The Dark Star Gambit

[Wolfgang Schreiger]

(Continued from <a href=http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21030>here</a>)

Listening post "Satyr" was isolated in one of the more perilous points in the galaxy. The cosmic graveyard known as the Maw Cluster was a gravitational nightmare, creating singularities, eddy currents, and other interstellar phenomenon that most star pilots avoided like the plague. However, under the cover of its inhospitable void, it made for an excellent proving ground, for those who were determined enough to establish operations within its dangerous nest of black holes.

"Satyr" was a five man post, positioned on a static planetoid that sat outside the Maw perimeter's gravitational effect. Thus, it was an ideal lookout. When the renegade warship "Hope" approached, Satyr's Holonet transmitter went to work. Deep within the cluster, the Imperial proving grounds station was brought to full alert. It was the second of two visitors in the past day...and just as peculiar as the first. Captain Nyad watched the data fill his command bridge, as the general bustle on the station increased.

"Come again, Satyr?" He demanded.

"Captain, the identification is positive. It is Gue's warship." The ensign's brow showed glistening perspiration.

Nyad stroked a well-manicured mustache. "Very well. Inform Governor Schreiger of this incident, as well as Captain Trevelan, and prepare defenses."

The order was given. Fortunately, Maw was an ideal position to defend. Due to the nature of the region, there were only a handful of approach lanes to the station...and only one with the girth to accomodate an Imperator Star Destroyer. Maw station's two squadrons of TIE Bombers were prepared for flight, while at the same time, the Nebulon cruisers "Thane" and "Vandal" were deployed, moving in a direction that led them away from both Maw station and the approaching Star Destroyer. Now, only a pair of corvettes, numerous freighters, and the Victory Star Destroyer "Polis" stood ready to defend the station.

[Daren Trevelan]

Such a magnificent sight they were, over two hundred stormtroopers all standing in perfect order, all with their rifles to their chests, all ready to move on Daren's order. But rather he simply stood there monitoring them, as still as they were. But as the captain stared at the infantry a cold shiver ran up his back, both of pride and from the fear those armored soldiers could instill in any man. The stormtroopers stood as still as statues, and they reminded him of exhibits of armor lined up within a museum. If he did not know better, he would have thought they were just that!

One could not even hear the silent breathing the troopers portrayed, and he knew there and then that both the Diktat and the Emperor could not have chosen better shock troops for the Galactic Empire. Captain Trevelan glanced down at his datapad in hand, he was preparing to make a role call of the stormtroopers, to find out who was here and who was either being lazy or sick.

"Lieutenant Jeletson," he said, and one of the soldiers in the front row stepped forward, nearly silently save for the quick taps of his boots. "Thank you." The stormtrooper stepped back in line, the glare returning off his pale white armor.

"Lieutenant-," Daren was suddenly cut off as his vice entered leaned in to whisper something in his ear.

"Sir we are receiving a priority signal from the Maw Installation, would you like to take it?" he asked, causing Daren to give him a presumptuous stare. He then handed over the datapad and nodded, turning to leave the hangar bay of the Odysseous to head off to the bridge.

"Take role call for me, I'll go take it," he called over his shoulder, and the vice, giving him a sidelong glance, sighed, hating to give role call, but he did so without question. Imperial officers never questioned authority.

Meanwhile Daren rode the turbolift directly up to the bridge, making his way for the comm station immediately. There one of the manyo fficers were waiting to give him the news.

"It appears they want us to go to the Maw sir," one of the officers said before the captain could even ask his question.

How peculiar, whatever could be wrong? "Give me a signal with Moff Schreiger, I'll wish to speak with him personally about this," the captain ordered, winning a nod from the officer. When the link was up, he leaned forward to speak as clearly as possible, as it was an audio only transmission, making it harder for any listening in to trace it back.

"Greetings sir, I am sorry to trouble you but I am receiving a priority signal from the Maw Installation, and am clearing it for security reasons, afterall I don't want to be chasing ghosts. Is it safe to assume you want me to jump?"

[Wolfgang Schreiger]

Schreiger had retired to his study in Theed palace, taking headache medicine with a glass of aged brandy. He sighed, pressing a moist towel to his forehead. Gue wasn't an enemy. He was a nuissance. An enemy could bring out the best in Schreiger, as well as all the pomp and regality of formal battle. But as a nuissance, Gue was the fly in his soup, the spot on his fork, the scratch on the roof of his mouth. There was nothing pleasant about the coming conflict, except to know that he would suffer for his stupidity. Schreiger took another long gulp of brandy, shooing away his butler as a subordinate officer entered his study, saluting crisply. Schreiger sighed, sitting up in his deep leather seat, putting the towelette away.

"Yes, Commander...report."

Commander Danet cleared his throat, not missing a beat. "Incoming message from the Odysseous, sir."

Schreiger bade him forward with the comm, then shooed him away with a wave of his hand. He opened the channel:


"Greetings sir, I am sorry to trouble you but I am receiving a priority signal from the Maw Installation, and am clearing it for security reasons, afterall I don't want to be chasing ghosts. Is it safe to assume you want me to jump?"


Schreiger nodded.

"Yes Captain. We have a positive sighting of Gue's warship at the perimeter of the cluster. He has tried my patience for the last time. Prepare to dispatch immediately to Maw Facility. Shadow his flank around the singularities. I want to dispense just enough rope to him so that he may hang himself. Understood?"

[Daren Trevelan]

A silence bestowed the crew of the Odysseous, they knew the treacherous Maw well, too well. When Daren had first taken up command of the Star Destroyer it was because the last commander had taken joy trips too close to the insatiable field of gravitic anomalies. But that did not matter.

He had been given an order and therefore was going to carry through with it. "Yes sir," the captain responded, "IMS Odyessous out."

Daren gazed back at those behind him, and nodded his head, his unwavering loyalty to the Empire kicking in then.

"Well you heard the man, let's get this bucket 'o bolts to the Kessel system."

Moments later it had accelerated itself into hyperspace, and was making its way to the Kessel system. Later it would exit, and would begin its decent toward the vicious holes.