Lord Vader stood directly in the middle of the Lambda class shuttle's troop compartment, stormtroopers flanking him on each side. His trip to Eriadu was no mere vacation, the Emperor had sent him here to ensure that his project was completed. Too many funds had gone to waste over the past years to projects unbecoming, incompetent overseers, and idiotic leaders. For his sake, Vader hoped that this admiral was different.
The dark lord despised politics in all their forms, including military leaders. After the business on Lothal, he was unsure if there were any competent authority figures in the empire. Vader understood their importance though, politicians were easy to corrupt and manipulate, he should know; he had come across his fair share as Anakin Skywalker, and now even more as Darth Vader.
The shuttle came to dock on the star destroyer now, the sith felt it's bulk lurch to a halt on the capital ship's hanger deck. His stormtrooper guard rose in unison and began to file out of the shuttle as the hydraulic ramp lowered. Vader took his time though, it was the privilege of authority figures, others waited on you.
As the sith stepped out of the shuttle bay, he came face to face with the director of the project. The young admiral stood at the center of his path on the entryway, heels clasped together, hands to the side, fingers curled slightly. Vader reached out with the force, feeling the other's mind. The man was far more composed than most admirals that had been in his presence. He had yet to determine if that was for the proper reasons though. At his side stood two guards dressed in all black armor, their imposing E11 D rifles shouldered menacingly. Death troopers Vader thought, suddenly reconsidering this admiral.
The sith stepped down from the loading ramp, walking to meet the man, and inspect him further. He was slightly taller than the average human, but still stood close to half a head shorter than Vader himself.
"Lord Vader" said the admiral, giving a curt bow, and turning on his heels when Vader walked past him.
"Admiral Anan, I assume that you have your report ready?"
"Of course my lord, I believe that you'll like what you see."
"I will be the judge of that." Said the sith.
Anan just nodded, walking slightly behind Vader "Of course."
After a time he added "I expect that you want to meet the science team for the full debriefing on the faults of the project?"
Vader stopped now, turning to the admiral. "All that I care about is if it is completed on schedule. Project Onager has taken far too long to complete. Tell me why if you must, but all I require is results."
Anan paused for a brief second before responding "very well then, follow me, whether necessary or not, my project would like to voice its proceedings."
Across the hanger stood three separate figures, on the left was a woman, her yellowed skin marking her as a Mirilian; she was near human, but it was still easily noticeable. On the right was a man, he was human with dark, short hair, and like the others, had a clean, shaven appearance. The gray uniform of the Empire was cleaner than even seemed possible. In the middle was a woman, her hair was dark and brown with eyes of blue.
She seemed to be the most authoritative figure in the group, and confirmed this when she stepped forward, datapad in hand. "Doctor Basilia Forbeck, I'm the lead scientist for Project Onager. It's an honor to finally have you here my lord."
"You may dispense with the pleasantries doctor, I am only here to see this project completed." The doctor looked taken aback "my apologies lord Vader. I will show you to the labs right away."
As the group walked down the streamlined symmetrical halls of the Star destroyer, the doctors began to list the progress of their work. "The main body is completely finished, as is the primary weapon projector array." The man named Xander Hasen said. He talked quickly, as if his voice would be ripped away from him at any second.
Vader already despised him and made it abundantly clear "Then explain why you are several months behind schedule." Dr. Hasen gulped, unable to respond.
Luckily for him, Deva Vendali, the last scientist covered for him "The problem is with the focusing crystal, we're still trying to understand how to create its synthetic structure. The Kyber crystal is useless without a way to focus its power."
The dark lord paused for a second before speaking "How much longer until the weapon is ready?"
Dr. Hasen spoke again, talking quicker, stuttering with each word "Well w-we have the proto-prototype ready right now. The particle cannons a-are op-perating and functional. Bu-but we have not had the resources to implement the weapon on the full chassis-
"You have been given more than ample resources to construct the weapon."
Dr. Basilia once again cut in "Now that we have proven that the design is functional, we are diverting the most resources towards the Rakehell. It's a full sized Onager star destroyer. The new design encompasses the main weapon. We have found only a disproportionate reactor like the Rakehell's is capable of powering the weapon, it's almost a third of the ship."
