Commodore Rivejer Tullius
Champala had served as a surprise, an error on my part. With the benefit of its Class 1 hyperdrive, the Stargazer could and should have been scouting out systems before we arrived. As such, I finally put Captain von Calox through his paces. The adventurous Captain set out ahead of my fleet, jumping between systems on and near the Hydian Way along our chosen path. This seemed to please the Captain, as he appeared to be in high spirits whenever he reopened communication with the fleet trailing behind him.
It was further back along the Hydian Way that the first real news came from Calox. While there had been ships and systems in our path, none of them had been as notable as Champala. Fleets shadowed us - not as a threat, merely as a precaution from paranoid Imperial officials. Even months after the failed Rebel advance into the Core - and the failed bid by Grunger to usurp the Ruling Council - there was little trust among Imperial officers. I paid it little mind, for just as they showed us little trust, plans to engage these fleets were never far from my mind.
It was not a healthy way to think, but my mind had been coloured by my recent experiences.
However, my hopes of a relatively quiet trip were dashed as Calox made his report.
"A skirmish at Corsin." The usually boisterous man said, his tone subdued. "Imperial forces against what appear to be Rebels."
His hologram flickered, the poor connection nearly seeing us lose him before it corrected itself. I frowned, reaching a hand up to run along my face. The holotable beeped softly as the data package sent by the Captain was received by my ship. His hologram vanished and was replaced by a representation of the system. Credit to the Stargazer's sensor suite, it was clearly far better than a ship its size would typically carry. The field that appeared before me was of a quality the Conqueror or Glorious could create, rather than the vague approximations of distance and size from a Carrack Light Cruiser.
The Corsin system was small and simple, as befitting a little checkpoint along the Hydian Way. Three planets orbited a single, moderately-sized yellow star. The first was the smallest of the group and entirely devoid of life. Corsin-2 was the namesake of the system, housing its hundreds of millions of people. The third planet was a frozen rock, albeit with some smaller settlements. My focus was between the second and third bodies - where the aforementioned groups were locked in their skirmish.
The Imperials were immediately obvious - the large forms of their Star Destroyers unmistakable. Two Imperial Star Destroyers were hanging back - remaining just outside the orbit of Corsin-3 - while their escorting Gladiator Star Destroyers seemed frozen in their engagement with the Rebel skirmishing line. It was an image taken from the system rather than a real-time representation. I frowned, speaking up again.
"Were you spotted?" Calox scoffed at my words, though.
"I wouldn't be doing my job if I was. They know someone is in the system, but they know neither who nor where I am."
The Surveyor Frigates were designed to act as scouts, fitted with sensor dampening equipment to obscure their movements. Of course, ships like Imperial Star Destroyers had strong enough sensors to pick up the Cronau radiation inherent to hyperdrives. However, finding the Stargazer itself was a far taller order. As Calox said, even if the Imperials knew he was in the system, a good Captain would ensure they would be unable to find him.
The data fed into the Glorious' central computer was run against our databases for Imperial fleets. The Rebel ships were unidentifiable, though that was not unexpected. We were almost entirely ignorant of how the Rebels organised themselves - one of the great advantages they held over the Empire. However, we could identify the Imperial vessels from their IFF tags - they were still using Imperial security codes, or familiar enough in any case that we could identify them. However, that raised more questions than answers.
"Is this correct?" I asked a nearby officer, one of the attendants that had taken to waiting on me hand and foot in the Glorious' more spacious bridge. The man turned and moved to speak to a seated crew member before returning.
"Yes, sir." I frowned and considered the hologram again. The Imperial ships belonged to three separate fleets. They were all local, but still separate organisations - at least in the case of the smaller ships. One of the Imperial Star Destroyers came from one end of the Hydian Way, and the other was supposed to be on the other - figuratively speaking. Why they were here and mingling was anyone's guess, but someone was clearly coordinating them as a unified force.
"Maintain secrecy, we will arrive within the hour." I said, addressing Calox once more. The hologram changed back to show the eccentric man, who gave me a sharp salute despite his free-natured approach to military discipline.
"Yes, Commodore." I ended the communication, returning the holotable to its previous state. Milgern had approached during the report, his bulk crowding my table.
"Stand ready for combat, Captain." I said, leaning over the holotable now, my hands planted on its lip. "Or whatever else may come."
"Aye, sir."
