[Aboard the Star Destroyer, Relentless]
Captain Silec waited for the admiral's hologram to appear.
"Who is the commanding officer of the Relentless?!" Admiral Tenvor commanded.
"I am." Silec declared.
"Did you not receive our orders to await our arrival on the Tatooine system!"
"I felt action was called for to prevent the ship's seizure by mutineers ..."
"Who are you to determine the fate of 2,000 of the Emperor's soldiers?"
Silec smirked. "The Emperor is dead. Their lives are ours to command now."
"As is YOUR life, Captain!" Tenvor retorted.
Silec cursed. His impulsive reactions may have jeopardized his plans. He hadn't heard of this 'Admiral' Tenvor. Perhaps he received a field commission. With the sorry state of the Imperial Navy, many inadequate officers were thrust into leadership roles they did not deserve. I, though, earned my rank in battle. In the Calamari Campaigns. I must be a marked man ... now that Admiral Ackbar has routed our fleet.
"Sir?" an officer interrupted, "a shuttle craft is arriving!" Silec walked to the communications station.
"Imperial shuttle, Inflictor, requests permission to land," the shuttle pilot crackled over the speakers.
"We will grant entry once we have confirmed the status of your security codes!" the dock controller insisted.
Then a face appears on the monitor. The victor of the Battle of Hoth. "Is this enough confirmation for you?" Veers snarled.
"Uhhh, General Veers?!" The controller quickly tapped the console. "Permission to dock, shuttle Inflictor."
Veers? Damn. Silec, two commanders and a dozen stormtroopers took the lift to the docking bay.
The junior officers and technicians on the bridge traded worried glances at each other. Somebody's going to get in trouble ...
Docking alarms honked throughout the corridors as the shuttle descended on the dock.
The boarding ramp descended. General Veers, two stormtrooper commanders, a TIE fighter officer and about a dozen snowtroopers marched towards Silec's greeting party.
"Welcome, General!" Silec muttered. "Any further news from Endor?"
"To the bridge!" Veers ordered and brushed past Silec.
On the bridge, Veers looked around the stations. He was looking for something.
A radar controller, barely out of the Academy, almost jumped out of his seat when Veers tapped him on the shoulder.
"Controller, do your scanners detect any vessels approaching us in this sector??"
The controller looked at his monitor. "None, sir. The Imperial vessels are still in Tatooine. No other vessels in our sector."
"Good, we're safe for now." Veers returned to the officers on the bridge. His worst fear was an ambush. Or running into Admiral Ackar's victorious fleet.
"Why did you destroy the Restoration? The weapons cargo alone could have armed half a battalion of stormtroopers?" Veers demanded.
"The tide was turning. I could not risk ... the ship falling into the hands of the mutineers!"
"And you felt the crew of the Vindicator was not up to the task of accomplishing this successfully?!"
"I took the initiative to ..." Silec began.
"Initiative?!" Veers replied. He looked at the scattered debris of the Restoration. He glared directly into Silec's eyes.
"You, an Imperial captain ... responsible for thousands of officers, troops and technicians ... took the authority to sentence 2,000 of the Restoration's crew to their destruction??"
"Yes, sir I did." Silec was unfazed. "For the Empire."
Veers had brought the Vindicator here to do precisely that – if the ship fell to those renegade TIE pilots. But did it? All reports suggested that the crew resisted the takeover. If only those damned communications didn't go down ...
"Your orders, Captain, were to remain with the fleet at the rendezvous point in Tatooine! The Empire was built on obedience. Now that the Emperor is dead, you owe your allegiance – and your command – to the provisional Imperial Council."
"Moff Jerjerrod himself appointed me captain of the Relentless," Silec boasted.
"Lord Vader appointed the general as commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army," one of Veers officers replied.
Veers looked again at the debris outside. "There is a power vacuum in the fleet's hierarchy. Many Imperial planetary governors have either surrendered or made peace with the New Republic. The Navy is the foundation on which the Empire will rebuild. This will not pass if vessel captains presume to make decisions – without obeying the chain of command!"
"Shall I arrest the captain ... and place the ship under the admiral's command?" the stormtrooper commander stated. He didn't like Silec and knew that the bold captain had crossed the line.
