Chapter 14
The room was softly lighten, the center of the room was a copy of the admirals chair. A lean humanoid clad in spotless white unform with pale blue skin and crimson red eyes sitted on it. Aside from a weak lamp on the wall, the only real lightning in the room were tactical displays of ground positions and of the entire system. A figure clad in olive green uniform and a olive green hat wearing a captains insignia approached the large chair.
"Admiral?" said Cayel with a formal tone.
"Notify the 'Reaper' and our newly aquired ships, the 'Trident' and the 'Warhammer' to prepare for hyperspace." ordered Thrawn, his gaze wandering across the displays, the officers working on their stations.
"Where are we going admiral?" asked Cayel with caution.
"We need supplies captain. And thanks to the extraordinary work by our Intel, we have located another convoy with minimal escort."Thrawn smiled, and Cayel smiled too. They would be victorious again.
"Two strike cruisers and one Victory class star destroyer." said Thrawn, the smile dissapeared from his lips. Cayel's jaw dropped.
"Admiral, I insist, even with our new ships we cannot beat that kind of force."
"Your point is noted. Order the ships to prepare for hyperspace." said Thrawn, and paused for a second to add dinamic to what he would say "And tell them, that the victory we shall score today, is the first potential reward we shall recieve. But not the last." finished Thrawn, his crimson red eyes glowing wildly.
"Yes admiral." said Cayel and nodded to the officer stationed on the communication station to proceed the orders.
If Thrawn planned to say anything, he was interrupted by leiutenant Cordero and sargeant Jiggins who approached his chair, and assumed parade-style stand.
"Yes, leiutenant?" asked Thrawn.
"Sir, we have finished brainwashing the prisoners according to your selection. What are your orders?"
"Captain, add a commendation to leiutenant Cordero's and sargeant Jiggins's file, and deploy those brainwashed troops on our Lancers. Leiutenant, brainwash the rest of them, they shall work in the fields to provide food for our troops." said Thrawn dead cool.
"Thank you sir!" said the electronicly modifyed voice of leiutenant Cordero.
"Dismiss." said Thrawn, his gaze fixed on the men dressed in stormtrooper armor as they exited the room.
"Admiral, the starships report that they are ready."
"Then lets go captain. Order shuttle Beta to prepare for liftoff." said Thrawn, and after Cayel proceeded the orders marched out of the dark room in easy safe steps.
Commander Dervong stood proud infront of the viewpoint of his flagship, the Vong light cruiser 'Tormentor'. His actions have earned him the right to wear the cloak of command, to wear vonduun crab armor and helmet, and to command a strike force of his own. Soon they would strike fear into the heart of the infidels. And the glorious armies of the Yuuzhan Vong will have a suitable planet for a ship womb. Yaga Minor shall fall today.
"Belek tiu commander." said someone behind him. He turned around with subtle battle readiness in his fluid moves, before him stood a young Yuuzhan Vong warrior, with minor scars and tatoo's. his hands were slapped to the opposite shoulders.
"What is it?" said Dervong, testing the youngling with his gaze.
"Almost all of our taskforce is assembled. We shall be ready to assail Yaga Minor within four days. We are ready to attack the convoy whenever you wish." said the sublatern.
"Very well, enter luminar travel at will. Dowin tu gu." said Dervong, dismissed the youngling and turned to face the starfield once again.
He could see the strenght of his task force, as will the infidels see. Soon, Yaga Minor shall fall. He was still in deep thoughts when his task force jumped into luminar travel.
"Admiral, we are exiting hyperspace in approximately twelve seconds." formally reported Cayel.
"Is my admiral ship ready captain?" said Thrawn according to Imperial protocol. Cayels back automaticaly stiffened to parade-style stand. "The 'Reaper' is fully under your command, admiral." he answered according to Imperial protocol. Again, his mind was flushed by memories of the time when the Empire was at its peak, when Imperial protocol was an unwritten rule aboard all Imperial starships.
"Reverting to realspace." reported someone from the crew pit. Again, the stars reverted into points of light. They have arrived.
"Scanning area, two strike cruisers and one... admiral, Yuuzhan Vong are attacking the convoy!"
"shields up, power up turbolaser turrets and quad batteries, explain the situation, clamly if possible." said Thrawn cooly.
