Chapter 54

(Moments Into Sate Pestages' Speech, Alderaan Orbit)

Captain Lurom Turanik stood with hands clasped ever so imperially proper behind his back as he stood on the bridge of "his" Stardestroyer designated "Imperious IV," and stood close to his viewport. Taking in the sight of Alderaan from orbit with passive interest. From up here in space he could see relatively massive plumes of smoke in a constant rise from the; as of this day, famous Crevasse City. There was near constant, and at times, chaotic chatter streaming in from imperial and rebel forces from planet-side.

His coms officer was on a constant mission to sift through it all and keep vigil for legitimate incoming messages, and transmissions. A job he did not envy in the slightest. He, like all other imperial captains of the 68th Imperial fleets detachment here above Alderaan was patiently waiting for news of any kind, on whether or not he or indeed the whole fleet were needed to aid in the battle below. A job he so wished would come to him, and would allow him to finally act upon his will; no, indeed his very need to fulfill his patriotic duty to destroy all the rebel scum of the galaxy person by person if need be!

Little did he know it, but his moment had come.

"Captain Turanik sir, we're receiving a priority transmission from Major-General Gerrel from planet-side." Informed the coms officer calmly, but quickly. Lurom turned on a heel with excitement and made for the com station. "Patch it through at once officer Yuol!" Turanik ordered his coms officer; using his last name to stress his command.

The officer did so without a word and soon a screen filled up with the upper body of the man Lurom assumed was general Gerrel. "General Gerrel sir, this is captain Lurom Turanik, of the Imperial Stardestroyer Imperious IV, at your command, sir," Lurom without missing a beat stated in his accented voice.

"Ah very good, captain." Gerrel responded. "Acting commander of all Imperial forces here on Alderaan, Commander Viathan, has authorized precision orbital strikes on positions in and around Crevasse City." The general informed Lurom, who had to hold back a smirk from the general. "Of course sir. May I be informed as to the coordinates for orbital bombardment?" Gerrel didn't respond right away and began keying in the information into a communication terminal at his side.

"Coordinates have been sent to your ship, captain. You are ordered to fire when ready and insure you do not fire outside the acceptable margin for error. We are working hard down here to maintain as little collateral as possible so it is absolutely imperative there are no 'slippery fingers,' this day, captain." Gerrel firmly commanded with his own hands now re-clasped behind his back. Lurom looked at another screen and read out the coordinates and got the confirmation from his mapping and coordination officer of their existence from planet-side.

"Of course general Gerrel, sir. I will get on this at once!" The captain happily informed his ground based colleague, and immediately went to work patching through data and ship placement position orders to other officers on the bridge and turbolaser operators. "We will commence precision bombardment of specified coordinates in t-minus two minutes sir. Be warned fire is 'danger close.'" Lurom informed the waiting general who in turn stiffly nodded his approval.

"Very good captain insure you do not fail the empire this day." Was all Gerrel said before the transmission cut and left an excited and unworried captain to his preparations.

(Alderaan, Crevasse City, a moment later)

"Excellent work general! Keep me up to date on any priority information. I and lieutenant Veers will be advancing just seconds after orbital strike." Viathan congratulated, and informed Gerrel. "As you command sir, Gerrel out!" The transmission was quickly ended and Viathan looked behind him to look over his gathered forces.

His forces was equal to a small company of infantry and armor. A number of Stormtroopers had punctured their way to Viathan following his rendezvous with Veers, and he now had roughly one-hundred-thirty troopers ready to assault the besieged industrial sector of Crevasse, and were being backed by four able AT-ST walkers and of course one AT-AT under the direct command of Veers. 'This should fix these rebel scum!' Viathan thought proudly. All he had to do was wait for was the precision strike and then advance.

(Imperious IV)

"We are in position now captain!" Came the call from his coordination's officer. Lurom grinned widely as he looked at how close his ship was to Alderaan. "Fire when ready officer!" came his command with a hint of glee in his voice and in no more than a moment his stardestroyers right bank of turbolaser batteries launched a number of fast and powerful energy sorties that sped unabashed towards Crevasse city.

