The Galactic Exodus Chronicles Part 2 :The Galactic Civil War

by Lord Exar Kun

Now with the rebels dealt a mighty blow, and the renegade Moffs about to strike, the galaxy finds itself moving closer and closer to full blown war! The Galactic Civil War is about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy, and this is not the war you remember in the least. Follow Exar Kun, Darth Vader, Leia, the Emperor, and everyone else through this next chapter of the GEC.

59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

(Procopia, Tapani Sector, One Week after Battle of Coruscant)

"It is the decision of this governing body, general Morlin, that after the failed counterattack undertaken by you and your forces at Neona, that you shall be given some of what you have requested." Grand Moff Vellam read off from a datapad in front of him. Wherever he actually was as he appeared once more to Morlin via hologram along with the other assorted Grand Moffs of the Alliance. Morlin, as ever stood rigid and properly. With hands clasped behind his back, and head held high with a stoic face. Though he did momentarily struggle to stop a frown from forming across his features at hearing the word, 'some,' come from Vellams mouth.

"Can you please elaborate what you mean, Grand Moff Vellam." Morlin asked politely as he cleared his throat. Though he did subtly glance right toward Kaines hologram. The Moff was stoic in ever fashion of the word. Save for his eyes. Though hard to discern through the hologram, they showed a deeply hidden anger, and resentment behind them. Something Morlin wasn't sure why it existed, but knew it was...nothing good. To say the least that is.

Vellam nodded and looked back to his datapad. "You requested fifteen further fleets to bolster your forces already within the Tapani sector. We, myself included general, cannot allow for you to have those many reinforcements flooded to your position at this time. Almost all units across our control sectors are engaged in battles with the rebels or the Empire. Or even more frustratingly against anti-Alliance uprisings on several worlds in the Mid-Rim and our Outer-Rim holdings." Vellam listed off as his expression grew steadily more sour at the facts he listed off.

"It is within our power to allow for six fleets to be added to your arsenal. We, however, would advise you general, to lean on the noble houses and the Freeworlds to produce further assets for you to make use of." Morlin cleared his throat and cut Vellam off.

"The nobles move further and further toward an alliance with this imperial lord, Exar Kun. House Cadriaan has surrendered, or I should rather say fully signed over allegiance once more to the empire. All, save three, of the most important worlds in the Freeworlds zone of control have surrendered to the empire. New Shella will fall in what we estimate to be no more than four days time."
"What are projected losses?" Grand Moff Nigel Nivers, having recently returned from the failed defensive battle for his base word against the URM, asked, as he looked particularly annoyed today.

"Without the ability to call for retreat sirs, I am estimating a trooper loss of a further forty-two thousand on top of the hundred-eight thousand already lost from the reinforcements. The ground commander there, however, a Lyn, I believe her name is. Is roving to be quite difficult to fight." A half snort and half indignant laugh erupted from another sitting holographic Moff by the name of Dureya.

"Are you telling this body, that first you said you could not defeat a teenager. An ex-protege of yours at that. Now you cannot defeat a woman? Is this really the type of military leadership we can expect to continue here in Tapani?" The man asked with a curled lip. Another show of mixed distaste and humor. Morlin took a calming breath and struggled to contain further anger that spiked at this common theme that seemed to become more prevalent with each meeting between himself and the Moffs. It being one of constantly blame him, and his methods and berate him. While not a word is said toward Kaine. It was...infuriating.

"This woman wields a lightsaber, and not only that as reported to have jumped to the neck of an AT-AT, and cleave it. Until the neck fell and the entirety of the head compartment fell off." Morlin through near grit teeth threw back in the Moffs haughty face. The grand Moff shrunk back into his seat but kept a glare steadily on Morlin's figure.

"Enough!" Vellam broke through. "This is going nowhere." He looked to Moff Dureya, and the man conceded a single nod. "The fact of the matter is we're losing territory faster in Tapani than we would like. We wouldn't want to lose any territory but in war, losses are to be expected I would think. However," Vellam cleared his own throat again and rolled his shoulders. "For this one time, I am ordering that you call a retreat on New Shella, and bring those troops back to the staging world of Reyna." He glanced toward Kaine, who stood silent and statue like as ever.

"Do you have an objection you'd like heard Moff Kaine?" Ardus heaved a sigh but only shook his head no. It gave Morlin pause, and had his brow furrowing. Usually the man would jump at the opportunity to say something against him. Only for Kaine to now seem far off and his thoughts elsewhere. Where that was, almost worried Morlin.

'What could be so important that in a meeting such as this you linger elsewhere? Even at having your authority superseded!' That, to Morlin, was scary.

"Very well." Vellam returned to Morlin. "As for the second request of yours. The creation of this, 'Ghost Division,' while we have concerns. We are allowing you to create the division, and maintain a certain amount of autonomy with how the division is run. However, we are stipulating that the division shall remain just that. A single division sized unit. Until further notice." Morlin felt his hands ball into a single great fist behind his back.

"One division sir?!" Morlin stepped forward some. Finally catching the attention of Kaine from the side who glanced his way via holoprojection, as the other Moffs followed his movements as well.

"One division, that is no more than six-thousand men. That is not even a fleet I could use!"
"We are aware." Grand Moff Kintaro broke through with a stern and flat voice. "However, you leave us little choice general. This absurd mission you wish to undertake. To form some legion of intermingled men and aliens. Most with dubious backgrounds at that, is quite telling of the kind of practices you wish to undertake. We may not be the Empire, but we began this war not because we detest the Imperial culture, but its leadership. You seem to seek to weaken and dilute it. I cannot even come to terms. You wish to bring such aliens as Wookiees into your little experimental division?! That is categorically absurd!" Kintaro railed as many Moffs nodded from his flanks in agreement. Vellam merely continued reading over reports before him as Kaine stayed silent from the side, and Morlin felt his blood begin to boil in anger.

"The request comes as these aliens are of greater value to us as allies, and not enemies. Forgive me Moff Vellam, but I joined this side of the war because I thought the Moff Alliance had the ability, and the potential to be better than the Empire. Not mirror it!" His angered shout made a small echo within the room used as his communications deck. The Moffs all sat back in their seats in an assorted display. All of them clearly showing displeasure. Save for Vellam who merely watched Morlin.

"Morlin, we are not advocating genocide or mass murder. Surely though, you can realize and understand that humans will always be above aliens. Of all kinds and all manner. Some are more acceptable than others, but for the most part it is humanity that dominates the stars, builds culture, and rules the galaxy. Only by the vast populations of insects are we outnumbered, and even then." He said clearly and coolly. "We are superior." Vellam finished with a poignant look. The emotion in the look was deep and dark, cool and calm. Morlin didn't see hatred or pure disgust with aliens within the man, but he did see...apathy.

"Needless to say," The head of all Moffs began once more. "We have allowed for you to bring in your Wookiee's and other assorted aliens. Within reason of course. Certain aliens more prone to anti-imperial sentiment, and through that anti-Moff sentiment shall not be allowed to join this Ghost division of yours." Morlin fought back another rebuttal to this sentiment of human superiority.

"Such as, your excellency?" Vellam nodded and looked toward a datapad before him, once more Morlin musing wherever the grand Moff actually was. No one knew, or had seen him since Bestine months back. AT east Morlin didn't personally.

"Mon-Calamari, Bothans, Gungans," Vellam and the other Grand Moffs chortled under their breaths and Morlin forced himself not to roll his eyes as Vellam curtailed his own laugh with a clearing of his throat.

"And so on. These alines that would likely hold a grudge with anyone wearing the uniform of an officer or the armor of a stormtrooper. Those like the twi'leks, wookiees, weequay, zeltron, and so on are allowed. Anything, or rather any species or race thereof not listed in this document I shall be forwarding to you must be allowed only by myself. Is that understood general?"
"Clearly, your excellency." Morlin nodded. It was something.

"Good. Now, on the matter once more of the size of this division. Yes it is to be just the one. However, you may use regular Moff Alliance fleets or armies in conjunction with the division. You are to not allow for any greater interaction between this experiment of yours and the main Moff forces. Lest we have any sort of bad blood play itself out between 'allies,'" Vellam stressed the word, and Morlin could sense the underlying message.

'Don't get your aliens mixed in with my humans. Got it loud and clear.' Morlin lowly sighed and nodded.

"You shall maintain one stardestroyer with active naval personnel for this division. They may main starfighters and shuttles, but the ship and its operation fall into the hands of the naval staff posted on board. Furthermore," He continued. "This division is to not detract from your duties as the commander of the Tapani front. The fact of the matter is Procopia is in direct line of sight for the Empire, and we cannot afford to lose it or you just yet. We'd rather not lose either at all." Vellam continued and Morlin nodded again.

"Of course. I have already taken precaution. An Imperial assault here would bleed lord Kun's forces to the point of a victory being worse than a defeat."

"Do tell." Moff Kaine from the side suddenly spoke, and didn't even bother glancing Morlin's way. Morlin eyed him before bowing his head and going on.

"I have stationed three-hundred ships above the planet and will be adding a few, mind you a small fraction of the new ships I shall be receiving from the reinforcements you have designated me. While on planet I have four million men ready and in defensive positions. Anti-orbital Ion cannons are in place with hypervelocity guns also having been erected across the Procopia's equator and near to the poles. Any such attack at this juncture where I could recall all active vessels here in Tapani would see the likely smaller Imperial force decimated, and even if they break through the orbital defenses the battle here on planet will make Neona look like a cake walk." The Moffs nodded amongst themselves and seemed pleased with the general. Until Kaine from the side chuckled lightly.

"Find something funny, do we Grand Moff Kaine?" Grand Moff Kintaro asked, and made sure to pronounce quite clearly his title. As if reminding Morlin of it for some unnecessary reason.

"Such a waste. Forgive me my fellow Grand Moffs and you as well general Morlin. We have our difference of opinion of course, but here I must say. I find your blatant use of manpower to be quite unnecessary."

"What else would you have me do? Defend my planet with rancors and nexu?" Morlin retorted immediately and Kaine scoffed and waved his hand. Almost as if swatting a fly from his face.

"Nothing so barbaric and beneath us I can assure you my dear general Morlin." Kaine condescended to him, and the general bit his tongue as a scathing retort rested upon it and wished to be unleashed upon the man.

"Needless to say the council knows of what I speak when I say we will soon have weapons at our disposal that will make such wastefulness as manpower and even this ghost division of yours wholly unnecessary. I think even you will be impressed."

"Super weapons are not my kind of warfare I'm afraid. I never seem to be able to appreciate unfeeling and unthinking assorted mechanical weapons versus the bravery and spirit of the fighting man." Kaine once more scoffed. Lower than before and blatantly rolled his eyes as he clasped his hands back behind himself.

"You are a relic in thought and practical use of weaponry in warfare. It is admirable Morlin. However, the decision has been made, and when these weapons are unleashed upon both the Imperials and the rebels we shall see an easy victory arise just around the corner." Kaine nodded triumphantly as Morlin noted several Moffs nodded in agreement. It made Coldor ground his teeth to know all these backroom talks were going on between the Moffs on the state of the armed forces of the Moff Alliance without him even being given a briefing, but once again he stayed his tongue.

"Now I have said my peace on the matter. Please forgive the interruption general." Kaine apologized though he held a cocky self-satisfied smirk along his features.

"Of course." Morlin shot back with a leveled and cool voice. There then followed a pregnant silence between the Moffs and Morlin, as everyone seemed to await the other to speak first. Until finally Vellam cleared his throat once again.

"Continuing on from there," He spoke clearly. "I have extended your full command over the Moff forces in the Tapani sector general. Grand Moff Kaine has seen my reasoning's for this, and has agreed. However, he still maintains full authority over the practices and conduct of the Moff military. As it stands you are in command of Tapani as you were before general Morlin, and I do believe our meeting has run out of time." Vellam sighed, and it sounded genuine as he check his wrist chrono.

"There are developments underway in the Outer-Rim concerning our new mutual friends, and I'm afraid we cannot speak more on the matter here with you general. No disrespect but we need as much privacy as can be afforded in such...talks of alliances and friendships in war."

"Understood." Morlin nodded, though in the back of his mind he wished to know just what the kriff Vellam was talking about.

'Who is in the Outer-Rim of any use to the Moffs?' He couldn't think on it, and on the possibilities that crossed his mind he couldn't fathom it was those that flew through his head.

"In that case, I now hereby claim this meeting completed, and I'll expect a full report on the situation in Tapani by weeks end, and a report on this division of yours in full, with its leader and exact compositions."
"Of course, your excellency." Morlin bowed and with no more words all of the Moffs, including Vellam, began to fade away from his sight. Once again Kaine was all that remained a moment longer.

"You play a dangerous and precarious game with this division of your Morlin. I look forward to watching it fail. Maybe not at first. At first and maybe beyond it will do just fine. However, it will amount to little more than a one time little experiment that will in the end pale in comparison to my toys." Morlin merely glared back toward Kaine who raised his brow awaiting a response that never came. Until at last Ardus chuckled.

"Very well. Good luck Morlin. You'll more than need it." Finally his hologram also faded away. Leaving Morlin alone in an empty large room.

Sighing, he made his way out and into the familiar, brighter open hall of the command center. Waiting him was the far too relaxed figure of captain Solo. The Corellian lazily slouched himself against the smooth steel wall of the hall. His arms crossed over his chest and a quite random lopsided smirk on his features.

"So, what's the verdict?" Morlin waved for him to follow as he made down a hall. Solo pushed himself up and followed after with a shrug.

"They refused my request of fifteen fleets. We're getting six." Solo grinned.

"Well that's two more than you thought they'd give you." Morlin smiled and nodded as they kept on moving through the halls.

"We have our division and my leeway in Tapani maintained. For now Kaine is reduced in power capacity here. However, whatever he's got ready and up his sleeve to roll out is nearing completion. He practically slobbered over it in the meeting in reminding the council. Well me more likely." Han shrugged as he nodded along. Noting that the mentioning of Kaine, made the old man's face sour deeper and deeper by the second.

"Well we got something right? I mean you get to keep me around. I get to keep on drinking all your alcohol, and eat your food, and I may even be helping ya kick a little Imperial ass along the way." He grinned and snorted in a chuckle. Morlin for his part shook his head at the foolish nature of his Corellian companion.

"Yes well we'll have a little talk on your drinking habits later. For now you should begin thinking about the composition of your division." Morlin stopped and Han nearly bumped into him as he did. Morlin turned on him.

"By the way it's one division. For now at least. Requesting alien troops rustled their underpants a bit more than I thought."
"The heck am I supposed to do with a single whole division general?" Morlin waved him to follow him again as Solo for once sounded genuinely serious.

"We do as we can. You will work in conjunction with other Moff forces. Once we prove to the council our methods work, and hopefully beyond anything Kaine has up his sleeve, we'll expand ghost division into something bigger, greater, and glorious." Han sighed but nodded.

"Well...I guess ya gotta start somewhere."
"Indeed. Now, reports are coming in that the Empire is about to begin its great assault on the Expansion-Region. I want to keep a close eye on the reports. You go do...as you will for now." Morlin smirked and Han grinned in reply.

"Will do general." He saluted in mock propriety. Morlin reminded himself to turn the mock propriety into honest propriety later, but let it slide for now. Morlin gave a final curt and dismissive nod and Han was quick to take off back down the hall where they had come from.

