Lieutenant Fox, one of the rebel soldiers introduced in this chapter, is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.
The True Ending will only be found on the other side.
The other side of the Door of the Brain Room
-from the writings of the space gypsy Melquiades.
The shuttle carrying Captain Zhal's commando team flew low and fast across the Ivortian plains. They had waited until nightfall, after Ivort Four orbited behind Ivort-three hours after Ferb had blasted out of the spaceport-to make their move.
The shuttle pilot boosted the engines as they came up on Mann City. By the time the scanners detected them they were already above the Imperial complex.
As the pilot was preparing to position the shuttle so Captain Zhal's team could rappel down, he noticed two TIE fighters-what was left of the squadron assigned to Mann City. Once all six commandos had rappelled down the pilot opened fire, announcing their presence by destroying both TIEs.
The Ivort-4 Imperial complex was understaffed at the moment-many of the stormtroopers and .Imperial Army Troopers stationed there had been deployed throughout Mann City to restore order after the skirmish in Memorial Plaza. There were less than forty soldiers between Captain Zhal's team and their target.
Once the TIEs were destroyed, the pilot brought the shuttle around and targeted a nearby turbolaser mounted on a tall, rectangular pylon, planning on destroying it before its crew could fire on him. It took four shots but the turret exploded.
As the garrison rushed to defend the Imperial complex, their attention was focused entirely on the shuttle. There was little infantry could do against an airborne attack craft, but regardless most of the soldiers wouldn't notice the commando team in the chaos. This was exactly how General Fenwhudn had planned for them to attack the Imperial complex, though it was well ahead of her schedule and instead of attempting to assassinate the Prefect, they were rescuing an imprisoned comrade.
When the attack began Prefect Stacy Hirano was in her office, having just finished a holocall with Governor Tiberian.
The Governor had been on edge. Rebel activity on a world under his jurisdiction meant that he would likely be held responsible. Stacy was worried he would try to shift as much of the blame as possible on her.
The sound of the TIEs exploding caused her to leap out of her chair in surprise.
"The fuck?!"
She raced to the window just in time to see another explosion-the main turbolaser.
Stacy took out her comlink.
Klaxons began wailing across the complex.
"Orsho!" she shouted into it. "What the hell is going on?"
"We don't know!" Captain Orsho replied. "Madam Prefect-they j-just came out of-"
"I'm on my way down there!" she switched off her comlink before Orsho could reply, grabbed her sidearm, and left her office.
The commando team had only run into two stormtroopers inside the base, both of whom had been shot dead before they even registered the presence of rebel infiltrators.
They reached a computer terminal, and the team's slicer got to work trying to figure out where the captured rebel was being held. The other five kept watch.
"One prisoner." the slicer said. "Held in the detention block on level four. That's all the information in the system."
"Let's go." Zhal said, and they did.
The lift was just a few minutes' walk down the corridor, guarded by a trio of Imperial Army Troopers. One of them was the Sergeant who had driven Prefect Hirano and Captain Orsho to meet Agent Isrua and then taken all three to the police precinct in the Corellian Quarter.
The Sergeant noticed Captain Zhal just before a blaster bolt hit her square in the chest. One of the other troopers reached for his comlink to inform security of the incursion but took a shot to the head before he could say anything. The third managed to fire a shot, almost hitting a commando's leg, before he too was killed.
"Right!" Captain Zhal said. "Move it, on the double."
They entered the lift, the door slid shut, and one of them hit the button to take them to the detention block.
In the Imperial complex's security center, panic reigned. The staff was already on edge after the skirmish in Memorial Plaza and the subsequent unrest across the city, and now they were facing an airborne attack. The proper course of action in such a situation would be to get the base's TIE fighters airborne and turn the turbolasers on the attacking craft. However, the two remaining TIEs had been destroyed as the opening action of the rebel assault, and the nearest turbolaser shortly afterwards. The attacking shuttlecraft managed to avoid fire from the other turbolasers and the cannons set up by the infantry, taking shots at the Imperial soldiers. Three infantry-manned anti-aircraft cannons had already been destroyed by the time Captain Orsho made it to the security center.
His adjutant, Lieutenant Elaxiabeter, was waiting there for him. She was a tall woman with light brown skin, from the Inner Rim planet Obroa-skai.
"Sir!" she said when he walked in the door.
"The Prefect is-" Captain Orsho began to say, but suddenly they heard a loud explosion and the whole building shook.
"What the hell?" Orsho screamed.
"Captain!" one of the security officers shouted. "They hit a fuel line!"
"Fuck!" Elaxiabeter hissed.
"What is their reason for coming to this place and doing these things?" Captain Orsho demanded. "Why would they return after we chased them off this afternoon?"
"Captain Orsho!" another officer, sitting at a console on the far end of the room, shouted. "There's been an incursion in the base! I'm tracking six infiltrators!"
"Why would-!" Orsho began, before he realised. "The prisoner! Dank farrik, they're here to free the prisoner!"
Elaxiabeter's eyes widened. "Half of the garrison troops are out in the city restoring order, and most of the rest are out trying to shoot down the enemy craft. They have a clear path to the detention level!"
"Recall our troops inside!" Orsho barked. "Lock down the detention block! Now!"
Once his orders were being carried out, Orsho took out his comlink.
"Prefect Hirano!" he said. "Rebel infiltrators have snuck into the complex! They're after the prisoner!"
"Understood, Captain." she replied. "On my way to the detention block now."
The lift door slid open. One commando-Sergeant Braus-exited and checked up and down the corridor before signaling to the others that it was clear.
"Where's the detention block?" Captain Zhal asked.
"Map says it's on the left," Sergeant Toka said.
"Map could be wrong," the team slicer muttered.
"To the left then! Move!" Zhal barked.
Two minutes later they reached the door to the detention block. Captain Zhal went to hit the open button, but the console gave a negative beep and flashed red.
"Dank farrik, it's locked!" he said.
"Let me have a look at it," the team slicer said. Zhal moved out of the way to let her do her job.
"Do you think they know we're here?" Toka asked.
"Probably," Braus said. "There's cameras all over this place."
"Be ready," Zhal cautioned. "Troopers could swarm this place at any moment." He turned to the slicer. "Any luck?"
"Just another minute and I'll be through," she grunted.
She was still working a minute later when three stormtroopers rounded the bend in the hallway and began shooting. Sergeant Toka and Lieutenant Fox fired back while Braus shielded the slicer with his body. Captain Zhal shot one stormtrooper in the chest and Toka got shot in the head. Braus and the sixth team member, Corporal Wo, shot and killed the other two stormtroopers. Zhal was kneeling by Toka's body. He shook his head and slowly got up.
"Dead," he said quietly.
"More will be coming soon," Lieutenant Fox said. They frowned and looked at the slicer. "How long?"
"Almost through…there!" she said. The panel beeped.
"Right, get ready." Zhal ordered. The team pressed themselves to the wall, with Zhal and Braus right on either side of the door. Zhal pressed a button on the panel and the door slid open. Zhal threw a smoke grenade into the room. Blaster fire began shooting out of the detention block in the general direction of the door-the guards were fighting back.
"Cover me!" he ordered. Braus and Fox both began firing into the room while the Captain dove to the floor, using the smoke as cover to crawl into the detention block. He moved quickly, trying to make it all the way in before the smoke cleared.
