I walk out of the conference room, Clover on my heels, ruining my chance of speaking with Admiral Meade in any semblance of confidence. I was curious on how he had managed to avoid the cordon on his people’s homeworld and if he had any interest in having his battlegroup sent to my command. It would have to wait until later.

  “What is it you want, Sergeant?” I finally manage after finishing our waltz towards the elevator.

  “Well, General Skywalker wanted to speak with you.” The Clone replies cheekily.

  “Do tell me. Did he send you to bribe me with that bottle, or did he send you because Wildhog got in trouble. I already know he wouldn’t send someone I don’t know decently and he wouldn’t send his Captain because I would order him away.”

  “Always straight to the point with you, sir.” Clover chuckles, “The General asked Rex for his recommendation and the Captain choose me for my potential in gift giving.”

  I hum mildly surprised. Looks like I overestimated the General a bit: “So what does he want?”

  “To speak with you. Did you get another concussion, sir. I said that already.”

  “Yes, but I meant what does he want to discuss? I need to know if I need to swap slugs around or not.” I reply as we enter the lift, I punch in the level for my quarters. The Clone continues not to answer my questions and instead waits patiently as I hide the bottle of moonshine in my luggage and refill my flask with some half decent vodka I nabbed on Commenor. I wouldn’t feel too bad about loosing it if some halfwit decided to steal it.

  It doesn’t take very long for me to end up in the command module of the station, taking a swig of the flask before offering it to Clover as I exit the lift. A good number of Clones, the station’s personnel, mostly humans in Navy gray. And right at the command module is Tarkin. Lovely.

  I take the flask back and slip it into my breast pocket as I approach the table: “Tarkin, lovely to see you again.”

  “Dericote. I’m surprised you managed to leave your little fiefdom for this meeting.” The man replies coldly.

  “Well we can’t all be so lucky to have influential connections with his excellency, now can we.” I reply.

  “No, I suppose not. Is there a reason for you presence here?”

  I turn to Clover with a raised eyebrow. The Clone shuffles slightly before responding: “General Skywalker wished to speak with the man and I was instructed to bring him here.”

  “There’s your explanation.” I reply, faking some boredom as I go.

  “You know I did read that document Admiral Jerjerrod spread this morning. I must say I am a bit surprised about the similarities with the current doctrine many in the Navy are pushing.” Tarkin presses.

  “Well you can’t be too surprised about it.” I reply calmly, “Almost every Navy man spent at least a little time at Carida or Anaxes. It should be expected that many sentiments are shared among our number.”

  “I meant how it seems many a young officer choose to base their arguments off of it today.” Tarkin presses further.

  “Can’t say I’m surprised. Jerjerrod is a respected administrator.” I dodge again.

  “You’d think with all the praise Tennant gives you, you would be more open with a fellow Admiral.”

  “You’d be surprised, with how Admiral Tennant speaks of you, that I often I find myself repeatedly disappointed in your lacking patience with me.” I reply.

  “Oh come now, we both know about that little club of your sponsor. So do tell, what exactly the thought process is in undermining me with this?” Tarkin says, his eyes narrowed.

  “Tarkin, Tarkin, Tarkin. You forget yourself.” I reply easily, falling into the cadence of those rich thousander fucks I used to go to school with. Tarkin was letting his anger win. This minor dispute shouldn’t be upsetting him to this extent, unless he was betting a fuckton on his doctrine, “This war is about collaboration. We all fight together or we die together.”

  “This ...” Tarkin starts before cutting himself off, frowning, “This is a minor dispute, yes?”

  “What else would it be? We’re already fighting traitors to the Republic, nobody needs an internal fight on top of that.” I say. It was probably the most honest thing I ever said to Tarkin. We certainly didn’t need it, but we had exactly that kind of shadow war on our hands anyway.

  Tarkin straightens himself out a little more then. His confidence returning as he speaks: “Do you know why Skywalker wished to speak with you?”

  “Probably blame me for something I didn’t personally do.” I sigh, “I must be quite plain with you, all the Jedi shenanigans have been rather vexing on me and I hardly have to deal with them. How the rest of the Navy survives it, I will never know.”

  “In my case, it was a mixture of desperation and simply circumventing any orders that were very obviously not tactically sound.” Tarkin replies.

  “Thank you for the advice. I’ll be sure to implement it as soon as a Jedi puts their nose into my business again.” I reply as the turbolift’s doors open. I turn to see both Kenobi and Skywalker enter.