Morlin turned back and returned to pacing down the hall. It wasn't long until he found himself back in his darkened office. Lights out, his console activated to look over streaming reports from across the Moffs battlegrounds, and the blinds of the room shuttered closed. In the silence and darkness of his office general Morlin allowed his thoughts to stray to his future war here in Tapani and abroad. Alone in his office to himself and his thoughts, Morlin allowed the faces of two people to cross his mind, make it three. The boy he once taught to fight war, the Moff who sought to undermine him for some vendetta he had yet to understand. And a woman who he saw grow from a little girl into an agent of the Empire.

All three of them were very much so on his mind. As the reports came in of the Imperial mass attack launching across all of the Expansion-Region. As any one of them could likely be the one to end him and any hope the Moff Alliance had of being something better.

(Mid-Rim, Roche Asteroid Belt, Shantipole Research Station, Current-Date)

The lambda shuttle entered into the ray shielded docking bay and came to another stead landing. The hiss of decompression and air shooting from its extended landing gears as smoke flew out followed as normal. The boarding ramp fell and came to a steady stop on the metal flooring laid down.

Awaiting those that were within the shuttle upon the metal ground were four companies of stormtroopers in honorary stances lining down where those aboard the shuttle would have to walk. All the way down the line stood three figures. The white uniformed grand admiral Zaarin among them. He brushed his collar clean for the tenth time and straightened his tags and badges along his chest. Beside him stood his second in command and manager of Imperial-Verpine operations here on the asteroid where the Shantipole station had been built into. A commander named Raveen. He was rather unassuming but quiet and efficient. The third figure was a Verpine. One of the intelligent kind and not a worker drone. The leader of the station and head of the Verpine side of the cooperation between its people and the Empire. The Verpine, named Kral'ik Nota'lx took on a male personality, as his species was hermaphroditic, and he had been working vigorously with Zaarin since the Empire had liberated his people from the sudden and uncalled for brutal suppression of the Verpine by the Moffs. Kral'ik felt very anxious to meet with this lord Zaarin and Raveen had both spoken of. Though they were both sweating profusely and afraid of either disappointing or angering the man that was coming. A lord, Exar Kun.

From the shuttle first descended two massive red beings. They carried strange spears that were both a spear and ax. They had fleshy growths, more like tentacles down their heads like hair and across their faces where once again hair would be on say, a human. The specimen was intriguing to Kral'ik. While to Zaarin and Raveen the sight of those monstrous red aliens that they'd both seen reports on how they act, being here on Shantipole station worried them.

After the two red beings descended another human, tall and wearing dark armor interlaced with just as dark cloth descended the ramp. He bore three scars, old and faded on his right cheek, and what seemed to be a scar upon the center of his forehead in some odd design. Long black hair was pulled back into a tied tail down his back. His features were dark as he scanned the vast open space of the docking bay. Protected behind him by a massive ray shield wall where beyond it space, and the endless sea of glitter stars as well as roaming imperial ships could be seen.

He noted the Imperial honor greet displayed before him and Zaarin down the line and nodded his way as he came off the ramp and was flanked by his red guards. The three made their way down the narrow pathway made by the troopers as they stood silent and still. They neared quickly enough, the end of the honor troopers and Zaarin, Raveen and Kral'ik stepped forward to meet the lord as he approached. The two red aliens stood slightly behind their lord as he approached and extended hi hand to Zaarin. A pleasant and lordly smile upon his features as he did.

"Greetings lord Kun. I am Grand Admiral Zaarin." Kun took the hand of the large and broad man who almost fully met his height. He had blue eyes and brow hair that was graying on both sides of his head.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you grand admiral. I do hope the asteroids have been treating you well." Zaarin chuckled very slightly. Though Exar sensed honest humor behind it.

"That would all come down to whether my hosts are of any propriety and worth. Which I can assure you the Verpine have been." He motioned his hand toward the insect alien beside him who was clasping his two three fingered boney hands together. It had two large black eyes and a chitinous exoskeleton common of insects. A short snout and two antenna that hung back from its head. Which was rather large but not too much so from what was a rather slim and boney seeming body structure.

"This is the head of our mutual cooperation on researching and developing new weapons of all manner for the empire, Kral'ik Nota'lx." The Verpine extended its hand to Kun, and despite a moments apprehension Kun quickly and firmly took his hand in kind and shook it.

"A pleasure to meet with you, lord Exar Kun. My people, we seek to aid only, those who saved us from, the decimation brought upon by the ones that call themselves, the Moff Alliance." His basic was a little choppy and lengthy in speech but Exar nodded and produced a friendly smirk.

"I am sure the Empire was most pleased to help secure your species' continued survival. Though from what I know, it is grand admiral Zaarin who did all the hard work." Kral'ik bowed his large head.

"Indeed, yes, thankful we are. To all the Empire. Forgive me, I beg of you, not used to basic tongue, am I. Many of my kind, they are, perhaps, better than I." Kun chuckled and waved him off.

"It's quite alright. Your speech is better than some, and you at least can speak the language." Kral'ik bowed and seemed relieved. A sudden flush of anxiety he had not even known had come over him seemed to then pass as the mood lightened.

"Now, I do believe it's time we got down to discussing the main point of my being here." Exar declared as he brought his hands together in a clasp before himself. Zaarin nodded and whispered to Raveen to get the troopers back to their normal posts.

"That is my second. Commander Raveen. He doesn't talk much but does what I say and does it efficiently. As for what we're about to discuss though, he needn't know more than he already does." He motioned sweepingly toward a door leading out of the massive hangar. "If you'll follow me, myself and Kral'ik will lead you to a more private discussion room.." Exar nodded and waved his Massassi to follow as Zaarin and Kral'ik moved ahead of him through the door.

They moved briskly and mostly silently through the well maintained halls. They were white and shining. Along the way Kun witnessed many dozens of Verpine drones moving about the facility and repairing any and everything they came across that wasn't optimal. They kept to themselves as troopers patrolling the halls clanked their boots in silence and strode on by with nothing more than proper salutes being sent Kun and Zaarin's way before they moved on to their duties. The rarest sight being any imperial officers. They seemed to congregate with one another and be in discussion wherever Kun came across them. There were a few that were among gatherings of Verpine and were speaking or even ordering them around but they didn't do much else.

'Odd...' Was all Exar could muse as he followed Zaarin and Kral'ik down the halls they paced until Zaarin presented them with a simple door. It slid open and inside was a simple conference table in the center. In the center of the table lay a holoprojector. At least a dozen seats, all ebony black and slightly bowl shaped with the seat rising up high, were lined around the whole table. A single bright light hung overhead as there was one viewport on the far side of the room, opposite the doorway into the room itself. Outside allowed one to have a view of the further off shipyards, where no less than ten Imperial-II class stardestroyers were being built and several dozen other ships as well.

"If you'll take a seat, I'll be more than happy to review several projects we've made gains into. And if you'll allow me; ask some questions of you as well my lord." Exar nodded and took a seat to the far end of the conference table from the door. Kral'ik had taken a seat to his right, or to the left from the doorway entrance.

Kun quickly waved his hand to the Massassi guards who stopped from entering the room and bowed as they took positions on either side of the door itself from the halls side. Zaarin nodded to them, Kun sensed some slight fear well from deep within. The grand admiral closed the door and locked it for good measure as he touched a wall console to the right of the door. The light dimmed and he took a seat opposite of Kun, thus putt Kral'ik between them.

"Now to begin." Zaarin tapped his fingers along a console on the table. There was one before each seat, and Kun watched as the center holoprojector buzzed to life and blue light bolted upwards from the device. The first thing to appear was what Exar knew to be a ship of TIE design. Only it was greatly detracted from the stock fighter design. It had three wings, all of them protruding forward from the body of the ship with the cockpit seeming to jut out and was rounded with three three spike wings around it, and facing forward.

"This is one of the more proud achievements of our combined efforts. The Phantom V38, or more aptly named the TIE Phantom." Kral'ik nodded and seemed to take silent pride as he observed the ships holographic representation.

"Originally a fellow grand admiral of the Empire named Martio Batch, who was removed to take up full active service in the war, it thus fell upon us to complete, and I think we've come up with a few active prototypes." Kun nodded as he appreciated the unique design.

"Interesting, but what, if I may ask, can it do?" Zaarin smirked and nodded to himself.

"The TIE phantom is equipped with five cannons along its entirety. It can hold both a pilot and a gunner to man the weapons. Two people in the ship may seem unnecessary but I can assure you it makes up for it in results. The fighters are equipped with a life support system and also carries a deflector shield on every ship. Unlike your average run of the mill TIE fighter it can take hit after hit and keep on going. Only a good set of hits can bring the phantoms down." Exar nodded and appreciated the ship even more. Kral'ik interjected.

"Beyond just these advancements, as well, another being the addition, thereof, a sophisticated cloaking device." Again the Verpine's speech was clunky but Kun understood what he said. It actually perked the Sith lord right up, and he cocked a brow Zaarin's way with a smirk.

"Did he say cloaking device?" Zaarin nodded.

"Indeed. Using the rare stygium crystals we are capable of making the vehicle seem completely cloaked to not only the naked eye but sensors and scanners of all manner as well. The fighter cannot fire its cannons when it's cloaked as it will disable the cloaking, but if you're cloaked all the way up onto the backside of your enemies and then fire on them with them being none the wiser it will give your ships a significant advantage over your enemies."

"A most fascinating little ship. You say you have prototypes capable of flight?" Kral'ik nodded and once more spoke up.

"One wing, five ships. Stygium, a rare crystal. Hard to find with enemies everywhere. Harder to mine with war. We created, a synthetic version of the crystal in question." Exar eyed Zaarin who nodded to confirm what the Verpine said.

"The crystals are far too rare and complicated to get with Moffs and rebels flying around the galaxy. So with both our own scientists and that of the best the Verpine have to offer we have developed a synthetic stygium crystal. We can easily mass produce this synthetic crystal. Of course we need to first test the ship prototype and work out any flaws." Exar smirked and bowed his head.

"I must say I am more impressed than I ever imagined I would be grand admiral Zaarin." Exar applauded lightly. "Tell me, is this the only project being worked on?" Zaarin shook his head and ended the holoprojection.

"We are working on modifying the TIE interceptor to one day supersede the TIE fighter as the main fighter unit in the Empire. The TIE fighter has proven time and again to be far too useless in an honest naval engagement. As well as our pilots lacking in skill and overall charisma. The Emperor, however, finds my reasoning and suggestions unnecessary at the moment."

"I see." Exar intoned and motion for him to go on.

"Kral'ik and his people have provided with us a working design as far as we can tell, of both the TIE Defender and TIE Hunter projects."

"Odd designs, unnecessary aspects about them, removed and perfected. Very proud of our designs. We can only hope you are as well." Kral'ik humbly spoke. Kun nodding.

"I'm sure I will be most impressed." He sensed the insect alien beam with pride.

"Beyond fighters we've experimented with a stronger turbolaser by two-percent. A great difference in blast power when breaking enemy deflector shields and the armor below."
"Engine designs. A specialty we have. Modified and updated original concepts and designs of Empire." They both inundated Kun with information. He enjoyed every little detail. All these ideas on how to empower and strengthen the military might of the Imperial arsenal.

"If I may, my lord Kun. I wish to ask you a few questions myself. Care to...indulge me, and my curiosity?" The Verpine looked between them and awaited Kun's answer. He eyed Zaarin for a moment and bowed and conceded.

"Very good. Kral'ik would you mind returning to your work? I think I and lord Kun need to speak in private imperial matters. We can show him some more of our deigns at a later time."

"That would be very fine." The Verpine, ever polite in his choppy manner, bowed his head and rose from his seat. He unlocked and exited the door. Exar caught him eye the Massassi who eyed him back, before he took off down a hall. The door closed behind him, and Zaarin rose and locked it once again.

"Kral'ik is very useful, and very sensible. Perhaps gullible, but that's why he's among allies who can guide him, and his people, down the correct path. As for our business," He groaned as he sat back down and lounged back into his seat.

"I think there's something underlying the reasons for your coming here my lord. You see I know for a fact that barely anyone back on Coruscant cares about weapons development. With the attack four months back, everyone wants to expend what we have now in crushing our enemies everywhere. Sure, I send reports and give updates as protocol dictates, but I know nobody really cares." Exar nodded along and folded his fingers between one another on the top of the table. The admiral seemed keen to get this little tangent off his chest. Though he was sure to maintain a calm and cool voice and manner.

"So, if you may lord Kun. Why are you here? And I mean really here?" Zaarin asked as he interlaced his own hands across his chest.

'Hmm, a keen mind. I like that. Tact is a bit off, but we can overlook that for now.' Exar smirked knowingly to himself, and rolled his shoulders as he made to respond.

"I see you are rather perceptive. I appreciate that in men or women in positions like yours. With what appears to be an epidemic of poor leadership, cronyism, and nepotism throughout the galaxy, it's nice that at least a few know when an ulterior motive is at play in conversation." Zaarin bowed his head and received the compliment silently.

"As for the actual reasoning for my being here. That is a rather complicated subject to speak of openly. The walls always have ears." Kun motioned around the room and Zaarin huffed a snort.

"The Verpine are some of the most technologically proficient beings in all the galaxy. Because they look insect like and are not human in nature, they are looked down about the Empire from all ranks and professions. I, however, am rather impressed by them. One of the great things about this technology of theirs is these little scanners they have." Zaarin went on and leaned forward. "I can appreciate in kind, your sense of necessary security. However, I can assure you, we are more secure and private right here in this room, than being on a vacant word in the void of intergalactic space." Exar probed Zaarin through the Force. It was very light and careful, the man had a strong defense around him. Still, the Sith lord could sense truth, or at least assurance on the part of the grand admiral, so he relented and shrugged.

"If you think so admiral. Very well then, I have come here, not only because I do indeed find these new weapons fascinating and likely pivotal to our future victory over all our enemies. But, also because I sense there is more...personal profit from us discussing matters with one another. Personal profit between the both of us that could impact the overall security and peace of the galaxy to come in the future." Zaarin's brow cocked and he motioned for Kun to go on.

"What I mean to say, is that I require a certain amount of trust with those who are capable. I need to find those who I can trust in the first place, and who are...dissatisfied with the status-quo of the galaxy, but more importantly, the Empire."
"If you need those who are angry with the Empire and let their hearts bleed at our methods there is always the Moffs or rebels." Zaarin coolly retorted with a smirk about his aged face. Exar snorted and returned the smirk.

"True, but I do not hate the Empire. I admire it greatly. I have done what has needed to be done to assure it of security and continued existence. However, I cannot say I am impressed in the same way with the Imperial leadership."
"Ah, so now we reach the crux of your ulterior motive." Zaarin was quick to cut in. "You are quite bold my lord. Were I say grand admirals Batch, Grant or possibly Declann I would be mortified by your insinuations. However, you're in luck, or possibly just perceptive. Because you've found one of the very few high ranking admirals in all the Empire who may just agree with your stance toward the leadership of our wondrous Empire."

"Excellent then." Kun nodded and smiled pleasantly as he continued to keep his gray eyes leveled with the blue of Zaarin's.

