Someone once said "Know thine enemy,"
the problem comes when you know him
so well you become him.
Dargot Morote
First Thain of Idemo
CY 6782
Chapter Nineteen
"Admiral Ozzel," Darth Vader's voice boomed across the bridge of his Imperial warship, "Prepare my fleet for departure. We will leave at once."
"Yes, my Lord," the Admiral responded nodding to the ships Captian to carry out the order. Captian Piet eagerly scurried off to do his masters bidding.
"Impetuous," Ozzel intoned beneath his breath.
The fleet consisting of twenty Imperial Star Destroyers and the Executor began to move closer to the conduit Ring. The massive structure, two-hundred kilometres in diameter yet averaging no more then half a kilometre wide at any point, was the device that maintained the link to the distant galaxy and extended the reach of the Empire well beyond anything previously imagined.
"My Lord," Captian Piet called, "a small shuttle is emerging from the conduit. They are angling away from the fleet."
The Captian paused, "they have jumped to lightspeed, sir. We we're unable to do a proper trace."
"It is of no consequence," Vader told him though he did feel a weak presence on the shuttle.
A sharp pain suddenly struck the Dark Lord, causing him to double over slightly and eliciting a small wince from him noticeable only by the small break in his rhythmic breathing.
"Jump the ship into hyperspace," Vader ordered.
"My, Lord," Ozzel said in confusion, "We are almost to the conduit. We cannot..."
"Do as I command," Vader snarled taking Ozzel in a Force grip and lifting him from the deck.
"Captian Piet," Ozzel managed despite the clamp Vader had on his throat, "Make a short hope to lightspeed, any vector."
The Executor jumped, leaving it's fleet behind.
Just as the ship left the Nova on the other side of the universe enveloped the conduit and the blast translated through it into the Penoria system. The fragile conduit Ring collapsed on itself and was completely destroyed and the waiting Star Destroyers, confused by the sudden disappearance of their flagship were caught in the blast wave.
An Imperial survey team examined the site a few weeks later to discover what remained of the this grand Imperial project. None of Vader's Star Destroyers survived the blast nor did any of the Imperial forces waiting to be deployed to the new galaxy.
Of the Ring nothing was found, no wreckage or record of what had destroyed it.
________________
Luke awoke on the flight deck of the shuttle with a bit of a head ache. Artoo stood above him like some kind of nurse droid, trying to evaluate his condition.
Realizing that he was still in the Imperial shuttle helped wake Luke a bit faster as did the sense of motion he felt which indicated the ship was under way.
"Where are we, Artoo," Luke asked rubbing his now throbbing head.
"We're approaching the moon of Nal Hutta, Nar Shadda," Meduk answered for the droid.
"The Smuggler's Moon," Luke commented, "Nice choice."
"It was the droids idea," Tealera told him.
"I can't believe I missed everything," Luke said, "I'm grateful that you were able to get us back."
"It was easy," she said, "No one was shooting at us."
Luke took the co-pilot's seat allowing Meduk to fly the craft down to Nar Shadda herself.
"Well Commander," she began, "We're here, a neutral system."
"Thank you Captian," Luke responded as he unstrapped himself from the co-pilot's seat and began to collect his things.
He looked back to the Imperial Captian with a little confusion and asked, "I was out cold, you had every opportunity to turn me in and restore your place in the Empire. Why didn't you?"
"We had an agreement Commander," she said simply.
Skywalker nodded and exited the ship. The Alliance had a few contacts on Nar Shadda he would be able to use to get back. Luke looked back to the shuttle wondering why it hadn't launched yet.
Deciding to ignore it, just in case Meduk changed her mind, Luke continued to walk. He had to find that contact and get back to the fleet.
Leia and Han were never going to believe any of this he decided as he left the landing bay and stepped onto the streets of Nar Shadda.
"You let him go, didn't you," Kelar said as he stepped into the shuttle's cockpit. He still wore his Imperial Navy uniform, torn as it may be, yet he still looked more Imperial than she now felt.
"Yes I did, Dayvid," Tealera told him, "We had an agreement and I honoured it."
"They'll execute you Tealera, you must realize that."
"Yes, I know," she replied.
It was at that moment she realized that she didn't want to be an Imperial any more, "Dayvid, I want you to take them home," she said, "I'll make my own way."
"Tealera, you now I cannot do that," Kelar replied.
"Consider it my last order to you Cdr. Kelar," she said putting as much authority into her voice as possible.
"Yes sir," he responded.
