2. A New Beginning
"For myself, I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." Winston Churchill
Whatever Happened to Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik?
At the Battle of Endor, Five Years Ago
On the main bridge of the Eleemosynary, Grand Admiral Teshik is pleased that his command squadron is able to hold the Rebels at bay even though his squadron's fighter force has suffered heavy losses. His command squadron is still fighting even with the various levels of battle damage the various warships have suffered Teshik thinks to himself that it is now time to leave, as the Chimaera has almost reached the edge of the Endor system.
Grand Admiral Teshik says to the bridge crew, "We have achieved our goals, it is now time to leave, helm plot us a course to the rest of the fleet, keep the hyperdrive fully powered whatever happens. Flight ops emergency recall of all of our remaining fighters"
This is followed by a series of "aye sirs" from around the bridge the Eleemosynary and her accompanying warships begin to withdraw, while still under heavy fire from the Rebel warships. Teshik watches as his starfighters begin to disengage and withdraw back to the nearest Imperial warships of Teshik command squadron. This will be a slow and painful process for the Eleemosynary and her accompanying warships however; this withdrawal will not go as planned for Grand Admiral Teshik.
Grand Admiral Teshik suddenly sees that several of the Rebel star cruisers are closing on his command ship, once within range they all open fire on the Eleemosynary, ignoring the other warships of his command squadron. The Eleemosynary shields cannot hold out much longer against this combined fire, looking at the tactical display showing the Eleemosynary rapidly rising level of damage, Grand Admiral Teshik estimates that the Eleemosynary will be destroyed or possibly disabled before they reach the rendezvous point with the rest of the fleet.
Grand Admiral Teshik thinks for only a second on what to do next, before saying, "Helm, innate emergency blind jump into hyperspace."
The helmsman looks up in shock at Grand Admiral Teshik, then seeing the look on Grand Admiral Teshik face says, "Aye air" and activates the hyperdrive at well over full power and without coordinates, something that this is only done when a commander has no other options available. When the hyperdrive is engaged there is a large power surge (due to the battle damage and the emergency engagement of the hyperdrive) boosting the hyperdrive well beyond its operational specifications, at this level of operation the hyperdrive will burn out quite quickly. Before the hyperdrive fails however it will be operating at several thousand percent above normal, allowing the Eleemosynary to cover vast distances that would normally take many months to travel.
From the external viewpoint of the Rebels and the Imperials at Endor, it appears as if the Eleemosynary has exploded, from the blinding flash of jumping into hyperspace in emergency mode.
The truth is very different.
Hello Death My Old Friend
With the emergency jump into hyperspace, Teshik is taking a great risk, he is staring death in the face again, just as he had done in the past and again he will survive.
When the Eleemosynary comes out of its emergency hyperspace jump, the Eleemosynary is in the middle of nowhere, with its primary systems rapidly failing and the backups barely able to cope. The Eleemosynary is also slowly tumbling through deep space, fortunately the Eleemosynary artificial gravity system are able to cope with this tumbling, otherwise the crew would be flung around the ship and the crew would impact against the nearest hard surface and be killed.
A few moments after coming out of hyperspace the main reactor shuts down, plunging the ship into almost total darkness, with only the emergency lighting still operating, 30 seconds after the main reactor has shut down, the overtaxed backup systems finally are able to restore some basic systems and then only at minimal levels.
On the partially lit and smoke filled bridge, still sitting in his command chair Grand Admiral Teshik says, "Report?"
With both the Captain and First Officer dead, from the tactical station Lieutenant Commander Frisk looking at his barely functional display's responds, "Admiral, main reactor is down, reason unknown. Both the main and backup hyperdrive's are none operational, as are the sub light engines, location unknown due to the ships main sensors being down along with the main computer, heavy damaged to all areas of the ship."
Grand Admiral Teshik looking out of the bridge windows he can see the star destroyer is in a slow and uncontrolled tumble, this is not helping the overtaxed systems, Teshik says, "Understood, begin repairs to stabilize vital systems first, looks like wherever we are, we will be here for a while. Helm are the manoeuvring thrusters still working?"
The helmsman after looking at his barely functional controls replies, "Aye air"
Grand Admiral Teshik says, "Good, manoeuvring thrusters to station keeping, stabilize our current position, we don't want to bump into anything or continue to overtax the emergency systems by continuing this slow uncontrolled tumbling."