That we were preparing to fight the Rebels went without question - even in my haste, I knew it would reflect poorly if I avoided a battle with a Rebel fleet. However, I was no fool - the present state of the Empire outside the Core was an open secret and these disparate Imperials gathered together had little reason to interact like this. A dark word jumped to mind, warlord. Not the official title, given to Imperial officers for grand acts of heroism or tactical brilliance. Warlord, as in renegades, deserters, traitors. In the Core, that title was reserved for Blitzer Harrsk or Kosh Teradoc, whose proximity kept their names fresh in Imperial minds. However, in what conversations I had with my new peers among the Kuati fleets, other names were whispered. Names of those who, purportedly, were still loyal - but in reality were viewed with suspicion. Kaine, Zsinj, Treuten Teradoc, Grant - reality was at odds with the claims of the Ruling Council and I was not eager to test the loyalty of those men by meeting them.
I hoped that this was merely happenstance, that this small fleet just all happened to be in the same place at the same time, but hope counted for very little.
Our arrival was without fanfare, the sluggishness of the Glorious and Slice Runner ensuring the fleet arrived relatively all at once. Our formation had broken in the chaos of hyperspace, but that was relatively easy to fix. As my ships arranged themselves once more, I took stock of the Corsin system.
Our arrival had given the Stargazer the opportunity to reveal itself - forgoing stealth in its haste to burn toward us. My gaze was drawn to the space between Corsin-2 and Corsin-3. In the time it took for us to reach the system, the Imperials and Rebels had committed more to the engagement - or the Imperials had, in any case.
The Rebel fleet was leading the Imperials in a chase, a wide circle between the two worlds. The Rebel Cruisers and Frigates were too manoeuvrable for the larger Imperial Star Destroyers to catch. While the Imperials were more than capable of matching or even surpassing the Rebels' speed, they used their superior agility to buy time and space. In the time it took the Star Destroyers to correct their courses, the Rebels would already have regained the space they lost in a straight chase. The Gladiator Star Destroyers, though faster and powerful in their own right, did not enjoy a favourable matchup with the Rebels. Whether they could defeat the Rebel force alone or at least buy time for the Imperials to catch up was up for debate, but I suspected the goal was to limit damage to the Imperial ships. This leant credence to the idea that these vessels were acting outside their orders and did not expect easy access to a repair yard, or else could not afford to be docked for long. Then again, perhaps I was merely being paranoid? The Imperial Corvettes dissuaded a dedicated fighter strike from the Rebels, so the two sides opted to take potshots at each other. It all came together to create a rather comically uneventful engagement - though why neither side hadn't just cut their losses was anyone's guess. I supposed I would soon learn why.
"All ships have successfully reverted from lightspeed, sir." One officer announced, earning a slow nod from me. I wasn't really paying attention, I could see them all myself.
"Good." I said, "Take Position Aurek. Crucible, you are to move to the Glorious' starboard side."
I had forwarded the fleet's playbook to the Star Destroyer, but we hadn't had the chance to drill them yet with the often sporadic communication connection issues hyperspace caused. Still, it was a Star Destroyer in a fleet with a Battlecruiser - there really was only one place it was ever going to be.
"Set course for Corsin. Vivisector, break formation and make best speed for the Imperial fleet." I ordered, quickly adding, "Loner, you are attached to them."
Both officers confirmed my orders and raced ahead of the fleet. The Vindicators were comparable to the Gladiators in speed and the Carracks were faster still. They could lend more help in this chase than my Capital ships could. Matread's fighters had already deployed and, with my clear intention of not engaging my flagship, he sent them after the Cruisers. Only the TIE Fighters from the Lionheart remained with us - the more advanced I-7 Howlrunners and heavily-armed Blastboats left us behind.
"Sir, neither the Marauder nor the Incisor are accepting our attempts to communicate." The communications officer announced, earning a frown.
"No response?" I asked, to confirm what he was saying. The man shook his head.
"We are not connecting."
"Change to an open frequency." I ordered. "I doubt the Rebels missed us to begin with."
Though I could guess at what these Imperials were playing at. Even if they were renegades, showcasing Imperial disunity would only embolden the Rebels. In forcing me to contact them over open channels, the Rebels would realise fairly quickly that we were not unified or even cordial.
Whatever. I thought as the comms officer gave me a thumbs up.
"Imperial Fleet, this is Commodore Rivejer Tullius, Arrowhead Command. We are here to render aid, please respond." With the message, I had my identification codes forwarded - confirming my identity. Even then, it took the better part of an hour - during which we fast approached Corsin and my Cruisers burned ever-closer - before they responded. Communications seemed to come from the Marauder.
"Arrowhead Command, this is Admiral Terrinald Screed. I am engaged with the Rebel fleet presently. You are being added to our battle net."
Admiral Screed, now there was a name I knew. The man had made his name during the Clone Wars fighting the infamous Separatist Bulwark Fleet and had spent the first decades of the Empire as one of its most proactive and well-known Admirals. While his name may not have carried the same prestige as the Grand Admirals, his many campaigns were part of my courses when I was in the academy.
