Nine years, ten months, and four days after the Battle of Yavin...
Or the forty-fourth year, ten months, and four days after the Great Resynchronization.
(Five months and twenty-four days since the Arrival.)
Looking at the planet Vinsoth, whose whitish-blue, with a hint of green, colors stretched before the bow of the Chimaera, one could say that the Force has a rather interesting sense of humor.
Located at the intersection of four major regional routes, this system, situated in quadrant H-5, belonged to the outskirts of the Quelli sector, which had recently joined the Dominion.
Planet Vinsoth.
I had long pondered how to turn this world into a fortress planet that would become a reliable stronghold for advancing toward the Dominion's borders, and now, practically speaking, all those thoughts had been in vain.
With the annexation of the entire sector, whose local governments (as is always the case in such situations) — some willingly, some after a certain bribe, some out of desperate straits, some from a desire to protect themselves from pirates and other plunderers and robbers — agreed to take this step, only Vinsoth remained inaccessible to us.
But at the same time, it had lost its relevance as a fortress planet, an advanced defender of the Dominion.
For one simple reason — now the Dominion's borders were much farther out. And in fact, the local population, which made a living from a slave-based economy and had no space fleet of its own, couldn't hinder the movement of my ships from the core to the peripheries.
However, the complete opposite had happened in this system.
"Data received from the spy droids," Captain Pellaeon stated as he approached me. "Baron D'Asta's corvette was pulled out of hyperspace by an interdictor cruiser. Then the ship and escape pods were shot. We did a complete scan of the debris field, considering the dispersion vector and corrections for stellar wind — no survivors. Our agents on the planet also report that there were no landings. Nor any escape from here. No one survived."
"Which narrows down the number of possible murderers to a very small circle of people," I declared.
"It was Imperial Space," Pellaeon stated, handing me a datapad with the data. "The Tyrant and the Star Web participated in the attack. They made sure the baron was on board and destroyed the ship."
Interesting names for the participants in the murder.
Tyrant — a much-suffering Star Destroyer that had changed hands several times, passing from the New Republic back to the Empire.
The last time this happened was due to the intervention of then-Captain Shohashi.
"Identified based on transponder codes?" I clarified.
"The spy droid also recorded the spectral data of both ships' engines," Pellaeon added. "We ran the information through the fleet databases and got a complete match."
"Consequently, the Imperial Ruling Council eliminated the baron, who was heading to Ciutric to discuss an alliance," I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers.
"Prevented a split in Imperial Space?" Pellaeon suggested.
"Yes, if the father had refused even formal loyalty to the Empire, the baroness would have been left without both position and influence," I agreed. "Based on her ambitious and authoritarian nature, with not a shred of respect for her negotiating partner, one might assume that it's the daughter who stands behind her own parent's elimination."
"Do you think someone else could be behind this?" clarified the commander of the Chimaera.
"More than sure," I agreed. "But first, contact our local agents. I need information on whether the Chevs are ready to revolt against the Chevins who enslaved them."
Chev.
The humanoid Chevs had been enslaved by the huge pig-like Chevins for many years.
Chevin.
The masters led a nomadic lifestyle — except for the ruler of the continent. There were five such rulers on Vinsoth.
The Chevs were generally obedient, but there were those who escaped on starships that came here in search of slaves or minor repairs.
Dominion intelligence appeared on Vinsoth as soon as my interest in this planet became apparent.
Given that there is no slavery in the Dominion, and the Quelli sector, which includes the planet Vinsoth, is now part of my state, there are formal grounds to land troops and restore justice.
But such a violent liberation would do no good. To stop being a slave, one must kill the slave within oneself.
Without initiative from the Chevs living on the planet, staging a coup would be a very foolish idea.
If the slave is content with his position, then a forced change to the usual way of life will only result in the freed slaves themselves reversing the change to the slave-owning system.
"We have support from five of the seven continents, sir," Pellaeon returned to my chair a few minutes later.
"Excellent," I said. "Begin the landing of troops — our goal is to take Vinsoth under control and prevent further oppression of the Chevs. Any attempts to resist us must be eliminated immediately."
"Begin the takeover from the residences of the continental rulers?" inquired Pellaeon.
"Of course," I confirmed. "Well then, let's return to the question of who is guilty of Baron D'Asta's death. I'm sure that in the opinion of his murderers, the death of the sector head must inevitably lead to a crisis for the Dominion..."
* * *
Well done, certainly not bad.
Kvag Gthull walked quickly through the empty chambers of the Emperor's treasure vault on the planet Wayland.
The Dark Side of the Force helped the man navigate without lighting fixtures, wandering in the darkness.
Grand Admiral Thrawn had not only removed from the vault all possible secrets and valuables that had accumulated here for decades, but also all the equipment.
The clone factory, reactors, food synthesizers, mothballed ships, supplies... Even the turbolift shafts had been dismantled!
Not to mention a copy of the Imperial Library, which was kept here and was supposed to help Grand Admiral Thrawn destroy the New Republic and the Emperor's other enemies.
But in reality...
Thrawn, who could have crushed the New Republic in these six months, was marking time, reveling in creating his own empire.
Kvag growled quietly at the realization that he had wasted so much time!
The treasure vault had been looted!