The helmsman replies, "Aye air" and activates the manoeuvring thrusters the Eleemosynary slow uncontrolled tumble slowly stops, after a short while the Eleemosynary is stationary. This helps a bit as emergency power is diverted from the artificial gravity systems (stopping the crew from flying off while the Eleemosynary was tumbling) to other systems, the lights on the bridge strengthen and the air filtration system begins to slowly clear the smoke from the bridge.
Some of the bridge crew look relived to be alive others are glancing at Grand Admiral Teshik with admiration on how he managed to get the Eleemosynary and its crew out of danger.
Grand Admiral Teshik gets up out of his command chair and starts to look over the information from the various tactical displays of the crew pits, so the he can get a quick overview of how extensive the damage to the Eleemosynary is.
As Grand Admiral Teshik looks at the displays, on one display he can see the casualty reports still flooding in from sickbay and other areas of the ship. Structurally the Eleemosynary seems to be ok, although there are several hull breaches these have been contained by the automatic systems by closing of those sections that are exposed to space, by closing the emergency blast doors in those areas.
The weapons systems are heavily damaged, with only forty percent of the Eleemosynary weapons available, however without the main reactor to power them this is a mute point, the same goes for the Eleemosynary weakened shields. The secondary reactors are functional, however there power levels are fluctuating, indicating that they are getting intermittent demands for power from damaged systems from all over the Eleemosynary, this is not helping with the Eleemosynary power needs.
Looking out of the armoured windows of the main bridge across the upper hull of the Eleemosynary Grand Admiral Teshik can see some of the hull breaches across the once ivory white hull, now scorched and blackened by the impact of weapons fire.
Teshik thinks to himself that they are very lucky to be alive.
Grand Admiral Teshik does notice on one of the displays that all of the Eleemosynary damage control teams seem to be almost intact and working to try to either stabilize or bring the key systems back online, to this Grand Admiral Teshik says, "Get more personnel to assist the damage control teams, I think that they could use the help. Anyone with knowledge of how to help the damage control teams should be seconded no matter what their rank, understood?"
From the communications pit, an operator replies, "Air sir, sending the orders out now."
All the crew now knows that they are unlikely to receive any help from the Empire and they are on their own, the crew of the Eleemosynary do not panic, they are highly trained Imperial naval personnel and they have a job to do. The crew will get the Eleemosynary operational again; after all, they have a Grand Admiral leading them.
Now the work will begin in repairing the Eleemosynary, this will not be an easy task or a quick task, however it can be done, the crew is determined that it will be done.
One Month Later, Exact Location Still Unknown
After a month of repairs, the Eleemosynary basic systems are now stable, the secondary reactors are functional and also stable, as are those damaged systems that were drawing power intermittently have been either patched/repaired or if possible turned off. The outer hull damage has been patched, the Eleemosynary is beginning to look like a star destroyer once again, with the Eleemosynary stationary, the star destroyer is using very little power this is good for the ships secondary reactors, as this will not overtax them.
Spacetroopers in their armoured spacesuits along with Imperial naval personnel in spacesuits are still seeing to the outer hull damage, along with removing damaged weapons for repairs inside the Eleemosynary, once repaired they are returned. Grand Admiral Teshik thinks to himself, that these repairs could have been completed in just a couple of months in a proper dry-dock, however as there is no dry-dock available, the repairs will take much longer to complete.
Teshik Quarters
Later in his quarters, Grand Admiral Teshik is reading the report that Lieutenant Commander Frisk had put together for him, the problems with the Eleemosynary are daunting. The Eleemosynary has lost just over ten thousand crew members, out of a total of thirty-seven thousand, there are also still over a thousand crew members listed as unfit for duty, with the bulk of these wounded unlikely to be able to return to active duty for a long time or ever in a small number of cases.
The engineering report on how the Eleemosynary managed to travel so far in such a short time is intriguing, the engineering report states that the hyperdrive was operating at several thousand percent above normal for a short period of time before it failed (well melted), once the hyperdrive failed, the Eleemosynary then dropped out of hyperspace. Though this report sounds strange, the sensors that monitor the hyperdrive clearly show this, Grand Admiral Teshik thinks to himself this is interesting and lucky for us.
