Princess Leia Organa
I breathed in, fighting down yet another sigh. There were times to press an issue and there were times, such as this, where letting the problem rest was for the best. Balancing the unending surliness of Han was one thing, having to deal with another front in Luke and his obsessive attachment to his lightsaber was a bridge too far.
Let him keep it, I thought sardonically, stepping through the archway and into the Bakuran senatorial chambers, When they inevitably open fire on us, I'll at least have time to tell him 'told you so'!
Of course, I was overexaggerating. It was unlikely that the Bakurans would recognize so archaic a weapon, and tensions were high. Dealing with the local governor and government had been one thing, a chance to prove my diplomatic prowess in a victorious Alliance and to bring yet another Imperial world into the fold. Our timely arrival had initially seemed to secure some faith from the Bakurans, or that was until an Imperial fleet had blundered its way into the system and chased the invading Ssi Ruuvi away. It was a small miracle they didn't immediately turn their turbolasers on us as well. If Captain Manchisco were to be believed, Commander Thanas was keeping the incoming Imperials from turning the system into a three way battle. Speaking of which…
Tessa Manchisco sniffed, shooting a sharp glance at the Stormtroopers before depositing her own holdout blaster. She had initially been disinterested in coming down to the planet, and indeed felt she was better placed when remaining on the Flurry. That changed when the Imperial - one Captain Tullius we had come to learn - had arrived. There was a fresh wound there, Manchisco's fleet had been wiped out by this very Imperial. The same Imperial who had galavanting across the Sector and causing no end of grief for Alliance High Command.
Manchisco had claimed her presence was merely to balance out the command staff representation - Luke and her for the Alliance, Thanas and Tullius for the Imperials. I knew better, I saw the anger in her eyes, the desperate need for revenge. They were old friends of mine, and I could not begrudge her for feeling such. However, with the trouble Luke and Han were doubtlessly going to find themselves in, I hoped that Manchisco would not goad the surprisingly restrained Imperial into obliterating her ships.
We entered the main chamber, a large rectangular room that seemed to drip with opulence. I might have been more impressed were it not for my own experiences on Coruscant. Few places were as opulent or resplendent in decadent wealth than the seat of Imperial governance, though the Bakurans made a solid showing of it. They were almost all humans with a few noteworthy exceptions, but the person of most importance sat at the front of the room; Governor Wilek Nereus. Stairs led down to a lowered platform, where speakers would go to address the senate.
I bowed respectfully, mindful of my Core Worlder manners as I addressed the Imperial Governor.
"Governor Nereus," I greet, "We thank you for agreeing to meet with us on such short notice."
"In the name of the Emperor, we welcome you to Bakura." He responded, his voice dripping with false sincerity. His dark, thick eyebrows were creased in an expression of deep concentration, as if analyzing my words and tone.
"Thank you for your welcome, Governor, Senators," I responded in kind, though inwardly I was smirking.
"It may be terribly rude of me to correct your kind words, but it would be remiss of me to not mention that such greetings are no longer accurate. You see, the Emperor died some time ago."
This earned me a response from the gathered Senators, murmurs and grumbling filling the room as the representatives expressed their shock at this information. Nereus, far from being surprised, merely narrowed his eyes before allowing a condescending smirk to cross his lips.
"Far be it from me to call you dishonest, Princess, but I believe I shall call upon Captain Tullius to reveal the truth of your claims. It is merely a matter of trustworthiness, I hope you understand."
I subtly looked around the room, looking out for any Imperial officers that might have been the unrevealed Tullius. There were some present, but their olive drab revealed them as Army officers rather than a Captain of the Navy. There was one naval officer, Commander Thanas who had greeted us upon our landing. He was middle aged, tall with a receding hairline - and looked every part the disgruntled, uncomfortable military man. I took this moment to glance at my "escorts", and all three wore varying degrees of indignance on their faces. Han at needing to be here, Luke as the words of Nereus, and Manchisco at the mere mention of Tullius.
"Then I suppose we must wait for the Captain to arrive," I said diplomatically, turning my attention to the gathered Senators again, "May I introduce my companions here today? This is General Solo."
Han did not bow, I hadn't expected him to, but the glare he sent at Nereus and then the Senate as a whole likely did not endear them to us.