"However," Zaarin raised a silencing hand. "I must also admit, if we're being frank here. That I find the leadership severely lacking, and I admittedly blame a lot of the lacking ability on the positions not only Vader and the Emperor hold but many of our new commanders and even yourself lord Kun. Your order, and titles as Sith seems to lead us, the Empire, to commit to operations, ideologies, and actions that are otherwise ludicrous, but demanded of by some unseen power. I have seen your powers. I know the Force is irrefutable. However, with the way things are I am not wholly impressed with a Sith being upon the throne." Exar took in a breath and hummed thoughtfully.

"I suppose that is understandable. Considering your only two real examples of Sith have been Vader and the Emperor. I am indeed of the Sith, yet I do not think you understand. The Sith have time and again risen in the galaxy. Many times, as I have researched it was under a new order. There are many orders of the Sith, always Sith but separate sects. The one Vader and the Emperor operate under is an odd one to myself. I cannot go into details on how I am better and they are worse. In fact I will say as Sith go they are quite capable and powerful. The leadership of the Emperor, however, is very lacking. As for Vader? He's a follower and a leader. He leads when told to lead, but always follows. He cannot be blamed wholly for his actions and attitude with the Empire. That falls on the shoulders of the old man himself." Kun paused before continuing. Allowing for what he said to hopefully sink in with the admiral.

"I think it's needless to say, the Emperor has worn out his...welcome and perhaps usefulness. It is time that regime change come, and not without losing the Empire. A more capable and united Empire under similar but far superior leadership." He smirked as his gray eyes twinkled with pride and hidden ambition. "You see I am in a bit of a hard place as it were. Lord Vader and I are...shall we say playing a little game of dejarik. Nothing that shall compromise our obligations to win and fight this war, but no less preparing for when the Emperor is...no longer available to rue over a once more reunited galaxy. Sadly, Vader is coming out ahead in one sector, and I need to strengthen my position there." Zaarin leaned forward with an interested, furrowed brow.

"That being exactly?" Exar laughed.

"Well he is the supreme commander of the entire imperial military. I am essentially a newcomer. The last few recent months aside of course. I need support fro within the military. The naval wing is the essential aspect of the armed forces. Without it, the army is utterly stranded, and even the Sith cannot possibly escape worlds they can be stranded upon. So, that's why I'm here." He threw his arms out and swiveled them about the room.

"To come and make an offer to a man I know has great potential and the ambition to see change happen to a system of government he wants to see work. Even if change means a little bit of power play, backroom deals, and shady tactics to see it come. What I need, Zaarin, is an ally, and one in your position. So, ergo I want you Zaarin on my side, part of my team." Zaarin hummed thoughtfully this time and nodded. Though he was silent it was clear he was deep in thought. It wasn't everyday one got offered to fall in line with someone seeking to undermine your emperor, and direct higher-ups.

"It is an intriguing, and admittedly tempting proposition, lord Kun. I hope I can easily enough, assume that when the war ends and you win your 'game,' the Empire will be entering let us say, a reformation?"

"Of course. Naturally admiral." Exar nodded. "A great many things will be changing. Relations with groups and aliens, focus of our doctrines and how we conduct war. I'll need a circle of my own grand admirals, and I wouldn't mind having one in my...pocket. One who can aid me in creating a circle of strong naval leaders and advisers who know how to conduct war and fill in the holes that others may have. I'm not looking to micromanage my future military. I'm looking to fill it with competent, and proven leaders with ambition to make the galaxy and Empire continuously stronger."

"A wise sentiment." Zaarin complimented, and Kun bowed his head appreciatively.

"Your offer has great merit indeed. I wouldn't mind seeing changes of many type and fashion happen within the empire. The idea that lord Vader is also playing for the throne concerns me. I had once, months ago and before droids and traitors turned on the Empire nurtured the thought that perhaps I would have to take change to the Empire by force. Now though, with the war I have changed my thought process on the matter." Zaarin admitted, and Kun for his part merely hummed thoughtfully. To hear of thoughts on treason was no big deal to him. It was Sidious they were talking about after all.

"I will say this as my answer. Zaarin leaned onto the table. Hands still interlaced as he placed both onto the table itself. "I am intrigued and of the mindset that something must be done. If the choices I have are four, two are none choices of either serving Vader in full one day, or continued service to the Emperor. The third being treasonous rebellion after this war is complete to likely stagnant results and further seeds of destruction. The fourth and final is to ally with someone I could...possibly learn to work with for a better future. One where I will admittedly have a bigger say and better position than I currently hold. In an Empire and galaxy that can be far better led. At least possibly." He sent Exar a poignant look, and the Sith lord lopsidedly smirked before again bowing his head.

"That in mind, I suppose the answer is obvious." He sat back in his chair. "I'll definitely join your team, lord Kun. However," Kun raised both brows as Zaarin went on with a smile. "I would be more than willing and far more elated at doing so if you would, by your influence my lord Kun, push the Emperor, and even lord Vader to take into actual consideration my proposal alongside that of at least four other grand admirals and a plethora of lower ranking ones, the removal of the standard TIE fighter as the main imperial starfighter. Replacing it with the TIE interceptor design model which we've tweaked here into a new fighter called, rather dully, the Interceptor-Class TIE fighter. It is essentially, as I said the TIE interceptor but the engines, have been modified, cannons tuned, life support systems added with no reduction in maneuverability, and we can have these mass produced by the tens of millions by two months time, at least four million ready by next month. This would empower the Empire against the enemy and, well, solidify our new cooperation with one another in full." Exar rose from his seat and broke into a broad grin. His eyes were alight in amusement and he laughed as Zaarin rose from his seat. Kun extended his hand as he continued to chuckle.

"You have more than a deal. I can assure you of my full support for this and any other project you may put forward. I cannot of course assure you of the proposal gaining support by Vader or the Emperor, but as it stands I shall do my best to sell them your products. So to speak." Zaarin smiled and firmly shook Exar's hand.

"Then you have my full cooperation, my lord Kun. Shall we?" He released the Sith lord's hand and motioned back toward the door. Exar nodded and both men made to leave.

As it slid open after being unlocked, both Massassi stood where they had been on either side of the door. They turned inward and bowed as Exar exited after Zaarin, and he motioned them to rise. As Zaarin looked on with an interested furrowing of his brow at the sight.

"These are my Massassi. I'm sure you've read of their exploits on several battlefields. They are my absolute loyal servants. The whole race, descended directly from the original Sith species. They serve me and me alone. Rather dying than betraying me in any way." Exar smirked as he idly patted the broad shoulder of one of the aliens.

"I see. They are rather...efficient I have read. Fascinating warrior specimens as well." The grand admiral nodded as Kun smirked, the Massassi beaming in pride at their lords' elation.

"Grand Admiral Zaarin." The voice of Raveen approaching from the hallway facing his back forced both men to turn toward him. He approached with a datapad in hand, as troopers on patrol idly passed them all by. He seemed rather annoyed, and Kun sensed as much.

"Ah Raveen. We've just finished our first meeting. Anything to report?" Zaarin clasped his hands behind his back and looked down toward the shorter man in a naturally regal stature he held about himself.

"A ship dropped out of hyperspace without prior warning. It is a simple, but heavily, and illegally modified Ghtroc-720 freighter. We scattered out an interceptor wing which escorted the ship into bay four. The one passenger aboard claims to be with the Inquisitorius service as an active inquisitor. We made to confirm his story while he waited on his ship and we received orders to stand down." Zaarin frowned and glanced Kun's way. Exar for his part shrugged and said nothing.

'An inquisitor here eh? Either it is a great coincidence or somebody knows I'm making a little layover here. Either way it's quite...extraordinary nonetheless.' Kun thought as Zaarin returned his attention to Raveen.

"Why is he here? Why this sector and system out of all of them?" Kun found the question, silently, ironic. Having just been asked a similar question along the same vein of thought.

"He claims his name is Raydonn. The report from Coruscant claimed that he carried with him many imperial designs, prototypes, and work from an Imperial base deep in Moff territory. They wouldn't say which or where. Only that you are to take the work and look it all over and 'work on anything of use,' according to their exact words." He glanced down to his activated datapad to repeat the wording of it.

"Inquisitor Raydonn, is also to be given a room to rest and any supplies, food, fuel, and so on as he needs and requests. Otherwise he should await further instruction from Imperial-Center. Which they say could, 'take some time,' sir." Raveen finished and Zaarin sighed in half a growl.

"Very well then. Acquire for this Inquisitor a room and whatever else he may need. Keep the Verpine away from him. He and his Inquisitor paymasters have no common decency to forewarn me, than I have no need to allow him near our loyal and hard working allies." Zaarin turned toward Kun.

"Do you plan on staying here much longer my lord?"

"For perhaps a day or two. I wish to see the prototypes in action for my reports." Zaarin nodded, and motioned toward the Sith lord to Raveen.

"Find a very comfortable suite for lord Kun, and give him all he requires. I have other matters to attend to, and have a meeting with Kral'ik. Tell our inquisitor...'guest,' if he requests to see me I am, 'indefinitely,' otherwise busy."

"Of course admiral." Raveen saluted, and Zaarin bid Exar goodbye. Raveen quickly arranged for the Sith a suite on the station. Quickly thereafter finding, and greeting inquisitor Raydonn. As well as taking the schematics, prototypes and other assorted materials from him for the Verpine to look over for themselves.

(Expansions region, Bes-Ber-Bikade Sector, Epica)

Thundering SPMA artillery emplacements fired jetting streams of green cannon fire upward over the tree line and into the field far beyond. Booming explosions rocked the ground and shook the land for miles. Rockets flew back toward the SPMA's and one slammed into the cannon itself, the whole walker exploded and sent men around it flying backwards from the vehicle. A line of PX-10 wheeled ground assault vehicles rolled up toward the front of the artillery line. In each a man manned the blaster cannon, and as they reached the forward lines, they aimed down from the perched hill they were upon and fired into the valley below. The blaster bolts ripping into the soil and throwing dirt as well as burning the flesh of those the bolts ripped into.

These vehicles led the way for the tracked imperial PX-4 Mobile Command Base. All around it were scattering at least two dozen stormtroopers who ducked and fired into the valley as well as the command base made its way from the deep woods and crushed beneath its massive weight tree after tree along the way. It wheeled up close enough to observe the battlefield, but remained behind the armored column line of artillery and tracked ground assault vehicles like the PX-10's.

Around the artillery pieces and the PX-10's were many dozens of white armored troopers and a few non-trooper imperial soldiers. These were the drafted and reserves of the Empire. Men wearing armor, and what some considered even more ridiculous looking helmets with blaster rifles at their chests. Both forms of imperial troopers fired into the valley as it became more pock marked with craters and charred remains, husks of tanks and walkers as well as burnt and smoldering corpses alight with fire.

The topside entryway into the PX-4 popped open and the metal door slammed down against the metal of the top of the vehicle. Rising from within came Viathan. Clasping his binoculars, he brought them up to his eyes and looked out over the vast open valley surrounded by three hill ranges, including his, and one narrow flat region to enter it from. The Moffs were streaming in troops, walkers, and tanks from the range and firing up into the hills where he and his army had advanced on them from the forests behind the immediate hill ranges.

Three-thousand of his troopers were fighting what appeared to be seven thousand and climbing Moff troops assembling and firing back from down in the valley. So far his men had held them back with heavy artillery bombardment, from the few walkers they had left, and all his own tanks and walkers. Though twenty percent of them were gone by now, four hours into the battle. The PX-4 being his greatest asset. A thick tracked vehicle covered in a half meter thick metallic shell with reflective shielding, and sensors with computers capable of monitoring the battle with up to date responses by all ground commanders, and capable of relaying central commands back out into the field. Capable of holding seven passenger, with another maintaining driving and upkeep with a third actually working the computers and consoles within. Viathan was more or less a passenger, because he knew he would, one way or another be on the field of battle with the men. Maintaining the computers for him was none other than a very much alive and kicking commander Hoy.

Viathan, having not even bothered to ask if is Neona companions had survived found himself embarrassed when Hoy was transferred to his command. He was pleased to also hear general Veers had also survived fully intact from his AT-AT being brought down, with nothing more than a fractured wrist that was fully mended by now.

Viathan nonetheless looked out over the battlefield and observed hundreds of Moff troopers taking positions in craters, for protection, behind husks of walkers and tanks, and mount up along active walkers and tanks as they advanced forward. All the while all of them made pot shots and fired on his and his army's positions.

"We have a company with two AT-ST's moving up on our right flank, climbing up the hill." Viathan called down into the PX-4 as Hoy looked up and received Viathan's orders.

"Move the third armored battalion up from their position and meet them head on. Push them through and divert enemy concentration."

"Right away sir!" Hoy relayed the command via the command consoles. The screaming and distorted calls of the commanders and troopers on the comm system shouting on through like white noise from the transmission consoles.

Viathan followed the right and bursting from the trees came a mixed tank unit of saber class tanks and IFT-T tanks. They fired their main cannons in a vast array toward the enemy walkers who fired back in wide sprays from their own chin mounted cannons. A straight beam from three IFT-T tanks flew forward and pierced the head of one walker and it collapsed over in a dusty heap that threw up a mound of dirt. The troopers fired their meager blasters toward the tanks before breaking into runs in all directions with the tanks firing and pelting them with rocket fire. Some troopers were hit, and were quickly sent flying meters into the air with their limbs flying in various other directions.

"Draw their fire commander!" Viathan called without looking away to hear an affirmative from Hoy as he again reiterated the commands.

"I repeat, third battalion draw all enemy fire toward your position! We need to draw them off! I repeat, draw them off!" Hoy repeated with his voice rising with every repeat he was forced to make. Viathan watched the tanks as they pressed forward and down the hill deeper into Moff territory. They fired their cannons into the craters where troopers hid and shot from with their topside gunner manning the beam weapon fired deeper toward enemy advancing walkers and tanks. Viathan followed the beams and found their targets. A column of four century-class tanks and at least ten TIE maulers all firing their cannons back at his tank battalion.

"Hoy, concentrate artillery fire on the far mobile armor. About forty to forty five meters out, wild and rapid spray."

"Copy all." Hoy replied in a louder tone as enemy artillery slammed nearby and muffled his voice, even more as troopers yelled in response all around them. "All artillery batteries focus firepower, wide spray, forty, to, forty-five meters directly north of our position at command unit."Hoy spoke loudly again over the sound of warfare happening around them as it grew only louder, since Viathan held the topside opening port open as he watched the artillery barrels move into position. They swiveled and with a successive blast that sent dirt all around the PX-4 rising vast green streams flew upward and arched over from the top of the hill downward. The green blasts slammed in wild fashion across the entirety of the Moff armored column advancing on Viathan's tanks and successive clouds of smoke and fire exploded upwards as concussive shock waves boomed across the battlefield and open range up the hill and shook everybody and everything it hit.

Viathan was forced back and lowered his head from the shock wave as dirt flew passed his head and hit across his face and shoulders before he blocked his face with his arm. He coughed as the dust settled and brought the binoculars back up and shook his head. The smoke and dust rose high into the air from where the mass artillery strike had hit. Wild and aimless bolts flew back and forth between the Moffs and Imperials as did artillery blasts and other fire from armored units. Viathan snapped on the thermal setting of the binoculars and raised them to his eyes again.

