Rivejer Tullius
When I was a boy, I had to be put under anaesthesia for some dental issues. I can scarcely remember the day, but what I can recall was the sensation coming out from under the drug effect. The bleariness, the lack of understanding for who or where you were, the heaviness in every muscle. If I were to try and describe my current state, that would be the closest descriptor - though at that moment I wished for the blissful floatiness of anaesthesia. At first, I was freezing - despite having a heavy woolen blanket laid over me - and then I was hit by the unpleasant sensation of seemingly every muscle in my body shrieking with soreness. My brain felt as if it were submerged in a vat of molasses, struggling to comprehend or remember anything. A shrill sound came from somewhere on my left - a single long, drawn beep. I shut my eyes again, slowly trying to piece together where I was and what had happened.
Thoughts and images flashed through my mind, but without context they were just nonsensical. Then, just as suddenly as I awoke, my mind managed to snap back to life.
Endor, N'zoth, Coruscant, the ISB. The ISB…
My eyes snapped open immediately, a decision I also regretted immediately as I was again greeted by the harsh overhead light. I growled out a slurry of undignified curses, bringing my arm up to cover my eyes. I employed a little exposure therapy, trying to force my eyes to adjust to the light so I could take stock of my situation. In time, I was able to identify my surroundings: Neither an interrogation room nor a prison, the stark white walls and equipment betrayed a medical bay. This was a surprise, but I could remember almost nothing from the moment I landed on Imperial Center until now. However, what I did remember was that I was arrested by the ISB - and being in the hands of the Empire's premier intelligence organization was not an enviable position.
Since I did not remember what happened after the arrest, I made sure to quickly pat down my body for any obvious damage or signs of torture. It was difficult to tell if I felt like I had been tortured, considering the soreness I felt, but nothing seemed to stand out. Merely an array of needle points in my wrists and under my arms. I let my arms drop back down, left wondering for a time what had happened.
I did not wait long, as the door to the private room opened. A lanky, dark-grey medical droid lumbered in, a hovering cart moving behind it as it entered. It was tall and spindly, appearing vaguely humanoid which was an improvement from the spherical droids present on the Conqueror. Its eyes glowed an ominous white, dim in the otherwise bright room.
"Greetings. I am T1B-R6, I will be your nurse for today. How are you feeling today, sir?" The droid's voice - a facsimile of a woman's voice - asked calmly as it approached, arms raised. I watched suspiciously for a moment before responding.
"Well enough, given the situation. Where am I?"
"You are currently in Navy Medical Station Three. You were admitted two days, thirteen hours ago. Please hold out your arm."
I did so mechanically, head still spinning. I had been out for at least two days, if not more. Under the tender care of the ISB, no doubt. But how had I ended up at a navy medical station? I doubted I had been cleared of whatever charges were leveled against me; ignoring the dereliction of my duty at Bakura, N'zoth had been a fiasco from start to finish. Then there was Wrath and Randd. I had not sat down and given it much thought, but I expected my welcome back to the Empire would be far from warm. Indeed, a deep part of me expected my head would roll, though that may well have been my paranoia talking.
I winced as a syringe jabbed out from the droid's hand, taking a sample of my blood which was inserted into the hovering machine it had brought into the room.
"Am I under arrest?" I asked, focusing on the important question.
"You are currently in the custody of Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik."
This caught me off guard. I hadn't been aware that Teshik had survived or made it back to Imperial Center, though I also hadn't given the idea much thought. Since our split at Wrath, I'd all but forgotten about him or the brief anger I felt about his words regarding Admiral Harrsk. I had to wonder; when had he made it back?
"Custody?" I asked, repeating the droid's words.
"Correct."
"Why?"
"I apologize, but I do not understand the question."
"Why am I in his custody?" I repeated, slower this time.
"I apologize, but I am unable to answer your question. Your bloodwork indicates you have been cleared of all narcoanalytic agents. However, there is evidence of sustained enhanced stimulants in your blood stream, several of which your records indicate you should not have access to. I have forwarded my report to Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, but I must emphasize that you should not abuse stimulants, sir."
I waved the droid off, having heard the mantra before. It was only a temporary thing, I wasn't addicted. They'd just kept me on my feet during these long weeks. The droid continued its examination all the same, moving through the check-up. Nothing too egregious, though the droid did complain about the healing job on my shoulder since I hadn't submerged myself in bacta. There was also my irregular and often short sleep schedule, but much like my usage of stimulants I intended to fix that.