"Captain Tessa Manchisco, of the Flurry." Manchisco, despite her own hang-ups, did have the presence of mind to bow her head in greeting - a miniscule amount of effort at least better than none at all.
"And Commander Luke Skywalker of Tatooine, Jedi Knight." In my attempts at selling the Alliance to the Bakurans, I hoped that the presence of that ancient Order would convince them of our good intentions. Luke, thankfully, bowed far more respectfully than Manchisco and remained silent. Luke was a well-meaning man, but one that tended to let his heart do the talking rather than his head.
"Jedi," Nereus breathed, suddenly appearing nervous before correcting himself. He sniffed derisively, straightening his pristine uniform, "We'll have to watch ourselves, then."
Leia knew Luke was dying to speak, but again he held his tongue. I allowed the barest smile cross my lips as I responded to Nereus.
"Yes, your Excellency," The Jedi were well-known for being vanguards of peace and justice, Luke's presence could only help our position here, "We mean to re-establish the Old Republic, including the Jedi Order. Commander Skywalker is the current head of the organization."
Worryingly, my words did not have the intended reaction among the Bakuran Senators. Several shuffled, murmuring quietly as they stared at Luke with naked suspicion or in some cases fear.
Luke shuffled, appearing briefly sheepish as the current numbers of the organization went unsaid. Nereus pondered my words for a long moment before a certain greedy glint flashed in his eyes. However, before he could speak, an older man with thick white hair rose to his feet. He was someone of some importance, as Nereus's mouth closed shut with a snap.
"Welcome to Bakura," Despite his apparent age, the man spoke with a deep, powerful voice, commanding a far more respectable presence than the Governor a row behind him, "I am Prime Minister Yeorg Captison. Under normal circumstances, you would have had a protocol briefing, and I apologize for the haste with which this meeting was convened. I suggest we hasten our introductions before the good Captain arrives."
In another circumstance, someone describing any Imperial officer as a good Captain might have earned a snort from me, but I maintained a diplomatic front. Hoping to endear myself to the Bakurans, I curtsied with far more decorum to the Prime Minister than I had for Nereus. Luke and Manchisco followed with bows of their own, and even Han gave a short nod.
"No apologies necessary, Prime Minister," I said, "This is a desperate hour."
Another man rose, seated near the Prime Minister. His tunic was more militaristic, with a rank plaque along his breast in typical Imperial fashion.
"Blaine Harris, defense minister. You have no idea how desperate. All of our outposts on the other planets in the system have been destroyed. Our salvage crews that survived to report back found no bodies and no survivors. Were it not for you, and the timely arrival of Tullius…"
The man put on a strong face, but the fear was clear in his eyes. It was a trepidation shared by all the gathered Senators. Even Nereus and Thanas appeared nervous at the prospect of these alien invaders. Yet, I had to wonder how many had their trepidation shared; in part for the invaders and in part for the Star Destroyers above. It seemed to keep coming back to Captain Tullius, the mysterious officer who would be the deciding factor in what side the Bakurans would prefer.
The lull in the conversation was interrupted by the hiss of the door to the chambers.
"Presenting Captain Rivejer Tullius, of the Conqueror." I turned as a cacophony of steady footfalls filled the room, silencing all conversation. I turned alongside my companions, at last getting my first look at the Imperial Captain that had caused so many issues.
Rivejer Tullius was… the single most plain man I had ever seen. I wasn't sure what I had been expected, but between the sheer hatred Manchisco had for the man and the aggression described by Luke during the battle, Rivejer Tullius was remarkably unremarkable. He was of a moderate height and slim build, not overly fit but clearly kept himself healthy. His grey uniform was spotless, as was the case with most self-respecting Imperials, with the appropriate rank plaque and number of code cylinders for his station. His stride, his squared shoulders, the perfect snap of his heels on the floor - it all screamed "Imperial". The only place where he deviated was his face. Despite the state of his dress, Tullius's face was haggard. Pale, with sunken eyes and unshaven bristles covering the lower half of his face. His auburn hair stuck out from under his service cap and down his face in sideburns; the only part of his appearance that was not regulation, if one were to ignore the general unkemptness.
