[Docking bay, the Avenger
Veers removed his battle helmet and turned to the transport's crew. "My compliments to you, pilot."
"The honour is mine, General. You just saved 2,000 troops! If you ever need a pilot for another mission, you know where to find me."
Veers shook his hand. "I'm envious of Captain Mitan. The Avenger was rumoured to have the finest naval pilots in the Empire. I see now that the reputation is well-earned." The pilots cheered.
Knessel helped an injured stormtrooper out of the transport vessel. Veers walked towards them. "Injury report, lieutenant."
Knessel cleared her throat. "About 20 with combat injuries: broken arms, lacerations, blaster burns. We lost TK-7532 in transit. The wound was too deep."
"The sandtrooper?" Veers remarked. "Inform the Avenger's Sandtrooper commander that his regiment is relieved of their combat duties today." He directed the injured to the infirmary.
The survivors of the Cloud City garrison looked disoriented. "Report to the appropriate divisional commanders for your new assignments," Veers ordered, "You are on stand-by alert. Await further instructions."
Knessel was about to leave when Veers summoned her. "A word, lieutenant."
"Yes, General!" she snapped at attention.
"You may dispense with the formalities. Report to the war chamber in 10 minutes." Veers continued to bark out several orders to officers, troops and technicians.
Knessel quickly wiped away the soot and smoke from her face, flattened out her uniform and adjusted her hair - tucking in the stray locks that dangled under her cap. She marched to the war chamber - once the private reserve of only the Empire's highest ranking officers. Men like Captain Needa. And now Captain Mitan. Service on the Avenger was almost as prized an appointment as one on the Executor.
Veers was looking at the holo-projector. "General Veers, " Admiral Tenvor reported, "the fleet is on stand-by on the perimeter of Corellian airspace."
"Excellent. I regret to inform you that Cloud City has fallen to General Calrissian and his Rebel armada. You may, however, tell your crew that the 2,000-strong veterans of the Cloud City garrison will be joining their ranks shortly."
Tenvor nodded. "Understood. Vindicator out." The hologram faded.
"You requested to see me, General?" Knessel stated.
Veers appeared disinterested as he reviewed files on the monitor. "I don't like intelligence officers."
Knessel was taken aback. "Sir?"
"Action should define promotion in the Imperial forces. Deeds tested on the frontlines. Not the political manoeuvrings of glory-bent officers."
"With all due respect, sir," Knessel stated, "the Imperial Intelligence Corps has worked faithfully for the Emperor's cause ..."
"... yes, and often at the expense of the common stormtrooper, TIE pilot and junior officer!" Veers growled. "When the New Order emerged, I had hoped that the professional officer would rise through the ranks on merit. I was sadly mistaken. The grand households of the Old Republic still managed to subvert the chain of command, carving personal spheres of influence with the lives of Imperial troops. My troops! Spare me the idealistic drivel the Intelligence Corps fed you at the Academy." Veers stepped up to Knessel's face.
"You fought with tenacity on Cloud City, while placing the lives of your men ahead of your own. Self-sacrifice is not characteristic of Imperial officers - especially those of the Intelligence Corps.."
"I would never place my men at risk, if I were not prepared to take those very risks myself," Knessel replied.
"The Emperor promoted officers based on their political loyalties. It was rare indeed that an officer gained any command of significance without political influence to support him. Palpatine was a senator in the Old Republic, as you may recall." He glanced at the continuing dogfights above Bespin. He tapped a console. "TIE command. Recall our fighters. Captain Mitan will be jumping into hyperspace shortly."
"Why do you wish to serve the Empire?" Veers questioned. "For promotion? Status? Personal vendetta? Profit? What motivates you, Lieutenant Mira Knessel?"
Knessel watched the intense firefight in space. TIE pilots sacrificing themselves for a cause. Not to impose rule by fear, as Grand Moff Tarkin's doctrine states, but to restore order to an unruly and petty galaxy. Their cause is right. It must be right.