The Chief Investigator of the Dark Side Elite was returning to the massive entrance to Mount Tantiss.
He needed to return to Bast Castle on Vjun, where Executor Sedriss had ordered his headquarters to be set up after renegades of all kinds had been there and taken everything valuable.
Logical, if you think about it, that having obtained everything they needed, the beings would not return there. And the Dark Side of the Force permeating the planet allowed the elites to feel at home.
Dressed in the traditional black robes of the Dark Side Elite, like the darkness itself, he moved toward the rectangular opening of the main entrance to Mount Tantiss, shining with daylight.
He stopped about fifty meters from the exit, looking suspiciously at the figure that appeared before him.
Dressed in black robes, clutching a lightstaff in his hand, the man was very familiar to him.
"Inquisitor Obscuro," Kvag Gthull identified the man blocking his exit. "I thought you died on Vjun at the hands of the Grand Admiral."
"You thought that, because that's why you left me there, isn't it?" Obscuro clarified. "Abandoned me like an unnecessary oily rag that a mechanic gets rid of after finishing a repair? You decided I would kill Mara Jade and Thrawn would destroy me, thinking everything that happened was my doing? And the very fact of your existence would remain secret?!"
Why waste time trying to convince someone who already understood the true reason for being on Vjun?
"Did you rehearse for a long time before coming up with this speech of an offended and insulted Inquisitor?" Kvag shook his hand, releasing the handle of his lightsaber from his sleeve.
"I didn't even think about it," the Inquisitor radiated the Dark Side. A quite decent aura of white-hot rage. But that's not enough if you want to defeat someone trained by Emperor Palpatine himself. "You will die here and now."
"Decided that by killing me, you can hide the fact of Thrawn looting the vault?" inquired the elite. "Afraid that we now know what secrets the Grand Admiral possesses?"
In a confrontation with an opponent embittered against you, the best means for further operations is to make the enemy talk. Extra information never hurts.
"I'm not afraid of anything," Obscuro said with a smirk, twirling his lightsaber in his hand. "I was waiting here not to hide or disguise anything."
"Then for what, turncoat?" The main thing is to unsettle a Force-user with insults. Dun Moch always works on those who think too highly of themselves, not being what they want to appear.
Like this inquisitor, who revered Darth Vader and was in his service.
"To destroy the Dark Side Elite," Obscuro said with unshakeable self-confidence, and his lightstaff flared into a double crimson blade. "That is what the Dominion Shadow Guard does."
"You are so overconfident," Kvag Gthull laughed, assuming a combat stance characteristic of Form II, Makashi.
"Oh no," the former Inquisitor replied calmly. "I am simply confident that I will leave your cold corpse on the floor of this vault."
A moment later, the opponents clashed in a deadly battle.
And five minutes later, Shadow Guard Reynar Obscuro kicked the severed head of the Chief Investigator of the Dark Side Elite out of Mount Tantiss.
Next, caught by the Force, the headless body of the arrogant servant of Palpatine flew out.
Straight into the crowd of locals who were watching with interest as the adepts of the Dark Side fought.
Myneyrsh and Psadans stepped aside so the body wouldn't crush anyone.
"Clean this up," Obscuro ordered. "Set lethal traps in the forests and continue guarding the mountain. Anyone who comes down to the planet and can't prove they were sent by your master—Grand Admiral Thrawn—is to be killed. Understood?"
The elders of both peoples answered with respectful bows.
Perhaps the Odgoster sector, bordering the Venin sector, isn't part of the Dominion, and therefore, given Palpatine's impending invasion, it's extremely unwise to use Wayland in the Grand Admiral's plans right now. That doesn't mean it won't be different in the future.
* * *
The Victory-class Star Destroyer emerged at a point in space precisely calculated by the Crusader's navigators.
"Launch the interceptors," Captain I-Gor ordered, watching the tactical monitor that displayed data on the northern hemisphere of the gas giant called Galaan. "Raise deflectors, prepare to repel attack."
Located in the Korva sector, this gas giant, according to Dominion Intelligence data, served as the site of the New Republic's main communication relay in the Korva sector.
The small space station also housed a minor Republic intelligence base and was listed among priority offensive targets in the Korva sector.
Twenty-four TIE Interceptors reorganized according to the strike plan and sped toward the station.
Nearby sat an old Mon Calamari MC40 light cruiser, along with several battered freighters.
According to the Scout Droid's data, the Republic planned to evacuate the station, so a very rapid response to those actions was required.
The Dominion could not afford the luxury of letting the enemy's data on an entire sector slip away.
"Launch tubes one through ten—fire salvo!" Captain I-Gor ordered, his eyes fixed on the light cruiser.
The latter charged into a suicide attack, intending to pin down the Crusader and prevent it from hitting the freighters.
No such luck.
"Ion cannons, fire on the station and freighters," the Star Destroyer commander issued new directives. "Turbolasers and missiles engage the light cruiser."
If that MC40 had been a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, you could talk about a duel between equals.
But after the upgrade at the Ciutric IV shipyards, the Crusader—and the rest of the Dominion fleet's Victory-class ships—having swapped its old turrets for eight-gun turbolasers identical to those on the Imperial-class, could easily take on a higher-class opponent.
