TO SERVICE AND DUTY
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To formalize the events that transpired that led to Fiolette Yvarro’s departure from the First Order, from her perspective.
Image Credit: iStock, Getty Images (x) Edited by Me. (x) [Logo by Me]
Links: N/A
Media Name: To Service and Duty
Format: [SIZE=10pt]Holobook[/SIZE], Hardback & Paperback
Distribution: Common - Holobook, Scattered - Hardback & Paperback
Length: Long
Description: A book written by Fiolette Yvarro that answers a question once asked by [member="Jyoti Nooran"]. What made the former Grand Admiral walk away from a position of power and prestige. She had a hand in shaping an empire, forging their navy even. This book is the long answer to that question, it [SIZE=10pt]regails[/SIZE] the events that led up to Fiolette Yvarro’s departure including the Battle of Anoat at Kuragin Station. Her subsequent briefings and interviews along with the exact moment and event that led to her leaving it all behind.
Author: Fiolette Yvarro
Publisher: Xandria Publishing House
Reception: Mixed reception between those who applaud her for being honest and others who disagree with the events as transpired. Others feel as though she should have stayed on with the First Order. It’s certainly considered a must read for those who have followed the First Order closely or knew of [SIZE=10pt]Fiolette’s[/SIZE] time with them. Physical copies of the books can be found on Primo Victorian supported space stations, and within the capitals of most factions/nations.
The following includes excerpts from each chapter within the book.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
By Captain J. Q. Merrill
Any relationship needs some amount of tolerance, understanding, and shared respect, maybe even trust. When one side's actions put it all at risk, how far can the other side bend? How far should they bend? These are questions I asked myself when my business associate, Grand Admiral Fiolette [SIZE=10pt]Yvarro[/SIZE], signed on with the Sith Empire. I needed to come to my own conclusions, and we've weathered the storm, at least in part. Even though keeping a friend and breaking an allegiance are very different things, she needed to ask herself the same questions as the First Order changed and as her perspective matured - the evolution at the heart of this book. I don't envy her, but I think I understand.
Kuragin. The name haunts me even now, the screams of those who were thrown out into the void. Their eyes as they widened into realization; death was there. Death had come to Anoat, to Kuragin a Galidraan I type defense station. I’s designed supported a hybrid of both military and civilian life. The latter fact surprised the Galactic Alliance, as they unknowingly killed many on that day. Most of whom were civilians trying to get out of harm's way. [...]
It was but an ordinary day, I wasn’t even supposed to be on Kuragin all that long. I had a few meetings, and a review or two to conduct. The Warspite was resupplying, and
I worked with the then Major [SIZE=10pt]Eldrel of whom I quickly promoted to Colonel in the [/SIZE]field, if memory serves. Leona Eldrel had served the First Order well for quite some time, she and I worked together that day. Our goal was to reach engineering from medical. That however required us to climb several decks which would take time. Time neither we nor our engineers had, but nevertheless we persisted. [...]
By the time we had reached engineering we only had mere moments before the explosion. The Alliance in their ill-fated attempted to hijack the station must have not recalled the many devices in play. Between the pulse mass mines, and the station’s hull integrity having been degraded by their boarding pods. No one was sure what went off first, the mines or whatever mayhem had been going on the promenade. It wouldn’t matter in the end, I survived by sheer luck, again. [SIZE=10pt]Eldrel[/SIZE] and I ended up in a staircase that had been slammed tight by the core’s debris. [...]
I remember the days following, weeks even - I poured myself over the station’s redesign. It was all I could quite frankly, distract myself from what had been. My own failure. The First Order would go on to deal with the rebels over Janara led by Grand Admiral Cyrus [SIZE=10pt]Tregessar[/SIZE]. While he was away subjugating the planet, I was in my own office with a drink in hand and the ghosts of Kuragin whispering in my ear.
