Family Ties

[Blaax Yovshin]

Blaax stood on the bridge of his ship, The Annihilator, and looked out the viewport. His position of Commodore still new to him, but he felt it was well earned. On top of the promotion to Commodore, Blaax has also put in a request to be considered for the position of Deputy Director of Advanced Weapons Research and was still waiting to hear back from Imperial Command to see if he would be given the position or not. He continued to stare out into the vastness of space, the other three Star Destroyers under his command flanked The Annihilator as they patrolled the sector. As Blaax lost himself in the stars, his mind drifted back to his days as a child growing up on Coruscant. He still remembered the day he and his parents packed up and moved to the capital planet. Blaax always resented his father for ripping him away from his comfortable life on Tinnel IV. That resentment played a big role in shaping Blaax’s political views and eventually would shape the course of his life. Blaax could not understand why his parents opposed the Emperor so much. To his knowledge, Palpatine was not a bad man and he certainly can’t be held responsible for all the terrible things done by a small handful of officers who serve the Empire. On top of that, even if some of the higher ups in the Empire were “evil”, the rebellion is far worse. They’re a terrorist group that delights in murdering innocent and loyal soldiers. Blowing up the Death Star is the reason the galaxy is currently in such a poor financial state and if the suffering of countless trillions and more wasn’t bad enough, that little stunt of theirs only emboldened even more terrorists. Blaax just could not understand where the rebels logic came from. They claim to want “peace” but then go around murdering soldiers.

Blaax took a deep breath as he looked out into space, thinking instead of his childhood again, when times were simpler. He thought of his home on Tinnel IV. He used to love running around with his father in their small village and then go inside to be greeted by the smell of his mother’s cooking. Every day she would go out to the shop and by fresh produce to make for dinner and every night Blaax would always think “tonight’s dinner will never be as good as last night’s” but every night he was wrong, and if anything they only got better and better. Once they were on Coruscant, that stopped. There was no more running around villages, there were no more home cooked meals. But he was glad that things worked out the way they did. If they hadn’t, he might be fighting for the rebellion and their misguided views. His thoughts were interrupted when one of the officers on the bridge looked up from his station and said “Commodore, there’s a ship approaching, your orders?”

Blaax turned his head slightly, he was barely able to make out the ship. He tapped a few buttons in front of him and then looked back to the ship. “Unidentified vessel, I am Commodore Yovshin of the ISD Annihilator. State your business in this sector.” There was a moment of silence before the officer looked up from his station again, “No response sir. The ship seems to be a small transport ship of some sort.” Blaax squinted his eyes, watching the ship as if trying to stare down her captain. “What’re you up to...” He said to himself as he watched the ship move closer to them.

 

[Blaax Yovshin]

.Blaax finally turned to one of his officers and ordered them to lock on a tractor beam to the unidentified ship. "Commander, send a welcoming team to greet our new guests." The commander nodded and signaled over the comm for a squad of troops to gather outside the hanger bay just before a message came in on console next to him. "Admiral, orders just in from Imperial command. You are to immediately assume the role of Deputy Director of Advanced Weapons research. Congratulations sir." Blaax smiled and nodded to Commander Lykin. The commander and Blaax had been serving together for several years now and had developed a close working relationship and also a deep trust for one and other. "Thank you commander Lykin, keep up the good work and I might put a good word in with command. Who knows, you might have your own ship before your child is born." The thought made Commander Lykin smile back at the admiral but he also couldn't help being a little sad that he wasn't going to be there to see his daughter born. Part of him regretted enlisting for that reason but he was quickly reminded of why he joined when an alarm klaxon sounded on the bridge and an automated voice came over the intercom. "WARNING; INTRUDER ALERT".

Blaax looked up and around the bridge as the klaxon blared, red warning lights illuminating the room each time they flashed. The blast doors at the entrance of the bridge sealed automatically as troop movements were being coordinated by officers on the bridge. "I need updates, now!" Blaax snapped, turning to face his officers. "The attackers blasted their way out of their ship, so far 12 teoopers confirmed killed. We have soldiers in pursuit on deck 12, corridor D-12." A lieutenant responded immediately. Seal off the elevators, Shut all the blast doors in that section. We're going to trap them like mice." Blaax said coldly as he watched the buzz of activity around him. After a few minutes the same lieutenant looked up from his station and said, "We have them sir, troops are moving in as we speak. They've surrendered." Blaax nodded and looked out the view port. "Bring them to me and stand down the alert." With that the red flashing lights ceased and the klaxon shut off. Commander Lykin approached Blaax and said in a hushed voice, "I do not think it wise to bring these trouble makers to the bridge sir." The commander was close enough to Blaax that he knew he was not out of line by voicing these concerns but he made a point to keep his voice down as he didn't want other officers getting the idea that it was okay to address the Admiral in this fashion. "I want to look them in the eye." Blaax said back flatly. With that, the blast doors at the entrence of the bride hissed open and in walked four men in hand cuffs accompanied by stormtroopers. The men's clothes were slightly ratty and covered in stains and burns.

Blaax walked over to meet the prisoners. He looked at them with a cold look that was almost broken when one of the prisoners spat in Blaax’s face. The action prompted a quick reaction from the commodore who sucker punched the prisoner in the gut, sending him down to his knees as the wind was knocked out of him. “Oh I’m so glad you did that.” Blaax wiped the spit off his face. “You’re under arrest for assaulting an officer of the Galactic Empire. Now that you’re in custody, we’re going to figure out what it is you’re doing out here and why you were ignoring us. Troopers, take these lowlifes to the interrogation room.” With that, the stormtroopers dragged the prisoners off the brig but not before one yelled “Long live the rebellion!”