Of course, they had to sacrifice landing space and troop capacity to make room for additional power sources—now the Dominion's Victory-class ships could carry at most a couple battalions of space infantry stormtroopers. But on the bright side, they were all reinforced with Droidekas, whose production line had started up on Dominion territory.
The main thing was that only the turret armament composition had changed, and the number of gunners had increased. They hadn't removed the missile and torpedo launchers, which would have neutered the Victory down to a second-type modification of that series of Star Destroyers.
Today, after its glorious campaign through New Republic prisons, liberating Imperial officers and sailors who had sworn allegiance to the Dominion, the Crusader was testing its lethal effectiveness in combat conditions.
Missiles pierced the light cruiser's deflector shields.
The detonation literally vaporized the ship's engines, leaving it a piece of scrap serving as a target for the Crusader's gunners.
"Station and freighters hit by ion cannons," the senior gunner reported.
"Begin landing the assault force," I-Gor ordered, studying the mangled hunk that had once been called a light cruiser. "Tractor beam operators, lock onto that wreck. Stormtroopers, prepare to board. Retrieve all information on board that ship. Capture all officers and passengers."
The seizure of the Korva sector had begun swiftly and mercilessly.
* * *
This part of the Korva sector was called the "Hammer Station system."
Once inside the system's boundaries, one could see a gray-blue planet orbiting the local star—a red dwarf. Only there was no life on it.
Several asteroid belts, considered stable, surrounded the planet. Most of them had already been hollowed out during an intensive mining expansion.
To cover this operation, the Empire had once taken a very correct—but now absurd—step.
They'd delivered an HM7-R-designated orbital defense station of the "Fire Star" type here.
And after the Battle of Endor, when the Galactic Empire was defeated, the local garrison had been left to its own devices.
Without long-range communications, support, or even a hyperdrive to send the station into space, the local commander chose to evacuate the personnel into Imperial Space.
Unsurprisingly, unable to get away or otherwise avoid a grim fate, most of the station's garrison had abandoned their post.
But judging by several clearly non-Imperial ships docked at the station, the new owners clearly preferred not to abandon something that could provide shelter from vacuum and a place to lie low from pursuit.
Still, that didn't mean anyone here was waiting with open arms.
"HM7-R defense station," said Captain Kalian, standing on the bridge of his ship and watching several of the station's guns and launchers come alive. "You're being hailed by the Dominion Star Destroyer Steel Aurora. We suggest you lay down your arms and begin negotiations."
Instead of a reply, strong interference sounded on the channel.
The Star Destroyer commander winced as he watched his TIE Interceptors surround the station's perimeter, making it clear no one would escape from here.
"Steel Aurora?!" a voice came from the other end. "Imperial Starfleet?!"
Well… almost, Kalian thought, realizing the beings on board the station had just checked the ship's ID against Imperial databases. So the garrison hadn't even considered destroying the information core.
What a bunch of slackers! That's how Imperial secrets and service information fell into enemy hands!
"We serve Grand Admiral Thrawn, ruler of the Dominion, which is currently conducting an expansion of the Korva sector," Kalian explained. He got the information across as best he could.
"Thank all the gods you've come," a joyful voice came over the comm. "Ten years… ten long years we've been here, serving our duty, guarding the mining equipment."
"According to our data, the station was abandoned," Kalian frowned, expecting to find only adventurers and bandits here.
"No, Captain," the speaker said bitterly. His voice trembled as if he were about to burst into tears. "The HM7-R garrison is at its post. We continue to guard this system. Forgive us, but we had to allow mining in the system to replenish our food supplies…"
Kalian felt a stream of cold sweat roll down his back.
Designed for six months of autonomy, the station had lasted ten years… with a crew of nearly seven hundred people!
"All Imperial military personnel are offered to transfer the defense station to Dominion control and also to enter the service of the Grand Admiral," it took nearly a minute to find the protocol in the central computer for such situations.
So much for flying out to hollowed-out asteroids in the neighboring sector…
"W-will we be evacuated from here?!" the voice asked again. "Sir, we have fully fulfilled our duty! We're not refusing further service, but we need at least a little rest, resupply—tibanna is almost at zero. We need repairs. We've fixed some things ourselves, but the ore traders can't bring us everything…"
"Without a doubt," Kalian confirmed in a steady voice. "That's why I'm here. Your watch is over. You'll all go home as soon as we dock. Order your trading partners to prepare the ore carriers for inspection. Once the formalities are done, the entire garrison will be taken to the Dominion base."
Lying to your fellow servicemen is, of course, wrong and immoral…
But in this situation, only one thing would be worse—telling nearly seven hundred loyal sailors and officers that in the chaos of the Imperial Civil War, they had simply been forgotten.
* * *
The Hanod star system was located in quadrant R-3 of the Korva sector.
And frankly, this place was more suitable than any other for hiding.
Commodore Shohashi listened with a calm expression to readiness reports from all systems of the Crimson Dawn, the Imperious, and the rest of the squadron's ships.
Only the Overlord was missing.
And Brandei.
The latter was in the Dominion fleet hospital, recovering from his injuries…
Of course, if you could call it that—the coma into which the ship's commander had fallen after suffering during the last battle with the enemy.
Sure, Brandei was a tough guy, but like any other human, he couldn't bear multiple fractures, decompression, blood loss, and so on without a trace.