The blinding bright lights of the thermal hurt his eyes at first as the searing hot bolts and fire from the armored units exploded across his vision, and the heat of all the vehicles mingled in with their rockets, or cannons firing. Looking toward where the enemy column had been advancing he was able to make out their broken and disfigured husks lying about in heaps. Many shards of scalding hot metal were spread about with several troopers dead and impaled by the metal of the machines they once used for protection and reliance upon.

"Good strike on targets." Viathan announced and nodded to himself. "Advance infantry battalions one through four along the center. Second armored walker division should advance on the left flank down into the valley. Push the third armored through the valley and cleave the Moff army position in half. Relay their positions to the advancing force and watch for friendly fire!"

"Right away sir...your friends have arrived and are waiting for you right outside the PX-4. Sir." Viathan leaned himself over to the right and saw no one, but then looked over to the left and found Zar and Grash with at least three hundred Massassi streaming on in from the woods. Spears in some hands, and big nasty blaster cannons in others.

'Nice to know they've somewhat gotten over their disdain for blasters. Even if just slightly of course.' Viathan thought in amusement.

"Alright, I'm heading down and advancing with the men and our Massassi comrades. Continue to advance all battalions as planned and we'll push the Moffs back. You have command of the field Hoy!" He saluted whilst looking up to Viathan as the boy tossed him the binoculars.

"Yes sir. Try to remain as unharmed as you can. We're all still stuck on this rock."
"Will do my best." Viathan replied as he hopped his whole body out of the open port and jumped down to the ground. It was a few meters away so he landed with a huff, and his cloak fell about him. Both his Massassi commanders closed in to meet him as the mass of armor and troops ahead of them began to advance downhill into the valley. The firing and shooting unrelenting and nonstop.

"Zar, Grash." Viathan greeted and bowed his head to them respectfully. "You'll all be with me. We're joining the forward line as it advances on the valley. Stick behind those PX-10's, or the uh, track-wheeled tanks there." Viathan yelled as the artillery blitzed out another successive round from the SPMA's. The Massassi nodded and listened in silence.

"Once we're deep in the valley, break and take out all troopers in the field wearing the insignia I showed you." Zar and Grash nodded and the Massassi warriors let loose feral, primal even roars of pure adrenaline, as they sensed the coming blood letting. Viathan smirked and motioned for them to follow after him.

Taking his two sabers in his hands he moved briskly toward the forward lines just as the PX-10's rolled on forward amid artillery strikes back and forth. Along the far left flank of the hill ten AT-ST's broke from the tree lines and opened fire on the Moff lines from afar, as the tank battalion to the right flank continued to cut a swath into the valley. Viathan and the advancing Massassi warriors reached the forward line just as the stormtrooper and regular imperial trooper battalions began to storm down the hill.

They all formed along the advancing armor as the PX-10's fired blistering fast rounds of bolts flying forward down the hill as their tracks left marks along the soil while they moved forward. The troopers ran with blasters raised and voices letting loose guttural screams and roars as they unleashed an ocean of red bolts while they ran down the hill toward the enemy. The Moffs fired artillery along the hill slope. Men flew in all directions. Pieces of them flying and at least two PX-10's exploded. The whole husk of the machine flying upward before clanking back down in a smoldering heap.

Viathan snapped both sabers to life as his Massassi roared greater than their trooper allies and dashed forward clutching their lanvaroks and feeding off the death through the Force, fueling the raw power of the dark side. The smoke began to clear and the Moff troops yelled orders to one another as they ran about the field and valley and took up positions, firing on Viathan's men and himself. Artillery cannon blasts suddenly slammed into the forward off craters being used as cover. Making them doubly as deep and doubly as wide in the process. Turning whole bodies of troopers to smoldering husks if not ash.

"Continue the charge! Bleed them white, and I'll see you there!" Viathan howled to Zar as he zipped forward with the Force aiding his legs. They slammed down upon the soil, his boots making marks upon the soil. Where he propelled himself upwards and brought both sabers above his head. Focusing the Force Viathan pulled it and 'pushed' it up his arms.

'A niman tenant is to chain Force and saber moves. Well, let's test my skills then!' Viathan sneered as he fell back to the planet's surface and with both sabers he slammed them down upon the soil, and like an erupting artillery blast, a wave of Force energy exploded in a circle outward from himself. Five Moff troopers turned toward the falling boy and made to fire, when he slammed himself down, and all four found themselves screaming and flying away from him. One slamming against a broken tank so hard his neck snapped, the other four flying so far the sheer height and force of falling killed them a well. He smirked where he landed and brought both sabers around. Slashing hard to the left he sliced through another trooper running passed him, and slung his right saber back over toward his right cleaving another trooper down his chest.

Turning around he sent a massive wave of raw and fresh power flowing from his hands. The Force pounded outward and slammed another squad of enemy troops who flew backward yelling all the way. He ran at them, both sabers hung backward and jumped over toward them. Falling down again he slammed his right saber down through one trooper who gasped and choked as the beam of energy burned through his chest and he flailed on the soil.

Viathan tore it from the ground and spun himself left. The same saber slashing across another troops chest as he fell spinning to the ground dead as well. Viathan swerved both sabers back right and both slashed down across the third, before he turned them both into shien grip and stabbed backwards into the fourth trooper. Which he easily pulled back and slashed forward into an X and the five and final troopers head flopped off his shoulders after rising from the ground.

'Now that was...easy.' Viathan smirked to himself again. The deaths of these five insignificant traitors sending a massive rush of power through him as the dark side sang in his mind and filled his body. The shelling around him was intense as both sides pounded one another with artillery, and Viathan flung himself left as cannon fire ripped into where he had been standing. Glancing up he found another enemy AT-St advancing on him.

"I'm really tired of fighting these things one on one." He groaned as he picked himself up from his kneeled position. The walker fired a burst short of its red cannons. The lasers flew forward and slammed into the ground. He tore forward like a blur of motion and swiped both sabers left and swung as he dive under and around the walker. Both sabers left burning cuts in the leg of the walker as it turned back on him, swiveling its head to fire another wide spray.

"Not deep enough." He growled as the leg remained operational. The AT-St swiveled its head, with its body meeting to match the heads position, but it fired prematurely and ripped into the ground in a wide arch toward him. He dashed left and forced it to keep on turning after him. He rounded back around and ran at the walker, but the AT-St snapped back left and stopped turning and fired on him. His eyes going wide, Viathan threw himself right and landed in another kneel as the ground where he had stood once more exploded with dirt flying upwards in all manner of directions.

He growled once more and swung his sabers in his hands. Feeling for a stronger and better grip as he did. He rose to a stand and his red eyes burned with bright hot rage as it coursed through his hot blood like gasoline lit afire!

He roared and slammed his legs down as he stomped toward the walker. Thrusting his right arm over left shoulder, he threw it spinning outward toward the walker as its head swiveled on him again. The saber hummed and split into the right eye-port and slashed through the central divide into the left and out the side of the walker. Viathan sensed those within feel fear tingle down their spines, and he fed off of it.

Taking his left handed saber into both hands he dove under the walker again and bent his knees. The Force helped and exploded, bursting him upwards and he slammed the saber up into the bottom of the walker, piercing into the gyros that allowed the head to swivel atop the legs. Freeing his left hand, he built the Force inside his arm and slammed it upward. The clang and rip of metal was a welcome sound as his left metal hand then ripped into the underbelly of the walker, and he could pull the saber from within the AT-ST.

Curling his left hand to grip the inside of the metal and allow him to hang onto the walker, Viathan deactivated his second saber and brought freed his right hand, after clipping the saber back to his belt. The walker head turned left and right again and again looking for him, but seemingly gave up as it moved up some and fired back toward the imperial tank battalion on the right flank.

"Good little morons. Fire on the tanks as I take good care of you." Viathan whispered and extended his right out as he hung like a piece of dangling clot from beneath the walker. He curled his hand in and felt the Force as it wrapped around the head of the AT-ST, but he did not move it, didn't crush it either. He just grasped it, or more aptly caressed it in his undetectable grip.

"Come on...come on you karking schutta." Viathan seethed through grit teeth as his left arm ached from gravity pulling him downward. The walker then opened fire, and he slammed his right arm to the left and he head jerked with it and fired its blistering bout of fire back into the Moff ranks and slammed into a backward line. Striking a Moff ammo dump. Viathan reeled, not expecting it, nor the heat that exploded outward as a mass fireball erupted upward. Men screamed through the helmets as they were engulfed in the immense explosion. They're bodies shortly thereafter being mutilated and burned by the sheer heat, and from being too close. Likely reloading from all the firing they had done.

Viathan could sense the horror from those inside the walker and when he could open his eyes again, and the slight ringing in his ears died down, he finally released his free left hand and allowed himself to fall to the grassy valley soil below.

A huff escaped passed his dry lips and he called his first saber, which had fallen to the ground, back to him. Its unactivated hilt flew into his hand, which he caught and he stood once more underneath and between the legs of the AT-ST walker. It swiveled its head unsure what to do, and Viathan once again smirked. Snapping both sabers back to life in a hiss of power. He slammed himself right and stabbed both sabers into the same damaged leg as before. The twin beams of energy burning and powering their sways through the metal. The molten scrap left by the sabers slowly falling off, with Viathan subtly moving his arms to miss it. Until finally with a grunt he snapped both through the leg. A metal crack and whine sounded around him, and Viathan gripped the now detached foot with the Force and flung it out. It slammed and spun across the soil and dirt, and Viathan jumped backwards from the walker. It staggered and began to fall forward to the right of its missing foot and slammed into the ground. The head collapsed where he fell and the impact of metal on the ground left another cracking noise exploding through the air.

Through the Force, Viathan could easily sense the death of one of those who was within, the other sent through the Force in waves quite clearly his pain. Viathan sneered and turned away from the fallen walker.

"Let him suffer."

The battle raged between the two sides. Viathan could see his tanks cutting a diagonal slice through the Moff forces. They were, however, being pincered on both sides. Moffs trying to break the cut and aid those forces nearer to the Imperials, with those Moff troops closer to the imperials firing and fighting to breach a hole back to their command and reinforcements.

By now the PX-10's were trailing their way forward and firing on the trapped Moff troopers. Hundreds of his own troops moving up alongside them and firing and ducking and then repeat. A line of Moff troopers fired back on his troops and bolts seared into, splintered and brought down several dozen of his troopers as the PX-10's fired barrages of repeating bolts against them in kind.

Viathan ran across the fire free field. His right most saber blocking stray bolts, and they were many, that came too close to hitting him. He made his way around the back of one of the PX-10's as it opened fire in a spray against more Moff troops and the pelting sound of bolts hitting its forward metal platting resounded over and over.

"Lieutenant!" Viathan called over as an officer wielding a blaster pistol stuck his back Against the PX-10 he was behind. Red bolts flew between the gaps of the armored vehicles.

"Commander Viathan sir! We've lost three walkers, and the other seven are pinned, two are damaged but still firing! The tanks cannot hold off the Moffs on the opposite end for much longer!" Viathan appreciated the immediate report given without demand and nodded as he held his sabers close and leaned his back against his own PX-10 that he took cover behind.

His breath came out in deep pants as the adrenaline rush faded only for a new one to take its place. The sights, smells, and sounds of the battle clogging his senses, and causing his instincts to erupt in fear and chaos within him. The Force bristled with electrifying power around him, and he pulled it to him with the dark side. His teeth ground together as rage boiled from deep within. As his master taught him. He allowed images, and sounds, memories of the past to bubble to his surface thoughts in slow waves. It made his hands grasp around his hilts with tight rage as his body began to shake. A new flood of energy and power burst into him once more.

"Lieutenant!" The officer fired his pistol around the corner, but recoiled as a flurry of bolts pelted where it had been and a trooper on the other end of his PX was split into by at least ten bolts. His body flying back dead.

"Where are the Massassi warriors?!" The officer scanned around and seemed unsure for a moment as his eyes wince. Either from thought or the abrasive sounds, Viathan wasn't wholly sure.

"They're uh, advancing left, with the second battalion sir!" Viathan nodded his gratitude, and bound his way across the line behind the PX-10's the bolts flying way missing again and again as he ran with the Force as his ally. He bound way into the open areas again. The slope of the hill now before his boots as he ran along it. His men still ran down it as it was pelted with masses of bolts and artillery fire from far back the Moff line. He dove under and over bolts as they fired at him, and finally he caught sight of the red warriors along with normal Imperial troops hiding behind the small column of PX-10's who had become static in place out of inability to continue to move forward.

A great gap opened between the last group of PX-10's and the ones the Massassi were forming up along. Troopers on the Imperial side streamed down the hill in the gap, but the Moffs were easily capable of firing down wave after wave, and caused Viathan to curse as both troopers and reserve army units fell in droves. Even as they fired running down the hill toward the off troops. The Moffs on their part used mobile cover and far back artillery emplacements fired and marred the soil along the hill. Killing even more imperial troops as time went on.

Viathan kept stomping his booted feet, one after the other as he ran and bolts flew pass, and over him. He finally flung himself forward and landed in a roll that hurt his head, but he shoved it aside. A Massassi flung to hit him, after being startled, but quickly tensed his muscles to stop himself. Instead he bowed his head and grumbled lowly and humbly toward Viathan who rose up to a full stand.

"Lord!" he heard Zar's voice. The Massassi warrior ran over and moved aside his kin. The pelting of the PX-10 and calls of soldiers all around dying muddling every syllable.

"The enemy drains our men! We cannot contend with this fight further." Zar concluded. Viathan sneered but peered out around the PX-10. A flurry of bolts slamming and forcing his head to reel back, much as the lieutenant from before had.

"We fight Zar, as do your kin. Afraid of a hard fight, or death even, my friend?" Viathan asked with a cocked brow and the gathered Massassi all growled and roared in offense as Zar barred his teeth and growled along with them.

"I fear for nothing but failing our lord, and his second, lord." He retorted and Viathan nodded.

"Then, if you're so keen on calling me lord, see me as one, and my orders! I need your cannon wielding kin with me, as we lead the charge! If we don't break this endless assault all those damn troopers will be dead and it'll just be us left." The Massassi turned to see the troopers running down the hill into the gaps, the smarter ones behind the tanks or walkers beyond. They were being torn to pieces. As it convinced the gathered Massassi once more of the uselessness of these soldiers.

So Zar bowed his head and conceded, and Viathan turned again to look out toward the Moffs. A mass of their troopers were now firing on him and his advancing lines, as another group fired on the Imperial tank battalion cutting the valley and army in half. Viathan snapped his comm up and hushed his Massassi comrades. Though it was of little use with everything else making thunderous noises all about.

"Hoy."
"Yes commander." His voice was still raised as Viathan could hear the battle reverberate where Hoy and the PX-4 was stationed.

"We got troops running down the bloody hill and getting their backsides skewered by bolts and artillery fire. The tanks have completed their objective, but no one can advance under this kind of suppressive fire."
"What do you need commander?" Hoy asked coolly in reply.

"Another artillery barrage. This one has to be a bit more specific. You need to get these guys pinned, or at the least throw up so much dirt ad dust they give me and the boys a break."