"Reading two Yuuzhan Vong frigate analogs, one light cruiser analog, and three corvette analogs." said the sensor officer, his voice still nervous, but apparently under control.
"Engineering, full speed, expand inertial compensator, bring us in closer to that corvette analog that is battering the right strike cruiser." said Thrawn in a calm voice, but even he was in a grim mood.
"Order the 'Trident' and the 'Warhammer' to concentrate on the other corvette!" ordered Cayel.
"Ignore that order! Order them to assume drawn flank formation and concentrate on starfighters." said thrawn in a vile voice.
"Admiral?"
"We shall need all of our weapons captain, the Lancers are anti-starfighter ships, that is why I specificaly requested them." explained Thrawn.
"Torpedo control, prepare to fire." ordered Cayel, then continued quietly:
"Then you knew this would happen?"
"I knew we would be seeing more Vong, and since their next target will be Yaga Minor, we needed Lancers."
"What?"
"Later captain, turbolaser turrets, try to avoid their black holes, quad batteries fire in volleys."
Silently they watched the corvette analog attempt to turn toward them, but failing utterly due to volleys after volleys of quad beams.
"Torpedo control, fire two torpedos at following coordinates:2-9-9 and 3-9-9." said Thrawn.
The torpedoes rushed from their tubes, rushing toward the corvette's bridge from both sides. The exhausted dovin basals were unable to create a black hole, and the Vong ship ended its life in a fiery death.
"Admiral sir, we are recieving a transmission from the Victory-class star destroyer." said the communication officer.
"Link it here."
"Admiral?"
"Trust me captain."
Instantly a hologram appeared of a sullustan wearing captain insignia infront of Thrawn and Cayel. The sullustan apparently expected anyone but the dreaded warlord.
"Greetings captain."
"Greetings admiral." the sullustan visibly shuddered motioning something to someone outside the wiew area.
"Admiral...I...." started the sullustan, but Thrawn interrupted him.
"Captain, concentrate fire from your ships on that frigate that is sneaking up your neck. My ships will protect you... for now." said Thrawn with an appropriate dose of malice in his tone.
"As you wish admiral." said the sullustan and breaked the connection.
"Why did you do that sir?" asked Cayel in suprise.
"Just a moment captain. Engineering, turn us twenty seven percent starboard, assume full speed. Torpedo control be ready." said Thrawn, straightening up a bit in his chair.
"You were saying captain?" he said.
"Why did you do that sir?" repeated Cayel.
"Becouse the crew of those ships needed moral boost. And what is a better moral boost then the return of someone who almost defeated them, someone who could predict their strategies before they even remembered them? Afterall, when we defeat the Vong here and take their cargo as payment, they will need morale when they return to Coruscant." explained Thrawn.
"I respectfully say that that move will only bring us unwanted rebel attention." bluntly said Cayel.
"Your point is noted. Engineering, bring us to one point zero clicks from that corvette analog, Communication, order our lancers to assume flank formation with their main target coralskippers." said Thrawn.
Soon enough, their target which looked like an overgrown asteroid spitting plasma at ships came into range.
"Turbolaser turrets, stand by. Quad lasers, fire in volleys. Engineering,lower us five degrees starboard, then assume full speed. Turbolasers, fire on my mark." Thrawn paused as they came approximately two hundred meters from the corvette analog, then he ordered calmly: "Mark. Torpedo control, fire two two torpedoes at coordinates: 6-7-7 and 6-8-8."
His call was answered by green spears, of which some ended their path into the miniature black holes, but most of them passed through, causing fragments along the yoorik coral hull.Then, like they were cutting off a snake's head, the torpedoes hitted the bridge from both sides, and the corvette ended its life in a sparkling explosion.
"Damage report?" asked Thrawn.
"Shields at 31% and holding, minor hull hits, the 'Trident' has almost lost its shields while the 'Warhammer' has shields on 69% and recharging." came the reply from the crew pit.
"Order the 'Trident to break off and oversee the cargo transfer, and order it to start recharging its shields. Shuttle control, launch and load the 'Trident' with the contents of that convoy." ordered Thrawn with a smile.
"We are going to steal the cargo now?"
"Less likely that they will oppose us, captain. Im expecting a call very soon from that star destroyer." Thrawn smiled, his gaze concentrated on Cayel like turbolasers.
"Admiral..." the communication officer called.
"Link the call leiutenant." said Thrawn.