At his back, almost as a contradiction to the man's rugged face, were a quartet of identical, pristine Stormtroopers. I had met my fair share of officers and Stormtroopers alike outside combat, but my companions all had varying degrees of reaction. Manchisco's fists tightened at her side, her glare for Tullius alone. Luke's seemed to almost subconsciously move forward, trying to place himself in front of me and letting his hands hang at his sides. Han reflectively reached for a blaster he did not have on him, the twitch in his hands a sign of his nerves. The reason was obvious, Tullius and his soldiers had not been disarmed - the Stormtroopers brazenly carried their carbines out in the open while Tullius had a service pistol at his hip.
The man's expression was one of complete disinterest, despite his clear exhaustion, piercing eyes studied them each in turn. I wondered, did he recognize us? An officer from Death Squadron was liable to know the faces of ranking members of the Alliance, were ours among those he studies in reports and meetings? If he did, Tullius did not show it. He did not show much of anything, beyond a bland disinterest in the galaxy around him. He just continued walking, striding right through the middle of our group and to the top of the stairs down to the center of the Senate chambers. The action must have surprised Manchisco as well, as she stepped aside to let him pass. The Stormtrooper waited a few paces away, not pushing through us as Tullius had, but still looking ready to leap into action. Tullius may have written us off as non-threats, but his guards held their blasters tight.
I turned, facing Nereus again as Tullius snapped his heels together.
"Captain Rivejer Tullius, 2nd Flank Squadron, Arrowhead Command, reporting as requested to meet with this… civil body." His accent was strange, vaguely familiar though from where I struggled to place. It was reminiscent of a less refined Core world accent. What was impossible to mistake was the disdain his voice dripped with when he addressed the Bakuran Senate, his words earning him many glares and muttered comments. Inwardly, I was grinning - Tullius was already doing a great job of endearing himself to the body.
A few Bakuran officials siddled in, quietly joining their fellows as Nereus spoke to Tullius.
"You have our thanks, both for your timely arrival and for attending this meeting, Captain," Nereus offered diplomatically, seeming to try and cover for his fellow Imperial, "Now, I think we can begin in earnest. Captain, Princess, come down."
He indicated into the pit the Bakuran Senate surrounded with a hand. Tullius turned, looking at me and gesturing down.
"Ma'am," He said, a grudging tone to his voice. I merely bowed my head and went down first, the thud of his boots following a few paces behind. I peaked back, noting that Luke, Han, and Manchisco had remained with the quartet of Stormtroopers. There was tension in the group, but while my party seemed uncomfortable around the troopers, Tullius's guards had their attention directed elsewhere. Their blasters were held close to their chest as they eyed the Senators, Governor, and nearby security officers. There was a larger game afoot, and a part of me wondered if I was about to be caught between an Imperial civil war.
We arrived at the foot of the stairs, looking up at Nereus and the ranking government officials.
"Captain Tullius, before we can discuss the issue of the invasion, I believe we all require confirmation of the claims made by Princess Leia."
"Regarding?" Tullius asked blandly.
"Is there truth in her claim that Emperor Palpatine is dead?" The hush returned as Nereus spoke. I turned my gaze back to Tullius, gauging his reaction. He may well have been cut from durasteel, his earlier disdain forgotten in the face of that question.
"... I have reason to believe the veracity of her claims, yes," Tullus admitted after a long moment, "The Death Star was destroyed, alongside most of the command staff of Death Squadron."
I had nearly forgotten that the second Death Star had been secret, reminded of the fact by the concerned murmuring of the gathered Senators. Nereus let them speak amongst themselves for a few moments longer before raising his voice over the din.
"But there is no proof that he didn't escape."
"My opinion was shared by Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, who had been present aboard the battle station as well. However, I have no definitive proof." The silence that followed Tullius's words was shortlived as the Senators began to quietly debate with their neighbors - calmer, this time, allowing me to speak without raising my voice to a yell.
"The Emperor is dead," I reiterated, "Dead at the hands of Darth Vader."
Nereus's thick eyebrows quirked up, surprise on his face for a moment before his faze turned back to Tullius. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Tullius give a slight shrug - he could neither confirm nor deny the claim. It was that statement that Nereus ended up believing, though.