"Understood. I have allocated my Cruisers to your engagement. The rest of my fleet will move to Corsin-2 and hold position." I then quickly switched over to the fleet communications. "Vivisector, you are being put under command of Admiral Screed."
I paused, lifting my hands from the cool lip of the holotable to cross them over my chest. The inkling of paranoia that had taken hold in my mind did not want to leave. It was uncouth to question the loyalty of an Admiral, even in such a situation as this - but we had been through enough to be discretionary in how we treated other Imperials. The generally lax ending to the events at Champala did not wash away the many problems that arose previously. I decided to feed into that concern and continued my orders.
"The moment the Rebels are destroyed or retreat from the field, return to the fleet immediately."
It was a credit to Pax's loyalty that he did not question my orders, nor did he ask what he was to do if Screed demanded he stay. I did not want to question the loyalty of an Admiral, but this whole situation was suspicious.
We drew closer to Corsin, finding a stable position in its orbit to watch the unfolding battle.
The timely arrival of the Vindicators and their escorts had emboldened the Gladiators and the two forces moved as pincers on the sides of the Rebel force. This move had been timed well, as the Imperial Star Destroyers had gotten close enough to open up with their long range batteries. It was only a matter of time before they closed in and were able to engage the Rebels fully.
Despite being included in the battle net, I was not part of Screed's fleet communications. As such, I could only watch the battle unfold from my holotable.
The Rebel ships proved themselves still the most heavily-armed vessels in the immediate engagement, their cruisers opening up with a withering barrage of heavy turbolaser fire. The Carracks - the most fragile ships in the engagement - held back and returned fire with their own batteries. The Cruisers continued onward, taking the fire on their shields. The heaviest turbolasers in the strike force lay with the Carracks, so it seemed the Rebel Cruisers could engage their attackers with impunity for a time. The Vindicator had a diverse loadout, built mostly around light but powerful turbolasers. The Gladiator was the same, with one key difference - it was a torpedo boat. As they closed, the small Star Destroyers let loose an initial volley of proton torpedoes, glimmering balls of light that hurtled toward the Rebel ships. Heavy shields ate the impacts, but the brilliant explosions were enough to pause the fire of the affected Rebel vessels - blinded or otherwise thrown off by the impact.
Despite starting at two opposite sides of the battle, the Cruisers had united into a solid mass as they reached the Rebels. The Vindicators moved into a line - spearheaded by the Vengeance - and slid along the starboard side of the Rebel fleet. This broadside distracted the Frigates and Cruisers, while the Gladiators made a line of their own at the front of the formation. The tremendous threat presented by the Gladiator torpedoes forced the frontline of the Rebel force to face them head on, while the Vindicators continued their path around to the rear of the fleet. The noose closed around the Rebels as they became encircled and outmaneuvered in turn. Again, they refrained from cutting their losses, what was the Rebel's game?
"Commodore, we have an incoming force." The sensor officer announced and a moment later dozens of points flashed on the holotable. Fighters and bombers, their absence in the ongoing engagement now explained. They were on a direct course to the Glorious and her escorts.
They were attacking us? Never mind that their fleet was engaged and running out of time to escape the attentions of the Imperial Star Destroyers, we were the least of their problems. My Heavy Attack line had made no effort to move from Corsin.
"Commodore, I have recalled our fighters." Matread announced, his tone stern as the Rebels gradually reached us. Their approach had been largely unnoticed, they had put too much distance between themselves and our fighters. Now, I was feeling the hurt that came from the low numbers of our fighters, as the numbers of Rebel craft and TIE Fighters were roughly equal.
The Lancers would have to suffice, their line sitting in front of the Glorious, their power supplemented by the remaining TIE Fighters and IR-3F Light Frigates. Minutes ticked by as we stared down the snubcraft, then they reached us. I did not waste time with turbolasers, banking on a lucky hit. This battle would be decided by laser cannons. As such, the opening volley came from torpedoes and missiles fired by the Rebel bombers. Gleaming motes of light filled the holotable, looking like twinkling stars just out the viewport. The Lancers intercepted some of the wave, but the remainder slammed headlong into the Glorious' forward shields.
There was no great moment where the Rebel forces were cleaved apart as there was at Bakura or N'zoth. The quality of the Rebel force - both in their fighters and their pilots - was showcased as they avoided the Lancers and made an attack run on the Glorious itself. Some vanished from my holotable and, while most of their fighters were forced into individual dogfights with my TIE Fighters, their bombers and a token escort broke through and made their attack run on the Glorious.