Minutes stretched by and finally the droid was finished.
"That is all. Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik will see you now." And before I had a chance to comprehend what the droid said, it opened the door and stepped out - only to be replaced by a familiar figure. Tall, adorned in a pure white uniform, with half his body marred by advanced cybernetics. Grand Admiral Teshik stepped in, his expression grim and dour. I made to rise, despite still being in only a hospital gown, but Teshik raised one hand.
"Remain seated, Captain." Teshik said, his voice almost a growl. He threw the package he had been carrying, that I only noticed when it was flying through the air to me. I caught it quickly, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down at its contents. Grey fabric looked back - my uniform, I suspected.
"Get dressed." Teshik ordered, then stepped out just as suddenly as he appeared. The door slid shut once more, leaving me dazed in the whirlwind. I waited for all of a moment before scrambling to get dressed, not wanting to make the Grand Admiral wait any longer than necessary. I had no idea what to think of this turn of events, my head still reeling from my confused memories. Hopefully, he would have answers.
I dressed faster than I had since I left the Academy and exited the room soon thereafter. The hallway beyond was wide, lines of doorways on either wall as far as the eye could see. Staff flitted this way and that, though they gave my room a wide berth. The reason was obvious: the quartet of tall, well-armed Deathtroopers and their similarly intimidating charge.
At my appearance, Teshik turned - eyes roving over me before nodding his head, pleased.
"Follow." Teshik ordered, then turned on his heel and walked down the right hallway. I was quick to obey, falling in step just behind him. Teshik began to speak as he walked, not looking back to make sure I was behind him.
"I have read your report, Tullius." Teshik said without preamble, "The Admiralty needs information from the databases of your ships."
"I will have it sent the moment I return to the fleet- ah, I mean, my ship." I had taken to calling the motley assortment of ships a 'fleet', when in reality it was scarcely more than a small squadron. Teshik's head bobbed at my words.
"You have been made aware of Arrowhead Command's status?" Teshik asked immediately after. My next step stuttered as I remembered my arrest more clearly, Arrowhead Command had been dissolved. The fleet was not a young one, it had existed under a dozen different names long before the Empire. There had always been a fleet defending the Core-side potions of the Slice - the titular Arrowhead. To dissolve it was like… demolishing Theed Palace!
"It was dissolved, sir?" I asked, hoping that it was merely a trick from the ISB. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.
"Blitzer Harrsk declared himself a Warlord and many of your former comrades defected with him. All members of Arrowhead Command that did not report to muster were declared traitors alongside him."
That was… I could not believe it. I'd spent years serving under Harrsk, I'd built my entire understanding of capital ship warfare on his tactics and strategies! I idolized him, as childish as it seemed. The mere notion that he, of all people, would turn traitor…
I swallowed heavily, the actions of the ISB now making far more sense. I had not reported to the Admiralty - assuming Harrsk's treason was soon after Endor - and so I was declared traitor at the same time. Had General Brashin not been aware of my status, or had he just decided not to apprehend me there and then? Pairing that with the supposed message Screold had sent to warn the Empire of Paret's planned rebellion, I was left with more questions than I started with.
"Sir, I was unable to return to the Core due to-" I started, seeing the need to exonerate myself.
"Randd, I suspect. Or the rest of your… adventure. However, we last spoke two months ago. As far as the Empire was concerned, you were a traitor." The frankness that Teshik spoke with was refreshing in a way, though it did little to calm my nerves. The man stopped suddenly, seeming to ponder something for a moment before turning to face me. His expression remained grim, but there was an odd look in his eye that I could not place.
"... It is good that you have returned, Tullius."
And then, he was moving again. I was left without time to process what he said once more, following behind him.
"Err… What happens next?" I ask, deciding to push forward rather than question whatever that was.
"The Admiralty has pushed to have the charges against you dropped in light of your circumstances, contingent on the contents of your databases. This has coincided with a report made by CompForce - without the support of the Ruling Council. Your name has already been listed among a number of others in their newsletters."
"I see…" I did not see, but hearing the name of Cardon's office made me shudder. I could only imagine what the overzealous agent said to make his superiors extol my virtues, though an egotistical part of me wanted to hunt down these newsletters to see what they said. I'd never been called a hero before. However, there was a more pressing concern, "What of the ISB?"