"Then why is it not ready?" Darth Vader asked. "The ship is ready, it's just finishing the main weapon that's difficult. Once we iron out the kinks, She'll be fully operational."
"What is the timeframe for launch?" The doctor paused for a second before speaking, they had just reached the labs and Deva began to fish for a keycard "we approximate that the Rakehell will be fully operational in three standard months."
The door opened as Dr. Vendali stepped back, letting lord Vader enter first, the rest following, admiral Anan bringing up the rear. He had remained silent so far, only listening to the conversation, he was overseer but that didn't mean that he knew all the details better than his specialists.
"Not good enough" said the dark lord. "I will give you three weeks to complete the weapon, then I want a field test, whether it's ready or not."
Finally, it was Anan's turn to speak up again "Lord Vader, I cannot recommend this course of action, the hazards of such a test could destroy the entire-"
"Then I suggest you succeed admiral" the dark lord said, and a hint in his synthetic voice stated clear as day to the admiral that this was no suggestion, it was a command, and one that he would be woe to ignore.
To Vader's relief though, Anan didn't protest further, he simply nodded and said "very well."
Whether the admiral knew it or not, the simple lack of adulation that he gave Vader did wonders to put him in the sith's good graces. Vader despised politicians, and at the very least, this Anan seemed to not be one. Even this however, did not compensate for the fact that Project Onager was still far behind schedule.
"You said I would be pleased admiral, I can assure you I am not."
Admiral Anan, for his part, remained unflinchingly calm and stated in a tone that made what he said next a matter of fact "On the contrary lord Vader, I do have something you'll be very pleased with." The dark lord and the admiral stared at each other for a second before he continued. "As Dr. Hasen said, the prototype battery for the heavy particle cannon is online and I have already prepared a field test to show you the results of the empire's investment."
Vader didn't sound surprised, but instead asked. "When can this test be performed?"
"Right now, the doctors can give the rest of the details while I move everything into position."
With that, he turned and spun on his heels heading for the bridge, ready to give command to the fleet. Anan was ready, and he had a show to put on. He knew how Vader operated, he wouldn't tolerate failure, and he hated those who tried to pander to him. At the same time though, the admiral had to make sure he didn't offend the dark lord in any way either. Still, he needed results no matter what, and the best way to satiate his superior would be to show what they did have.
He was almost at the turbolift to the bridge, when he rounded the corner, and nearly ran into his "assistant." "Anan, you're in a hurry."
The admiral looked at the peculiar creature in front of him. "Dr. Rael, can I help you?"
His "assistant" looked at him through her large avian eyes. Her lightly browned skin was wrinkled and sagging slightly, and her face converged onto a narrow beak.
"We're beginning the primary test, it's time," he continued when she didn't respond.
Rael nodded, the feathers around the back of her head fluttering slightly "It's really happening then? Well I guess these can wait after all."
She gestured to a datapad in one of her sharply nailed hands, presumably maintenance and engine log reports. Rael gestured, holding them out to the side, and as Anan passed, he simply pushed them back to her chest gesturing for her to follow. Together they boarded the turbolift up to the bridge
"Do you think it will actually work?" the avian Fosh looked at Anan through the corner of one of her eyes.
The Admiral thought for a moment. "It has to work, we've done field tests before, just not at full power."
"For your sake it better work. Even I can't fix a severed head or a cracked vertebrae, which is exactly what you'll get."
Anan bowed his head for a moment and scrunched his eyes shut, trying to get them to stop itching "Don't remind me." As the turbolift ground to a halt he added, "Are we ready to act professional now?"
"Yes we are" she said as the doors opened.
"Take notes, record everything," said the admiral as he moved to a lieutenant. "Fire up the engines, and get me a comlink with the fleet, tell them to follow my destroyer to sector 9, grid 12."
The lieutenant snapped a salute and a "yes sir" before moving to an ensign on a comms console to carry out the admiral's orders.
From the corner of the viewscreen on the right, Anan spied the unfinished Onager testbed. It was little more than a massive gun right now, the structure lacking even engines. Still, the weapon was all that was needed. A trio of civilian tugs, temporarily commandeered by imperial forces were hooking up to the weapon, preparing to tow it to the testing area.