There was a lot more to list, but the Dominion's best doctors were trying to save the commander's life, while the best shipwrights were restoring the Overlord.
"Scouts have cordoned off the entire system," Lady Ventress reported, appearing nearby. "The search has begun."
"I thank you, but I don't need a repetition of the watch officer's report," Eric stated, casting a cold glance at the Dathomirian witch. "A ground battle is not expected, so—"
"Thanks to my actions in capturing the inhabited sphere, Thrawn has lifted the house arrest you placed on me," Asajj said with a smirk, looking at the squadron commander with a victorious gaze.
"according to the flagship's internal regulations, leave the bridge," Eric finished. "As your commander, I'm issuing a reprimand for breach of discipline."
"As if interrupting matters," Ventress clicked her tongue. "Who needs your rules anyway, Commodore?"
"The fleet does," Eric replied, snapping his fingers.
The smile vanished from Ventress's face, and she took a couple of steps back.
It wasn't that she was afraid of the BX-series commando droids guarding the squadron commander.
The Guardsmen wouldn't interfere in such a trivial conflict at all.
"You know, I'm starting to think you're afraid of strong women, Captain," Ventress declared, looking at the burning crimson artificial eyes of the IG-100 droid faces.
Four MagnaGuards—the late General Grievous had so loved to surround himself with them.
And now they stepped in unison from behind the bulkheads at the front of the bridge, demonstratively activating their electrostaffs.
This series of battle droids had always excelled at exterminating Jedi and other Force-sensitive beings.
How these droids ended up aboard Ennix Devian's inhabited sphere, and why they hadn't been destroyed when his office exploded—that would remain a mystery.
As would how much trouble Ventress and Tano had in defeating a pair of them during the boarding action.
Apparently, Shohashi kept his finger on the pulse and always had droids on hand capable of opposing those he didn't trust.
But four MagnaGuards on the bridge, all against her alone…
And by the way, where had that overgrown "Bobby pin" been sent this time?
"Your opinion doesn't interest me, Lady Ventress," Shohashi declared. "Proceed to the guardhouse and—"
"Sir, contact!" the junior officer in charge of scanners reported. "Vector four-three-three, minimal speed."
"Ship identified?" Eric rose from his chair, instantly dismissing Ventress and her willfulness from his mind.
"Four ships, sir," the same crewman stated. "One Imperial-class Star Destroyer, two Marauder-class corvettes, and one Quasar Fire escort carrier."
"Intercept course," Shohashi ordered, walking toward the central platform, leaning on his cane. "Identify targets!"
"Destroyer identified as the Krueger," the operator reported. "The other three ships—"
"That's no longer important," Eric said. "Open a channel to the Krueger. Corvettes and Crimson Dawn, begin intercept maneuver. Imperious and heavy cruisers, hold your positions, continue blockade of the asteroid field."
The Red Star squadron began executing its mission.
The Hanod system held special significance for Republic intelligence.
According to General Cracken's materials, this was the last place Republic spies had had a chance to see the Star Destroyer Krueger.
"While the loss of a single transport world is usually considered only a minor setback, the ship stolen by Captain Reder proved to be far more significant. Using the ship's onboard computer, Reder learned the locations of many Alliance safe worlds and bases. He and Admiral Drommel used this information in a short, effective campaign against rebel forces on those bases, resulting in thousands of deaths." That was the entry that began the file dedicated to the current operation.
Compiled by General Cracken, this entry reflected the difficult and somewhat heroic fate that had befallen the crew of the Star Destroyer Pulsar, captured at the Battle of Endor.
And this fate was tied to several names of Imperial officers sought by Republic intelligence.
And, oddly enough, to one dead man.
Dor Reder had joined the Imperial Starfleet many years ago and served aboard the Star Destroyer Pulsar when it was in the Endor system during the construction of the second "Death Star."
Despite desperate resistance, the disabled Pulsar, on the decision of its commander, surrendered to the Alliance to Restore the Republic and later entered the New Republic fleet.
Only recently had Dominion raiding groups managed to recapture a significant portion of the prisoners taken at the Battle of Endor, as well as several ships, including the Pulsar.
Dor Reder had avoided capture at Endor and led a group of Imperial crew members. They fought their way through enemy boarding parties, captured an Alliance transport, and escaped.
Reder joined the forces of Admiral Gaen Drommel, where he rose to the rank of captain and took command of the Star Destroyer Krueger.
The information captured on the Alliance transport allowed Reder and Drommel to inflict sensitive blows on New Republic bases. And no matter how much Drommel tried to attach himself to that victory, the credit was exclusively Reder's.
After Drommel's defeat and the Oplovis sector's occupation by the New Republic, the Krueger continued its raiding operations in the Outer Rim.
The New Republic had placed a bounty of only forty-five thousand credits on his capture. And that was despite charges of high treason, incitement to mutiny, murder of New Republic personnel, and destruction of New Republic property… It was immediately obvious how much the Republic valued its victims, offering a reward for the head of one of the most intelligent and capable commanders of the Imperial Starfleet that wouldn't even buy a decent flier.
And Shohashi knew full well from their shared service that Dor Reder was an exceptionally competent commander and tactician, specializing in maneuvering large ships.
