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Star Crossed Fanfic
Moderator: LadyTevar
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Grand Admiral Thrawn
- Ruthless Imperial Tyrant
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Sparkticus
- Youngling
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- Joined: 2002-08-11 02:07pm
- Location: Brisbane, Australia
What?!? Grand Admiral, you best not be holding out on the rest of us lowly peons.
Hmm... Peasant uprising...
Hmm... Peasant uprising...
"That's just a vicious rumor started by my socks. It's their revenge for me using them to floss my asscrack." ---Chuck
Stalker in the Shadows - "I like to watch..."
Cult of the Kitten::[Mew] I AM evil, really...
Stalker in the Shadows - "I like to watch..."
Cult of the Kitten::[Mew] I AM evil, really...
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Rightous Fist Of Heaven
- Jedi Master
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- Joined: 2002-09-29 05:31pm
- Location: Finland
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Grand Admiral Thrawn
- Ruthless Imperial Tyrant
- Posts: 5755
- Joined: 2002-07-03 06:11pm
- Location: Canada
Sparkticus wrote:What?!? Grand Admiral, you best not be holding out on the rest of us lowly peons.
Hmm... Peasant uprising...
If you mean I've read everything, I haven't. I just kinda stopped reading a LONG time ago and started again.
"You know, I was God once."
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama
Well, here we are with another chapter, surprised to see GAT has stumbled upon my work, even though he is about to make an appearance...that's right folks, the debut chapter with our favorite Grand Admiral....
Chapter 26: Interlude II
A Long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….
The Death Star and its Sanctuary Moon hung peacefully in space, the stillness of the void undisturbed. Suddenly, at the extreme edge of the moon a fleet emerged from hyperspace eager to do battle and strike a blow for freedom. Fighters swept in tight wedge formations in front of the main body of the rebel fleet. Massive Mon Calamari cruisers lumbered in, surrounded by nimbler and smaller corvettes and frigates.
Lando flipped switches on the cockpit of his X-Wing and checked his screens. He activated his comlink as the rebel fighters began swarming forward.
“All wings report in.”
“Gray Leader standing by.”
“Green Leader standing by.”
“Gold Leader standing by.”
“Lock S-foils in attack positions.” Lando ordered peering at the half constructed death star looming ahead as they raced for the uncompleted superstructure. As one, the fighter squadrons opened up their s-foils. X-Wings opened up into their familiar shape, B-Wings heavy cannons flipped out on short stubby wings.
On the bridge of Home One, the Rebel fleet’s flagship, Admiral Ackbar watched the rebel fighters fanning out ahead of the main body of the fleet.
“May the Force be with us.” Ackbar stated loudly and readied himself for battle.
“Nien, are you getting a reading on your scope?” Lando asked.
His wingman checked his scope and responded in his sing song language, worry in his tone.
“We've got to be able to get some kind of a reading on that shield, up or down.”
Nien’s response was quick.
“Well, how could they be jamming us if they don't know if we're coming?”
Lando froze as the implications of his words sunk in and realization dawned on his face. He quickly keyed his comlink as the deathstar grew to fill his screen.
“Break off the attack! The shield is still up.” Lando exclaimed.
“I get no reading. Are you sure?” Gold leader asked looking at his scope with concern.
“Pull up! All craft pull up!” Lando ordered and pulled his own fighter into a steep climb. Warning alarms buzzed as his threat display showed that the fleet was nearly on top of where the shield should be.
Lando’s X-Wing pulled away followed closely by his own squadron, some of the slower Y-wings skipped off the invisible shield and skid across the energy shield in fiery balls.
The rest of the rebel fleet suddenly pulled away, the larger ships turning slowly while the nimbler vessels flashed by.
Alarms sounded on the bridge of Home One as the fleet broke hard away from the Deathstar, trying to avoid the certain doom that the shield represented. Ackbar fought the sinking feeling of dread in his heart.
“Take evasive action! Green Group, stick close to holding sector MV-7.”
“Admiral, we have enemy ships in sector 47.” A Mon Calamari controller called out excitedly as he turned away from his screen.
Ackbar rushed over to the controller and looked over his shoulder at the threat display.
On the screen the moon and Death Star were clearly represented and suddenly parting from the sensor shadow of the sanctuary moon was a massive Imperial fleet.
Ackbar moved to the comlink.
“It's a trap!”
“Fighters coming in.” Lando reported as the Imperial fleet finished clearing the horizon of Endor’s moon and disgorged their fighter squadrons. Hundreds of fighters swarmed in around them in endless waves. Bright emerald bolts poured out to meet the desperately outnumbered rebel fighters, many of the TIES were breaking into tight wedge formations with the intent of passing the rebel fighters and directly attacking the larger ships beyond.
“There's too many of them!” a rebel pilot exclaimed as his view screen was covered in fighters and green laser fire.
“Accelerate to attack speed! Draw their fire away from the cruisers.” Lando ordered as he brought his fighter into an intercept head to head with a flight of TIEs.
“Copy, Red Leader.”
The battle unfurled around the rebel fleet. TIE fighters swarmed around the mighty armada as rebel fighters tried to engage as many Imperial fighters as they could. Those that got past the rebel fighter screen commenced strafing runs on the rebel capital ships. Explosions rippled along the hulls of the big ships.
“Alright, we’re under the gun. The fleet is already in system.” Madine whispered angrily as he peered around a massive tree trunk. The bunker was clear, save for a small group of troopers lounging at the entrance.
“If they’re on time, the attack should have begun by now.” His second in command whispered as he checked his chrono.
“Then let’s not dally. Hansen, take them out.”
“Yes sir.”
The rebel commando leaned on the tree trunk and aimed with his sniper rifle. The scope zeroed in on the troopers.
“When he shoots, we go in. We’re going to need to storm it and plant the explosives as soon as possible.” Madine ordered to his men. The commandos nodded and prepped their weapons. They stood or crouched ready for the signal.
Madine was furious at himself and his luck. His team had nearly been discovered at the insertion point by a squad of scout troopers. Madine did not think that they could take them all out before an alarm was raised so he ordered the team to work around the patrol. It took valuable time to evade them and then they nearly got lost in the virtual sea of trees. Eventually they discovered the shield generator, but it soon became obvious that the empire was not going to take any chances. A legion of troops was guarding the main building, including a pair of AT ATs. There was no way in hell that Madine could overcome those odds.
The sole break he received in his favor was the discovery of a backdoor by one of his scouts. Now he had to strike and strike quickly. He glanced up at the sky wondering what the fleet was going to do when they discovered the shield was still up.
Hansen fired twice, two quick snapshots that caught scout troopers in the chest, catapulting them off their feet. The remaining scout troopers turned quickly, but Madine was leading the charge and the commandoes’ blasters were discharging, the scout troopers did not stand a chance.
The commandoes crossed the clearing of the bunker. Madine stopped short at the bunker door controls and jabbed his finger at the console.
“Iridan, get this thing open, the rest of you prep the explosives.”
“Did you see that?” One commando asked as he stared up at the sky for a moment, a bright flash had caught his eye.
Madine followed his gaze and saw more bright green and red flashes slowly blooming in the sky. His brow furrowed with concern.
“Looks like the fleet’s fighting something.” His second muttered.
There was no more time to discuss the worrisome situation as the doors to the bunker slid open. Iridan smiled triumphantly.
“After you, general.” He announced and waved them in.
Madine led his men in cautiously, but there was no need, the access way was completely empty. They could hear the deep thrumming of the reactors beyond. Madine smiled softly. Those reactors wouldn’t be online for much longer. He was carrying enough explosives to level this entire complex.
The commandoes stopped at the turn ion the corridor and Madine nodded to his men. They tossed in flash bang grenades and stormed into the control center. The stunned Imperial troops were easily overcome and Madine nodded to some controls at the far end. The explosives were quickly slapped on to the control panels. Madine turned to prepare to plant explosives on the main energizer when he saw shadows looming down one of the corridors.
“Heads up!” Madine shouted and drew his blaster, waiting to catch sight of a target. Blaster bolts seared by him and exploded on the far side of the control room.
“We got company!”
“How are the explosives coming?” Madine asked as he squeezed off a pair of shots at the advancing Imperial troops.
“Well?” He demanded angrily when he heard no response. Suddenly he felt the cold metal of a blaster barrel against the back of his neck.
“Stand down, rebel scum, or I will enjoy painting the wall with your traitorous brains.” He heard the cold Imperial sneer.
Madine froze and watched as stormtroopers quickly flooded into the control center. He knew then that it was over. The troops were ready, they had been waiting for the rebel attack. They simply allowed them to walk into the control center and now they had neutralized the commando team in a matter of minutes.
“Let’s step outside. The Emperor wishes for you to see the end of your insignificant fleet.”
Madine remained silent as he slowly dropped his weapon.
It was a trap. And he was out of options.
Lando whooped as he blasted a TIE Interceptor with a quick snap shot and sent his fighter right through the rapidly expanding cloud of debris. Another TIE fighter flashed by, on its way to the rebel ships behind him.
“Watch yourself, Lando! Three from above!” One of his wingmen warned him.
“Red Three, Red Two, pull in!” Lando ordered as his threat display seemed to be completely inundated by bright red threat objects.
“Got it!” Red Two exclaimed as he caught one of the TIE fighters with a blast from his canons.
“Three of them coming in, twenty degrees!” Red three reported.
“Cut to the left! I'll take the leader!” Lando lined up his shot and blasted the lead TIE, the other three broke formation and raced for the closest ship in the line.
“They're heading for the medical frigate.” Lando snapped as he brought his fighter in a tight turn to put himself in a prime attack position on the rear of the advancing TIEs. The stars were thick with them. There was hardly a way to miss them. Of course, it also meant that the rebel fighters were being completely suffocated by the numbers. The rebel pilots were far better, but they were facing twenty to one odds.
Nien Nunb chattered an observation.
“Only the fighters are attacking. I wonder what those Star Destroyers are waiting for.” Lando asked as he caught sight of the massive Executor flanked by her attendant flotilla of stardestroyers. They had come to a complete stop after clearing the planet so quickly.
Admiral Piett and two fleet commanders watched the battle at the huge window of the Super Star Destroyer Bridge. They saw the impressive pyrotechnic display as fighters danced in vicious dog fights, still more explosions rippled along the hulls of the rebel ships. Piett nodded to himself in satisfaction. His fighter wings were responding admirably. They were slaughtering the rebel fighter squadrons and making attack runs on the big ships, battering down their shields for the inevitable attack that was to come.
The presence of Lord Vader behind him, his breathing an omnipresent background noise that even drowned out most of the bridge noise did not bother him this day. He was going to be responsible for leading the fleet that destroyed the rebel alliance once and for all.
“We're in attack position now, sir.” His XO reported.
“Hold here.”
“We're not going to attack?” his XO asked bewildered.
“I have my orders from the Emperor himself. He has something special planned for them. We only need to keep them from escaping.” Piett replied, glancing nervously back at Vader who remained impassive and silent throughout the battle so far.
