"Yes subaltern?" said perfect Kotla. Tall and lean, his muscular body was covered in tatoo's and scars, giving him the privilege of wearing the cloak of command.
"We are exiting luminar travel in moments, perfect." the subaltern responded, not daring to look at Kotla.
"You may look at me, eminence."
"It is a honor to walk in your shadow, aside the permission to set my gaze at you."
iPerfect obedience./i Thought Kotla.
"Ships present in the system!" shouted a young Yuuzhan Vong stationed at the sensors.
"Captain, we got ships entering the system. But the hyperspace vector is...morphing." said the sensor officer from the crew pit.
"Shields up! Power up turbolaser turrets, expand inertial compensators outside of the shield, we got Yuuzhan Vong on our hands!" said Cayel, then turned on the commlink." Cayel to admiral Thrawn! We got Yuuzhan Vong entering the system!"
"This is Thrawn. Tell me what is going on, calmly if possible." said Thrawn calmly with his fingers interwined.
"We have one Yuuzhan Vong frigate analog entering the system... two wings of coralskippers are launching." said Cayel, his voice was still nervous.
"Ahh. Captain, join me in my quaters." said Thrawn.
"Yes sir!" said Cayel and started walking as fast as possible without running. His authority wouldnt increase if the crew saw him running around.
He found Thrawn sitting in his chair as usual, with his fingers interwined and in deep concentration. He was as calm as Cayel drinking Forvish ale. As usual, the room was softly lighten, with many art samples.
With a flick of the switch, the art samples dissapeared, and moments later replaced by a large tactical hologram.
"Quad turrets, Turbolaser cannons, concentrate your fire on the coralskippers. Engineering, turn us 180° starboard, then go full speed." said Thrawn calmly.
"Sir?"
"Yes, captain?"
"We are leaving?"
"No, we are just pretending we are leaving. The Vong have two possibilities. To follow us and provide support for their coralskippers, and to remain where they are and cull the weak and stupid out of their ranks."
"What will they choose?"
"They will remain where they are. They arent here because of us. What is the status of our surface base?"
"They are removing the palisade, and are finishing digging the trenches."
"Inform them to prepare for surface attack."
Cayels fingers stopped cold as he was attempting to proceed the orders.
"Surface attack?"
The worldship stood in the distance, not moving except...
"What in the Empire are they doing?" asked Cayel.
"Attempting to finish their assigment. Which I presume is to remake Iridonia so they can grow their ships here."
Cayel quickly transmitted the orders, and after he got the confirmation, turned back so he could face the admiral.
Thrawns eyes were fixed on the holo display, where every now and then a red light went off.
After ten minutes there were no red lights. Except one.
Perfect Kotla watched another of his coralskippers explode in the distance.
"All glory to you, warrior." he muttered reverently the appropriate farewell to one killed gloriously in battle, not caring to notice steps behind him. Slowly he turned around.
"Yes subaltern?"
"The carriers are landing."
"Good."
"Perfect... they have located an enemy base."
"Nothing important. Order them to whipe them out. All of them."
"Yes, perfect." said the subaltern, turned around and walked toward the nearest villip.
"The ship is turning around to face us." snarled a Yuuzhan Vong stationed at the sensors.
"Greet it with death." said perfect Kotla.
"Admiral?"
"Be quiet for a moment captain, I need to think." said Thrawn. "Yes, they will attack with all of their weapons, attacking our front side,meaning their dovin basals will be too strained to keep their sides and the rear guarded." Thrawn paused for second, "Engineering, full speed, bring us at one point zero clicks, then slow down to 33% throttle."
As confirmations arrived,Thrawn shifted his gaze to Cayel."Yes captain?"
"Perhaps we should use reprogrammed proton torpedoes?"
"It would help, but unfortunaly we dont have any unless you had some in stock."
"Yes admiral, we have twenty torpedoes stocked and ready to fire."
"Good work captain. Excellent work." said Thrawn
Cayel felt he was blushing,the admiral didnt give commendations easily.
"Torpedo control, prepare to fire proton torpedoes." said Thrawn, and smiled for the first time since the Vong entered the system. "We have them now captain."
"Do-ro'ik vong pratte!" announced perfect Kotla,and the entire bridge of the Mournbringer accepted the order, the call for ferocity unbridled, the absolute releasing of the base warrior emotions.
"Assault them with all weapons when they come near."
"Yes perfect!"
"Yun-Yammka guide us to victory!" shouted perfect Kotla.
"Yun-Yammka guide us!" everybody accepted the call.
"Admiral?"
"Yes captain?"
"Commander Hotan reports that they are ready for ground assault."
Without an answer, Thrawn slightly moved his hand and flicked a switch on his armchair. A hologram of commamder Hotan appeared in full size.
"Your orders admiral?" said Hotan in a well balanced voice. His face remained a blank mask, and his long hair falling to his neck.
"Commander, where are the Zabrak?"
