10.050 A New Dawn - Remembrance

[Admiral Holt]

A whistle sounded and the crew of the Formidable stood to attention. The unfamiliar hushed silence of the old ship haunted each member of her crew. For the last year she had been their home and their life. Now a shattered hulk floating in space near Dac's moon, the Formidable was carrying out her last mission, her decommissioning. Admiral Holt walked out onto the Bridge for the last time looking over the men and women who he had come to call family. Proud and dedicated these few survivors of his crew saved the Formidable when many other crews would have abandoned her.

"Admiral on Deck!"

Commander Dorna Forlon shouted as he entered the massive room. He smiled at her then looked down the line at the faces of each and every one of his command crew. All proud of the sacrifice they and their lost crew mates had given for the Alliance, Admiral Holt and for the Formidable. Holt walked up to a podium which had been placed at the head of the bridge. Behind him the forward view port was a panoramic image of A battered and lifeless ship. Further out more ships sat lifeless in space spending their final days as warships awaiting just such a ceremony. In the Back Admiral Reshmar stood watching the affair. He had made she each and every decommissioning had been time so he could attend. The Supreme Commander was flanked to his left and right by other admirals and captains, all of which had themselves carried out the task now before Holt.

The Battle at Duro had been a win for the Alliance. It gave them the momentum they needed to usher in a new era and create a peace between the Empire and Alliance. The Last few months had been a dizzy spiral of events which most of the fleet had missed. Small elements had finished what the main fleet started at Duro. Many of the ships of the fleet that had survived the Battle of Duro had been too damaged in those months to assist any operations leading up to the final attack on the Empire.

The galaxy was different now. The atmosphere had changed. They all lived in what analyst's and historians were calling a Cold War. Looking out at his crew and the officers of the Alliance Navy, the war seemed anything but cold. Fire burned inside each and every officer and crewman there. The war which many said was over still lingered on the bridge of the Formidable. Her shattered bones seemed to call out to Holt for one last battle. The eyes of his crew beckoned him to give the order to attack. The line of captains and admirals along the back wall looked as if they too were waiting for something or someone to say lets go. But this was not to be so. The time for war was lost and peace was now the battle which each and every member of the newly formed Alliance Defense Force must stive to wage. In the back of his mind Holt knew this was a lie. In every shipyard in orbit and in factory on every industrial world in Alliance Space New machines and tools for war were being forged. Fleet production had been boasted seven hundred percent with the formation of the Alliance of Free Worlds. Small Arms production had skyrocketed to fill the hand of millions of new Security and Defense personnel now flooding in. In this time of peace the Alliance was more ready for war than it had been since the fall of the republic. Holt ran all this through his mind then stepped up to the podium to speak.

"As I sat last night I had very mixed emptions about this. The Formidable had only been my home for the last year. Before her the Courageous had been my home. I have served on many ships and with many crews in my forty years of military service. In all that time this is the first ship I have had to walk away from who still had fight left in her. Still had a crew to man her. She has been a home to many of you, a burden to some, and for more than we would like to remember a tomb. Even now as we are assembled here many of our friends and crew mates still lay lifeless inside her shattered hull. Sections of the ship, I am told, wont be accessible for months to come. This day is meant to say good bye to this fine lady we have come to love and hate. But in the end the Formidable is only a ship. Her name will be used again for a new ship. You her crew will move on and make another your home. But for those thousands of men and women down in the damaged hull; this is and will forever be their home. So today I am here to praise them and their sacrifice. For the Formidable the fight is over, she will be scraped and used to make new warships, New weapons. And with each new ship or tank, or gun made from her hull the souls of her fallen crew will live on. Look out beyond me at each and every ship out there. On ever frigate, and every cruiser our brothers and sisters. Our wives and husbands. Our fathers and mothers are there. Forever defending the Alliance they gave all to forge."

Holt turned to look out at the motley mix of damaged ships orbiting Dac's Moon. Many were still repairable, many beyond salvage. They Rebel Alliance was gone, with it so goes the Rebel fleet. Now the Alliance of Free Worlds had been born and with it the hopes and future of each and every surviving crew member of those fine warships.