Zhal made it to the console in the center of the detention block lobby as the smoke cleared. He fired his blaster and killed the army trooper standing there. As the Imperial soldier fell to the ground Zhal stood up and fired at an army trooper standing against the wall. The smoke was completely clear by now. The sole remaining Imperial Army Trooper turned to fire at Zhal but was downed by a shot from Fox before she could.
The other four rebels entered the detention block's lobby.
"You is to seal the door behind you." Captain Zhal ordered.
"Yessir," Braus said, and he did.
The plan they had adopted was to blow a hole in the wall, signal for the shuttle, and board it without having to fight their way back out of the Imperial base.
"Where is Quayle?" Fox asked.
"I'm checking now," the slicer said. She was at a console on the far side of the room, just next to the corridor leading to the holding cells. "He's in cell six!"
"Right then," Zhal said. "Wo, you with me."
"Sir!" Corporal Wo said. The two of them walked down the corridor to Quayle's cell. Wo opened it.
Lying on an examination table, unconscious, was Quayle. An IV tube was inserted into his right arm, and save for his underwear, he was completely naked and covered in bacta patches.
"Star's end!" Wo swore. "He looks like shit!"
"Knowing Quayle, he probably killed a whole buncha Imptards before they got him like this." Zhal said grimly.
"Quayle's really as tough as they say?" Wo asked.
"Aye, corporal." Zhal replied. "Perhaps he's even tougher."
"Is…is it safe to move him sir?" Wo asked. "He doesn't, uh, he doesn't look like he's in good shape, Captain."
"He'll have to bear it." Zhal said. "If he was in truly awful shape, the Imps wouldn't have just treated his injuries with bacta patches. They need him alive for questioning." He walked to the examination table. "Give me a hand."
"Yes sir." Wo said. The young Themian walked over and helped his commanding officer lift their unconscious comrade off the table.
The rebel shuttle which had delivered Zhal's team hovered over the Imperial complex. Most of the Imperial soldiers on the ground had fallen back inside the facility-partly to reinforce the interior defenses and stop the rebel infiltrators, but mostly to take cover from the attacking shuttlecraft.
The pilot of the rebel VCX-series auxiliary starfighter would have liked to turn his shuttle's cannons on the main building of the Imperial complex, but as the commando team was still inside he couldn't risk it.
His scanner beeped and the pilot swore-three Imperial patrol transports were closing on his position. The trio of LAAT/le patrol gunships had been above the Corellian Quarter, providing aerial support to Chief Bansoro's cleanup operation, when the rescue mission began. Captain Orsho had summoned them back and now they had arrived.
One of the gunships fired and the pilot had to take his ship down to avoid getting hit. Another patrol transport flew sideways to watch his position and launched missiles. The pilot swerved to starboard to avoid them, putting his shuttle directly in the firing line of one of the other turbolasers. The Imperial gunners began firing at him too and the pilot had to swerve to avoid the cannon shots. One of the blasts clipped the hull.
"Dank farrik!" he swore. His scanners beeped in alarm, reminding him that missiles were still on his tail.
"Notice the guided missile, pull out high!" he muttered to himself as he took the shuttle upwards. The missiles followed. One was hit by a stray blast from the turbolaser in the ground, its operator unaware that the police gunships were in the area, and exploded.
The other remained on the VCX-series shuttlecraft's tail. The pilot took his shuttle into a nosedive. It dove past the patrol transports and over the wall surrounding the Imperial complex. Now flying low, he quickly swung around the Governor Apporo Clock Tower, the great symbol of the progress and stability the Empire had brought to Ivort Four. The missile tried to follow but failed to adjust its course enough and impacted. The Governor Apporo Clock Tower exploded.
The pilot took his shuttle back around and flew towards the patrol transports. They were turning around. The pilot opened fire, clipping the hull of the center gunship. All three opened fire and the pilot had to swing to avoid.
The door to the detention block had been sealed. The stormtroopers were already preparing to cut through it when Stacy arrived on level four.
"Madam Prefect!" an army trooper sergeant said. All the soldiers turned and eagerly saluted.
"At ease, troopers." Stacy said. "Report," she said, addressing the sergeant specifically.
"Ma'am." he said. "Door's sealed. We're cutting through."
"Very good," Stacy replied. "Carry on. The rebel scum mustn't escape with their comrade."
"Ma'am, why would they expend so much effort to rescue just one prisoner?" the sergeant asked. "Loyalty to one's comrades is admirable, but I doubt the rebellion has the resources to risk freeing just one man?"
"To, but he is not just a prisoner," Stacy replied. "He most likely holds valuable information as to what the rebels were doing in Memorial Plaza this afternoon."
In fact, Quayle knew as much as Mosk and Retep had-that they were to receive a datadisc from a contact. This was hardly more than the tip given to ISB-that rebels were rendezvousing to hand off information.
The real reason Zhal's team had been dispatched was that Fenwhudn and Brucosl were desperate to get their hands on that datadisc and had no information beyond the fact that Obitn'Pa's team had been ambushed and a member captured. So, Brucosl made the call to deploy their commandos in a desperate attempt to locate the datadisc. You and I know this, but of course the Imperials did not.
"Almost through!" one of the stormtroopers shouted.
"They're almost through!" Sergeant Braus shouted.
"Alright, now!" Zhal ordered.
Wo and Fox had placed charges at the back of the corridor, where the wall was the only thing standing between them and the outside. The five remaining commandos and Quayle, still unconscious, were sequestered in an empty cell to avoid getting caught in the blast.
Fox pushed down on the detonator in their left hands and the charges exploded.
In the hallway outside the detention block, the stormtroopers operating the laser cutter had just finished cutting the door open when the charges blew.
"What the hell was that?" Stacy demanded.
"It sounds like it came from inside the detention center!" one of the stormtroopers said.
"They really out here tryna bring the whole damn building down on our heads!" the sergeant said.
"No," Stacy said. Her eyes narrowed. "The detention block's far end is at the end of the level. They've blown a hole to the outside." She took out her comlink and keyed Captain Orsho.
"Ma'am?" he answered.
"What is the status of the airborne attack ship?"
"The police gunships have driven it off, commander." Captain Orsho replied.
"Good, good." the Prefect of Ivort Four replied. She grinned. "The rats are trapped."
The commando team moved towards the hole at the back of the detention block, towards the hole. Fox went first, followed by Corporal Wo and the unconscious Quayle (the former carrying the latter), then Braus and Zhal, with the slicer bringing up the rear.
"Right," Fox said. From their utility belt, they produced a flare gun. Leaning out of the hole in the wall, they fired off a signal flare that lit up the night sky.
"Called our ride," they stated.
"Hold it!" someone yelled. The rebels turned-stormtroopers were rounding the bend at the other end of the corridor!
They began firing their blasters. The rebel commandos returned fire. An energy bolt hit slicer's torso. She screamed and crumpled to the floor, dead.
"Karrabast!" Wo swore, unceremoniously throwing Quayle to the ground.
"We have to hold out!" Zhal growled as he took down a stormtrooper with one shot. Now two soldiers under his command were dead. A third of his team, gone.
More stormtroopers began rounding the bend. A blaster bolt hit Wo in the shoulder. He screamed.
"Damn it!" Braus shouted.
Fox tossed an ion grenade at the Imperial stormtroopers. It activated and not only jammed the stormtroopers' blasters but messed with the circuitry in their armor as well. The enemy troopers were disoriented and the rebels were able to pick them off.
