Chapter 2
"Hyperspace…I don't understand why people dislike the view. The mixture of the stars and planets, the infinite void, a thousand times more beautiful than empty space. That's why I hate using passenger ships and ferries to get to and from a planet. They use filters to block the view of hyperspace to the public and replace it with scenic views of your destined planet or system. But military transports, why would you waste the credits to please your troops? They have enough; chairs, transparisteel windows, comfortable environment, and the basic needs of any human. Nothing fancy, just the works, and just the way I like it." James explains to his top pilot at the reigns of the shuttle.
The pilot at the helm chuckles a bit as he nods his head. "Yes sir." He spins around to face Anez, "Why do you think I joined the Imperial Navy? To have my butt set in a padded chair while I look at the majestic landscape? No! I joined to sit in a durasteel seat behind the controls of a TIE Fighter and destroy that landscape!" The pilot says with enthusiasm. "Well, guess who gets to test out the new TIE Interceptors first? You do...Lieutenant Reytal. You're my best pilot and I want you to lead Delta Squadron." "M-me sir?" Joshua Reytal stutters with joy. "Of course, you have the most kills in a TIE Fighter. You and eleven other men will be flying in the elite Delta Squadron. You will be going out to investigate mysterious entities in this new galaxy. Basically, you'll see things before everyone else will."
"That's…that's amazing! T-t-thank you sir!" "No problem…now how long before we reach Bilbringi? I'm anxious to see what they've done to my ship." "In about two minutes sir." "Thank you Lieutenant." The black and blue mix of stars and planets begin to normalize and the shuttle enters into realspace. Ahead of the shuttle is the massive Bilbringi Shipyards, not as large as Kuat's yard but it does the job. The shipyard is guarded by three Imperial I - class Star Destroyers, along with a Golan II - class Space Platform. No Rebellion fleet dares to attack this shipyard but it never helps to be too careful. In the center of one of the massive dry-docks, sits the Emerald Dawn, the Emerald Dawn, is an Imperial II - class Star Destroyer. One of the first in a line of advanced battleships being constructed by Kuat Drive Yards.
With a length of sixteen-hundred meters it has a speed of sixty megalights. The cruiser is pushed by three Kuat Drive Yards Destroyer-I ion engines for main, with four Cygnus Spaceworks Gemon-4 ion engines as backup. A Hyperdrive rating of 1.0, it is currently the fastest cruiser in the fleet. A SFS I-a2b Solar Ionization Reactor powers the entire cruiser including two Kuat Drive Yards ISD-72x shield generator domes. The ship is protected with reinforced durasteel armor and sixty turbo laser cannons including eight massive turbo laser batteries on the top of the ship's hull, along with twenty ion cannons and ten tractor beam projectors. A crew of 37,085 and a cargo capacity of 36,000 metric tons, this cruiser can easily support life. Normally, this cruiser would hold six years worth of supplies, because of the mission it has been modified to carry, at a minimum, of ten years worth.
"Beautiful isn't she." Captain James Anez says with pride. "The toughest ship in the fleet and we're the only ones who have one. I heard these things won't even be introduced for years now. Infact this is a prototype, they took the name from my old Imperial I and transferred it over to this ship. I even overheard command saying that if this mission is as successful as they expect it to be, I could be promoted to Admiral and get a command of one of the new Super Star Destroyers that are in development over by Fondor."
"Shuttle Ruby, we're assuming that's Captain Anez returning from Coruscant?" "You'd be assuming correctly Bilbringi; I'm here to inspect the Emerald Dawn and to see how the modifications are going." "We've been expecting you Captain. Dock at the station and we'll give you a pod to dock with the ship, because the hanger bays don't have life support yet." "Roger that Bilbringi." The shuttle docks with the command station aboard the dry-dock. The Star Destroyer is a wedge shaped ship; rumors have it that the Emperor ordered Kuat to design the ships as so to give its victims the final sight of an arrow piercing the burning sky. The Imperial Star Destroyer was an icon, an emblem of the Imperial Navy and the Empire herself. Whenever someone saw an Imperial Star Destroyer in the system, you knew the Empire was there on business.
After docking the shuttle Captain Anez and Lieutenant Reytal board a docking pod and skim the surface of the Star Destroyer. Hundreds of droids and humanoids, in zero-g suits, cover the hull. "Hornets, fixing up the hive." The pod docks on the port side of the massive bridge attachment, entering the bridge, James Anez takes in a deep breath. "I love artificial air, a lot cleaner than most planets are. So, let's take a tour of the bridge and the quarters, I realize this is the only safe place but might as well." The official from Kuat, who was watching over the modifications, nods his head, "Right this way Captain." Captain Anez, the official and Lieutenant Reytal walk down the corridor to inspect the ship that was destined for great things and broaden horizons.