Outside the atmosphere of Ruusan upon the bridge of one of three Dreadnoughts stood Vice Admiral Deltan. He was deep in thought whilst surveying the empty space; he was concerned- very concerned. Supreme Leader Hux had ordered himself Admiral Skalick and Vice Admiral Renor to load the Dreadnoughts and prepare to find the Resistance and take his war to them. Deltan had followed his orders like a dutiful member of the First Order but he increasingly disliked the decisions of those in charge.

He was a veteran of the First Order and like Skalick, Renor and Targo the Galatic Empire before that. Unlike Hux, Deltan did not have the same extremely skewed version of history which had no doubt been fed to Hux by his father Brendol. Deltan was aware of the lies and the truths that had brought about the Galatic Empire. Hux genuinely believed that the Jedi had rebelled against the Senate and it's appointed leader. That, of course, was a lie. Like Snoke, Senator Palpatine had been a deception a long-planned deception and order 66 was a massacre of the Jedi. There had been no rebelling against the Senate, it was all to dissolve the Senate, an end to democracy in the galaxy.
The subsequent rise of the First Order from the remnants of the Empire had been a chance for Deltan who believed in order, but on joining the ranks yet another mythical force wielder was pulling all the strings; the strings of the entire galaxy like a malevolent puppeteer. Deltan had wanted to bring order to the outer rims and to abolish slavery. He'd been idealistic about what could be achieved- idealistic and foolish. Hoping the First Order would be the fixing of injustice and would provide security to the galaxy. He'd thought of leaving the First Order, more than once, but once you were in the First Order leaving wasn't an option. Only death could you release you from that contract.

Hux had always exhibited the attitude of one who had climbed far and fast and by methods questionable, if examined closely. Hux possessed twisted genius certainly but that twisted element was becoming increasingly sadistic. The creation of Starkiller Base along with the destruction of three planets loyal to the Republic, the slow deliberate decimation of the Resistance on their small ships and then the trial of Kylo Ren and that girl. It had been perfectly clear to Deltan that some severe torture had occurred on board Vice Admiral Renor's ship. Kylo Ren had been unable to stand straight and the way he had cried out when the female humanoid Chromia had struck him. Deltan had seen Kylo Ren fight in enough conflicts to know the man did not simply fall down hollering in pain over the hit from a staff. Worst of all, of course, was the recent execution. Deltan sighed to himself at the memory of the beheading of that poor girl. She had been steadfast and brave and young, so young, too young. She was a member of the Resistance yes but not one deserving of a public death via electroguillotine, no-one deserved that fate. It was beastly and unbecoming of the civil-military prowess and hard work that the First Order had accomplished, that he had accomplished. Deltan had voted against execution along with two other high ranking officers- General Targo he knew felt as he did as did Colonel Kramer. That had been three against four, five including Supreme Leader Hux and so they'd been outvoted. He knew General Kail and General Valax had no real backbone of their own they were happy to follow whoever could guarantee their survival currently that was Hux.

"Admiral Deltan, Sir, we're being hailed."

Deltan turned to his head communications officer, pulled out of his deliberations.

"By whom?"

"Unknown ship Sir."

Deltan's eyebrows arched in surprise. Who could be hailing them? He scanned the space through the viewing windows on the deck. He couldn't see anything.

On seeing the Admiral peering into the empty space the officer spoke again, "I believe the ship may be cloaked Admiral."

Deltan considered for a moment, "very well. I'll take it in my personal quarters." Admiral Deltan left the deck promptly and headed for his quarters to received the hail. He didn't know what it was but an unknown, possibly cloaked ship was hailing him, he didn't want his officers to hear one could never be too careful. On arriving at his quarters he pressed his holo by his desk. The blue image of a man in a cloak flickered into view.

"This is Admiral Deltan, to whom am I speaking."

"My name is Lando Calrissian, I am the leader of the New Republic and the Resistance. I'm contacting you as an envoy to ask you to negotiate with me for the sake of the galaxy. I entreat you to join us to make a truce for lasting peace."

Deltan was shocked, he had assumed the hail was from Targo or Kramer but that wouldn't have explained the cloaking. He hadn't imagined the Republic or the Resistance would ever have contacted him personally. His shock he imagined must show all over his face. He had heard of Calrissian, a veteran of the days of the Empire and Rebel Alliance, like himself. He had been a Baron of his own planet Bespin though admittedly it was no more than a city in the clouds, before joining the rebels and blowing up the second death star. It made sense that this man had taken over from the previous leader General Organa, Princess Leia was how Deltan remebered her, after her demise at Skalick's hands. Calrissian was an old friend of the late Princess by all accounts. He relaxed in his chair slightly hand on chin his index finger across his face his lips resting on the rest of his fingers as he contemplated. This could be an opportunity to do what he'd been attempting to achieve. He could finally use the First Order to do good in the galaxy and bring order to those lawless planets rather than it's current directive of fear, intimidation and mass murder and for what? Power? Admiral Deltan enjoyed his position with regards to the power and control he'd achieved of his ship. His leadership over his pilots and his troops meant they're loyalty, but power over the entire galaxy was not something he'd certainly ever craved.

