Chapter 2
0 BBY, Hypori System, Ferra Sector, Outer Rim Territories
Aboard the Iskra en route to Hutt space.
"The feeling never changes. That feeling I get whenever I step onto the command deck of the Iskra. Viewing the entirety of my ship and crew never fails to fill me with a sense of pride and determination. All of my hard work, paper pushing, boot-licking, not to mention every hard-fought battle against the Separatists. Right... the Clone Wars, the glory days, the days when protecting peace meant something..."
"Sir?" A voice came.
Lowe's musing was interrupted by a red-haired officer.
"Wha-uh-Yes, what is it, Officer...?" Maesiff stumbled, not knowing the officer's name, while also trying to regain his composure.
"Emansla, sir. Jafeth Emansla" The officer stated, saluting.
"I swear, with all of these new recruits, by next month I won't even remember my own name" The admiral thought to himself laughingly.
"Alright now, Officer Emansla, what is it that you have for me?" Lowe asked authoritatively.
"You have an urgent transmission from Imperial Command sir." Emansla answered, still saluting.
The Admiral's poker-face broke into a slight frown. Emansla, noticing this change in expression started shivering slightly.
"Thank you, Officer Emansla, you may return to your duties" Masiff professed, a tinge of annoyance emanating in his voice.
Jafeth nodded, hearing the admiral's tone, he returned to his station at a brisk pace.
Maesiff proceeded to turn his head to one specific brown-haired officer at one of the scanning stations.
"Captain Zek!" He declared sternly.
"Yes Admiral!" She yelped, startled slightly.
Captain Fayth Zek was a slender, brown-haired, yellow-eyed Mandalorian woman. Being Mandalorian, she was naturally loyal, and had a strong sense of honor; not to mention a predisposition for being feisty, and stubborn. Maesiff and Fayth had known each other since the officer academy, supporting each other's endeavors. After being promoted to fleet admiral, Maesiff personally requested that she and her ship, the Iskra, be transferred to his command; and for it to also be the center of the fleet. Maesiff admired her for her strong will and fierce personality, along with her similar Pre-Empire outlook on peace.
"Captain, walk with me to the communications room" Maesiff ordered, the urgency and annoyance plainly evident in his voice now.
Fayth took heed, his tone already suggesting as to what he might be upset about.
Moving briskly down the bleak gray corridor, they soon entered the communications center, the blast doors hissing shut behind them.
The admiral took a second, taking note of all the personnel in the room.
"All non-authorized personnel please leave the room immediately" The admiral proclaimed, wanting to get this transmission over and done with as soon as possible.
Within mere seconds, all of the men that didn't have a top-secret security clearance had already vacated the room. Lowe looked over to the female communications officer located on the opposite side of the large circular holoprojector.
"Push the transmission through" He ordered.
The officer nodded, proceeded to activate the projector, creating a familiar luminescent blue holographic glow to fill the room.
"Let's see who is using me as target practice today. I swear if it's Tagge..." Maesiff's thoughts were yet again interrupted as the hologram formed, unexpectedly, into the face of an old acquaintance.
"Deputy Director Yularen, this is a surprise." Lowe said, his voice filled with confusion.
"This isn't a personal call Admiral Lowe. Frankly, I'm pissed that you're being so brash. What the hell do you think you're doing?" Wullf stated, unamused at Maesiff's relaxed tone.
"Pissing you off..." Lowe started a thought.
"I have no idea what you're referring to Wullf" Maesiff replied sarcastically, a cheeky grin on his face.
"Irreverent. Don't play me for a fool Maesiff. Naval Intelligence informs me, that after authorizing the Iskra to fire upon three Weequay ships whilist being dangerously close to Hutt space, you allowed them to escape. You and I both know that if they returned, and you were faced with an entire pirate force, three ships alone wouldn't survive a single rotation!" Yularen hissed.
"Who's fault was that? A group of Jawas? While on Coruscant, I think I remember specifically requesting an assault fleet. I was given two cruisers, and a Vic. It's a miracle that I was able to request the Iskra." Maesiff retorted.
"After the recent attack on Scarif. The Empire has ordered most of our available assault fleets to investigate and quell opposition on planets where sedition has been reported. Your orders were to investigate the reports of strange activity on Hypori." Wullf responded sternly.
"Being the man in charge of Imperial Intelligence, don't you have something better to do, maybe a senator to harra-" Lowe began.
With this, Fayth decided that now might be a good time to interject, for risk of the argument escalating.
"Admiral..." Fayth interrupted, looking at Lowe with a face of disappointment.
Fayth lowered her expression, turning to the director.
"I apologize for interrupting, but with all due respect Deputy Director. I think what Admiral Lowe is trying to say is, that we might need assistance in case of an ambush or even a rebel attack. Sir" Fayth stated, trying her best to stay as composed and respectful as she could, as to not incur any judgment.
Yularen's scowl morphed into a smirk.
"Captain... Zek is it?" Wullf asked.
"Yes, Sir." She confirmed, holding her pose.
"You needn't worry about assistance. If you were faced with insurgents, we have a sizable fleet located in the nearby Arkanis Sector. Now it seems that this call has gone on longer than I intended it too. I have an important meeting with the joint chiefs. Fair warning, Maesiff. I wouldn't let any more ships escape... You might not be as lucky to get a call from me next time." With those words, Yularen ended the transmission.
As the face vanished and the dimmed room lights brightened, Maesiff was left thinking about what his next orders would be; Staring at the holographic view of the Hypori System in front of him, stroking his chin idly, he was perplexed given the series of unfortunate circumstances.
"We're going to have to do with what we have." Maesiff thought to himself.
Fayth walked over to the admiral.
"What's our next order sir?" asked Fayth.
Maesiff turned his attention to the female captain, and with a confident look on his face he clasped his hands back behind his back, he made his order.
"Prepare an expeditionary force, set a course for Hypori"
