"The road is long,
fraught with peril.
But for so long as hope abides,
the road will be travelled."
Vision-of-Faith II
Keeper of the Way
CY 9884
Chapter Eleven
Nearly twenty systems had fallen to the Empire already in this short campaign. Along virtually every front little or no resistance had been offered to the onrush of Imperial military power. The Than species and the Neitzschean's has thus far produced the only noticeable fight A Than fleet was holding a small Imperial task force at bay in the Catrole system and the Drago-Kazov Nietzscheans were performing raids against military positions. Not one of the major powers in this part of space had formed any type of strong resistance to the Imperial onslaught.
Captain Meduk supposed that this knowledge should have pleased her. Imperial forces were on the advance, new worlds and technology were being examined all with minimal loses.
She could not help thinking about how she managed to get the command that brought her here.
It had been a long road from her childhood to the command of a Imperial cruiser. Her father had been an Imperial Governor and using his influence had secured her a place at the academy on Carida. Graduating the academy with top marks didn't mean much for a woman in the Imperial Navy and so Tealara found herself shuffled off to various low priority assignments. Realizing that in order to get a timely promotion, Tealara found herself bribing superior officers in order to secure them. As she began to be promoted she found that the personal costs were getting overly excessive. She had done some things she was not proud of to get the promotions she deserved.
The Starhammer was by far the easiest promotion she ever managed since leaving Carida. In a battle with a group of Rebel warships the Starhammer's former captain had been killed, Tealara as first officer stepped into position to take command.
The crew wasn't following orders, and the ships second officer tried to take command. Faced with a dilemma Meduk did the only thing she could do, she shot him. It wasn't a killing shot but it was bad enough that he had to be dragged from the bridge. No one refused her orders after that. Ironically that same man was now her current first officer.
"Captain," Kelar reported, "We have been ordered to join the offensive in the Catrole System, we are to leave immediately."
"Very good Commander," she replied, "Make it so."
Perhaps she felt responsible to this Dylan Hunt somehow. They had after all made an arrangement that had benefits for both sides. Hunt proved himself honourable in his dealings with the Empire and it was obvious that the Empire had not responded in kind.
She put her thoughts aside for the time being as the massive warship began to move from its orbit to join the battle already raging in Catrole.
As the ship entered hyperspace, Meduk was all calm and business as she prepared her ship for battle.
______________________
Harper had taken Luke halfway across the galaxy without saying too much too him. Well that wasn't true, Harper had said quite a lot since escaping the Imperials but Luke hadn't said much at all. He simply sat at a console asking few questions and responding to almost nothing.
An alarm began to blare in the engine room and Harper dumped the ship out of slipstream. "What's going on," Luke cried.
"The Exotic Matter core is leaking," Harper called out, "The system is starting to overheat."
Harper disentangled himself the pilots station and ran back to the engine room. Luke watched as Harper began to work various systems trying to vent the excess heat. Running around and jumping on and off ladders worked to stay ahead of the systems failures. When he was done Harper walked up to Luke who had a strange smile on his face.
"What's up with you?" Harper asked with annoyance.
"You just reminded me of a good friend of mine, that's all," Luke replied.
"I've got about an hour of work to do before we can head out," Harper said, "You any good with a hydrospanner?"
"Yeah, I'm not bad."
______________________
Dylan sat slumped behind his desk reviewing tactical scenarios and the latest intelligence from the front lines. In only a few short weeks the Empire had taken twenty star systems and was establishing itself as a major force in the Triangulum galaxy.
Commonwealth forces had only engaged the Imperials directly a handful of times but each time they were soundly defeated by the Empire's impressive vessels.
"Captain Hunt," the holographic Andromeda appeared beside him, "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you Andromeda," he replied distractedly.
"Dylan, you haven't eaten in three days. I'm bringing you some food and you will eat it, understood."
"Yes ma'am," Dylan responded with a chuckle.
Within seconds on of Andromeda's androids entered the room carrying a platter with a simple meal, a sandwich and some orange juice.
Beka followed the android into the room carrying flexi and looking rather annoyed.
"We lost the Deliverance Task Force," she said without preamble, "Dylan they're killing us.
"I know Beka," he replied, "Our Intel reports that the Drago-Kazov and the Than are in a similar position. I've tried to contact both governments but they refuse to even consider working together."
"We need to get more information on their movements," Beka decided.
"I agree," Dylan replied, "The question is- how?"
"They have established a major forward base on Kafreion, "Rommie told them," we could try to infiltrate that facility."
Dylan seemed to consider that for a moment but before he could speak Rommie interrupted his thoughts.
"A ship has just entered realspace on an unauthorized trajectory," she reported quickly as a smile began to cross her face, "It's the Eureka Maru."
"My ship," Beka said with a start before turning and bolting for the hangar with Dylan close behind, his lunch forgotten and untouched on his desk.
________________
"Welcome to Sinti, Luke," Harper said, "provisional capital of the Restored Commonwealth, but not exactly the best place to find a date, if you know what I mean."
"Not really Harper," Luke responded as he peered through the forward view port.
"There seems to be a ship approaching," Luke noted.
"That's the Andromeda," Harper told him, "The High Guard flagship and our final destination on this fantasy cruise."
"Andromeda Ascendant," Harper called out into a open comm. channel, "This is the Eureka Maru requesting permission to dock."
"Permission granted Maru," Trance's voice replied, "proceed."
Within moments Harper had the Maru settled on the deck in Andromeda's hangar. He motioned to Luke to follow him and both men walked together across the deck.
Waiting impatiently on the other side of the blast doors, Beka nearly burst through the door when it opened and tackled Harper before he could say a word.
"You better not have done anything to my ship," she said with mock anger, pulling Harper from the deck,"
"We'll we rearranged the furniture a little but I think you'll like it, it has a very classic feel," he responded.
"Welcome back Harper," Dylan said extending his hand, a gesture Harper completely ignored instead going straight in for a hug.
"Dylan, this is Luke Skywalker," Harper said as he released him, "He saved my but back on the Imperial ship, it was one of the most impressive things I've ever seen."
"We are in your debt, Mr. Skywalker," Dylan told him.
"Commander Skywalker actually," Luke told them, "Of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, we are a rebel group fighting the Empire within our own galaxy, but please call me Luke."
"Dylan," the captain said indicating that Luke should call him buy his first name, "This is Beka Valentine, my first officer and the hologram you see in just one incarnation of this ships artificial intelligence, Andromeda."
"Harper, show Luke to some quarters and get some rest," Dylan ordered, "We will meet tomorrow for a full debriefing from both of you."