"More will be-" Braus began, but as if on cue stormtroopers and army troopers began coming 'round the corridor's bend. Zhal suddenly noticed a panel on the wall. Hoping his gut instinct would prove correct, he aimed at the panel and fired at it.
His gut was right; a blast door, presumably a measure in place to secure the detention block during a breakout, slid shut. They were now sealed off from the stormtroopers.
"That should hold them." Braus said. Corporal Wo breathed a sigh of relief. Lieutenant Fox knelt down next to the slicer's limp corpse and frowned. They reached out and closed her eyelids.
"A third of the team is dead, Cap'n." they said to Zhal.
"I know." he said quietly.
"We've bought ourselves at most a couple minutes, but it shan't be long before the Imptards get that door open." Fox said. "If they have to use the lasercutter, we'll have some time. But more likely…" they sighed. "More likely there's an override in the security center. They'll have it open in an instant."
(Indeed there was, but the junior officer responsible for punching in the override was among the personnel deployed to assist Chief Bansoro in the city. Lieutenant Elaxiabeter was searching for the binder containing the bases' override codes while Prefect Hirano yelled at Captain Orsho over the phone.)
Then they heard the roar of a ship engine behind them.
All of them turned to cheer, thinking it was their shuttle here to pick them up.
But it was not.
'Twas one of the three patrol transports.
"Shit!" Lieutenant Fox shouted.
Then suddenly-two laser blasts hit the transport from the side. Two more hit it and the police gunship exploded! The rebels were knocked to their feet by the blast, and quickly stood up again. The police gunship-or what was left of it-had fallen to the ground below and was replaced by a VCX-series auxiliary starfighter.
"Yes!" Braus cheered. Their escape craft had come for them.
This was not the shuttle that had carried them to Mann City, the one that the three patrol transports had driven off. Rather it was the other shuttle dispatched to Ivort Four from the Leaveykurarupid. The one Obitn'Pa's team had taken. The one piloted by Jyph.
The plan improvised by Captain Zhal, dear reader, had intended for Jyph's shuttle to be their escape craft. Their shuttle would attack the facility and then retreat once the Empire was able to organise an aerial response. Once the Imperial craft had been lured away, Jyph had been free to take his shuttle in unnoticed.
The shuttle turned around and moved closer to the hole in the side of the Government Building. The rear hatch opened.
"Go, go!" Zhal ordered. First Sergeant Braus went, carrying Quayle's unconscious body in his arms. Then Fox began to climb in and turned to offer a hand to Corporal Wo, who was injured. Zhal took one look at the slicer's body, sighed, and climbed aboard the shuttlecraft.
At that moment the blast door slid open, Elaxiabeter having found the missing override code. Stormtroopers and Imperial Army Troopers began running through the new opening. They began firing their blasters, but the rear hatch on the shuttle swung shut before they hit anyone.
Jyph brought his ship around so the forward cannons were pointed at the Imperial troopers. For a brief instant he considered firing at them, but then he saw the terrified expression on the face of one of the Imperial Army Troopers.
Jyph was old. He had fought in the Clone Wars, and in countless regional skirmishes and small uprisings since then. He was tired of war. He was tired of death.
These young men didn't need to die tonight.
Taking pity on the Imperial soldiers in his firing line, Jyph opted not to open fire and turned and flew off.
The other shuttle joined his-both now traveling at speeds much faster than what the Imperial patrol transports could reach-and jumped to hyperspace when they broke atmosphere.
"You know," I began.
"Hmm?" the Author said, looking up from his book-Man, his Soul, and his Quest for the Original Dint. We had finished work for the day and were now relaxing in two large armchairs by a roaring fire.
"I hate Twitter." I said. "This might be out of nowhere, but I really fucking hate Twitter."
"Because of politics?" the Author asked. I nodded. "Most politics on Twitter are dumb and ill-informed, no matter the faction."
"Yes," I replied. "Still though…" I scowled. "It makes me angry."
"That's understandable," the Author replied. "What's pissing you off right now?"
I chuckled. "The fucking Tankies."
"The Tankies?"
"Well, the Left in general I suppose, but at this particular moment it's Tankies who irritate me the most."
Tankies, if you are unfamiliar with the term dear reader, refers to communists who unironically believe the atrocities committed under North Korea, the Soviet Union, and the hated People's Republic of China, among other commie regimes, didn't happen, or at the very least insist the alleged crimes of "capitalism" are worse.
"How so?" the Author asked. "They're just fools convinced well-documented communist atrocities are nothing more than CIA propaganda."
"Well that's precisely it," said I. "They seem to represent such a monumental failure of the American educational system. They can list many atrocities and shitty things done by the U.S. Government, but exaggerate them beyond belief and then use them as evidence that our great motherland is bad and communism is good. You and I can acknowledge that Manifest Destiny and the Trail of Tears were horrible atrocities beyond belief, that the Iraq War was fundamentally unnecessary, caused the deaths of countless innocent Iraqi civilians, and most likely based on lies, and that this country has a problem with police brutality, without either hating our American motherland or turning into communist whackjobs." I paused to take a breath. "So why can't they?" Still out of breath, I reached for my glass on the table beside me and took a sip of water before continuing. "Did the education system fail them miserably or something? Are they not aware of the absolute dystopian hellscapes that communist countries always, without fail, turn into?"
The Author took off his glasses and began wiping the lenses with a cloth. "I get what you're saying about the problems with our country's education system, about how they're so horribly uniformed about the monstrous realities of communism, but I think you're forgetting one key factor."
I frowned. "What?"
"They're bloody fucking tankies." he replied, putting his glasses back on. "Outside of Twitter, they have no influence. Forced to live in a world that rejects their shitty ideology and ignores their deranged ramblings."
"True, true, I suppose."
We were both quiet for a minute.
"You know who does have influence though?"
"Who?" the Author asked.
"Normie center-leftists. The Blue Checkmarks, the media, and above all, '#RESIST" Moms.'"
"Ah, #RESIST Moms." The Author nodded. "Upper middle class middle-aged white women so incredibly horrified by Trump and everything that he represents that their entire personality, from 2016 until now, has been hysterically regurgitating what the Democratic Party establishment says."
"Don't get me wrong, Trump is awful." I said. "He was awful in 2016 and he is awful now. His ego refused to accept that he lost the 2020 election. He violated the sacred peaceful transition of power, unchallenged since the Founding Fathers laid down the law over two hundred years ago. He attempted to kick transgender people out of our nation's military. He emboldened racists. He pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and greatly weakened America's standing aboard, something already irreparably damaged by Bush's Iraqi quagmire. He ignored climate change." I scowled. "And that's just what I remember off the top of my head."
"Not to mention his role in deepening our country's partisan divide." scoffed the Author's butler, Farnsworth. Farnsworth was a tall and pale man with short black hair and a sour face. He had been standing in the corner of the room, waiting in case the Author needed something.
"Indeed," said I. "By providing a figure for the Right to coalesce around, and by uniting the Left with someone to hate."
"Well now that we have established that, yes, Trump is bad, we shall return to the topic of #RESIST Moms." the Author said. "Go on, friend."
"So incredibly obnoxious." I said. "And they're all bloody fucking hypocrites."
"That's it?" the Author replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, 'tis it."
"Hmm, it be fair." he replied.
And that was that.
Garavle had been roused out of bed by his adjutant with the news that Jag was summoning the officers to an emergency briefing. His adjutant had already prepared a cup of caf for him once he'd finished changing back into his uniform. He left his cruiser/carrier, sipping his caf, and went to the designated briefing room aboard the station proper.