I dreaded the inevitable, the call - the summon to Avalonia. I knew it would happen, it had to happen. There would be answers demanded of me. My after action report would not suffice, no not for something this devastating. To have lost an entire command station ... It was the unimaginable to be honest, I had to face the consequences of my actions and my inactions. I remember walking into that office, going by and the feeling of dread simply wormed its way through my body.
By this [SIZE=10pt]point[/SIZE] the relationship between my niece and I, had degraded. While it is quite easy to simply lump the blame onto her given her nature. It is not her fault, no - that was mine. A story for another time, dear reader.
The Grand Moff entered, then the Supreme Commander and the Minister of Security not far behind. The Supreme Commander’s first question, [SIZE=10pt]of[/SIZE] course, was with regard to the station’s internal security. I would be lying if I had said that I had thought of some magical solution within the time of Kuragin’s demise and the weeks leading up to the briefing when in truth.
I had nothing and even then I had prototypes and a complex system.
I gave my proposal, the Minister returned with a barb.
I’ll echo the words of the Supreme Commander here, “the only thing that could’ve truly prevented this assault was us knowing... Intelligence.” There was some manner of relief on my part, not that it really mattered.
I was already the scapegoat.
While the First Empire celebrated its [SIZE=10pt]hard-fought[/SIZE] victory over the Galactic Alliance. I could not help but feel that perhaps there was something else stirring beneath the surface. Changes within the Cabinet were well underway and the Supreme Leader had become more involved. This was not to say that Seiger had not been involved prior but it was only after this that the heavy hand of his lordship would truly be felt.
My niece may say otherwise, and my word as the Grand Admiral of the Naval Engineering programme may have little value - but yes, Seiger’s own pride would and will still in my humble opinion be the downfall of the First Order.
[SIZE=10pt]Nevertheless[/SIZE], I persisted, urging our leaders to work within our territory. We had all but in name defeated the Galactic Alliance at this point and talks of peace were once again swirling around Number 10. Now, now more than ever we had a chance to focus on our own people. Focus on rebuilding our infrastructure and getting back to the business of living, not dying.
The peace, the peace talks - held on [SIZE=10pt]Kaeshana[/SIZE] did not last long. Peace itself was a lie, something I’m sure any Sith reading this might smile at. The First Order wanted more, they had a bloodlust that I had seen before many times. From the Atrisian Empire and their rather unfortunate predicament with the Lords of the Fringe (that, however, is an entirely different story).
The stain of Kuragin lingered on my record, and the confidence in my own ability to lead was questioned. Most especially by my own person, how could I walk back into war when the deaths of many rested on my hands? [...]
It was plain to see that we were going to war, again. Reigniting the aggression against the Galactic Alliance. While I knew our people would support such an effort. They would not support it on the whole, but by then they knew their place. Even if they spoke out, it would fall on deaf ears. On my part, I felt I had been selfish. Perhaps I should have pushed harder, but I was the one who had lost Kuragin. I was the one who had foreseen such events, according to Minister [SIZE=10pt]Calgar[/SIZE].
The then Admiral Rausgeber was all too eager to see the Alliance done, to rise through the ranks not that I could blame him. It is after all [SIZE=10pt]what most[/SIZE] Imperial naval commanders strives for. Grand Admiralty.
As I sat in my flat on Admiralty Hill. I realized, I wanted no more of it. I wanted no more of the aggression, I wanted to build to focus on what we had. The Galidraan II had been well in the works for over six months, it needed to be done. I thought perhaps I could focus on it without the barking of war dogs in my ear. Until the barking became incessant. I had lost my momentum, I was done.
So I turned in my resignation.
If you are not with us, then you are against us they said.
How quickly I thought that they were to turn. They were no longer the people that I once knew, they had in brief changed. Driven by a lust for war, for strength and power the very ideals that had once doomed many an empire before them. I sought to seek the wisdom of my niece, the Grand Moff. But then, she had already done so much for our family. I could not ask any more of her than I could of myself. To say she was... upset, would be an understatement.
For the second time in my life, I had been disavowed.