"I serve to repay a debt of honour, sir." Knessel explained. "The late Admiral Piett had saved my family from pirates many years ago. I would not be here today if he didn't have faith in me. I continue to serve because I refuse to accept that he died a pointless death."
"Rest assured, he did not die a pointless death," Veers mumbled, "I lost many good soldiers aboard the Executor. Some I would even consider friends." He chuckled to himself. "The good admiral saved my life on more than one occasion, did you know that?" He gazed wistfully at the skies. The TIE fighters were withdrawing, with X-Wings relentlessly pursuing them.
Veers regained his concentration. "If you're expecting preferential treatment because you're Piett's protege ..."
"No, sir, I would never exploit my ties to the late admiral like that!" she declared.
"As it stands, you have proven the admiral's faith in you. I've been reviewing some of the retrieved personnel files the Executor has transmitted shortly before -" Veers paused again. "He and his crew did not die in vain. That I will assure you!" He pulled out a cylinder. "It's an encrypted holographic message. Dated a few years ago. Our technicians managed to salvage it from the Executor's transmitted files."
Knessel held the cylinder in front of her right eye. A slight flash scanned her retina, which activated the cylinder.
Admiral Piett's hologram appeared. "Personal file. Admiral Piett, the Executor. Authorization - Sigma Five. Greetings, General Veers. I congratulate you on your promotion as commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army. A well deserved promotion. Commander Jerjerrod is devastated. He had hoped that his ties to the Emperor would earn him the promotion. But I digress ... I wish to ask you a favour, Maximilian. A pupil of mine, a Lieutenant Knessel, is serving aboard a gunnery ship on the Kessel route. My sources inform me that elements in the Intelligence Corps are plotting something vile. I'm told they're intentionally letting Rebel spies slip through the naval dragnet. I fear they may frame Knessel for this. Please, will you keep your eyes open and let me know ... if she's alright. She's more than a stellar student ... I regard her as if she was my daughter. I would appreciate any news ..."
Knessel fought to remain indifferent. Piett seemed so alive in the hologram. It was too much to bear. His hologram had turned to an aide. "... we've engaged the Calamari fleet. Alert TIE command ... General Veers, my best regards. Thank you for your help ..."
She reached out to touch the hologram, but it faded into nothingness.
"He sent me a holographic message about half an hour before the Executor was lost," Veers revealed, "I - have yet to look at it. I gave you yours ... so you will understand why. Why we, as officers, must carry on the fight. The Emperor was enraged at the loss of the second Death Star's plans. Piett was right: members of the Intelligence Corps did betray you. Frame you. Lord Vader issued an order to arrest you. I countermanded the order. Piett saved my life. I saved the life of his favourite pupil. Consider your debt of honour discharged. I want officers with commitment, not burdens. If you have any doubts about our cause, tell me now, and I will disperse your squadron amongst the other officers ... Commander."
Knessel blinked. "C-commander?"
Veers smiled and handed her a new rank insignia. "By authority of the Imperial Council - and approved by Admiral Tenvor of the Imperial fleet - I grant you the field commission of Commander. If you do accept, you will be entitled to your own squadron. Which shouldn't be too hard to assemble, since most of the troopers from your past mission have been pleading to serve with you."
"I do accept, sir!" Knessel grinned, "but I request that my crew from the Grenadier remain under my command. They have proven their worth a thousand- fold. I still owe them a debt of honour."
"I don't see any problem with that. Your direct superior is Captain Mitan. But I consider your squadron a special operations unit. From time to time, I'll be requesting your squadron's help on select missions .."
"You will not be disappointed!" Knessel announced.
"Carry on, Commander Knessel. I have many requisition orders, personnel transfers and army-navy disputes to settle before we rendezvous with the fleet. I will be quite angry once I'm through with this bureaucratic mess. I suggest you leave now before that happens!"
Knessel nodded. "Yes, sir, General!" She left the war chamber and ran to the turbolift.