The Imperial Army and Stormtroopers assigned to the Eleemosynary have only lost a few hundred and are almost at full strength. This is a good thing for the Eleemosynary as the Imperial Army and Stormtroopers are helping "filling in" in those areas that there are insufficient naval personnel available.
The Eleemosynary starfighter complement is down to just 34, consisting of 15 TIE Interceptors, 8 TIE fighters and 11 TIE Bombers these are the few that they were able to be recovered before the Eleemosynary blind jump into hyperspace. The fighters that they left behind where destroyed when the remains of Teshik command squadron, was destroyed by the Rebel fleet.
Lieutenant Commander Frisk is standing in front of Grand Admiral Teshik desk in the Grand Admirals office, waiting for Grand Admiral Teshik to finish reading his report.
Grand Admiral Teshik looks up at Lieutenant Commander Frisk and says, "Well at least we are not dead commander?" no reply is expected to this comment. Teshik continues, "according to your report the main hyperdrive will need to be completely rebuilt and the backup is only good for a few very short jumps in its current condition, even if we knew where we were."
Lieutenant Commander Frisk replies, "Yes sir, due to the long range sensors being down, we cannot accurately calculate our exact position, though if I were to hazard a guess I would say we are well within the unknown regions, given the configurations of the stars. This would also mean that we could not use the hyperdrive-equipped shuttles to go for help as there navigation computers would only be able to deal with small jumps. This would mean that the crews would probably run out of supplies before they reach the nearest Imperial base."
Grand Admiral Teshik had already come to the same conclusion and replies, "Agreed commander, in our current condition we are very vulnerable and we do not know what is happening in the rest of the Empire. As our long ranged communications is a pile of melted metal and even if it did work, we are probably well out of range anyway. I also agree about not sending any of the hyperdrive equipped shuttles to call for help, this would be a waste of resources."
Lieutenant Commander Frisk says, "Sir, if I may speak freely?"
Grand Admiral Teshik looks up at Command Frisk and responds, "Permission granted"
Lieutenant Commander Frisk says, "Sir, based on our current condition I think it will take us months or even more than a year, possibly even longer, to get the Eleemosynary in a condition were we can return safely to the Empire. I would suggest for the short term we concentrate on those systems that provide support for the crew, rather than concentrating on such systems as the main reactor or the main hyperdrive."
After thinking for a few moments on Command Frisk suggestions Grand Admiral Teshik says, "I agreed with your assessment Commander, I had already come to the same conclusion, we must continue with the repair work to the Eleemosynary to those systems that maintain life support and other similar critical systems."
Lieutenant Commander Frisk is about to leave when Grand Admiral Teshik says, "Lieutenant Commander, you have done excellent work I am hereby promoting you to the rank of Captain, congratulations Captain Frisk."
A stunned Captain Frisk replies, "Thank you sir."
Grand Admiral Teshik says, "Dismissed captain." Captain Frisk salutes and leaves Grand Admiral Teshik quarters.
Captain Frisk and the crew of the Eleemosynary still have a lot of work ahead of them, however as each system is repaired, conditions onboard the Eleemosynary will steadily improve, this helps with crew moral and is an excellent motivator.
After the battle of Endor, the Eleemosynary engineering complement has only suffered very light causalities, leaving the Eleemosynary with an almost full establishment of engineering staff. This does not include those Imperial Army engineering troops that also makeup the Eleemosynary Imperial Army and Stormtrooper complement. Grand Admiral Teshik has been very lucky in this respect. These Imperial Army engineering troops are added to the ships naval engineering complement to assist in repairing the battle damage.
Over the next few months, the Eleemosynary becomes more liveable, as the various damaged primary systems are brought back online, easing the strain on the various back-up systems. During this time, Grand Admiral Teshik spends most of his time supervising repairs, as the numbers of trained officers that are available, has been greatly reduced in numbers.
The other reason Teshik has for supervising repairs is that Teshik is watching for junior officers and NCOs to promote, over the past few months there have been a spate of promotions within the crew of the Eleemosynary. Only the chief engineer Lieutenant Commander Ian Watts refused to become the Eleemosynary new first officer, he wanted to say with "his" engines, though he did accept his promotion to the rank of Commander.
Grand Admiral Teshik is becoming very personable, like he was before he displeased the Emperor all those years ago.
The career of Osvald Teshik is a long and distinguished one.
Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik
Before his promotion to the rank of Grand Admiral, Osvald Teshik was a senior member of the Imperial Navy (before that a rising member of the Old Republics navy in is declining years) with the rank of full Fleet Admiral, Osvald Teshik was very well respected within the Imperial military, in both naval and army high command circles. For this reason (and many more) two years before the Battle of Yavin 4 he was elevated to the newly created rank of Grand Admiral by Emperor Palpatine.
Fleet Admiral Osvald Teshik was the first to be promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral, making Osvald Teshik the most senior of the Grand Admirals, even within the ranks of the Grand Admirals there was a hierarchy.
As one of the Empires 12 Grand Admirals, he answered directly to the Emperor. Teshik was one of Palpatine's most important and trusted Grand Admirals, as he commanded Imperial Centre Oversector these sectors embraced the very capital of the Empire along with its most developed and wealthy worlds, systems and sectors that make up of the sectors of Imperial Centre Oversector.
This position put Teshik in command of not only of the most important oversector, but also all of the fleets attached to the Imperial Centre Oversector including the main defensive fleet of Azure Hammer Command, which included the Executor class star dreadnought Whelm and fifty-seven Imperial class star destroyers, along with thousands of other warships and support vessels. The planet Anaxes, the famous Anaxes Citadel, and, ultimately, all other Imperial forces located in Imperial Centre Oversector. Azure Hammer Command and the Anaxes Citadel would answer to him until just after the Battle of Yavin.
After the Battle of Yavin Grand Admiral Teshik would command the forces under him from the new Executor class star dreadnought the Whelm, this Executor class was one of the first batch produced after the Executor itself and was a personnel gift from the Emperor. This gift made Teshik even more loyal to the Emperor, as he saw it as a testimony of his skill as a Grand Admiral receiving the second Executor class after Lord Vader.
Grand Admiral Teshik was tasked with keeping the Core Sectors of the Imperial Centre Oversector safe, he took this duty very seriously. During his time, protecting the Core Worlds, Systems and Sectors Grand Admiral Teshik was responsible for vastly improving the defences of the Core Worlds in the Imperial Centre Oversector, leading to the destruction of a number of Rebel resistance cells within these worlds under his commands protection.
From his position as commander of the Imperial Centre Oversector Grand Admiral Teshik is well aware of many of the Emperors secret projects and there locations throughout the galaxy. Though Grand Admiral Teshik knows the locations of a quite a few of these projects, he does not know them all, as the Emperor is not one for sharing all his secrets with one individual, even with Lord Vader.
As military commander of Imperial Centre Oversector, Teshik was in almost daily contact with the Emperor and Lord Vader, after the destruction of the first Death Star. Grand Admiral Teshik helped the Emperor and Lord Vader assemble a fleet of Imperial warships to peruse the Rebels across that galaxy. In this respect, Grand Admiral Teshik did gain many enemies within the Imperial court, however with both the Emperor and Lord Vader backing him, no one would move against Grand Admiral Teshik, for fear of raising Lord Vader or even the Emperor's wraith.
At the height of his power (just after the Battle of Yavin) Grand Admiral Teshik either directly or indirectly controlled half the Imperial battle fleet, giving him a formidable military force under his command.
Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik was also notable for his compassion, this trait is very rare among high Imperial officials this trait earned him the loyalty of those who severed under him. This compassion should not be viewed as a weakness, as Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik was no pushover, otherwise the Emperor would never have promoted him to the rank of Grand Admiral.
Just over a year after the Battle of Yavin, this changed when Imperial Advisor Coh Veshiv was abducted from a space station above Esseles, just after the destruction of the first Death Star, by the privateer frigate Far Orbit Palpatine tasked Teshik with the retrieval of Veshiv, as the advisor had been abducted from within Teshik's own domain. The Emperor personally threatened Teshik with execution if he did not immediately deal with the ship and its captain, Dhas Fenoep Vedij.
However, Teshik failed to rescue Veshiv and kill Vedij, so Palpatine ordered the Grand Admiral to attack the isolationist Hapes Consortium with insufficient forces and materiel as an example to the other Grand Admirals that even they were not beyond reproach. Teshik met in battle with the famed Hapan war fleet, composed of Hapan Battle Dragons and Nova class battle cruisers, during the battle Teshik was nearly killed.