"Right, what's the target commander?" Viathan peered again, even as the blaster bolts were assured to head for him the minute he did. Indeed as he did several dozens bolts slammed into the metal of the PX-10 and singed the metal. Rolling his crimson eyes he brought the comlink back to his mouth.

"Track the position of the PX-10 column advancing on the left of the forward moving tracked units. Order the artillery units to fire on the Moff lines five meters ahead of our relative positions! Order all advancing troops if they can even dare try, to cease moving until the barrage stops. Then we brute force it, human wave tactics. Understood commander?!" Viathan called as a rocket flew overhead and zipped into the hill. Sending four troopers running down the hill exploding away in various bits and parts as their agonized screams filled the air.

"Understood, firing for maximum effect in ten seconds!" Viathan nodded and shut the comlink off as he ordered the Massassi to lower themselves for added protection. The Moffs fired as they did, and Viathan's troops fired back in wild and rapid, but aimless display. Until finally the loud successive cracking of artillery rung out through the valley. The green streams of the cannons blasts lit the valley. Where they then quickly flew through the air in an arch as troopers on both sides paused.

"Artillery, spread out! Spread out!" Viathan heard a Moff order and the order was repeated by running and staggering men, but all he could do was smirk a thin smile once more. As no less than a few seconds after that feeble call the green balls of mass energy slammed down across the whole region of the valley several feet before him, him Massassi, men, and the PX-10's.

Dust and dirt immediately flooded over and passed the tanks where they sat silently. The blasts leaving a momentary lull in the battle in eery silence. Viathan rose from his slight crouched stance and snapped both, once more deactivated sabers, back to life and felt his body race with anticipation.

"Cannon wielders, you are free to fire at will. Everybody else, on me." The delighted grunts of the Massassi wielding massive repeating blaster cannons was funny to Viathan's ears, with the groups of savage Massassi warriors wielding their lanvaroks forming beside and behind where he readied himself to whip around the edge and run head first into these treasonous swine.

"Alright...now!" Viathan twisted around the side of the PX-10 and following after him came ten howling Massassi brutes. They slammed their arms down as they hoisted up the repeater cannons. With a slam of their clawed thumbs down upon the triggers vast torrents of spinning red blaster bolts shot forward into the mist. The screams and grunts, cries in the death throws of troopers being hit and falling down dead hit Viathan's ears like the greatest orchestra ever played. His red sabers hummed and he blasted head first into the dirt around as the call and roars of his troopers sounded out like some crazed ancient horde as they stormed down the hills once more, and joined their blasters, with those of the Massassi and PX-10's. A great wave of blistering red energy came again and again into the dust rising from the scathed and burnt soil. All the while, with beating red, almost pulsating red crimson eyes, Viathan bounded into the dust and allowed the dark side to guide his actions.

He seethed a sharp roar as he spun his sabers and slashed through an unseen foe. Pausing and thrusting both up to the right and through his neck, and back left with both slashing down two more troops in a wide arch of his sabers, as his shoulders and back burned with his rapid and rage fueled movements. Slamming right through another he jumped back as bolts ripped passed him, and sent a wave of energy to his left. The Force whirled like a funnel through the dust and dirt as it flew around his blast of energy and tossed unseen men back against the ground in bone breaking speeds.

The Massassi firing the cannons arrived and stood shoulder to shoulder with each other whee they ran to. Grash ran from behind and let loose a mighty roar and the Massassi once more released a wide and unified spray of cannon fire, piercing and ripping into the Moffs through the uplifted soil as it slowly began to dissipate. The Moffs were running about and some feebly shooting back. Dozens of their men were ripped into, flung left and right or backwards as bolts slammed into and through them. Their flesh becoming burnt and cleaved by the hot bolts.

The PX-10's across the valley moved forward on their tracked wheels and seared their own mounted cannons into the Moff lines as the men mounted onto them fired in teeth shattering ferocity with the cannon shaking their very bodies. The AT-ST's advanced again from the left and fired down into their cut-off lines. Their cannons sent men slamming across the field, as the tanks of the empire could know focus on repelling the Moffs advancing to relieve their comrades now cut off to them.

Viathan with a clenched jaw kicked a trooper back and slashed his saber right through another and swung his left across and under the shoulder of a trooper to his left, before blocking an errant bolt. It flew back, and struck the croaking trooper in the helmet. Sending the man flying back dead, while Viathan stepped above the kicked trooper and stabbed his sabers down into his form. He flinched his body at the sudden blistering attack before falling back dead.

Throwing both arms over the other shoulder, Viathan swung them back out and unleashed both sabers flying through the air curling up and over, then back down as they both flew from left to right and right to left. A flurry of confused men firing at he and his Massassi didn't see the crimson blades as they hummed through the air and cleaved one into the other. Before they both flew back to opposite hands and Viathan caught both easily whilst never ceasing to move forward.

Zar, Grash and the blade wielding Massassi pounded their toned legs upon the ground and were covered from near by their cannon wielding can and afar by the troopers of the empire as they made their way forward. Their bodies sang with pounding blood and list to ravage and kill these troopers, these pathetic lowly soldiers who opposed their lord, their dark lord. Their living god! Exar Kun, and his servant Viathan. They sought to run, dig and claw their blades into their flesh and armor, wring their hewn bodies for all to see, and they would!

Mighty and many roars flooded through the air as Massassi, with blades and spears drawn fell upon the Moff troopers. One slammed his spear upward and slammed the spiked tip through the chest of a trooper. Piercing armor, and causing the man to gargle and go limp, as the Massassi beast slammed him back to the ground and twisted his staff. Yanking it out of the limp figure, with blood spattering from the end of the spear, a lustful roar of victory escaped the great lungs of the warrior, as he slammed his lanvarok spear to the right. The ax end slamming into the arm and through it into the hip of a second man. He flew to the ground in a gargling blood splattering death.

Another warrior jumped over a fallen corpse with saber wounds and slashed a blade, a sword, down upon a Moff firing to the right. The man turned and screamed as he made to aim his blaster, but the body of the Massassi was upon him! The blade cleaved into the left shoulder and teared down into the neck of him. Blood spurted forth and splattered across the chest of the Massassi warrior. The beast pulled the blade, and cut it across the man more as he spun and fell to the ground. The Massassi flung the sword back over his head and slammed down, splitting open the back of the very much already dead man.

The brute breathed in deep rumbles and ran upon another trooper running the blade up and through the man. Lifting him high into the air and flinging his body aside and off the blade. Over a hundred Massassi ran forward and all of them hacked and slashed upon the men, as Viathan led the charge. Stabbing a saber through one trooper, and slashing through the neck of a second before spinning sending two away with an explosion of the Force and spinning around with a small jump, slashing both down across another troopers neck.

Massassi wearing light armor were shot by the Moff troops, and shrugged off the bolts. Pausing and looking toward their burning wounds, the beasts would rise back up with guttural roars and charge again. Even harder, faster, and with clear intent to rip the man apart.

The PX-10's rolled forward and the men gunning at the top made sure to aim and fire beyond the Massassi. Lest they too incurred their wrath. Or that of commander Viathan. The boy slammed his left saber into a mans chest as he swiped up his right saber into another. Yanked his left away and slashed it across another trooper ahead of him, with the right saber stabbing into another. As he and the Massassi slashed, and hacked their way toward the tank lines. They were being bombarded from the Moffs. Their artillery pieces and tanks slamming around the battalion as they sought to keep the majority of the Moff army in the valley pinned while Viathan and his troops massacred those too close to the hills and cut off.

All he could see was red. His heart was pounding so hard he thought his chest was about to explode, and he could hear his heart in his temples. His walk was a smooth and calm one forward while his saber wielding arms fell into an almost trance like state of autopilot. Viathan felt his breath grow heavy and deep, the dark side swirling around him and entering him. The deep bellowing of his Massassi comrades filling him with an unknown vigor, as thy ripped and tore into these treasonous rodents!

'Yes...kill them all. One by one. But remain calm...remain...cam.' He released a breath through grit teeth as he focused his mind. So narrowly he almost had tunnel vision. Kill, kill, kill, and kill some more were all that went into his mind. All that he could hear. It didn't matter to him at all, what happened around so long as these men died here and now! So long as he achieved a victory. For his master, and himself.

Slashing left another fell and slashing right a second fell. Both sabers then flew upwards from under his arms and slashed across three more, and Viathan paused. Before him, was an IFT-T tank firing on the opposite end. He shook his head and turned. His brow was creased and furrowed and confusion ran through him.

"How did I..?" Viathan found himself behind the Moffs by at least several feet as the Massassi and trooper continued to pound their way through toward the tank line. Viathan allowed his eyes to drop to the ground where a trail of bodies, over forty, perhaps fifty were sprawled about. The smell of burning flesh and armor filling his nose as the stench of meta rose through the whole valley by the massacring of Moff troops by his Massassi.

His breath still heavy and coming out in waves, Viathan gripped his sabers close, but noted that none of the Moff troops noticed him. The ones firing uselessly on his tanks from this side of the battlefield had given that up and now joined in firing on the Massassi and loyalist forces. His mind racing with thoughts, Viathan lowered his sabers and as his chest still rose and fell with great heaves, he deactivated them and clasped both hilts to his belt.

The Moffs still flooded in masses of their useless traitors. The Massassi were gutting and cutting their swath into the force. A few of their number falling to sheer brute force by Moff overpowering them with masses of blaster bolts. The troopers neared. Guided by the PX-10's and also neared but hundreds were already dead on his own part.

Turning his head right, Viathan found a broken down AT-ST. Likely one of his, as the others were in the distance firing beyond his position and beyond the tanks into the vaster army. Closing his crimson eyes, he drew the dark side into him and focused. Focused on how to kill as many of these pathetic traitors here and now.

Then, as he opened his eyes again, and his face contorted into a calm and cool, sneer. Viathan raised his right arm, and let the power of the dark side flow outward from himself as death reigned about him. The shaking of the air was palpable as a gust of power seemingly spiked through the valley. He raised his right arm further and curled his fingers together into his palm. The fallen body of the AT-ST shook and cracked as the Force closed in around it, but he did not crush it too much. No, he merely grasped it in his hand as he would his saber hilt. Firm, but not too overpowering as to crush his saber with his left hand.

His teeth clenched and his arm trembled and with a focus of his rage outward and a deep low rumbling growl, Viathan watched the limp body of the AT-ST rise into the air. Higher and higher it climbed. The legs dangling to one side and the head to the other as gravity fought against the unseen power from Viathan to bring it back to the soil below. He strained his muscles as the weight of the AT-ST felt like it was upon he himself where he stood, and yet still he forced his arm to rise until he had it high enough. Several troopers near to the wreck turned slowly at the sight with frozen awe. Even as the imperial loyalists fired on them and Massassi neared.

"Now...this...is the fun part!" He seethed, as his eyes flashed brighter and redder than before, and bringing his left arm up in the same motion as the right, Viathan groaned and finally he howled. Shoving both arms left with the mighty roar escaping and as the Force exploded from him, the AT-ST remains slammed left across his field of vision. It slammed downward and crushed those awestruck troopers first. Crushing both armor and bone, before it flipped and pinned at least ten more in various places. On heads that exploded, arms were crushed, and legs torn from the body, as Viathan sent another wave of energy from the right, to the left into the walker as it picked up speed again and flipped into the air. Crashing down and crushing another seven men, as it left deep penetrating scars in the dirt.

Another roared escaped from him and his heart pounded harder than ever before! Adrenaline bounded through him and the dark side swelled around him. Darkness clawed at his vision. While screams and yells from trooper to trooper to run sounded off. They paused to stare in terror as the behemoth of a walker, its charred husk, slammed time and again down, back into the air, crushed their allies, and then again and again. Turning his whole body to the left, Viathan gathered the Force into him again with a mighty upwards heave of his arms. Visceral electric power it felt like coursed through him as the Force sung in his mind! He shoved both outward and the AT-ST was impacted with great, trembling and unseen force once more. This time bending and cracking metal as it flew through the air and slammed again and again against the ground. Rolling and crushing and doing so time and again killing Moff after Moff, as they cried out in fear and terror, before feeling their lives literally crushed out of them.

Then, Viathan finally with a final shiver climbing up his back threw his arms back down to his sides. The AT-ST husk, not drenched in blood and scattering bodies, or parts of them, continued to fly and smash into the ground over ad over again. His breathing was ragged again as he tried to contain himself. His hands fell to his knees and he became hunched over as his stomach felt tied into a knot. Corpses lined the field. Many dozens of them brutally crushed under the body of an already downed war machine. The air stunk of some metallic substance, and Viathan nearly retched from the many new and horrid smells that met his senses all at once. He felt like his eyes would burn as a musty dank smell rose around them into the air and cascaded everyone in a distinct aroma of death. A hand flew to his mouth as his stomach lurched but he forced it down, and hardened his mind as well as his gut.

'I'm here. We're here!' He self corrected as he glanced upwards to see the Massassi slaughtering the last of the baffled and stunned Moff troops in their way, and the troopers advanced on all sectors with the lines thinned. The PX-10's moved forward and the artillery along the hill maintained a steady stream of back lines fire. While the tank battalion right behind him maintained fire on the Moff bulk beyond.

The victorious roars of the Massassi grew louder as they neared. The red brutes fell upon the fallen men and without hesitation or second thought they plunged their spears and swords down into the flesh of the scattered and mutilated, downed men.

Zar ran toward him with Grash beside him and the two Massassi bowed before him.

"A great feat lord. To kill so many with a single stroke." Zar congratulated. Grash nodded along with his kin. Viathan took in a deep inhale of breath and forced himself back to a full standing position.

"We shall see." Viathan intoned lowly as the bulk of the Massassi warrior legion made its way up toward where Zar and Grash stood as the troopers fell in upon the Moff troops that remained active this side of the tank cut off.

"Now I want you to take your warriors along the-" The beeping of his comlink distracted Viathan and he, with a great sigh, snatched the device from his belt and activated it bringing it to his lips.

"Commander Viathan here." A sudden burst of nonsense sound came from the little communications device and Viathan sharply moved it away as the Massassi looked on quizzically. "Speak up, you're garbled by background noise. Repeat last message!" Viathan cried as he covered his left ear and held the comm to his right with the tanks right behind him firing rapidly into the Moff army.

"Commander! You have an enemy force advancing on..." Hoy's voice became garbled again before cutting back in. "...position has been compromised! Recommend immediate retreat, now!" Viathan scowled and turned around. He glanced between the tanks to see a massive Moff battalion approach, behind them cam several AT-ST's.

"We can handle th-" Viathan felt the Force spike through his body. Craning his neck upwards he heard a familiar screech from above. His crimson eyes grew wide and he thrashed around and threw his arms back toward the hills.

"Move back now! Run!" The Massassi looked confused but did as told and roared in their language to move away, as Viathan bounded back toward the hills. Above them came the familiar descending screeches of the TIE's as a wing of bombers dove downward. The tank line broke as they made turns back toward the hills. Fire from enemy tanks, artillery and walkers met them as the TIE's added their bombs to the assault and with a mighty crack the ground shook. Tank after tank exploded in a fiery blaze as more smoke and dirt was trust upwards into the air over the valley.