Their error was realised as the tremendously upgraded point-defense weapons came to life, viciously tearing into the Rebels. However, rather than break off - as I expected them to - they continued their run and let loose another volley of torpedoes at nearly point-blank range. Their valiant, ill-fated charge awarded them nothing. The shields held and what torpedoes that did make it through found no success against the dense armoured bulk protecting the Glorious. I was dumbfounded, what had they been hoping to accomplish with this?
The X-Wings still engaged with the TIE Fighters found themselves being picked apart from all sides. Unsupported and with no obvious plan of attack or retreat, they were slaughtered wholesale. Why?
My attention was returned to the main engagement. The Rebel Frigates had broken off and fled - trying to push through the Vindicators to flee the field of battle while the Cruisers stayed behind. It was for naught, as the Imperial Star Destroyers had finally reached the engagement. Their turbolasers shredded any Frigate too slow to get out of range, but they did not give chase - far more interested in the real prize represented by those strange Mon Calamari Cruisers. Their Flagship, closer to the Imperial Star Destroyers in length, put up a valiant fight, but it was quickly overwhelmed.
All at once, the battle was over. Shortly after the Flagship was destroyed, the Rebel fighters suddenly disengaged and fled after their surviving Frigates. The Gladiators gave chase, but when my Vindicators broke off they seemed to lose heart and fell back to their larger Star Destroyer kin.
"Sir, it seems several shuttles left the planet's surface during the battle." An officer informed me as the Vindicators approached. I quirked up an eyebrow, before bringing up a recording of the world on the holotable during the battle. While the Rebel fighters had been engaged with my fleet, those shuttles had used the chaos to escape. They could well have been civilian or criminal ships making an escape, but timed with the Rebel attack it seemed too convenient.
The suicidal actions of the Rebel forces made more sense in that context, they were buying time. However, their presence on Corsin and the fact they were allowed to leave without a word of warning from the world gave me pause. Cautiously, I moved my ships further away from the world - just in case.
"Your caution allowed the Rebels to escape, Commodore." Admiral Screed growled when next he contacted me, his scarred face filled with anger. His left eye was entirely mechanical, similar to Grand Admiral Teshik albeit far less advanced. Still, even with that comparatively minor cybernetic alteration, it served as an intimidating contrast to the fury his expression conveyed.
To make matters worse, he was right: The Vindicators leaving the engagement after the Rebels had made his forces cautious and so the surviving Rebel ships had made it out of the system unmolested. Still, I tried to justify my orders in such a way that did not reveal my true reasons.
"The suicidal attack of the Rebels presented a risk, I had assumed there was some other plan at hand."
Screed seemed unimpressed with this justification, but hastened to change the topic.
"We will address these failings later. I am putting your fleet under my command, Commodore."
And there it was. Even expecting this turn of events, I felt a sudden tightness around my collar. I fought the urge to bring my hand up to loosen it, or to rub my face - keeping my fists down at my side.
"I can't do that, sir." I said, my voice strangely level despite the situation. "I am under orders from the Grand Vizier himself."
There was a slight narrowing in Screed's good eye and all at once the rage seemed to drain from his face. He sounded eerily calm when he spoke again.
"Are you refusing then, Commodore?"
"Yes, sir." There was no point in mincing words, I would be obeying my orders. There were no dark promises or other such tosh. Screed merely closed the communication line and booted my fleet from his battlenet. His ships arranged themselves as the Heavy Cruisers arrived back at my line, coming about to face the distant force.
On the eve of renewed conflict, I realised it might have been fortuitous of me to explain that I was enroute to Ciutric and had no interest in whatever the Admiral was doing. However, a loud part of me that I had tried to ignore was baying for battle, no matter the source. The events at Champala were as relieving as they were disappointing, mopping up a renegade felt like a good way to stretch my proverbial wings. This naturally ran contrary to my stated goal of staying alive, but I happily ignored that contradiction as Screed's misshapen fleet bore down on us.
We enjoyed the advantage of numbers, his two Imperial and three Gladiator Star Destroyers, plus assorted support craft, against my Battlecruiser, Star Destroyers and Cruisers. However, the quality of these ships varied wildly. Beyond their missiles, the ability of the Victory Star Destroyers to threaten a ship of the Imperial's size was minimal without support. The Venator was ill-suited to face the Imperials and was perhaps a match for the Gladiators in firepower. A baseline Procurator could hold its own against an Imperial Star Destroyer, but an Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer? Its prestigious durability did not translate into combat effectiveness. Only the Crucible was outwardly able to stand on its own against another Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer, but given the state of its previous Captain I had little faith in the abilities of the crew. The Vindicators were dangerous in their pack and I felt they would exchange favourably with the Gladiators. However, I was now faced with the same issues Screed was against the Rebels - I could not afford to replace any damaged ships.