He had passed by a squad of navy troopers on patrol and two secretive looking officers observing binary load lifters move crates marked as belonging to a government-affiliated company called "Shannon Bio", but otherwise the station was quiet at that hour.
Colonel Jag had been brief. Apparently rebel incursions had happened on some moon halfway across the sector, and Moff Irion had put all forces on general alert. Jag wanted to personally speak to the officers of the 467th Fighter Wing and Atrisa Squadron to inform them of this development. That was all. Jag and Captain Sora left almost immediately after.
"That's it?" muttered a squadron leader seated next to Garavle. "I'd just gotten back from the Lieutenant Commander's victory party too."
"Mmm," Garvel grunted, sipping his caf. For some reason he craved yarba tea, something he last had over a year ago while enjoying leave on Byblos. "I was hoping we'd get a longer break in between deployments."
"What the bloody hell is the difference for you?" the squadron leader sneered. "You damn carrier crewmen just get t' sit on your ships while us TIE fighter pilots risk our lives and do all the real work! A trained animal or even a fucking alien could do your job!"
Garavle didn't have much in the way of prejudices against nonhumans, but the rest of the pilot's remarks irritated him.
"You think we're safe aboard those Quasar Fire carriers?" Garavle scoffed. "A few Y-Wings land some hits and those things snap in two."
It was an exaggeration, but not by much.
The squadron leader shook his head in disgust and stood up. "Whatever, navy."
He walked off and Garavle shrugged. After finishing his caf, he got up and deposited the single-use plastic cup in a wastebasket. Many of the officers were still milling around the conference room. He spotted Lieutenant Katagi moving to leave. Garavle moved to intercept.
"Lieutenant," he said casually. "Hullo."
She turned, scowled, and stormed out of the room without so much as a "Good Morning."
"Women." Garavle snorted.
It failed to occur to him that it appeared as if he had stood Katagi up last night and that she had every right to be irritated and hurt.
General Fenwhudn's hidden fortress on Keilosren, the third planet of the Misdicso system, was based in a few caves in a large island in the middle of the Great Islof Sea, named after the Iphigini navigator who served aboard the Corellian scout vessel which first discovered the system. The fortress was small, meant to serve as a command post, hospital, and barracks. Most of General Fenwhudn's forces were aboard her scattered fleet. There were a few landing pads and anti-starfighter artillery batteries set up outside the caves. Most of the landing pads were empty, but two held several starfighters while another was home to a Gozanti-class cruiser.
After Mosk had identified them over the radio, a pair of Tikiar starfighters escorted the Sunspring to a landing pad in a clearing a short distance away from one of the caves. Several soldiers were waiting as Ferb, Vanessa, and Mosk disembarked. In the front stood a tall, incredibly muscled Quarren. Ferb noticed Mosk stiffen considerably when he saw them.
"General Fenwhudn, Ma'am!" he saluted. "Sergeant Graham Mosk!"
"What happened in Mann City, sergeant?" the Quarren-Ferb presumed her to be General Fenwhudn-asked.
"Imperial forces intercepted our rendezvous!" Mosk replied. "Lieutenant Obitn'Pa was killed in action while Quayle stayed behind to ensure we could escape the plaza. Private Coleman Retep was killed in the spaceport."
"The spaceport?" someone next to General Fenwhudn, a Caskadag in an officer's uniform, said. "What were you doing there?"
"The plan did not call for you to be there, Sergeant Mosk." General Fenwhudn said slowly.
"We had no hope of returning to our shuttle outside the city." Mosk replied. "Fortunately we were assisted by young Coryn Polo here, a spacer who hates the Empire."
Fenwhudn turned to regard Ferb. "I see…" she said.
"We have the datacard!" Mosk announced suddenly, as if he had just remembered. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to General Fenwhudn. She took it carefully and examined it before handing it off to an Ithorian subordinate standing beside her.
"Get that over to the analysis team," she ordered. "I want it decrypted ASAP!"
The Ithorian saluted and then hopped on a nearby Joben T-85 speeder bike, riding in the direction of one of the further caves.
"You completed the mission, Mosk." the General said. "You have my respect and infinite gratitude." She turned to Ferb. "You too, young man." Then finally she looked at Vanessa. "Twi'lek, who are you?"
Vanessa stood a little straighter. "I was the contact your team was to meet,"
"Your being here is in violation of protocol," Fenwhudn said coolly.
"I possessed no other options," Vanessa retorted. "If I didn't go with your team I would've been killed or captured."
"I see." Fenwhudn said. "All three of you will need to be debriefed."
"We have injuries," Ferb said. "Those need to be taken care of first.
"And we could use a little food…" Vanessa added.
"You will be looked after," the Caskadag officer assured them.
"Report to Colonel w'Acon for debriefing as soon as medical is done with you." Fenwhudn said.
"Right," Mosk said, saluting. He turned to the other two. "C'mon, I'll take y'all to the medics."
Vanessa shrugged and followed, Ferb coming up behind her.
Once General Fenwhudn had received confirmation that Quayle had successfully been recovered and Colonel Brucosl was told the datacard had been delivered to Keilosren, they agreed it was time to launch the next step in their plan.
And so, less than two hours after the Sunspring landed on Keilosren, two squadrons of starfighters dropped out of hyperspace in the L-sei system. The first squadron was a mix of X-Wings and Z-95 headhunters while the second consisted entirely of Y-Wing bombers.
"Right," said Commander Harkson in the lead X-Wing. "Maroon Leader to Maroon Squadron, fan out and protect the bombers."
Their target was the Imperial Army base on L-sei IV, where many of the walkers and other armored units in the Zoraster sector were stationed.
It was hardly an hour before sunrise on that part of L-sei IV. Most of the base was still asleep-only those on night duty were usually awake at that time. However that evening the Commandant and her adjutant were wide awake, having been informed by Colonel Rilvert that there was rebel activity in the sector Moff Irion needed them to have their garrison on standby should it need to be deployed.
The first wave of bombs hit the warehouses where an entire division's worth of 2-M hover tanks were kept. Not a single tank was salvageable after the barrage.
The Y-Wings flew up to come around for another bombing run.
"I'm hearing Imperial com chatter!" Harkson heard Maroon Three, a Dresselian woman named Jogh Turnos who flew an X-Wing, say over the radio. "They know we're here!"
"Ha, I'd be worried if the Imps didn't know we're here!" said Marcus Antilles, a young human man from the Core Worlds planet Axum who flew a headhunter under the callsign Maroon Six. "Fuckin' bastards."
"Cut the chatter," Harkson ordered. "And look alive. We've got less than a minute until anti-air fire starts."
The snubfighters of Maroon Squadron swung around and began strafing runs across the Imperial base, hitting several turbolaser emplacements. Harkson knew that by this time the TIE pilots on standby would be jumping into their fighters.
The Y-Wing bombers were coming around for another attack run. Their bombs hit a trio of AT-AT walkers in a repair bay near the edge of the base, seriously damaging them. As they flew up to come around again, the tail-end bomber was hit an destroyed by turbolaser fire. The Imperials had begun fighting back.
Then the TIE fighters sortied, flying out of their hangar to engage the rebel snubfighters. Maroon Two and Maroon Six flew in formation to intercept them, destroying one each before having to split to avoid colliding into the TIEs.
