Kirnon Makes His Move

Kirnon was no fool. He knew his limitations. He also knew his strengths. Lord Kirnon was a powerful Sith warrior, excelling in lightsaber techniques, but so was Darth Achelon.

However, Kirnon knew this matter could not be settled with a simple lightsaber duel to the death. He recognized that going after Darth Achelon would require that a small war be fought with a small army, just to get to within a lightsaber's reach of Achelon. Only then would he be able to challenge Achelon to then settle the matter. The outcome of all of this could go either way, Kirnon knew.

Kirnon hired a battalion of soldiers. Soldiers with combat experience, and that would only take orders from him – without question. Therefore, Imperial soldiers were not the ones he'd got.

As soon as they discovered their objective was on board an Imperial Navy dreadnought, they would likely immediately stand down. The Imperial Army and Navy have a standing, unwritten and little known, policy of keeping out of Sith politics, if they could. Most of the time, the Army and the Navy succeed in keeping out of internal Sith conflicts.

However, when Imperial forces find themselves commanded by a Sith lord, who happens to have a problem with another Sith lord, also commanding Imperial Forces, it becomes a bit more complicated. Unbeknownst to most Sith in such situations, if they aren't paying attention, the opposing Imperial force flag officers (generals or colonels and admirals or captains), arrange to have the Sith lords commanding them to ′coincidentally meet′ on the battlefield, where they usually end up in a lightsaber duel. Once one or both Sith and their apprentices are dead, the Imperial officers start giving cease fire orders. This, to minimize the loss of valuable Imperial military assets.

Kirnon was one of a handful of Sith, who worked with Imperial forces, who knew about these secret arrangements between opposing Imperial military officers. Which is why he decided to hire mercenaries. The Mandalorian mercenaries were famous, galaxy wide.

From region to region they had many reputations, both good and bad, and usually those reputations were well deserved, both the good (dependable, stalwart, victorious) and the bad (marauders, merciless, blood thirsty). Either way, their reputations gave them good business prospects across the galaxy. They weren't cheap, either.

Where Imperial forces were bad for this sort of job, the Mandalorians, on the other hand, were perfect. They cared nothing for Sith politics. Their only concerns were for a glorious battle, and for equally glorious pay. They had an outstanding track record for honoring their contracts and for ruthlessness on the battlefield, meaning they won more battles than they lost. When it came to big battles, Mandalorians won big, or they lost big.

Kirnon smiled grimly as he thought to himself, "Well, this is going to be a big battle; let's see how big I'll win or lose, today."

It was a very daring plan. He had bought stolen codes and information that gave him the current IFF codes, security codes, and verbal pass phrases for the week, which would allow his ship to dock in the dreadnought's main docking bay without question and give him unfettered access to the ship's interior. Then he stuffed an Imperial Navy troop carrier, normally capable of transporting a company of heavy shock troops with all of their equipment and supplies, with his battalion of Mandalorian raiders.

They had spent the previous week removing the seats, bunks, and internal bulkheads from the troop carrier, and then hastily installed additional air scrubbers to keep the air breathable, all to the horror of the Imperial Navy ship crew and ship commander. The hired mercenaries then entered the ship, cramming themselves in like fish packed in a can. There was standing room only for the 1200 mercenaries in a troop carrier designed to accommodate four hundred.

Kirnon stood behind the Imperial Navy ship pilots and listened carefully as the ship commander chatted with the traffic controller aboard the dreadnought to make certain he would not be betrayed. Kirnon's three apprentices were at the very back of the troop carrier. They were positioned to exit the ship first, to lead the Mandalorians in the attack. Kirnon would be the last to exit the ship.

Everything was going as planned, which made him nervous. Everything was going too smoothly. He had a bad feeling about it, but the chance cubes had already been cast. There was no going back for him.

Kirnon had sunk nearly his entire fortune to fund this operation, selling lands, houses, rare Sith and Jedi artifacts he'd discovered over the years, and emptying all of his financial accounts.

He said aloud to himself, "Win big, or lose big. All is set into motion. It is too late for second thoughts."

The troop carrier had begun its final approach to the docking bay and began to slow greatly. The dreadnought's batteries had not fired at them, a hurdle passed. The troop carrier entered the docking bay, and Kirnon could see that it was occupied by the usual maintenance crews, maintenance droids, and two or three security droids stationed at the corners of the docking bay.

