Burnt the Bridge

To Randd it felt as if the corridors of the Inflictor were taking hours to transverse. Ree and her lover walked beside one another. They didn't hold each others hands, not for the others to see. Ree had her hands behind her back, as did Thane, their right hand grasping their left wrists.

They gave each other glances when they knew no one else except for Randd who was walking behind them was looking. A small smile was across Thane's lips as Ree smiled with her eyes.

Professionalism is what Imperials took their pride in showing. It was something that Ree would always carry with her as she had never left it behind. Thane was going to join her, he was going to be by her side throughout this ordeal.

They were closer to the Hangar bay within thirteen minutes of leaving the main bridge of the Star Destroyer known as the Inflictor. Her current charge. They were leaving to board the Guardian, the Flagship of the newborn government, the Galactic Imperium.

The alarms suddenly blared. A voice shouted over the intercom, just as the trio entered the hangar bay.

"Captain! Com-scan has picked up multiple New Republic Hyperspace Vectors opening up behind us! All hands, prepare for evasive maneuvers! You have to make sure to transfer –" Just then the voice was cut off and a trembling broke out across all decks.

A Nebulon B medical frigate crashed into the back of the Inflictor's command tower a mere second after exiting hyperspace. This sent countless Imperial Officers bracing themselves against the wall or fumbling to the ground. Very few were able to keep their footing due to the violent rocking of the interior of the vessel.

The Nebulon B frigate was cripple and all hands were lost, most of its decks were either ripped apart or exposed to vacuum. The Star Destroyer however became derelict as all officers began to abandon ship following the loss of the bridge.

Ree slowly raised to her feet with the help of Thane pulling her up by the shoulder and glancing over at Randd who was still standing as he braced himself against a crate. "Lets get going..." Ree said with an urgent tone as the three rushed over towards the Lambda shuttle's open loading ramp as the pilot was getting ready to take off.

If they had waited just a moment later, they were sure they would have been left behind.

"Hangar Control, This is Corporal Ren Kel Shuttle Phi Delta, we're now leaving the Inflictor and setting course of the Guardian," The pilot said over the communications system, glancing over at the three higher ranked officers and Thane who were now seated in the other seats within the cockpit, manning the other stations.

"Acknowledged Corporal, you're clear to leave the hangar!"

The shuttle would momentarily stall before lifting off the ground slowly, retracting its landing gear as it turned around. Just as it was aimed outward from the shuttle bay, the wings would extend to either side and it would rush forward and out of the hangar.

...

The former Monarch of Naboo, Empress Sosha Soruna, and Emperor Tobias stood within the star lounge on board the Guardian. They had been watching the whole thing, a single vessel having come out of hyperspace and collide with the Star Destroyer.

Sosha stood there with a hand over her mouth, she was dressed in a flamboyant colored Imperial uniform which had a red diagonal sash and gold embroidering.

Tobias rested his hand on her shoulder as he watched three other vessels of around the same size come out of hyperspace. They were no match for what was present in the system. Though it seemed they were also rather shell shocked by the incident as well.

The New Republic Vessels which had entered the system were stagnant, staying in place. They were attempting to communicate with the wrecked vessel, but there were no life signs.

The life pods which escaped from the inflictor were heading towards the planet and other star destroyers. This wasn't necessarily something they were prepared for. They had assumed they'd be more occupied in hunting down the other Imperial factions rather than getting involved here.

However Tobias very much knew there would be people who had fought to free their systems from the Empire, only to find a new government had taken over. Taken worlds from the New Republic and brought them into their Imperial charter. The Galactic Imperium.

They saw the Imperium as yet another tyrannical faction. The only reason they hadn't opened fire is because they were panicking. The one they had followed might as well have been their ring leader.

They hadn't come here with the permission of the new Republic. This was an unsanctioned and unwarranted visitation. Freedom fighters, they still wanted the right to choose their government.

Sosha seemed to want to call his name, to address him, but it seemed she couldn't make words. Her eyes were filled with tears by the sudden loss of life, a loss which was no longer needed as they weren't at war.

That's when the Republic Ships called out on an open channel, which would broadcast throughout the Guardian's interior comm system.

"This is Vice Admiral Helix Fin, we are here to liberate the systems under your Empire's control!"

Tobias hazed out towards the vessel which had called out to them in such a manner. They had entered the system without intelligence. They didn't know their capabilities. They only assumed they'd be going up against regular Imperial vessels.

The main fleet Tobias had brought with him, had dispersed throughout the systems to protect the planets from vindictive Imperial or Rebel attacks. There weren't that many present like there had been in the Naboo system.

However, they were still dealing with the defense fleet and a Super Star Destroyer. They didn't have the element of surprise either. It seemed the hope they had died with the vessel which clashed with the Inflictor.

There was no response, no verbal response, to the Rebel vessel which be no doubt disavowed should they be recognized by the New Republic.

With that the frigates which entered the system began firing on the closest Imperial starships. It was rather ignorant of them to attack, but it seemed they had no qualms doing so. Within seconds however the Imperious test bed had already locked onto the cluster of frigates and fired a beam of blue energy.

This beam of energy ripped through their shields and pealed back their hulls. And within seconds this small attack force was brought to an end with all hands destroyed. Their only message, their threat and empty promise, was kept as evidence of self defense.