So, a plan was hatched to make the old Admiral wary.
"Captain, prioritise the support ships." I did not know which of the two Imperial Star Destroyers Screed was commanding from, as neither served as a flagship in their previous fleets and the battlenet had not revealed that information. However, even the long range turbolasers would not find the Star Destroyers easy to break. So, the Gladiators were the chosen target - to dissuade Screed from the foolishness of this course.
"Aye, sir. Weapons, get me a targeting solution on those Gladiators! I want a barrage, on my mark."
Half a minute stretched by - the smaller Star Destroyers were not a difficult target to find given they were charging us - before the HX.6s roared to life. The sustained barrage rocketed toward Screed's solid line.
From my holotable, I watched the lead Gladiator, the Demolisher, twist up and avoid the initial stream. Great flashes filled the holotable as the turbolasers had successful hits on the Marauder's forward deflector shields. The larger Star Destroyer didn't bother with trying to maneuver, as the fire caused no damage and it was clearly not the target. The Demolisher climbed, but the weapon teams were more clever than that. The first bolt struck just in front of the Demolisher's engine block, impacting its shields but sending the smaller ship into a panicked spin. Whether that was intentional or not, I did not know. I continued to separate the ship from its fellows as my Vindicators pushed in a wide flank from the Glorious' portside. They were climbing, relative to our plane, per my quickly relayed orders.
"Avoid direct combat, but attempt to engage that Gladiator." I ordered the Vivisector before returning my attention to the holotable. I had some expectations on how Screed would react. Realising my long range potential was not limited to the Victory Star Destroyers and their missiles, he would become more cautious. He may even retreat from the system or else wait and harry our own retreat. What I did not expect, though that was a very hypocritical position to have on my part, was for his ships to speed up - committing to a charge!
As my Vindicators flanked, the remaining Gladiators moved to shadow them on the starboard side of their formation - though they did not detach or stray far from the protective guns of the Imperials.
I wished to buy the HX.6s more time as the Gladiators grew more clever and avoided the sustained fire. The Demolisher was shadowing its fellows, but seeming to realise it was not the target of a wolfpack five times its number, angled itself so as to bolt if it came under threat. The Imperial Star Destroyers had started to drift in the direction of the Vindicators, as if to push them away from the Demolisher, but Milgern was quick to draw their attention. Ignoring us was bad for their health, our guns helped them realise. I did not know why the Demolisher refused to race back to its fleet - perhaps her Captain was paranoid he would become the target again? Whatever the reason, it rapidly became Pax's problem as the Star Destroyers bore down on us.
"Captain Harand, you are free to fire." I informed my old Second, hands going behind my back. Missiles flashed to life from small holographic representations of the Victory Star Destroyers. Harand had been fully drilled in this usage, though I doubted a man of his experience needed much extra training to understand wasting ammunition was bad. I looked forward, out of the viewscreen, to see the glimmering shapes of the missiles hurtling toward the grey dots that were Star Destroyers in the distance.
While they could ignore the HX.6s, or at least avoid their barrage, it was far less wise to charge a Star Destroyer headlong into heavy anti-capital missiles. What anti-missile weapons Screed's fleet had available did their work, but enough made it through their defensive network to force his ships into emergency manoeuvres. The larger Star Destroyers pitched their bows up, presenting the armoured underside of their hulls. The missiles met shields and what few got through pummeled armour but little else. The Gladiators were not so durable and given that Harand had taken to a variety of targets rather than focusing down a few, they were forced to be a bit more acrobatic. One, the Ardent, was successful in evading its pursuers. The Magus was not so lucky. The smaller Star Destroyer jinked, but its commander seemed to underestimate how far away the missiles were. The first impacted close to the bow, detonating against the shield. The second, seemingly right on top of its fellow, met armour instead. A brilliant explosion flashed on my holotable, indicating a hit. A cursory glance at the screen of a nearby sensor officer told me the damage was extensive. The ship's starboard side was in ruins, the explosion having torn all the way through the ship and decimating the turbolaser banks on its topside. The port side remained intact, but an initial evaluation indicated that the torpedo tubes may have been destroyed as well. Effectively crippled, the Magus still limped onward in this foolhardy charge.
My eyes moved to the Vindicators - wanting to see if Pax was still chasing his quarry and if I needed to risk drawing Screed's attention to him. The Cruisers had been pulled a ways away, but it became clear to me that the Captain was keeping his eyes on the battle. Two of his Cruisers still dogged the Demolisher, but the other three were more half-hearted in their pursuit. They were positioned back, as if preparing to quickly manoeuvre if the Gladiator changed course from the chase while taking pot shots, but I suspected Pax was awaiting his chance to come about and race for the main battle. His chance came not soon after.