That was precisely why he had taken on the mission to capture and recruit Reder and his crew into the service of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Besides himself and Brandei, the other Dominion commanders had very little chance of coming to terms with Reder.
Only a predator understands a predator.
"Receiving a response, sir," came from the comm section. "Hologram."
"Connect," Shohashi ordered.
Moments later, a blue-and-white figure of the Krueger's commander materialized before him.
Tall, with the alert eyes of a professional killer, strong-willed features.
And, more unusually, another figure soon appeared beside him.
A young, attractive woman with cold eyes.
Shohashi felt his head begin to spin…
He gripped his cane so hard his hand ached, struggling to keep his balance.
His mouth went dry, and his heart pounded so hard it seemed someone nearby was beating a drum.
"Eric Shohashi, in the flesh," Dor Reder said instead of a greeting, grinning. "And here I was wondering who this daredevil was, trying to cut off the Krueger."
Dor Reder.
"Your destroyer can't manage even a third of sublight cruising speed," the Butcher of Atoa remarked mechanically, taking a step back to keep from falling.
He tried not to look at the woman's hologram, but that only made his psyche press harder on his mind.
Can't show weakness, can't, not now, can't…
No, it can't be…
It's a delusion.
It can't be her.
She died.
She was there…
His left hand found the locket in his pocket and clenched it until it hurt.
It didn't help.
The delusion didn't fade, as if it were real.
But it can't be… It absolutely can't be!
Suddenly he felt the hand supporting his weight on the cane grow cold.
Almost immediately, his breathing normalized, and then his overall condition.
The dizziness passed, and the commodore looked at his palm without fear.
A pale hand—Lady Ventress's—lay over it.
The bald Dathomirian stood beside him, and on other devices she would clearly have been outside the motion-capture area, not appearing in the projection's "frame."
But not on flagship vessels—the Super Star Destroyers were equipped with more advanced technology.
As always—the best for command…
"Yes, I have some engine issues," Reder admitted. "So, if you want to quickly earn fifty thousand Republic credits, then—"
"Don't be stupid," Eric slanted his eyes to look at the female figure beside Reder's hologram. The female projection didn't disappear.
It seemed he really was starting to lose his mind.
"Ah, come on, can't joke with an old comrade," Dor grinned. "Why are you in this system, Shohashi? And you're holding such a beauty's hand. On your honeymoon, raiding the Outer Rim?"
An enraged gurgle came from Ventress's direction.
"Calm down, Lady Ventress," Eric ordered. "My old classmate is provoking both of us to get more information before a personal meeting."
"Are you sure there will be one, Eric?" Dor grew serious. "I've heard you serve the Dominion. And that you somehow got the Guardian. But without Admiral Drommel."
"The rumors haven't deceived you," Eric confirmed. "With the sole exception that Drommel was killed by his own deputy, who countermanded his suicidal order to attack from a clearly losing position."
Reder was silent for a few seconds, then nodded with satisfaction.
"Maybe so, but what of it?"
"Grand Admiral Thrawn…" Eric glanced at the hologram next to Dor. The figure continued to look at him silently. "…offers you and your allies the chance to enter his service."
"Interesting," Reder's gaze grew cold. "First you take over the sector I served, the flagship, and now—"
"Also the Pulsar is in Dominion service," Eric finally took control of his emotions.
It was all unreal.
It couldn't be.
It was a hallucination.
He must not react to it. He needed to finish the recruitment and then go to the infirmary. Perhaps an old injury had flared up or something like that…
"Not bad," Dor looked somewhere to the side. "Judging by the fact that your corvettes have cut across our vector, we're not getting out of the system. You clearly intend to either deliver me to Thrawn or destroy me."
"Exactly," Shohashi's voice regained confidence.
He could literally feel confidence flowing into him through the physical contact with Ventress. When the conversation ended, he'd definitely send her to the guardhouse, but right now, apparently, she was giving him the strength not to break down.
"An interesting choice, given no choice," Reder snorted.
"You can see for yourself the condition your ships are in," Eric continued. "You won't have a base in this sector anymore—the Dominion is conquering the northern fringes of the galaxy. Next time you encounter Thrawn's ships, they'll open fire and board you."
"The same thing will happen now if we don't come to an agreement, won't it?" Reder asked in a thoughtful tone.
"Exactly," Eric nodded. "You're being offered to end your career as a free raider and return to service. The terms are better than under the Empire. And you won't have to wander looking for shelter anymore—the Dominion will have your back. None of your subordinates will face any charges. If you want to stay in service, that's no problem."
"Suppose," Reder drawled. "I've heard about your Dominion. No xenophobia, a militaristic state of equal opportunity… That's how you position yourselves, right?"
"In general terms," Eric confirmed.
"Yes, I can see that," Dor grinned. "Since you've got a Dathomirian witch as a girlfriend, it means everything's fine with exotics—friendship, cooperation…"
An awkward pause hung in the air.
On one hand, Reder was wrong—Ventress was no "girlfriend." On the other hand, if Eric started denying it now, it would turn into a farce.
Which would allow Dor to get what he wanted—more information out of thin air.
And it would also lead to a loss of authority for Shohashi himself.
"Fine," Reder said. "My ships are going to drift. No fire during negotiations. I trust you won't take me prisoner when I come aboard your flagship?"