"Vader," The name was spat with naked distaste, Nereus's eyes narrowed as he gripped the arms of his seat. It was a sentiment I shared for the monster, whatever or whoever Luke claimed he was at the end. Even Tullius shifted nervously as my side, the stony Captain having a reaction to the name alone.
"Vader," He repeated, as if confirming it for himself, "His Majesty should never have have trusted a Sith Lord. Is he still in command of Death Squadron, then?"
The question was directed toward Tullius, but it was I who answered.
"Vader is dead as well, Your Excellency."
This made the disgruntled murmuring of the Bakuran Senate rise into a cacophony of noise, directed either at individual members or at myself and the Captain. Panic, fear, relief - all of it was mixed within the words. Nereus appeared thunderstruck, leaned back in his chair and staring down at the two of us with an unreadable expression. From what little I had seen of the man, I had a decent idea of what was going through his head at the moment. With the Emperor dead and Death Squadron left leaderless, there was scarcely anyone in the sector that had control over Nereus. What's more, a Captain detached from his fleet was in the system, and could potentially be bullied into pledging his ships to Nereus.
I also realzied that this must have occurred to Tullius as well, evidenced by the quartet of armed Stormtroopers still behind us. Why would an Imperial officer need to bring Stormtroopers to an Imperial government building unless he expected the local officials to suddenly become hostile?
"Order! There will be order!" Prime Minister Captison barked out over the officials, his voice silencing the dissenters almost instantly. He let the silence linger before turning back to Tullius and I.
"My apologies, Your Highness, Captain. On the back of our current woes, this knowledge is greatly concerning. Can we expect further assistance from Death Squadron and the Empire, Captain Tullius?"
"Not at this time," Tullius admitted, his tone grudging, "Death Squadron retreated out of the sector upon the death of the Emperor and Lord Vader."
"Then why are you still here?" One of the younger Senators demanded, and I winced inwardly. His tone was derisive, almost insulting, as he demanded answers from Tullius - defeated or not, two Star Destroyers would be able to burn Bakura's cities with ease.
"I have been… trapped within the Moddell Sector since the battle. Grand Admiral Teshik managed to escape and regroup with the fleet, but due to an… altercation, I was forced to retreat back into the sector."
"I believe it would be prudent to discuss the Imperial Navy's situation at a later time," Commander Thanas spoke at last. His tone brooked no argument as he glanced at Nereus, jerking head head slightly toward the pit. There was no question as to why he did not want this discussion held in a public forum.
"Agreed. For the time being, I believe we should show you what we are dealing with. Ellsworth, run the Sibwarra recording. Your Highness, Captain, stand over here."
Tullius and I stepped up closer to Nereus, turning as the lights in the chambers dimmed. Servomotors whined as a series of holoprojector raised up from the floor. A hologram flickered to life, projecting the form of a human male. He was a younger man, with dark hair and high-cheek bones, and an almost wild look in his eyes. His robes were alien, colored stark white with green and blue stripes down his sides. When he spoke, his voice was filled with barely contained excitement and reverence. His words were far more concerning than his appearance, as "Dev Sibwarra of G'rho" heaped praise upon his masters in the Ssi-ruuk. He babbled about them bringing peace to the galaxy, and how the sentients of the galaxy had great worth to the Ssi-ruuk, and in he went.
The hologram shifted, showcasing several tall, bulking saurian aliens gathered around an oddly shaped space craft. I vaguely recognized it, having seen its sort in the post-battle briefing. Wedge Antilles had claimed them to be droid starfighters, or near enough, though Luke had appeared hesitant to support that conclusion at that time. A shudder of concern raced up my spine, something was very wrong.
Sibwarra continued, describing the process of "entrenching" and how "life energies" were used to power the craft. While I had little knowledge or faith in mystical powers, beyond what Luke had showcased, these Ssi-ruuk still employed ritualistic sacrifice in the process of constructing their fighters. If they went through this process for every single ship…
The message ended, Sibwarra still speaking with that chillingly positive tone of voice as he promised he would see us all soon. The projector lowered back into the floor and the lights returned, showcasing a sea of pale white faces.