They had no idea what was about to happen. Kirnon couldn't believe how completely The Force had favored him in all of this. The ship settled down in the expansive docking bay, the biggest one in the dreadnought that could accommodate his troop carrier.

The Imperial Navy ship commander continued his normal chatter with the traffic controllers, following normal protocol and procedures. Two weeks before, when Kirnon had first drafted him for the operation, the ship commander had learned what his mission was and that it was Darth Nox who had ordered it. He'd decided right then, that he was not going to oppose Nox, nor get in Kirnon's way.

Behind him, the Mando battalion commander eyed Kirnon as he gave the command over the ship's intercom, "Stim up!"

Kirnon turned to face the Mando commander and watched as he injected himself with a battle-grade hyper-awareness stimulant, 'stimming up' along with his troops.

Kirnon asked the Mando Commander, "Are you ready to earn your pay?"

The Mandalorian replied, "We are going to earn so much glory today! And we will be paid well to have a blast! We are ready."

Kirnon nodded and ordered, "Go. Fight."

The Mandalorian commander shouted something in the Mando tongue, and his troops roared in response. Then the ramp dropped. When it did, Kirnon's apprentices ran down the ramp and each leapt into the attack, killing anyone they came across as they each rushed towards a security droid. They each attacked their respective droid to grab the droids' attention and give the mercenaries a chance to run down the ramp without getting hammered by the droids' murderous firepower.

Kirnon's apprentices stayed well away from their respective war droid target, deflecting the droids' blaster cannon fire with their lightsabers. They didn't have to wait very long, as missiles slammed into each droid, destroying them. The blaster fire and explosions ended, as Kirnon's forces quickly seized control of the docking bay. Kirnon's apprentices had already rushed to the various blast doors leading into the docking bay from the ship's interior and, using Kirnon's stolen codes, unlocked and opened them.

Kirnon watched as the Mando mercenaries poured through the opened doors entering the ship from the docking bay. The sounds of battle exploded anew as Imperial troops finally arrived to repel the boarders, but it was too late. The Mandalorian mercenaries had already found purchase and had momentum, stims, and glorious battle to propel them deeper into the dreadnought.

The mercenaries had taken defensive positions in two of the three main corridors leading to the docking bay, blocking any counter attacks Imperial troops might make against them to cut off the Mando mercenaries' escape. They made their main assault along the corridor that led most directly to the turbolifts leading to the dreadnought's command bridge.

The fighting did not stop until the mercenaries controlled the corridor and all side corridors and ship spaces connected to it. Three hours after the fighting had started, the Mando battalion commander spoke to Kirnon via short range audio communicator.

"We've secured the way to the turbolifts."

Kirnon replied, "Acknowledged."

In the docking bay control room, he got onto the ship-wide intercom, and declared, "Know that I, Kirnon, Lord of The Sith, have come in the name of Darth Nox, Dark Lord of the Sith, seated on the Dark Council. Darth Nox has ordered the execution of Darth Achelon for his treachery against the dark lord. I am here to carry out that execution order.

"As such, all Imperial Forces are to stand down. Failure to do so is to stand against Darth Nox and the Dark Council. You will die, and your families will suffer!"

He didn't know how much stock the Imperial troops would put into his declaration, but Kirnon figured it couldn't hurt. Kirnon and his three apprentices walked briskly from the docking bay office, through the docking bay, and into the main corridor leading to the turbolifts. He entered the oh-so-expensive-but-worth-every-credit codes into the console next to the lifts, and reactivated the turbolifts.

Kirnon and his apprentices ignited their lightsabers on the way up, and activated their personal shield generators. When the doors opened, they were met by a storm of blaster fire. Kirnon Force leapt into the center of the bridge and braced himself as he searched around for Darth Achelon. His apprentices had spread out into the command bridge, attacking and destroying security droids, and killing Imperial soldiers.

A voice shouted out, "Cease fire! Cease fire! The agent of Darth Nox is on the bridge!"

Darth Achelon cursed his troops, "Fools and cowards!"

He used The Force to throw the admiral who'd served as his Executive Officer, and who'd ordered the troops to cease firing, at Kirnon. Using The Force, Kirnon deflected the admiral and sent him skidding across the dark grey polished metal plated deck.

Darth Achelon had only two of his five apprentices with him. The other three were not on the command bridge. Achelon's two apprentices, present with him, went on the attack against two of Kirnon's apprentices.

Kirnon shouted, "By twos!"