  Tarkin, thankfully takes the lead. He must be in charge while the usual station administrator is out: “General Kenobi, General Skywalker. A pleasure.”

  “The pleasure is ours, Admiral.” Kenobi responds.

  “Generals.” I say, keeping my tone light, “I believe you wished something of me?”

  “Simply to thank you for helping this one’s Padawan.” Kenobi says.

  I raise my eyebrow, yeah and mudpuppy’s fly: “I’m sure that’s why you had my former Sergeant here bribe me with some liquor to come quietly and quickly.”

  Kenobi’s eye twitches slightly, while Skywalker looks slightly ashamed. Tarkin meanwhile glances at me in indignation: “Liquor, really?”

  “So far the vice I’ve kept with the longest.” I reply easily, “Remind me to tell you about my old astronavigations instructor on Fondor some time and it’ll make whatever your coping mechanisms are look like sand in a desert.”

  “I’m sorry, did you say you were bribed to come to a mission briefing?” Kenobi asks.

  “Wasn’t told it was a mission briefing. Just told to meet with Skywalker here.” I reply as I remove the flask and take a swig in defiance of whatever lizardshit the Jedi have in store. Tarkin raises an eyebrow in offense as I offer the flask to him. I simply shrug and return it to my brestpocket and adding, “I’m not on the clock yet, keep your boots on.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  The three men staring at me are looking rather baffled as I let out a sigh: “A briefin’ you said.”

  Surprisingly its Skywalker who gathers his wits first, clearing his throat as he speaks: “Yes, my Master has been promised an assignment to Boz Pity. I believe you mentioned having an assortment of maps regarding the area of your command?”

  My eyes narrow, Skywalker was being awfully polite. I think a moment. Maybe one of the maps I had on the Little Revenge had some extra information. It was a recent acquisition from an impounded Sep saboteur, who had tried to break into the shipyards of Pammant and destroy the half finished Venator in drydock.

  I finally deem it necessary to speak as I nod: “I do have a map that could prove useful. A Sep saboteur had something on Boz Pity when we nabbed him. I’ll go ahead and comm my Adjutant of the 120th about sending General Kenobi a copy, though fair warning, it is probably a solid fifteen years out of date if memory serves.”

  “I will be certain to take that under consideration.” Kenobi replies.

  I nod gruffly before asking the Jedi: “Anything else you needed me for?”

  “Well we were supposed to organize a briefing on proper privateering, as you happen to have a rather cordial relationship with a certain Hondo Ohnaka.” Kenobi probes.

  I glare at the Jedi like he’s an idiot as I tap my holster, annoyed: “This conversation can go a couple ways, choose yours carefully.”

  “I mean no offense, but my Grand Padawan mentioned a certain card game.” Kenobi presses.

  I roll my eyes at the man as I speak: “Have you Jedi ever worked with Ohnaka? I know you’ve fought with and against him, but have you actually tried working with him?”

  “I’m not permitted to say we have.” Kenobi answers.

  “Well I’ll tell you this, General. I get a solid fifth of my intel from him and his network. He makes sure to sort it too, tells me the ships he’s seen, whose in command, if there’s any minelayers or auxiliary ships in system, he finds people susceptible to the credit chit, drink, smoke and spice and exploits them for anything of worth. He’ll even let me in on the rumor mill and let me tell you, the Seps hate the Jedi and you both specifically about as much as the Sep merchants hate me personally. His spy-network in the greater Tion Cluster is probably better than whatever Republic Intelligence has, because it hasn’t failed me yet. In comparison Republic Intelligence has failed me quite a number of times. So excuse me if I’m willing to make advanced payments I know the bastard is good for when he’s down on his luck after another one of his Lieutenants karked up and tried to sell your kids’ laserswords.”

  “Lightsabers.” Skywalker mutters.

  “I don’t give much of a kark what they’re called to be honest.” I reply, raising my replacement arm in annoyance, “All I know is they hurt like a slug to the chest and that I’ll be putting two of them on my heir’s holster. So in all fairness, General Kenobi, I am well aware of the risks in associating with pirates, smugglers, ne’er do wells, criminals and folk of ill repute.”

  Kenobi looks calculative. As if he had found a wound he didn’t remember getting and was poking at it to guess how bad it is. Skywalker meanwhile looks more agitated, as if I’d called him an idiot to his face. Tarkin though, he looks almost giddy, as if he’d found a couple hundred cred chits on the floor after a sandstorm.