Both sides passed into the effective range of their main weapons. Turbolaser and Ion Cannon fire burned across the void and slammed into shields in vibrant, multicoloured flashes. Even then, Screed's ships did not stop. They came closer, their heavy turbolasers focusing down the Glorious even as the Crucible engaged the Incisor with impunity. Our other new weapons were revealed, the Ion Cannons letting loose sustained fire of their own to wear down the Star Destroyers. The Vivisector and her two escorts flipped and burned hard - racing to close the distance between themselves and the rear of Screed's formation.
"It appears they want you dead specifically, Commodore." In light of the battle, one of my officers wielded humour. I allowed a wry smirk to cross my lips, though it was hidden beneath my hand as I studied the battle.
The Star Destroyers had climbed above our plane and dove down on the Glorious from above. Such a move would have typically been foolhardy, given that most ships had the bulk of their weapons on top. However, it placed the Battlecruiser's bulk between them and the Victory Star Destroyers and it seemed Screed had faith in the ability of his Star Destroyers to beat the Glorious.
"It seems Screed wishes to decapitate the fleet." I commented lightly, finding myself oddly calm despite the array of turbolasers attempting to open my flagship like a can. The Crucible had begun turning, trying to bring her starboard guns into concert with the port. The Lionheart was positioned to assist the Glorious, but found itself distracted by the pair of Gladiator Star Destroyers. They had moved to almost point-blank range with the larger vessel, trying to keep its attention while the Imperial Star Destroyers dealt with me.
"Does he think the rest of the fleet will fall in line without you?" The officer wondered aloud before shaking his head, forlorn. "Madness."
"Or precedent." I countered, wondering if that was how Screed got his present forces and if indeed this was everything he had at hand. The Crucible might have faltered, I did not know enough about her commander or the mood of her crew, but I had more faith in my other subordinates.
The shields began to falter - trying to cover a surface area as vast as the Glorious was a fruitless endeavour - so Milgern dropped shields where he could to focus attention where he could not. Turbolaser fire began to impact the hull, but Screed must have had strong control over his subordinates. Rather than focusing down the areas where the shields were dropped, the Star Destroyers turned their fire to where the shields were raised - aiming to overwhelm the shields and damage the parts of the ship we wanted protected.
Star Destroyer combat was slow, these were not the glory days of the Clone Wars or the fevered fighting of N'zoth. Two Star Destroyers could sit and pummel each other for hours with no clear victor in the engagement. They were heavily armed, armoured and shielded - all to counter the perceived weaknesses lighter ships held during the Clone Wars.
So even with the sustained fire the two Star Destroyers were putting down, they needed time to first crack our shields and then the armour beneath. And time was a commodity they were rapidly running out of.
The Vindicators lacked long-range batteries, so they made themselves known with a full display of their wrath. Turbolaser fire battered up into the Imperial Star Destroyers, targeted around the engine blocks. The Crucible had fully come around and her own heavy batteries focused the Incisor - forcing the Star Destroyer to split more of its attention.
The pair had become bogged down in this brawl - as we had the Rebel fleet - and it seemed they were doomed to share a similar fate. The Magus vanished in a flash - Harand had gotten his Victory Star Destroyers around and tore into it with his turbolasers. The missiles were saved for the real targets - and at last Screed had realised his time was up. He had underestimated the durability of my flagship. If I were feeling poetic, I would say he was drunk on his previous successes, but in reality I could not claim to understand the thought processes of a renegade. What led a man of his prestige to taking these steps?
I did not know, but what I did know is I wanted him to remember this sting.
"All ships, focus down the Incisor." I ordered, regaining direct control of the fleet as the surviving three Star Destroyers began to turn from the battle - their escorts had either cut their losses or had otherwise been destroyed in the brawl.
Of the three, the Incisor had come out of the exchange the worst off. Her armour held, but the ship's shields were forced to protect 270 degrees of coverage. As the Marauder and Ardent came about and burned away, the Incisor found itself forced to dedicate more power to her shields in a desperate bid to survive.
As the Incisor had done to the Rebel Cruiser, so we did upon it. Like a pack of wolves, my ships first tore through its shields then set upon its armoured bulk, most tearing upward through the ship from below. The Incisor's Captain, seeming to realise he was doomed, decided to give up his attempts to escape wholesale and focus on bringing at least some of us down with him. The Star Destroyer's turbolasers turned on the Lionheart - the Carracks making a speedy escape behind the Glorious when the Incisor began to lash out.