Already disoriented Moff troops were tossed to the ground while imperial troops were thrown backwards back toward the hills where they had arrived. Viathan was thrown to the ground and onto his face. The Massassi mostly held their ground while a few fell to their knees.

His vision was darkened, and the world was blurry around him. Viathan groaned out a breath as he opened his eyes to see grass and his arm sprawled out further away. Saber hilts in hands still. He shook himself and rose to his knees as his body ached, and a ringing in his ears muffled the sound of yelling troops and tanks exploding. He wearily recognized the blaring of his comlink again, and with a shaky left arm he clipped his saber to the belt and grasped the little device and brought it up to his face again.

"Yeah?" Was all he could whimper from his mouth. He coughed with smoke choking the air and billowing around in all directions.

"Commander Viathan!" Hoy called through, and Viathan shook himself to try and regain some clarity of mind.

"Yes Hoy? I'm still here." He forced himself to push upwards, and rose to a shaky stand. Around him he could see the IFT-T's and saber class tanks of his battalion moving back toward the hill. The topside gunners firing their laser cannons backwards against a likely resurgent, and advancing Moff force.

"The bombers have cleared the tank battalion from the cutoff! The whole karking Moff army is advancing! I strongly recommend and immediate retreat sir! We cannot hope to fend off the whole army and contend with the bombers!" Hoy's shaky and obviously anxiety ridden voice hollered over the background sound of the artillery pieces firing.

Viathan turned and through the smoke as it gust around him he could hear the sound of approaching forces and walkers. His men fired randomly into the dust again, as did all the tanks units including the PX-10's, while the Massassi only slowly fell back and kept low. The repeater cannons held by some of the Massassi were being fired as well in vast sprays.

"Where are our anti-air emplacements?"
"We don't have any with us commander! They were all blown to bits when the Moffs trapped us here and we retreated into hiding in the forests!" Viathan groaned with a mixed in growl as he began to take a step backwards from the battle as well.

"Then...order the karking retreat! All battalions are to return to the forest and make for camp along the given routes. I don't care if they don't have the range either, order those gunners on the IFT-T's to fire their topside cannon to aim at those bomber when they make another pass. Get those artillery pieces moving Hoy, we'll need them to last until we get off the planet!"
"Copy all sir. Make your retreat now!" Viathan cursed and clasped the comlink to his belt as he glanced around to find Zar. When he did find the Massassi brute, the warrior slammed his shoulder against a Moff trooper running from the dust toward the hills. He fell to the ground and brought his arms up in a feeble defense as Zar slammed his lanvarok down into and through his chest then back out and down into his gut. A gruesome and soon bloody sight.

"Zar!" the Massassi turned toward Viathan with a feral toothy grin and heavy breathing. "All warriors are to retreat! We shall live to fight another day my friend!" The Massassi growled in displeasure but nodded and fell into a set of roars and calls that forced the other Massassi to look in annoyance toward the Moffs, but they finally began their own retreat back toward the hills. Luckily, Viathan thought, for them it was easy as the Moffs pounded the retreating walkers and tanks as they slowly drudged their way back toward the hills leading to the forests as well. Despite what he had ordered, Viathan could hear and then feel as the ground shook his artillery pieces firing randomly at the advancing Moff horde. He could also feel swathes of men dying and their echoes of death bounded through the Force.

'I suppose Hoy will move them soon enough. At least he better is all I know.' Viathan thought as he then too began to make his way back toward the hills. His legs carried him fast and briskly as they radiated with discomfort and the puncture holes and dead bodies forced him to jump carefully to the open soil. Lest he fall or slip. The blistering and endless bolts firing from the Moffs brought down man after man around him as his troopers wildly dashed to safety. The Massassi, being the muscled brutes that they were, pounded their way to the hill even before Viathan and clawed their ways back up and many made it back into the forest, with some falling here and there to hails of blaster fire.

The teen cursed under his breath with grit teeth while following his men and Massassi back up the hill. His boots and feet twisting with his legs into awkward positions to stay on the hill and meander back up it. The hails of bolts and tanks fire tossed him aside and crumpling back down upon the hill several times before he finally made it back up. It was as he did that he found the artillery to finally be making its way back into the forest.

"Hoy, tell me the sniper nests are still where we posted them?"

"Yes commander, they'll be there until you say otherwise."
"Good. Keep it that way." Viathan nodded to himself as he turned back toward the valley. He knew, along with Hoy, that the Moffs, if they had been victorious, would drive the Empire back into the forests where they had arrived from.

'That's where the snipers will have their fun.' Viathan thought in dark humor as the Moff armies, vast numbers of troopers and spread out walkers and tanks, approached the hill. His men were still clawing and dying their way back up the hills around them, and Viathan knew the artillery had to make their escape back into the forest. The Moffs were already going to have an easy time following the trails made by the tanks and walkers. He didn't need them to take out his artillery too.

He scowled as he took a small step back toward the valley from the hill drop off, and felt the wind whip around himself. The bombers zoomed overhead and they slammed a line of successive explosive bomb blasts across a nearby hill to his left. He smashed his hands into fists and once more felt his rage swell from deep inside his chest and crawl along his spine. Again his breath became heavy and labored. His troopers ran passed him as they reached the hilltop. Several reached him and made to run by as well. Only for a stream of bolts to slam into them. Their arm, several in the back and their heads before they all went sprawling downward into the ground and mud dead.

So, he took another step forward and let the rage mount. He let it boil and simmer deep again, until it brimmed and begged for a release as his whole body shook.

"Focus my rage...focus my rage." He repeated as his jaw became set and grit. The sound and feeling of teeth scratching against one another dreadfully reverberating in his ears. Raising his right hand forward and outstretching his palm to face the enemy army nearing them, Viathan funneled his power and his rage. Surging up through him and traveling through his arm he felt his rage burst on through and with a final low rumbling growl that exploded into a one forceful cry, Viathan unleashed a blinding Force blast.

A seeming beam of light exploded from him and a pulse blew from around him. The dark side screeching in pleasure it felt like, as the pure energy beam flew down into the army. The beam slammed into the soil, and like a blast from a turbolaser, or great bomb from above, dozens of men flew into the air. All of them screaming many of them dead though. The sheer power and impact of the dark side slaying them one way or another.

His body pulsing with rage and power with his vision blurring and senses dulling, he numbly threw out his left arm and another pulse of power exploded and slammed down into the Moff army. Many more dozens flying as they neared the hill. His right arm pulsed out again and the power impacted against an enemy AT-ST. The walker stumbled back while its leg was raised and fell backwards against the soil in a crack and heap. Again with his left and then right, and back to left to right. Over and over again until finally Viathan felt his energy drain and his arms slumped back down to his sides and he took in a deep breath as if he hadn't been breathing the entire time. Glancing upwards with eyelids halfway closed he could see the Moffs slowing their approach. Feverishly their troopers were looking for something. Likely whatever 'weapon,' had just slaughtered at the very least a hundred men.

"Weapon. Yes that fits. That fits really well with what I am. Treasonous filth." Viathan spat with a low and nearly slurred voice. His body was tired and he felt as if he had had pushed against a stardestroyer loaded with AT-AT's. His men and their vehicles began digging their way back on through into the forest. The IFT-T's fired their beam cannons upwards into the skies and the bombers seemed to steer clear of them and away from the forest out of sheer precaution. It was as he noticed this that Viathan finally turned and slumped his way toward the forest. Brushing passed bushes and trees, as he heard soft sounds from afar from the Moff approach, and a small smirk came across his face as he couldn't wait for them to come across his snipers. As they awaited among the trees and deep foliage. For now though, he needed to reorganize his bloodied and now weakened army.

"Kark my life." Was all he, or anyone could really say really.

(Rhommamool, Three-Days Later)

"The Moffs are moving along the left and center. The right is pulling away our forces and tying up resources. My lord Vader, I recommend a heavy bombardment of that position along their flank to allow for a quick strike into their center, and commit ourselves to a pincer maneuver." Vader nodded idly and looked over the holoboard. The projecting light above the table endlessly reconfiguring the small figures that moved beneath it in their holographic representation. General Brashin stood opposite of the dark lord and leaned himself toward the table. A distinct furrow along his brow as he looked down to the same board.

The Moff army in question was holding the largest mineral processing plant for the vast planetary mining operations, hostage. Five divisions of their military guarded it with a passion. While seven Imperial divisions assaulted their defenses. Risking such a close proximity bombing attack on the right flank of the Moffs would possibly take many loyal troopers with them. Then again, Vader cocked his head to the side subtly, it would open a hole for the assaulting force to break on through and cut a swath through the defending units. Linking up with the other moving allies on the left, and cage thousands of Moffs for an easy massacre.

"The cons of using a bombing run to blast open a hole for trooper movement on the right outweighs the pros, general Brashin. Artillery is of the same vein. What we require is for a breakthrough on the front lines themselves." Vader nodded to himself as he thought aloud. Brashin sighed low, but nodded with his lords decision. Malcor's eyes glanced back and forth over the board looking for a solution.

"We could move a walker battalion from the reserves up and make a blitz breakthrough and flush the division both left and right behind the enemy lines."
"That would weaken the division and overextend our assault positions. What is the situation concerning our planet side commando units, or other special force units?" Brashin looked to his right and moved aside several datapads before he picked one up and skimmed through it.

"Five squads of Imperial Commandos are on planet, but four are all in operations as advance teams in several mines. The last is, as we speak, moving against the Moff base and attempting to find the planetary Moff commander. We have yet to identify or kill whoever it is, as you know my lord."
"Indeed I am." Vader acknowledged and seemed to pace very slowly before the board. It showed several explosions blast near to their allied walkers advancing and spraying the Moff lines on the left as the right refused to move. The front lines of the battle becoming quite lopsided from this top-down view they had.

Another officer approached and began to whisper something to general Brashin, and Vader ignored him as he continued to look down and think on the battle.

"If we move from viewing the right flank as a part of a wider front, and more as a front all its own. I believe we could begin to formulate an operation to soften the flanks to allow for a breakthrough that we could widen until the whole line falls. For the wider initiative that should work well enou-"

"My lord, if you'll forgive me." Vader was cut off, and he glanced up toward Malcor with an unseen glare. He didn't much care for being cut off by his subordinates. Brashin seemed to feel his lords anger and raised his hands to hopefully placate him, and show subservience.

"I have just been informed that we have two developments underway. The first being that the attacking fleet over Epica has been routed in the Bes-Ber-Bikade sector. The relief fleet could not break through and the breakout offensive committed by commander Viathan has failed. Four days ago in fact, and since then three more attempts have been made with similar results of great Moff casualties but little results for the planetary forces trapped there." Vader sighed lowly, as to not allow the sound to come out of his mask and sound odd.

'Great. Another fleet beaten at the planet, and Kun's apprentice is still trapped there!'

"Who is in command of the Moff fleet?"

"We are once again, unaware milord. Whoever they are, they are quite effective at both offensive and defensive operations. Should I send a message out of a recommendation of a second reserve fleet to attack Epica? Or even recall commander Viathan's fourteenth fleet from Roona to relieve their commander?"

"No, that would risk what is likely to be a victory there. The sector is also now low on reserves for attack." Vader paced again, and folded his arms across his chest. Malcor nodded and clasped his hands behind his back as he glanced down to the battle and then back to Vader a few times in silence.

"I will decide what to do in time. What is the second topic general?" Malcor cleared his throat and quickly thereafter swallowed hard as he repositioned himself where he stood.

"We have made a significant breakthrough on the right flank." Behind his mask Vader felt his eyes brows rise curiously but a sense of triumph ripped through him.

"That is excellent news." Vader intoned deeply and lowly as to not show any sign of elation. Then, a thought went through him, and the Sith lord paused. Even Malcor seemed to 'sense,' the Sith lord have the thought go through his mind.

"Why did you wait to tell me this general? The battle in a far off sector is of importance, but this is far more pertinent. Would you not say?" General Brashin nodded but he seemed highly agitated and uneasy.

"A breach was form in the line. Two companies of stormtroopers broke through along the left of the line itself. They were...taken under the wing of a ground commander. She...has led them through the breach and is now pushing deeper as the breach widens, into enemy lines." Vader felt his body tense and his anger suddenly brim. His eyes closed behind his mask and he felt his teeth grind. A growling sigh escaping him as he did.

"By chance...general," he lowly grumbled. "this ground commander would not happen to be my own daughter. Now would she?" General Brashin stared ahead toward lord Vader. His face devoid of any humor. Of course it would have been suicide to joke on such a matter with the supreme commander anyways. But, Vader had the faintest desire for it to be some terribly ill conceived joke on the general's part. Though he could feel it to be the opposite.

"N...no my lord. The princess took the fight to the enemy on her own volition. She claimed authority over the company commanders, and has since breached the right flank. To, might I add, great success and results. She is quite..."
"Stubborn, and impulsive!" The dark lord exploded, and Malcor jerked back where he stood and stiffly nodded in agreement. Even if the general was impressed with her progress.

"Order the fifteenth division through the breach in full and to leave not one Moff standing!" the dark lord demanded as he stomped on passed Malcor who nodded.

"Yes my lord. May I ask where you'll be?"
"I shall be heading to the breach to handle the situation personally." General Brashin nodded again as Vader briskly stomped on out of the room. Leaving general Brashin to shiver and allow a deep sigh of relief to flood from his mouth. He rubbed his forehead and began to place the order to the fifteenth division to follow Vader's orders. All the while shaking his head.

"Being the child of Darth Vader. Must be quite the story to tell." He lightly chuckled. Awkwardly so at that, and went about watching the battle unfold.

---

A bolt flew back and slammed into a Moff trooper. The red searing bolt slammed into his helmet and his head lurched back as a light gasp escaped him. The man flew back as his blaster was flung up into the air. His grip having loosened as he fell backwards. He, a one trooper among thousands slammed to the ground against the dirty soil beneath him. Sending a small dust cloud flying upwards from around his now dead form.

Leia spun her saber before herself and felt her mouth twitch. She fought against it, but a smirk threatened to curl along her features at sensing the troopers death. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the death both exhilarated and scared her.

"Since when do I like death? What the kriff is wrong with me?" She intoned to herself. She swung around left and slashed her saber across her own form. Another blaster bolt flew upwards into the sky and safely away from her figure. She dashed on forward. Her robes flying behind her, and she slashed from her left, up right. The crimson blade has seamlessly sliced through another trooper as his body slumped into two portions.

The Force grew darker and she felt stronger with every death that came through upon the field. Leia held no doubt that her eyes were glowing the bright yellow that she had come accustomed to seeing. A snarling beast of glowering eyes. One that ravaged and tore through armies and valleys. She had learned much from her father. Much of the Force, and its raw power. Much in the form of a lightsaber and how to wield one. Yet, she refused to surrender her calm and her mind. The dark side or not, Leia knew who she was and what she desired to stay.

She glanced left as a troupe of Moff soldiers ran forward. Their armor clanking with their sets as they ran. They came to a sudden stop and aimed their blasters down, and fired on several of the soldiers she had led into the breach she had blown open herself for her father's armies. She sneered coolly, and extended her left hand outward. She felt a shivering thrill travel from her spine down her arm, and with a burst of crackling power, streams of lightning flew outward from her fingertips. It was a simplistic way of saying it, but it was essentially what was being done. Her body pulsed with its raw electrifying power as the bolts buzzed through the air and smashed into the Moff troops who had turned to look upon the sudden noise and burst of brilliant light. Far too late to do anything as well. They screamed and they made to run. Some diving away and tossing themselves to the ground, but she commanded with a thought alone for the streams to find their marks.