"Commander Knessel! My own squadron!" she smiled. Admiral Piett, you were right to have faith in me. I'll continue the fight for you.
I promise.
[The Vindicator, outside the Correlian system
"Sienar Fleet Systems' shipyard is a parsec away, Admiral," Lieutenant Reksil reported.
"Good." Tenvor reviewed his bridge console. With the addition of the Avenger, the Imperial Fleet can muster seven Star Destroyers. Roughly 100,000 troops and personnel. Several hundred TIE fighters. A formidable planetary invasion force by any standard.
The Rebel Alliance, however, has at least 10 times that. And their numbers continue to grow as more star systems oppose Imperial governance and side with the so-called New Republic. Their forces are stretched out, as they engage in skirmishes and revolutions across the galaxy.
Our Imperial forces - here in Correlian space - are united. The return of Veers will surely boost morale in the rank-and-file.
Alarms rang out on the bridge. Lieutenant Reksil scrambled out of the communications subdeck. "Admiral, you're receiving a priority message from the Correlian Defense Fleet!"
"On the monitor!" Tenvor stood in the middle of the bridge. "This is Admiral Tenvor of the Imperial Fleet. Identify yourself!"
A familiar face smirked at him. "Admiral, this is General Han Solo of the Millennium Falcon." Chewbacca growled beside him. "Turn your ships around and report to the Processing Centre on Coruscant, where we will graciously accept your formal surrender."
Arrogant fool, Tenvor grumbled. The radar revealed that Solo's fleet had seven heavy frigates and a multitude of starfighters. "Reksil! Status of the Rebel Fleet!" Tenvor barked.
Reksil tapped his console. "Admiral Ackar's fleet will be in Correlian airspace within the hour!"
"Give it up, Tenvor. It's not your fight anymore. I know you want Sienar's shipyards. So does the Alliance. You've lost Bespin. Get out while the gettin's good. My co-pilot doesn't take kindly to stormtroopers."
Tenvor remained confident. "Officer Nemi..."
"Yes, Admiral." Nemi frowned as she looked at Solo's smug face on the monitor.
"Instruct the forward gunners to fire on the Millennium Falcon." A pair of bolts zapped - with one brushing across the Falcon's bow.
Solo steadied himself as the Falcon rattled. "Oh, you wanna fight, do you? Correlian fleet ... deploy your fighters. Attack the Star Destroyers! Bad call, Admiral. We have you outmanned and outgunned. I'd suggest you reserve a spot on an escape pod. You're going to need it pretty soon!" He cut the communications.
Han turned to Chewbacca. "Who does this guy think he is?" Chewie growled. "Yeah, you're tellin' me, buddy. What a sore loser!"
Tenvor saw that the well-armed Correlian fleet blocked their route to the Sienar shipyards. What the Imperial fleet lacked in firepower, he thought, it would make up in discipline.
Determination.
"The Avenger will arrive in moments, Admiral," Reksil reported.
"Alert all commands," Tenvor ordered. Finally - a full naval battle! "Destroyer captains, prepare to engage the Correlians! We will regroup at the Sienar shipyards."
"Do you think we can prevail?" Reksil wondered. "The Correlians will be defending their home system."
"I know we will, Lieutenant," Tenvor responded, "the Empire is counting on us!" Bespin fell to the Rebels. The shipyards will not.
Alarms honked throughout the ship. TIE pilots scrambled to their fighters. Stormtroopers marched to their ready stations - in preparation for boarding any captured vessels.
The Millennium Falcon zoomed towards the bridge. "All hands, prepare for battle!" Reksil announced.
Sienar Fleet Systems remained loyal to the Galactic Empire - even now, when opportunity would suggest that they should cast their lot with the victorious Alliance. Reports indicated that the Correlians intended to capture the shipyards. Or destroy them, if they could not dislodge the heavily-defended Imperial bunker that protected the yards.
