Aboard the Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer Death's Hand.
<!--EZCODE ITALIC START-->
This battle was over before it started,<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> The Viscount murmured to himself, satring out over the massive prow of the Eclipse-class Warship that had been named his flagship for this engagement.
On the bridge, the Viscount reached deep into his memory and brought forth the battles of olde, recalling their victorious strategies and glorious tactical maneuvers. None would help his Rogue Empire now. This engagement would be a matter of guns: who had more and who used his the best. While the Imperial New Order took the first with great glee and pride, the second may yet fall to the Rogue Empire.
Endor, Hoth, Derra IV, Yavin, Coruscant, Bilbringi, Woostri, Orikin I and III, Centaur, and many more. All were either large victories or smashing defeats against overwhelming odds or meticulous victories planend to the last detail.
All were logged in the Viscount's brain.
None were alluding to any thoughts which could turn the table to the favor of the Rogue Empire.
Then the worst happened which did not aid the odds of victory any more.
The pronouncement of a Rogue Imperial cease fire.
At that, the newly promoted Rear Admiral leapt from his chair of command and blustered. " I will do no such thing!!! I will go down in flames for my Empire! My Emperor!!! My cause!!!!"
His proclamation of eternal loyalty sparked a cheer on the bridge, which was in itself quickly destroyed in lieu of rampant chaos.
Jilaeek was sending a message.
And it was of distress....
* * *
The reactor core was beginning to leak. Either through traitor, infiltraitor, or mere construction problems, the kilometers-long core was leaking very noxious gas. And it would not only kill the crew, but damage many vital parts of the station.
Thus was the decision of the Commander of Jilaeek's defense, Rear Admiral Viscount Ierin del Forza, Rogue Imperial Grand Inquisitor, to evacuate the station.
* * *
The massive station was quickly removed of all personnel-and every piece of equipment that could be loaded onto every transport and blastboat on the station.
As it stood, Jilaeek was manned with over a million souls, and twice that many droids. Thousands of walkers and thousands more TIE fighters were aboard. All were being shuffled as quickly as possible away from the station.
Hundreds of walker barges and small frieghtors were pulsing forth from the station, as if it were a mighty heart pushing away its own life blood.
Thousands of fighters were being shuffled away in flights and squadrons, indeed, whole wings. Those that could fly with their own hyperspace engines were making all haste to the edge of the abolisher fields and interdictor wells and the planetary mass shadow...and evacuating the system, all together.
Those without faster-than-light drives were being horded aboard the massive Star Destroyers, who were quickly filling every rack and every deck with their new charges. Useless materiale such as fuel hoses and on-station heavy weaponry were jettisoned into space to make room for their presious fighters.
The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START-->
Death's Hand<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> was able to place an additional twenty-squadrons abaord, by luanching every hyerpspace capable vessel and putting the smaller craft in their place.
* * *
The Imperial Fleet's response was hostile, but non-explosive. They continued on their close course, but did not fire.
For now.
* * *
" Sir, we are filled to capacity."
" And the others?" The Rear Admiral asked.
" Another five destroyers and two cruisers have gotten as many on as possible. From what we can tell, Over half of the station is off already."
" Captain, send the following order to all Rogue Imperial warships: The situation on Jilaeek is dire. Explosion imminent unless station removed. This is now the Order of the Day: move to teh far side of the Hoth System immediately. Plow or blast through the asteroids, or go around, but get away now.
Del Forza out."
" Code it." the Captain replied.
" Belay that order, Captain. Send it broadband so the Imperials hear it as well. After all, we have requested a cease fire."
The Captain saluted and realyed the new order.
With that, silently, the Viscount nodded and replaced himself in his command chair.
The massive, black Super Star Destroyer and its escorts tunred about and moved towards the edge of the forces that could hold them or damage them. With the blink of an eye after hours of moving and loading, the Destroyer was gone...headed away from Hoth. As were over half of Jilaeek's garrison and crew.
The other half was diminishing as more and more crewers departed the dangerous craft.
The question of the day as the SSD retreated from teh field was: would the Empire fire upon the pods and shuttles and freightors? Would the Empire assault the crews of the stood-down warships?
What was next?
The Rogue Empire knew.
But the men of the Fleet did not, for what was to happen next would astonish them all...
Note-All ships that left went beyond all constraining forces and jumped safely. No shots were fired.
To spell it out- <!--EZCODE BOLD START-->
Jilaeek is dying!!!<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->