(Crevasse City)

Three masses of energy loudly and suddenly crashed in succession of one another on the top level of the city and with enough power to shake the entire city and surrounding area. Then came another round followed by a further one and another, and another. The sound was like thunder that would not stop and before anyone knew what had happened the sound of the city's top level collapsing under the constant and brutal strain rang out, and a portion of the top level fell into the floor of the first level. Thus exposing the first level to fire, and it too suffered a massive orbital strike that in a few seconds caused level ones metal floor to collapse in and in doing so destroy level twos ceiling structure.

Viathan and all his troopers became utterly quiet and all looked upwards as they felt, heard, and saw the energy blasts slam into the city levels above them, and cause massive structural damage none of them truly expected. None except for Viathan who looked on with dark satisfaction as approximately an entire block of the top level and level one caved inwards, and all its debris fell onto level twos ceiling structure. Dust and smoke began pluming upwards in mass billows, and entire chunks of the upper levels began falling off the sides into the abyss of the canyon city.

'Finally.' Was all Viathan thought. Pulling out his com he transmitted to Veers. "Order the all out offensive Veers!" He commanded and Veers merely replied with, "As you command sir," and thus all the gathered forces under Viathan plunged forward along the tight and narrow street of Crevasse city's third level.

He activated both sabers and dashed ahead of his forces and was the first to come across a dozen rebels, and he immediately engaged them. Thrusting forward and impaling one he spun around and swiped up from underneath another taking the rebels legs clean off from their knees, before stabbing the downed man in the chest. By now the other men had begun spraying him with their blasters in massive amounts of blaster bolts and caused Viathan to grimace at how many bolts he had to deflect as his wounds began to ache and burn again at the intensity and speed he now had to use to block the deadly bolts.

'Kriffing…annoying…rebels!' he seethed internally as he threw one saber and directed it into three rebels and took haphazard limbs and body parts off of them. At the same time, he used his other saber to deflect several bolts back at the rebels still shooting him, Viathan noticed his troopers arriving and he heard one stereotypically shout out "Blast them!" Viathan didn't have time to roll his eyes but was glad when uncountable amounts of red blaster bolts rapidly passed him and straight into the last of the rebels and flung them unto their back, dead on impact.

"Excellent work, now continue the advance." He commanded as he called his saber back and began sprinting forward again. This time however his troopers stayed with him as best they could and began firing immediately when they come upon another open area where rebels had set up a makeshift "roadblocks," and fired a mounted heavy repeating blaster turret at them and took down at least four of his troopers. Viathan used the force to propel himself behind a kiosk and looked on trying to decide how to approach. That was until an AT-ST made its loud presence known and fired extremely fast and repeating rounds of its own built in turret and blew the block completely away. It was quickly followed by the other walkers including the ground shaking AT-AT.

Viathan came from behind the kiosk and looked across the canyon, and much to his pleasure witnessed a squadron of four TIE bombers go into a dive bomb and drop a massive payload on enemy positions on the opposite side of Crevasse. He had ordered such actions to be taken if necessary and was glad to see the order was taken to heart.

The heat of the explosion radiated all the way over to him and caused him to raise his arm to protect his face though in reality there was no likely harm to come from the blast. It was more of an instinctual move than anything.

"Keep advancing!" Viathan finally called out loudly and moved forward again. Making sure to sneer at the charred bodies he passed as he did so. It wasn't long however until Viathan could see in the near distance a building complex under, and returning heavy blaster fire. Bolts were flying in every and all directions and explosions were at a near constant. Rebels were running forward and getting downed by imperial gunner nest positions in the buildings. While other rebels fired more stolen PTL missiles at the structures taking chunks out of the buildings and causing trooper corpses to go flying. The screaming and yelling from both sides was a sound Viathan had never heard before. It was brutal, guttural, and he would even call it feral in nature. 'I suppose war is generally like this.' He lamented before shaking the thoughts away.