Some of Silec's loyal troopers placed their hands on their blasters. Immediately, Veers' snowtroopers aimed their blasters at them. These were elite members of the Snowtrooper Corps, among the finest troops in the Imperial Army.
Even Silec knew that a premature action now would certainly ruin everything he had planned. "Stand down!" he ordered. His stormtroopers and officers lowered their blasters.
"You would fire on the Empire's most decorated officer?" one of Veers' intelligence officers demanded. "General, I recommend that we arrest the captain and senior bridge officers – and place the Relentless under the admiral's command!"
"No." Veers ordered. This is exactly what the rebels want! Petty jealousies and schemes tore the Old Republic apart from within. They would surely do the same to the remaining Imperial Fleet.
"If the ship Restoration did fall under the renegades' control, Silec did us a service." Veers saw that his bodyguard of snowtroopers still aimed their blasters. He waved his hand, compelling them to stand down.
"The Relentless and its crew have served the Empire with distinction," Veers began, looking across at the faces of the bridge officers and crew. "It was the Relentless that led the way in the Calamari Campaigns, providing the army with valuable air support. The Imperial Council welcomes the Relentless and its crew to our armada!" The bridge crew cheered.
Silec smiled. He had expected a prompt arrest and loss of his ship. The Imperial Navy must be desperate. With the addition of the Vindicator, this armada has only seven Star Destroyers. Still, this was far better than anyone had hoped when news of the Death Star's destruction reached the surviving forces.
The crew dispersed to continue their work. Veers took Silec aside.
"You disobeyed a direct order from Admiral Tenvor, the commander of the Imperial Fleet by authority of the Imperial Council. Tenvor has the confidence of the remaining Imperial hierarchy – and my personal support. By necessity, we require a provisional council to convey some stability to our troops. Without strong, loyal leadership, the rank-and-file will be set adrift. Defy another order from your superiors, and I will personally arrest you and your bridge officers, seize your ship and disperse your equipment to loyal forces who put the Empire's interests ahead of their own! If the Emperor were alive, you would already be in the cellblock. Bear that in mind."
"Yes, General." Silec watched as Veers and his party left the bridge. In minutes, he saw the shuttle return to the Vindicator.
He touched a bridge console. "TIE Interceptor squadron Epsilon. I want you on stand-by. Await my instructions."
"Yes, Captain." The squadron commander replied. Battle-hardened and loyal, the Epsilon squadron was among the best in the Imperial Navy. They had scored many kills against the rebels' legendary Rogue Squadron in earlier skirmishes. If they were to be deployed, the commander thought, then the captain was anticipating a vicious confrontation in the future ...
[Imperial Star Destroyer, the Vindicator]
Communications Officer Tass Nemi watched as Veers returned to the bridge. He whispered something in the Admiral's ear,then returned to the command station.
She looked at her monitor. Strange. The signal she was intercepting was not an Imperial transmission. Civilian?! No, most of the civilian craft – traders, scientific ... even smugglers – evacutated the airspace. Too close to the planetary civil wars breaking out between rebel supporters and those still loyal to the Empire.
"... this is Admiral Ackar ... vessels proceed to coordinates ..." Nemi gasped. "Rebel transmission intercepted!!" she yelped.
Tenvor knelt down to the communications station. "Can you clear up the frequency?"
Nemi pressed a few controls. Ackar's voice continued. "...rebel vessels proceed to coordinates ... Bespin ..."
"We've lost the transmission, sir. Sorry, sir." Nemi apologized.
"They must have scrambled it." Tenvor held his hand to his mouth. "Bespin? There's nothing but smugglers' dens there."
"No!" Lieutenant Reksil blurted. "Cloud City! That scoundrel Calrissian was its baron administrator!"
"The Alliance plans to seize the gas mines!" Tenvor concluded. "Status of the Imperial garrison there?!"
Nemi checked her monitor. "Our last report stated that they were besieged ... there was an uprising after Endor... if they held on ..."
"There may still be a chance to save it ..." Tenvor ran to consult Veers and others on the Council. Ackar has finally done it. Moving to seize strategic locations and resources. The gas mines were of great importance. Possession of Cloud City could tip the balance of power in their favour.
"Rendezvous with the fleet at once." Reksil ordered the bridge crew. The Vindicator jumped to light speed. We are on the brink of our first major battle with the New Republic.