As if on cue, the great disk of the half completed Deathstar began to glow. Emerald beams flashed down from the dish and intersected with each other in a brief flash of energy and the super laser beam lanced out, barely touching one of the Mon Calamari cruisers. The cruiser exploded instantly, a shockwave of debris and plasma whipped out around the space the cruiser had occupied mere moments before.
The shockwave nearly sent Lando’s X-Wing into an uncontrollable spin. He steadied his fighter and fought the absolute shock and disbelief that was sinking into his gut. The cruiser was gone, nothing remained of it, and even the fighters dog fighting over her hull had been consumed in the titanic blast.
“That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!” Lando exclaimed then clicked on his comlink. “Home One, this is Red Leader.”
Ackbar was staring in shock at the place where the Liberty had occupied. Gone in a flash of emerald death. The entire battle was coming undone around him and every instinct was telling him that there was only one option that remained for the rebel fleet.
“We saw it. All craft prepare to retreat.”
“You won't get another chance at this, Admiral.” Lando cautioned. The gambler in him said that there was still remained a hand to be played.
“We have no choice, General Calrissian. Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude.” Ackbar replied in exasperation. Lando was not seeing the big picture. The entire rebel plan had broken apart from the very beginning and there remained one paramount concern now as fleet commander, he had to save his ships. He had to save the rebel fleet. These were ships that the rebels literally could not afford to lose. They had stripped their defenses completely for this attack, every fleet asset was here and now the Deathstar loomed over them like an accusing god. He could not allow the fleet to perish.
“Madine will have that shield down. We've got to give him more time.” Lando implored.
Madine stepped out into the sun, led by the several stormtroopers and an officer. The rest of his men were kneeling on the ground, hands behind their heads, weapons piled up in a corner. He looked up at the sky. If not for his current predicament, this would be a gorgeous day. The bright sun hung overhead and warmed him as he stood in the clearing. The tree beyond filtered the sunlight through their thick green canopies.
He also noted the blasts of light overhead. They had increased in intensity and number.
“That’s your fleet, rebel. It has met ours and soon will be obliterated.”
“Leave it to an Imperial officer to point out the obvious.” Madine snorted.
The comment earned him a clap over the head with the butt of the officer’s blaster. Madine shook of the pain and felt warm blood trickling down the back of one ear. His eyes were scanning the area, looking for some sign of hope, something that could get them out of this. If he did not find any, he would have to rely on an old trick.
“Careful, this prisoner is to be treated especially well.” Madine recognized the voice. He slowly turned his head to see a young officer walking up to them. The young officer wore the uniform of Madine’s old unit.
“Tenro.” Madine said with some distaste.
“General Crix Madine. You used to be one of us, general, now look at you.” Tenro replied icily and glanced at the assembled commandoes.
“You could have come with me. I trained you myself.”
Tenro looked appalled.
“You trained me but my loyalty has always been to the Emperor, you should have realized that. Imperial Intelligence spent months interrogating me…me! I was loyal, I was the one who reported your defection, and I was the one that remained behind to deal with the fallout of your defection. Do you know what sorts of purges were conducted of our unit after you left?”
Madine slowly nodded.
“I heard.”
“You knew what would happen to the rest of us when you left and you still did.”
“I asked you to come.” Madine replied softly.
“Too late for your remorse, Crix. This is the end of the rebellion and I will personally oversee your interrogation.” Tanro sneered.
Madine nodded slowly.
“Tenro, you were always a cowardly little sycophant, I just never wanted to see that.” Madine replied and activated the hidden control in his gauntlet. An explosion went off just at the edge of the clearing sending dozens of troops scattering.
“Let’s go!” Madine shouted and whirled around, grabbing the officer holding the gun to Madine and twisted his arm until it snapped, recovered his blaster and sent the officer spilling to the ground as he turned at his waist and fired off three quick hip shots at Tenro. But Tenro was already in motion and was retreating behind the leg of a scout walker and shooting blindly over his shoulder.
Madine raced to the bunker, leading a handful of his men. All they needed to do was get back inside, he would set off what explosives they had with them and hope that it was enough to at least damage the shield.
His men exchanged quick glances and nodded solemnly at each other. There would be no time to set the charges. They would have to detonate as soon as they entered the control room.
Lando steered his X-Wing through a veritable obstacle course of massive warships, chasing TIE fighters or being chased by them. Turbolaser bursts blossomed everywhere, and many were the bane of the tiny fighters zipping along the edges of the capital ships.
“Yes! I said closer! Move as close as you can and engage those Star Destroyers at point-blank range.” Lando said desperately as he avoided a laser blast coming from high starboard.
“At that close range, we won't last long against those Star Destroyers.” Ackbar replied.
“We'll last longer then we will against that Death Star...and we might just take a few of them with us.” Lando replied as he blasted another TIE fighter into a ball of fire.
The rebel fleet continued its relentless march towards the Imperial fleet. The closer they approached the more intense and numerous the Stardestroyers shots became. Soon both fleets were almost at point blank range and the turbolaser fire was thick as both sides unloaded on each other, each intent on destroying the other.
Flashing between the dueling behemoths were fighters, blasting at each other or trying to assist their base ship in bringing down the enemy ship’s shields. The rebels concentrated their fire on the exposed and most delicate portions of the Imperial stardestroyers to very limited success. One X-Wing dove in sharply and fired off a pair of torpedoes at an exposed sensor globe after a Mon Cal cruiser concentrated its fire on that portion of the target’s shield grid. The sensor globe was struck by the torpedoes and the pilot had enough time to realize his mistake and shout a warning as his fighter zoomed by the exploding globe.
“She's gonna blow!”
The sensor globe exploded, its shrapnel tearing the X-Wing apart and sending debris raining down on the stardestroyer’s reestablished shields.
“I'm hit!” a Y-Wing pilot exclaimed as a TIE fighter finished blasting away its engines and quickly climbed away. The Y-Wing plummeted down onto the forecastle of one of the stardestroyers trailing glittering debris before it impacted against the stardestroyer’s mighty shields.
Madine watched in horror as the bunker’s imposing doors slid shut faster than he could have anticipated. He had to get his men in and right now they were grossly outnumbered.
“Iridan, get that door open! We’ll cover you!”
“Right on it boss!” Iridan shouted and pulled out his bypass kit. As they reached the threshold of the bunker Iridan took a hit right in the small of his back. He shouted in surprise and fell to the ground not moving. Some of Madine’s men began to turn and run backwards firing their weapons. Madine began to turn as well, glancing down at Iridan’s unmoving body and a thought flashed through his mind. It was the old Madine.
Surrender. Surrender and you can convince them that you were a dupe, perhaps they’ll even let you live.
“Never!” she shouted without realizing it but he felt a hammer like blow to the back of his left thigh that nearly sent him to the floor, followed quickly by a blow to his back that shoved him forward into the bunker door and one last one to his left shoulder him like a top and he slammed against the bunker door, the force of the last blast had spun him completely around to face the Imperial forces advancing on the bunker.
He watched with a strange sense of detachment as his men were cut down by blaster fire. The last few blasted into a steaming bloody mess by an advancing Scout Walker. It quickly came to a stop, head turned to face the bunker doors, and the heavy anti-personnel cannons dipped slightly and pointed at him.
Madine could barely stand. He could not feel his legs as he slowly started to slump down to the ground. Tanro stood beneath the Walker and smiled.
“Crix, surrender now and I promise that you will be well treated. A man like you should not be wasted.” Tanro shouted to him. His voice sounded distant, like thunder.
Yes, surrender. He could hear the old Madine whisper seductively.
Madine smiled softly, blood welling in his mouth and starting to ruin down the left side of his mouth.
“I found something you’ll never understand, Tanro.” He wanted to shout but it came out more like a cough. He slowly lifted his blaster and pointed it at the Walker. Tanro’s face darkened.
“Crix, by the emperor what are you doing?”
“Making a choice.” He replied and fired off a shot. The Scout walker was unfazed but he fired off another shot as his vision began to darken.
“Deal with him!” Tanro shouted in disgust.
The Scout walker fired.
The two armadas were now blasting each other like tanks at twenty paces. Mon Cal cruisers were on fire as they traded withering broadsides with their Imperial counterparts. One cruiser managed to finish off a stardestroyer, its own hull badly damaged and fire raging through the superstructure. The Mon Cal cruiser was crippled, its engines failing, another stardestroyer quickly slipped in to finish off the crippled cruiser. The Mon Cal was wracked by broadsides and its last dying act was to ram the Imperial stardestroyer both vessels destroyed in a horrible blast.
The mighty warships blasted away at each other as their tiny fighters hunted each other through the thick of the battle.
“Watch out. Squad at .06.” Lando reported.
“I'm on it, Red Leader.”
“Good shot, Red Two.”
Lando watched helplessly as another fighter from his squadron got caught in a cross fire of warships. They were so few now, so few fighters and his threat display was still bright with the presence of Imperial forces. They were everywhere and the fleet was slowly dwindling. Those that tried to break out of the tight engagement were quickly vaporized by the Deathstar’s hungry superlaser.
Hope still burned in his heart. The odds were heavy but they still had a hole card.
“Now...come on, Madine. Don't let me down.”
Unfortunately for the Alliance and Lando, it became fairly obvious that the shield was not coming down and that the rebel fleet was not going to be able to attack the Deathstar. The end came surely and swiftly as the last of the fighters was hunted down and Home One remained with a small flotilla of corvettes and escorts. The Imperial fleet collapsed on them like a pack of wolves.
Lando led one last desperate onslaught of fighters on the Executor, in the hopes of taking out the bridge. Lando grit his teeth as he flew through a storm of turbolaser flak. Several fighters evaporated under the steady pounding as they crossed the distance to the Executor’s bridge.
“All wings prepare to fire.” Lando ordered, sick with the thought that in the end this was all over. Suddenly the veil of heavy flak fire lifted and Lando’s relief was extremely brief as a horde of TIE fighters descended on them.
“Here they come!” one of his men shouted.
Lando ignored the screams of the dying pilots as he focused all his attention on the looming bridge, the blinking HUD lights told him that he had a positive lock. Lando fired his torpedoes and began to pull away but his fighter shook violently around him and smoke filled the cockpit. A string of warning lights lit up on his cockpit and the control stick became stiff and unresponsive.
The X-Wing was till plummeting towards the Executor.
“Han, old buddy, it should have been me. I only hope that you could forgive me.” Lando whispered. His X-Wing crashed into the Executor’s bridge shields.
“It is over.” Vader intoned as Home One erupted into a ball of plasma and wreckage. The space around the Imperial fleet was suddenly still. No one noticed the inconsequential blast of fire that flared on their bridge shields for a moment as an X-Wing crashed into it.
“Inform the emperor that the rebel fleet has been destroyed!” Piett exclaimed.
“This will be a day long remembered; it has seen the end of the rebellion.” Vader said proudly. He turned his head to Piett. “Good work, Admiral.” Vader turned and strode off the bridge, cape flowing behind him like a shroud. Piett smiled softly.