"You see?" A younger female Senator called from her seat, "This is a threat against which we have no experience and no defense!"
I understood the woman's plea, the desperation faced when one's homeworld was threatened by an overwhelming force. Already, my mind ran with how I could leverage my experiences to draw more support for the Alliance from the Bakurans. Of course, that meant I needed to balance whatever dislike they had for the Empire against the fear they might hold for the two Star Destroyers hanging in-orbit.
"Bakurans," I called, "We will not leave you to your fates. The Alliance to Restore the Republic has made protecting worlds under threat its solemn oath, and we extend our offer of help to you. Our war is not against the citizenry and subjects of the Empire, but against the Empire itself."
I gauge the reactions of the three ranking Imperials, all but prodding a reaction from them. Nereus, with his hands folded over his mouth, shot me an intense glare, but held his silence. Thanas shifted his weight subtly from one foot to the other, his eyes raking the gathered Senators. Tullius, as he had for most of the meeting, remained stone faced and uncaring - but I was expecting an intense reaction from him sooner rather that later. A local planetary government demanded that an officer of the Imperial Navy come to a meeting, and a Star Destroyer captain no less? He had to be fuming behind that mask of indifference, and I need only push him to snap and ruin the Empire's image here.
"The Ssi-ruuk must be stopped, that much should be clear to us all. Bakura can not stand alone, and though Captain Tullius's ships are powerful, he is but one man - he cannot be everywhere at once. I mean no disrespect to the good Captain, but the Empire has always ruled through fear and the threat of violence rather than skillful application of it. Endor has shown that they can be beaten. The image of the invincibility of their fleet has been broken, would you place your faith solely in their hands?"
"If your rebellion seeks to help us, then why have you committed so few ships?" A Senator, one of the few that had arrived with Captain Tullius, demanded from his seat. Despite this, there was already some incredulous looks being sent in the direction of Tullius and Thanas. Their faith was already shaken, now I continued to chip away at it. Thanas had been fighting a losing battle for control of Bakura, and Tullius had arrived admitting the Navy had been soundly defeated.
"The Alliance is stretched thin, but our fleet is mobilizing as we speak," I lied, but it was necessary. Luke shot me a glance, surprise writ upon his face at my audacity. In part, I agreed, this was audacious even for me. Despite my words, a Star Destroyer was a very convincing argument for why Bakura shouldn't support the Alliance. The Bakurans needed to believe that the Alliance was on its way and in force, and that Tullius's warships were not as invincible as they initially believed. From there, I would need only wait for the Bakurans to try and force Tullius to follow their command structure, and he would do the rest of the work for me.
Of course, there was the minor issue of Tullius still commanding two Star Destroyers. Despite my words, there was nothing stopping him from just hanging in orbit and bombarding Bakura's surface.
"Can the same be said for the Empire?"
"You forget that Bakura is a loyal Imperial world, Princess," Nereus drawled, his face distinctly unamused by my words, "We have yet to hear back from the Imperial Fleet on whether they can assist."
"The Empire has abandoned the Moddell Sector," I counter, waving my hand toward Tullius, "As Captain Tullius said himself, he had been fleeing Alliance forces all throughout the sector. He is here by chance, desperation born of defeat. The only help Bakura will find now can only be found in us."
Nereus's mouth slammed shut, bitting back whatever response he wanted to offer up. His steely eyes glinted with anger. He covered his mouth with one large, gloved hand as he thought about what to do or say next. All the while, his eyes lingered on Tullius - who had said nothing during the entire exchange.
"Nereus," A thin, older Senator exclaimed, "Take help where you can get it. Even with Captain Tullius's ships added to our forces, we refuse any assistance no matter the source."
"We don't need the rebels to defend our home!" The same minister who had arrived with Tullius exclaimed, "Once the ships are reorganized under Commander Thanas's fleet-"
That was it, that was the final push. It did not matter if Captain Tullius had the patience of a droid, the Bakurans were operating under the idea that his ships were there to move and take as they pleased. Clearly, Thanas had allowed the Bakuran government a level of influence within his own ships, if they were so comfortable ordering around a Captain. Nereus had come to the same conclusion, as his eyes were squeezed shut and his shoulders slackened. I gave a half smirk, watching at last as Tullius stepped forward.
