Chapter 1
Shades of enemies circled around him, one in particular was closer then the rest. Within its hand was the blade of the assassin. The assassins fury hand sealed his mouth,while he plunged his dagger in his heart.
Blackness. Pain.
Knocking on the door brought him back to reality, and he awoke with drops of sweat on his forehead. The knocking repeated. He took a deep breath, and quietly said "Come in".
Kowes entered the room, with long and firm steps, not revealing fear nor disrespect.
He saluted, and Thrawn returned his salute with a nod.
"Yes major?"
"Admiral, we have a Nebulon-B2 frigate entering the system."
"Any indentification?"
"They are approaching us by standard pattern Lota, the frigate's name is the 'Reaper', other than that, nothing."
Thrawn's face remained cool and motionless, only in his fiery eyes for a second the fire increased. He moved his hand towards his chairarm.
"Then lets hail them major."
With a flick of the switch, a hologram appeared with an image of a man well within his thirties wearing an Imperial uniform with the rank of Captain.
"Shuttle Gamma, transmit your code, or prepare to be blasted out of the sky."
Thrawn smiled at the boldness of this statement, clearly wishing that he had more time for bickering.
"This is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Empire, Frigate 'Reaper' you shall prepare for my arrival." Thrawns voice was filled with authority and pride, his presence seemed to affect the captain, but he wasnt so eager to turn his ship over to anyone claiming to be the fabled warlord.
"Oh really? Thrawn is dead. Dont try to sway me by your appearance, either supply the code, or be blasted out of the sky."
"Then allow me to come aboard captain, and i will be glad to supply proofs of my identity. The code is Generet-Karagon-Stratos-Alpha. Thrawn out."
Thrawn turned off the comm, he focused his look upon Kowes and spoke in a dreadful voice.
"Major,dock with them."
The major saluted, turned on his heel, and left the passenger cabin. He quickly sitted in his seat,flicking switches like mad to ignite the cold engines. After three seconds, the engines finnaly started, and after another two minutes,the shuttle was entering the hangar aboard the 'Reaper'.
* * *
As the shuttle descended upon the durasteel wall, detachments of stormtroopers were formed into a standard greeting party.
With steam hisses, the ramp lowered,and down the ramp Grand Admiral Thrawn walked, with Kowes only a step behind him. The admiral walked with safeness in his step, and even captain Cayel fliched under the look of the fiery eyes. The admiral's cool pale skin reflected the coldness of the durasteel floor, and his spotless white uniform confirmed to Cayel that this man is more then your average-day cheater.
Thrawn finnaly stopped infront of Cayel, and raised an ironic blue-black eyebrow in expectation. Cayel's arm instinctively flew to salute. While the puzzled captain pondered about what had he done, Thrawn looked at the captain with understanding in his eyes. Moments passed before Cayel spoke.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn, it is a pleasure." said Cayel with a shudder in his voice.
"No need to shudder captain, I am not about to kill you for breaking some tradition. I am not the late Lord Vader."
"I know sir, its just that i wasnt expecting you to return."
"What WERE you expecting captain?" asked Thrawn in light suprise.
"Another cheater pretending to be some Imperial just to sieze my ship." said Cayel boldly.
"Interesting. Captain, i belive you havent met my companion, Major Kowes, ace pilot."
"No i dont belive we have met." said Cayel, extending a hand, which Kowes accepted with a firm handshake.
"Now that we have finished the introductions captain, you could give me some info about the current state of the 'Reaper'…?"
"Yes admiral. The 'Reaper' is equipped with 35 quad laser cannons, and 20 turbolaser turrets. The engine's and the shield is heavily modifyed, and recently we have overhauled the hyperdrive, which is now capable of traveling at speeds of 1.2 past lightspeed."
The captain finished, his eyes fixed on Thrawn like turbolasers. Thrawn seemed to think about this information, as seconds passed Cayel grew more uncomfortable.
"A fine job, captain. Do you have a base?"
"No sir, we are never staying in the same place for too long."
"Hmm. Good. Captain, i dont suppose you have a free room?" said Thrawn, with a bit of humor.
"Actually sir, we have. It's near the bridge, and is now empty, aside from a few containers of food."
"Do you need that room?"
"No sir. We can storage our food supply elswere."
"How about storaging your food supply in one of the technician's quaters?He would have to move, correct, but from now on there will be four technicians per room."
"As you wish admiral."
"Good captain. Order Navigation to plot a course for the Iridonia system."
"Iridonia system? Thats a dead planet, right? Infact,its more deader then Ithor, and more deadlier." said Cayel in suprise.
"Captain, dont worry." Thrawn chuckled, "We are going to land on Iridonia for a brief time, no more then twenty minutes. We need to get a DNA sample of the Zabrak, or even better, a living Zabrak though i dont hold much hope that we shall suceed in finding a living one that is willing to join us." Thrawn said, then waited for a few seconds allowing Cayel to add anything to the discussion. When it was obvious that Cayel wont add anything, Thrawn turned around and walked torwards the bridge with Kowes and Cayel in tow.
When Thrawn entered the bridge, all talks were stopped, and all looks were upon Thrawn. Thrawn cocked up one blue-black eyebrow, and simply said
"Interesting."
"Navigation, set course for the Iridonia system." Cayel said, then stopped for a second to pick up a commlink. He turned the comm on,and spoke
"All personel, this is captain Cayel speaking. Grand Admiral Thrawn has came aboard,and he is taking control over the 'Reaper'. Therefore, you are to obey him without questions. Cayel out."
A wave of excited talks ringed troughout the frigate, and it continued when the Frigate entered hyperspace.