"Your arrest has angered many agencies, both within COMPNOR and beyond. Coalition for Progress, CompForce, the Customs office and Naval Intelligence - among others." Teshik's usual emotionless mask broke, revealing amusement in his tone at the thought. I was left reeling at the sheer number of agencies interested in my arrest.
"Customs?" I repeated dully.
"Politics." The amusement vanished from his voice, "The Empire is not in a good place at the moment, Tullius. My staff will forward a report to you regarding what had occurred in the meantime. Suffice it to say, be wary of any new friends that crop up from this event."
"Yes, sir." I said after a moment, following enough to know that this was well over my head. The internal machinations of intelligence agencies and organisations within the Empire were so beyond my authority they may as well be in the next galaxy over.
We neared the medical center's entrance, a greater throng of people present there. Teshik stopped, turning again to face me. He had returned to his earlier sternness, the organic side of his face flat and emotionless.
"You have been reinstated, Captain. You are to return to your ship and have the data prepared and sent to Imperial Center by the week's end - from all ships in your squadron. You have been transferred to Grand Admiral Miltin Takel's command, who I am sure you are familiar with. This information has been forwarded to your account."
He offered me a datapad: a release form, with his signature on it.
"This repays the debt between us, Captain. My life for yours." I accepted the datapad with a nod, "Good luck."
"Good hunting, sir." I said automatically, accepting the datapad and saluting the man. Teshik returned the salute then walked off, storming through the crowd as it parted. His guards were quick to follow.
Osvald Teshik was a whirlwind of a man. Though he was terrifying in person, I now felt that the perception of him being a droid in human flesh was unfair. He did not need to save me from the ISB, nor did he need to step in and ensure I remained in the fleet.
Miltin Takel was another familiar name I had not given much thought. He was at Endor, though unlike Teshik I had not known he survived the battle. This news was good for both me and the Empire; Takel had more than earned his accolades as a Grand Admiral and it would be an honor to serve under him. The knowledge of Harrsk's treason was still fresh in my mind, but I opted to push it aside. Until I better understood the situation in the Empire, I refused to ponder any longer.
I moved to the front desk, offering the signed datapad to its staff member. The man accepted it and returned to me another box - one filled with personal effects. My blaster, belt, communicator, code cylinders and personal datapad were all back on my person - and I felt far less naked with them.
I left the medical center soon thereafter, feeling refreshed and relieved I was a free man again. A cursory glance at my medical record indicated a lack of injuries from torture, which was as surprising as it was relieving. My inbox was filled with reports, panicked messages and other communications I needed to sort through. My focus was on the transfer orders from the Admiralty, signed off by Teshik himself. I was being placed in Green Mantle, though which fleet was not said. It was not far from my old stomping grounds, but the rigidity of command would be a welcome return in my eyes. Being the main decision maker was a stressful job; one I hoped did not again fall on my head for a long time - maybe ever.
The next step was to find out what became of my shuttle and guards. A mild bitterness rose in my chest at the lack of resistance my arrest faced from them, but I pushed it back down. I could not expect my cadre of Stormtroopers to fight the entirety of the ISB, though this event served as a stern reminder that even that many guards could do little to protect me against such threats. The talk between my pilot and I was quick - the nervous man had been sitting on a rented landing pad since my arrest, alongside the second shuttle. He sounded deeply relieved at my safe return, which was touching. Rather than try to call them to me, and deal with the unending headache of Imperial Center traffic control, I decided to take public transport to the landing pad.
"Captain Tullius?" I froze as a voice called behind me, drawing my attention from the public map I was viewing. Wary of anyone who would approach me at this stage, I turned slowly to face them. A younger man in a pressed grey uniform, an officer of the Navy as I was. Though he was a Junior Lieutenant, he carried himself with the pompous air of a much higher rank. He saluted me all the same and I returned it.
"I am." I said.
"Your orders, sir." He offered me a new datapad, shined to perfection with ostentatious wooden finish. I blinked at the brazen showmanship and accepted it uncertainly.
"I have already received my orders from Grand Admiral Teshik." I said slowly, questioning the necessity of this redundancy.