He looked on in awe at the sight of unbridled battle and the felt the dark side flow through him in that moment. 'Okay time to bring this rebel uprising to an end!' He commed Veers at once.

"Lieutenant I want you to push the AT-AT forward as spearhead, the AT-STs will cover your flanks, and I'll be heading the assault from under the belly of the walker when we have gained the appropriate amount of ground. Understood?" Viathan asked.

"Understood sir, advancing now." He said and Viathan ended the call immediately. "All troopers form up on me now!" He cried out his command and all the remaining troopers flooded near him under the AT-AT, and began to walk in an acceptable pace with the massive imperial walker. Viathan watched as the AT-STs began to advance more rapidly than the AT-AT and opened fire on rebel outlying positions closer to them and gained the attention of the main assault force which he guessed to number at least a hundred men or more! Rebel forces at the rear of the industrial base assault quickly turned and took positions on barricades and more makeshift protection, and aimed their blasters at the advancing enemy.

"Veers fire at the forward position as cover!" Viathan quickly ordered over his com, and suddenly the AT-ATs heavy laser cannons launched an extremely fast repeated assault on the same back lines of the rebels and caused an immense explosion. Viathan could make out several bodies flying in all directions. Some even being flung off the side of the city into the abyss below. Still alive, and screaming too. He decided to dash forward and in front of the walker to get a better look ahead. He kept advancing and soon the dust from the blast settled revealing rebels in slight disarray, attempting to reorganize and re-launch the assault on the power plants ahead. 'They cannot bring power back online! Not while I'm still breathing!' He declared to himself in further rising anger.

With that Viathan sped forward on foot and activated his sabers once again. Using the force he tossed one saber at a group of rebels and jumped onto a wall and used it as leverage to push himself off, kick a rebel to the ground and swing his other saber in an arch and cut down another. He called back his other saber after it took two more lives and plunged it into the downed rebels' neck. As he received fire from other rebels he quickly made a serpentine move of jumping, flipping, and dashing and forced all the rebels to miss while he got only closer to them and many attempted a retreat backwards while continuing to fire on him.

They walked backwards straight into imperial fire from the industrial stronghold and were downed immediately in a hail of bolts. Viathan practically danced with his sabers as he got deeper into the enemy crowd of rebels and hacked one arm off, then a leg, then a head, then a man was cut clean in half. It was a magnificent display of crimson lights twirling and bouncing as Viathan continually crouched under then jumped over an enemy and sliced all kinds of parts of the human body away from its host body. Viathan only slightly registered the sound of AT-AT fire overhead slamming into enemy positions beyond him, and didn't even notice his troopers running ahead of him and into the fray of the now sandwiched rebel forces. They were falling steadily back, and it was dawning upon them that imperial relief had come before their objectives had been met. They were falling like dominoes and no support was coming from them. Now only retreat was their option.

When Viathan came out of his dark, deranged, and deadly stupor he happily noticed his troops using the rebels own covering positions against the further up and retreating rebel forces. The AT-STs had finally caught up and began pushing forward and firing at rebels whose positions put them dangerously near the complexes' entranceway. Viathan in turn sprung forward and using the force leapt across an open "no-man's-land," and brought his saber from over his head down onto a rebel and practically cut him in two. He twirled around magnificently and cut another down. The sounds of blasters and laser cannons from the walkers were now nonstop and the only thing going through Viathans head was the sound of his blood pumping harder and harder as the adrenaline flowed like the rampant rapids of a river within him.

He cut another mans blaster in half leaving the man stunned faced, before he too died by being impaled by a saber. Viathan couldn't have cared less for these men. They had made their choices and were now facing the full wrath of the Galactic Empire, and he would see them crumble, beaten, and spat on before the end! He swore to himself he would!

It would be sometime before Viathan calmed down enough to realize that the rebels were in fact in full disorganized retreat in the opposite direction he had advanced from and ran towards the crossway between the two canyon walls of Crevasse City. They had failed to take the power plant, and now their fate was sealed. After he took several deep breaths and deactivated his sabers he walked over to the AT-AT which Veers had stopped just before the old enemy outlying barricades just some feet away from the actual plant.