Teshik survived only by using all the skill that he possessed (proving that his combat skills' as a Grand Admiral was still well deserved and then some). Teshik also managed to preserve a number of warships, including his flagship for the mission to Hapan, the Imperial I class star destroyer Eleemosynary. This ship would later become his new flagship, with the remains of the force that was used against Hapan war fleet becoming part of his "new" command squadron, after the Azure Hammer Command was taken away from him by the Emperor as an ongoing punishment for his failure to rescue Veshiv and kill Vedij.
Despite the odds being against him, however, Teshik survived his injuries, upon returning to the Empire, his life was saved only by replacing almost seventy-five percent of his body with cybernetic parts. Teshik retained his position and rank as Grand Admiral, however he was the target of much abuse and discrimination because of his cybernetics.
The Empire was not only xenophobic, but they also shunned the ill and weak, serious mutilations were rare due to widespread use of bacta. Thus, Teshik was universally shunned and an object of revulsion. He lost direct command of the Whelm and transferred his flag to the Imperial class star destroyer Eleemosynary along with the remains of the forces that survived the attack against the Hapes Consortium this squadron was Teshik "new" battle fleet.
This ostracization, shame and unending prejudice hardened and darkened his heart.
As a result, Teshik would completely cut himself off from his emotions.
However, Teshik was still a Grand Admiral and loyal to the Emperor and the Empire, even after what the Emperor had done to him. Teshik would have to wait three years before he would be back in the Emperors favour again.
Three years later Grand Admiral Teshik helped defeat Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin coup against Palpatine. Zaarin had finalized his plans for a coup against Palpatine. Immediately after Vader killed Xizor in a battle over Imperial Centre, the Dark Lord cornered the remainder of the late Admiral Harkov's forces in the Ottega system. However, while Vader's forces where struggling there so the Dark Lord requested the aid of Zaarin's forces.
The Grand Admiral Zaarin, however, had other ideas. With Vader so far away from Imperial Centre, Zaarin decided to make his move against Palpatine, in an attempt to install himself as ruler of the galaxy.
With Grand Admiral Zaarin's plot defeated and Grand Admiral Teshik showing his loyalty to the Emperor, Grand Admiral Teshik was again back in the Emperors favour again, Teshik was invited to Endor to witness the destruction of the Rebels originally Grand Admiral Teshik was not going to be invited.
The Emperor would during the final few weeks before the Battle of Endor, give Grand Admiral Teshik the location of a few of his most secret projects (though not all of them), by making Grand Admiral Teshik commander of these projects. Some of these projects had been under Grand Admiral Zaarin's command, including the remains of the advanced TIE designs and research/production facilities. To ensure their safety Grand Admiral Teshik would after Endor tour these facilities to ensure that they are properly guarded. Grand Admiral Teshik would be in charge of guarding some of the Emperors most secret military projects, including some of those projects that the Emperor had used to defeat Grand Admiral Zaarin.
However, the Battle of Endor was not the victory the Emperor had hoped for.
As Teshik attempted to escape the Death Star, Teshik would go through a life-changing event during his attempt to flee the Death Star Teshik was pinned beneath a fallen column. None who passed him would help him out of the myriad of Imperials fleeing the station, bar a lone construction worker, who stopped and freed him. The worker's generosity and kindness worked a transformation within Teshik the past few years of abuse and disdain fell away and Teshik regained his long-lost compassion Teshik had once shown towards others.
During the initial months after the Battle of Endor Teshik slowly restored his emotions and long-lost compassion, the crew of the Eleemosynary are now extremely loyal to Teshik, after he had managed to save them from destruction at Endor. With this re-found compassion, the crew of the Eleemosynary are becoming even more loyal to Teshik as the days, weeks and months go by.
Grand Admiral Teshik is no longer the cold, distant and cruel figure he once was, he is now becoming the Grand Admiral he once was before Palpatine had sent him to attack the Hapes Consortium. Grand Admiral Teshik is a changed man, still a brilliant tactician, possibly even more dangerous now than before Endor, as Teshik is not blinded by his former rage, woe betide those who dare to go up against Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik.
Teshik is also still very loyal (strangely) to the late Emperor, due to the Emperor trusting Teshik again after Teshik helped defeat Grand Admiral Zaarin. To this end, Teshik will carry out the Emperors final orders, to protect the Emperors secret projects that the Emperor had entrusted to him prior to Endor at all costs.
To this end, Teshik has begun to formulate a daring plan, to carry out the Emperors final orders.