"These orders come from the Office of the Grand Vizier." The title was said with such pompous pride that one might have believed this officer was the Grand Vizier himself. I blinked at the declaration before glancing down at the datapad. It was formatted just as the previous set of orders were, though the signature was different. Signed by… Sate Pestage? What?
I was being deployed to Orinda, a world in the far galactic north. The region was, based on a cursory reading of the order, under the command of Grand Admiral Afsheen Makati. Another that had been present at Endor and that I was unaware had survived. While he hardly had the prestige of Teshik or even Takel, serving directly under a Grand Admiral was second only to serving under Lord Vader…
Before Lord Vader was revealed to be a traitor, of course. I decided, there and then, to limit my mention of that fact. I may not have been the most politically active, but I was smart enough to know 'guilty by association' was a popular mentality in the Empire.
"I… see." I said, unsure how to respond to this turn of events. Still, I could not say no to the Grand Vizier. As far as I understood the political make-up of the Empire at the moment, he would be the highest ranked official in the civilian government.
The officer flounced off with all the air of importance his type carried and I was left dumbfounded by this turn of events. Stacking the new datapad on my old, I continued the way I was going - toward the public trams. A few more calls came from Talik - the clone was more than a little agitated - and Cienna Ree of all people.
"You have my thanks." I said, after hearing her report. She had been detained by Naval Intelligence and interrogated. First, about what happened to me - another mark against the ISB in the eyes of the Navy, it seemed - and then what had occurred since Endor.
"Just doing my duty, sir." Ree responded humbly, but I was thankful all the same. Silence reigned for a moment as I moved into the tram terminal, pushing through the crowd with muttered apologies and occasional shoves.
"... Apologies. What is next for you, then?" I asked, partially out of politeness but also a genuine desire to know. She had survived the battles since Wrath and earned herself more kills than any of my pilots so a part of me wanted to ask her to stay. However, our agreement was to see her to the Core and to the Core I had seen her.
"Unfortunately, my former ship seems to have gone missing since Endor." She began, her tone off. "The Admiralty has not transferred me at this time."
I realized the cause for her odd tone, as that meant she would be remaining with me for the time being. Well, I would not look a gift nerf in the mouth.
"We would be honored to have you with us for the foreseeable future, Commander." I said, realizing that she would rather be anywhere except with my ships. Well, until she could get a new transfer out she was stuck with us.
"Thank you, Captain." Oddly enough, she sounded relieved. I gave her the location for the shuttles and ended the call, approaching the tram to board it and not wanting to yell over the occupants. It had been many years since I had taken public transport, and I-
Stopped as a voice called out to me.
"Captain Tullius!"
Again, nervousness arose. I turned, but this time I did not outrank the speaker. I snapped off a salute as an Admiral approached, hair greying as he huffed and puffed his way through the crowd. He was on the more rotund side, but it was evident that the man had once been powerfully built. He nodded his head toward me before offering a datapad, a typical blaster-metal grey to the auspicious machine I got from Pestage's flunky.
"New transfer orders from Teshik." The man explained as I flipped it on in a daze. I was being transferred once again, now being placed in Azure Hammer under the direct oversight of Admiral Uther Kermen.
"Teshik must think highly of you." The man continued as I stared blankly at the datapad. "You are to report to Kuat and then Anaxes. We will see if you are worth the effort."
The man, who I realized must be Kermen himself, wandered off. An Admiral hand delivering transfer orders to me?
"What is happening?" I breathed, before lurching into the train car. The ride was chaotic, but it gave me time to stare at the latest datapad. There was some game afoot, one I could not or did not want to see.
The tram drifted into its next station, a mere cab ride away from the landing pad where my shuttle awaited me. From there, I could figure out what to do next - and whose damned orders I was supposed to follow.
Maybe Harrsk had the right of it. I thought bitterly. Rot to this whole mess.
The doors opened and I followed the crowd out, separating from the group and hurrying my way to the line of cabs. I singled one out and rushed faster. Just a dozen more paces and-
"Captain Tullius, a moment if you would."
Damn!
I stopped short and turned to face the final voice, fighting down my growing agitation. As it turned out, I needn't have bothered. My anger was extinguished as I found myself staring at a trio of figures. The middle one was a deathly pale man, adorned in the most ostentatious robes I had ever seen outside the Holonet Public Affairs Broadcast Network. The man oozed old Coruscanti money, but that did little to distract from the pair flanking him. The crimson robes were unmistakable: a pair of the Imperial Royal Guard, rarely seen outside the Imperial Palace. Each held a pike in their hands, but even I had heard tales of the danger these men represented. Blank visors stared into my eyes as the functionary spoke.