"Senators," His voice was calm, deceptively so, "I am afraid this is where I must protest. I agreed to come here as a formality, but I cannot offer my section to assist in the defence of your system."
The silence that followed his words was palpable, with many of the Bakuran Senators staring at Tullius as if he had grown a second head. I was surprised at the measure of his response as well, it was not the explosion I was expecting. I, alongside several of the Senators, looked up at Nereus. The Governor had not moved from his position, though his eyes were now opened and baring down on Tullius. He was scheming, that much was certain, but about what I did not know. It was not him that spoke, but Minister Harris.
"That is certainly a problem, Captain, but correct me if I am wrong: the Imperial Fleet answers to the sector and system governments in which they reside?"
"That is correct, Senator."
"Minister," Harris corrected softly before continuing, "The Bakuran Senate is the local authority, Captain."
But Tullius disagreed, shaking his head.
"Governor Nereus is the system authority and the representative of the Empire."
"Governor Nereus has recognized the legislative initiative of this body, and its authority to govern Bakura." Harris countered, becoming heated.
"The Empire has not." Those four words did more damage to the Empire's image than the entirety of my speech, and I could not be happier for it. I watched as the reality of what Tullius had said reached each of the Senators, as the presence of the Star Destroyers above became less of vanguards and more the axe of an executioner.
"This is a dereliction of your duty, Captain!" One of the Senators jumped to his feet, barking at the Captain, "We are the authority here, Governor Nereus has accepted that reality, as you shall, too." The man was shushed by several of his neighbors, this was a step too far for them - whether out of loyalty to the Empire or a better understanding of the situation. There was a clatter at the top of the stairs, the dull, familiar sound of plastoid armor moving around. I glanced back, finding the Captain's four bodyguards standing at the top of the stairs in a line, carbines held in hands.
Ah, I thought, They weren't here to protect him from us.
"I believe it is time for a recess," Nereus finally spoke, unhurried and sounding almost amused.
Nerf-herder, I thought, looking up at Nereus as he rose from his hovering throne.
"Princess, I will have our data on the Ssi-ruuk released to you. We will discuss the possibility of a truce once tempers have cooled."
With that dismissal, the Senate began to grumble amongst themselves. Some of them shot glares at Nereus or Tullius, others suddenly very fearful. All of them were aware of the quartet of Stormtroopers, faceless helmets watching their every move.
Governor Wilek Nereus
"Captain Rivejer Tullius to see you, sir." The dull voice of my assistant droned through a speaker on my desk, rousing me from my thoughts. I had been expecting the Captain's arrival, quickly straightening.
"Send him in," I ordered, depressing a button on the console. A few silent moments passed before the door to my office hissed open. Rivejer Tullius looked as he had during the Senate hearing, if anything he appeared even more on edge. He had been relieved of his service pistol, but I knew his Stormtroopers were waiting in the lobby beyond. Tullius was paranoid to an excessive degree. A certain amount of paranoia was expected, even when among his fellow Imperials. There was a story there, one I was eager to hear while I maneuvered the Captain to my advantage.
"Captain, please, take a seat. We have much to discuss," I drawl, putting on a winning smile as I indicate to the chairs across from my desk. Tullius's unerring stare lingered on me for a heartbeat before he stepped in, his boots thudding softly on the carpeted floor. With precise, almost mechanical movements, he claimed a seat and met my eyes. His expression was grim, its significance carried by the clear exhaustion writ upon his face. The time since Endor had clearly not treated the Captain well, a fact made more evident now that I sat before him. Despite this, he carried himself professionally and clearly his tiredness did not blunt his intensity. For how long I had suffered the whims of the Bakurans for the sake of stability, it brought me some catharsis to watch Tullius put the fear of the Empire back into them. It was one thing to have some Armytroopers beat a few ruffians, it was another entirely to threaten them with Star Destroyers.
Oh, Tullius had not put it in as many words, but even a child could read between the lines. The Bakuran government derived its legitimacy from me, but it did not share in my authority. Tullius had made that much clear, so long as I lent credence to the Bakuran Senate, they were a legitimate government. The moment I did not, they would become little better than the rebels they shared the chambers with. I could almost laugh, the terror on their faces as they remembered what a Star Destroyer was capable of!