Shades of enemies circled around him, one in particular was closer then the rest. Within its hand was the blade of the assassin. The assassins fury hand sealed his mouth,while he plunged his dagger in his heart.
Blackness. Pain.
Knocking on the door brought him back to reality, and he awoke with drops of sweat on his forehead. The knocking repeated. He took a deep breath, and quietly said "Come in".
Kowes entered the room, with long and firm steps, not revealing fear nor disrespect.
He saluted, and Thrawn returned his salute with a nod.
"Yes major?"
"Admiral, we have a Nebulon-B2 frigate entering the system."
"Any indentification?"
"They are approaching us by standard pattern Lota, the frigate's name is the 'Reaper', other than that, nothing."
Thrawn's face remained cool and motionless, only in his fiery eyes for a second the fire increased. He moved his hand towards his chairarm.
"Then lets hail them major."
With a flick of the switch, a hologram appeared with an image of a man well within his thirties wearing an Imperial uniform with the rank of Captain.
"Shuttle Gamma, transmit your code, or prepare to be blasted out of the sky."
Thrawn smiled at the boldness of this statement, clearly wishing that he had more time for bickering.
"This is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Empire, Frigate 'Reaper' you shall prepare for my arrival." Thrawns voice was filled with authority and pride, his presence seemed to affect the captain, but he wasnt so eager to turn his ship over to anyone claiming to be the fabled warlord.
"Oh really? Thrawn is dead. Dont try to sway me by your appearance, either supply the code, or be blasted out of the sky."
"Then allow me to come aboard captain, and i will be glad to supply proofs of my identity. The code is Generet-Karagon-Stratos-Alpha. Thrawn out."
Thrawn turned off the comm, he focused his look upon Kowes and spoke in a dreadful voice.
"Major,dock with them."
The major saluted, turned on his heel, and left the passenger cabin. He quickly sitted in his seat,flicking switches like mad to ignite the cold engines. After three seconds, the engines finnaly started, and after another two minutes,the shuttle was entering the hangar aboard the 'Reaper'.
* * *
As the shuttle descended upon the durasteel wall, detachments of stormtroopers were formed into a standard greeting party.
With steam hisses, the ramp lowered,and down the ramp Grand Admiral Thrawn walked, with Kowes only a step behind him. The admiral walked with safeness in his step, and even captain Cayel fliched under the look of the fiery eyes. The admiral's cool pale skin reflected the coldness of the durasteel floor, and his spotless white uniform confirmed to Cayel that this man is more then your average-day cheater.
Thrawn finnaly stopped infront of Cayel, and raised an ironic blue-black eyebrow in expectation. Cayel's arm instinctively flew to salute. While the puzzled captain pondered about what had he done, Thrawn looked at the captain with understanding in his eyes. Moments passed before Cayel spoke.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn, it is a pleasure." said Cayel with a shudder in his voice.
"No need to shudder captain, I am not about to kill you for breaking some tradition. I am not the late Lord Vader."
"I know sir, its just that i wasnt expecting you to return."
"What WERE you expecting captain?" asked Thrawn in light suprise.
"Another cheater pretending to be some Imperial just to sieze my ship." said Cayel boldly.
"Interesting. Captain, i belive you havent met my companion, Major Kowes, ace pilot."
"No i dont belive we have met." said Cayel, extending a hand, which Kowes accepted with a firm handshake.
"Now that we have finished the introductions captain, you could give me some info about the current state of the 'Reaper'…?"
"Yes admiral. The 'Reaper' is equipped with 35 quad laser cannons, and 20 turbolaser turrets. The engine's and the shield is heavily modifyed, and recently we have overhauled the hyperdrive, which is now capable of traveling at speeds of 1.2 past lightspeed."
The captain finished, his eyes fixed on Thrawn like turbolasers. Thrawn seemed to think about this information, as seconds passed Cayel grew more uncomfortable.
"A fine job, captain. Do you have a base?"
"No sir, we are never staying in the same place for too long."
"Hmm. Good. Captain, i dont suppose you have a free room?" said Thrawn, with a bit of humor.
"Actually sir, we have. It's near the bridge, and is now empty, aside from a few containers of food."
"Do you need that room?"
"No sir. We can storage our food supply elswere."
"How about storaging your food supply in one of the technician's quaters?He would have to move, correct, but from now on there will be four technicians per room."
"As you wish admiral."
"Good captain. Order Navigation to plot a course for the Iridonia system."
"Iridonia system? Thats a dead planet, right? Infact,its more deader then Ithor, and more deadlier." said Cayel in suprise.
"Captain, dont worry." Thrawn chuckled, "We are going to land on Iridonia for a brief time, no more then twenty minutes. We need to get a DNA sample of the Zabrak, or even better, a living Zabrak though i dont hold much hope that we shall suceed in finding a living one that is willing to join us." Thrawn said, then waited for a few seconds allowing Cayel to add anything to the discussion. When it was obvious that Cayel wont add anything, Thrawn turned around and walked torwards the bridge with Kowes and Cayel in tow.
When Thrawn entered the bridge, all talks were stopped, and all looks were upon Thrawn. Thrawn cocked up one blue-black eyebrow, and simply said
"Interesting."
"Navigation, set course for the Iridonia system." Cayel said, then stopped for a second to pick up a commlink. He turned the comm on,and spoke
"All personel, this is captain Cayel speaking. Grand Admiral Thrawn has came aboard,and he is taking control over the 'Reaper'. Therefore, you are to obey him without questions. Cayel out."
A wave of excited talks ringed troughout the frigate, and it continued when the Frigate entered hyperspace.