"I come bearing the favor of the Grand Vizier." The man intoned, offering me a fourth datapad - the same expensive affair as the other. I accepted it numbly, staring blankly at the screen.
"Congratulations on your promotion, Commodore." The man continued, his words washing over me, "You have been permitted to arrange your ceremony upon your arrival at Ciutric IV."
And then he was gone. I turned and lurched into a cab, mumbling my destination. It was only after a minute of flying that I realized what the functionary said. My eyes locked onto the datapad instantly, speeding through its contents.
The first was the Arrowhead Command had been re-established. Not to be deployed to the Arrowhead itself, but rather as a fleet under the independent Ciutric Hegemony fleet. The Third Fleet, to be exact. Ciutric IV was a developed world almost as far north-east as one could get in the galaxy - surrounded by otherwise unimportant and minor worlds. The only notable thing I could think of about the world was the fact that it was the Ciutric Offensive, when it was reconquered by the Empire.
That paled in the face of the revelation that, in light of my ascension to overall commander of the newly reformed Arrowhead Command - or Arrowhead Fleet? Or Third Fleet? - I was given a promotion. To Commodore.
Commodore Rivejer Tullius.
I had to fight down the nervous giggle that rose from my chest. The pride and joy at such a promotion fought with the agitation and panic that fought to the surface as well. With what little thought I had given what came after my arrival in the Core, this was the furthest thing from my mind. Indeed, my thought process typically ended with me back under another officer. Another cog in the great Imperial machine.
Not as a stars-be-damned FLEET OFFICER in command of an entire OFFICIAL fleet. I could scarcely put into words, little more than coherent ones, the emotions I was feeling at that moment. I wanted to scream - which felt as good a place to start as ever - but I decided to wait until I arrived at the landing pad. After all, my guards were certainly aware of my eccentricities at this point.
"Some meeting party." The driver announced and I swore my neck cracked from the speed with which I turned my head. My eyes were drawn to the landing pad below. Two large shuttles dominated the space, with a gunship settled on one of its outcroppings. As the driver brought us around again, I could make out the small army of guards facing off with yet another Imperial officer and four more Deathtroopers. I bit my cheek, letting out a shaky sigh instead of the angered cry I wanted to.
I handed the driver his fare and all but flung myself from the speeder, not watching as it flew off. I approached the officer - who turned now to face me - and eyed him warily. He was a Captain, as I was… as I was originally. He offered me a sharp and snappy salute, which I returned reflexively.
"Commodore Tullius." The man said as a greeting, "Captain Narn. It was good that I caught you. I've come to offer these."
However, instead of another datapad - I was still carrying four awkwardly - he presented a large suitcase. There was a snap as it opened and he spun it around to reveal its contents. The room inside was dedicated to two comparatively small objects. The first was a new code cylinder, one I suspected was tied to the now reformed Arrowhead Command. The other was a rank plaque: four red squares over four blue. Commodores did not typically get a double-four rank, my line rank still should have been Senior Captain.
"You'll want to pass off Captain's code cylinder to whoever succeeds you on your flag. Standard operating procedure for this one." The Captain continued conversationally, evidently not noticing I was still stunned into silence. He closed the case and offered it to me before, noticing my full arms, passing it off to one of the Deathtroopers. The black-clad giant accepted the case without a word, slinging the rifle in his hands over one shoulder was a casual ease.
"In light of your new authority, despite your rank, these men have been assigned to your personal protection detail, courtesy of the Grand Vizier. Congratulations, sir, and good luck."
And then he was gone. I was left staring into the visors of the lead Deathtrooper, who stared back without a single word uttered. My men milled about, evidently concerned and unaware of what had transpired. A nervous chuckle escaped my lips, but that was all I could allow myself at that moment.
I moved toward the shuttles, passed the Deathtroopers. They fell in wordlessly, heavy footfalls signalling their movements. I spied Nereus, whose return was also a surprise. It was dulled somewhat by what had transpired over the last few hours, but I made a mental note to bring it up with him at some point. His furrowed brows and alarmed expression were all I needed to see to know this was reality and I was not hallucinating.
It was a shame, really. I wanted to give that scream.