Private The Shadows That Follow

[Dax Perl]

The Verdict floated aimlessly through space. The aged former ORC war vessel may as well have been derelict. A behemoth, listing aimlessly through space these last few standard days. But onboard, a skeleton quietly, grimly, worked at their assignments. The once fully manned battlecruiser's numbers had dwindled over time. Their mission was a mystery, the light at the end of the tunnel nowhere in sight. And their captain did not attempt to assuage them. Nor did he hunt down deserters. Only a handful of people on-board knew what the captain's goals were. And only a fraction of them chose to stay after their captain told them.

Dax wondered why, as he looked out through the viewport at the glittering dark canvas before him. He'd be eternally grateful to those who'd stayed. Somehow, he'd repay them, and ensure they were kept safe.

"Are you sure about this, Grand Marshal?" Brill's voice came from behind Dax. "You're never gonna stop calling me that, are you?" the man said looking back over his shoulder at the woman. She'd been at his side since he and Bryce had founded the Judges. She was dedicated, and even after the ORC dissolved, she'd helped keep the Judges running until eventually they too fell apart. A thousand places she could have gone, but the Force had seen fit to bring them together again in some seedy bar on Kabal.

"Yes, I'm sure," Dax reaffirmed to the only one left onboard who knew of his plans. The rest, former soldiers and Judges, why they stayed was a mystery. Maybe it was just the adventure. Or that they remembered the man who'd once fought for their freedom and safety those decades ago.

"If I can't dissuade you then..." Brill stepped up beside Dax and handed him a datapad. "Here's the full list of locations. Best place to start is-" Dax waved the pad away. "Thanks Brill but," the dark-haired man took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. "I'll find him on my own."

And Dax cast his consciousness through the galaxy.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum stood aboard the Ragathor and looked out towards the blue tunnel which they currently were encircled, hyperspace travel was a wonderful thing, and it was rare they were able to appreciate it. The wonder which allowed them to traverse the known galaxy, as immense, as giant, as it was, in mere weeks, the wonder which brought such different planes from the galactic core, to the galactic rim, connecting through the hyperlanes as strange worlds as the city world of Coruscant, to the sands of Tatooine, or the jungles of Kashyyk, and all other worlds which existed within their galaxy.

The Alvaria would join them at their destination, and from there, more ships would join them as they continued their journey.

Their destination?

The Expansion Region.

For all his disagreements with Admiral Michael Hightower at the Sith Imperial War Council, he had spoken words that held weight and accuracy. Though for now, focus was directed towards the so-called Empire of the Lost out in the galactic east, the main Sith forces would still be advancing towards the hyperlanes towards the Core.

And to set up that advance...

...Well it was his duty, was it not?

After all, especially after the... betrayal? Of Alicia Drey , on board, the Malsheem, suspicion towards him, having thus far been fended off after the Ouroboros Crisis was mounting.

And Malum was always of the opinion to kill multiple birds with one stone.

He would take Admiral Hightower's suggestions on board, another directed privateering effort across the Expansion Region, a test of the Alliance's forces, most certainly focused around Coruscant for the oncoming siege, yet it was not as if foothills to Fondor would be unguarded.

And after victory found itself, another feather to his cap, his loyalty would be ever secured by his success.

As he mounted the largest privateering expedition he had ever undertaken, he had learned from Kril'Dor, that simply a cruiser and corvette would not do.

While of course star destroyers were far too big.

So why not multiple cruisers and corvettes?

It would be his latest experiment.

Yet, strangely.

Gazing out into the simu-tunnel.

He felt... something was off.

Yet what exactly that was.

He could not be quite sure.

Simply knowing... it was vaguely familiar.

Dax Perl