Again, a hologram of the sullustan appeared,this time the captain was red with anger.
"Admiral, send those ships back or we will open fire!" he yelled.
"You are in no position to open fire. The frigate is giving you enough trouble, if I order my turbolaser turrets to fire on your ship you will be vacuum dust within seconds. Dont try me captain, I dont like helping rebels." said Thrawn with a dose of malice.
"You..." the sullustan started.
"I can get rid of that frigate for you."
"What? How?" said the sullustan captain, then his face immediately darkened. "How much will it cost us?" he said suspiciously.
"Two strike cruisers from your escort." said Thrawn, while at the same time the glow of his eyes intensifyed so even the sullustan flinched.
"Thats blackmail!" shouted the sullustan.
"Congradulations captain, I see you are wise enough to recognize the situation." said Thrawn, and in the background Cayel covered his smile with his right hand. He already knew that they have won.
"Argh, alright. Destroy the frigate and the strike cruisers are yours." said the sullustan with a defeated sigh.
"Very well. Order the freighter C-X-1245 crew to jettison its cargo if my shuttles havent taken it already, and to head for the escape pods. Trust me, we are running out of time." Thrawn said, and Cayel checked it on his datapad with a frown. The discovery froze him. The freighter was not far away from the frigate, but the 'Repear' couldnt shoot at it from this distance... but the 'Trident' could. Cayel smiled, knowing that Thrawn did it again.
The sullustan reported that the pods were jettisoned, and that his star destroyer tractored them in. Thrawn switched to the 'Trident's frequency and ordered: "Frigate 'Trident', fire three turbolaser shots on the following coordinates: 6-4-9 on my mark. Mark." the order was executed with expert timing, and the turbolaser rays hitted the right engine of the freighter. The freighter started turning around and around,the momentum carrying him toward the Vong frigate analog, and he finished his path in a great explosion which took out both of the ships.
"Frigate 'Trident', extraordinary shot. Engineering, bring us in close.'Warhammer', flank our right side."
It was all over in thirty minutes. The light cruiser was in hyperspace toward Bimmel, and Thrawn was racing toward Hoth with two strike cruisers more, and all of his ships loaded with materials.
The room was softly lighten, the center of the room was a copy of the admirals chair. A lean humanoid clad in spotless white unform with pale blue skin and crimson red eyes sitted on it. Aside from a weak lamp on the wall, the only real lightning in the room were tactical displays of ground positions and of the entire system. A figure clad in olive green uniform and a olive green hat wearing a captains insignia approached the large chair.
"Admiral?" said Cayel with a formal tone.
"Notify the 'Reaper' and our newly aquired ships, the 'Trident' and the 'Warhammer' to prepare for hyperspace." ordered Thrawn, his gaze wandering across the displays, the officers working on their stations.
"Where are we going admiral?" asked Cayel with caution.
"We need supplies captain. And thanks to the extraordinary work by our Intel, we have located another convoy with minimal escort."Thrawn smiled, and Cayel smiled too. They would be victorious again.
"Two strike cruisers and one Victory class star destroyer." said Thrawn, the smile dissapeared from his lips. Cayel's jaw dropped.
"Admiral, I insist, even with our new ships we cannot beat that kind of force."
"Your point is noted. Order the ships to prepare for hyperspace." said Thrawn, and paused for a second to add dinamic to what he would say "And tell them, that the victory we shall score today, is the first potential reward we shall recieve. But not the last." finished Thrawn, his crimson red eyes glowing wildly.
"Yes admiral." said Cayel and nodded to the officer stationed on the communication station to proceed the orders.
If Thrawn planned to say anything, he was interrupted by leiutenant Cordero and sargeant Jiggins who approached his chair, and assumed parade-style stand.
"Yes, leiutenant?" asked Thrawn.
"Sir, we have finished brainwashing the prisoners according to your selection. What are your orders?"
"Captain, add a commendation to leiutenant Cordero's and sargeant Jiggins's file, and deploy those brainwashed troops on our Lancers. Leiutenant, brainwash the rest of them, they shall work in the fields to provide food for our troops." said Thrawn dead cool.
"Thank you sir!" said the electronicly modifyed voice of leiutenant Cordero.
"Dismiss." said Thrawn, his gaze fixed on the men dressed in stormtrooper armor as they exited the room.