There would be no glorious last stand, no last moment chance to spite her executioners. The Captain had waited too long and, as the Lionheart began to manoeuvre to try and protect her dorsal hangar and bridge, the Incisor died. Her reactor was cracked open, spilling out waves of radiation like water through a sieve. I could not see the ship through the viewscreens - it was still 'above' us, relatively speaking - but I could imagine the flickering lights as the secondary generators were forced to take the bulk of the Incisor's power needs. This lasted all of fifteen seconds, then the ship split in half. That was to say, what was left split in half. The HX.6s, now without shields to block them, tore into the Star Destroyer with impunity. Armour was turned to slag and the decks beneath did little to stop the Glorious' withering barrage. Milgern had abandoned any attempt at fire discipline, opting to put as much turbolaser fire into that ship as he possibly could.
Escape pods jettisoned from the Star Destroyer, starting as sporadic groups before becoming a stream as the ship's doom was ensured. Shuttles and gunships scuttled about between the warships, picking up what escape pods they could and ferrying them to the Marauder even as they fled. Tractor beams joined this life-saving attempt, pulling escape pods behind the Star Destroyers like streamers in the wind. It was oddly comical, in a way.
The time it took the Incisor to die was time enough for Screed to escape - his remaining Star Destroyers burning as fast as their engines could push them. Their attempts to take more escape pods with them were deserted as my ships turned again to face them. While I was not keen on destroying life pods, I was also not willing to let Screed just leave with them. Let Corsin, or whatever Imperials came next, deal with the survivors. Pax, despite the frenzy that had arisen in trying to destroy the Incisor, abandoned it when a hasty order came through from my holotable.
"Harrass them." I ordered the Vindicators. "Hound them every step out of this system."
It went without saying that if Screed tried to engage them, don't. However, I suspected this defeat would make the Admiral wary - if he tried to face the Vindicators with his Marauder, he ran the risk of the rest of the fleet catching up.
Already we were giving chase, restricted as we were by the Glorious' cumbersome speed. We needn't have bothered, as the Marauder and Ardent got just far enough before they could make a jump to lightspeed - stopping to make their calculations before vanishing from the system. The Demolisher was the last to leave, ironically enough - abandoned by her Admiral and realising the fight was now lost. The ship jumped just in time, as the Kindred and Javelin bore down on her.
Like that, the battle was over - the Glorious was superficially damaged, but otherwise it was decisive. Cheer filled the bridge, elated over their first battle in the new flagship being a victory. I let them have their moment - I was quite pleased myself - but as the minutes stretched by I felt the need to reintroduce order. I turned and caught Milgern's eye, the brawny Captain watching the bridge crew with a toothy smile. Seeing my gaze, his smile vanished. He cleared his throat before raising his voice.
"Alright, enough! Back to your stations!" He barked, moving into the throng of crew members to give more specific orders. I turned away, confident Milgern had things handled despite the desire to micromanage that lingered at the back of my mind.
Their quarry gone, Pax's ships returned to the formation. Doubtlessly, this entire show had put the fear of the Empire back into Corsin - especially since they had apparently been consorting with Rebels - but today was a lucky day for them. I had no interest in the world, though I did make a mental note to report this when I arrived in Botajef - Champala and Corsin? How many worlds along the Hydian had turned against the Empire.
"Navigation, plot a course out of this system." I ordered, turning away from the holotable as it returned to its stand-by state. This battle had scratched that itch I had lingering in the back of my mind for the past few months. That such an itch existed was concerning in and of itself, but I enjoyed the victory it brought.
Admiral Terrinald Screed
The Demolisher groaned beneath me, I could feel my old flagship trudging along - the abuse she had suffered was more than anticipated in this engagement. Though, to say such would be to admit I had expected an engagement in the first place. The Rebels were a surprise - a manageable one, but a surprise nonetheless. Their refusal to engage me directly would last only so long, though had I been aware of their presence I would have brought different ships to address their strengths.
In the end, it was arrogance - my successes in building my domain and fleet had given me a false sense of invincibility. After a decade-long career slump, these minor victories had made me overconfident and I had paid dearly for that foolishness.
"Damage reports are complete, Admiral." The ship's Captain approached my throne, hands at his back as he did. There was no hesitation in his voice or eyes, my old crew had nothing to fear from me. The Marauder's Captain had a different opinion, evidenced by the naked terror the man had shown in his own report when we regrouped at the Ploo system. I could not blame the man too much, I had underestimated that ancient Battlecruiser and was punished for it.
The other wild card, an Imperial fleet - one sent by the Grand Vizier himself? Nervousness fluttered in my heart, had I messed up? My fleet building had been quiet, pulling a ship here and there while swearing systems to my cause. The unerring dedication with which Tullius's ships dogged me was sign enough that I was the direct target - though how he knew which ship was mine was itself a question. I moved my flag between three Gladiators - my favoured ship type - two of which were present in this battle. Was there some spy among my crew? Within my very staff?
