It has been a long time, I am sorry!
When I was finally finished with this
chapter by the end of July FFN wouldn't let my post it.
Typical!
I
just hope I didn't loose all my readers.
(Please, anybody out there???)
Well, however, here is it. Chapter 4. I
did my best – and I know there are a lot authors on FFN who can do
much better – but this is my fic and I try
to learn as much as possible from writing it.
If there is only one single person
who likes it, I will be grateful to no end.
Oh, and I am taking this opportunity to
thank my invaluable beta-reader SilverWolf
who has been of so much help it would be
futile to try to write down everything she has
done for me. Thank you ever so much.
You're the best!
(BTW, I guess you noticed I stopped
writing with Notepad. I hope it increases the quality.)
Now let's get going. And please remember, people:
REVIEW! (Pretty please!)
"AFTERMATH"
From: caius julius
Chapter 4: Zaarin's Masterplan
The Star Destroyer
"Masterpiece" hung in space. Its turbolaser batteries sending
deadly blasts in all directions. But
despite all efforts
it was not able to
fight back the wings of fighters and bombers that surrounded it.
TIE's seemed to be
flying everywhere. They were far to small to be aimed properly by the
Destroyer's gunners.
The
"Masterpiece"'s own fighter squadrons had been destroyed early on, so
the huge ship was becoming less and less defenceless
as the tiny but
angry little fighters swarmed around it.
But it was not
only the fighter craft. Two modified frigates type 'Nebulon B2' and some
corvettes were joining the attack as well.
In the distance
the silhouette of an Interdictor could be seen. The large vessel prevented its
prey from any hopes of escape.
The
"Masterpiece" had been flagship of a small flotilla consisting of
modular conveyors and freighters. These ships were meant to
transport tools,
medicine and food to some farther off Imperial outposts. The fleet's route had
been kept secret - or so the Empire
had thought until
Zaarin's ships had suddenly arrived out of nowhere.
Another turret
exploded as it was hit by an enemy torpedo and only a few seconds later the
last of the Destroyer's shields had vanished.
While rockets and
torpedoes kept flying into it the large ship finally began to break apart.
The fighters flew
away from the dying ship towards their hangar bays.
Soon after the
"Masterpiece" had ceased to exist the frigates and corvettes jumped
into hyperspace.
All that was left to
be seen was the debris that once had been the huge starship and its convoy.
Grand Admiral
Thrawn turned his display off.
'Again', he
thought.
'Again the same
scheme.' He shook his head as he leaned back in his bed, a deep frown on his
face. Since he had regained
consciousness a
few days ago he had read as much reports about Zaarin's attacks and movements
as possible,
trying to discover
a masterplan behind it.
But it seemed Zaarin was only out for
destruction and chaos.
Quite effectively so, he had to admit.
Thrawn closed his
eyes. His face did not show a sign of emotion at all but his mind was racing.
How to stop
Zaarin?
What measures should
be taken to destroy his plans?
Where was he going
next?
What does he play
at?
The questions went
on and on.
But there was no
answer.
These were only
the easy questions, though. Much worse were the ones that Thrawn wanted to
forget about but they returned to him
every timehis mind
took a rest.
Why had he been so
foolish? He has had Zaarin at his mercy - almost - before his capture, no,
before walking into a trap like this
like a complete
idiot.
Instinctively, his
right hand reached under the blanket towards his stomach were he could feel a
long scar.
He winced at the
memory of the pain the wound had inflicted.
Next time he met
Zaarin he would show him. He would make him pay. For everything he had done to
him, the pain, the fear, the humiliation-
Thrawn opened his
eyes and silently cursed himself.
After a few
seconds he smiled faintly. 'Wonderful,' he thought. 'If I keep thinking like
this I will never remain in command over the fleet.'
He shook his head
slightly. Was not that what Vader had come for? To see if he was still capable
of keeping his feelings under control
when it came to
Zaarin? He had to be careful.
Revenge would take
him nowhere. If he wanted to bring the traitor down he had to stay clam and
cool. He had to wait for the right opportunity.
He smiled again,
this time more pleased with himself. Yes, that was the way he should go.
The
"Masterpiece"'s loss was tragic but jumping at shadows would be prove
enough for the Dark Lord to relieve him of his command.
He would fight
Zaarin - and win, of course - but only after careful planning.
And planning he
had always been good at.
He turned the
display on again and watched the destruction of the Star Destroyer again, this
time looking closer to details.
Zaarin's attacks
had something in common: Their goal always was total destruction. No taking
prisoners, no stealth moves.
Sudden arrival,
taking everything in range under fire and destroy it beyond repair. Zaarin's
operations were basically all the same.
Maybe the
masterplan was destruction itself. It seemed to be as simple as that.
Zaarin continually
stripped the Empire of its best TIE factory plants while he still had lots of
TIE Defenders and Advanceds
under his command.
Out here near the
Unknown Regions the losses of those factories had even worse effects.
Thrawn's fleet was
simply too far off from the core to receive proper reinforcements. And with the
factories gone the Grand Admiral
was bound to
become less than a match for Zaarin.
There was now way
he could beat Zaarin if he had only old TIE Fighters and Interceptors to rely
on while the renegade's ships
housed the newest
craft the Empire had to offer.
Obviously,
destruction was only Zaarin's first goal. He went to great lengths to make his
technology superior to Thrawn's.
The Grand Admiral
snorted. Zaarin was really relying to much on technology.
After all, he was an officer, no scientist
or engineer.
But it was
understandable since he had been the Empires head of R&D. The TIE Defender
had been his last project
before betraying
the Emperor. Now it served him as a perfect tool. If only one could turn it
against him...
A small, wolfish
smile appeared on Thrawn's face.
Wouldn't it be a
wonderful surprise for Zaarin to see his beloved technology fail? There had to
be a way to beat Zaarin with his own weapons.
Thrawn just had to
watch out and wait for the right opportunity.
If the Dark lord
did not had him sacked first, that is.
He turned back to
the display.
The Grand Admiral
was very concentrated while analysing Zaarin's moves, so when someone coughed
next to him,
he turned his head
in surprise.
It was - of course
- Captain Parck.
"Well, having
a good day?" the Captain asked, grinning.
Thrawn gave him a
faint smile.
"As good as
it can get when you are restrained to bed all day!"
His smile vanished
and he became serious.
"How went your
meeting with his Lordship?"
Parck made a face.
"I made it out alive. That's one thing. The other... Let's just say he
sends his best wishes for your health."
The Admiral cocked
an eyebrow. "Physical or mental? Health, I mean."
Parck evaded his
eyes. The captain seemed to have spotted something very interesting on the wall
behind Thrawn.
Finally, the
Captain straightened his shoulders and looked back at his commander.
Thrawn did not
miss the worried look in his friend's eyes. So it was serious. His guess had
proven to be correct, it seemed.
"How do you
feel?" Parck asked after a few seconds. "Does it still hurt
much?"
Thrawn closed his
eyes slightly. "I have been worse. Much worse. In fact I feel quite fine -
except for that leg, that is."
It was true. The
medics had done an excellent job with his wounds. But they had also told him he
would have to limp for a while.
The bones Zaarin
had broken were healing rather slowly.
He knew very well
Parck was far more interested in his mental state though. And about that The
Grand Admiral had no straight answer himself.
But now that Vader
had undoubtedly made his statement, Thrawn would never admit this, not even to
Parck. Instead, he smiled strangely at him.
"Do not fear,
Captain. Soon, I will once more join you on the bridge. Zaarin has been in the
lead far too long, don't you think?"
TBC...