"In the trenches, their leader sent several Zabrak somewhere."
"Get me their leader commander."
Hotan saluted, and motioned someone outside of the holoprojectors wiew. Within moments, Lomeir came into wiew.
"Yes admiral?"
"Ensign Lomeir, what do you suggest that we should do in order to repel the Yuuzhan Vong?"
"I suggest that we employ a ground conversion of the Kun' Eth manuever." Lomeir shrugged, clearly suprised by the way Thrawn adressed him.
"I am trusting my troops to you, ensign Lomeir. Dont fail me."
said Thrawn, breaking the connection.
"What did he mean by that?" said Cayel confusedly. iWhat the hell was the Kun' Eth manuever?/i
"Hmm. I think the Zabrak are more numerous then we thought... If my asumption is correct, Lomeir sent for reinforcements."
"That cannot harm us right?"
"No, but I fear I have missed something... something... crucial. Torpedo control, fire three torpedoes on my mark at the following coordinates: 4-7-1. Mark."
Thrawn silently watched as the torpedoes rushed toward the unnoticable outcropping on the Vong frigate analog. And watched it explode in a glistering dance of sparks.
"Perfect, they have destroyed our master basal!" snarled the young eminence.
Perfect Kotla was silent. Without the dovin basals shielding them, they were sitting ngdins. There was no honor in this. He slowly turned around and said: "Subaltern, retreat."
"Yes perfect... we are going to leave them?" said subaltern in suprise.
Kotla pivoted on his left foot, swinging his amphistaff around the subaltern's neck.One move and he could easily decapitate the other Vong.
"Yes. And give the gods my greetings when you meet them." he hissed,and pulled the amphistaff, letting the decapitated head roll on the floor.
"Turbolaser control,maximum firepower on the Vong frigate's bridge!" said Thrawn.
As if he heard Thrawn's order, perfect Kotla turned around to face the abomination daring to fire at him, and what he saw... was the last abomination he will ever see.
The Mournbringer exploded in a briliant explosion of sparks and flame.
Thrawn visibly relaxed in his seat, althrough his face remained without expression.
"Damage report?" said Thrawn.
"Reports incoming...shield status 23%, weapon system status 74%, system status at 87%, engine status 60%, several minor hull breaches."
"Estimated time needed for repairs?" Thrawn inquired further.
"About a week with the necissary resourses, with our current resourses,about two weeks."
"Sensor control, I want a scan of the area in which the Vong landed approximate circle diameter... ten kilometers."
Soon the report came in. The Vong numbered over two kilometers of troops.
"We are exiting luminar travel in moments, perfect." the subaltern responded, not daring to look at Kotla.
"You may look at me, eminence."
"It is a honor to walk in your shadow, aside the permission to set my gaze at you."
iPerfect obedience./i Thought Kotla.
"Ships present in the system!" shouted a young Yuuzhan Vong stationed at the sensors.
"Captain, we got ships entering the system. But the hyperspace vector is...morphing." said the sensor officer from the crew pit.
"Shields up! Power up turbolaser turrets, expand inertial compensators outside of the shield, we got Yuuzhan Vong on our hands!" said Cayel, then turned on the commlink." Cayel to admiral Thrawn! We got Yuuzhan Vong entering the system!"
"This is Thrawn. Tell me what is going on, calmly if possible." said Thrawn calmly with his fingers interwined.
"We have one Yuuzhan Vong frigate analog entering the system... two wings of coralskippers are launching." said Cayel, his voice was still nervous.
"Ahh. Captain, join me in my quaters." said Thrawn.
"Yes sir!" said Cayel and started walking as fast as possible without running. His authority wouldnt increase if the crew saw him running around.
He found Thrawn sitting in his chair as usual, with his fingers interwined and in deep concentration. He was as calm as Cayel drinking Forvish ale. As usual, the room was softly lighten, with many art samples.
With a flick of the switch, the art samples dissapeared, and moments later replaced by a large tactical hologram.
"Quad turrets, Turbolaser cannons, concentrate your fire on the coralskippers. Engineering, turn us 180° starboard, then go full speed." said Thrawn calmly.
"Sir?"
"Yes, captain?"
"We are leaving?"
"No, we are just pretending we are leaving. The Vong have two possibilities. To follow us and provide support for their coralskippers, and to remain where they are and cull the weak and stupid out of their ranks."
"What will they choose?"
"They will remain where they are. They arent here because of us. What is the status of our surface base?"
"They are removing the palisade, and are finishing digging the trenches."
"Inform them to prepare for surface attack."
Cayels fingers stopped cold as he was attempting to proceed the orders.
"Surface attack?"
The worldship stood in the distance, not moving except...
"What in the Empire are they doing?" asked Cayel.
"Attempting to finish their assigment. Which I presume is to remake Iridonia so they can grow their ships here."
Cayel quickly transmitted the orders, and after he got the confirmation, turned back so he could face the admiral.
