Private Meeting with the Moff

[Krieg Thresh]

Krieg stood impassively helmet under one arm as he waited outside the Moff's office. Krieg wasn't sure what he was doing there not that he particularly cared. His performance recently had been satisfactory of that he was sure of. His unit was well disciplined and performed adequately under his command. His last mission as an operative had been a success as far as he knew. Krieg hadn't even been sure what it had been about but he had received the package an aqualish and delivered it safely to his contact. Truthfully Krieg had found the mission an interesting one.

It had tapped into his curiosity about alien species. Krieg had felt vindicated that such an aggressive and thuggish species was seeking refuge with the Dark Empire. Although he supposed it was equally possible that once delivered the Aqualish could have been subject to harsh treatment. If so then it wasn't Kriegs place to disagree. The Dark Empire was the only bastion of order and strength in an increasingly chaotic galaxy. Krieg had found his place here he wasn't about to shake it up.

Perhaps he had been expected to be harsher with the package. Roughed him up a bit. Krieg shrugged at the thought that hadn't been in his mission parametre's he figured delivery meant untouched delivery. Besides Krieg had had to kill a Gammorean thug to get him out of there.

Krieg could be here to receive another mission. Krieg had never received a mission directly from the Moff before. He believed firmly in the chain of command. Still if a Moff wanted his services he would deliver without complaint. Kriegs sense of propriety was a little miffed but he also felt a small satisfaction at the notion. That his performance thus far had been satisfactory to the point that he would be selected for a personal one for the Moff.

Krieg had an admiration for the Moff ever since he had read the Moff's doctrine. It had encapsulated for Krieg everything that was right with the Empire. An Empire that had reformed out of the weaknesses of it's predecessors and was a refuge of order discipline and prosperity through hard work.

Still whatever his being here was for Krieg wondered if he was entirely appropriately dressed. He had been ordered here straight from the cockpit. To meet a moff a part of Krieg's sense of priority told him he should be in full dress uniform. Not that he didn't take pride in his flight suit uniform. It was more practical and perhaps more symbolic of his role in the Empire. A cog in the machine.

Only Krieg didn't consider that a bad thing. A machine needed cogs to run smoothly and efficiently. He was proud to serve as one in the system of the Dark Empire. He had a brief concern that whatever his purpose here would be that his absence from his unit would cause a disruption in that process but he knew that a machine didn't run without plenty of replacement parts that could fill in.

Krieg waited outside the Moff's office until he was told to go in by the Moff's secretary. Krieg entered and saluted. Waiting to speak when spoken to.

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

NYRIAAN
Imperial Headquarters

​

The door to the Moff's office opens, two heavy-armored commandos leaving the room, guarding a very serious, composed woman. Before proceeding any further, she briefly glances at the Pilot. "Pilot Krieg Thresh, you may enter", she said, before hurriedly walking to the Headquarter's hangar.

The Moff's office was exactly as every Imperial installation in Nyriaan: an empty, minimalistic cold room, unlike the luxurious rooms some officials were proud to have. There were no carpets, no statues, no paintings, and definitely no windows, but a climatizer, a grey floor so clean it may actually shine, the Moff's chair and a terminal next to it. The Moff's chair was made of metal, and looked very uncomfortable and quadricular. Sitting on it, was Moff Evner Braxiatel, wearing his heavy commando armor. It may have flashed on the Pilot's mind that the chair was this big and brutalist in shape to better support the armor's heaviness. Behind the chair, on the wall, a veiled compartment could be noted, probably full of weapons inside.

The Moff was in his typical rigidness, reading his personal datapad, when the Pilot saluted him. "At Ease, Commander". The Moff continued reading the datapad for a minute, before turning it off and carefully placing it over his desk. "Commander Krieg Thresh, you have been chosen by your competence, disposition and ideological fervor to lead a secret squadron of the best pilots this sector has to offer", the Moff paused, his voice as controlled and calm as ever. When he speaks, he looks directly into the Pilot's eyes, not in a confrontational manner, but to analyse his face. His voice echoed through the almost empty room. "You will have the freedom to choose whoever you see fit to be part of this. Send me the names, and we will do anything possible to recruit them. Officially, after the preparations are complete, all of you will be MIA [Missing in Action]".

