in."
Jakon turned up the radio volume in his headset, and waited his turn to report in.
"Gray One; reporting in."
"Gray Two; reporting in."
The idea was to report in when both pilot and TIE were ready. If you needed more time, you stayed off the mike.
"Gray Three; reporting in."
Jakon was Gray Five, and, with any luck, would report in and be out of here in no time. He waited patiently for Gray Four to report in.
"Gray Four, Status?" Gray Leader called in.
"Gray Four; experiencing engine problems."
"Gray Four, can you switch TIE's?"
"No, sir."
There was a pause after Gray Fours' last radio call. Jakon knew they only had a few options, and knew which Gray Leader would choose.
"Gray Four," Gray Leader announced. "Scrub. All other wings, report in."
Jakon keyed his radio.
"Gray Five; reporting in."
"Gray Six; reporting in."
"Roger that Grays, follow me out."
All wings radioed a "Roger that" and followed Gray Leader out of the Admonitor's hanger bay, and into the black emptiness of space.
"All wings form up around the transports." Gray Leader radioed in. Jakon acknowledged the order, and formed up around one of the three Lambda shuttles, following them up to Station Alpha's hanger, then taking defensive formations around the station.