Thrawns eyes were fixed on the holo display, where every now and then a red light went off.
After ten minutes there were no red lights. Except one.
Perfect Kotla watched another of his coralskippers explode in the distance.
"All glory to you, warrior." he muttered reverently the appropriate farewell to one killed gloriously in battle, not caring to notice steps behind him. Slowly he turned around.
"Yes subaltern?"
"The carriers are landing."
"Good."
"Perfect... they have located an enemy base."
"Nothing important. Order them to whipe them out. All of them."
"Yes, perfect." said the subaltern, turned around and walked toward the nearest villip.
"The ship is turning around to face us." snarled a Yuuzhan Vong stationed at the sensors.
"Greet it with death." said perfect Kotla.
"Admiral?"
"Be quiet for a moment captain, I need to think." said Thrawn. "Yes, they will attack with all of their weapons, attacking our front side,meaning their dovin basals will be too strained to keep their sides and the rear guarded." Thrawn paused for second, "Engineering, full speed, bring us at one point zero clicks, then slow down to 33% throttle."
As confirmations arrived,Thrawn shifted his gaze to Cayel."Yes captain?"
"Perhaps we should use reprogrammed proton torpedoes?"
"It would help, but unfortunaly we dont have any unless you had some in stock."
"Yes admiral, we have twenty torpedoes stocked and ready to fire."
"Good work captain. Excellent work." said Thrawn
Cayel felt he was blushing,the admiral didnt give commendations easily.
"Torpedo control, prepare to fire proton torpedoes." said Thrawn, and smiled for the first time since the Vong entered the system. "We have them now captain."
"Do-ro'ik vong pratte!" announced perfect Kotla,and the entire bridge of the Mournbringer accepted the order, the call for ferocity unbridled, the absolute releasing of the base warrior emotions.
"Assault them with all weapons when they come near."
"Yes perfect!"
"Yun-Yammka guide us to victory!" shouted perfect Kotla.
"Yun-Yammka guide us!" everybody accepted the call.
"Admiral?"
"Yes captain?"
"Commander Hotan reports that they are ready for ground assault."
Without an answer, Thrawn slightly moved his hand and flicked a switch on his armchair. A hologram of commamder Hotan appeared in full size.
"Your orders admiral?" said Hotan in a well balanced voice. His face remained a blank mask, and his long hair falling to his neck.
"Commander, where are the Zabrak?"
"In the trenches, their leader sent several Zabrak somewhere."
"Get me their leader commander."
Hotan saluted, and motioned someone outside of the holoprojectors wiew. Within moments, Lomeir came into wiew.
"Yes admiral?"
"Ensign Lomeir, what do you suggest that we should do in order to repel the Yuuzhan Vong?"
"I suggest that we employ a ground conversion of the Kun' Eth manuever." Lomeir shrugged, clearly suprised by the way Thrawn adressed him.
"I am trusting my troops to you, ensign Lomeir. Dont fail me."
said Thrawn, breaking the connection.
"What did he mean by that?" said Cayel confusedly. iWhat the hell was the Kun' Eth manuever?/i
"Hmm. I think the Zabrak are more numerous then we thought... If my asumption is correct, Lomeir sent for reinforcements."
"That cannot harm us right?"
"No, but I fear I have missed something... something... crucial. Torpedo control, fire three torpedoes on my mark at the following coordinates: 4-7-1. Mark."
Thrawn silently watched as the torpedoes rushed toward the unnoticable outcropping on the Vong frigate analog. And watched it explode in a glistering dance of sparks.
"Perfect, they have destroyed our master basal!" snarled the young eminence.
Perfect Kotla was silent. Without the dovin basals shielding them, they were sitting ngdins. There was no honor in this. He slowly turned around and said: "Subaltern, retreat."
"Yes perfect... we are going to leave them?" said subaltern in suprise.
Kotla pivoted on his left foot, swinging his amphistaff around the subaltern's neck.One move and he could easily decapitate the other Vong.
"Yes. And give the gods my greetings when you meet them." he hissed,and pulled the amphistaff, letting the decapitated head roll on the floor.
"Turbolaser control,maximum firepower on the Vong frigate's bridge!" said Thrawn.
As if he heard Thrawn's order, perfect Kotla turned around to face the abomination daring to fire at him, and what he saw... was the last abomination he will ever see.
The Mournbringer exploded in a briliant explosion of sparks and flame.
Thrawn visibly relaxed in his seat, althrough his face remained without expression.
"Damage report?" said Thrawn.
"Reports incoming...shield status 23%, weapon system status 74%, system status at 87%, engine status 60%, several minor hull breaches."
"Estimated time needed for repairs?" Thrawn inquired further.
"About a week with the necissary resourses, with our current resourses,about two weeks."
"Sensor control, I want a scan of the area in which the Vong landed approximate circle diameter... ten kilometers."
Soon the report came in. The Vong numbered over two kilometers of troops.