Quest of Rebirth pt1: Extending the Hand

[Darth Vulcanus]

​

They had been abandoned. Abandoned by The Empire and its corrupt system of bureaucratic grandstanding. They would be lied to no longer and so, under the direct command of Grand Admiral Irridius, eight Star Destroyers and sixty-nine smaller vessels had deserted the lies of this false Empire. Every captain. Every crewman. Every last Imperial Marine. They had all heeded the call of the man who had brought them victory at Mrykr and whispered the sweet poison of Imperial propaganda into their ears. They had left for him and his vision.

They killed their brothers for him.

Following the brief negotiations at the Monastery and the subsequent attempt on Irridius' life, he and his naval captains had demanded that action be taken. The Empire could not stand such a grave insult, nor could it let such chaotic violence go unanswered. Twice now the Mandalorians had attempted to slay him and yet, The Moff Council was silent. Their only answer a letter demanding the resignation of the Grand Admiral. The navy would not stand for it.

So, when Irridius came to them with the knowledge he had obtained from sources on Scarif and proclaimed to them his plan, they were all too willing.

Lucien marched through the hanger, stepping carefully over the puddles of blood that had been left behind by mutinous Stormtroopers. They had fought to the last man and died to the last man. So is the fate of those who dishonor The Empire. The firefights had been short, most of the army troopers had agreed to the desertion and thus the Stormtroopers were the only real trouble.

Most died of slit throats in their sleep. That was the battle of yesterday, however, and Irridius was not one to hold onto the past. The bulk of his fleet was sent to the far reaches to conserve the energy of the larger vessels, but The Battle at Dawn was here on a far more important task. It was here to ferry Irridius to the next step in his plan.

To begin the reach of his own Empire. To recruit a man he had spoken too on only a handful of occasions during his time in the Republic over six years ago. Tanis was a creative and superb military commander, one Irridius admired for his unorthodox methods. It had taken some time to find him and Irridius' original plan was to recruit him in name of The Galactic Empire.

What a sad fate that would have been for the man, coaxed into the cage of pretenders.

Instead, Irridius had sent him a message using a source of underground contacts. If things had gone right, the message would be brought to the right man via a holopad left at his residence; wherever that may be. Information Brokers were less than desirable open with their knowledge. Stepping up to the shielded hanger door, Irridius watched the black ocean outside and waited for Tanis' arrival.

If he had decided to heed the call.

 

[Tanis Ashfall]

Tanis's home was a station he had liberated from pirates who had been using it before him. At the moment the holopad would reach the station he was in his room playing the violin as he looked out at the ships before him upon the Republic falling apart he had managed to gather Captains and other officers who commanded ships they had answered his call and gathered to him. Looking out over the rather scattered armada that followed him he lifted his violin and started to play slowly his head tilting as his eyes closed. He was in the middle of a song when there was a knock on his door stopping he turned setting the violin on its stand he walked over and opened the door looking at the man there calmly. He takes the holopad and the man scurries away quickly watching him leave before closing the door Tanis pushed the button looking on in slight amusement and surprise at the man who spoke for a few moments. Grinnig Tanis pressed a button sending out the signal that would inform all crew to report back to their vessels and pressing a second it informed them they would not be returning for some time so around the station families and people scurried gathering various items and packing necessary belongings. He made his way to the hangar his medium sized Akk Dog following after him its bed and other belongings strapped to its back as it hurried into a shuttle that would ferry Tanis and it over to his flagship. Shortly after boarding he walked to the bridge taking the seat in the command throne as his akk dog lay down beside it. Watching the shuttles go from the station to the ships he grinned waiting for the all clear signal that came three hours later before pressing the button on the arm of his chair that set the station's powercore to overload and detonate. His armada turned and leapt into space heading towards the meeting point left to them by Irridius.

[member="Lucien E. Irridius"]

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

[member="Tanis Ashfall"]

"Grand Admiral." a voice said calmly from beside Irridius, whose venomous gazed turned to see Kilko standing beside him. The Chiss captain had been loyal to Irridius, not because Irridius was an easy man to get along with, but because his vision of The Empire was inspirational. The men who made up the First Fleet were largely ex-Republic naval troops who had turned to The Empire when democracy had failed them. They could connect to The Grand Admiral on a level the rest of The Galactic Empire could not.

That was part of the reason they had followed him here. They understood his vision and knew he could bring it about.

"The transponders have been deactivated and all traceable systems jettisoned into Hyperspace."

"Exemplary, Captain. Have you confiscated the crew's personal datapads and long-range transponders?" Irridius questioned with a tap of his foot

"Aye, sir. All ships have reported that personal devices have been confiscated and signals leaving the ships have been jammed. We are completely dark, sir."

With a smile, Irridius turned his sights back on the void outside the hanger, "They are prepared to receive emergency signals?"

"Of course, sir," Kilko responded with a proud smile which was returned by Irridius with a satisfied glance and his usual snake oil smile.

It was done then. The First Fleet had effectively disappeared from galactic space, hidden in the uninhabited systems of the unknown and they had taken their Grand Admiral along with it. There would be no finding him or his fleet until he wished them to be found.

Which he did, but all in due time.

As Irridius watched the void, he noticed a spark in the darkness. The spark sheared through the black canvas of space, light blue streaks of energy cutting through the nothingness before sharp steel came into view. An armada, one he recognized from those years in the Republic, had materialized from Hyperspace and instantly he knew who it was.

Looking to Kilko, Irridius smiled.

"Hail their ship and request that Captain Ashfall be brought aboard, we have much to discuss."

 

[Tanis Ashfall]

When his ships were hailed Tanis was in the midst of a song on the violin so as his men answered it the first thing to come across was the endings of his song. He opened his eyes and looked at his communications officer who turned exchanging words with those on the other end before the communication's line was cut. The man looked back and nodded towards Tanis with a sigh the young commander stood and looked at his first mate before muttering. "You have the helm Frost." He turned and started towards the hangar after putting his violin away in the small backpack style carrying case.

After entering the hangar he and his akk dog made their way over to the nearest shuttle climbing into it as the pilot started to take off pulling out of the hangar and heading directly towards Irridius's flagship. As they flew Tanis rested a hand on his faithful companion Bis's head watching out the view port almost bored as they neared the flagship Tanis sighed and stood. When they landed he stepped off Bis following at his heels bouncing around almost as if he was still a pup but much to large for that the two of them strode through the corridors on their way to meet with the man that had called them here. Finally he reached Irridius as the door opened the young man walked in looking over at the man that he had only met a few times but had called him here. "What can I do for you Irridius?"

[member="Lucien E. Irridius"]

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

[member="Tanis Ashfall"]

Irridius reeled in disgust as the Akk dog trotted down the ramp beside his master. It was bad enough the blood had to be cleaned from the floors, now this filthy beast was going to drag it about with its disgusting claws. Taking a deep breath, however, Irridius held himself back and took a few steps forward; extending a gloved hand to Tanis with a perfectly fake smile.

"Captain, a pleasure" Irridius remarked, "It has been such a long time since we last spoke, I find you well I hope?"

Glancing outside the hanger, The Grand Admiral admired the fleet Tanis had brought, "It seems you have been doing well for yourself. The perfect man for the job I have at hand."