He decided to call into Gerrel.

"General, I am right outside of the power plant and I have successfully driven back rebel forces towards the crossway which runs between the canyon walls. I believe they are falling back to their possible headquarters on the opposite side of the canyon." Gerrel was silent for a moment.

"Ah yes we're tracking them now sir. Hold for just a moment please sir." Viathan was about to protest until the memorable sound of turbolaser fire came hurdling down from the sky and Viathan followed its trajectory, and with a smirk watched the massive bulbs of energy slam into and destroy the crossway with possibly dozens of rebels still on it. 'Impressive Gerrel.' He thought still smirking.

"There we go sir. Problem taken care of I do believe." Gerrel stated with his odd sense of humor creeping in again. "Excellent job general," Viathan praised, "however, I do think that a sum of rebels were able to cross to the opposite end of Crevasse and are perhaps rallying around their leaders for a last stand." Viathan stated as he gazed over to the other side and could still see and even hear exchanges of blaster fire from that side.

"Indeed we think you are correct sir, on all points. Intelligence and field reports are coming in of a sudden increase in rebel activity. I would assume they are attempting one last breakout." Gerrel iterated less humorously than before.

Viathan nodded to himself, and then had a thought. He looked up and directly above him was a fully functional AT-AT. He smirked. "Lieutenant Veers." He commed to from his field com used just for communication on the field of battle. "Yes sir, I continue to be at your service." He responded tersely.

"Excellent! I want you to lay down fire on the opposite end of Crevasse! Fire on all targets you suspect of rebel affiliation, and I will have Gerrel patch through to you our forces on that side!" Viathan commanded resolutely. "As you command, sir." Veers retorted back and already began opening fire on the opposite end of the destroyed crossway. Causing the city to rock and shudder from the powerful energy impacts. Which caused sections of buildings to crumble into the abyss.

"Gerrel I want every enemy position on the opposite end to be patched through directly to lieutenant Veers! He will lay down suppressing fire from his position here and soften up enemy positions for when those fresh troopers I ordered are shuttled in." Viathan ordered breathlessly.

"Right away sir. Will you be joining them, sir?" Gerrel questioned. Viathan looked over and nodded to himself. "Indeed I will general. Have a shuttle come pick me up at once! We do not quit until Crevasse falls!" The budding Sith dictated as he felt the adrenaline rush through him again. He heard Gerrel give his affirmation and ended the transmission as he saw a mass of shuttles begin to descend upon the opposite side of Crevasse city.

'Soon this city will fall. By my hands!' Viathan decreed to no other but himself, and he would see it through, force help him he would!

(Above Dubrava, During Bombardment of Planet)

Kalev Zalliste was rarely impressed if he were to be honest with anyone. He had never truly been impressed by others than himself for many years. That changed when he had met the Emperor during his time as Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, and then later when he made his first pilgrimage to his true homeworld in the Outer Rim hinges of space.

However, as of this moment he was more than thoroughly impressed by the actions of Lord Vader. The scientist was staring out of his rooms viewport and was in an excellent position to witness the "space battle," earlier. Which he thought was more of a massacre than a battle and loved every moment of it. His green eyes were now plastered to the sight of reigning turbolaser sorties onto the planet below. He did not know what planet it was, but really who cares about that sort of thing when it is you on the safe and winning end of a battle? He had been working on numbers for his genetic sequences when the order was called out over the com system throughout the stardestroyer, and he had jumped from his seat and went straight to his rooms viewport and witnessed a mass of imperial TIEs speed passed his room in a remarkable overwhelming display.

'How wonderful, and lucky am I as to witness lord Vaders' utter brutality? I mean I just love a good waste of life, but he is always overkill, and for the better surely!' The sociopath madman thought with a smirk glued onto his face. Despite the fact he so wanted to see his son, and quicker than ever, this sight before him was too beautiful to be missed. No woman, no world, no child, and nothing else in the galaxy could ever outdo the beauty of the slaughter. At least that is what Kalev thought and that's what he truly believed in. The galaxy was nothing but pain and suffering, so why not learn to live and even love it? After all if you cant beat them join them, or so the saying is. Kalev Zalliste was an ardent supporter of that idea, and for that he would always be considered the narcissist he knew he was.