Now again the Y-Wing bombers came, dropping their payloads onto warehouses, destroying AT-STs, hovertanks, combat speeders, and mobile artillery emplacements. Several bombs also hit the turbolaser emplacements, limiting the Imperials' ability to defend themselves.
The fighters of Maroon Squadron and the Imperial TIEs engaged each other in the skies above L-sei IV. Harkson and Maroon Two-a human man from Corellia named Jsall-flew in formation with Turnos.
"Maroon Two, Maroon Three, follow my lead." he said. "We need to keep these damn eyeballs away from our wishbones."
"Eyeballs" and "wishbones" were pilot slang for TIE fighters and Y-Wings, owing to each craft's distinctive shape.
"Copy that Maroon Leader," said Jsall.
"Copy that," echoed Turnos. "Let's make sure we come out of the show alright."
("The show" was pilot slang for dogfighting, dear reader).
The three starfighters engaged the enemy. One TIE fighter was downed after Jsall clipped its wing, while another was destroyed with a direct hit to the cockpit by Commander Harkson. A third
"Boom Leader to Maroon Leader, we are pulling back until the Imps are taken care of."
"Copy that, Boom Leader," Harkson said.
The plan that had been developed called for the Y-Wings-Boom Squadron, that is-to fall back once the sky was filled with Imperial fighters and let Maroon Squadron deal with them. So the rebel Y-Wings flew away while the X-Wings and Z-95s covered them.
"Much of the vehicles on the surface warehouses have been destroyed." the base Commandant's adjutant said. He was in contact with the command center via comm as the two of them raced there to take command. "Same goes for the anti-aircraft batteries and turbolasers it seems. The nightshift gantry officer reports that the majority of our available TIEs have sortied."
"The majority of the vehicles on the surface, you say? This is quite the hopeless situation." the Commandant replied. She frowned, thinking. "The sublevel bays….hmm, if the elevator pads aren't damaged…"
"Sir?" her adjutant replied.
"The AT-AAs!" she exclaimed. "They would be effective! Quickly, order the crews to their walkers! Deploy them immediately!"
The adjutant relayed her orders over his comlink. Now they could only hope.
Most of the vehicles stored on L-sei IV were housed in above-ground warehouses-it wouldn't be worth it for the rebels to risk an attack if most of the potential targets were safe below ground.
However there were two sublevels below the complex filled with barracks and more storage bays.
Among the vehicles held there were several All Terrain Anti Aircraft walkers; quadrupedal, beetle-shaped, quick-moving walkers equipped with anti-aircraft flak pods which could be effectively used against airborne targets such as military airspeeders and starfighters.
The crews were already rushing to their walkers once they learned the base was under attack. When the Commandant ordered them deployed the walkers were warming up. A minute later and the walkers were moving into position on the large elevator pads.
The four pads, stationed at the edge of each side of the complex, held three AT-AAs each. The first three of these three-walker squads were commanded by a Major, who held authority over the Captains commanding the other two walkers. The fourth squadron was commanded by Colonel Blanchet, the walker battalion's C.O.
"Target their bombers first!" Blanchet ordered. He had received updates from the command center-it appeared the rebels were attacking with starfighters and Clone Wars-era Y-Wings. "Those are the main threat to our base!"
The elevator pads lifted up and arrived at the ground level. Floodlights illuminated the night sky-TIE fighters and rebel snubfighters chasing one another. Explosions everywhere. What little light was cast on the base by the floodflights showed scenes from hell-buildings blown to bits and Imperial combat vehicles burning or destroyed. Stormtroopers, ground crewmen, and Imperial Army Troopers were desperately running for cover to avoid being caught in X-Wing strafing runs.
"Sir!" said the copilot of Blanchet's walker. "We're scanning bombers, inbound to the complex from the north!"
"Get ready!" Blanchet ordered.
Boom Squadron had pulled back, but now that Maroon Squadron's starfighters had the TIE fighters occupied it was safe enough to begin another attack run. They swooped down on the Imperial base, launching rockets at the central command complex. The upper levels were decimated (the Commandant and her adjutant were killed instantly, in case you were curious). As the Y-Wing squadron prepared to pull up and come around again, Colonel Blanchet's AT-AAs took aim and fired.
Boom Two, Boom Four, and Boom Six exploded when hit. Boom Seven's starboard thruster was destroyed and it fell to the ground, colliding with an AT-AT and exploding on impact. Boom Eight avoided getting hit but was shot down by TIE fighters.
"What the hell was that?" Jsall shouted over the com.
"I thought we destroyed the turbolasers!" said Turnos.
"We did." Harkson said grimly. "Is an artillery walker."
"I can take care of them!" Turnos announced. She angled her X-Wing Starfighter down and flew towards the nearest grouping of AT-AA walkers. Turnos fired her cannons, hitting and destroying one of the walkers. The crews of the other two walkers realized the rebel attack force was retaliating and aimed to fire at the X-Wing.
Turnos laughed. "There's one down, Commander!" She spun her ship, deftly avoiding the missiles launched from the walkers' flak pods. She swung around again, firing at the walkers-or rather, where the walkers had been, for the quick-moving AT-AAs had scurried away, each of the two in a different position. Before Turnos could pull up, the walkers fired their ordnance and destroyed her X-Wing.
"Turnos!" Harkson shouted.
"Maroon Three is down!" Jsall said over the radio, even as he chased an Imperial TIE fighter. "Repeat, I have visual! Maroon Three is down!"
"Boom Leader to Maroon Leader," Harkson heard the radio say.
"Copy that Boom Leader, this is Maroon Leader."
"Commander, requesting permission to withdraw. I don't think we can avoid taking heavy losses on another run."
"Copy that Boom Leader." Harkson replied. "Maroon Leader to all craft, withdraw and jump to the rendezvous. We're done here."
The starfighters and bombers flew away from the burning Imperial base, jumping to lightspeed once they reached orbit.
Have I ever mentioned that being The Narrator isn't the only job I have? My day job is a cashier.
The pay is nice (fourteen an hour, twenty-one when I work overtime) and I'm allowed to read at the register so long as I put my book down when a customer comes.
But I regularly run afoul of Karens. Good Lord I hate Karens.
Once a lady snapped at me because I didn't know where to find something-I'm just a cashier and I don't know where everything in the store is-and then told me I should use my spare time to walk around the store and memorize where everything was, even though that's not my job. Just a few days ago, a lady asked me where she could find the canned beans. So I take her down
I am regularly assumed to be able to do things that aren't my job. One time another lady pulled me aside as I was on my way to the registers to rudely ask me to refill the jelly bean dispensers because she wanted some. I said that wasn't my job, and someone from the stock department would know how to do it. She demanded I take her to someone from stock, but I was annoyed with her treatment of me, and I had to get back to my register, so I told her "No, sorry, I need to get back to my register." Then, to my face, she disgustedly says "You're an idiot. Ever heard of customer service?" and then storms off.
She later yelled at my manager and another cashier for not acknowledging her enough while they were checking her out.
Another lady once wanted to buy a book from our gift shop, but it was scuffed a little-I suppose it had fallen off the shelf-so she demanded I give her a discount. I told her that I didn't have the authority to randomly discount items. She got huffy and demanded I take her to my manager. I pointed him out-he was standing four feet away talking with another cashier-and she said "I would like to speak to him." I pointed to him again and then she said "Would you take me to him please?"
The store manager is four goddamn feet away, but she wants an escort. I really wanted to say no, but I didn't want to risk getting in trouble so I just walked the lady over and introduced her.