"Admiral, the starships report that they are ready."
"Then lets go captain. Order shuttle Beta to prepare for liftoff." said Thrawn, and after Cayel proceeded the orders marched out of the dark room in easy safe steps.
Commander Dervong stood proud infront of the viewpoint of his flagship, the Vong light cruiser 'Tormentor'. His actions have earned him the right to wear the cloak of command, to wear vonduun crab armor and helmet, and to command a strike force of his own. Soon they would strike fear into the heart of the infidels. And the glorious armies of the Yuuzhan Vong will have a suitable planet for a ship womb. Yaga Minor shall fall today.
"Belek tiu commander." said someone behind him. He turned around with subtle battle readiness in his fluid moves, before him stood a young Yuuzhan Vong warrior, with minor scars and tatoo's. his hands were slapped to the opposite shoulders.
"What is it?" said Dervong, testing the youngling with his gaze.
"Almost all of our taskforce is assembled. We shall be ready to assail Yaga Minor within four days. We are ready to attack the convoy whenever you wish." said the sublatern.
"Very well, enter luminar travel at will. Dowin tu gu." said Dervong, dismissed the youngling and turned to face the starfield once again.
He could see the strenght of his task force, as will the infidels see. Soon, Yaga Minor shall fall. He was still in deep thoughts when his task force jumped into luminar travel.
"Admiral, we are exiting hyperspace in approximately twelve seconds." formally reported Cayel.
"Is my admiral ship ready captain?" said Thrawn according to Imperial protocol. Cayels back automaticaly stiffened to parade-style stand. "The 'Reaper' is fully under your command, admiral." he answered according to Imperial protocol. Again, his mind was flushed by memories of the time when the Empire was at its peak, when Imperial protocol was an unwritten rule aboard all Imperial starships.
"Reverting to realspace." reported someone from the crew pit. Again, the stars reverted into points of light. They have arrived.
"Scanning area, two strike cruisers and one... admiral, Yuuzhan Vong are attacking the convoy!"
"shields up, power up turbolaser turrets and quad batteries, explain the situation, clamly if possible." said Thrawn cooly.
"Reading two Yuuzhan Vong frigate analogs, one light cruiser analog, and three corvette analogs." said the sensor officer, his voice still nervous, but apparently under control.
"Engineering, full speed, expand inertial compensator, bring us in closer to that corvette analog that is battering the right strike cruiser." said Thrawn in a calm voice, but even he was in a grim mood.
"Order the 'Trident' and the 'Warhammer' to concentrate on the other corvette!" ordered Cayel.
"Ignore that order! Order them to assume drawn flank formation and concentrate on starfighters." said thrawn in a vile voice.
"Admiral?"
"We shall need all of our weapons captain, the Lancers are anti-starfighter ships, that is why I specificaly requested them." explained Thrawn.
"Torpedo control, prepare to fire." ordered Cayel, then continued quietly:
"Then you knew this would happen?"
"I knew we would be seeing more Vong, and since their next target will be Yaga Minor, we needed Lancers."
"What?"
"Later captain, turbolaser turrets, try to avoid their black holes, quad batteries fire in volleys."
Silently they watched the corvette analog attempt to turn toward them, but failing utterly due to volleys after volleys of quad beams.
"Torpedo control, fire two torpedos at following coordinates:2-9-9 and 3-9-9." said Thrawn.
The torpedoes rushed from their tubes, rushing toward the corvette's bridge from both sides. The exhausted dovin basals were unable to create a black hole, and the Vong ship ended its life in a fiery death.
"Admiral sir, we are recieving a transmission from the Victory-class star destroyer." said the communication officer.
"Link it here."
"Admiral?"
"Trust me captain."
Instantly a hologram appeared of a sullustan wearing captain insignia infront of Thrawn and Cayel. The sullustan apparently expected anyone but the dreaded warlord.
"Greetings captain."
"Greetings admiral." the sullustan visibly shuddered motioning something to someone outside the wiew area.
"Admiral...I...." started the sullustan, but Thrawn interrupted him.
"Captain, concentrate fire from your ships on that frigate that is sneaking up your neck. My ships will protect you... for now." said Thrawn with an appropriate dose of malice in his tone.
"As you wish admiral." said the sullustan and breaked the connection.
"Why did you do that sir?" asked Cayel in suprise.