His place was now secure and there was nothing to stop his rising star now. Grand Admiral Piett that had a nice ring to it.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
An Imperial stardestroyer emerged from hyperspace in the Endor system. The Deathstar remained in its orbit, now surrounded by a fleet of stardestroyers and the Executor. The wreckage of the rebellion fleet was still being collected by recovery vessels. It would take weeks to make sure that all the wreckage and bodies was cleared from the space around the Sanctuary Moon.
He watched the recovery operations with a detached interest as his vessel coasted into position and waited for the code clearance to proceed onto the Deathstar beyond.
“Admiral, they are expecting you on the Deathstar. Code clearance has been verified.”
“Excellent, prepare my shuttle.” He replied.
The shuttle landed in the Deathstar’s hangar bay and an honor guard waited patiently as the doors to the shuttle dropped down. He strode down the walkway by himself, his immaculate white uniform nearly glowed in the lights of the hangar bay.
Commander Jerjerrod approached and saluted.
“Welcome aboard the Deathstar, Grand Admiral Thrawn.” Jerjerrod said.
“You may dispense with the pleasantries commander. I am here because the Emperor himself has summoned me from my mission of subduing Wild Space for the greater good of the Empire.” Thrawn replied as he immediately began walking down the line of stormtroopers.
Jerjerrod quickly fell in step beside the Grand Admiral. Thrawn was the first grand Admiral that Jerjerrod had ever met. These men were the absolute elite of the Imperial navy. Jerjerrod was slightly surprised to see that Thrawn was not human.
It spoke volumes about the man’s abilities if he were elevated to such a post.
“Tell me, commander, I am curious, who was in command of the Imperial fleet here at Endor during the battle? News is scarce in Wild space and accurate news is as valuable as Nisoran crystals.” Thrawn asked as he walked along the line, hands clasped behind his back. Unlike the other VIPs that had come aboard the Deathstar, he actually spared time to inspect the troops, pausing every so often to admire some of the troops.
“Admiral Piett, Grand Admiral, although Lord Vader had overall command as is customary with Sith lords.”
“Of course.” Thrawn nodded slowly. “Admiral Piett? I have never heard of him, I vaguely recall a captain Piett, given command of the Executor on her maiden voyage.” Thrawn replied, a slight distaste detectable at the mention of Piett’s name. Thrawn stopped suddenly in front of one of the assembled stormtroopers. He extended his hand. The stormtrooper snapped his weapon up, quickly glanced at the safety and handed his weapon to Thrawn for inspection.
Jerjerrod was slightly taken aback. This was the first time any flag officer had done so in his years of service in the Imperial Navy.
“Last I recall Admiral Ozzel had command of the squadron.” Thrawn added as he closely inspected the weapon, noted no flaws and it was cleanly kept. He expected no less from Imperial Stormtroopers. He snapped the weapon back at the trooper who quickly accepted it and snapped the weapon up to chest level.
“Uh, yes, Admiral Ozzel was replaced by Lord Vader during the Battle of Hoth.”
“I suppose he disappointed Lord Vader?” Thrawn asked neutrally as he suddenly took a turn off the center ramp and began walking up one of the column of troops, pausing long enough to glance down the line and make sure it was straight and disciplined. Jerjerrod followed closely behind, aghast at the change in protocol.
“The details are sketchy, Grand Admiral, but there was a question of tactics that Lord Vader found displeasing and he elevated Captain Piett to Admiral.”
“Odd that.” Thrawn commented as he decided to walk down one of the line of troops and inspected their armor as he walked.
“Sir?”
“Captain Needa of the Avenger had seniority. He was also a good commander, sound tactical mind.” Thrawn replied satisfied with the troops of this line and turning sharply onto the next column.
“Oh, well, Grand Admiral, Captain Needa was replaced by Lord Vader during the search for the Millennium Falcon.”
“Lord Vader is quite the disciplinarian, is he not?” Thrawn asked softly as he approached the next line of troops.
“His methods of persuasion have worked wonders in the final stages of construction for this station, Grand Admiral and I am sure that I am in no position to question a Sith Lord’s judgment.” Jerjerrod replied uneasily.
“Of course, commander. We are not supposed to question, it was merely an observation.” Thrawn paused as if he had just thought of something. “You mentioned Sith Lords a few moments ago. Were you implying that there is more than one?” Thrawn asked pointedly turning to face Jerjerrod. Jerjerrod froze, uncomfortable under the glowing red gaze of the Grand Admiral.
“A new Sith Lord was recently elevated by the Emperor on Coruscant, a Lord Darth Nemesis.”
“Really?” Thrawn’s eyes narrowed on Jerjerrod. “Is there something else you want to say, Commander?”
“Sir?”
“About the Sith Lord. I can tell from your inflection that there is more to this tale. Perhaps you would kindly like to inform me.”
“It is not my place, sir.” He replied stiffly.
Thrawn smiled softly.
“Would it help if I assured you that there would be the strictest confidence between you and me on this matter?” Thrawn replied seriously.
Jerjerrod glanced around nervously and sighed softly.
“The new Sith lord is Luke Skywalker.” Jerjerrod nearly whispered.
Thrawn blinked. It was the sole sign of utter surprise that overtook him.
“Are you certain of this?”
“Yes, the emperor has made no secret that his newest Sith Lord was the hero of the Alliance. He was given command of a fleet that was supposed to field test a new ship mounted superlaser on the Ssi Ruuvi homeworld when they disappeared a month ago.”
Thrawn nodded slowly.
“Very good, Commander.” Thrawn replied and began to turn away.
“Grand Admiral.” Jerjerrod called out.
Thrawn turned his head slowly, his crimson eyes glowed softly.
“Yes, commander?”
“Why are you inspecting the troops, sir?” He asked. Thrawn’s eyes narrowed on Jerjerrod. “I mean, no other flag officer, not even the emperor has done so in all the times I have been here, sir.” Jerjerrod corrected quickly.
Thrawn nodded his head back at the assembled troops.
“More likely than not, commander, I will be leading these men into battle. I want to know what kind of men I am leading into battle.” Thrawn replied.
“I see.” Jerjerrod replied with a slow nod.
Thrawn stared at Jerjerrod for a long moment.
“Commander, prepare yourself for a transfer of command.”
“Sir?” Jerjerrod asked in surprise.
“I will be requesting your presence on my flagship.”
“I’m not sure I understand, sir.”
Thrawn walked over to Jerjerrod and stood over him, eyes intent on the young commander.
“You questioned me.”
Jerjerrod remained silent.
“That is a rare gift Commander, and I have a feeling that I will need commanders like that in the near future.”
“Sir, it was not my intention.”
“This is not a punishment, Jerjerrod.” Thrawn assured him.
“Sir, I think you’re making a mistake.” Jerjerrod replied without thinking. Thrawn nodded.
“Keep up the good work, Commander.” Thrawn replied and strode away. Jerjerrod stood riveted at his post, staring at the receding back of the white clad Grand Admiral. Thrawn paused at the end of the walkway and turned slowly to face Jerjerrod.
“Commander, it was my understanding that the Emperor wished to see me. Will you show me the way or must I wait?” Thrawn asked with the barest hint of bemusement. Jerjerrod nodded then caught himself.
“Of course, Grand Admiral!” He replied and quickly marched over to Thrawn. Thrawn waited patiently as Jerjerrod led him to a turbolift. A pair of stormtroopers quickly fell in place beside them, an honor guard for the Grand Admiral.
“Just out of curiosity, how long did the Battle of Endor last?” Thrawn asked as they stepped into the turbolift.
“Exactly two hours, Grand Admiral.”
“What stratagem did Admiral Piett use?” Thrawn asked softly. Jerjerrod thought he could detect a hint of distaste when he said Piett.
“I believe he used a simple Talon englobement, sir.”
“Talon englobement, against Mon Calamari?” Thrawn asked as if he had been told that Piett had dropped his pants before battle. Thrawn sighed softly. “Mon Calamari respond well to any sort of englobements, they are used to traveling through water and being submerged, so they are not as psychologically shocked as many other races by being surrounded. They tend to clearly see the weak points in the englobement and strike straight for those points. They are also tenacious fighters, the best response to a Mon Calamari fleets is a variant of the Golan Gambit.”
“The Golan gambit hasn’t been used in battle since the Clone wars!” Jerjerrod replied.
Thrawn nodded.
“That may be so, but this battle would have been over in twenty minutes.” Thrawn replied icily as the doors to the turbolift slid shut.
The planet Organia was on the outskirts of Federation space. It had been the flashpoint of a Klingon-Federation war. It was the source of a treaty that had enforced peace between the two antagonists for decades. The homeworld of a race of god like beings – the Organians.
No one in the Federation or the Klingon Empire remembered this world, nor could it be detected by any known means.
Organia disappeared from memory and existence for nearly a century.
Now it was gathering place for gods.
“This is my evidence and my call for action.” Q finished as he stood in the center of an amphitheater. The Organians still clung to their obsession with a simpler past. A past that was quaint and anachronistic for beings that had shed any semblance of mortal life millennia ago. They were assembled in the front row of the amphitheater, wearing simple peasant garb. Seated around them were others of their ilk, those who had ascended, and those who had always been gods. They were all here because Organia was the only place in the entire physical plane of reality that such beings could gather in relative safety. The Organians were as neutral as any beings could come.
“Q, we have heard your evidence and we are not moved by your plea.” One of the Organians answered. Q shook his head.
“Ayelborne, you have always been a voice of reason among all of us.”
“Yes, and that is why I must say that the Organians cannot intercede on behalf of humanity.”
“Despite the fact that one of us is causing this.” Q replied.
Ayelborne shook his head sadly. Oh yes, the Organians could play the sad parent figures quite well, Q noted.
“Gary Mitchell is not one of us. He is in fact a human being, touched by power but not one of us nonetheless, and quite frankly you should know that Q. The continuum has been here since the beginning. We have all come afterwards. You should know a true touched one from one granted the power.” Ayelborne replied.
“His power is more a transcendent extension of humanity’s natural inclination towards mental abilities. I believe that they termed it ESP. We are masters of this art and we can safely say he is not one of us.” A creature that resembled a floating skull, with glowing eye sockets and tendrils of wispy light emanating from its base replied in everyone’s mind.
“The representative of the Melkot speaks wisely.”
“Actually, they don’t speak at all, but why quibble?” Q added sardonically.
“Q, you are acting like a human child.” Ayelborne protested.
“I’m trying to save the universe and you sit here debating with me.” Q replied.
“You called this meeting, Q. Out of respect for the continuum we agreed to meet with you despite your rather sordid reputation.” A beautiful slender young humanoid spoke, dressed in a resplendent white gown.
“Ah, the Metrons speak.” Q waved them away dismissively.
“Your diplomatic skills are only hurting your cause.” A rocklike being spoke, it moved slowly and deliberately, glowing eyes set on its head that flashed in time with its words.
“You know, for beings who don’t know the difference between right and wrong, I’m hardly looking to you Excalibians as a tutor on diplomacy.” Q sneered.