And he loved it.

(Hyperspace, En-route to Dubrava)

Kellia Nelrain sat in the pilots seat of a "commandeered," cargo freighter from Nar Shaddaa, and she felt terrible. It felt like a poison had entered into her and was boiling in the pit of her stomach. Or hands had reached right inside of her and twisted her insides. Of course she deserved it she knew so.

'Why can't I fight it? Why do I always go back to it? I HATE IT!' She screamed within herself causing her to ball her fists in adrenaline fueled anger. As she remembered how she had given into the dark side on the smugglers moon and killed those inquisitors, and that last one who she strangled to death when it wasn't necessary in the least. She could swear when opening the palms of her hand she could still feel the beating of his arteries, and it would send a cold shiver up her spine. The fear in his eyes, the paleness of his face, the blue coloring of his oxygen deprived lips was enough to make her gag. The tears had stopped finally. She couldn't remember what day it was when she finally crawled out her fetal position in the dark and emptied docks of Nar Shaddaa.

She only knew that she had to get to Dubrava and meet this Bail Organa in person at last. "He better be worth it, or I'm gonna…." She closed her eyes and shook her head. 'There I go again, acting like a damn fool!' There is no emotion, there is…..peace.' She told herself looking for peace in the old words of the Jedi code, and with a shaky breath she thought this over and over again.

Until suddenly she gasped and clutched her chest in suddenness that struck her like a screaming banshee right into her very soul. It felt like her whole body would collapse if she were standing up. She felt it so clearly, and so obviously. She felt death, it felt like hundreds, thousand even were dying, and by the force she was close to whatever was going on. "Oh force that hurts!" She said as she held her head now.

Brushing a stray lock of her jet black hair aside she finally composed herself, and had it dawn upon her. 'Dubrava…..Palpatine you kriffing son of a Kath hound!' She thought with gritted teeth. "I swear old man I will plunge my saber into your gut over and over one day! Damn the fore, damn the light side, and damn you! I will make you pay! For everything, you and your lapdog!' She seethed as every once of her body trembled in pure rage. Kellia knew then that the light side, the dark side. It didn't matter. All that did, or could matter in her life now was killing Palpatine and taking from him everything he took from her, and hopefully find the peace she so craved.

All she wanted was it all to end, but until it did she would fight and kill. Because the galaxy was nothing but pain for her, and for that she hated it with all that she was.

Hate was all that drove Kellia Nelrain, and she didn't care anymore. It was all that there was now in her life. She might as well use it to some advantage, and hasten the end and the end of all her pain.

(Alderaan, Opposite Side of Crevasse City, five minutes after Dubrava Bombardment)

Viathan had just finished cutting another rebel down, and stood tall and firm. Troopers were running all around him and gunning more rebels, or thought to be rebels left and right. The rebels had steadily begun falling back towards one of the far ends of the canyon city. He had slain all that he came across with no remorse or second thought and now truly felt the entire city begin to fall into his command as every civilian they came across didn't even look at him or his forces with disgust as was common of an Alderaanian. Instead he saw relief, he saw that the pacifists weren't ready for battle on this scale on their little world. They now only wanted it to end, and didn't care who won either.

"Gerrel I want a report on all sectors of Crevasse now!" He ordered into his com unit.

"All sectors are reporting back green, sir. All zones of Crevasse from levels one through four are reporting all clear while level five is only sporadically putting up resistance, and many surrendering troops have been encountered. Only the sector you are advancing on is coming back as unsecured of course." The general informed.

Viathan looked ahead of him and saw a group of buildings huddled into the very corner of Crevasse City. Which he assumed was the HQ, and last bastion for these rebels here in Crevasse and maybe even all of Alderaan. His troopers were forming up around the entrance to the area, and awaiting his very command to move in and clean out these scum like rats from holes in the wall.