"The time will come where the Dark Empire's internal contradictions will inevitably sharpen. During this, and after, your mission is to ascertain the Imperial ideology stays on top every time is needed. For that reason, you will report directly to me, and to me only. From now on, you will be above Imperial jurisdiction." , the Moff paused once more, to let the information sink in the Pilot's head. "In the future, Commander, the Dark Empire will need soldiers not to follow orders blindly, but to use our Imperial ideology to creatively shape our decisions. You are expected to keep up with this. Again, you are free to choose your Squadron, and that applies to its name. Although I personally have a name in mind", the Moff curved his back to get nearer the Pilot, a rare malicious grin on his face.

"Korvan's Revenge".

The Moff pronounce such words intentionaly slow, and with immense pleasure. Finally, the time to avenge the Despot's death was coming. The grin rapidly disappear, and Braxiatel returns to his rigit position. "Any questions, Commander?"

Krieg Thresh​

 

[Krieg Thresh]

Krieg took in the room as impassively as he had stood outside. Inwardly without any movement outwardly, Krieg nodded to himself. The room was as he expected of a man of the Moff's reputation and focus. Simple unadorned and practical. Personally even Krieg would be tempted to adorn an office with points of interest. Perhaps a star chart mapping the current strength and positions of the fleet. A bottle of fine liquor for guests or as a necessary small break. Perhaps even a collection of artifacts from various races as Grand Admiral Thrawn was said to have had in his private rooms from long ago. Still Krieg could appreciate the discipline it would take to live and work in an environment such as this one. Krieg supposed he would never adorn his cockpit with any such proclivities. This office was the Moff's cockpit he realised. Simple, practical and efficient. Krieg approved.

Krieg received news of the new position stoically as he thought it through. It would prove an interesting and diverting opportunity to say the least. Once again without any movement of his head Krieg nodded to himself.

"Several in fact Moff Braxietiel." Krieg answered given he'd been asked the question. Which to his mind had been an order. "When you say 'to use our Imperial ideology to creatively shape our decisions'. As precisely as possible please explain what that means?"

"If I am to do more than just blindly follow orders as your order" Krieg's lip twitched at that. Being ordered to do more than follow orders was an amusing thought. "To complete this mission. I will need to know mission parameters, objectives, including unfortunately a question I've never needed to ask before."

Krieg paused grimacing slightly with distaste at the next word.

"Why?"

"Not out of any moral conscience or dilemma you understand but if I understand the sentiment these missions will require me to understand, assess and adapt it would be helpful to know mission goals and motivations to attain success for such missions."

"I apologise for my impertinence, but I believe I would be derelict in my duties- as you describe them- if I did not."

Krieg waited for the Moff's response knowing he was pushing it and hoping not just that he hadn't overstepped his new and tenuous position but that perhaps he had not pushed far enough. If this new position and mission required some measure of independent thought than perhaps what he had just done was meet mission parameters. Or he had badly misjudged and was about to be reprimanded perhaps even executed for his impertinence and disloyalty.

Krieg didn't mind the thought of dying for the Empire but dying a condemned traitor was deplorable. Still he wasn't some political lackey so concerned with his own skin he was afraid of doing what was best for the Empire regardless of the circumstances. If that was true on the battlefield it should be true in a Moff's office. Besides he had been asked a question by a superior officer an order in fact. He was duty bound to ask his questions honestly.

Krieg without moving nodded to himself satisfied with that reasoning that he was in fact doing his duty in his impertinence.

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

NYRIAAN
Imperial Headquarters

​

The Pilot had, indeed, followed the Moff's command. He thought about his duty, and it inherently made him think about why. Indeed, thinking 'why' in moments of action was not proper. It could kill someone, destroy important infrastructure, and worst of all, it could harm the Empire as a whole. But this was certainly not one of those moments, and Commander Krieg's questioning was very satisfactory. Waiting a minute to ponder about the Pilot's questions, Moff Braxiatel rearranged himself on the chair, looking to Krieg's eyes with a mix of calmness and rigideness that would appear impossible if considered more carefully. And still, it precisely described the Moff.