Two of his apprentices joined to fight against one of the enemy, and Kirnon joined his third apprentice against his apprentice's opponent.

In short order, Darth Achelon was left alone to face Kirnon and his three apprentices.

Darth Achelon asked, "Will you give me the honor of single combat, Lord Kirnon?"

Kirnon replied, disgust edging his tone, "The traitor wants to be honored? You'll die like the traitorous scum that you are!"

Kirnon shouted, "Security droids, attack the traitor Darth Achelon!"

The droids queried their operators, asking if Lord Kirnon had proper command authority to issue such orders. The sergeants operating the droids looked to their officers, who in turn, looked to their commanders.

Darth Achelon was just about to laugh at Kirnon when the admiral, who'd survived being thrown, and then deflected, spoke loudly, but in obvious pain.

"By my authority, per Imperial Army and Navy Command and Control Manual, section 23.6, subsection Cresh, command authority is recognized for Lord Kirnon, and rescinded from Darth Achelon, as sanctioned by Darth Nox through his agent, Lord Kirnon."

A storm of blaster fire erupted from all over the command bridge, directed at Darth Achelon. Imperial soldiers joined their droids and began firing their own weapons at Darth Achelon as well. Lord Kirnon watched carefully as Darth Achelon fought feverishly to deflect hundreds of blaster bolts per second, many tens of blaster bolts got through and quickly depleted his personal shield generator. Soon the blaster bolts began to find their target, and Achelon was showing signs of weakening despite using The Force to mitigate the damage from the blaster fire.

With no way to escape, and his impending death looming, Darth Achelon decided to take everyone with him to become One with The Force. He abandoned his defense and used all of his remaining power in The Force to throw a security droid into the main canopy of the command bridge. He immediately became disgusted with himself and instantly regretted his decision, when he remembered too late, that the canopy was reinforced with a force shield to protect it from blaster damage whenever the ship entered battle stations. The droid smashed against the power of the shielding protecting the main canopy and ricocheted, first up into the overhead, and then down onto the deck of the command bridge.

Achelon reacted too late, Kirnon was already at his back, even through the blaster fire, and ran his lightsaber through Achelon. Achelon looked down at the deep red light blade, as it withdrew into his chest. It was the last thing he saw as his mind left him, and he died.

Kirnon knew victory, as the blaster fire abruptly ended and he stood over the dead body of the traitorous Achelon, but he did not allow himself to celebrate just yet. He turned to his apprentices and shouted his orders to them.

"Begin phase two! Now! Go!"

Phase two called for Kirnon's apprentices to lead Imperial troops to scour the ship in search of Darth Achelon's remaining apprentices. They would later discover, that Achelon's remaining three apprentices were scattered throughout the galaxy on various missions.

As Kirnon watched a medical droid tend to the admiral's injuries, he demanded, "Who's in command with the admiral wounded and incapacitated?"

A Human female stepped forward and said, "I am in command while Admiral Henness Thane is incapacitated, my lord. I'm Captain Jand Nung."

Kirnon ordered her, "Spread word on this ship, and to the other ships of this fleet, that the traitor Darth Achelon has been executed in accordance to Darth Nox's decree. Then determine if Admiral Henness Thane will be able to resume command, or if a replacement will be needed. If the latter, then request Naval High Command for a replacement."

The captain replied, "Yes, my lord."

When Captain Nung completed the tasks he'd assigned her, Kirnon asked, "What was this task force's mission?"

The captain replied, "We were conducting security patrols of this region, my lord."

Kirnon ordered, "Continue your mission. Also, prepare shuttle transports for my forces to get them to the nearest planet with a spaceport."

The captain suggested, "My lord, if it pleases you. It would be more efficient to simply orbit Tatooine, then use your troop carrier to ferry your forces down. That's the nearest planet with a spaceport from here."

Kirnon, accepting her suggestion replied, "Then we'll do that."

Kirnon left the bridge to speak to the Mando commander. On his way to the Mandalorian leader, Kirnon had three thoughts. The first was that Darth Achelon never denied the charges against him. He never asked why Darth Nox branded him a traitor.

Kirnon, surmised, "Perhaps he'd already known that his treachery had been discovered..." His second thought was, "I must report my success to Darth Nox."

Kirnon grinned and chuckled at himself as he remembered how much he owed the Mando commander for his battalion's services and thought, "I'm going to be flat broke, after I pay up. But I've won big!"