Not long after she was standing on the pad watching the shuttle lift off. Kelar turned the ship to face her and then dipped the nose in a silent salute. Then he turned the shuttle back to the sky and he was gone and so was her old life.
She supposed she would have to find Skywalker now, ask him to take her along to join the Rebellion. On some level she was not pleased with herself for even considering joining the Rebel cause. She had benefited so much from her life in the Imperial Navy.
Then she considered all she had to do to make her way in the Imperial fleet, and that was the final thought she ever had on the subject. The Empire had used her and taken away so much of her Humanity that she didn't even recognize herself anymore.
"Well Skywalker, I hope your easier to find then most Rebels," she said to herself as she stepped out on to the street.
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The Andromeda Ascendant orbited high above the planet Sinti surrounded by dozens of repair vessels. The battle against the Imperial forces had taken quite a toll on the Andromeda and the High Guard Fleet.
However, as word spread across the known worlds that the Commonwealth had secured a great victory over not only the Empire but also the Magog dozens of new worlds had petitioned to join the Restored Commonwealth.
Sensor reports from the Andromeda confirmed that the entire Magog fleet had been caught within the blast radius of the Nova and that most of the Imperial forces were located within the system at the time.
Dylan stood at his station in Command watching, not for the first time, the last moments of the Imperial fleet in the known worlds, paying particular attention to the last moments of the Lusankya.
"It was destroyed Dylan," the Andromeda hologram told him, "Nothing survives a Nova."
"The Magog's worldship did," Dylan reminded her.
"Yes, well the Lusankya didn't have the Spirit of the Abyss on board," Andromeda replied.
"True," Dylan began, "But I can't help but feel that that ship survived somehow."
"Well, should we ever have to face the Empire again, at least we have enough Imperial technology to study that we'll be able to defeat them easily," Andromeda reported.
"It will take years, maybe decades to study the small bits of Imperial equipment left behind," Dylan said, "we need that technology now."
Rev Bem walked onto the Command deck clad in the orange robe of a Wayist priest. He approached Dylan quietly and stood behind him at a respectful distance.
"What can I do for you Rev," Dylan asked.
"With you permission, I would like to return to mission," Rev answered, "I must go."
"I was worried you were going to say that Rev," Dylan replied, "You know that you will always be apart of this crew, but I can't hold you here. Permission granted."
"Thank you," Rev replied, "for everything."
Dylan turned back to the main screens to watch the battle one more time. This time he started it from the beginning and watched as the Andromeda's own drones showed the turboslaser strike on the ship.
"Dylan," the Andromeda AI appeared on screen before the recorded explosions had finished ripping through her hull, "We have just received the analysis from the Perseids concerning the Imperial's conduit. They say that its energy is consistent with the Slipstream event that brought us back to the battle of the Witchhead Nebula 300 years ago."
"What does that mean Andromeda," Dylan asked.
"The Sinti Persieds believe that the Empire travelled not only through space but also through time, nearly five thousand years," she told him.
"They also suggest that the Empire's galaxy may be somewhere on the far side of the Virgo Galactic Cluster."
"Right on the initial path of the Magog," Dylan said quietly.
"Hey Rev," Harper called as he continued to work on Andomeda's damaged systems. He had been working non-stop for nearly two weeks as he tried to get Andromeda up and running again and was now sitting in one of Andromeda's access tunnels.
"Harper, I'd like to speak with you," Rev said in his gruff tones.
"Ah, sure," Harper answered, "I'll be right there."
Rev waited a few more moments as Harper continued to work on the bit of equipment inside the tunnel. Finally the Wayist decided that the young engineer was not coming out so he went in after him.
"Harper..." Rev began but Harper cut him off.
"Yeah, I know. Your leaving," Harper told him
"Yes, I'm afraid I am," Rev replied, "I have not finished all I set out to do. I cannot stay until I have found my peace."
"I know, I know," Harper said without looking at the Wayist, "Well I guess this is goodbye then. Hey, at least this is better than a hologram."
"Goodbye Harper," Rev said kindly and began to get up. Harper nearly bowled the Magog over as he leaped onto Rev from behind for a hug.
"I'll miss you Rev," Harper told him.
"I know," Rev replied and quietly left Harper and returned to his ship.
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So many of his children had died without fulfilling their true destiny. More than he had ever imagined, more than he could have possible had known even in his great power. Thousands of his small swarmships had gather for the great battle, the one that would ensure that history would continue as it should.
That battle had meant everything, without it the Abyss would never had risen. Through all his pain and grief the Spirit of the Abyss still managed to be amused.
These worlds had guaranteed their own destruction.