Captain Silec waited for the admiral's hologram to appear.
"Who is the commanding officer of the Relentless?!" Admiral Tenvor commanded.
"I am." Silec declared.
"Did you not receive our orders to await our arrival on the Tatooine system!"
"I felt action was called for to prevent the ship's seizure by mutineers ..."
"Who are you to determine the fate of 2,000 of the Emperor's soldiers?"
Silec smirked. "The Emperor is dead. Their lives are ours to command now."
"As is YOUR life, Captain!" Tenvor retorted.
Silec cursed. His impulsive reactions may have jeopardized his plans. He hadn't heard of this 'Admiral' Tenvor. Perhaps he received a field commission. With the sorry state of the Imperial Navy, many inadequate officers were thrust into leadership roles they did not deserve. I, though, earned my rank in battle. In the Calamari Campaigns. I must be a marked man ... now that Admiral Ackbar has routed our fleet.
"Sir?" an officer interrupted, "a shuttle craft is arriving!" Silec walked to the communications station.
"Imperial shuttle, Inflictor, requests permission to land," the shuttle pilot crackled over the speakers.
"We will grant entry once we have confirmed the status of your security codes!" the dock controller insisted.
Then a face appears on the monitor. The victor of the Battle of Hoth. "Is this enough confirmation for you?" Veers snarled.
"Uhhh, General Veers?!" The controller quickly tapped the console. "Permission to dock, shuttle Inflictor."
Veers? Damn. Silec, two commanders and a dozen stormtroopers took the lift to the docking bay.
The junior officers and technicians on the bridge traded worried glances at each other. Somebody's going to get in trouble ...
Docking alarms honked throughout the corridors as the shuttle descended on the dock.
The boarding ramp descended. General Veers, two stormtrooper commanders, a TIE fighter officer and about a dozen snowtroopers marched towards Silec's greeting party.
"Welcome, General!" Silec muttered. "Any further news from Endor?"
"To the bridge!" Veers ordered and brushed past Silec.
On the bridge, Veers looked around the stations. He was looking for something.
A radar controller, barely out of the Academy, almost jumped out of his seat when Veers tapped him on the shoulder.
"Controller, do your scanners detect any vessels approaching us in this sector??"
The controller looked at his monitor. "None, sir. The Imperial vessels are still in Tatooine. No other vessels in our sector."
"Good, we're safe for now." Veers returned to the officers on the bridge. His worst fear was an ambush. Or running into Admiral Ackar's victorious fleet.
"Why did you destroy the Restoration? The weapons cargo alone could have armed half a battalion of stormtroopers?" Veers demanded.
"The tide was turning. I could not risk ... the ship falling into the hands of the mutineers!"
"And you felt the crew of the Vindicator was not up to the task of accomplishing this successfully?!"
"I took the initiative to ..." Silec began.
"Initiative?!" Veers replied. He looked at the scattered debris of the Restoration. He glared directly into Silec's eyes.
"You, an Imperial captain ... responsible for thousands of officers, troops and technicians ... took the authority to sentence 2,000 of the Restoration's crew to their destruction??"
"Yes, sir I did." Silec was unfazed. "For the Empire."
Veers had brought the Vindicator here to do precisely that – if the ship fell to those renegade TIE pilots. But did it? All reports suggested that the crew resisted the takeover. If only those damned communications didn't go down ...
"Your orders, Captain, were to remain with the fleet at the rendezvous point in Tatooine! The Empire was built on obedience. Now that the Emperor is dead, you owe your allegiance – and your command – to the provisional Imperial Council."
"Moff Jerjerrod himself appointed me captain of the Relentless," Silec boasted.
"Lord Vader appointed the general as commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army," one of Veers officers replied.
Veers looked again at the debris outside. "There is a power vacuum in the fleet's hierarchy. Many Imperial planetary governors have either surrendered or made peace with the New Republic. The Navy is the foundation on which the Empire will rebuild. This will not pass if vessel captains presume to make decisions – without obeying the chain of command!"
"Shall I arrest the captain ... and place the ship under the admiral's command?" the stormtrooper commander stated. He didn't like Silec and knew that the bold captain had crossed the line.