"Sir, I do believe you may want to hear of some very extraordinary information." The general suddenly cut in. Causing Viathan to furrow his brow and reply, "And what is that general?" Viathan listened to the general as he went on about some grand broadcast from the imperial senate before he patched Viathan through to the HoloNet in audio. He listened in silent shock as the recordings Sate Pestage, his master Exar Kun, and even Lord Vader spoke on many things that Viathan couldn't believe he was hearing. Moffs outlawed, rebels being gunned down, but more importantly for Viathan in this moment. Bail Organa….an Imperial agent! Viathan remained stunned for but a moment longer before an idea went across his min. A devious smirk came upon his face. 'I do believe that this broadcast should be announced to all here. Especially our rebel friends.'

"Gerrel I want you to link me up to the rebel com channels. I have something they will want to hear."

(Rebel Headquarters, Alderaan, Crevasse City)

"It's hopeless don't you get that already Klu?!" Yelled his second in command Trad Moori. Klu Rabstin was not an idiot. He knew the Empire was right outside, and was going to attack, and yes, slaughter him and all the other rebels here. Why should he give in though? If he was to die then better here then in an Imperial cell after nonstop torture.

"I get it Trad. We are surrounded, we're gonners, we're gonna be slaughtered, but I would rather die today and here in Crevasse than in some imperial prison cell, or worse a damn camp on some moon harvesting ore for the rest of my years!" Trad gave him a pointed look. "yeah that's you. Maybe some of us here don't wanna die for nothing! There's always something to live for, and I would rather live to fight another day then die without anything to show for it besides senseless slaughter!"

Klu shook his head in irritation. "Look!" He half yelled, "If you want to go out there, get on your hands and knees and beg for them to take you to a prison or maybe shoot you then and there, then go on and do it already!" He said as he continued to stand anxiously by a window he had taken position on, waiting for the last stand to come. Trad opened his mouth to argue further, when the rebel com blared in both their ears causing both men to grab it in pained looks.

"Forgive the sound my rebel friends, but it was the only sure way to grab your undivided attention." Came an obvious Coruscanti accented male over the com. Klu noticed all his men heard the same thing and were either clutching their com pieces in pain, or listening with incredulous looks on their faces. "Kriffing imperials!" Klu growled out as he tensed by the window.

"Now I have commandeered this com channel in order to play a small recording of the imperial senate today for you rebels to hear. I do believe, as many others do, that this will surely intrigue you all. After you hear it I have a one time, and far too kind offer to make to all of you. But first, let us listen shall we?" Said the voice with a pleased with himself tone. Klu wasn't up for listening to anything, but what he heard did catch him off guard.

"Let no one praise me for any small contribution I made for this day, for I could not have done it without the aid of a man this senate has for too long suspected wrongfully of misconduct and deceit." Came the voice of someone Klu had never heard before.

"He has for too long now had to remain hidden from his true loyalties, and now that he has aided in the destruction, and forever fracturing of legitimate rebel movements abroad; I think it only fair that he be given all due praise." The man further declared, and immediately Klus anger flared. "Great he wants us to listen to another damn speech on killing rebels!" He declared openly but saw all his men were keen on listening to the recording.

"Let all here, and across the galaxy know that this was all accomplished because of the aid, and deep undercover actions of the one we all know as Bail Organ of Alderaan!" Klu didn't notice it but his mouth fell open, and his eyes bulged, but he noticed similar looks of shock, horror, and even anguish across the faces of the men in the room with him. Even Trad looked sick as he held a hand to his mouth in an obvious look of similarly felt horror at what he just heard. 'this cant be real! No way can Bail Organa be a traitor! No way in the nine Corellian Hells!' Klu cried out in his thoughts.

"He is known among rebel circles as a man of democracy and of the Old Republic, but I will tell you the truth. He is more than that! He was and forever has been, a man of the Empire, and has put his life and word on the line for us to accomplish what we have done here today. It may have taken away years of his life, years he could have devoted to spreading our glorious order abroad, but now we can say in the utmost of assurances that he will never again have to be persecuted by this court, or the Empire ever again! This day we have given the Empire a renewed sense of purpose, and a new chapter has bee opened before us to seize! Let us all give thanks to our most gracious Emperor and his unbounded wisdom! Hail to the Empire my friends," Kun loudly cried to a loud cry of approval, "and hail to the Emperor!"

