Chapter 6: The Zaarin Ascendancy

Grand Admiral Zaarin, aboard the Star Destroyer Glory, sat in a holo chamber in a private message to his fellow conspirators while the combined Grand Admiral Fleet, with Death Squadron, headed towards Raxus Prime.

"General Moc, how is the Dark Trooper project going?" Zaarin asked. The holographic image of General Rohm Moc smiled and spoke, "Ahead of schedule. Final construction of the newer machinery factory aboard the Arc Hammer is complete, and we have already begun mass production. 10,000 Phase 1 Dark Troopers are already complete, 5,000 Phase 2, and 1,000 Phase three troopers should be finished at the end of the month."

Grand Admiral Zaarin smiled pleasantly. "Excellent." He turned to face another of the holograms. "Grand Admiral Batch… what news on the Imdaar projects?"

Grand Admiral Batch looked down at a holopad with the requisite data. "The Terror is already finished, and the installation of the cloaking field is proceeding as planned. Admiral Sarn has ten thousand TIE Hunters under construction, and over 5,000 TIE Phantoms in the works as well. I still need more Stygium crystals for the cloaking projects you wish, so I would like to request the use of the Tarkin station to extract more Stygium from Aeten II."

Zaarin nodded. "That can be arranged. JAG Micah, what news from Dubrillion?"

Judge Advocate General Micah looked a little uncomfortable as he spoke. "The New Soldier Project is behind schedule. Several test subjects have failed outright, and the replication process has to be different for every subject. As for the other projects, I have successfully increased the intelligence of several aliens to act as spies for us if they are allowed to join the Rebellion. I have one subject, a Gamorrean… you would not believe how successful we have been with him."

Zaarin looked at him, not very pleased. "The Rebellion is not our concern at the moment. Palpatine's Empire is. And you have tried to change the subject. What about our 'other' projects? Where is Chi'anna? And our little project on Dubrillion that is the most important of your projects?"

Micah shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Chi'anna is… currently with Lord Vader. I have requested her return repeatedly, yet Lord Vader has personally requested her presence…. As for our, other project, it is going very well. Ten thousand units are already completed, with another million well on the way."

Zaarin glared at Micah. "And your little… breach of security?"

Micah stiffened in his chair. "Several bounty hunters have seen Dusque Mistflier on Taris. I am sure that I will have the stolen datatapes back within the week."

Zaarin smiled. "For your sake, Micah, they had better be. Prince Xizor? What of your part?"

Prince Xizor smiled with his fingertips together. "Weaponry is being sent to every corner of the Empire. But we will need Tibanna gas. A lot more than what we currently have if we are to be successful. So I request that you send some of your forces to the Tibanna gas refineries to gather more. Also we will need torpedoes, and missiles to arm the rest of our mercenary forces. I have asked the Hutts to send us as much as possible, but they are demanding more payment. I have had to send out several assassins to silence a few individuals that might have had an idea something of this nature is occuring."

Zaarin nodded. "Take care of it as you see fit. We do not wish to be discovered until we are prepared to strike." He then turned to Grand Inquisitor Jace Yiaso. "Grand Inquisitor, what news from the Inquisitorius?"

The Zabrak Inquisitor looked around the room and shrugged. "Several of our own stormtrooper forces have been placed in key strategic places on Coruscant, Anaxsis, Corellia, Fondor, and Kuat. Once we have secured the ship building facilities for ourselves, we can kill Emperor Palpatines fleet one ship at a time, while we can build more ships at our leisure. I have sent an entire company to eliminate Grand Inquisitor Kael on Kuat… his skills with a lightsaber are considerable. One threat we will have to face is the 501st. They are incorruptible, and they will fight to the last man."

Zaarin nodded. "Moc, send a Dark Trooper Mark III to assist the Company in eliminating Kael. As for the 501st they will be dealt with in the proper time. We are currently on our way to Raxus Prime. It seems that one of our probe droids has discovered the location of a possible Rebel base. Once Death Squadron is fully entrenched in battle, I will jump system, stating an emergency. I will go to my shipbuilding facilities at Kuat, and gather the TIE Avengers and TIE Defenders, then we will meet at Nomlis III. The other fighters in my Experimental TIE projects will be used as well."

The others of the Zaarin Ascendancy nodded. Zaarin grinned and finally turned to the last member of their little insurrection. "And what of you, my friend?"

The Royal Guard Carnor Jax looked around the room in his crimson armor. "My forces are ready when you are, Grand Admiral Zaarin."