“Q. Can we return to the matter at hand? You say you are trying to save the universe. But why is the universe dying?” Ayelborne asked gently.
“We know why it is dying.” Q answered gruffly.
“Answer us, Q.” the Melkot spoke.
Q looked at the assembled beings and knew that this was the most difficult part of the meeting. Part of him wondered why he had called this meeting. Those like him were extremely reluctant to ever become involved in human affairs.
“Captain Catherine Janeway polluted the timeline to the point where the universe is collapsing under the weight of the temporal paradoxes.” Q answered neutrally.
“So the humans themselves have begun the collapse.” Ayelborne replied.
“Yes.”
“And you wish us to save the humans from their own folly.”
“I only ask that you do as you had done in the past.” Q pressed.
Ayelborne closed his eyes for a moment, obviously pained by the reminder of what Q spoke.
“The peace treaty we imposed on them was a mistake, a very grave mistake, one that we rectified as best we could.”
“By erasing any evidence of your existence. You reached out into billions of minds and wiped it all away, you wrapped time and space around this tiny world and took it out of reality so you would never have to deal with these people again.” Q replied stonily. “In essence you took it upon yourselves to tamper with history. Are we above that then? Can we tamper with reality and space time at a whim but we care not if they do so and end reality?”
“Q, they know what they are doing. They are not the helpless children you paint them to be.” Ayelborne replied evenly.
“It is an established fact that Q has an irrational attachment to the humans ever since his encounter with one of them.” The Metron added kindly. He never seemed to get angry, never judged. Such were the Metrons.
“Irrational connection?” Q replied harshly then turned on the assembly and snapped his finer. There was a bright flash and suddenly images floated above everyone in the amphitheater.
“You, Melkots were able to judge these humans and plant them in some fantasy imposed by your minds to execute them. When they resisted you, you allowed them to leave unmolested but yet you watched them from afar because they fascinated you.” Q snapped at the Melkots as an image of a gunfight and several Starfleet officers played out in a half constructed western town.
“You Metrons interceded in a dispute that was spilling over into your space and when one Captain in particular displayed the advanced trait of mercy you allowed him to leave, yet you too watched humanity.” An image of James Kirk standing over a stricken huge reptilian warrior refusing its death played out.
“Excalabians, let’s not forget you and your rather clumsy attempt at discerning the differences between good and evil.” Q snapped as an image of James Kirk and his officers standing with Abraham Lincoln and Surak of Vulcan. Q smiled sardonically. “And I must say my own pranks and experiments have not all been winners, BUT Abraham Lincoln?!”
The Excalabian hissed something that sounded like molten rock.
“We all have intervened at one time or another. I am just asking you to do so one more time. Mitchell is going to make sure that when this universe does end it will be in blood and chaos.”
“But perhaps when it does end, we can start the slate clean again.” Another voice spoke. A small cluster of disembodied lights floated at the back of the amphitheater, a young man sat with the lights, a sad expression on his face.
“You Thasians are always looking for clean slates. You thought you found such a clean slate in young Charlie over there and what have you made him? A morose young man.” Q paused for a second. “No offense, Charlie.”
“None taken.” Charlie responded softly.
“If not now when?”
“Never, Q. We are content to let the universe end and let the darkness come over all of us. We have been here too long now Q and this universe no longer holds the wonders it once held.” Ayelborne answered.
“Oh what unmitigated bullshit!” Q roared. Several of the beings actually jumped in their seats. “All of you are secretly hoping that when the universe collapses in on itself everything will reset itself, as if some great unseen hand will hit a reset button and all will be as it once was…quiet, alone.”
“Was that state so wrong? Was it truly an awful time for us when the universe was young and theses races weren’t mucking about with such a ruckus?” Metron spoke softly.
“I wouldn’t know.” Q replied.
“Ah yes, we forget, you are the youngest of the first. The Q may have always been here, but you were not.” The Excalabian spoke, taking some delight in prodding the excitable Q.
“Well then sit here and wait for the end, because many of you may be shocked to discover that in the end, the end may really be that…an end.” Q spat and began to turn away.
“I will go.”
The assembly turned as one to look back. Charlie stood up hesitantly. His voice was soft but his eyes betrayed a weariness that many of these gods could comprehend. The weariness of power so vast and a universe that could not contain it.
“Charlie X. What would your guardians say?” Q asked.
“Charlie is not a child any longer. We have taught him control. If this is his decision, though it pains us, we will not hold him back. He has already paid enough for what he has done.” One of the glowing lights whispered.
“Thank you.” Charlie replied.
“One boy, against a dying universe and a god…I could use better odds.” Q muttered rubbing his chin.
“Make that two Q.” a new voice interrupted and a young man strode into the hall, followed closely by a tall lanky alien figure who smiled at the others, nodding simple greetings to some.
“Traveler, we were not aware that you were in this space time continuum or we would have extended an invitation.” Ayelborne said with a polite nod to the newcomer and his young charge.
“That is quite alright honored father of the Organians, I know that my travels some times take me far from this realm. I took it as no insult, but my young charge sensed this gathering and needed to come here right away.”
Q stared at the young man standing before him, well built with a near arrogant twinkle in his eyes.
“Wesley…Wesley Crusher?! Is that you? You look…almost like a man.” Q replied.
“I’ve grown up a lot since last we met and I’ve seen much, enough to know that I must intervene if something is to be done about our universe.”
“Wesley and I traveled along the time continuum, exploring its farthest reaches when we came upon an impasse.” The traveler explained.
“Oh?”
“There is nothing after a certain point.” Wesley replied. “Time simply ceases and there is nothing but a great hungry void. It nearly devoured us if traveler had not been thinking quickly.”
“What does that tell you?” Q pressed.
“Time is going to end…very soon. That is why I’m going to join you and help humanity.”
“It’s going to be dangerous. Mitchell will not like me bringing in outside influences. You saw what he did to the Bajorans.”
Wesley nodded slowly but confidently. There was definitely something different to the young man, the whining young boy that Q knew had been replaced by this brooding but quietly confident young man.
“I’m ready. I just warn you, Q. Do not underestimate my powers. I’ve learned much.”
“Perhaps you have.” Q replied softly regarding the young man in a different light. He turned his attention to the traveler.
“And you?”
Traveler shook his head sadly.
“I travel, that is all I do, and all I wish to do. Battle, conflict, war these things are not in my nature. I will continue to do what I do even as this wonderful universe collapses in on itself. I am sorry, but we all must be true to ourselves.” Traveler answered.
Wesley crusher and Charlie X stood by Q as the assembled gods looked on. Q knew that this was it.
“Great, well, I guess when you’re given lemons you make lemonade.” He muttered to himself and began to walk away. He stopped at the edge of the amphitheater and slowly turned his head.
“Ayelborne, James T. Kirk is championing the human cause now. How long do you think before he comes looking for you and your people to help him?”
Ayelborne looked confused for a moment.
“He was plucked before your great revision so he’ll remember you, and I’ll make sure that he keeps on remembering you. What will you do then?” Q asked softly and motioned for the boys to follow him out.
The gods remained silent.
Chapter 26: Interlude II
A Long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….
The Death Star and its Sanctuary Moon hung peacefully in space, the stillness of the void undisturbed. Suddenly, at the extreme edge of the moon a fleet emerged from hyperspace eager to do battle and strike a blow for freedom. Fighters swept in tight wedge formations in front of the main body of the rebel fleet. Massive Mon Calamari cruisers lumbered in, surrounded by nimbler and smaller corvettes and frigates.
Lando flipped switches on the cockpit of his X-Wing and checked his screens. He activated his comlink as the rebel fighters began swarming forward.
“All wings report in.”
“Gray Leader standing by.”
“Green Leader standing by.”
“Gold Leader standing by.”
“Lock S-foils in attack positions.” Lando ordered peering at the half constructed death star looming ahead as they raced for the uncompleted superstructure. As one, the fighter squadrons opened up their s-foils. X-Wings opened up into their familiar shape, B-Wings heavy cannons flipped out on short stubby wings.
On the bridge of Home One, the Rebel fleet’s flagship, Admiral Ackbar watched the rebel fighters fanning out ahead of the main body of the fleet.
“May the Force be with us.” Ackbar stated loudly and readied himself for battle.
“Nien, are you getting a reading on your scope?” Lando asked.
His wingman checked his scope and responded in his sing song language, worry in his tone.
“We've got to be able to get some kind of a reading on that shield, up or down.”
Nien’s response was quick.
“Well, how could they be jamming us if they don't know if we're coming?”
Lando froze as the implications of his words sunk in and realization dawned on his face. He quickly keyed his comlink as the deathstar grew to fill his screen.
“Break off the attack! The shield is still up.” Lando exclaimed.
“I get no reading. Are you sure?” Gold leader asked looking at his scope with concern.
“Pull up! All craft pull up!” Lando ordered and pulled his own fighter into a steep climb. Warning alarms buzzed as his threat display showed that the fleet was nearly on top of where the shield should be.
Lando’s X-Wing pulled away followed closely by his own squadron, some of the slower Y-wings skipped off the invisible shield and skid across the energy shield in fiery balls.
The rest of the rebel fleet suddenly pulled away, the larger ships turning slowly while the nimbler vessels flashed by.
Alarms sounded on the bridge of Home One as the fleet broke hard away from the Deathstar, trying to avoid the certain doom that the shield represented. Ackbar fought the sinking feeling of dread in his heart.
“Take evasive action! Green Group, stick close to holding sector MV-7.”
“Admiral, we have enemy ships in sector 47.” A Mon Calamari controller called out excitedly as he turned away from his screen.
Ackbar rushed over to the controller and looked over his shoulder at the threat display.
On the screen the moon and Death Star were clearly represented and suddenly parting from the sensor shadow of the sanctuary moon was a massive Imperial fleet.
Ackbar moved to the comlink.
“It's a trap!”
“Fighters coming in.” Lando reported as the Imperial fleet finished clearing the horizon of Endor’s moon and disgorged their fighter squadrons. Hundreds of fighters swarmed in around them in endless waves. Bright emerald bolts poured out to meet the desperately outnumbered rebel fighters, many of the TIES were breaking into tight wedge formations with the intent of passing the rebel fighters and directly attacking the larger ships beyond.
“There's too many of them!” a rebel pilot exclaimed as his view screen was covered in fighters and green laser fire.
“Accelerate to attack speed! Draw their fire away from the cruisers.” Lando ordered as he brought his fighter into an intercept head to head with a flight of TIEs.
“Copy, Red Leader.”
The battle unfurled around the rebel fleet. TIE fighters swarmed around the mighty armada as rebel fighters tried to engage as many Imperial fighters as they could. Those that got past the rebel fighter screen commenced strafing runs on the rebel capital ships. Explosions rippled along the hulls of the big ships.
“Alright, we’re under the gun. The fleet is already in system.” Madine whispered angrily as he peered around a massive tree trunk. The bunker was clear, save for a small group of troopers lounging at the entrance.
“If they’re on time, the attack should have begun by now.” His second in command whispered as he checked his chrono.