  “I apologize, I was not aware that this was such a sore subject.” Kenobi says, his tone making the apology hollow.

  “Though it is clearly advantageous in some ways.” Skywalker says aloud, making me raise an eyebrow.

  “Anakin.” Kenobi starts.

  “Come on, Onderon managed to rejoin the Republic thanks to a certain privateer.”

  I blink in confusion a moment before the realization hits me: “So that’s why Hondo’s network went silent for a couple weeks.”

  Kenobi lets out an exasperated sigh as Skywalker continues: “So, do you think we could manage to get more privateers of such … skill?”

  “Unless you have a couple decently sized pirate gangs in your back pocket, unlikely. Ohnaka was mostly luck on my end. Maybe if we had known the war was going to happen we could have gotten more of the mercs and pirates patrolling the hyperspace lanes.”

  “A pity that.” Kenobi lies.

  Before I can continue a sensors officer whispers something to Tarkin.

  I turn to the officer: “Willing to share that report to the other officers on deck?”

  Tarkin glares at me a moment as the sensors officer, a Caridan by the accent replies: “We’ve detected Cronau radiation, sir.”

  “Are we expecting anyone?” I ask.

  “No, sir.” Comes the reply from a scheduling manager.

  “Who’s in command?” I bark.

  Tarkin takes a moment to process the question before answering: “I am temporarily in command of the station and her assigned squadrons. I believe the local Captains are in charge of the ships outside.”

  “What of Sector General Seerdon?” I ask.

  “Currently racing towards Lantillies with his command’s reinforcements as of an hour ago.” Tarkin answers, tone still cold.

  “Fleet Admiral Coburn?” I ask.

  “Currently inspecting ships at Castell, they’re bound to fortify Gizer and Taanab. He thought he could afford to miss a day of meetings.” Tarkin answers

  “Who would be the highest ranking officer here?” I mutter.

  “We don’t have any other Fleet Admirals or Sector Generals, they were all too vital to their respective commands.” Tarkin says rapid fire.

  “We have a good number of Marshal Administrators present who could take command.” I mutter. There was McClellan, myself and at least another half dozen Marshal Administrators in this star base. Plus the Jedi, Kenobi was standing right behind us, but Jedi wouldn’t know proper Navy procedure if it bit them on the ass.

  “Unknown vessel has exited hyperspace and been identified, sirs. It’s the Renown.” The sensors officer reports.

  I try and think through the ships I knew. The Renown wasn’t one of them.

  “An Open Circle vessel.” Tarkin mutters.

  “I believe it falls under Coburn’s division.” Kenobi muses as he rubs his chin.

  “Was she invited?” I ask.

  “No, sir.” comes my reply.

  “Get me the shipment log and see if the Renown is on it.” Tarkin orders.

  “Comms hail the ship, front and center on the display.” I add.

  “She’s submitting clearance codes.” A comms officer reports.

  “And?” I ask.

  “They check out for usual Carida operations and yesterday, but not for today.” The officer answers.

  “Is this entirely necessary? She could simply have been delayed.” Kenobi suggests as Skywalker walks up to the transparasteel window to try and get a look at the far off speck of a battleship.

  “A ship arrives in system unscheduled and uninvited. In a system with about a solid tenth of the Republic’s entire upper command structure and the plans for future campaigns. Not to mention dozens of Republic warships. I believe this is quite justified.” I reply.

  “Renown isn’t responding to further hails, sirs.”

  “Hail them again. Break through usual blocks and inform them if they do not halt we will be forced to board them.” I order, Tarkin nodding as he quickly skims through a datapad.

  “Onit.” Comms responds.

  “Should we go ahead and order a Venator to intercept?” I ask my fellow member of the Admiralty.

  “Best make it two.” Tarkin answers. I nod in agreement as I snatch up a comms officer.

  “Get me the two closest Venators to the Renown now. I don’t care if either or both of the Captains are asleep or dying. I want them on comms now.” I give my orders to the man.

  The ship was moving too fast for a normal supply run. Going at flank speed. That was suspicious.

  “Has the Renown returned comms?” Tarkin asks.

  “Still comms silence from them.”

  “I’ve got the Ballgown and the Lady Liberty.” A different officer says.

  “Put them on!” I bark, the forms of two Captains appearing before me. I don’t give them a chance to speak, “Captains. You are to intercept and board the recently arrived Venator Renown on account of suspicious activities. I recommend fully armed boarding teams, quick movements and fully raised shields. I recommend you both inform the Renown of your intentions, both by comms transmission and emergency light code.”

