A Stately Report

[Robogeber]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28BknrNIP7U​

Carlyle Rausgeber, or more accurately the droid which now acted upon his posthumous behalf stilled itself in the upsilon-class shuttle, watching the twinkling stars which now surrounded the vessel within the void. The droid turned to his companio and placed a hand on her knee. It was perhaps the droid which now felt more nervous than the young Chiss commander felt.

Rausgeber knew of Grand Admiral Tregessar's status and place. He was head of the navy. And had seen more combat than the whole navy had. Rausgeber's holographic eyes trailed back to Caine Beckett, who starred idly down at his datapad. A lieutenant commander who had soon become an irritant in the eyes of Rausgeber. Appointed by order of Dante Calgar to keep tabs. An FOSB stooge who seemingly took every moment to irritate the Fleet Admiral to no end in the four days since his meeting with the Moff.

"This is shuttle Carnadon, ST-324, requesting permission from Contempt for landing." The pilot began over the comms system. Rausgeber leaned forward, enough to stare out of the cockpit's viewport, enough to see the Dark Blade-class battlecruiser himself.

It was like a giant metal carcass, surrounded by the buzzing of TIE fighters, and the surrounding corvettes. A pause came over the shuttle, "Shuttle ST-324, this is Contempt. You are cleared for landing, proceed to the ventral hangar. Docking bay four."

The droid leaned forward, and watched as a squadron of First Order TIE defenders swooped down, and now began to escort the vessel. Rausgeber's anxiety stemmed from thos whole new experience. He had of course met Tregessar in person a handful of times, and served extensively with him. However, now he was to meet this man, upon his command. Something that was unheard of.

The droids tactical supercomputer began to idly calculate what the Grand Admiral wanted, when the shuttle docked. Rausgeber stood, and clasped Morro's hand, helping her up, "Please," He said, coolly, "We cannot keep Grand Admiral Tregessar waiting."

[member="Cyrus Tregessar"] | [member="Morro"]

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]

More than any other vessel, the Contempt was Cyrus' personal ship. For a decade it had served as his flagship during his tenure with the One Sith, and in his exodus he had brought it and several others of the same class into the service of the First Order. The Contempt had been extensively upgraded and refitted, while the others were mothballed at a secure facility, to serve as an emergency reserve or as a supply of parts and modules. It was uncommonly hard to find new One Sith ships these days, after all.

Why was this important? Cyrus can and did ride First Order ships of all classes, though he preferred the refitted Darr Itah's, he had made it a habit to show up for surprise inspections and tour with squadrons with little notice. Kept the Senior Officers on their toes. The presence of the Contempt on the other hand, was a sure giveaway that it was indeed the Naval Operations Chief embarked. That could be a sobering thought to any naval officer. The Grand Admiral was infamous for his intolerance for failure.

The Contempt was a message. A warning. A reckoning. Symbolism that Fleet Admiral Rausgeber, with his storied and checked history of past service, and given the unusual circumstances now surrounding him, undoubtedly recognized immediately.

In the Admiral's Suite of the Contempt, Cyrus sat and watched a small monitor showing the approach of the shuttle in silence. In keeping with Navy protocol, a superior did not go to greet a junior. A door slid open and an aide, a young Lieutenant, stepped inside and gave his report with little ceremony. "Shuttle Carnadon docking momentarily. Commodore Vayyrel is standing by to greet Admiral Rausgeber and escort him here."

"Very well," Cyrus muttered in his characteristic flat steel-edged monotone. The aide departed without a word.

A small guard of a eight marines waited at the foot of the boarding ramp to render the appropriate honors to a visiting Flag Officer and Moff. At the head of their formation stood an unusual sight in the Human-dominated government, a female Zabrak clad in the uniform of a First Order Commodore, with a patch prominently displayed on the shoulder of her uniform marking her as being under Cyrus' personal command.

Cyrus merely observed, and as he sat in silence he wondered to himself why he had bothered with this meeting at all.

[member="Robogeber"]
[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

This Beckett gentlemen… he bothered Morro too. His constant presence around the Admiral and the Chiss officer had been unsettling in its tenacity. Perhaps she’d adopted some of the paranoia that Rausgeber had exhibited when he’d been in his human form, but while she knew that some droids were treated as second or even third class citizens in the galaxy, no better than slaves, he was not just a droid. His tactician mind still functioned as healthy as ever. The Admiral had the same detailed and gifted brain and yet, all of this babysitting by the FOSB.

He had every right to be in the navy just as Morro did despite her alien genes.

So lost in thought, she barely noticed his hand reaching for her so they could embark upon the Contempt.

The Chiss officer had been under Admiral Tregessar command during a large scale attack against a contingency of shard-inhabited droids and while she hoped a promotion would arise from that kind of recognition, it was not her place today to take center stage.

However, she was pleasantly surprised to see the Zabrak Commodore, the fellow alien a glimmer of hope for her own career. She merely nodded and waited for the escort to Admiral Tregessar.

[member="Robogeber"] [member="Cyrus Tregessar"]

 

[Robogeber]

Rausgeber slowly hovered down the ramp, followed closely by Commodore Beckett, who undercut Morro to followed behind. Rausgeber offered a salute before the Zabrak commodore. Usually among commanders within the First Order, aliens were a rarity. And in fact, if it had been anyone else to have done this, the droid would have interpreted it as some sort of snub. However, Tregessar's career meant he picked up a number of alien protegees in his time. This Zabrak, obviously one of them.

Rather than attempt a rebuff, Rausgeber lowered his salute, and began with the introductions."Commodore, a pleasure." Rausgeber began, in a cool, yet even tone. One filled with formality rather than any familiarity or friendliness.

"I present to you Commodore Beckett and Commander Tamm'orr'nurodo." He pronounced the name in proficient Chiss. The Fleet Admiral paused, "I trust Commodore, that you are here to take me to the Grand Admiral." Rausgeber said, "I am quite anxious to meet him," The droid admitted, retaining a neutral complexion in the holographic display, "But I nonetheless do hope to be able to assure him of my,.... capabilities."

[member="Morro"] | [member="Cyrus Tregessar"]