“Then let’s not dally. Hansen, take them out.”
“Yes sir.”
The rebel commando leaned on the tree trunk and aimed with his sniper rifle. The scope zeroed in on the troopers.
“When he shoots, we go in. We’re going to need to storm it and plant the explosives as soon as possible.” Madine ordered to his men. The commandos nodded and prepped their weapons. They stood or crouched ready for the signal.
Madine was furious at himself and his luck. His team had nearly been discovered at the insertion point by a squad of scout troopers. Madine did not think that they could take them all out before an alarm was raised so he ordered the team to work around the patrol. It took valuable time to evade them and then they nearly got lost in the virtual sea of trees. Eventually they discovered the shield generator, but it soon became obvious that the empire was not going to take any chances. A legion of troops was guarding the main building, including a pair of AT ATs. There was no way in hell that Madine could overcome those odds.
The sole break he received in his favor was the discovery of a backdoor by one of his scouts. Now he had to strike and strike quickly. He glanced up at the sky wondering what the fleet was going to do when they discovered the shield was still up.
Hansen fired twice, two quick snapshots that caught scout troopers in the chest, catapulting them off their feet. The remaining scout troopers turned quickly, but Madine was leading the charge and the commandoes’ blasters were discharging, the scout troopers did not stand a chance.
The commandoes crossed the clearing of the bunker. Madine stopped short at the bunker door controls and jabbed his finger at the console.
“Iridan, get this thing open, the rest of you prep the explosives.”
“Did you see that?” One commando asked as he stared up at the sky for a moment, a bright flash had caught his eye.
Madine followed his gaze and saw more bright green and red flashes slowly blooming in the sky. His brow furrowed with concern.
“Looks like the fleet’s fighting something.” His second muttered.
There was no more time to discuss the worrisome situation as the doors to the bunker slid open. Iridan smiled triumphantly.
“After you, general.” He announced and waved them in.
Madine led his men in cautiously, but there was no need, the access way was completely empty. They could hear the deep thrumming of the reactors beyond. Madine smiled softly. Those reactors wouldn’t be online for much longer. He was carrying enough explosives to level this entire complex.
The commandoes stopped at the turn ion the corridor and Madine nodded to his men. They tossed in flash bang grenades and stormed into the control center. The stunned Imperial troops were easily overcome and Madine nodded to some controls at the far end. The explosives were quickly slapped on to the control panels. Madine turned to prepare to plant explosives on the main energizer when he saw shadows looming down one of the corridors.
“Heads up!” Madine shouted and drew his blaster, waiting to catch sight of a target. Blaster bolts seared by him and exploded on the far side of the control room.
“We got company!”
“How are the explosives coming?” Madine asked as he squeezed off a pair of shots at the advancing Imperial troops.
“Well?” He demanded angrily when he heard no response. Suddenly he felt the cold metal of a blaster barrel against the back of his neck.
“Stand down, rebel scum, or I will enjoy painting the wall with your traitorous brains.” He heard the cold Imperial sneer.
Madine froze and watched as stormtroopers quickly flooded into the control center. He knew then that it was over. The troops were ready, they had been waiting for the rebel attack. They simply allowed them to walk into the control center and now they had neutralized the commando team in a matter of minutes.
“Let’s step outside. The Emperor wishes for you to see the end of your insignificant fleet.”
Madine remained silent as he slowly dropped his weapon.
It was a trap. And he was out of options.
Lando whooped as he blasted a TIE Interceptor with a quick snap shot and sent his fighter right through the rapidly expanding cloud of debris. Another TIE fighter flashed by, on its way to the rebel ships behind him.
“Watch yourself, Lando! Three from above!” One of his wingmen warned him.
“Red Three, Red Two, pull in!” Lando ordered as his threat display seemed to be completely inundated by bright red threat objects.
“Got it!” Red Two exclaimed as he caught one of the TIE fighters with a blast from his canons.
“Three of them coming in, twenty degrees!” Red three reported.
“Cut to the left! I'll take the leader!” Lando lined up his shot and blasted the lead TIE, the other three broke formation and raced for the closest ship in the line.
“They're heading for the medical frigate.” Lando snapped as he brought his fighter in a tight turn to put himself in a prime attack position on the rear of the advancing TIEs. The stars were thick with them. There was hardly a way to miss them. Of course, it also meant that the rebel fighters were being completely suffocated by the numbers. The rebel pilots were far better, but they were facing twenty to one odds.
Nien Nunb chattered an observation.
“Only the fighters are attacking. I wonder what those Star Destroyers are waiting for.” Lando asked as he caught sight of the massive Executor flanked by her attendant flotilla of stardestroyers. They had come to a complete stop after clearing the planet so quickly.
Admiral Piett and two fleet commanders watched the battle at the huge window of the Super Star Destroyer Bridge. They saw the impressive pyrotechnic display as fighters danced in vicious dog fights, still more explosions rippled along the hulls of the rebel ships. Piett nodded to himself in satisfaction. His fighter wings were responding admirably. They were slaughtering the rebel fighter squadrons and making attack runs on the big ships, battering down their shields for the inevitable attack that was to come.
The presence of Lord Vader behind him, his breathing an omnipresent background noise that even drowned out most of the bridge noise did not bother him this day. He was going to be responsible for leading the fleet that destroyed the rebel alliance once and for all.
“We're in attack position now, sir.” His XO reported.
“Hold here.”
“We're not going to attack?” his XO asked bewildered.
“I have my orders from the Emperor himself. He has something special planned for them. We only need to keep them from escaping.” Piett replied, glancing nervously back at Vader who remained impassive and silent throughout the battle so far.
As if on cue, the great disk of the half completed Deathstar began to glow. Emerald beams flashed down from the dish and intersected with each other in a brief flash of energy and the super laser beam lanced out, barely touching one of the Mon Calamari cruisers. The cruiser exploded instantly, a shockwave of debris and plasma whipped out around the space the cruiser had occupied mere moments before.
The shockwave nearly sent Lando’s X-Wing into an uncontrollable spin. He steadied his fighter and fought the absolute shock and disbelief that was sinking into his gut. The cruiser was gone, nothing remained of it, and even the fighters dog fighting over her hull had been consumed in the titanic blast.
“That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!” Lando exclaimed then clicked on his comlink. “Home One, this is Red Leader.”
Ackbar was staring in shock at the place where the Liberty had occupied. Gone in a flash of emerald death. The entire battle was coming undone around him and every instinct was telling him that there was only one option that remained for the rebel fleet.
“We saw it. All craft prepare to retreat.”
“You won't get another chance at this, Admiral.” Lando cautioned. The gambler in him said that there was still remained a hand to be played.
“We have no choice, General Calrissian. Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude.” Ackbar replied in exasperation. Lando was not seeing the big picture. The entire rebel plan had broken apart from the very beginning and there remained one paramount concern now as fleet commander, he had to save his ships. He had to save the rebel fleet. These were ships that the rebels literally could not afford to lose. They had stripped their defenses completely for this attack, every fleet asset was here and now the Deathstar loomed over them like an accusing god. He could not allow the fleet to perish.
“Madine will have that shield down. We've got to give him more time.” Lando implored.
Madine stepped out into the sun, led by the several stormtroopers and an officer. The rest of his men were kneeling on the ground, hands behind their heads, weapons piled up in a corner. He looked up at the sky. If not for his current predicament, this would be a gorgeous day. The bright sun hung overhead and warmed him as he stood in the clearing. The tree beyond filtered the sunlight through their thick green canopies.
He also noted the blasts of light overhead. They had increased in intensity and number.
“That’s your fleet, rebel. It has met ours and soon will be obliterated.”
“Leave it to an Imperial officer to point out the obvious.” Madine snorted.
The comment earned him a clap over the head with the butt of the officer’s blaster. Madine shook of the pain and felt warm blood trickling down the back of one ear. His eyes were scanning the area, looking for some sign of hope, something that could get them out of this. If he did not find any, he would have to rely on an old trick.
“Careful, this prisoner is to be treated especially well.” Madine recognized the voice. He slowly turned his head to see a young officer walking up to them. The young officer wore the uniform of Madine’s old unit.
“Tenro.” Madine said with some distaste.
“General Crix Madine. You used to be one of us, general, now look at you.” Tenro replied icily and glanced at the assembled commandoes.
“You could have come with me. I trained you myself.”
Tenro looked appalled.
“You trained me but my loyalty has always been to the Emperor, you should have realized that. Imperial Intelligence spent months interrogating me…me! I was loyal, I was the one who reported your defection, and I was the one that remained behind to deal with the fallout of your defection. Do you know what sorts of purges were conducted of our unit after you left?”
Madine slowly nodded.
“I heard.”
“You knew what would happen to the rest of us when you left and you still did.”
“I asked you to come.” Madine replied softly.
“Too late for your remorse, Crix. This is the end of the rebellion and I will personally oversee your interrogation.” Tanro sneered.
Madine nodded slowly.
“Tenro, you were always a cowardly little sycophant, I just never wanted to see that.” Madine replied and activated the hidden control in his gauntlet. An explosion went off just at the edge of the clearing sending dozens of troops scattering.
“Let’s go!” Madine shouted and whirled around, grabbing the officer holding the gun to Madine and twisted his arm until it snapped, recovered his blaster and sent the officer spilling to the ground as he turned at his waist and fired off three quick hip shots at Tenro. But Tenro was already in motion and was retreating behind the leg of a scout walker and shooting blindly over his shoulder.
Madine raced to the bunker, leading a handful of his men. All they needed to do was get back inside, he would set off what explosives they had with them and hope that it was enough to at least damage the shield.
His men exchanged quick glances and nodded solemnly at each other. There would be no time to set the charges. They would have to detonate as soon as they entered the control room.
Lando steered his X-Wing through a veritable obstacle course of massive warships, chasing TIE fighters or being chased by them. Turbolaser bursts blossomed everywhere, and many were the bane of the tiny fighters zipping along the edges of the capital ships.
“Yes! I said closer! Move as close as you can and engage those Star Destroyers at point-blank range.” Lando said desperately as he avoided a laser blast coming from high starboard.
“At that close range, we won't last long against those Star Destroyers.” Ackbar replied.
“We'll last longer then we will against that Death Star...and we might just take a few of them with us.” Lando replied as he blasted another TIE fighter into a ball of fire.
The rebel fleet continued its relentless march towards the Imperial fleet. The closer they approached the more intense and numerous the Stardestroyers shots became. Soon both fleets were almost at point blank range and the turbolaser fire was thick as both sides unloaded on each other, each intent on destroying the other.
Flashing between the dueling behemoths were fighters, blasting at each other or trying to assist their base ship in bringing down the enemy ship’s shields. The rebels concentrated their fire on the exposed and most delicate portions of the Imperial stardestroyers to very limited success. One X-Wing dove in sharply and fired off a pair of torpedoes at an exposed sensor globe after a Mon Cal cruiser concentrated its fire on that portion of the target’s shield grid. The sensor globe was struck by the torpedoes and the pilot had enough time to realize his mistake and shout a warning as his fighter zoomed by the exploding globe.