After that declaration a lengthy applause followed, and was cut off.

Klu didn't want to believe it, but then again why would the imperials bother lying to him and the others with propaganda? They were in the last stand lying wasn't needed. Only assault and execution. So it dawned on him. 'Damn it all to the foulest and darkest void! Damn you Organa, DAMN YOU!' He tremblingly thought as he shook in utter rage and gritted teeth.

"Now that you have all heard that, and may I inform you all that this is being broadcast all throughout the galaxy, I have a one time offer. A deal if you will to calm your broken hearts." The voice of the imperial condescendingly said. "All rebels who lay down their arms and surrender to imperial forces here in Crevasse city will not be taken into imperial custody. Instead I will hand you over to the Alderaanian courts for crimes against Alderaanian laws. I ask you; why fight for a mans planet who has sold each and every one of you down the river so to speak? I offer this but once, and not again. Failure to take my offer will result in further bloodshed, and I don't think any rebel here truly wants that. Thee will be no reprisals, and no executions. I wash my hands of you the moment you're in Alderaanian hands." The voice declared with no emotion whatsoever, and Klu looked around the room as his anger had quickly turned to sadness, and he had never felt so weak in his life.

"Well…anyone got something to say?" Klu asked. Trad looked at him with an expression that spoke volumes to the utter dread the man felt. He lifted his blaster in front of him, and without a word dropped it to the floor, and stormed out of the room. Klu shook his head in similar dread, and watched as every single one of his men dropped their blasters and made for the entryway.

The rebellion of Alderaan was over. It was all for nothing, it was a failure of colossal scale. Klu slumped against the wall and fell to the floor of his solemn room.

Nothing more need saying, and the care had all left him at this moment, and all hope was gone. Picking up his blaster pistol he nonchalantly placed it to his right temple, and pulled the trigger. His body would be found and incinerated, but his legacy would be forever forgotten. He was dead, as was the way of the rebel in this galaxy. They had all here on Alderaan fought and died for nothing.

(Viathans Position, Moments Later)

Dozens of men came walking from the structure. Each of them instinctively had both hands clamped behind their heads and walked forward with heads looking downwards. Viathan believed them too crestfallen to even look their victors in the eyes in defiance of their defeat. He smirked as he welcomed the utter looks of betrayal, anger, depression, and emptiness across their faces.

"General Gerrel," he commed to his subordinate, "The rebels of Crevasse have unconditionally surrendered." He declared with pride.

"Wonderful sir! A most excellent victory for imperial records!" Viathan rolled his eyes though with a humored smirk on his face.

"Maybe general, we shall see in time. Now I want you to contact the officials in charge of the Alderaanian courts. I have promised the rebels Alderaanian detention; with imperial garrisons stationed close by of course, and I want them all in chains and cells as of tonight!" The young Sith commanded as TIEs flew screamingly overhead in patrol.

"I will get on it at once sir. All sectors are reporting nil enemy activity on all levels and sectors of Crevasse. Commanding officer, Colonel Yitti has reported that his regiment is in full command of Aldera city, and all other Alderaanian cities have reported back with status green. Alderaan has been re-subjugated, sir!" The imperial general happily reported. Viathan nodded.

"Today was a good day general." He none directly congratulated. "I will require a shuttle to return to Aldera palace at once. I must report to Imperial Center on Alderaans status. Insure to pull out all nonessential imperial forces and deploy garrisons to all sectors of Alderaan. Be sure to maintain strict levels of low imperial presence. We after all are allowing the Alderaanians to maintain rule, or at least the façade of it." the general chuckled. "Of course sir I will implement all orders immediately. Rerouting a supply shuttle to you now sir. Gerrel out." The general ended his transmission and Viathan looked over Crevasse. It was a mess. Buildings lay in waste and ruin. Bodies of civilians, imperials, and rebels were all over and made the city smell of rot and metal from profuse blood letting. The sky of Alderaan grew dim as evening was fast ending and night would befall the planet soon.