[Reshmar]

Reshmar Stood at the top of the ramp looking out at the hanger of the Formidable. At the base of the ramp Admiral Holt stood looking out at the now empty ship. Holt turned and walked up the ramp, as he reached the top Reshmar placed his hand on Holt's Shoulder. Like Holt Reshmar had never de-commissioned a ship that was repairable. It seemed such a waste. He was told the super structure had fractures and the ship was just too far gone to feasibly repair. That is what he had been told. He knew it come down to the cost. The Alliance was less than three months old and the bean counters had already started working on trimming the fat of military spending. In a way he could not argue, it would cost more to repair the Formidable than to build two of the new class Star Destroyers. Holt and Reshmar turned and took their seats in the last row of the shuttle. The door hissed shut as the pressurization release locked in place and sealed the ramp shut. Holt took out a data pad and signed it and handed it to his aid. The Formidable was no more. Her name was going to be recycled and used for one of the new class ships being built at Hast. Holt sat back and relaxed and turned to Reshmar.

"Lets go get a drink old friend."

[Reshmar]

"Five minutes till touch down on Hikahi supreme commander."
A voice came over the com, Reshmar knew it was Commander Forlon. She sounded so much like her father most of the time. Stern and to the point. She was turning out to be one of the best new officer in the fleet. Reshmar would never tell Willam that though. He would never hear the end of it. It was already my daughter this and my daughter that. Holt had been quiet the entire trip planet side. Reshmar had left him to his thoughts and instead chosen to look over the rest of his days itinerary. The five minutes went by quickly and a thud fallowed by a soft hissing sound indicated they had landed. Reshmar put away his personal data pad and unbuckled his safety strap and stood. Holt sat quietly for a moment then fallowed suit.

"Admiral, May I get a rain check on that drink? I want to get started on finalizing 1st fleets deployment assignments and have them ready for you tomorrow morning."

Reshmar smiled at Holt and nodded. He knew the man was tired. He had been working on the Formidable for the last thirty six hours getting her ready for the ceremony.

"Very well Admiral Holt, I will see you in the morning."

Reshmar let Holt slip by and walk down the ramp into the bright Dac sun. The breeze blowing in through the hatch was moist and fresh. Reshmar had been away from home since before the battle of Duro. It seemed so long ago, like years had passed. But it had only been nine months. Nine of the longest months of his life. He stepped out of the shuttle and onto the firm landing pad of Hikahi. For as far as the eye could see there were towers and Spires reaching a kilometer into the sky. In the distance Reshmar could see the defense spire raising up out of the water like some mythical creature bent on destroying the city. It was nearly five kilometers away but he could make out te small specks of speeders flaying around it and the other buildings of Hikahi city. A human page walked up and took the small satchel Reshmar had been carrying and motioned for him to fallow. Reshmar had known Lieutenant Kent for many years but he could not remember the last time he had seen the man. He was not the star ship type. He chose to work planet side as much as his assignment permitted. Reshmar walked across the landing pad and boarded the transport taking him and the other officers to the Defense Spire.

The ride only took a couple of minutes but Reshmar took advantage of each and every second to look out at the city and his home world. The speeder rose abruptly and docked itself into a small cove inside the spire near the top. Reshmar broke his gaze from the city and watched the other leave the speeder. The door hissed shut and only he and Kent. The Speeder broke free of the tower then descended at neat dizzying speed to a hanger located at the base of the tower. The command entrance was nearly a hundred meters below the main levels of the city. Heavily patrolled and defended only the most senior fleet command members even knew it existed. A secret kept by all who did. The door hissed open and Reshmar and Kent walked down a long corridor to the turbolift at the end. No less than seven check points and security stations flanked the hallway. As they reached the Lift a large probe extended and scanned the two officers DNA.

"Confirmed. Welcome Supreme Commander."

The monotone droid voice greeted them then opened the door. The lift was small. Barely large enough for the two of them. It made a clank them began moving. Slowly at first them more rapidly as it descended. The lift ride took longer than the speeder trip over from the star port. The lift slowed and braked to a stop. The doors slid open and like something out of a holo drama a new world lay before them. The Dome extended several hundred meters out away from the lift in all directions. Large Support arched extended up two hundred meters from the base of the dome and met at the center point where what seemed to be a star sat. The large luminous source lit the dome and the surrounding sea like Daca itself. In the distance a small city of desks and offices and holo projector tables lay before him. A city that did not exist. A city only the few who lived here and the highest ranking Defense Force personnel know of. Kent smiled as he looked at the awe on Reshmar's face.