They writhed and shook beneath her show of power and the Force swirled with intense raw power further still. She fought her smile again, but it was too late. It formed along her features and curled into a hateful sneer and then back to pleasure at seeing them fall and coil under her power. Until finally, their charred and burnt forms ceased screaming and their smoking heaps filled the air with a foul smell that radiated forth from their fallen bodies.

Leia turned left and found her father's troopers nodding their thanks to her, before they raised blasters and fired into a new gathering of Moff troopers as they ran from the Moff reserve lines. Leia smirked but it waned, as she felt her body pounding with raw and intense energy, and pleasure.

"Force. What is wrong with me?" She sighed, but her body exploded with instinct as she spun right and her saber elegantly swiveled through the air as two bolts were sent away from her form. Leia felt raw anger pulse through her system, but she calmed it as she found them. From afar another line of Moff troopers were mounting a raised platform of repeaters and shooting vast streams of bolts into the advancing Imperial troopers.

Spinning saber in hand, Leia slammed her right leg down and felt herself run faster than ever before toward the fools. The whip of wind and passing bolts back and forth caused her no delay. The Force would guide and warn her, and lead her to victory. Her father told her so, and so far she found it to be true. It led her to dive left as a bolt made for her, and then roll to the back right as a sudden explosion ripped the ground beneath her apart, a small mine having exploded and sent dirt flying to fall again like pelting rain.

She smirked as her eyes trained in on the foolish troopers. Her left hand planted against the soil and her right leg in a kneel, she threw her strength and power into it and threw herself upward into the air. The troopers followed her saber, as the red gleaming beam illuminated their vision, and they fired upwards into the sky.

Leia threw her left hand open palmed down toward the fools and they slammed against the ground with such force that their breath was knocked from them. She landed down between two of their fallen figures, and flipped her curved saber in her hand and brought right arm up and slammed down. The saber ripped, pierced through with sickening ease the flesh and armor of the trooper to her right. He lurched and cried out in sudden horror and pain. He fell back and Leia felt the Force brim in darkness as she felt his passing. The trooper to the left made to kick her away from his form. Leia slashed left and removed the leg from the man at the knee. The smoldering husk fell and the man screamed in pain as he gripped his stump of a leg. Leia rose and ended his suffering, taking what pity she could now muster on the fool. Extending her left hand down, and grasping her fingers around the mans neck, she clamped down and jerked her wrist. His neck snapped with unseen great force to the right, and his life was ended.

Turning toward the battlefield from her elevated position Leia took in the sight of the fallen Moff frontal defense line. Her fathers troopers were storming into and over the trench, and jumping over the Moff defensive emplacements. Their tanks and walkers from behind the lines moved on forward and fired into the lines. Hitting both enemy and ally alike in their rapid and desperate attempt to seal the breach and reestablish a hard defense line.

She loosed a deep sighing breath as the raw intense adrenaline, fueled in part by the dark side, and thrill...if one could call it that, of taking life passed through her body. Leia allowed her mind to clear, and her grip to loosen some on her saber hilt. Her knuckles having gone white with the power and strength she put into clenching the weapon in her hand. The momentary thought of how many she had killed not just this day, but in the past few months. How...easy it had become made her scared, and oddly numb. It was confusing to say the least.

Nonetheless, she shook herself and glared outward as three AT-ST's stomped forward toward her troopers, and fired upon them. The way her father had utterly destroyed the AT-AT's mere days ago, gave her the knowledge that she could, and now the will to destroy these. After all, they're just AT-ST's.

Turning her head to glance behind her, at the torn and dead bodies one last time, Leia hardened herself and bent both legs at their knees, before she jumped upwards once more. With even more power through the Force than before, she flew into the air as the bolts and explosions of war erupted beneath her.

She landed with a huff and partially closed eyes, as pain radiated up from her left hand as it hit the top of the AT-ST's head compartment.

"Hard landings.." She intoned as she shook her throbbing left hand and let the discomfort subside. The clanking and stomping steps of the walker beneath her very body forced her to lurch and quickly grab onto the metal beast of war and hang on. She again glanced over her shoulder as the other two AT-ST's followed the lead one she rode atop and fired endless booming waves of explosive bolts into the ground. Sending dirt and body parts flying upwards. They were too concerned with her fathers men to notice her luckily, and for that she smirked thinly and returned her attention to the walker topside hatch before her fingertips.

She yanked back, but felt the lock clank and deny her entrance. A frown fell across her features, and she brought her saber to bare. Again she flipped it into a backward handed grip and slammed the red beam downward into the walker and thinly smirked again as it sliced through the metal with ease.

The AT-ST came to a stop and she could sense the fear and anxiety radiate from within as the men no doubt heard and now saw, with great alarm, her crimson saber intrude into what they may have thought their realm of safety. Leia hardened herself some more, as she sensed their intent. A clear intention to kill, and more specifically, kill her.

With a slight groan she moved her right arm left and sliced through the metal of the walker even further. The sparks and sounds of metal bending and melting filling her ears along with the usual ambiance of death and war.

She continued on moving until it became to uncomfortable for her to move her right arm across her left still clutching the latch. She yanked the saber back from the partially cut hatch. She loosened her hand from the hatch as the walker had since ceased walking. She stood to her full height and with the Force, grasped the hatch. She grimaced as the Force grasped itself fully onto the latch at her silent and unspoken commands. She then, with a further final huff yanked her left arm back. The hatch ripped itself jaggedly from the rest of the walker where the saber hadn't cut through with an oddly sickening snap of the metal.

The men screamed in anxiety mingled with great fear and the blaster bolts were unleashed upwards from the interior of the walker. Leia stepped back and stood idle as the bolts flew in wild and uncoordinated fashion before her. As not a one bolt actually made their mark.

She sighed as she waited for a moment to strike. It arrived as the bolts ceased likely to load, and then she made her move. Diving forward and down into the cockpit. Leia stabbed down and through a troopers chest as he gargled in the grip of death, before she easily pulled the saber and spun herself allowing the beam to carve into and through the piloting officer, who slumped back with a hard thud against the metal, and joined his companion in death quickly thereafter.

The rising smoking stench of their burnt flesh and armor, filled the cabin, but she ignored it and moved the trooper off and away from the seat where she looked down at the control panel. She felt her brow furrow as she realized she hadn't a clue how yet to pilot one of these damn walkers. She cursed under her breath and pounded her left fist against the console. A sudden eruption sounded and Leia went wide eyed as a rocket had unleashed itself from the side cannon of the walker and hit the open field beneath her and the cockpit.

Looking down once more, and breathing calmly as her mind cleared once more from the thrill of killing, Leia found the gear to move the walkers head. Not knowing, nor having the time to figure out how to control and operate the whole walker, Leia managed to move the head and swivel it up and to the left.

The sight of the second of the three Moff walkers came before her, and with a slight smile again crossing her features, Leia found the launch button from before and easily pressed down upon it once more. The walker lurched some as it loosed the rocket, and Leia watched with unspoken glee as the weapon slammed into the back of the walkers head. The Moff AT-ST, lurched forward and to the left as the powerful rocket slammed into it with kinetic and explosive force, and knocked it over with a metal cracking, and snapping loud thud as dust blew upwards around its fallen form.

Taking in her achievement had to wait as Leia sensed the alarm from the third AT-ST from afar and she quickly made her way out of the cockpit atop the walker, and leapt off, with another huff escaping passed her lips as she hit the ground with a minor thud. Just as she turned back toward the walker, she was shoved back and felt the wind whip around her as the walker was slammed into by a succession of blasts by the third walker, and it too was thrown to the ground in a smoking and exploding heap of broken metal.

Turning over toward her right and seeing the walker near the downed heap, Leia watched in mild interest as it continued to blast into the fallen walker with a paranoid drive. Taking her saber into a tighter grip once more Leia readied to charge the legs of the walker, and take it down along with its two friends and free up her fathers troops.

However, just as she made to do it, another explosion ripped through the air and sent her recoiling and throw her arm over her face to block a passing cloud of debris and pebbles as they flew against and pelted her form. She cringed but forced herself to look back, just to catch the walker fling backwards and slam against the ground in a new dust cloud. The front side of its head compartment had been blown back inwards.

Leia furrowed her brow again, and turned toward the Imperial lines and took in the sight as the dust settled. As a full brigade of tanks had burst on through the breach made, and were followed up by hundreds of her fathers troopers. They fell into and around the defensive lines of the Moffs and into their trenches. A booming and successive light show of bursting bolt and explosive lights filled the air as the men unleashed and overwhelmed the Moffs.

The tanks; an amalgamation of Century-class, IFT-T's and Mauler-classes, barreled on forward and fired masses of booming cannon fire and rocket fire into the Moffs further lines. The Moffs began falling back, and screaming orders from one to the other to pull back, even as their officers ordered them back to the front. The tanks came on through and Leia simply stepped aside as the first one passed her by followed by the others as they fired their weapons with wild abandon against the Moffs to the rear of their one time defense line as it fell into chaos and an orgy of murder and death. Whilst overhead, Leia tipped her head back, and took in the sight of several TIE bomber squads hitting the retreating back lines of the Moffs with gunships lowering down and picking off specific targets, such as booming AA guns as well. Needless to say, the line had fallen, and the Moffs were falling steadily into disarray.

Sighing contentedly and slouching against the burnt husk of the third AT-ST, Leia closed her eyes and leaned her head back as she let herself rest for a moment and stretch out her senses to watch out for any approaching Moff straggler, but so far all she could sense was fear, anger, and hatred from the many fleeing men around her. So, she allowed herself to deactivate and clasp her saber to her belt and relax. Until she then she sensed anger, immense, and overbearing anger, and annoyance that clouded all others in the vicinity and she groaned.

"Hey there, dad." Leia intoned without opening her eyes. The sounds of her fathers intake and outtake of breath from his mask filling her ears more as the sounds of war were pushed slowly more back.

"Despite my best efforts, I must say you are becoming even more bold, and listening even less to my commands, my daughter. Tell me, what drives you to do such brazen and foolish things such as this?" She didn't need to open her eyes to know her father was waving his hand about where they stood to signify he meant the open battlefield.

"Technically father, I didn't do all of this. I did break that walker, and that one." She lazily pointed with a small grin almost breaking out across her features.

"Oh and I did kill a few troopers, but the rest I left to your men. They seemed to be doing okay I think." She could almost sense his eye twitching in annoyance behind his mask.

"Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice Leia?" She finally did open her eyes and sigh.

"No father." She assured. "I thought I'd actually show a little initiative. If there's any hope of showing you I can do more than be a pampered princess and help out, this is the way I thought. Can you at least admit that I did make a breach that as far as I can tell, is working out pretty damn well?"
"Watch your tongue." Leia rolled her eyes. It was too surreal to have the dark lord and supreme commander of the Empire chastise her for a little curse escaping her lips.

'If he wants to blame anyone for my learning to curse a bit more, he should get on Starkillers case first.' She smirked a the thought.

"Admittedly, your actions have indeed paid off. However, if they had not, and you had been trapped behind a reformed enemy line, what then? You know I would have been forced to initiate an immediate attack to get you from behind the lines."
"You wouldn't HAVE to father, but you would want to." Leia reasoned with a thin smile, and she could sense his irritation rising. Not letting him know it actually made her feel good to know she had touched a nerve there.

"I don't need your smart mouth right now Leia." he pointed a stern and warning finger her way and she sighed, but nodded as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Now, your...successful breach aside, I will confine you to your room studying under Threepio for a week if you pull this stunt again." Leia felt her eyes unwillingly widen in horror at the thought.

"Okay, okay I get it. I wont do it again. Unless I call in first?" She prodded, and Vader was silent for a moment before answering.

"We shall see." Was all he replied with, and it was enough. So Leia once again smirked triumphantly. Though, the thought of having to be in a room with Threepio for a week studying something even fun to her as politics was...a terrible idea. In fact it almost made her shutter, despite how much she actually could stand and did like the droid.

"Now, come and walk with me, we have something to discuss." She raised a brow inquisitively but quickly nodded and followed her fathers motioning hand. He turned and walked steadily toward the front lines as they were pushed deeper into the heart of the broken and routed Moff positions. His cloak dangling and moving around his figure as he did, hers following in kind as she followed and waited for him to begin.

"I thought it would be of some interest to you to know that your 'friend,' Kun's apprentice, Viathan, has been trapped and surrounded by Moff forces on the world of Epica in the Bes-Ber-Bikade sector." Leia felt her brow again furrow as she continued to walk in silence beside her father with her arms crossed, still using the Force to sense her surroundings for any approaching enemies. Though with Darth Vader beside her she doubted any fool with a chance would dare take that said chance.

"It would appear that the main attacking fleet moved on to the next critical system and have achieved victory in defeating the enemy orbital defenses. The reserve fleet meant to relieve this very situation have failed in their effort to break through the Moff forces above Epica and have landed a new force to take the planet back from your friends forces." Vader continued as he idly turned right and watched a far off Moff gun explode under the pounding of two passing MAAT gunships overhead.

"He has attempted two breakout operations from a forest position he and his army have taken, but they were repelled on both occasions. Despite his...best efforts I should say. If not relieved in a few days time, he will be either burned from the forest or routed and killed."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Leia stopped and asked, forcing Vader to turn to address her.

"I don't want you to hear about the situation from another source and assume that I withheld it from you. You and your brother still need to learn to trust me more than you currently both do. As such, I am being forward and forthcoming with what information I have on the boy's situation. If and when you hear he has either been captured or killed, or even if he is relieved and he wins o not say that I didn't warn you beforehand."
"Oh, gee, thanks father. I feel so much better now!" Her voice rose some, and she felt deep incredulity flood through her, as her father crossed his arms defiant of her own shock at his informing her.

"What..I can't even...I..." She babbled and blundered over her words as her hands balled into fists and her face grew hot with anger, the Force informing Vader of this. As it swirled and echoed her internal darkness about them both.

"If you know he's in a tight spot, then why don't you, or rather WE, help him get out of it?!"

"It is not our situation, and not our problem, Leia. Your friendship with the boy I have allowed, but moving whole forces to aid him get out of a blunder in part due to his own military mismanagement is not my concern. But rather, it should be and is Kun's."

"So," Leia retorted with a cool voice as she feigned having trouble working out her father's logic.

"We help our friends and allies, unless they're in a situation where they could easily die, and negatively impact our overall military situation, and on top of that we lose ally. In that case we should let I think about half of our overall forces die, because that logic doesn't make ANY sense to me!"

"Calm yourself." Vader easily intoned back with little emotion showing in his baritone voice.

"We help allies where we can and relieve them as possible. However, it is not the place of this navy and this army to aid the commander. If he is in a tight spot, which his forces should know, he will be sent a relief force by the appropriate chain of command."
"Right, cause' we all know just how swell and helpful your officers can be father." Leia retorted with glaring eyes. Yellow eyes at that, which Vader noted but shrugged off.

"You're not thinking rationally daughter."