“She's gonna blow!”
The sensor globe exploded, its shrapnel tearing the X-Wing apart and sending debris raining down on the stardestroyer’s reestablished shields.
“I'm hit!” a Y-Wing pilot exclaimed as a TIE fighter finished blasting away its engines and quickly climbed away. The Y-Wing plummeted down onto the forecastle of one of the stardestroyers trailing glittering debris before it impacted against the stardestroyer’s mighty shields.
Madine watched in horror as the bunker’s imposing doors slid shut faster than he could have anticipated. He had to get his men in and right now they were grossly outnumbered.
“Iridan, get that door open! We’ll cover you!”
“Right on it boss!” Iridan shouted and pulled out his bypass kit. As they reached the threshold of the bunker Iridan took a hit right in the small of his back. He shouted in surprise and fell to the ground not moving. Some of Madine’s men began to turn and run backwards firing their weapons. Madine began to turn as well, glancing down at Iridan’s unmoving body and a thought flashed through his mind. It was the old Madine.
Surrender. Surrender and you can convince them that you were a dupe, perhaps they’ll even let you live.
“Never!” she shouted without realizing it but he felt a hammer like blow to the back of his left thigh that nearly sent him to the floor, followed quickly by a blow to his back that shoved him forward into the bunker door and one last one to his left shoulder him like a top and he slammed against the bunker door, the force of the last blast had spun him completely around to face the Imperial forces advancing on the bunker.
He watched with a strange sense of detachment as his men were cut down by blaster fire. The last few blasted into a steaming bloody mess by an advancing Scout Walker. It quickly came to a stop, head turned to face the bunker doors, and the heavy anti-personnel cannons dipped slightly and pointed at him.
Madine could barely stand. He could not feel his legs as he slowly started to slump down to the ground. Tanro stood beneath the Walker and smiled.
“Crix, surrender now and I promise that you will be well treated. A man like you should not be wasted.” Tanro shouted to him. His voice sounded distant, like thunder.
Yes, surrender. He could hear the old Madine whisper seductively.
Madine smiled softly, blood welling in his mouth and starting to ruin down the left side of his mouth.
“I found something you’ll never understand, Tanro.” He wanted to shout but it came out more like a cough. He slowly lifted his blaster and pointed it at the Walker. Tanro’s face darkened.
“Crix, by the emperor what are you doing?”
“Making a choice.” He replied and fired off a shot. The Scout walker was unfazed but he fired off another shot as his vision began to darken.
“Deal with him!” Tanro shouted in disgust.
The Scout walker fired.
The two armadas were now blasting each other like tanks at twenty paces. Mon Cal cruisers were on fire as they traded withering broadsides with their Imperial counterparts. One cruiser managed to finish off a stardestroyer, its own hull badly damaged and fire raging through the superstructure. The Mon Cal cruiser was crippled, its engines failing, another stardestroyer quickly slipped in to finish off the crippled cruiser. The Mon Cal was wracked by broadsides and its last dying act was to ram the Imperial stardestroyer both vessels destroyed in a horrible blast.
The mighty warships blasted away at each other as their tiny fighters hunted each other through the thick of the battle.
“Watch out. Squad at .06.” Lando reported.
“I'm on it, Red Leader.”
“Good shot, Red Two.”
Lando watched helplessly as another fighter from his squadron got caught in a cross fire of warships. They were so few now, so few fighters and his threat display was still bright with the presence of Imperial forces. They were everywhere and the fleet was slowly dwindling. Those that tried to break out of the tight engagement were quickly vaporized by the Deathstar’s hungry superlaser.
Hope still burned in his heart. The odds were heavy but they still had a hole card.
“Now...come on, Madine. Don't let me down.”
Unfortunately for the Alliance and Lando, it became fairly obvious that the shield was not coming down and that the rebel fleet was not going to be able to attack the Deathstar. The end came surely and swiftly as the last of the fighters was hunted down and Home One remained with a small flotilla of corvettes and escorts. The Imperial fleet collapsed on them like a pack of wolves.
Lando led one last desperate onslaught of fighters on the Executor, in the hopes of taking out the bridge. Lando grit his teeth as he flew through a storm of turbolaser flak. Several fighters evaporated under the steady pounding as they crossed the distance to the Executor’s bridge.
“All wings prepare to fire.” Lando ordered, sick with the thought that in the end this was all over. Suddenly the veil of heavy flak fire lifted and Lando’s relief was extremely brief as a horde of TIE fighters descended on them.
“Here they come!” one of his men shouted.
Lando ignored the screams of the dying pilots as he focused all his attention on the looming bridge, the blinking HUD lights told him that he had a positive lock. Lando fired his torpedoes and began to pull away but his fighter shook violently around him and smoke filled the cockpit. A string of warning lights lit up on his cockpit and the control stick became stiff and unresponsive.
The X-Wing was till plummeting towards the Executor.
“Han, old buddy, it should have been me. I only hope that you could forgive me.” Lando whispered. His X-Wing crashed into the Executor’s bridge shields.
“It is over.” Vader intoned as Home One erupted into a ball of plasma and wreckage. The space around the Imperial fleet was suddenly still. No one noticed the inconsequential blast of fire that flared on their bridge shields for a moment as an X-Wing crashed into it.
“Inform the emperor that the rebel fleet has been destroyed!” Piett exclaimed.
“This will be a day long remembered; it has seen the end of the rebellion.” Vader said proudly. He turned his head to Piett. “Good work, Admiral.” Vader turned and strode off the bridge, cape flowing behind him like a shroud. Piett smiled softly.
His place was now secure and there was nothing to stop his rising star now. Grand Admiral Piett that had a nice ring to it.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
An Imperial stardestroyer emerged from hyperspace in the Endor system. The Deathstar remained in its orbit, now surrounded by a fleet of stardestroyers and the Executor. The wreckage of the rebellion fleet was still being collected by recovery vessels. It would take weeks to make sure that all the wreckage and bodies was cleared from the space around the Sanctuary Moon.
He watched the recovery operations with a detached interest as his vessel coasted into position and waited for the code clearance to proceed onto the Deathstar beyond.
“Admiral, they are expecting you on the Deathstar. Code clearance has been verified.”
“Excellent, prepare my shuttle.” He replied.
The shuttle landed in the Deathstar’s hangar bay and an honor guard waited patiently as the doors to the shuttle dropped down. He strode down the walkway by himself, his immaculate white uniform nearly glowed in the lights of the hangar bay.
Commander Jerjerrod approached and saluted.
“Welcome aboard the Deathstar, Grand Admiral Thrawn.” Jerjerrod said.
“You may dispense with the pleasantries commander. I am here because the Emperor himself has summoned me from my mission of subduing Wild Space for the greater good of the Empire.” Thrawn replied as he immediately began walking down the line of stormtroopers.
Jerjerrod quickly fell in step beside the Grand Admiral. Thrawn was the first grand Admiral that Jerjerrod had ever met. These men were the absolute elite of the Imperial navy. Jerjerrod was slightly surprised to see that Thrawn was not human.
It spoke volumes about the man’s abilities if he were elevated to such a post.
“Tell me, commander, I am curious, who was in command of the Imperial fleet here at Endor during the battle? News is scarce in Wild space and accurate news is as valuable as Nisoran crystals.” Thrawn asked as he walked along the line, hands clasped behind his back. Unlike the other VIPs that had come aboard the Deathstar, he actually spared time to inspect the troops, pausing every so often to admire some of the troops.
“Admiral Piett, Grand Admiral, although Lord Vader had overall command as is customary with Sith lords.”
“Of course.” Thrawn nodded slowly. “Admiral Piett? I have never heard of him, I vaguely recall a captain Piett, given command of the Executor on her maiden voyage.” Thrawn replied, a slight distaste detectable at the mention of Piett’s name. Thrawn stopped suddenly in front of one of the assembled stormtroopers. He extended his hand. The stormtrooper snapped his weapon up, quickly glanced at the safety and handed his weapon to Thrawn for inspection.
Jerjerrod was slightly taken aback. This was the first time any flag officer had done so in his years of service in the Imperial Navy.
“Last I recall Admiral Ozzel had command of the squadron.” Thrawn added as he closely inspected the weapon, noted no flaws and it was cleanly kept. He expected no less from Imperial Stormtroopers. He snapped the weapon back at the trooper who quickly accepted it and snapped the weapon up to chest level.
“Uh, yes, Admiral Ozzel was replaced by Lord Vader during the Battle of Hoth.”
“I suppose he disappointed Lord Vader?” Thrawn asked neutrally as he suddenly took a turn off the center ramp and began walking up one of the column of troops, pausing long enough to glance down the line and make sure it was straight and disciplined. Jerjerrod followed closely behind, aghast at the change in protocol.
“The details are sketchy, Grand Admiral, but there was a question of tactics that Lord Vader found displeasing and he elevated Captain Piett to Admiral.”
“Odd that.” Thrawn commented as he decided to walk down one of the line of troops and inspected their armor as he walked.
“Sir?”
“Captain Needa of the Avenger had seniority. He was also a good commander, sound tactical mind.” Thrawn replied satisfied with the troops of this line and turning sharply onto the next column.
“Oh, well, Grand Admiral, Captain Needa was replaced by Lord Vader during the search for the Millennium Falcon.”
“Lord Vader is quite the disciplinarian, is he not?” Thrawn asked softly as he approached the next line of troops.
“His methods of persuasion have worked wonders in the final stages of construction for this station, Grand Admiral and I am sure that I am in no position to question a Sith Lord’s judgment.” Jerjerrod replied uneasily.
“Of course, commander. We are not supposed to question, it was merely an observation.” Thrawn paused as if he had just thought of something. “You mentioned Sith Lords a few moments ago. Were you implying that there is more than one?” Thrawn asked pointedly turning to face Jerjerrod. Jerjerrod froze, uncomfortable under the glowing red gaze of the Grand Admiral.
“A new Sith Lord was recently elevated by the Emperor on Coruscant, a Lord Darth Nemesis.”
“Really?” Thrawn’s eyes narrowed on Jerjerrod. “Is there something else you want to say, Commander?”
“Sir?”
“About the Sith Lord. I can tell from your inflection that there is more to this tale. Perhaps you would kindly like to inform me.”
“It is not my place, sir.” He replied stiffly.
Thrawn smiled softly.
“Would it help if I assured you that there would be the strictest confidence between you and me on this matter?” Thrawn replied seriously.
Jerjerrod glanced around nervously and sighed softly.
“The new Sith lord is Luke Skywalker.” Jerjerrod nearly whispered.
Thrawn blinked. It was the sole sign of utter surprise that overtook him.
“Are you certain of this?”
“Yes, the emperor has made no secret that his newest Sith Lord was the hero of the Alliance. He was given command of a fleet that was supposed to field test a new ship mounted superlaser on the Ssi Ruuvi homeworld when they disappeared a month ago.”
Thrawn nodded slowly.
“Very good, Commander.” Thrawn replied and began to turn away.
“Grand Admiral.” Jerjerrod called out.