But I sobered soon enough. The Senate was like a great nerf, slow and trundling and far too confident in its safety for such a being. Outwardly, it was an easy hunt - it was harder to miss a nerf than it was to hit it. Without a killing shot, however? Well, that nerf would rapidly become a much bigger problem as it rampages and lashes out, and that slow-trundling nature would disappear in an instant. The Bakuran Senate may be toothless, but it was more popular with the people than I was. It was one thing to send an Armytrooper team to brow-beat a student protest, it was another to put down a revolution. This Ssi-Ruuk problem did not make the situation any easier. It was there that Captain Tullius came in, a solution to both problems. To tie it back into my hunting analogy, my Armytroopers were to Tullius what a slugthrower was to a long-range artillery piece. It didn't matter how powerful the nerf was when you could obliterate it from ten kilometers away.
That all hinged on the support of Tullius, who had thus far proven unresponsive to bullying. My initial plan had been to wield my authority as a Governor to conscript Tullius's service, but that was before I had realized exactly who I was dealing with. More accurately, who had Tullius last worked under. I did not know much about Blitzer Harrsk, but even at a cursory glance at his history and reputation had me concerned. Like attracts like, and the veneer of civility may end abruptly as Tullius throws himself across my desk to wring my neck. Harrsk didn't have a history of physical violence, at least none that my public records indicated, but his vicious temper and aggression were well recorded. Tullius had shown signs of the former and had more than showcased the latter as he charged the alien vessels like a rampaging bull.
The veneer of civility hiding a madman, I thought as I grabbed a pair of pre-poured glasses and moved them between us, How can I use that?
Tullius looked at the glass, the amber liquid sloshing about within, before returning his gaze to me. He made no move to touch the glass, either to push it aside or drink it. His expression was bored as if this entire exchange were beneath him. My ego smarted, it wasn't every day that one shared a drink with a governor, but I held my tongue.
Calm, Wilek, I thought, leaving my own glass where it now sat, Calm.
"Thank you, Governor," Tullius said politely, "I apologize for my earlier terseness with the Senate."
"No offense taken," I respond, letting my amusement bubble back up, "It's good to remind the peons exactly who rules whom from time to time. Lest they become complacent."
Tullius sniffed but otherwise did not react to my joke. He did not speak, letting the silence nearly stretch into awkwardness as neither of us touched our drinks nor moved our gazes.
"Now, you mentioned the fate of Death Squadron and the Imperial Fleet, perhaps you could elaborate further? Where did Death Squadron retreat to?"
"As I was unable to regroup with my Command or the Squadron, I cannot be certain," Tullius was quicker to respond this time, "We received conflicting orders once the Death Star was destroyed. Some fled to Annaj, others to Yag'Dhul, and others still elsewhere on their own. I regrouped with Admiral Teshik in the Endor System before we retreated to Vasha and made our way to Wrath Station."
I blinked; I had been nodding along with the Captain's words, familiar with the names up until the last. Tullius spoke of it as if its existence were common knowledge, something that caused a moment of concern.
"Wrath Station?" I repeated slowly, earning a confused glance from Tullius.
"Wrath Station, in the Ponemah system. It was overseen by Grand Moff Randd."
I did not know that, the existence of Wrath or the presence of Randd in the Moddell Sector. I was vaguely familiar with the man, as much as one governor knew about another, but why was he here? So close to the Endor system and in an out-of-the-way place like Ponemah? It was after that line of internal questioning that another, more chilling realization hit me.
Randd was the commander of Wrath. Was, as in past tense.
"This was the site of your… altercation, as you called it?" I asked slowly, keeping my revelation from my voice as I gauged Tullius's reaction. Nothing, not so much as a twitch.
"Yes, though not until after Teshik had left. Moff Randd had approached me to join a conspiracy against the Ruling Council. He mentioned confederates, but I never had the chance to learn their names. I was not eager to be conscripted into conspiring against the Empire, not matter what Randd had claimed. Myself and some allies made our escape, though his ships blocked us from leaving the Moddell Sector."