"Plotting course to sector 9 sir." one of the ensigns said.
The admiral just looked out the viewport, taking in a last look at the Onager, and the planet Eriadu below it, before the star destroyer moved away, bringing in a new sight. The asteroid moon of Bor was small and unpopulated, a perfect place to test the destructive capabilities of the weapon.
"The Sunfire will be at grid 12 in t-minus 12 minutes."
Anan nodded, letting out a sigh. I hope this works, he thought. Of course if it didn't, he wouldn't have to revel in his failure for long, Lord Vader didn't prolong punishment very often.
"I see that you have wasted little time now." Anan turned back to see the sith as if he knew that the admiral was thinking about him.
"Some things take time Lord Vader, preparing the test is not one of them." He turned back to the viewscreen as he spoke, thinking how to proceed. Every move he made was being watched, and he needed to be sure he didn't mess up even one thing that he did.
Anan looked to his assistant. Rael was actively trying to be as small in the room as possible, taking a position well out of the way of anyone. He couldn't blame her, he would do the exact same in this situation if he could.
But I can't, not if we want to make it out of this in one piece.
Of all the enforcers the emperor could send, Vader was by far the worst. Anan could handle a single minded fool like count Vidian, the Emperor's foremost efficiency specialist. But Vader was another kind of beast altogether. His single-mindedness wasn't just on the project, it was on the individuals. To the Dark lord, everyone could be replaced, the only way to survive was to give him a reason to keep you around.
As if reading his mind, Vader spoke "I do hope that your weapon lives up to the emperor's expectations."
Maybe he can read it. He thought.
Luckily, the tense silence was broken when the lieutenant announced the ship's arrival. "Sirs, we're in position over Bor."
"Very good, commence the test admiral."
Anan nodded at the command. "At once Lord Vader. Tell the tugs to release the weapon, use the retros to bring it into position.'' As soon as he spoke, the tugs detached, and the massive starship slowly maneuvered itself into position.
All at once, the doubts Anan had before disintegrated, this was his project. He had made this. This weapon would crush the rebellion once and for all, and he would be the one to forge and wield the hammer of war. Lord Vader would see the power of the Onager, and he would be impressed.
Then the realistic side of the admiral kicked in again. If this weapon can't impress Palpatine's enforcer, then nothing can.
A reassuring thought from his logical side to back up his personal emotions at least. This was an ace card, there was nothing that the empire loved more than weapons, for better or worse, and this weapon was a big one.
"The testbed is in position." The lieutenant said. "Superheavy particle cannons are charging."
all members on the bridge looked out to the weapon, the bright red light wreathing the entire deck in an eerie red glow.
Finally he heard the lieutenant shout out the words "Firing!"
With that, the massive glow immediately shot away, several bright balls of fire leaving the Onager and hurtling towards the small moon's surface. Anan watched in fixated anticipation as the glowing red orbs of fire streaked towards the small moon, growing smaller and smaller by the second. Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light as the doomsday weapon impacted its target. The flare from the impact site completely blinded the bridge crew of the destroyer, and even the automatic tinting of the viewport couldn't keep the glare down.
As the initial flash faded, the admiral saw the full extent of the destruction. In the blast's place was a glowing red crater. An entire chunk of the small moon had been torn free, rock and soot being kicked up and away from the planetoids small gravitic field, and towards the fleet.
"intensify particle shields and brace for impact." said the admiral.
The entire crew stood impassively as the shields flared to life and chunks of planetary rock smashed against the ship's deflectors.
As the bits of moon cleared, the admiral gave an order, his voice as calm and placid as the void that he now stared into. "Damage report."
The ensign responded. "All systems undamaged sir."
Anan never broke his stare into the molten moon. "I meant the moon ensign."
The young man in the trenches of the command room sputtered for a minute, then answered. "The moon's still cooling, and we don't have an accurate report yet, but our estimations are that it's lost some twenty percent of its mass."
"Most impressive," said Vader, his actual expression hidden behind his skull-like helm. "It's a shame that you did not give this weapon any engines. It would seem that these… particle cannons bear more fruit than your Rakehell."
Anan winced slightly before turning from the viewscreen, coming face to face with the sith once again. "I assure you lord Vader, that once the Rakehell is complete, we will retrofit this weapon."