"Just a moment captain. Engineering, turn us twenty seven percent starboard, assume full speed. Torpedo control be ready." said Thrawn, straightening up a bit in his chair.
"You were saying captain?" he said.
"Why did you do that sir?" repeated Cayel.
"Becouse the crew of those ships needed moral boost. And what is a better moral boost then the return of someone who almost defeated them, someone who could predict their strategies before they even remembered them? Afterall, when we defeat the Vong here and take their cargo as payment, they will need morale when they return to Coruscant." explained Thrawn.
"I respectfully say that that move will only bring us unwanted rebel attention." bluntly said Cayel.
"Your point is noted. Engineering, bring us to one point zero clicks from that corvette analog, Communication, order our lancers to assume flank formation with their main target coralskippers." said Thrawn.
Soon enough, their target which looked like an overgrown asteroid spitting plasma at ships came into range.
"Turbolaser turrets, stand by. Quad lasers, fire in volleys. Engineering,lower us five degrees starboard, then assume full speed. Turbolasers, fire on my mark." Thrawn paused as they came approximately two hundred meters from the corvette analog, then he ordered calmly: "Mark. Torpedo control, fire two two torpedoes at coordinates: 6-7-7 and 6-8-8."
His call was answered by green spears, of which some ended their path into the miniature black holes, but most of them passed through, causing fragments along the yoorik coral hull.Then, like they were cutting off a snake's head, the torpedoes hitted the bridge from both sides, and the corvette ended its life in a sparkling explosion.
"Damage report?" asked Thrawn.
"Shields at 31% and holding, minor hull hits, the 'Trident' has almost lost its shields while the 'Warhammer' has shields on 69% and recharging." came the reply from the crew pit.
"Order the 'Trident to break off and oversee the cargo transfer, and order it to start recharging its shields. Shuttle control, launch and load the 'Trident' with the contents of that convoy." ordered Thrawn with a smile.
"We are going to steal the cargo now?"
"Less likely that they will oppose us, captain. Im expecting a call very soon from that star destroyer." Thrawn smiled, his gaze concentrated on Cayel like turbolasers.
"Admiral..." the communication officer called.
"Link the call leiutenant." said Thrawn.
Again, a hologram of the sullustan appeared,this time the captain was red with anger.
"Admiral, send those ships back or we will open fire!" he yelled.
"You are in no position to open fire. The frigate is giving you enough trouble, if I order my turbolaser turrets to fire on your ship you will be vacuum dust within seconds. Dont try me captain, I dont like helping rebels." said Thrawn with a dose of malice.
"You..." the sullustan started.
"I can get rid of that frigate for you."
"What? How?" said the sullustan captain, then his face immediately darkened. "How much will it cost us?" he said suspiciously.
"Two strike cruisers from your escort." said Thrawn, while at the same time the glow of his eyes intensifyed so even the sullustan flinched.
"Thats blackmail!" shouted the sullustan.
"Congradulations captain, I see you are wise enough to recognize the situation." said Thrawn, and in the background Cayel covered his smile with his right hand. He already knew that they have won.
"Argh, alright. Destroy the frigate and the strike cruisers are yours." said the sullustan with a defeated sigh.
"Very well. Order the freighter C-X-1245 crew to jettison its cargo if my shuttles havent taken it already, and to head for the escape pods. Trust me, we are running out of time." Thrawn said, and Cayel checked it on his datapad with a frown. The discovery froze him. The freighter was not far away from the frigate, but the 'Repear' couldnt shoot at it from this distance... but the 'Trident' could. Cayel smiled, knowing that Thrawn did it again.
The sullustan reported that the pods were jettisoned, and that his star destroyer tractored them in. Thrawn switched to the 'Trident's frequency and ordered: "Frigate 'Trident', fire three turbolaser shots on the following coordinates: 6-4-9 on my mark. Mark." the order was executed with expert timing, and the turbolaser rays hitted the right engine of the freighter. The freighter started turning around and around,the momentum carrying him toward the Vong frigate analog, and he finished his path in a great explosion which took out both of the ships.
"Frigate 'Trident', extraordinary shot. Engineering, bring us in close.'Warhammer', flank our right side."
It was all over in thirty minutes. The light cruiser was in hyperspace toward Bimmel, and Thrawn was racing toward Hoth with two strike cruisers more, and all of his ships loaded with materials.