All he knew cared about though was that the rebels were done for. Not only here on Alderaan, but abroad in all the galaxy. His master had told him a new age was coming and he could see that he spoke the truth. Now was the time for Viathan to bask in his victory. 'I have achieved what I set out to do. I am the victor! I am Viathan, Sith apprentice to Exar Kun!' The boy declared as his shuttle came for him.

This day the galaxy was nothing but bright for Viathan. He did not know that this day was to be but a minor achievement in his life, and what awaited him he could never have guessed.

(Coruscant)

Starkiller stood looking out towards the grand ecumenopolis of Coruscant and took in a deep breath of pride. He had killed many weak men for his master, and had witnessed what was happening in the Imperial senate. The work he had done was unhinging the Emperors way of rule, and his master was decimating rebels in the galaxy with the aid of this new lord Kun. Starkiller knew his master would return in due time. When he did he would be ready to do his biding once more, and by doing so inch ever closer to destroying the Emperor! To taking his masters side as rulers of the galaxy!

'Soon. Soon I will finally have my time, and my chance for power! Me and my master will rule all!' The older Sith thought. Not knowing that fate would change his life forevermore, and perhaps not for the better either.

(Inner Rim, Outside of the Bestine System)

He stood aboard his new stardestroyer designated affectionately the "Conquest," by himself. Nox Vellam stood on the bridge of his stardestroyer contemplating what he had gotten himself into. How he had gutted this ship of its imperial loyalists. How he had ordered the assassinations of those he once called colleagues because they did not subscribe to his "cause."

How outside of this hand selected Imperial system; surrounding him, was a fleet numbering one-hundred-twenty-three, warships. Thirty of which were star destroyers, the rest were dreadnaughts, cruisers, corvettes, and battle cruisers. All prepped, primed, and ready for war. All of them now commanded by power-hungry, lusting men he now had to pay to do their job. "A strange course life has driven me down.' He thought as anticipation gripped his very heart.

Bestine IV was to be the fuse that lights a war he thought sounded incredibly familiar to him. Indeed he was about to begin a civil war, and he didn't really understand what Vader had to truly gain from doing this. Other than power for himself. Which is what made him again question, 'Why am I doing this?'

He did not know in all honesty. He was of course promised power, wealth, and anything he desired. He never really thought about what he would do if he was denied it. Talk? To who? No one would ever trust him again. No, he had come too far now to even THINK of turning back. He and all his allies watched as Sate Pestage declared all Moffs outlaws, and he saw in that moment all of those who were still skeptical of Nox lose all ability to not believe him. As far as they were concerned the Emperor they served, killed for, and lived for, and ruled for; was now out to kill them all. So now Nox needn't worry about the fellow Moffs of his alliance.

The hour was drawing nearer, and war was upon the horizon of the galaxy. The name of Nox Vellam would be known throughout the stars. The Galactic Civil War was coming, and no one could stop it. Or wanted to.

The galaxy had now truly entered into its Exodus.


Here it is the final chapter of Part 1 of the Galactic Exodus Chronicles. I am so pleased and happy to be writing this! For those who do not know this story was a collaborative effort between myself and the "original," writer of this story my best friend and writer as i came up with allot of the ideas he implemented. Us both being massive Star wars fans and all.

He has had to stop writing due to school and health issues, as well as being just tired, but would like to say to all his readers that he appreciates and thanks you all for reading his "little" story. I allowed him to read this over before posting and he will do the same for later important chapters as well. I promise to keep writing in the style you all know and have already written four, and a half, chapters without you guys knowing so I think I'm already pretty decent at his style of writing. So please I beg you all to come read part 2 of the GEC and continue the story of Exar Kun, and all the other you know and love together!

Enjoy the longest chapter written for this story to date, :) again thank you all and I really do appreciate you all even if you hate the story! :D