Thrawn turned his head slowly, his crimson eyes glowed softly.
“Yes, commander?”
“Why are you inspecting the troops, sir?” He asked. Thrawn’s eyes narrowed on Jerjerrod. “I mean, no other flag officer, not even the emperor has done so in all the times I have been here, sir.” Jerjerrod corrected quickly.
Thrawn nodded his head back at the assembled troops.
“More likely than not, commander, I will be leading these men into battle. I want to know what kind of men I am leading into battle.” Thrawn replied.
“I see.” Jerjerrod replied with a slow nod.
Thrawn stared at Jerjerrod for a long moment.
“Commander, prepare yourself for a transfer of command.”
“Sir?” Jerjerrod asked in surprise.
“I will be requesting your presence on my flagship.”
“I’m not sure I understand, sir.”
Thrawn walked over to Jerjerrod and stood over him, eyes intent on the young commander.
“You questioned me.”
Jerjerrod remained silent.
“That is a rare gift Commander, and I have a feeling that I will need commanders like that in the near future.”
“Sir, it was not my intention.”
“This is not a punishment, Jerjerrod.” Thrawn assured him.
“Sir, I think you’re making a mistake.” Jerjerrod replied without thinking. Thrawn nodded.
“Keep up the good work, Commander.” Thrawn replied and strode away. Jerjerrod stood riveted at his post, staring at the receding back of the white clad Grand Admiral. Thrawn paused at the end of the walkway and turned slowly to face Jerjerrod.
“Commander, it was my understanding that the Emperor wished to see me. Will you show me the way or must I wait?” Thrawn asked with the barest hint of bemusement. Jerjerrod nodded then caught himself.
“Of course, Grand Admiral!” He replied and quickly marched over to Thrawn. Thrawn waited patiently as Jerjerrod led him to a turbolift. A pair of stormtroopers quickly fell in place beside them, an honor guard for the Grand Admiral.
“Just out of curiosity, how long did the Battle of Endor last?” Thrawn asked as they stepped into the turbolift.
“Exactly two hours, Grand Admiral.”
“What stratagem did Admiral Piett use?” Thrawn asked softly. Jerjerrod thought he could detect a hint of distaste when he said Piett.
“I believe he used a simple Talon englobement, sir.”
“Talon englobement, against Mon Calamari?” Thrawn asked as if he had been told that Piett had dropped his pants before battle. Thrawn sighed softly. “Mon Calamari respond well to any sort of englobements, they are used to traveling through water and being submerged, so they are not as psychologically shocked as many other races by being surrounded. They tend to clearly see the weak points in the englobement and strike straight for those points. They are also tenacious fighters, the best response to a Mon Calamari fleets is a variant of the Golan Gambit.”
“The Golan gambit hasn’t been used in battle since the Clone wars!” Jerjerrod replied.
Thrawn nodded.
“That may be so, but this battle would have been over in twenty minutes.” Thrawn replied icily as the doors to the turbolift slid shut.
The planet Organia was on the outskirts of Federation space. It had been the flashpoint of a Klingon-Federation war. It was the source of a treaty that had enforced peace between the two antagonists for decades. The homeworld of a race of god like beings – the Organians.
No one in the Federation or the Klingon Empire remembered this world, nor could it be detected by any known means.
Organia disappeared from memory and existence for nearly a century.
Now it was gathering place for gods.
“This is my evidence and my call for action.” Q finished as he stood in the center of an amphitheater. The Organians still clung to their obsession with a simpler past. A past that was quaint and anachronistic for beings that had shed any semblance of mortal life millennia ago. They were assembled in the front row of the amphitheater, wearing simple peasant garb. Seated around them were others of their ilk, those who had ascended, and those who had always been gods. They were all here because Organia was the only place in the entire physical plane of reality that such beings could gather in relative safety. The Organians were as neutral as any beings could come.
“Q, we have heard your evidence and we are not moved by your plea.” One of the Organians answered. Q shook his head.
“Ayelborne, you have always been a voice of reason among all of us.”
“Yes, and that is why I must say that the Organians cannot intercede on behalf of humanity.”
“Despite the fact that one of us is causing this.” Q replied.
Ayelborne shook his head sadly. Oh yes, the Organians could play the sad parent figures quite well, Q noted.
“Gary Mitchell is not one of us. He is in fact a human being, touched by power but not one of us nonetheless, and quite frankly you should know that Q. The continuum has been here since the beginning. We have all come afterwards. You should know a true touched one from one granted the power.” Ayelborne replied.
“His power is more a transcendent extension of humanity’s natural inclination towards mental abilities. I believe that they termed it ESP. We are masters of this art and we can safely say he is not one of us.” A creature that resembled a floating skull, with glowing eye sockets and tendrils of wispy light emanating from its base replied in everyone’s mind.
“The representative of the Melkot speaks wisely.”
“Actually, they don’t speak at all, but why quibble?” Q added sardonically.
“Q, you are acting like a human child.” Ayelborne protested.
“I’m trying to save the universe and you sit here debating with me.” Q replied.
“You called this meeting, Q. Out of respect for the continuum we agreed to meet with you despite your rather sordid reputation.” A beautiful slender young humanoid spoke, dressed in a resplendent white gown.
“Ah, the Metrons speak.” Q waved them away dismissively.
“Your diplomatic skills are only hurting your cause.” A rocklike being spoke, it moved slowly and deliberately, glowing eyes set on its head that flashed in time with its words.
“You know, for beings who don’t know the difference between right and wrong, I’m hardly looking to you Excalibians as a tutor on diplomacy.” Q sneered.
“Q. Can we return to the matter at hand? You say you are trying to save the universe. But why is the universe dying?” Ayelborne asked gently.
“We know why it is dying.” Q answered gruffly.
“Answer us, Q.” the Melkot spoke.
Q looked at the assembled beings and knew that this was the most difficult part of the meeting. Part of him wondered why he had called this meeting. Those like him were extremely reluctant to ever become involved in human affairs.
“Captain Catherine Janeway polluted the timeline to the point where the universe is collapsing under the weight of the temporal paradoxes.” Q answered neutrally.
“So the humans themselves have begun the collapse.” Ayelborne replied.
“Yes.”
“And you wish us to save the humans from their own folly.”
“I only ask that you do as you had done in the past.” Q pressed.
Ayelborne closed his eyes for a moment, obviously pained by the reminder of what Q spoke.
“The peace treaty we imposed on them was a mistake, a very grave mistake, one that we rectified as best we could.”
“By erasing any evidence of your existence. You reached out into billions of minds and wiped it all away, you wrapped time and space around this tiny world and took it out of reality so you would never have to deal with these people again.” Q replied stonily. “In essence you took it upon yourselves to tamper with history. Are we above that then? Can we tamper with reality and space time at a whim but we care not if they do so and end reality?”
“Q, they know what they are doing. They are not the helpless children you paint them to be.” Ayelborne replied evenly.
“It is an established fact that Q has an irrational attachment to the humans ever since his encounter with one of them.” The Metron added kindly. He never seemed to get angry, never judged. Such were the Metrons.
“Irrational connection?” Q replied harshly then turned on the assembly and snapped his finer. There was a bright flash and suddenly images floated above everyone in the amphitheater.
“You, Melkots were able to judge these humans and plant them in some fantasy imposed by your minds to execute them. When they resisted you, you allowed them to leave unmolested but yet you watched them from afar because they fascinated you.” Q snapped at the Melkots as an image of a gunfight and several Starfleet officers played out in a half constructed western town.
“You Metrons interceded in a dispute that was spilling over into your space and when one Captain in particular displayed the advanced trait of mercy you allowed him to leave, yet you too watched humanity.” An image of James Kirk standing over a stricken huge reptilian warrior refusing its death played out.
“Excalabians, let’s not forget you and your rather clumsy attempt at discerning the differences between good and evil.” Q snapped as an image of James Kirk and his officers standing with Abraham Lincoln and Surak of Vulcan. Q smiled sardonically. “And I must say my own pranks and experiments have not all been winners, BUT Abraham Lincoln?!”
The Excalabian hissed something that sounded like molten rock.
“We all have intervened at one time or another. I am just asking you to do so one more time. Mitchell is going to make sure that when this universe does end it will be in blood and chaos.”
“But perhaps when it does end, we can start the slate clean again.” Another voice spoke. A small cluster of disembodied lights floated at the back of the amphitheater, a young man sat with the lights, a sad expression on his face.
“You Thasians are always looking for clean slates. You thought you found such a clean slate in young Charlie over there and what have you made him? A morose young man.” Q paused for a second. “No offense, Charlie.”
“None taken.” Charlie responded softly.
“If not now when?”
“Never, Q. We are content to let the universe end and let the darkness come over all of us. We have been here too long now Q and this universe no longer holds the wonders it once held.” Ayelborne answered.
“Oh what unmitigated bullshit!” Q roared. Several of the beings actually jumped in their seats. “All of you are secretly hoping that when the universe collapses in on itself everything will reset itself, as if some great unseen hand will hit a reset button and all will be as it once was…quiet, alone.”
“Was that state so wrong? Was it truly an awful time for us when the universe was young and theses races weren’t mucking about with such a ruckus?” Metron spoke softly.
“I wouldn’t know.” Q replied.
“Ah yes, we forget, you are the youngest of the first. The Q may have always been here, but you were not.” The Excalabian spoke, taking some delight in prodding the excitable Q.
“Well then sit here and wait for the end, because many of you may be shocked to discover that in the end, the end may really be that…an end.” Q spat and began to turn away.
“I will go.”
The assembly turned as one to look back. Charlie stood up hesitantly. His voice was soft but his eyes betrayed a weariness that many of these gods could comprehend. The weariness of power so vast and a universe that could not contain it.
“Charlie X. What would your guardians say?” Q asked.
“Charlie is not a child any longer. We have taught him control. If this is his decision, though it pains us, we will not hold him back. He has already paid enough for what he has done.” One of the glowing lights whispered.
“Thank you.” Charlie replied.
“One boy, against a dying universe and a god…I could use better odds.” Q muttered rubbing his chin.
“Make that two Q.” a new voice interrupted and a young man strode into the hall, followed closely by a tall lanky alien figure who smiled at the others, nodding simple greetings to some.
“Traveler, we were not aware that you were in this space time continuum or we would have extended an invitation.” Ayelborne said with a polite nod to the newcomer and his young charge.
“That is quite alright honored father of the Organians, I know that my travels some times take me far from this realm. I took it as no insult, but my young charge sensed this gathering and needed to come here right away.”
Q stared at the young man standing before him, well built with a near arrogant twinkle in his eyes.
“Wesley…Wesley Crusher?! Is that you? You look…almost like a man.” Q replied.
“I’ve grown up a lot since last we met and I’ve seen much, enough to know that I must intervene if something is to be done about our universe.”
“Wesley and I traveled along the time continuum, exploring its farthest reaches when we came upon an impasse.” The traveler explained.
“Oh?”
“There is nothing after a certain point.” Wesley replied. “Time simply ceases and there is nothing but a great hungry void. It nearly devoured us if traveler had not been thinking quickly.”
