OOC Note: I'm pressed for time atm, so the content and manifest contained in this post are subject to change. I'll ask you two to stay until tomorrow, when I'll have the time to post Bhindi's reply.
Thank you.
From In the Hands of the Gods
The holovid opened with two children playing outside.
The children, blond, a boy and a girl, were neatly dressed and were all smiles as the girl chased the boy around several fruit trees.
Camera pan to the mother looking out a window, a classical, traditional setting as she places a meal on a table. Her eyes glance at a time piece and the camera shoots to a man in an Imperial Uniform directing refugees in an orbiting space station. His eyes glance up at the time.
He was due home soon.
Camera view changes to the children again. Both children are laughing, the girl having caught the boy and they both fall down.
The view froze and faded to white.
The Coalition’s Ambassador’s voice was heard over shouting masses..
“So BEWARE!, Empire,
for we ARE coming!”
A Mon Calamari Battleship appears in orbit of an Imperial planet.
The camera angles in on the mother as she drops a glass.
The alien vessel opens fire on the orbiting station and panic stricken voices are heard over the sounds of destruction. The ship begins to open fire on the planet and the yard the children are playing in is turned to ash.
The window explodes inward against the mother, knocking her back before fire begins to consume the house.
The picture fades.
KNOW WHERE THE CLOSEST SHELTER IS LOCATED. REGISTER AND LOG ONTO THE ARLISS SECURITY NET FOR YOUR UP TO THE MINUTE NEWS AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES.
GOVERNMENT SPONSERED MILITIA BARRACKS AVAILABLE TO ALL WISHING TO SIGN UP.
BE A PATRIOT AND STOP THE ALIEN AGGRESS
* * * * *
The transmissions had been playing across Imperial Centre – and the Empire, for that matter – for days now. Protect Yourself! Serve the Empire! Stop the Aliens! The Galactic Coalition had tipped their hand with their Declaration of War.
The Empire, and every citizen of the galaxy, by this point knew a war was coming. But when, and where, remained the questions. The fleet was mobilizing, Star Destroyers pulled off patrol duties and assigned to protect worlds of vital interest to the Empire.
Admiral Chandler had taken command of the Imperial forces at Corellia.
Baron Telan Dessaria was waiting with his fleet at Coruscant to deploy where necessary, and Commodore Theren Gevel was doing likewise from his outpost on Duro.
Bhindi Drayson had been assigned to Carida, to defend the academy there.
The fleet was in place. They were ready.
All that remained was for the Coalition to make the first move. It would come soon; of that there was no doubt.
Captain Essian, the man who had become famous within the Empire for his serve alongside now-Regent Daemon Hyfe in command of the Eclipse Star Destroyer Ebony Vigilance, watched from the flag deck of the Galactus as the last of the supply shuttles left his hanger bays.
The Galactus was the largest ship in the Imperial Navy – nearly seven kilometers long and bristling with destructive weaponry. She was the pride of the Imperial Navy, Grand Marshall Kaine’s own command ship, crewed by former officers of the 256th and the brightest students of the Imperial Academy. And commanded by the man who had built his career serving aboard nearly every ship the Galactic Empire produced.
“Captain Essian, Sir?” A voice said from somewhere behind him. At this time of night (night being according to ship’s time; it was early morning in the Imperial Palace) the Star Destroyer should be nearly abandoned, only a skeleton crew on duty.
With a sigh, Essian turned and offered the man a slight not. He was Commander Loyyd, the ship’s Chief Tactical Officer. With a shallow face and two dark ink spots for eyes, the man could have been a convict sitting on Death Row, not an officer aboard an Imperial warship.
“Commander Loyyd.” Essian said, returning the other’s salute.
“The last of the supply ships have left our hangers, Captain. The
Righteous Fist is now at full fighting capacity.” Essian nodded, that was what he liked to hear.
“Very good, Commander. Ahead of schedule too, I believe. Was there anything else?”
“Yes, Captain. There is a priority message from Grand Marshall Kaine. Would you like me to transfer it to you hear?”
Essian cast one last look out the viewports, where Coruscant’s sun was just beginning to appear from behind the planet, and shook his head.
“No, I’ll take it in the Communications Centre. Thank you, Commander.”
They made their way to the bridge together, where Loyyd took his place at the end of the command walkway, and Essian continued back to the Communications Centre at the rear.
The indicator was blinking when he arrived, and he quickly activated the privacy field and entered his proper authorizations. Soon, a life-size hologram of Grand Marshall Simon Kaine was standing on the deck before him. Essian saluted properly.
“Captain Davin Essian reporting, Marshall.”
“Good evening, Captain.” Kaine said. “I trust I did not wake you?”
Essian had known the Marshall nearly as long as he had known Hyfe, since the man was a mere Colonel with the 256th. He had always known the man was brilliant, and his nearly bloodless seizure of Coruscant had proven than. And earned him the rank of Supreme Commander of the Imperial Armed Forces.
“No, Grand Marshall. I was overseeing the loading of the Galactus when your call arrived.” The man nodded his approval. A military leader will always respect the man who spends his nights overseeing the running of his ship and his days training the crew.
“Very good, Captain. You are no doubt aware that the
Galactus is being assigned somewhere other than Imperial Centre, then?”
“I had supposed as much, Sir. The enemy would be a fool to assault the Capital.” Kaine’s image smiled tightly, and he chuckled softly.
“We already know they are fools, Captain. Who else would, how did Moff Zell put it?, ‘pull out their wanker and let us cut it off’?”
Essian barked out a laugh. Moff Zell was known for his belligerent and often crude remarks, but the man was widely acknowledged a genius. A former Grand Admiral, he was nobody’s fool, nor one to be taken lightly.
“Who indeed? Where will we be going, Marshall?”
“The Academy at Carida.” Kaine said simply.
“I was under the impression that Admiral Drayson was overseeing the defence of Carida…” Essian said, somewhat cautiously.
“Ah, I see your confusion. Yes, Captain, she is. But between you and I, Bhindi Drayson is young. She is untested in combat and her loyalty to the Empire may yet waver.”
“She handled the Tholatins fairly well, or so I’ve heard." Davin said uncertainly.
“Indeed she did. But she defeated the Tholatins using superior force and an ambush on their forces. And Kamon Vondiranch is a fool. As for Tholatin, well… she did so by bombarding that world into the Stone Age. Not a very pleasing tactic… and not one I wish to see used on Carida.”
“Yes, Grand Marshall.”
“I want you to proceed with the
Righteous Fist and the
Narasil to Carida and provide support for Drayson, should she require it. If not, you are to remain unseen. I do not want Drayson to think we have no faith in her.”
Essian nodded politely.
“As ordered, Marshall. The
Narasil will be accompanying us?”
“Yes. I do not doubt Drayson’s tactical ability, but what the Coalition lacks in command they make up for in numbers. I want the Empire ready to counter anything they can throw at us.”
“Very good, Sir. I’ll alert the crews and prepare for immediate departure, then?”
“At your convenience, Captain. I’ll be uploading further information to your vessel shortly. Good luck, Captain Essian.”
“Thank you, Marshall.”
“Gloria Imperium.”
The hologram vanished.
“Gloria Imperium.”
OOC Manifest
Venerator Class Command Destroyer
Righteous Fist
(36 TIE Scimitars)
Reign Class Star Destroyer
Narasil
Shroud Class Cruiser (Mark II) TRV100
Shroud Class Cruiser (Mark II) TRV101
Shroud Class Cruiser (Mark II) TRV102