"I haven't forgotten the code of honor, you can be sure," Shohashi agreed, gritting his teeth.
This was Reder all over—even in a vulnerable position, he tried to maintain the bearing of someone in control.
"An hour from now, my shuttle will be in your hangar," Dor declared, his face returning to its cold expression. "I'll be arriving with my second-in-command. And one more thing — tell your patrols not to fire on our drifting transports in the asteroid field. There are plenty of spare parts there that we captured with great difficulty in battle."
"You don't need to worry about that," Eric replied in the same measured tone, realizing he had looked extremely uncertain during the conversation.
When the holograms went dark, the commodore shot a withering glare at the Dathomirian witch standing beside him.
Right, he had been planning to send her to the brig for violating discipline and order on the ship.
Eric watched as she removed her pale hand from his arm...
He felt the dizziness returning.
Stumbling to his seat, he found himself within the ysalamiri suppression field.
His bad state didn't subside, meaning it wasn't caused by the Force.
He really had fallen apart when he saw... the ghost.
And heaven knows what would have happened if Ventress hadn't helped.
Losing face in front of a recruited commander... and in front of the bridge watch at that... He might as well start writing a retirement report citing professional incompetence.
Then again, if the hallucination didn't stop, he'd have to file the official papers anyway.
"Thank you," he said, staring at the monitor displaying the Star Destroyer Krueger's file and its commander's dossier.
But he was speaking to the Dathomirian witch, who was slowly making her way toward the exit.
"So you do know that word," she snorted.
Her smirk, however, vanished almost immediately.
"I sensed you became unwell the moment you saw that woman," the witch said, narrowing her eyes.
What?!
"You saw her too?" Eric whispered, his eyes widening as he practically pinned the ground forces commander in place.
"Naturally," Ventress stated. "It was a hologram, after all. And while you were carefully avoiding her gaze, she was devouring you with her eyes. But didn't say a single word, mind you..."
Eric felt his heart start beating faster...
It couldn't be.
"What couldn't be?" the witch asked, intrigued.
He must have said it out loud.
"She's dead," Eric whispered, still staring at a single point straight ahead. "They all died..."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but that lady, who irritates me along with that man, is clearly more alive than the living," Ventress said, her cheek twitching. Irritation colored her tone but almost immediately gave way to interest. "Someone you know? An ex-girlfriend?"
Girlfriend...
The word hit like a trigger.
Eric pulled himself together instantly, focusing.
"Thank you for your help, Lady Ventress," he said dryly. "Your punishment is rescinded. I ask you to return to the ground forces and brief them on possible boarding actions."
The Dathomirian witch looked at him with heightened interest.
A little smile played on her lips.
As if she had found an interesting prey to toy with for the time being.
"Orders understood, Commodore," she said in an oily voice, heading for the bridge exit.
So it wasn't a hallucination...
Eric clenched his right hand into a fist.
So that's why Reder had patched in the second hologram!
The bastard knew Eric didn't know she was alive!
That was how he intended to knock him off balance.
And, he had to admit, his old comrade had succeeded...
But what next?!
Was Iran Ryad herself going to fly to him in the next system?
Eric remembered why he hated the Outer Rim.
So much unknown could be hiding here, things criminals had tried to turn to their advantage.
It didn't necessarily mean the woman was who she claimed to be.
It could be a shapeshifter.
Or a fake hologram.
Shohashi realized he was just trying to calm himself down...
Whatever.
Even if it was her, even if she had survived, nothing was stopping him from strangling her once and for all.
* * *
In all the time the Imperial Ruling Council had been meeting in this building, its richly adorned walls and colonnades had seen many women move through these corridors with such purposeful swiftness as the one whose steps now clattered furiously across the marble floor tiles.
In ancient times, such painted beauties could not have been imagined in such an interior except in magnificent noble dresses, adorned with the finest patterns and precious stones...
But now, a young woman in a simple business suit was striding quickly through the corridors of the Imperial advisors' residence.
Despite her high heels, Baroness D'Asta moved fast, managing not only to keep her balance but also to shift her shapely legs with remarkable speed as she approached a very specific door in this part of the palace.
Her body burned with fury and rage, but her face remained as impassive and emotionless as any of the best aristocrats.
The moment she was spotted, a pair of stormtroopers stepped toward the councilor, raising their hands in warning, signaling she should stop and go through identification:
"Out of my way," the baroness said, the first phrase she had uttered since her arrival.
The intonation of her words, the tone of her voice, and the commanding order made the stormtroopers exchange glances and make the most prudent decision — to get the hell out of this enraged lady's way.
The baroness approached the heavy double doors, then, with noticeable effort, shoved one of the panels with all the force she could muster.
With a light — but no less irritating — creak, the half-door swung on its hinges and let the woman inside the room.
Sarcev Quest stood before a holographic terminal, studying a three-dimensional projection of the galaxy map. Judging by the numerous markings, he was particularly interested in the sectors closest to the Dominion.
Carnor Jax was also there, lounging in a massive chair nearby, examining some documents on his personal datapad.
"You are as beautiful and delightful as ever, Baroness," Quest said, giving her a ceremonial nod as she approached him. "I didn't expect to see you so soon..."