I licked my dry lips, truly nervous for the first time in years. Was this what Randd had felt like in those final moments, looking into this perfectly neutral face before Tullius… What, shot him dead on the spot? I could envision it, the bearded face of Governor Randd sitting across from Tullius, conspiring and recruiting the Captain into his conspiracy. I saw Tullius, same blank expression, standing up and drawing his pistol; shooting Randd in the chest. It was not a stretch for my imagination to envision my face in place of Randd's, and it to be my chest eating red bolts of plasma. And Tullius had survived, he must have been aboard the station at the time. He must have fought his way out with his allies against whatever garrison Wrath carried.
The more I thought about it, the more worried I became.
"And that led you here," I managed, suddenly not wanting there to be silence. Not wanting to just stare into the eyes of a man who executed a high-ranking governor with nary a thought.
"And that led us here," He repeated, "I apologize that I couldn't bloody the Ssi-Ruuk some when we arrived, they appeared far less eager to fight me than your Thanas."
That would be because you charged them with Star Destroyers! I cried in my mind, even as I kept my smile level.
"We are thankful for any moment of reprieve, Captain. Ah, but that does bring us to the matter of… business."
"Business?" He sounded unimpressed. I swallowed, planning out my next words carefully.
"Yes. While you made your stance clear on the matter, I still must request that you lend your aid to our defense, Captain. If I cannot rely on your better nature, then I ask under my authority as a planetary governor."
I made sure not to use words like "order" or "demand" when speaking. Rather, I disguised an order as a request, in the hopes that it would soften it in the mind of Tullius. The raging bull comparison felt more apt, as I tried to guide him without getting gored.
Tullius's expression fell slightly, a frown marring his face for a moment before it returned to its previous state.
"I am under orders, Governor. Admiral Teshik has ordered me to return to the Core as soon as possible."
"You have already been delayed in following those orders," I reason, "Surely you can spare a few more days when the Ssi-Ruuk inevitably return? Bakura needs defenders, it will fall to this alien menace otherwise"
"I have been delayed enough," Tullius retorted, though his eyes flickered to one side. There was a note of discomfort in his voice, and I wondered if I were getting through to him. Was that some note of shame on his face? Was it pushing the knowledge that innocent lives were at stake that was convincing this Captain?
No, I thought derisively to myself, What a foolish question. It's the lust for battle, he showed that much when he arrived. He's been running for ages now, now he has the perfect opportunity to fight and he has to throw it away.
"There is no greater duty than defending an Imperial world," I push a new avenue, his honor as an officer of the Empire, "What is the point of fighting for the Empire if you abandon its worlds?"
Tullius stared at me, the silence following my words stretching on to such a point that I began to sweat. Had I pushed too far? Had I made a mistake? When Tullius spoke, his voice was slow and grudging - as if he were dragging them up from himself.
"I cannot justify disobeying my orders, Governor. I am sorry, but my section will be leaving as soon as possible," He did sound genuinely apologetic, that is until he continued, "My staff indicates that we have enough supplies to survive our trip to the Core, but I wish to stockpile more. How fast could you gather a month's worth of supplies for one hundred thousand men?"
I opened my mouth, about to respond, when a thought occurred to me.
"A few days, a week at the most."
"Then my ships will remain here for that time," Tullius said, "Through whatever that may entail."
"Agreed. We will gather what we can," I said, breathing in a sigh of relief.
"I want my security wherever the supplies are being gathered," The cool tone returned as Tullius retook his polite disinterest once more, "Something tells me I have become quite unpopular with these Bakurans. Nor do I trust those rebels."
"Agreed," His soldiers being on the planet would reduce the strain faced by mine, even if it were just at a local granary. Tullius finally took the glass from my desk. Without testing or tasting it, he knocked back the entirety of the amber liquid inside.
I was stunned.
Tullius smacked his lips as he set the glass down, before looking at me with that same passive expression. No one reached his rank without fearing the possibility of assassination, and surely my obvious interest in his vessels had not escaped him? No, this was a taunt from the Captain. I realized it now; the story about Randd was to show me that he could kill me just as easily, and the ease with which he drank was to showcase he did not fear assassination. If I killed him, his subordinates would eagerly return the favor.
Despite his tentative acquiescence, I still felt as if my life were in danger.