We cannot afford to lose this battle, the admiral thought. Lose this fight - and the war is surely over.
EPILOGUE:
[The Avenger's war chamber
Veers completed the last requisition order. The Imperial Army - what was left of the once-fearsome war machine -- would have its blasters. He tapped a console.
"Report, Captain Mitan."
"We will be in the Correlian system in moments, sir." Mitan replied.
"Prepare my shuttle. I shall be joining the Vindicator. I want to be ready in the event we land troops on Correlia."
"Acknowledged. I'll inform Admiral Tenvor to await your arrival."
He held the tiny holo-disk in his fingers. The late Admiral Piett's last holographic transmission before the Executor impaled the Death Star and evaporated hundreds of thousands of the Empire's finest officers, pilots and troops. He had this disk for several days now.
He placed the disk on the table and clicked it. A pale blue hologram materialized.
"Personal file. Admiral Piett, the Executor. Authorization - Sigma Five. General Veers, I trust you are well. The Rebels are pressing hard. I'm told General Calrissian, the hero of the Battle of Tanaab, commands this Rebel armada. The shield generator on Endor is now down. Damn those Rebel scum! The Death Star is vulnerable. I just wanted to relay this message ... the odds are no longer in our favour ... but we all have our duty to fulfil, don't we? Maximilian, should I fall ..." Piett paused.
Veers took off his cap. Piett continued. "... I'm transmitting everything ... personnel files, classified intelligence reports, archives ... everything we have, including some files we obtained from the Death Star ... the Emperor's intelligence operatives tried to block our access, but the Rebel capture of the shield generator gave us the opening we wanted. I've seen too many lives wasted because of the scheming of a handful of power-hungry opportunists. Weed them out. Show no mercy. None! Should the Rebels prevail, your task will be daunting. Don't trust the governors, the political appointees of the Emperor ... none of them!"
Piett's hologram glanced to his right. "If you receive this message, the Executor must have been captured - or destroyed. Remember the rank-and- file. It's the duty of the officers to give them a voice. I trust - no, I KNOW - that you will uphold that obligation with grace and distinction. By the maker, we shall fight on! You've always told me that you owed me a life- debt. Your friendship has repaid that debt on countless occasions. Maximilian, my friend, I bid you goodbye. Long live the Empire!"
Veers, alone in the war chamber, buried his head in his hands. Rest in peace, soldier. The battle is yours to fight no longer.
The battle is now mine to continue.
Rebel pretenders and traitorous Imperial opportunists, take heed!
Our comrades now join the Empire's fallen in the heavens. Their duty is done.
My duty is to bring Hell to the enemy. With cannon, starfighters, heavy armour and a relentless wave of Imperial troops.
The time for regret is over.
There is but one thought in my mind ...
Death.
And I, General Maximilian Veers, will be its deliverer.
END OF PART I
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
"Glory for All" will continue in a story-arc format. Part I established the principal characters and - as you might have noted - several plotlines to be pursued in the future. We all know Admiral Tenvor's fleet is poised for a large-scale naval confrontation with an evenly matched Correlian fleet - and Han Solo as the armada's leader. I haven't forgotten about Captain Silec (son of Admiral Ozzel). He hasn't forgotten his father's shameful death, and neither have I. The seeds of dissent have been sown aboard the Star Destroyer, Relentless. Something's got to give ...
Hopefully I'll go into the backgrounds of the junior officers: Tass Nemi, Lieutenant Reksil and the indefatigable Commander Knessel. Luke Skywalker is pursuing a group of renegade Emperor's Royal Guards: will Veers help the Guards and destroy Luke? Or does the general have more to fear from the secretive crimson guardsmen? Leia has crushed Imperial resistance on Coruscant - or, so she believes. Part II will have plenty of details to work out.
Alert all commands for Part II. In this universe, the epic Battle of Endor didn't end the war; it inflamed a new one.
Part II continues in Honour or Death. (Check my profile page for link).