Remember how I said I read at the registers? So, a while back this lady took a picture of me reading so she could report me to the store manager. I was reading and didn't notice that another cashier at the register right in front of me was checking the lady out. I would've gone over to help bag if I had seen it, but, as I said, I didn't notice because I was reading. I looked up just in time to see her snap a picture of me. I asked her about it, and she said that it was so she could report me to the owner for not helping her. This made me angry and very uncomfortable and I kept telling her "Ma'am, I don't like that you did that. It makes me very uncomfortable." She kept snapping back that I should have helped bag her groceries.
I really hate rude customers. Every day I work, I pray to God and the Bear to give me the strength not to punch a Karen.
Treat your retail workers with respect, friend reader.
Because if you don't, I will track you down and break your goddamn ankles.
Haha, sorry, I just needed to vent. I really hate Karens, you see. Anyway back to the story, already in progress.
"Tell me, Director Krennic," Kren Blista-Vanee said. "What do you know about planet Belsavis?"
Krennic had been summoned to Kren Blista-Vanee's Coruscant reception hall to discuss the Death Star-or so Krennic had been told. After the obligatory and insincere greetings, they sat down to tea.
"Belsavis? It's a glacier world in the Outer Rim Territories."
"Is that all you know about it?" Kren Blista-Vanee pressed him.
Krennic frowned. "There was believed to be an ancient prison within the planet, from tens of millennia ago, possibly of Rakatan origin. Historical records show that the Old Republic used it as a blacksite detainment facility during a war against the Sith, though records from that era are far and few between." Krennic stopped to sip his tea. "There was a Jedi presence there during the Purge, but the Navy took care of it I believe."
"Is that all?" Blista-Vanee asked. Krennic was wondering what any of this had to do with the Death Star slowly taking shape in the Endor system. He elected to humor the advisor though, as this was another path towards the Emperor.
"Shortly after the defeat of the Jedi holdouts, an expedition to the planet, led by a man named Katsuragi, took place." Krennic frowned. "What happened next is highly classified, outside of the Ubiqtorate, only the Emperor and a select few seem to be aware, but there was some form of disaster."
"A disaster?" Kren Blista-Vanee asked. "What sort of disaster?"
"The Emperor knows, I'm sure. Perhaps they set off some ancient weapon, or accidentally unleashed a long-captive monster held in the deeps." Krennic replied. "All I know is that Belsavis is now a quarantined world. The Ubiqtorate has some sort of special agency running a secret research and development initiative called 'Project E'. I only know of that because of my position as head of the Imperial weapons division. They're building something, something I've heard described as a 'power man was not meant to have'. Personally I find that sentiment to be nonsense; man should strive to achieve and achieve, taboos be damned."
"So that's what the enigmatic Project E is up to…" Kren Blista-Vanee. "Building something out of ancient Rakatan technology?"
"Perhaps," Krennic said. "Perhaps it is something even older."
"Hmm, thank you Director Krennic." Blista-Vanee said. "I owe you a favor now."
Krennic raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"You may leave now, if you have no reason to stay here."
This irritated Krennic. He had been called to Advisor Blista-Vanee's reception hall under false pretenses and dismissed almost immediately. The insults kept piling up.
He got up to leave and then paused, turning back around to face Kren Blista-Vanee. "I encountered the Master Pulling Augustine in the Imperial Palace yesterday." Kren Blista-Vanee appeared surprised. "I was in one of the Emperor's art galleries, and he accosted me."
Kren Blista-Vanee looked intrigued.
"I was led to his hideout in the Imperial Palace, a small bar occupied by him and his band of fanatics."
"He was followers?"
"They call themselves 'Da Death Deelers'," Krennic replied. "And they're an odd bunch. That man Augustine is clearly the leader, but he went out of his way to prostate himself to the Emperor. It seems this mysterious bogeyman of yours 'tis naught but a sycophantic fool."
With that Krennic turned and walked off.
Within a standard day, more attacks took place across the Zoraster sector. A TIE fighter patrol in the Dodz system was wiped out by rebel starfighters. Spies behind enemy lines on the sector capital of Zoraster caused the explosion of an Imperial transport carrying soldiers offworld. A team operating on Lodviek managed to destroy a whole squadron's worth of TIE interceptors at an Imperial airfield.
Under Colonel Brucosl's command, Leaveykurarupid and a squadron of A-swings intercepted a convoy heading from Mubon to Ivort Four. Several Sentinel-class landing crafts and three Gozanti-class cruisers carrying walkers had been dispatched to provide reinforcements to Captain Orsho's garrison. A fourth Gozanti, carrying four TIE fighters, provided escort.
One Sentinel-class shuttle was destroyed by the Leaveykurarupid's cannons the moment the frigate dropped out of hyperspace.
The A-Wings went to deal with the other two Sentinel-class shuttles while the Leaveykurarupid turned its attention to the Gozanti carriers and the walkers they were transporting. It would take far too long to punch through the cruisers' shields, but that did not matter for the walkers, attached below, were not protected by the shields.
Turbolaser blasts ripped through the AT-DP walkers carried by the nearest Gozanti-class cruiser.
"Direct hits on all four," Captain Slagtimiq reported.
"Good," Colonel Brucosl said. His hands were clasped behind his back. He was smiling softly.
And he was not nervously running his thumb over the spot where his pinky should have been. There was no reason to-the datacard had safely made it into the General's hands and now her plan was back on schedule.
"Bringing us around, Captain!" reported the helmsman, an orange-skinned Rodian.
"Gun deckssss are re-aiming at the next cruisssser!" relayed the communications officer, a tall Khil woman named Vortho Lama.
"Fire when ready!" Slagtimiq ordered.
The old Pelta-class frigate's cannons fired, ripping through the AT-DPs they were pointed at. By this time the four TIE fighters on the last Gozanti had launched and were engaging the A-Wings. One of the Sentinel-class landing craft had been disabled while the other had managed to jump to hyperspace, escaping the rebel ambush.
As the Leaveykurarupid prepared to fire on the AT-AT walkers hanging from the third Gozanti-class cruiser, two Arquitens-class command cruisers and a Vindicator-class heavy cruiser dropped out of hyperspace.
"Three Imperial cruisers just exited hyperspace!" reported the helmsman. "They're launching TIEs!"
"Hmm," Brucosl muttered.
"Colonel, we need to leave." Captain Slagtimiq said.
"Not yet!" Brucosl said. "Prepare to fire on those AT-ATs!"
The Imperial cruisers began firing at the Leaveykurarupid. The whole ship shook and alarms began wailing.
"Direct hits to the starboard hull!" announced a crewman. "We're venting atmosphere on deck two, section three!"
"Reportssss of casualtiessss coming in!" Vortho Lama said.
"But are the gunners still able to fire?" Brucosl snapped.
"Sir?" Slagtimiq asked.
"Yesss…" Lama said.
"Fire!" Brucosl snapped. The cannons blasted, hitting the AT-AT walkers attached to the bottom of the cruiser. The cockpit of one was blown clean off while the other was severely damaged.
"That's not good enough," Brucosl said. "We need to destroy them completely. Load torpedo tubes!"
"Colonel!" Slagtimiq said harshly. "We cannot afford to stay here! We have no hope of standing against this many TIEs and three cruisers!" As if to prove his point, the Imperial cruisers fired again and again the ship shook.
Brucosl scowled. He was fiercely rubbing his thumb over the spot where his pinky should have been.