I packed up myself up from Admiralty Hill and left. [...]
I sat in my new home, I looked myself in the mirror and pondered. What next? I laughed myself to the brink of insanity. I had lost it, I had finally lost it there I was in a lovely bungalow for all intents and purposes. On this private beach, on a rather private island owned by the First Order on [SIZE=10pt]Gilaria[/SIZE]. And then as I stumbled through drunk and depressed. I came across scattered notes and thoughts on how to improve the then Mark II Imperial line.
I decided then that I could not simply waste away into nothingness.
I had more to live for, I was more than just an Admiral, a Shipwright or an Engineer.
I could not allow myself to be defined by others. To allow my narrative to be decided by others, and so I forced myself into the shower. Let the cold waters take me out of my stupor and I contacted an old friend. Compiled a list of contacts and let her arrange the meetings.
This was not the first time in my life that I had been forced to make a change, to make a decision for myself. To say that my life was mine and no one else’s. I gathered what I could and made my way to a small private shipyard owned by said friend. There she helped to oversee the construction of my personal ship, the Fleetwood. And with my two assistants, I was gone from the First Order. Nearly, nearly. [...]
I arrived on Kwenn Station with relative ease, the Fleetwood performed remarkably and the trip offered time for insight. Time for questions, where did I want to go? What did I want to do? Who am I now without an armada at my disposal. I had with me the trappings of my old life, service ribbons, medals and awards the old uniforms and more alcohol than I care to admit.
What I did know was that I had a company that many knew little about. Primo Victoria had been synonymous with the First Order. Any vessel that their navy produced came from Primo [SIZE=10pt]Victoria[/SIZE] and manufactured by both droid and Imperial hands.
Now that I was off on my own, I had to seek out business. And that is where I needed contacts, and contracts if Primo Victoria was going to be more than just a tool of the First Order. [...]
The meeting was set up by my aforementioned friend, who will continue to go unnamed.
Dren Var Nabba was the name of the woman I was to meet. We were meeting at one of her restaurants, a [SIZE=10pt]high-end[/SIZE] place, Il D’orgo. A well-mannered maître d’ led me to the back of the establishment, we wove through the spacious restaurant with ease. Once seated I had but a few minutes to myself, the dimmed lights shed a warm light across the wall-wide paintings.
Meeting Miss Var Nabba was a treasure.
We talked throughout the night and in that evening I learned more about myself. Perhaps more than what was meant, and what I did learn was this; I am the master of my own fate. One would have thought this was something I would have learned ages ago. Turns out I had lost that foresight and needed relearn it. While I held a deep fanatical devotion to my previous nations. I needed to work for myself and no one else, for if I was not happy with me then how can I in turn be happy with anything or anyone else. [...]
After Kwenn, I knew I had to return to First Order space.
However, I did not have to take the direct route. I had appointments, meetings with various leaders from other corporations to governments, some well organized and others not so much. I met with Jyoti Nooran for the Silver Jedi Order, Jorus Merrill from the Outer Rim among other places. Between the two of them, they left me with much to dwell on. Jorus only reinforced the notion that I go into business for myself. Jyoti on the other hand? Well. She’s the reason I wrote this book.
I never considered my part with the First Order. Not really.
I was helping my nation, crafting vessels in which to combat the Galactic Alliance.
Developing ships with a specific purpose in mind.
Still.
Their words remained in their mind, but perhaps none more potent than Jyoti’s question. What made you walk away? It is true that scarcely a soul so willingly walks away from such power. But what is power? Is it the ability to achieve total control, happiness, both? I had achieved what I had set out to do so many years ago. I wanted to become a Grand Admiral, I wanted to be a contributing member of an empire. And I was so the question became, what next? What does one do after they’ve achieved it what they set out to do?
By this [SIZE=10pt]point[/SIZE], I had realized that I no longer wanted part of such a bloodthirsty war machine. I wanted what perhaps I hadn’t had in a very long time. For this, I returned to the Outer Rim Coalition for one last drink with Captain Merrill. [...]