His pompous, flattering speech was interrupted by the sharp sound of a slap, which Feena landed right on the face of the most authoritative member of the Imperial Ruling Council, in his own office.
Quest recoiled, touching his burning cheek.
Carnor stared at the instigator of this offensive act like a hawk-mouse.
"That was an extremely ill-advised action," Quest said, all calmness instantly gone from his face. "You will answer for this."
Now he was just a man insulted by the action, barely restraining himself from killing his fellow conspirator against the Resurrected Emperor Palpatine on the spot.
"I could say the same about your action, Quest," Feena said, barely containing herself. "I just received a message — my father's ship was destroyed during a layover on Vinsoth!"
"Tragedies happen," Sarcev shrugged indifferently, still rubbing the injured spot.
"Tragedies, you say?" the young woman narrowed her eyes, striking a second time, this time on the opposite cheek.
Unfortunately, the former Hand of the Emperor caught her limb and pushed her away contemptuously.
"Don't overstep yourself, girl," he said threateningly. "Your position on the Council will not save you from my wrath when you cross the line."
"And what will you do, Quest?" she shouted in his face. "Send the Tyrant again to arrange another 'tragedy'? Then you'll need a new place for your massacre — Thrawn's forces just captured Vinsoth, finally subjugating the Quelli sector."
Sarcev furrowed his brow, scowling.
"What are you talking about?" His voice was filled with astonishment. "What do I have to do with the Vinsoth system and the Star Destroyer Tyrant?"
"Don't play the fool, Sarcev!" Feena said in a rage. "You're the only one I told about my conversation with my father and his intention to join the Dominion!"
"And?" the advisor held himself like an innocent bantha.
"And then his ship in the Vinsoth system is intercepted by a Star Destroyer and an interdictor cruiser from Imperial Space!" Feena exploded. "My father's ship was shot to pieces by turbolasers! Shot on your orders!"
"What utter, implausible nonsense!" Quest grimaced. "If I wanted your father dead, I would have done it far more elegantly! A Star Destroyer and an interdictor? Are you out of your mind? Where did you get such information?! The Tyrant is on an inspection tour in the sectors bordering the Dominion and..."
He fell silent, staring at Feena with an unblinking gaze.
"Where did you get the information that it was the Tyrant?" he asked.
"Oh, it wasn't just the Tyrant, but also the Star Web," the girl said through clenched teeth, pulling an information chip from her clutch bag and thrusting it into the councilor's face.
Quest lazily grabbed the chip with the Force and inserted it into a slot on the holoprojector.
A second later, everyone present watched as a CR90 corvette dropped out of hyperspace in front of two ships bearing the fleet designations of Orinda.
The footage was taken from a considerable distance, but spy equipment was clearly at work — the ships were identified almost instantly. Even though the transponders on the Imperial starships activated a bit later.
A spy droid had definitely done its work.
And that same droid had recorded the communications. How the commander of the Tyrant hailed Baron D'Asta for a voice-only conversation. Supposedly for customs documents...
You didn't need to be a genius to understand the reason for this act — the Imperials had confirmed the Baron was aboard the ship.
And then they tore the starship apart with crossfire, paying special attention to destroying the escape pods.
"And you're still going to say this wasn't your doing?!" the girl asked, breathless with rage.
"Yes," Sarcev insisted. "I don't know where you got this data, but I didn't give such orders. The Tyrant and the Star Web are supposed to be in another part of Imperial Space and..."
"Stop lying to me," Feena said bitterly. "You killed my father to not lose the ability to influence the politics of the D'Astan sector. The moment your position began to falter, you decided to take extreme measures just to keep one more supporter on the Council."
"Nonsense," Quest stated confidently. "We'll contact the commanders of the Tyrant and the Star Web right now and..."
"Don't insult me with even greater lies and pettiness," Feena snorted. "I wouldn't have come to you without receiving a copy of the orders from those ship commanders. Look — they're on the same chip."
It took Sarcev a few minutes to find his voice.
The bewilderment with which he looked at the copies of the documents before him might have convinced many of his innocence.
But not those who had known him long enough.
"I didn't..." he began, but the baroness was no longer listening.
"I'm returning to Nez Peron," the councilor announced. "I'll take my father's place and I won't let the local aristocrats take over the sector. By the time I return, Quest, you'd better come up with something to ease my grief over my father."
"Or else what?" Sarcev asked with a calm intonation.
"You'll see," Feena said without hesitation, leaving the room.
Lord Quest waited until the doors were closed again.
Only then did he look at Carnor Jax.
"That utterly absurd and implausible staging of my involvement in Ragez's destruction is driving the baroness away from us," he said, still staring at the hologram of the orders. "That was very stupid."
"Eliminating a traitor is the only correct decision," Jax countered. "Baron D'Asta intended to join the Dominion. Either way, the baroness would have stopped functioning as a councilor, becoming a dangerous individual privy to our intentions and actions."
"And now she can do the same thing, but she'll go to Thrawn!" Sarcev barked, turning to face the guardsman. "Don't you understand this simple thing?! The Grand Admiral is no fool! He was surely expecting something like this from us! He would never have agreed to the D'Astan sector joining his state! He was given a clear message — do not interfere in the Empire's affairs! You've untied his hands for a counterstrike!"