"While orders are to be followed, sometimes the means are even more important than the end itself. How you do it, to know if the order even serves the Dark Empire, is essential. By knowing our Imperial Ideology, you will know the best way to victory, with the best results". Evner waited for a minute, scanning the Commander's face as if to search for any doubt in his expressions. When treating the next question, he would be more blunt, and overly honest, as he is proud to be: "If you ever tell someone else I said what I'm about to say, you will be executed. Not by firing squad, as the 6 traitors were, and not in public". Even with the harsh words, the Moff was calm, and his tone didn't change at all. It was less of a threat than a mere statement, of which Evner had no problem to say. "Very soon, the Empire's endurance will be tested. At times like these, at the eye of a hurricane, every traitor will be exposed. I said before, and I'll repeat: your mission is to guarantee the most important thing we have, our ideology, stays victorious. At any cost necessary"

"When some type of people die, the whole Empire bleeds in mourning. But there are other kind of people, whose death weights less than a feather. If they die, they die. Understood?", accustomed to be very blunt, the Moff was scanning the future Agent's reaction, as to see if he really understands the situation he's in. More than ever, Braxiatel hopes the young Commander will accept the task at hand. He would have to kill him, if not, to make sure this tiny bit of information remains unspoken.

For a planet as hot as Nyriaan, the ambient was cold and humid. The climatizer, while the only luxury in the room, sure did its job.

Krieg Thresh ​

 

[Krieg Thresh]

Krieg nodded. Outwardly this time. So at somepoint in the near future there would be a shake up in the Dark Empire. Internal fighting? Perhaps. A new offensive against another power? Also a possibility. An attack by another power? Possibly. Krieg kept the frown off of his face as he thought through the implications of those potential scenarios. Part of him was honoured that he should be trusted with even this amount of trust. He understood the importance of the implications, and of course understood the threat to his life if he told anyone. The Moff was right the most important part was the Dark Empire's survival and it's survival meant it's ideology. The ideology was the centre of the empire not it's heart but it's foundation. The skeleton that held it all together.

Put it like that Krieg's choice -if following an order was ever a choice- was clear and simple. Krieg did wonder who he would be choosing to live or die and how he would determine that choice. Rank would help of course and perhaps be a good baseline, but a valuable intelligence asset was more valuable than his technically superior lieutenant. Krieg wondered if he could or even should develop a system in his mind of determining who lived and who died or if he should rely on his assessment of a case by case assessment. If he made the wrong call not only would his life be forfeit but it could have drastic consequences for the Empire as a while. The mission parameters were the ideology. Perhaps that should take precedence even over strategic importance? Those were his orders after all. Krieg nodded to himself outwardly showing no signs. The clarification answer he'd been given was an emphasis on the ideology. The Moff seemed a direct man. If it was a euphemism his orders should have been clearer.

With that in mind it was clearer to prioritise those who served the Empire's best interests through it's ideology.

"I understand Lord Moff" Krieg nodded outwardly.

"What will we by flying?" Krieg asked his mind turning to the practicals of running such a unit.

He'd have to pick carefully men who not only showed devotion and discipline but who wouldn't mind being relegated to MIA status. That mostly meant the ambitious could be a problem. People who wanted the fast track on their career path tended not to want to be anonymous. That meant more senior pilots who cared more about being in the cockpit then making a name for themselves. This would have to be a subtle op not flash and substance. Krieg's mind started to flick through some of the men and women he'd served with.

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

NYRIAAN
Imperial Headquarters

​

After much consideration and scanning the Pilot's face, it was clear to the Moff that he understood his task. The days to come would certainly prove to be harsh, but they would shape what we know of the Empire, to form the Empire to end them all. The Dark Empire Victorious, even if it meant the sacrifice of hundreds, thousands, millions, of the rare Imperials that follow Evner, and of the Moff himself. The Empire will be victorious, no matter what.

"You are the Pilot here, Commander Krieg. Ask, and I'll provide", the Moff says, his flammable eyes turning into a controlled, cautious one. He slowly opens a metallic drawer on his desk, only to show the Pilot a communication device. "Every message you send in this will be cryptographied and sent to my terminal. If you're ever caught, destroy it. Remember: dead people don't serve the Empire. If they ever capture you, stay strong. If they ever torture you, hold on like a man. This is part of what we mean when we say 'Death to Weakness'".

"If there isn't anything more you wan't to ask, you're dismissed"

Krieg Thresh ​