I squashed the idea almost as soon as it arose, if indeed my actions as of late were known the Empire would have dedicated more than a token force of outdated warships to hunt me down. As for targeting my flagship… Coincidence. Luck, the Demolisher had been in the middle of the formation. Still, the niggling concern remained.
Though, given how many resources were being poured into the grinding sieges overseen by that addict moron Takel, maybe they were simply running out of ships? Whatever the reason, this defeat was costly. I could not replace the Incisor and the Marauder's Captain was spooked. Six other Star Destroyers stood under my banner, but I needed them to oversee my worlds. Hordes of Cruisers and Frigates were no better, given my lacking industry. There was no way around it, operating on my own like this had nearly cost me everything. I needed ships, industry and support.
Commodore Rivejer Tullius.
There was nothing I could do about him now, but I swore that someday - somehow - I would have my revenge. I would ensure that this defeat did not go unanswered.
Someday.
Captain Alana Pestage-Neron
It was rare I was called to meet with the Patriarch of my family. Though some might claim I owed my position to his and my family's influence, I had not interacted with the main family often. Still, when I was called to the surface of Ciutric-IV to the country estate, I answered without question.
The manor house sat in the shadow of a mountain a long way from the capital city, one of the few sections on Ciutric IV not yet dominated by growing industry. Ciutric was a changing world it seemed, but the Pestage family liked to keep its slice of history alive. A dense forest flanked the winding road up to the compound, no shuttle was allowed to land in the estate itself except those belonging to its eldest members. My driver wound my airspeeder through the path easily enough and soon the front gates dominated the front viewscreen. We were expected, as a pair of Pestage House Guards awaited us at the gate.
They were adorned in grey and green armour, not the usual ceremonial stuff the Inner Guard wore but genuine plastoid. The Pestage family coat of arms were emblazoned boldly on their chests, letting all know exactly who these men belonged to.
At the sight of me, we were waved through - sent toward the massive manor beyond. The towering figures of two AT-ST walkers, both also coloured to match the House Guard, stood guard in the courtyard. Dozens more of the Inner Guard were there as well, but not to greet us. Some were moving to the defenses while others marched toward the barracks - we had caught them in a shift change.
I was greeted by a seneschal, an ancient man named Arben Balt. He had been serving my Grandfather since before I was born; since my parents were children. Despite his advancing age, he bowed low at my approach.
"Welcome, Lady Alana." He intoned, rising again and staring at me with those dull eyes.
"I answer my Grandfather's summons." He gestured for me to follow then led the way into the main manor. The hallways within were quiet, few of the Pestage family actually resided here besides the Patriarch and a few of his children. Most of the Pestage Clan were spread across Ciutric IV or elsewhere in the system.
A final door opened to reveal a large, luxurious chamber. At the back, nearly completely obscured in shadows, was a stooped and thin figure. Despite not being able to properly see him, I could feel his cold eyes boring into me as I entered the room. I bowed my head as the door closed, sealing me inside with him.
"Grandfather."
"Alana." The voice that spoke was harsh and dry, belonging to a man that was truly ancient. Despite this, he spoke with clarity. "My Granddaughter. How go your efforts?"
He was referring to the chaos currently gripping the Ciutric Hegemony - in part caused by the manipulations of the Pestage Clan but also due to the chaos gripping the Empire. The Hegemony was undergoing great change and not all of it was smooth.
"It goes well." I said, knowing there was nothing I could say that he did not already know. The Patriarch let out a long, withering breath - something that took me a moment to realise was laughter.
"Indeed. Good. I know you will not fail us." Then, his tone changed again. "There has been news from the Core, from Sate."
Sate Pestage. The nephew of my Grandfather and perhaps the most famous member of the Clan. It had been his loyalty to the Emperor that saw our return to Ciutric when I was still young. There was little lost love between that distant member of the family and its elders, despite the fact that without him we would still be on Coruscant… Or Imperial Center nowadays.
"An agent of his rivals has been redirected here. Commodore Rivejer Tullius." The Patriarch continued.
"I see." I said when the elderly man paused, filling the silence.
"There are many machinations here that he cannot be made aware of, Granddaughter. You, above any other, will work most closely with him. Ensure his attentions remain distracted."
"How would you have me accomplish this?" I asked. Again, the ancient man chuckled.
"You are creative Alana, I suspect you can figure something out. That is why I allowed you to join the Navy. Use whatever means you deem necessary within your position as an officer. There are many issues within the Hegemony that could distract him."
I bowed my head to him again.
"I will see it done, Grandfather."