  “As you command.” The two reply before their transmissions go cold.

  “I have a bad feeling about this.” Skywalker mutters from his place at the elevated view-deck.

  My frown deepens. Jedi magics were not something to trifle with. I look over to Tarkin as I speak next: “I do not wish to do this, but it may be necessary to demand their halt or else face our fire.”

  Tarkin stops in the middle of punching something into the console: “That … may be necessary. Should we place the entire collection of ships in system on red alert?”

  “A red alert may be too extreme and could cause a panic.” I mutter before turning to a new comms officer, a Clone this time, “Comm all ships in the system. They are to raise shields to maximum and hold them in a simple drill, I don’t want any excuses, this is a spontaneous readiness and response test. There is no need to spark a panic.”

  Tarkin nods in agreement before snapping at the shield operator: “Didn’t you hear the Admiral? A shield drill. Put all available power into the shields and inform all gunners they are to prepare for spontaneous marksmanship drills within the next five minutes.”

  “Um, sir the sensors on the Lady Liberty are picking up unusual levels of … explosives in the Renown.” A comms officer says.

  “Explosives?” Kenobi questions while I and Tarkin share a horrified look.

  “Are you certain the Renown wasn’t on any data logs?” I ask.

  “Triple checked.” Tarkin replies.

  “Did we ever find out where she came from?” I ask any man on the bridge.

  An Adjutant shakes her head as another one’s hand shoots up in answer: “I just got it, sirs. Last reported seen at Bandomeer on route to Vanquo. She never arrived.”

  “Renown has gone to three quarter speed.”

  “I want your agreement in this, do we fire?” I ask Tarkin.

  Tarkin hesitates a single moment before nodding: “Contact Lady Liberty and Ballgown. They are to disable the Renown by all means. They are to fire at will.”

  “All ships in system, red alert, prepare emergency craft, but don’t launch fighters.” I bark.

  “Sir, ship launch from the Renown.”

  “Lady Liberty has fired a warning shot.”

  “We told them to open fire!” Tarkin barks.

  “Sir, I’m reading a massive power fluctuation from the Renown.”

  “So it is a bomb.” I hear Skywalker mutter in horror as the Venator begins to detonate.

  “BRACE!” Half a dozen voices bark into the bridge.

  I ignore my own advice as I rush to the comms station. My officer’s cap is thrown on the desk as I grab a spare headset. The station shudders as some of the debris makes it through the stationed forces and thuds against the shields.

  We were being hailed by every ship in system and half a dozen priority comms from inside the station. I punch in Jerjerrod’s codes so I could answer the man first.

  “Dericote, what’s going on?”

  “Unknown Venator Renown entered system. We sent two of our own to intercept, but the Renown detonated. Probably prematurely, because we’ve only suffered light damage so far. Get up here, I need your admin expertise in running rescue ops.”

  “I’m already on my way.”

  The comms go cold as I tap the Ensign to keep up, marching over to the two Jedi and Tarkin on the bridge, speaking as I do: “I’ve got a trusted Admiral, Jerjerrod, making a run for us to assist in the cleanup form whatever the kark this is.”

  “Sir, I’ve picked up a mayday transmission from a Colonel Gascon and a D-Squad? On Jedi priority comms.”

  Tarkin despite the chaos answers: “Well run him th-”

  “D-Squad?” Skywalker interrupts, “Put them on, front and center.”

  “Excuse me, but we still haven’t heard form the Lady Liberty or Ballgown, never mind-” The station shudders, interrupting Tarkin for a moment before he continues, “the dozens of other ships in system which have suffered damage.”

  “I agree. Ensign, guide the ship as you would any other, prepare a boarding team in whichever hangar bay you send them and get me the commanding officers of all nearby Venators. I want them to use their tractor beam arrays to slow the debris.” I bark as Jerjerrod enters the room at the head of half a dozen other senior officers.

  “Admirals, Generals.” The oldest man present begins, “As of this moment I am taking command of any and all rescue operations. Dericote, get your ass over to comms and take charge of the eastern ships. Tarkin, give me a play by play. McClellan, go and assist Dericote and take charge of the western ships. Launch tugs and rescue craft and begin moving the debris. Priority to any escape pods Admiral Killian I would ask you to lead the beginning stages of the investigation alongside Generals Kenobi and Skywalker here.”

  I chorus of agreement fills the room as the taxing relief effort begins.