"Welcome to the Alliance of Free Worlds Fleet Command Supreme Commander. What do you think."

Reshmar took in the new facility and smiled back at Kent.

"It will do Lieutenant."

[General Forlon]

Dorna Forlon stood looking at the door to her fathers quarters. Upon her arrival at the defense tower she has promptly been sent back into orbit and to her fathers flagship. This had been the first time she had been aboard the War Eagle, It was old but the look and feel of the ship was one of the few new line ships she had been aboard since the battle of Duro. It seemed much of the interior of the War Eagle was updated to modern standards. Even the paint on the ship looked new. She pressed the button and waited for a response.

“Come In”

General forlorn said as the door chimed. He had been finishing up his daily reports and had one last appointment for the day. The door to the War Eagles command berth slide open and Commander Forlon walked in. She wore the rank and insignia of a commander in the newly reorganized Alliance Defense Force. She walked across the room and stood at attention when she reached the generals desk.

“Commander Forlorn reporting as ordered sir.”

She looked sharp and wore her uniform with pride. General Forlon looked at his daughter and as hard as he tried to fight it a swelling of pride overcome him. He looked at her and saluted back.

“At easy Commander, please sit.”

Dorna Forlon relaxed and sit in the chair across from her father. She hated being in his office she had tried her best to separate herself from him and his influence in the Alliance Navy. She had even passed up a command he had recommended her for. Now she was here before him, the great General Forlon, and she knew she would not like the reason. The two sat for a moment looking at each other. An uncomfortable silence filled the office. Willam Forlon looked down at the data pad before him. It scrolled data and information on his daughter and her carrier under Admiral Holt. She had been given the highest marks at the fleet training center on Dac, and a long list of other awards and achievements. She was the consummate solider and commander. That is why she was in General Forlorn office. He had been ordered to give her yet another reward for her performance. She would not like it, he knew, but Reshmar insisted he be the one to pass on the news to his daughter.

"How was the Decommissioning ceremony?"

Willam started of with something less official which surprised Dorna. She thought of her answer for a moment.

"It was respectful. Admiral Holt seems to find the right words for every instance. He was noticeable upset."

General Forlon nodded then slid a data pad across the desk.

"I would have been there but someone had to keep working."

There was the man Dorna knew as her dad. Gruff and serious in his words and actions. Never relaxing for anything. She picked up the data pad and looked it over.

"Are you serious?"

Shock overtook her as she read more. She scrolled down and there it was For actions and performance in the line of duty Commander Dorna Forlon is now promoted to the rank of Captain with all rights and responsibilities of said rank. Effective immediately. Dorna looked up at her father and sat the pad back on the table.

"Permission to speak freely sir?"

Willam nodded an affirmative nod and waited for his daughters response.

"Why were you the one to do this? Was this your work?"

Willam set a grim look on his face and remembered his little girl as she was so long ago. It is no secret ha had tried to help her and her rise through the ranks. But she fought him at every turn. He knew she wanted the promotion and knew if she thought for a minute he had anything to do with it that she would probably decline.

"This was all Holt and Reshmar Dorna. I had nothing to do with this. Reshmar gave me the order to present this to you. So that is what I am doing. Why he wanted it this way I do not know. To tell you the truth much of what is going on in that fish brain of his is a mystery to me. But he knows what he is doing so who am I to question this order."

Dorna thought about what her father had said. She was not sure she believed him but she was could to attempt to. She looked over the data again as her father spoke again.

"You are to report to Admiral Reshmar at Fleet command. I believe a lieutenant Kent will meet you once you get back to Hikahi You are dismissed Captain Forlon."

Dorna stood and turned to walk away. As she neared the door her father spoke again.

"Dorna, wait. Please know I had nothing to do with this. If it was me this would have been a promotion to admiral. I am so proud of you baby. Please believe that."

Dorna paused and thought about her father. They had not been close since she was very young. They had bumped heads on every occasion they worked together but through it all he had supported her. Without turning she replied. As the hatch swished open.

"Thank you daddy."