"I have come to understand
that the Dark Side is not
always so obvious.
Not even to a trained observer."
Jedi Master Mace Windu
12 Pre-Empire Date.
Chapter Four
Dylan had gathered his command staff together. Beka and Tyr sat together on the small couch near the back wall, Trance had taken a seat directly in front of Dylan's desk and Harper was pacing behind her. Behind Dylan and to the right stood Rommie.
On each crew members face there was a stunned look that Dylan couldn't remember seeing on any of their faces since they first met; when he told he Andromeda carried Nova Bombs. He had just told them of the radiation Andromeda had detected and the implications of that radiation.
"They have real-time interstellar communication?" Tyr asked incredulously.
"It seems that way," Dylan responded, "The electromagnetic radiation simply appears in a more or less straight line emanating from the Starhammer. It seems to happen instantly, at least as far as we can determine, covering great distances in no time."
"There is no detectable differential between the initial output anywhere along the radiation path," Rommie told them, "It all happens at the same time."
"We gotta get us one of those," Harper declared with excitement, "We could do some pretty cool stuff with faster then light communications."
"I agree," Dylan said, "It would be an advantage the Magog and just about anyone else we would have to face."
"Except this Empire," Tyr reminded him.
"Tyr has a point Dylan," Trance spoke, "Can we trust the Empire to just give us this technology without any strings attached? Will they not want something of equal value in return?"
"Slipstream Drive," Beka said, "They'll want slipstream drive."
"They don't use slipstream?" Harper quit his pacing, "How could they go anywhere?"
"They have something they call hyperdrive," Rommie answered, "They didn't tell us how it worked, but it does seem that it doesn't have the speed and range slipstream can have."
"How can these people have such vastly different technology, then we have?" Harper wondered out loud, "It doesn't make any sense."
"Perhaps not, boy" Tyr pointed out, "However it seems that it is the situation. Will simply have to deal with it."
"Captain," the holographic Andromeda appeared, "We'll be coming out of arriving in the Castalia system soon."
"Very good, Andromeda," Dylan replied, "Everyone to your stations. We have work to do."
___________________
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" the Dark Lord of the Sith asked, knelling down on the holoprojector podium. Before him a magnified hologram of a decrepit and twisted looking old man's head loomed over him.
The Emperor was to all outside appearances was fragile and possibly even near death, but this was all a fantasy. Palapatine was the most powerful being in the Galaxy and the Dark Lord knew it.
"Lord Vader," the Emperor began, "Did you retrieve young Skywalker on Mimban?"
Vader feared to answer the question, though the Emperor no doubt already new the truth.
"I did not my master," he replied truthfully.
"It is of no consequence," his Master told him, "You will stop searching for him for a time and travel to the Penoria System. You take command of the operation there and see to it that the task is completed.
"I am sending Lord Krell to you. Complete his training and then you may return to your search. Maintain vigilance Lord Vader."
The transmission ended and the Emperors image faded away.
"Admiral Ozzel," Vader called, activating the intercom, "Set course for the Penoria System."
"Yes. my Lord," Ozzel replied and Vader deactivated the intercom.
Anger swelled up inside Vader. He had more important tasks to complete then this errand. Krell need no training and Vader certainly did not want to hold his hand.
Vader stood himself from his knelling position and left for his chamber were he could brood.
______________________
"You have our permission to proceed Captain," the Commonwealths new Foreign Affairs Minister said, "But we recommend extreme caution."
"I agree Captian," Jack Fremont, the defence minister added, "This could be a big boon, but don't put anything on the table other then slipstream drive, and don't settle for anything less then a working Faster then light communication system."
The two men looked stern, but Dylan could see both discomfort and excitement in either of them. The Commonwealth wanted this new technology.
"If that is the way you feel," Dylan began, "I'd like you to assign the Wrath of Achilles to me as back up."
Fremont seemed to consider that for a moment.
"I can't do it Captain," he finally said, "The Achilles is on a mission right now and we can't disturb him. The Honour in Victory is available though, and he in system."
"The Victory should be fine," Dylan told them, remembering the old DSA, "though I recommend that you place the High Guard on increased readiness, in case this gets ugly."
"Recommendation noted Captain," Fremont replied, "Report back soon.
"Castalia, out."
"The Empire seems to use exact star positions to navigate," Rommie told Dylan handing him a flexi containing the Imperial co-ordinates, "We converted them into slip-routes easily enough, but it seems to indicate that this hyperspace is more reliable then slipstream."
"True but slipstream is faster and way cooler," Harper quipped.
"You don't know that, Harper," Rommie corrected, "For all we know hyperspace may be just as fast as slipstream, but can only be used safely when there are adequate reference points to navigate."
"Well, lets worry about that later," Dylan stepped in, "Beka, take us into slipstream. Signal the Victory to follow us."
The Andromeda and Victory opened the vortex and with the characteristic flashes of lightning both ships jumped into slipstream.
_________________________
Captain Meduk stood quietly staring out of the forward viewport on the bridge of her ship. She marvelled, not for the first time, at its size and power. It was said that a single Star Destroyer had the power to slag a world, leaving it a virtually lifeless rock in space.
From the viewport Meduk could see one of those rocks, this one however was not lifeless.
The Empire had decided to build a star port facility on the planet, which they had code named 'Beachhead', including a massive garrison defence station.
It truly seemed that the Empire was taking more of an interest in this new galaxy. New forces were gathering on the other side of the Gravitic Fold, the conduit through which travel to this galaxy was possible.
It even appeared that Lord Darth Vader himself was to oversee the operation personally. The action she was taking were being discussed at the highest levels of power, the potential of slipstream drive was mind boggling.
Hyperspace travel allowed the Empire and the Republic before it to spread across the galaxy, but travel beyond the galaxy was considered to be impossible. The 'gravitic fold' changed that allowing near instant travel to distant galaxies, but it had limited value.
Any system that had a open Conduit would immediately become a important strategic point and would require massive effort to defend. It would also be the only point of contact between the galaxies, if it were to be cut off that would be the end of any conflict.
The range of the Conduit was another issue. The energy required to open and maintain the fold was such that it fixed the distance at nearly one hundred million light years or more. Travelling to nearby galaxies would then be almost impossible.
"Captain, we are detecting two starships in the outer system," the sensor station reported, "It appears the Andromeda has finally arrived."
__________________
The Andromeda and the Victory exited the slipstream in the outer fringes of the Cheops system. In orbit of the forth planet the Imperial fleet awaited them and the moved slowly to join the them.
"I'm detecting at least six ships in orbit," Rommie reported, "The Starhammer, those two frigates from the recording and four small hammerhead vessels.
"There also appears to be some kind of space station in orbit of the planet."
"Bring us within real-time range," Dylan ordered.
"Dylan, there also appears to be a lot of construction on the ground," Rommie added.
"It looks like they're planning to stay for a while," Tyr noted dispassionately but with obvious implications. One does not build a military base if one wasn't preparing to fight.
"Welcome Captain Hunt," Captain Meduk said as hailing frequency opened, "My government has asked me to enter negotiations for a formal treaty between us. They also wish to consider the possibility of technology exchanges."
"I believe my government would be interested in trade relations with the Empire," Dylan responded.
"Good, then will you join me aboard the Starhammer to open negotiations?" Meduk asked.
"Of course," Dylan told her, "We'll leave as soon as were ready."