"Indeed," was the only reply.
He stared back out towards the slowly cooling moon. "Any more information on Bor?" The reply was instant. "The moon's been knocked off its orbital trajectory."
"By how far?" Anan asked.
"its orbit has been widened by at least 12 '000 kilometers already, and by our calculations, will leave Eriadu's orbit entirely within the next two standard weeks."
The admiral smiled, speaking to lord Vader. "Now imagine my lord, that we performed this same test on a rebel dissident world. We wouldn't have to bombard the planet. Remove the moons and let the natural disasters win the war for us, and that's just one of many creative ways to use a weapon this malleable."
"I would hardly call this weapon malleable," Vader replied.
"With the proper imagination, it can be just as flexible as any other imperial ship," was all the admiral said. "Just think about what it could do to a starship."
Vader didn't say anything for a time, instead he only continued to watch the devastated moon. Eventually he did speak. "I expect project completion with results similar to this. Prepare my shuttle, you are not the only one who is at fault. I wish to pay the governor a visit."
Anan replied, "At once my lord," and with that, the dark lord was gone, leaving the admiral and his assistant alone with the bridge crew.
He mentally counted for a while, staying dead silent. The rest of the crew didn't speak a word either, opting for the cold company of the void. Eventually though, he figured the sith would be far enough away for them not to have to cross paths again. He gestured to his assistant, and together, they exited the bridge.
"That could have gone better," Anan said.
"It could have gone worse," was his assistant's reply.
"True."
True.
"At least now the governor's going to get his due," Rael said.
Anan smiled at that. That governor Grisk had been a thorn in his side ever since he had taken over the project, so it was some consolation to him that however much he had gotten chewed out, the governor would get it tenfold.
If Vader's got any sense he'll put a firing squad to the wamp rat before he can do any more damage.
"Indeed," he replied, echoing Vader. He then turned his attention to his second-in-command. "Commander Varnek, you have the ship."
The first mate didn't even salute as he walked by the admiral. "Aye sir, I'll try not to break her."
Anan would have berated anyone else who spoke to him like that. It was unbecoming military bearing, but Varnek and himself had been together long before either of them had commanded ships, and long before the empire had been created. There were certain… privileges that he afforded the man over others.
"Doctor Rael, you had engine logs to show me?"
"Yes admiral."
The two continued walking down the corridor and took a left, away from the bridge. They didn't head to the turbolifts though, instead heading for a cloistered briefing room. Anan inserted the data cylinder into its receptacle, the door opened, and they walked in. Rael shut the door behind them and Anan dropped the mask.
"Holy hell," he breathed.
"I think that describes it," Rael replied.
The two sat down next to each other at the massive, round briefing table. It could seat at least twenty people, though as of now, it held only two.
"So, Doctor Rael," he began in a playful tone, sliding the data cylinder he had been carrying back into his right breast pocket, "I hear you have engine logs I need to sign."
"Well now that you mention it," she began, then looked down. "I seem to have, oh."
Anan had already snuck his arm around her and snatched the datapad from the other side.
"I never will understand how you do that," she commented.
"Cyrene, you know I grew up on Fondor, have you any idea how many people I stole from back then?" His comment still felt strange though. It always felt strange when he used her soul name. It wasn't something he'd ever dare to do in front of anyone. The two of them had managed to keep their true relationship secret for years. In fact, the only other one who did know was Varnek. It wasn't that they were ashamed, but an imperial admiral in love with an alien? It was political suicide.
"Right," she answered, "so how do you really think it went?"
"Like I said earlier, It could have gone better. That's not to say that I'm not pleased with the outcome though."
Cyrene rested her head on his shoulder as she responded. "At least we have two weeks."
"I'm going to need to pull a lot of favors." Anan looked at the report in his hands and skimmed over it before beginning to sign the necessary portions. "Enough about work, I get enough of that as it is. After all this is over, what are we going to do?
"I don't know," she answered, then added hopefully, "maybe retire."
The admiral shook his head, "this empire still needs me. It needs someone with more brains than ego to make sure it doesn't break down."
"That sounds an awful lot like talking about work."
"I guess everything is work now."
She shook her head. "No, not everything."