Eleemosynary, Location Unknown
The repair work on the Eleemosynary is continuing it is estimated that within the next five months, the Eleemosynary will be able to make a series of short jumps using a combination of her backup hyperdrive and reactors. This will allow the Eleemosynary to jump to the nearest habitable system that appears to be near the star destroyers current location.
As with all Imperial-class star destroyers' the Eleemosynary can if needed manufacture their own spare parts in the various workshops spread throughout the Eleemosynary, though normally this does not need to happen as an Imperial warship is never far from an Imperial supply depot. However, things are not normal as the Eleemosynary is currently far from any Imperial supply depots, therefore the crew will have to manufacture its own replacement parts.
Once this working completed the Eleemosynary should be able to reach the closest system, to the Eleemosynary current location.
Re-Birth of a Star Destroyer
In deep space, in the darkness between stars, the Imperial class star destroyer Eleemosynary hangs in space, slowly but steadily being prepared so that the Eleemosynary can jump to the nearest habitable systems for the resources the ship for the construction of the parts that the Eleemosynary cannot manufacture with the resources onboard or does not carry.
This first step is about to be taken.
Six Months after Endor, Unknown Regions, Exact Location Still Unknown
After six months of hard work by the crew of the Eleemosynary have been able to get the main computer back online and fully functional, this has eased the strain on the ships backup computer systems. The long ranged sensors are still none operational however with the main computer fully functional and using, the Eleemosynary short ranged sensors. The crew have managed to find a nearby system that is likely to provide the raw materials for making the parts needed to repair those systems such as the main hyperdrive and main sensors, along with providing fresh hull plating to replace the current patch job on the hull.
All over the Eleemosynary, there is a hive of activity in not only repairing the battle damage, but also the day to day operations of an star destroyer need to be done as well. The remaining TIE Fighters and Interceptors patrol the space around the Eleemosynary, though only in pairs, as there are not enough TIE Fighters or Interceptors for larger patrols.
The remaining damage to the Eleemosynary is not critical though without a fully functional main hyperdrive it will be almost impossible to return to the Empire, as the backup hyperdrive was never designed to cover such distances, which would allow the Eleemosynary to return to the Empire. Just over sixty percent of the weapons systems have been repaired, the rest will need to be rebuilt the ships shields can now be powered to fifty percent of full strength, though without the main reactor, they will be unable to fully charge.
On the bridge, Grand Admiral Teshik is sitting in his command chair waiting for Captain Frisk to report that the backup hyperdrive system is ready for use, in addition all available weapons and shields have been prepared, just in the unlikely event of any hostiles in the system they are going to jump too.
A short while later Teshik asks, "Captain, is my flagship ready?"
Captain Frisk snaps to attention and replies, "The Eleemosynary is fully at your command, Grand Admiral," the formal question and response a ghostly remembrance of the days before Endor when proper military protocol was the order of the day. Here and now a slightly different military protocol exists, were all crewmembers and troops of the Eleemosynary are allowed to make suggestions freely, without fear of being punished or executed.
This freedom to make suggestions, has led to some surprising ideas on how to speed up repairs and improve existing systems coming from the Eleemosynary crew, a large number of these ideas have been adopted by Grand Admiral Teshik. This has led to an increase in crew moral the officers are now much less distant with the crew than before Endor they are taking their lead from Grand Admiral Teshik who is much more personable than before Endor.
Teshik replies, "Excellent" He swivelled slightly in his chair to fully face Captain Frisk.
Teshik then says, "Captain, begin the count, to the jump into hyperspace."
Captain Frisk replies, "Yes sir." Swivels his own chair towards the helm crew pit and says, "Helm, jump into hyperspace on my mark."
The helmsman in a slightly excited tone replies, "Aye sir, backup hyperdrive online, ready for your command" with his hand hovering over the backup hyperdrive activation lever.
Captain Frisk says, "Jumping in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Innate jump."
The helmsman replies, "Aye sir, backup hyperdrive active" and pulls the backup hyperdrive activation lever.
The Eleemosynary slowly jumps into hyperdrive, as the ship enters hyperspace, the bridge crew cheer with relief, the backup hyperdrive is a slow class eight and is not designed to travel long distances or to be used for extended periods, however it should get them to the nearest habitable system from their current location.