Some of Silec's loyal troopers placed their hands on their blasters. Immediately, Veers' snowtroopers aimed their blasters at them. These were elite members of the Snowtrooper Corps, among the finest troops in the Imperial Army.
Even Silec knew that a premature action now would certainly ruin everything he had planned. "Stand down!" he ordered. His stormtroopers and officers lowered their blasters.
"You would fire on the Empire's most decorated officer?" one of Veers' intelligence officers demanded. "General, I recommend that we arrest the captain and senior bridge officers – and place the Relentless under the admiral's command!"
"No." Veers ordered. This is exactly what the rebels want! Petty jealousies and schemes tore the Old Republic apart from within. They would surely do the same to the remaining Imperial Fleet.
"If the ship Restoration did fall under the renegades' control, Silec did us a service." Veers saw that his bodyguard of snowtroopers still aimed their blasters. He waved his hand, compelling them to stand down.
"The Relentless and its crew have served the Empire with distinction," Veers began, looking across at the faces of the bridge officers and crew. "It was the Relentless that led the way in the Calamari Campaigns, providing the army with valuable air support. The Imperial Council welcomes the Relentless and its crew to our armada!" The bridge crew cheered.
Silec smiled. He had expected a prompt arrest and loss of his ship. The Imperial Navy must be desperate. With the addition of the Vindicator, this armada has only seven Star Destroyers. Still, this was far better than anyone had hoped when news of the Death Star's destruction reached the surviving forces.
The crew dispersed to continue their work. Veers took Silec aside.
"You disobeyed a direct order from Admiral Tenvor, the commander of the Imperial Fleet by authority of the Imperial Council. Tenvor has the confidence of the remaining Imperial hierarchy – and my personal support. By necessity, we require a provisional council to convey some stability to our troops. Without strong, loyal leadership, the rank-and-file will be set adrift. Defy another order from your superiors, and I will personally arrest you and your bridge officers, seize your ship and disperse your equipment to loyal forces who put the Empire's interests ahead of their own! If the Emperor were alive, you would already be in the cellblock. Bear that in mind."
"Yes, General." Silec watched as Veers and his party left the bridge. In minutes, he saw the shuttle return to the Vindicator.
He touched a bridge console. "TIE Interceptor squadron Epsilon. I want you on stand-by. Await my instructions."
"Yes, Captain." The squadron commander replied. Battle-hardened and loyal, the Epsilon squadron was among the best in the Imperial Navy. They had scored many kills against the rebels' legendary Rogue Squadron in earlier skirmishes. If they were to be deployed, the commander thought, then the captain was anticipating a vicious confrontation in the future ...
[Imperial Star Destroyer, the Vindicator]
Communications Officer Tass Nemi watched as Veers returned to the bridge. He whispered something in the Admiral's ear,then returned to the command station.
She looked at her monitor. Strange. The signal she was intercepting was not an Imperial transmission. Civilian?! No, most of the civilian craft – traders, scientific ... even smugglers – evacutated the airspace. Too close to the planetary civil wars breaking out between rebel supporters and those still loyal to the Empire.
"... this is Admiral Ackar ... vessels proceed to coordinates ..." Nemi gasped. "Rebel transmission intercepted!!" she yelped.
Tenvor knelt down to the communications station. "Can you clear up the frequency?"
Nemi pressed a few controls. Ackar's voice continued. "...rebel vessels proceed to coordinates ... Bespin ..."
"We've lost the transmission, sir. Sorry, sir." Nemi apologized.
"They must have scrambled it." Tenvor held his hand to his mouth. "Bespin? There's nothing but smugglers' dens there."
"No!" Lieutenant Reksil blurted. "Cloud City! That scoundrel Calrissian was its baron administrator!"
"The Alliance plans to seize the gas mines!" Tenvor concluded. "Status of the Imperial garrison there?!"
Nemi checked her monitor. "Our last report stated that they were besieged ... there was an uprising after Endor... if they held on ..."
"There may still be a chance to save it ..." Tenvor ran to consult Veers and others on the Council. Ackar has finally done it. Moving to seize strategic locations and resources. The gas mines were of great importance. Possession of Cloud City could tip the balance of power in their favour.
"Rendezvous with the fleet at once." Reksil ordered the bridge crew. The Vindicator jumped to light speed. We are on the brink of our first major battle with the New Republic.