"I'm listening Calrissian, what is that you're proposing?" Even through the hologram Deltan could see Calrissian give a slightly relieved sigh, he couldn't hear it but he saw it as the shoulders and head relaxed ever so slightly. Not a true military man clearly.

"Join us. Our forces are headed to Ruusan as we speak and we want to end this with as few casualties as possible. Help us end this before more innocent people give their lives."

"Am I the only leader you've contacted?" Deltan queried. If they had gone to others first the decision was easy. He knew Skalick and Renor were Hux's loyal men, loyal to a fault as long as it served their own disdainful prerequisites and this war did. They would revel in every moment of it.

"At the moment, yes."

Deltan gave a small crooked smile at that- good. The course now would be difficult but his choice was easily made.

"May I ask, why you felt I was the one to contact?"

"Ben Solo... Kylo Ren your previous Supreme Leader advised us of a few high ranking officials of the First Order who did not necessarily believe in Hux's vision and who might be willing to listen to reason."

"He's with you? Him and the girl?"

"Not personally but they are with the Resistance yes."

So they had escaped successfully. Deltan was rather astonished that Kylo Ren who had wanted to destroy every minute element of the Resistance had actually joined them.

"The other officers he advised you of are General Targo and Commander Kramer I assume?"

The holo of Calrissian simply nodded back. Also good, if they were to make any reasonable impact Deltan would need them too. He was surprised that Supreme Leader Kylo Ren had even noticed himself and the others enough to know their names let alone that they weren't as steadfast to the First Order as the others. Kylo Ren had always worn his mask, however, so anything was possible from inside that helmet of his. Deltan, Targo and Kramer were some of the very few leaders who'd not been physically assaulted by Kylo Ren in one of his fits of rage and perhaps that was memorable in some way.

"What may I ask are your plans if I do join you?"

"Our task will be dealing with the other Dreadnoughts. Dealing with Grand Admiral Skalick and Vice Admiral Renor. Once this is all over as I said we want to make a new Senate like the Senate of old. A true democracy where everyone has a right to be heard overrun by my leaders and yours. Our two sides together will be a formidable force, but for peace and prosperity".

Deltan was nodding, "what of those who won't join you? Hux?"

Calrissian raised his arms out at his side almost shrugging, "that all depends- a trial, life in Sunspot Prison. A lot of variables could happen between now and then."

Deltan appreciated that Calrissian hadn't said death or execution although it was no more than Hux deserved. He raised a hand in order to ask Calrissian to wait a moment. He opened his communication to the bridge.

"Captain, please open hangar two, and have our guest escorted to the bridge."

In his holo Calrissian turned to give an instruction to someone Deltan could neither hear nor see.

"Thank you, Admiral."

Deltan simply nodded his head. Turned the holo off and headed back to the bridge.

-X-

Aboard the Millennium Falcon Lando sat down with a thud relief washing over him. That had gone surprisingly well; he just really hoped it wasn't a trick. It didn't feel like a trick and out of everyone, Lando felt he should be able to tell from his years of sitting around gambling tables if someone was lying or had ulterior motives.

Admiral Deltan had reminded him of General Ematt. He was clearly a military man with exceptional intelligence and manners but his face was rugged and worn from years of war his hair short and greying. He'd had no facial hair but he looked like a man who was never truly cleanly shaven.

Lando could hear Chewie hollering loudly and Maz trying to calm him and failing which was getting the Wookie even more incensed. He got up and walked to the cockpit and directly to the pilot seat where the Wookie sat resting a hand on the Wookie's large furry shoulder.

"Chewie, I'll be fine. As soon as I'm on board, go join the Resistance on Russan they will need all the help they can get. Let Commander D'Arcy know we've been successful and I'll stay in contact."

Chewie barked in response as he flew the Millennium Falcon into hangar two.

"Here we go."

-X-

On Maridun Commander D'Arcy had been left in charge of coordinating all their forces and she stood at the command screen with all communications open. Colonel Dameron's efforts were needed in the air and according to him, there was no one better especially as she'd have Commander Connix and C3P0, Princess Leia's droid, assisting her.

"Connix give the order for our fleet to advance," came General Calrissian's order.

The entire fleet was waiting to jump to light speed above Maridun's atmosphere they would land the troops and tanks in Russan's valley before the two MC80's joined the Dreadnought Calrissian was on to engage the other two Dreadnoughts.

"May the force be with us," she said it quietly to herself but around the room, she heard Connix and the other officer's whisper it too as the command was relayed to their forces above.