"There won't be any counterstrike," Carnor said irritably. "Thrawn just suffered a defeat in the Mustafar system! He'll be licking his wounds for a long time and..."
"Idiot," Lord Quest hissed. "Everything was going perfectly! Thrawn would not have gone against Palpatine's warnings! He would not have annexed the sector, no matter how much the Baron begged him! He would have feared the Emperor's wrath! We would have accused Ragez of high treason and occupied his sector when the Emperor's campaign began! Every law would have been on our side! We would have had a staging ground to destroy the Dominion! Right under Thrawn's nose!" Sarcev was furious, raising his voice. "The D'Astan sector and the Vinsoth system — they were our ideal staging grounds! We would have cut off his supply arteries! And now, with the baroness at the head of the sector, we have not only an ambitious bitch controlling cargo shipments across all of Imperial Space, but also a furious bitch who wants revenge on me for killing her father!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Quest," Carnor rose from his chair, twirling his vibro-pike. "Your plan to occupy the D'Astan sector can be carried out right now! We just need to declare the baroness a criminal and arrest her immediately! Impose external administration on the sector! To appease Thrawn, we can announce that the Tyrant and the Star Web were deceived and that the Imperial Ruling Council gave them no such orders."
"You couldn't convince even a child of your innocence with excuses like that," Lord Quest growled. "And certainly not mine. You've scrambled all the cards in this game! The Baron enjoyed the Emperor's respect, and if it becomes known that we eliminated him, nothing will save us from his wrath! Palpatine doesn't care one bit that you forged my requisition codes on those orders — he'll execute anyone on mere suspicion!"
Jax snorted irritably.
"Don't think I haven't calculated this," he declared. "Events are unfolding as they must. The baroness, believing you guilty, will inevitably run to him. And most likely, she'll do everything to join the Dominion, painting us as the villains. You played your role of the clueless individual perfectly. The Tyrant and the Star Web are in our space, and therefore, all versions of the orders are too. As soon as Palpatine's campaign begins, we'll make sure evidence reaches him that it was Thrawn — known for his tactic of misleading the enemy with disinformation — who gave such an order. Only you and Feena know that the Baron intended to betray us. By joining the Dominion, the baroness will lose any chance of getting an audience with Palpatine — because we will provide evidence of her father's treason to the Emperor much sooner. I am more than certain he intends to destroy Thrawn and the Dominion — we'll give him the right reasons. Imagine how it will look in the Emperor's eyes: his loyal Grand Admiral, to expand his controlled territories, deceitfully drags our forces into destroying the ruler of a prosperous sector allied with Imperial Space. His little daughter, taking the reins of the sector, undoubtedly joins Thrawn — and that's proof they're both involved in high treason. After all, Palpatine ordered us not to touch Thrawn if he acts against the New Republic and neutral sectors. But here, we have a clear violation of Imperial Space's territorial integrity. High treason — plain and simple. The main thing is to get this information to Palpatine before Feena does. Then she can talk all she wants about our conspiracy or whatever — who would actually believe her?"
"Palpatine could order us eliminated along with Thrawn and the baroness," Lord Quest shook his head.
"And thereby demonstrate to the wide circle of Moffs and officials that he is truly insane," Jag smiled. "After we get rid of him, our coup will be explained precisely by his madness — the ruler stopped distinguishing enemies from allies. We'll stir up some fog and make the other Moffs believe that we weren't the only targets."
"You want to feed Palpatine false information about a conspiracy being formed against him?" Quest perked up.
"A double trap," Jax nodded. "We'll give Palpatine information about a false conspiracy — and let him eliminate those who are in our way. Take Kaine, for example — according to my information, the Grand Moff has met with Thrawn in secret more than once. And his incompetence in destroying the raiders who are disrupting military equipment deliveries for the fleet being built, the loss of ships that were supposed to fight the raiders — all of this needs to be presented as collusion with Thrawn."
"We'll feed him all our enemies, then destroy the bastard himself," Lord Quest nodded with understanding. "And then, when we seize power over the Empire, we'll proclaim the fallen as innocent victims who tried to stop the madman but couldn't."
"And we — could," Carnor agreed. "And the entire Empire will be at our feet. Every Remnant."
"We need to work out the details," Quest stated.
"Well, work them out then," Jax snorted. "I gave you my plan — act."
"First, we need to thoroughly blacken Baroness D'Asta's name," Quest said thoughtfully. "And make sure she inevitably runs to Thrawn seeking protection."
"We'll do the same as we did with the Baron himself," Jax suggested. "How many assassination attempts were made on him? A dozen?"
"And only after that did he decide to join Thrawn..."
"Two assassination attempts will be enough for this flighty aristocrat," Carnor chuckled. "Especially now that her mind is ruled by emotions."
"I have a few suitable candidates for the job," Sarcev searched his memory.
"Then send them to Nez Peron, let them wait for her there," Carnor declared. "I've already arranged the first attempt — one that will convince her we're hunting her head..."
An hour later, the Orinda garrison was put on alert — the Baroness D'Asta's personal corvette exploded the moment she tried to leave the capital of Imperial Space.
According to the report on the government news channel, only a miracle saved the councilor from death — at the moment of the explosion, she had just arrived at the landing pad.