"No, I am, I assure you of that father! I'm not asking you to drop everything jump off world and go save him. What I am asking is that you call for a new fleet to GO and help him. Do something other than inform me ahead of time, 'oh by the by, your friend may die in a few days. Just thought I'd let ya know.' That doesn't get you a whole lot of points dad!" She almost screamed aloud, and for once Vader was happy the booms of a war nearby drowned out what would otherwise be another comical bout of back and forth arguing between he and his daughter with her temper.

"If..." Vader trailed finally. "it would placate you Leia, I will send a message to the reserves in the Inner-Rim, and authorize and immediate new relief operation. Does that suit you? I would be doing nothing but ordering them to commit to an assault they will likely already be readying for, but would it please you and calm you?" Vader felt his eye twitch behind his mask and lips curl into a deep frown as he asked. Leia folded her arms across her chest angrily but nodded a single contented nod.

"That, and letting me lead them to do it."
"No."

"Why not?!" Leia shot back and Vader very much wished he could slap his hand to his face in aggravation in this moment.

"Because, you will not be sent on some personal mission to help your friend without me nearby. You nor your brother can be let out to do as you want, or commit to missions where you are too far enough away where I can't protect you properly. The Emperor has spies everywhere, and being off on your own makes you a prime target for any number of his mind games." Leia was silent, but Vader could see it. In her eyes, he could see a familiar thoughtful glint, as her jaw subtly moved back and forth in contemplation.

"Okay, think of it like this." Vader felt worry cross through him as she began to pace slightly. Her demeanor and voice taking on a new calm and cool disposition that sounded far too 'politician-like' for his liking.

"You send me, with one of your ships, under somebody you trust, maybe let me take Starkiller or Shira along for added protection since they're better trained to hold their own. Let me link up with the new fleet and give me the ability to 'lead,' though I'd leave most of the work to the generals and admirals. I get to claim I lead and won a battle, thus fulfilling the Emperor's desire to see me and Luke be thrown around and made 'useful,' as he called it, and you get lord Kun to owe you another favor or two for 'saving,' his troubled apprentice from defeat and possible death." Leia smiled in a deeply satisfactory smile fitting of one of those damnable politicians Vader had come to loathe. But, Force, he hated how much...sense er offer made.

"I think it would make a delicious PR coup, don't you father?" She almost cooed she was so satisfied with her offer, and probably at the frustration that ebbed off of the dark lord. Indeed his hands balled into fists.

"You...indeed share too much with your mother." He mumbled as low as his mask would allow for, and Leia merely broadened her smirk of triumph.

"Wipe that intolerable smile off your face, and I'll give you my answer."

"Of course father, forgive me." She nearly giggled and composed herself to the very vision of calm coolness.

"Your offer has merit." He gave another stern and almost warning pointing of his finger her way. "Hear this though, should I go ahead and allow this to happen I have stipulations. Stipulations that you WILL adhere to." She bowed her head in assent.

"You will take the Exactor, and you will follow every word of advise within common sense reason of Piett's." She nodded. "You will wait to land on the planet until after a clear and present beachhead has been established with attacks on the center command area having been reduced to near zero." Again she nodded. "You will take Shira with you on this mission and you two will never be apart from one another save for obvious necessities. Neither of you will get friendly with any officer I do not personally look into, so that means nobody whilst I'm not present." Another nod. "Finally, once the commander has been relieved you will go as far as to helping him take the planet, but that is it. You will return to me as soon as possible with Shira and the Exactor in tow. Now, does THAT suit you, my daughter." She grinned widely and nodded.

"Sure does father. I knew you'd see the reason in my offer." Vader grumbled beneath his mask, and the sound it made was odd, but Leia stifled another giggle. It was clear to her what it was.

"We will speak no further of it right now." He sternly declared, and turned with almost what seemed to be a huff toward the front as it was pushed even more into the heart of the broken Moffs.

"We finish this battle first, then we prepare for your undertaking."
"Of course father." She agreed once more, and followed after her father as they strode, father and daughter, toward the lines. Bodies, broken walkers and tanks, with rising smoke around them again, as Imperial ships flew overhead and heralded the fall of another Moff position on the planet, and the eventual, imminent victory of the Empire against the Moff Alliance upon Rhommamool.

(Epica, Bes-Ber-Bikade Sector)

"There is no other choice! Surrender now, and your miserable lives shall be spared! By order of general Kindae Terrosh of the Moff Alliance, all Imperial forces who surrender shall be spared! It is more than you deserve loyalist scum! You have until tomorrow evening to respond! We know you're in there, we know you're hiding, and we will not be fooled by more of your lies, nor goaded into entering the forests! There is no other choice!"

And the droning voice began to repeat the message again. It had been doing so for five whole hours and Viathan wanted to choke whichever deeply Coruscanti accented officer they had gotten to make the recording. The Moffs had, since defeating his last breakout attempt, made camp directly at the bottom of the hills beside and around the forests to surround and corner him and his forces. They had set up their mobile buildings, barracks, command centers and weapon depots to the back. Walkers and tanks, along with speeders were parked and ready to the rear, while several AT-ST's and speeders patrolled the camp at intervals.

The glowing and beaming satellite of Epica beat down upon them all as Viathan kneeled behind some lush and thick foliage. The moonlight hitting his face as he stared intently with glowing red eyes down toward the camp with its massive blinding flood lights lighting the whole karking valley and the camp as search lights atop hastily constructed towers scanned the beaten, burnt and corpse ridden grass beneath them for any suspicious movement.

The cracking of twigs underfoot would have alarmed him had he not known and sensed who approached as he stayed kneeling and watching the Moff camp with devious and hateful intent.

"Are your kin in position my friend?"

"We are ready lord." Zar replied as he gripped his lanvarok spear tightly. The crimson beasts breaths were deep and heavy, his massive lungs and those of his kin drawing in great gulps of air as they remained as silent as they could. They joined him, all fifteen of them in kneeling and staring down toward the Moff lines. All of them used to the forests and within their element. Al of them burned for battle and war, for death, but Viathan would have to sadly deny his brethren in war their blood letting this night.

"Why have we come with so few lord?" Zar inquired lowly in his deep voice. As he glanced between Viathan and back to the camp.

"What would you have me and my kin do for you lord, and lord Kun's glory?"

"Nothing other than watch my back Zar." Viathan intoned before swiveling around to face his Massassi companion. "Tonight I'm afraid I must give our answer to the Moffs demands that we surrender." The Massassi's eyes narrowed in confusion and his head cocked to the side. Viathan could sense a rising fear in the heart of the warrior as the notion of surrender entered his warrior mind.

"You don't mean to give in to these cretins! I'd rather die in honor and glory dripping in their blood and my own." The warrior seethed, but Viathan smirked and patted the beasts shoulder.

"Don't worry Zar. They'll have my answer, but I don't think they'll like it. Now, what I need from you and your kin is to watch my back and stay here. If any patrols come by and block my path back up you take them down, but keep it as quiet as possible. No effigies and sacrifices this night. You understand?" The brow of the Massassi fell but he nodded nonetheless.

"Good. Now stay vigilant, and stay calm. I have a meeting to attend to." he gave a final assuring pat of his friends muscled shoulder and turned.

Viathan quickly made from behind the shrub and slid his way down the hill and into the nearest blast-made crater along the hillside where he dove down and felt the sack he had brought with him hit against the dirt. A searchlight flew over the crater he laid in and he ducked down. Making his body seem as limp and dead as he possibly could, whole hiding his head inside the forward of the crater where the light couldn't see.

It flew seamlessly over his figure to his left, and Viathan released a sigh and jumped back up and flung with the power of the Force behind him, down the hill with speedy and silent footfalls. Taking time and effort to avoid fallen material and bodies as he did so until eh felt himself slam against the side of a forward defensive building.

He glanced up as he worried the clang of his body against metal could have alerted the Moffs to his being there. So he remained deathly silent, not even breathing as the searchlight above him went back to the right and over the hillside. He slouched the bag to the ground and glanced both left and right. His heart pounding and his breaths shaky with anxiety and anticipation, Viathan finally turned and kneeled down beside the bag and tower wall.

Throwing the simple cloth sack open, Viathan rummaged into it as the baring calls of the Moff speakers calling for his surrender blared in his ears even louder than before. All as the lights of the camp began to flood his eyes and force him to wince. He groaned as he pulled the first device from the pack, and activated it. Position its magnetic side to the tower wall and hearing the satisfying clank of metal hitting metal Viathan rose and dove to the left of the tower and glanced around the corner.

"You notice anything suspicious?"

"No, you?"

"Can't say I have yet. Those woods give me the creeps." Two troopers bantered back and forth and Viathan rolled his eyes.

'Dumb as wood no matter which team they're on.' He sarcastically thought.

"Ah! They're just woods man. I'm sure the loyalists are shaking in their boots."
"Maybe, but why are they taking so long to answer?"

"Politics. Gotta act like they thought real long and hard before surrendering you know? Even if they don't, they ain't got a chance in the seven Corellian-hells of getting off this planet in more than a few dozen burnt little bits."

"I suppose." The one less optimistic trooper replied with a shrug as he faced toward where Viathan was, while the other had his back to him. The more mouthy and cocky one that is.

"Anyways, I'd better get back on patrol. I'll see you later."

"Sure thing." The less optimistic of the two took off and made back on patrol, or at least Viathan assumed as much.

Curling his lips into a sneer, Viathan unclasped his saber from his belt and dropped into a crouch before slowly making his way toward the troopers back. The flood lights were near blinding as they faced inwards to the camp with blinding white light.

As he came up right behind the trooper Viathan slowly rose behind him with devious intent and aimed his unactivated saber hilt toward the man and inched it toward his armor until it was a mere two shaky inches from his armored figure. With cool apathy, Viathan pressed the activation switch and watched the crimson beam extend and pierce through the man who managed a guttural gasp before he slumped back and down the saber against Viathan who quickly deactivated the beam and let them man fell into his arms. Dragging the corpse he walked backwards as fast as he could with the heels of the troopers boots dragging across the grass. Until finally Viathan shoved the useless corpse behind the tower wall, and slung the bad back over his shoulder and dove around the corner once more.

Again he pushed himself against the well of the tower wall. He again glanced over to his right and scanned his eyes over the buildings and their setups. As well as recalling from memory what he deduced what buildings to be which from the hilltop. Until he finally found the barracks row to the left of the buildings on the right. The command center was to his left, but he wanted general Terrosh to understand his answer, so killing him was out of the question.

Viathan scanned against for enemies, and noted the night time patrols moved in a square. Three were in sight. One to his left and another to his direct front, with the third idly moving back and forth across the barracks entrances. Viathan clasped his saber to his belt and took another steadying breath as he dove his boots into the soil and the in a flash pounded them forward through the open field of the base. The floodlights were directly upon him, but from what he had seen, the patrolling searchlights were looking only outward not inwards.

Viathan slammed his boots against the ground and set his eyes on that patrolman. With a seething intake of breath Viathan ran at the man just as he began to turn toward Viathan and with a huff the teen slammed his body against the man. He flew back and slammed against the ground with Viathan atop him in a huff.

"What the heck are you doing?!" He demanded, clearly not seeing who Viathan was, or at least not fully realizing he wasn't on his side. Until Viathan flung his left hand upwards and slammed the clawed tips of his metal hand downward and into the neck of the man beneath him. He began to writhe and shake uncontrollably as blood erupted from his five neck wounds, and Viathan fought against a sudden wave of nausea from the overpowering smell of the day. Viathan sickeningly curved his fingers and grasped the man from the inside and pulled the writhing poor fool with him in between another set of buildings and once out of sight Viathan grasped the insides of the fools throat and released him from his suffering and snapped his neck from within.

"That could have been less disgusting. Nice idea not using your saber." Viathan intoned to himself and shook his head at the mess and torture he had put the fool through as he rose and shook his metallic hand of the blood that dripped from it freely as a pool began to form around the man.

Viathan shook the ordeal itself off, and once again fell into a kneel. As to his left was the first barracks quarters where at least three to four dozen men were sleeping. Maybe more if they had set the interior up with minimalist ideals in mind and were packed with bunks. Nonetheless, he pulled out another device and activated the magnetic end before allowing it to attach to the barracks wall.

He quickly ran to the opposite end of the barracks and ran around to its other side where he found another barracks to his right this time, and where he planted another device. Repeating the process for the next nine barracks buildings, and not a single person would see him as he did so.

---

Awaiting the return of their lord the Massassi had waited impatiently. Wanting nothing more than to spill blood, and in Zar's case understand what his lord was doing to answer these fools as their dreadful call for weak surrender sounded through the valley with no end in sight or sound. It was probably thirty minutes until one of Zar's kin patted his shoulder and caught his attention. Zar glanced to his kinsman but he was pointing down the hill.

The Massassi commander followed the pointing warrior and he rose to an anxious stand as his lord forced his way steadily up the hill with huffs, his bag missing, and sweat pouring down his brow as he reached the hilltop in breathlessness.

"You asked me Zar, what would my reply be yes?" Zar narrowed his eyes quizzically but nodded.

"Well then, I'm afraid my answer is more visual than audible. Though trust me it has a bit of both." Viathan turned and stepped forward and the Massassi all rose from their kneels as their commander raised both arms outward just as the searchlight came across him.

"You want my answer?!" Viathan hollered in a booming voice that with the Force was made loud and clear to the troopers atop the tower as they trained and stopped the light on Viathan and the Massassi who looked to one another in total loss at their commanders actions.

"Well, here it is!" Viathan pulled from his pocket and trigger where a light blinked. And with a sneer of contempt and pounding heart, as the alarm was raised in the camp likely for the general to come and men to greet a possible enemy force. Viathan pressed his thumb against the single button on the device.

A resonating and successive bout of explosions ripped through the camp and the whole valley shook in a shock wave that erupted and sent the trees behind them slamming away from the valley as each and every barracks along the right from where they stood exploded one after the other.

Floodlights were thrown into and across the air and the many screams of men being tossed and ripped into by debris and each other or the walls and soil of their camp sounded through after the deafening blast which had caused the Massassi to recoil instinctively from the mighty resonating blast as it sent the single searchlight tower exploding in all directions and the foundation crashing into the dirt.

The roar of the explosions erupted as the burning fires of burning barracks and their sleeping resident's within replaced the floodlight s now strew across the camp. In a mere second, a flash of burning orange light hundreds were killed, and the answer to the Moffs question given.

"You see Zar?" Viathan turned as he tossed the trigger to the ground idly and lazily. "It was a little of both, and to more directly answer you. We all die before we surrender." Viathan strode passed his fried and his kin as the fifteen warriors all grinned and began cheering at the burning base as men screams and small after explosions sounded the valley.

It seemed to them that this night they would in fact have an effigy to howl to the moon at. As death filled the valley, and their lord strode in silence back to the camp, where they soon followed. Content, and blood lust in a small way fulfilled.

---

Authors Note: As usual guys please tell me what you think about this chapter. Funnily enough this is again about half of what I wanted in this chapter but good lord I write a lot. I never can tell if that is a good thing or bad thing. What do you guys think? Anyways, please as usual point out OR excuse any and all likely present typos. I try to find and fix them all but I often times miss them over chapters this big, or bigger.

So uh, yeah please let me know what you all think! :)