Several days later, the Eleemosynary has arrived in a system that the short ranged sensors have indicated that there is a habitable world, the initial survey quickly concludes that the fourth planet in the system and can support life, though from the initial survey there appears to be no sentient life on the planet. The Eleemosynary enters orbit around the fourth planet and launches her TIE Interceptors for a basic planetary survey.
After thirty-six hours, the basic survey concludes that the planet can provide the resources that are needed to produce the required materials to manufacture replacement parts that the Eleemosynary needs. This basic survey also confirms the absence of sentient life on the planet, as there are no structures at any level to indicate the presence of sentient life or basic inhabitants on the planet.
Grand Admiral Teshik orders that the Eleemosynary pre fabricated garrison base be deployed near the largest source of raw materials, the pre fabricated garrison base along with its equipment had suffered no damage at all during the Battle of Endor, as the garrison base is stored deep within the Eleemosynary cargo bays.
A pre-fabricated base consists of eight levels, topped by a sensor and communications tower. Levels one through to five, all identical in size and shape, these consist mainly of the large surface vehicle bays where all the surface vehicles are stored, maintained and deployed from. They also contain most of the personnel quarters as well as the armoury, detention cells and most other key base areas.
Garrison bases are equipped with three heavy twin turbolaser turrets and six heavy laser turrets, as well as tractor beam projectors they also are equipped with a shield generator, this shield generator is designed to protect the base from orbital bombardment with the shield being able to be extended up to three kilometres out from the base.
The base also possesses extensive ground defences such as anti-infantry and anti-vehicle minefields and a ten-meter high, electrified death fence. This has variable power settings, so it could either, severely shock an individual or fry them outright in an instant, depending on the base commander's choice.
To get through the fence and into the base, enemy units would have to pass through force field protected gates these gates are flanked by two guard towers, with stormtroopers on constant duty, additional stormtroopers can be positioned evenly around the fence's perimeter to provide additional security. Running behind the fence and parallel to it is an elevated catwalk patrolled by stormtroopers with guard towers (each equipped with electrobinoculars, floodlights, and alarm systems) spaced every 100 meters. This fence is much further away from the base than normal this is because of the additional production equipment that is being setup around the garrison base.
Grand Admiral Teshik will deploy the bulk of the Eleemosynary ground equipment, along with the bulk of his troops, as this will free up considerable space onboard the Eleemosynary, in addition all 11 TIE Bombers will be deployed to the garrison base, the remaining TIE Fighters and Interceptors will remain onboard the Eleemosynary.
A Major General would normally command a garrison base however the highest-ranking Imperial Army Commander left onboard the Eleemosynary is Brigadier Stephen Johns, he will command the garrison base, as well as overseeing the setting up the mining and manufacturing operations.
The garrison base only takes a few weeks to set-up and become operational, after that mining can begin in earnest, along with setting up a small manufacturing facility. A large manufacturing facility is unnecessary, as the number of replacement parts that are needed is small. The setting up of the mining and manufacturing operations only takes four weeks, as the Imperial engineering personnel are more than qualified to set-up this type of operation.
Brigadier Johns, is proving quite capable of handling such an operation, Grand Admiral Teshik will give Brigadier Johns space to run the mining and production operation as he sees fit, Teshik will keep an eye on the operation, but not breathing down Brigadier Johns neck or try to be a "back seat driver" on either the mining or production operations.
With the Eleemosynary now in geo stationary orbit over the garrison base, the production of the various replacement parts can begin.
Twelve Months after Endor
After another six months of hard work, the main reactor is now repaired and fully operational, as are all the weapons systems and shields onboard the Eleemosynary, the main hyperdrive has not only been repaired but also upgraded from the former class 2 to the much faster class 1. The long-ranged communications is still being rebuild this work should be completed within the next two months, possibly sooner.
Grand Admiral Teshik has been using the remaining hyperdrive equipped four Lambda-class shuttles and two Sentinel class landing craft, to scout out and map the surrounding systems. Much to Teshik relief they find no sign of life in any of these systems and these shuttle missions manage to make accurate star maps of the local space.
Teshik does now know that they are well inside the Unknown Regions, in fact they are on the far edge of the Unknown Regions, as far away from the known galaxy as is possible, this is the opposite edge that boarders known space and the Empire.
One unusual offshoot of the mining operations is the discovery of large quantities of precious metals and gemstones these have been stored as they are no use for rebuilding the Eleemosynary. These precious metals and gemstones are currently stored in several warehouses, the total value of these resources are estimated to currently be around several hundred million credits.