“What does that tell you?” Q pressed.
“Time is going to end…very soon. That is why I’m going to join you and help humanity.”
“It’s going to be dangerous. Mitchell will not like me bringing in outside influences. You saw what he did to the Bajorans.”
Wesley nodded slowly but confidently. There was definitely something different to the young man, the whining young boy that Q knew had been replaced by this brooding but quietly confident young man.
“I’m ready. I just warn you, Q. Do not underestimate my powers. I’ve learned much.”
“Perhaps you have.” Q replied softly regarding the young man in a different light. He turned his attention to the traveler.
“And you?”
Traveler shook his head sadly.
“I travel, that is all I do, and all I wish to do. Battle, conflict, war these things are not in my nature. I will continue to do what I do even as this wonderful universe collapses in on itself. I am sorry, but we all must be true to ourselves.” Traveler answered.
Wesley crusher and Charlie X stood by Q as the assembled gods looked on. Q knew that this was it.
“Great, well, I guess when you’re given lemons you make lemonade.” He muttered to himself and began to walk away. He stopped at the edge of the amphitheater and slowly turned his head.
“Ayelborne, James T. Kirk is championing the human cause now. How long do you think before he comes looking for you and your people to help him?”
Ayelborne looked confused for a moment.
“He was plucked before your great revision so he’ll remember you, and I’ll make sure that he keeps on remembering you. What will you do then?” Q asked softly and motioned for the boys to follow him out.
The gods remained silent.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's Guild Cybertron's Finest Justice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's Guild Cybertron's Finest Justice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
First to post!
[Edit] Well, now that I've read it...I LOVE IT!
Battle of Endor: reproduced perfectly!
Thrawn: true to the character, and very impressive!
Meeting of the Gods: good philosophy!
Welsey: all growed up!
Great chapter Stravo!
[Edit] Well, now that I've read it...I LOVE IT!
Battle of Endor: reproduced perfectly!
Thrawn: true to the character, and very impressive!
Meeting of the Gods: good philosophy!
Welsey: all growed up!
Great chapter Stravo!
Last edited by Kuja on 2002-10-19 07:24pm, edited 1 time in total.
JADAFETWA
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Crazy_Vasey
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Soontir C'boath
- SG-14: Fuck the Medic!
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YEA go Thrawn GO!! Man of pure genius. I like that part.“Just out of curiosity, how long did the Battle of Endor last?” Thrawn asked as they stepped into the turbolift.
“Exactly two hours, Grand Admiral.”
“What stratagem did Admiral Piett use?” Thrawn asked softly. Jerjerrod thought he could detect a hint of distaste when he said Piett.
“I believe he used a simple Talon englobement, sir.”
“Talon englobement, against Mon Calamari?” Thrawn asked as if he had been told that Piett had dropped his pants before battle. Thrawn sighed softly. “Mon Calamari respond well to any sort of englobements, they are used to traveling through water and being submerged, so they are not as psychologically shocked as many other races by being surrounded. They tend to clearly see the weak points in the englobement and strike straight for those points. They are also tenacious fighters, the best response to a Mon Calamari fleets is a variant of the Golan Gambit.”
“The Golan gambit hasn’t been used in battle since the Clone wars!” Jerjerrod replied.
Thrawn nodded.
“That may be so, but this battle would have been over in twenty minutes.” Thrawn replied icily as the doors to the turbolift slid shut.
Cyaround,
Jason
I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season."
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Master of Ossus
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And now the Gods become involved.
"Sometimes I think you WANT us to fail." "Shut up, just shut up!" -Two Guys from Kabul
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
"Happiness is just a Flaming Moe away."
Latinum Star Recipient; Hacker's Cross Award Winner
"one soler flar can vapririze the planit or malt the nickl in lass than millasacit" -Bagara1000
"Happiness is just a Flaming Moe away."
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Captain Cyran
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Dang man, another great post
It's....THRAWN!!
You depicted the Battle of Endor perfectly, I would have thought Lando would die sooner but *shrug*. The Thrawn scene could not have been depicted any better, I applaude you. As for the assembly it was great, but I do think that more beings would have joined Q, faced with destruction as they were.
It's....THRAWN!!
You depicted the Battle of Endor perfectly, I would have thought Lando would die sooner but *shrug*. The Thrawn scene could not have been depicted any better, I applaude you. As for the assembly it was great, but I do think that more beings would have joined Q, faced with destruction as they were.
Justice League, Super-Villain Carnage "Carnage Rules!" Cult of the Kitten Mew... The Black Mage with The Knife SD.Net Chronicler of the Past Bun Bun is my hero. The Official Verilonitis Vaccinator
I hope everyone is happy with the way Thrawn has been portrayed and the quality will continue. So you see Fans of Thrawn, nothing to worry about - well - unless you're James T. Kirk 
Bean - sorry about the awful names but I'll endeavor to do better
Bean - sorry about the awful names but I'll endeavor to do better
Wherever you go, there you are.
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's Guild Cybertron's Finest Justice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's Guild Cybertron's Finest Justice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
My thoughts exactlyTake that rebel scum! All gone, nice and quickly. That's the way the battle of Endor should have been
"a single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic"-Joseph Stalin
"No plan survives contact with the enemy"-Helmuth Von Moltke
"Women prefer stories about one person dying slowly. Men prefer stories of many people dying quickly."-Niles from Frasier.
"No plan survives contact with the enemy"-Helmuth Von Moltke
"Women prefer stories about one person dying slowly. Men prefer stories of many people dying quickly."-Niles from Frasier.
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ViciousMink
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Great one, Stravo! Thrawn was handled very well, if I do say. His actual *inspection* of the stormtroopers was unexpected but definitely something that I can see him doing. Oh, yeah: THRAWN! WOOHOO!!Also, it was *great* seeing all the Old Gods from TOS appearing in council... and you've continued to wow me by dredging up otherwise thrown-away characters from TOS and making really good use out of them. Charlie X -- whoa! That was a surprise... andwhile people might complain about Wesley Crusher, here's raising a glass to you in the hope that you can redeem that awfully-conceived and -written character. (Especially since Wil Wheaton was completely *edited out* of Nemesis. Not just *written* out; they'd shot scenes with him, but they *removed* all the scenes in post-production with Wesley, which were, I'm given to understand, actually decent. Ah, well.
Good going, Stravo! The only bad thing about the fic... is that as soon as I read one chapter I'm looking for the next one!
The Jedi asked, "What is balance for me as a servant of the Light?" The Master replied,"Balance is not what you seek. For you it is accepting that destruction is a part of the universe."
-- from Koans of the Silver Master
Founder, the Cult of Wilhelm. "Praise be to Wilhelm. AAAAIIIIUH!"
-- from Koans of the Silver Master
Founder, the Cult of Wilhelm. "Praise be to Wilhelm. AAAAIIIIUH!"
Goddamit! I stayed up to 3 am last night 'cause I knew your chapter was coming soon! Now I am not first 
Oh well at least Bean wasn't first either!
Oh well at least Bean wasn't first either! 
Η ζωή, η ζωή εδω τελειώνει!
"Science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14" strap-on" - Masuka 'Dexter'
"Angela is not the woman you think she is Gabriel, she's done terrible things"
"So have I, and I'm going to do them all to you." - Sylar to Arthur 'Heroes'
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Luke Starkiller
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 788
- Joined: 2002-08-08 08:55pm
- Location: Ottawa, Canada
I just came across this and have spent the last 6 hours or so reading it. I have just one word for it: Amazing.
And just to echo everybody else:
When is the next chapter going to show up?
And just to echo everybody else:
When is the next chapter going to show up?
What kind of dark wizard in league with nameless forces of primordial evil ARE you that you can't even make a successful sanity check versus BOREDOM? - Red Mage
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2000AD
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 6666
- Joined: 2002-07-03 06:32pm
- Location: Leeds, wishing i was still in Newcastle
Wesley Crusher!!!!*Luke voice*
NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
*end Luke voice"
good point: Thrawn
bad point: Wesley
good point: Gods
bad point: Wesley
good point: New battle of Endor
bad point: Wesley
good point: Some characters that i've never heard of
bad point: Wesley
I could go on for hours.
And just who the hell is Gary Mitchell?
Ph34r teh eyebrow!!11!Writers Guild Sluggite Pawn of Chaos WYGIWYGAINGW so now i have to put ACPATHNTDWATGODW in my sig EBC-Honorary Geordie
Hammerman! Hammer!
Hammerman! Hammer!
The guy on Stravo's avatar I think.
What I did LOVE was Thrawn on beating the Mon Calamari. Pure Thrawn. Thrawn likes his hand gestures too from what I remember of Heir to the Empire- work that in there.
Another magnificent chapter.
What I did LOVE was Thrawn on beating the Mon Calamari. Pure Thrawn. Thrawn likes his hand gestures too from what I remember of Heir to the Empire- work that in there.
Another magnificent chapter.
Last edited by Vympel on 2002-10-20 06:30am, edited 1 time in total.
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Crazy_Vasey
- Jedi Council Member
- Posts: 1571
- Joined: 2002-07-13 12:56pm
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Grand Admiral Thrawn
- Ruthless Imperial Tyrant
- Posts: 5755
- Joined: 2002-07-03 06:11pm
- Location: Canada
2000AD wrote:
*Luke voice*
NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
*end Luke voice"
good point: Thrawn
bad point: Wesley
good point: Gods
bad point: Wesley
good point: New battle of Endor
bad point: Wesley
good point: Some characters that i've never heard of
bad point: Wesley
I could go on for hours.
And just who the hell is Gary Mitchell?
He was from a REALLY old episode of TOS. The E-Nil went through the barrier surronding the galaxy and it gave Gary lots of powers. Then Kirk killed him cause he went bad (or at least, he tried).
"You know, I was God once."
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama
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2000AD
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 6666
- Joined: 2002-07-03 06:32pm
- Location: Leeds, wishing i was still in Newcastle
I think i remeber now. Was it the guy who had that women with him and their eyes were weird. They made a garden appear from nowhere or something. And then Kirk killed him by dropping a big load of rock on top of him with a well aimed phaser rifle shot. Is that the guy?
Ph34r teh eyebrow!!11!Writers Guild Sluggite Pawn of Chaos WYGIWYGAINGW so now i have to put ACPATHNTDWATGODW in my sig EBC-Honorary Geordie
Hammerman! Hammer!
Hammerman! Hammer!
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Grand Admiral Thrawn
- Ruthless Imperial Tyrant
- Posts: 5755
- Joined: 2002-07-03 06:11pm
- Location: Canada
2000AD wrote:I think i remeber now. Was it the guy who had that women with him and their eyes were weird. They made a garden appear from nowhere or something. And then Kirk killed him by dropping a big load of rock on top of him with a well aimed phaser rifle shot. Is that the guy?
Yup. But apparently it was well aimed!
"You know, I was God once."
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama
"Yes, I saw. You were doing well, until everyone died."
Bender and God, Futurama