"Fine," he growled. "Retreat."
Ferb gave vague and often dishonest answers in his debriefing.
His name? Coryn Polo.
His occupation? Independent spacer.
His homeworld? Brentaal.
What was he doing in Mann City? Had just finished delivering dental equipment per a contract.
What reasons did he have for opposing the Empire? Family was imprisoned for speaking out against Imperial crimes.
And so it went.
Ferb's answers seemed to satisfy Colonel w'Acon's people and he was dismissed. When he explained his engineering skills and asked what he could do to help, he was told to report to the Maintenance Department.
He was put to work helping repair a Vanguard-class Heavy Assault Gunship. It was simple enough work-the gunship was a product of the Corellian Engineering Corporation, the same manufacturer that built YT-series light freighters like Ferb's own Sunspring, and he had an easy time of it.
After a few hours the leader of the on-duty engineering team announced that they were done for the day. Ferb was invited to dine with them, but, feeling that they were likely being polite and didn't want an outsider at their table, he declined.
(In fact, dear reader, they genuinely wanted to get to know Ferb better, having been impressed by his skill, and were confused by his refusal)
Ferb returned to the Sunspring. The rebels had attached a boot to clamp his ship down-Colonel w'Acon's people had told him he wouldn't be able to fly off Keilosren until given clearance. They couldn't risk having someone who knew the location of their base running around out in the galaxy.
Ferb hit his key fob and the boarding ramp lowered. He entered and closed the ramp behind him. He entered and closed the ramp behind him. He walked into the workshop and sat down. His desk was messier than he would've liked-he'd planned on cleaning it up back on Ivort Four before raising ship, but getting caught up with the Rebellion had forced him to forget about that. Ferb took the hydrospanner, the gausser, and the nanoforge back to the toolbox. Then he closed the notebook he'd been using to track and plan his repairs to the Sunspring and slid it back to the far end of his desk, so it was leaning against the wall. Lastly, he took the beckon call he'd been working on (a beckon call was a type of device that allowed one to remotely summon his starship. Ferb had purchased a used and broken one from a junk shop on the forest planet of Tortiquaor a few weeks back and had been fixing it in his spare moments.) and placed it in a box on the shelf.
Ferb sat down, looked over his clean desk, and then turned his attention to the stack of books in the corner, opposite where he had placed his repairs notebook. Ferb generally preferred physical, paper books that he could hold.
He reached over and grabbed the one on top-a medium-sized volume about the Stark Hyperspace War, a conflict between pirates and the Jedi over bacta production which had rocked the Outer Rim Territories over two decades prior to the opening battles of the Clone Wars. Ferb was trying to learn more about the history of the galaxy before the rise of the Empire, as Imperial censorship was slowly but surely changing the records to suit Palpatine's narrative. Even the great universities of Byblos and Yabol Opa, long independent centers of thought, were feeling the penetration of Imperial idealogues.
After half an hour of reading, Ferb went and prepared a meal in the galley. Once that was done with he crawled into his bunk.
It had been a long day and he was tired.
In the city of Sriuiv on Zoraster, Moff Irion and his top officers were meeting in a fortified Imperial complex.
"The latest reports from Mubon system say a team of rebel infiltrators successfully rescued the prisoner held in Mann Cit," said Commander Rolph Friedgren, a muscled and fair-skinned man with blond hair who was perpetually scowling. He was so strong and big. "Furthermore, we have received word that a troop convoy sent to assist in securing Ivort 4 was ambushed once it dropped out of hyperspace in Ivort's orbit."
"Ivort?" asked Vice Admiral Or'ipn Smith. "What the bloody hell does Ivort have to do with the Mubon system?"
Commander Friedgren stared at Vice Admiral Smith.
"Ivort is a planet in Mubon system." he said evenly. To the other officers it was a miracle he was remaining calm in the face of Admiral Smith's stupid question. "Mann City, where the two rebel incursions took place, is on Ivort's fourth moon. The Mubion Governor has authority over the settlements on the Ivorian moons."
"Oh," Vice Admiral Smith said quietly. The other ranking commanders were far too professional to chuckle audibly, especially during an emergency conference, but most of them found the Vice Admiral's blunder to be at least a little bit funny.
"How badly did they hit the troop convoy in the Mubon system?" General Baker, a dark-skinned human woman who had fought in the Clone Wars, asked.
"Two Sentinel-class landing craft, each at carrying capacity, were destroyed," said Colonel Rilvert. "There were also some Gozantis, two carrying four scout walkers each, and one carrying a pair of AT-ATs."
"How badly…" asked Moff Irion. He dreaded the answer. Colonel Rilvert looked uneasy.
"All eight scout walkers blasted to bits by rebel turbolasers. The AT-ATs were too heavily damaged for the carrier to be able to jump to hyperspace without risking destroying them completely; they proceeded to the landing site on Ivort Four once the attacking rebels were driven off."
"The rebel attack force, 'twas how big?" General Baker asked.
"Reports indicate a single flight of A-Wings and an old Clone Wars-era frigate," said Commander Friedgren.
"The same force that attacked the Imperial Army base in the L-sei system?" asked Vice Admiral Etrim Auatren.
"Unlikely," said Rilvert. "We're still trying to figure out what happened in L-sei system, but it's unlikely that they were the same ships. The attacks were too close together for it to be plausible for them to redeploy so quickly. The same rebel group is almost certainly behind both attacks, but their forces were split."
"That's supported by the several other incidents we've been seeing across the sector," Vice Admiral Smith muttered. "They've attacked all over."
"Indeed," said General Baker.
"The base on L-sei IV," Moff Irion began. "How many of the vehicles garrisoned there were destroyed?"
"It would seem the majority, Your Excellency." Colonel Rilvert said back. "Reports are still coming in though, so perhaps the extent of the damage is overstated."
"Perhaps, but 'tis unlikely," said Commander Friedgren. He turned and faced Moff Irion. "We should assume that our capability to wage ground warfare has been greatly reduced, Governor."
"I agree," the Moff replied. "As you all are aware, my Sector Group has Imperial Army forces on standby, but most of them are alloted for the defense of specific systems. Moving them to counter any rebel threats will leave those worlds vulnerable."
"Yes," said Colonel Rilvert. "We only have a limited amount of infantry and armored units available."
"Commander Friedgren," Moff Irion said. "Take a ship to the L-sei system. You will personally survey the damage done to the Army base there and report on what walkers and tanks we have left. Leave right now Commander."
Commander Rolph Friedgren stood up and saluted. "Yes, Moff Irion."
With that, he turned and walked out of the conference room.
"Each star destroyer also carries a complement of ground forces," Vice Admiral Autren said.
"And a couple of the systems in our sector possess their own defense forces." said General Forgus, a balding human man with light brown skin and a bush mustache. "Even if most of them recruit uncomfortably large amounts of nonhumans, we could still draw on them if we need some cannon fodder to keep the rebel scum occupied."
"Cannon fodder?" Vice Admiral Smith asked.
"Well if they're not Imperial Army, then they're merely unorganized rabble that the planetary governments keep around for show." General Forgus replied.
"Perhaps before the Clone Wars, commander." said General Baker. "But the threat posed by General Grievous' battle droid armies motivated many worlds to maintain a proper military."
"The security forces of the planet Boh Jorka are particularly impressive," said Colonel Rilvert. "Perhaps we should keep them on call."