The amount of precious metals and gemstones is growing at a steady rate. Most of the crew are more concerned about getting the Eleemosynary repaired and returning to the Empire, after all this wealth is not much use if they cannot repair the Eleemosynary.
Grand Admiral Teshik has plans for these precious metals and gemstones, if they manage to get back to the galaxy. Grand Admiral Teshik has been thinking about what the current state of the galaxy would be in when he returns he does have some very nasty suspicions on what would been happening.
When he does return Teshik's worst suspicions and fears will be proved correct.
For now, Grand Admiral Teshik has put these thoughts to the back of his mind, as he still needs to get the Eleemosynary operational before he can take any other decisions.
Eighteen Months after Endor
After another six months of hard work by the crew of the Eleemosynary, the ships main hyperdrive has been repaired at the same time, the hyperdrive has been upgraded to a much faster class one hyperdrive replacing the original class two. The Eleemosynary main sensors are also now operational after being completely rebuilt this will allow the Eleemosynary to chart a way back to the galaxy, once the series of test flights are complete.
After the series of test flights have been completed, Grand Admiral Teshik leaving behind several hyperspace capable shuttlecraft for the garrison base (just in case), takes the Eleemosynary back to the Empire.
What Grand Admiral Teshik finds when he returns is a galaxy in a state of civil war, this saddens him and the crew of the Eleemosynary, in that the Empire appears to be tearing itself apart, this is so wrong in Grand Admiral Teshik mind.
Grand Admiral Teshik decides not to bother announcing his return, or trying to reunite the various Imperial factions, as he considers this would not succeed (Teshik is wrong in this respect). Instead, Teshik decides to go to several of the Emperors secret bases (that he knows about) and retrieve various bits of equipment and personnel that should still be there, even after all this time.
Main Bridge, Eleemosynary
Grand Admiral Teshik is looking at the report from Captain Frisk on the current state of the Empire Grand Admiral Teshik is not amused by how the Empire has been divided into various warring factions, in just two years since the Emperors death at Endor.
Teshik says to Captain Frisk, "Well Captain this is a mess"
Captain Frisk replies, "Yes sir"
Teshik says, "I want nothing to do with these scum, I have been given orders by the late Emperor prior to Endor. I intend to carry out those orders."
Captain Frisk responds, "Yes sir, if I may ask what the late Emperors orders were?"
Teshik replies, "The Emperor prior to Endor gave me the locations of several of his own secret projects with orders to protect these projects from falling into the wrong hands. As I see it all the current Imperial factions fall into the category of the 'wrong hands', do you agree Captain?"
Captain Frisk replies, "Yes sir I do. I think that those leading these mini Empires are traitors to the Empire as a whole."
Teshik responds, "Good Captain" than calling up the location of the first location of the nearest secret base from his own records, Teshik goes onto to say, "Here is the location of the first base, we will start there."
Captain Frisk responds, "Yes sir, Helm begin plotting a course to these coordinates."
The helmsman replies, "Aye sir" and begins plotting a hyperspace route.
Teshik says, "While we are doing this continue to monitor the Imperial, Rebel and Civil communications to see if we can get a better overall picture of the various main powers and what they maybe up to."
Captain Frisk responds, "Yes sir, I would also recommend if the opportunity arises, attacking targets of opportunity for additional supplies, I would also recommend sticking to the smaller Rebels bases."
Teshik responds, "Captain I was wondering when you would suggest that, I approve here are the provisional list of small Rebel bases that I have selected as our first targets."
Captain Frisk smiles and replies, "Yes sir" and then thinks to himself that will teach me to underestimate a Grand Admiral.
Word soon spreads around the Eleemosynary about the state of the Empire this is greeted with a mixture of loathing and contempt by the crew of the Eleemosynary. They will follow Grand Admiral Teshik, as none of them wants to be under the "protection" of one of the numerous Imperial Warlords that have sprung up and they defiantly do not want to surrender to the Rebels.
Assuming that is the commanders of these bases (that have Imperial personnel assigned to them) will join with Grand Admiral Teshik. Though Teshik has no doubt they will, after all the Emperor himself ordered the commanders of these bases to obey him, they would not have been appointed by the Emperor, if the Emperor could not count on these base commanders to obey.
To be continued.