It was time to go back to [SIZE=10pt]Gilaria[/SIZE], back to First Order space.
I had a meeting with my niece’s secretary to go over the final details of the contract. A contract I had been hounding the First Order for, for years. I wanted to complete my work if only because I am a completionist, but it was clear. The First Order thought that I had betrayed them, they wanted little else to do with me but wanted so much to retain my work.
To this end, our contract was cut and clear.
And then it was over. Her secretary had come and gone, and no longer was there anything left here in the shallows. It was time for me to reinvent myself, but there were still a few people I had yet to say goodbye too. My crew, the crew of the Warspite - Veterans of Omega served alongside me through thick and thin and they deserved a proper farewell.
My daughter Lucinyia who attended the military academy at Victoria. She scarcely said a word and for [SIZE=10pt]that[/SIZE], I cannot begrudge her. My actions as both a mother and an officer were far more than questionable. Still. I left my parting gifts for her encouragement to whether the storm.
Notes from the FOSB reminded me that they were not quite yet done with me. I would be monitored, but this much I already knew. I left the First Order with a small flurry and then a silence as they continued on, working and serving aboard my legacy. Aboard the ships I had created for them they continued onto war with the Alliance, while I - I went to find something that resembled peace. [...]
The dust hadn’t quite settled when I arrived at Zonju V’s capital, but it was a start. I created the then Clarke-Porras Joint Military Base for the forces on Zonju V. While I and my team worked in the basement it was a home away from home. A start to a new life beyond the borders of the First Order and for the first time in a long while, I felt that things would be better.
Contracts were pouring in and work was being done, things seemed to fall right into place. Was it the best place? No, but at the time it was the best place for me. Often times I took walks around the base and looked out over the horizon. I thought if this is all I would ever do then by the Balance it would have been worth it. Zonju V needed this base, needed a place to train their military and a place to train their force users.
Some may say that I had worn too many hats in my time, I disagree.
I have not worn enough. I have not done enough, there is so much to do and so much to see - there is more to this life than just taking. [...]
I recall the first time that I walked across my new home.
A vacation home, somewhere out on a tropical world where I could be at peace. Alone with my thoughts, alone to reflect on my past. Primo Victorian had grown quite rapidly once it was no longer under an Imperial yoke. Funding was no longer an issue, and I realized that this time away from service was more than helpful.
I learned that I could do more, I could be more. One need not stick themselves into a box of being just an Admiral, or just a Soldier, or just a Jedi, Sith - there were more definitions. More shades to a person than what was presented there was depth. A depth I had long since locked away when I first embarked on my naval career. I had learned to shut out the Galaxy, I had learned to compartmentalize, and detach. It was time to unlearn these things. My time in the First Order showed what I was capable of but it also showed how much I had sacrificed to do so.
My brush with death revealed just how much I feared death. How much I feared to let go, let go of power, control of what I had accomplished. And I realized that these are absolutes and that in life, there are no absolutes, no guarantees but one; death.
The First Order taught me that death was promised, they also served to teach me one other thing.
My value.
My worth.
I know mine. I know what I can do, what I am capable of - and you know what?
The possibilities are endless. [...]
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The book was created by Fiolette [SIZE=10pt]Yvarro[/SIZE] who had been asked the singular question of; what made you walk away. The question hung in her mind ever since she would scribble down parts of the answer on scrap paper. Or on a tablet with a stylus in the margin somewhere. At some point keeping track of the notes became a chore, and Fiolette sat down in her office and set about to create an outline.
With the aid of her beloved [member="Taeli Raaf"], the former Grand Admiral crafted the first draft. It was then sent an editor out on Dromund Kaas. From there it went through another round of drafting, and a beta read from Taeli before going off for more edits. The purpose of the book was to not only answer the question fully but give [SIZE=10pt]Fiolette’s[/SIZE] side of the story, of what made her walk away and why.