"That's definitely an option," said Vice Admiral Smith. "But the groundpounders who hitch rides aboard the navy's destroyers are generally the first to be deployed. The forces garrisoned on L-sei IV and at similar bases are to be called in for major conflicts."
"Which is why it worries me that the rebels targeted that base specifically," said General Forgus. "They are clearly anticipating how we would respond, and acting accordingly. First they target the base where many of the combat vehicles in this sector are kept. Then they ambush the troop convoy in the Mubon system."
"Yes," said Vice Admiral Smith. "But ultimately, what decides a war is space combat. That is the truth of this world. And the warships of the Imperial Navy are strong and big. I doubt the rebels can afford to field a large enough fleet to successfully counter our Star Destroyers, let alone the full force of ships we can bring to bear!"
Vice Admiral Autren nodded. "Naval Intelligence does believe the majority of the Rebel Alliance's big warships are involved in the fighting in the Mid Rim. Whatever's going on here, it's unlikely that the rebellion is using too many ships."
"I wouldn't be surprised if the largest ship they're fielding is that Pelta-class frigate that saw action at Mubon system," said General Baker.
"That's no reason to be overconfident," said General Forgus. "Tarkin's Death Star superweapon might've been the strongest and biggest weapon to ever exist, yet a few rebel starfighters took it down at Yavin IV."
"It…it was just a few starfighters?" Colonel Rilvert asked in horror.
"Impossible!" said Vice Admiral Smith.
That exact nature of the Battle of Yavin was classified and many had bought into rumors (possibly spread by agents of COMPNOR to make the Empire's defeat sting less) that the Death Star was taken down by the combined might of over half the Rebel Navy. Of the officers in the conference room, only General Forgus and Moff Irion had known the true version of events.
"It's true," spoke Moff Irion. "That is what happened. Somehow the damned rebellion exploited some fatal flaw in the station's design."
"I thought that was just rebel propaganda!" said General Baker.
"No, 'twas true." said General Forgus. "Nearly twenty years, countless manhours and construction material, and trillions of credits sunk into Governor Tarkin and Director Krennic's insane pet project….all gone in an instant because some rebel pilot got lucky and aimed in the right spot."
The conference room was silent as they all processed this.
Vice Admiral Smith was the one who broke the silence.
"Well, then…still, it's unlikely they pose a significant threat to the Navy."
"Yes," said General Baker. "I agree."
"This Sector Group possesses nine Imperial-class Star Destroyers spread throughout our territory." said Vice Admiral Autren. "In addition, Admiral Kinshara's One Twenty-Fifth task force is halfway through a deployment in the area. We can call on him as well."
"Only nine ISDs?" General Baker asked. She looked directly at Moff Irion. "You only have nine ISDs under your control? I thought you were getting two more, Governor."
"That is correct," Moff Irion said, nodding at the General. "However, the Admiralty found it necessary to have them deployed to counter the rebel push in the Mid Rim instead."
"That…that is unfortunate," General Baker said.
"It's no matter," Vice Admiral Autren sniffed. "Even a single Imperial-class Star Destroyer is more than a match for most spacecruisers. Nine is more than enough to counter the rebel threat while still being able to defend our key systems. And, of course, we have countless light cruisers, frigates, and other craft to call on."
"Not to mention the 467th Fighter Wing is currently deployed to this sector." said Vice Admiral Smith.
"Well TIE fighters can't really do much…" said Vice Admiral Autren.
"You underestimate the ability of the Starfighter Corps to overwhelm the enemy through sheer numbers, Admiral Autren," said Vice Admiral Smith. "Besides, Colonel Jag's pilots are formidable. The 467th is almost as renowned as the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing."
"I disagree, Smith." spoke Vice Admiral Autren. "The Navy's strength has always been its capital ships."
"I was not disputing that," said Vice Admiral Smith. "But our TIE fighters are the cutting edge when it comes to starfighters!"
"If you say so," Vice Admiral Autren said.
"How do we plan on proceding, Moff Irion?" General Baker changed the topic. "Do we wait for them to strike again or…?"
"I recommend deploying our fleet," said Colonel Rilvert. "We have another major Imperial Army base in the Dodz system, placed there so there's forces nearby to defend the gem mining operations there."
"We don't really know if that's a target of theirs, though," said Vice Admiral Smith. "We should wait and-"
"Wait?" said General Forgus. "No, we must be ready."
"Agreed," said Vice Admiral Autren. "Continue, Colonel Rilvert."
"A single Imperial-class Star Destroyer should be enough. Perhaps a light cruiser or two if we can afford to spare them,"
"Yes," said Moff Irion. "Admiral Autren, once we finish in here I want you to contact our base in the Bigthe system. Captain Tybur's ISD War Hammer is to go to the Dodz system at once."
"Yes, Moff Irion," Vice Admiral Autren replied.
"I recommend also doubling down on security in the Mubon system," said General Baker. "That's where this wave of attacks began, and they've hit it three times in the last forty-eight hours."
"I agree," said General Forgus. "Can we spare a Star Destroyer?"
"Certainly not an Imperial-class Star Destroyer," said Vice Admiral Smith. "With the War Hammer deployed to Dodz, we have only eight left. Two are stationed here in the Zoraster system to protect the sector capital, while the other six are defending other key systems in the sector or leading patrols."
"We have a Gladiator-class Star Destroyer, the Shogun, available," said Vice Admiral Autren. "That plus a couple light cruisers should be more than enough to counter whatever fleet the rebels bring to bear in Mubon system."
"Make it so," said Moff Irion. "I also want the 467th Fighter Wing ready to deploy."
"Yes sir," said Vice Admiral Smith. "I'll contact Colonel Jag once we're done here."
"Once Commander Friedgren gives us a clear idea how many vehicles survived the attack on L-sei Four, we'll plan our troop deployments." Moff Irion said. "For now, I want all commands on high alert." He turned to look at Vice Admiral Smith. "Admiral, I also want your people to work with Imperial Intelligence's branch office in the sector. Analyze the rebel attacks so far, see if there's anything we missed or if you can figure out where they are striking from."
"Yes, Governor Irion," said the Vice Admiral.
"Right," Moff Irion said, standing up. "We're done here."
Once her people had decrypted the datacard Sergeant Mosk had brought back from Ivort Four and the coordinates had been obtained, General Fenwhudn had dispatched ships to retrieve what she had been after.
The Leaveykurarupid had returned to Keilosren and Colonel Brucosl had journeyed down to the base on the surface.
"You made a mistake, Colonel." General Fenwhudn said. "The AT-AT walkers were only damaged."
"Yes ma'am, but-"
"No buts!" Fenwudn yelled, slamming a fist down on her desk. "You should have first targeted those! AT-DP walkers are the far easier for our land forces to taking down! You needed to destroy the AT-ATs completely!"
"Yes, ma'am." Colonel Brucosl said quietly.
"Our forces with starfighters all attack," said General Fenwhudn. "But first, as you know, we must get a handle on the Imperial fleet's deployments."
"So we are going ahead with our raid on Altor 14?" Colonel Brucosl asked.
"Yes," replied General Fenwhudn. "And as luck would have it, the perfect infiltration craft just fell into our laps."
"Eh?" Colonel Brucosl asked.
"The young pilot, Coryn Polo, who provided passage for our people off Ivort Four." General Fenwhudn said. "He flies a Corellian freighter. I intend to have him take part in the raid, wether he wants to or not."
It's good to start getting these chapters out semi-regularly!