Wrath

[ Wrath Station, Ten Days before the Battle of Jakku. ]

Ciena Ree slowly opened her eyes as she regained feeling in her own body. Everything was in order. A small morbid smile appeared across her face as she had found that she was indeed still alive. Her escape from this life, from the Empire, was not certain. She was trapped here, she was trapped in the Empire and forced to be Loyal to a dying filthy body of worms.

She gritted her teeth as she stared at the warm blue ceiling and then paused as she felt a gloved hand rest on her shoulder. Her brown eyes instinctively glanced over towards the person who had placed their hand upon them.

Her mouth opened slightly seeing who it was. She was almost in disbelief. It was Grand Moff Rand, a man of valor and integrity. He was a man who stood tall above many officers and lacked any form of humor which accompanied his skepticism and paranoia of others.

"Sir!" Ciena shot up as she addressed him.

"At ease, Ms Ree. At ease, you're still healing," Randd seemed a bit off, acting different than usual. His voice sounded as if it was made of compassion rather than discipline and order.

He sat down across from her and stared blankly through her. "You are being promoted to the Rank of Captain and your first command will be the Inflictor," he'd casually inform her of her promotion.

He looked side to side, remotely sealed the room with the beetle-like object in his gloved right hand, then turned to look at her once again.

"Sir... It's an honor." She was blown away, her eyes were wide. At the same time, she paled slightly at this. She would have been excited about this kind of promotion had she not been disillusioned with the Empire oh so long ago.

He placed the beetle on the bedside table and looked at the girl, wondering what the other Grand Moff, Tobias, saw in her other than an exemplary officer. However seeing how she reacted to this kind of approach, she seemed bewildered and uncomfortable, but held a strong exterior. Most who didn't know her would just assume she was internally excited and gratified. He could tell that wasn't the case.

"We have follow up Orders from Grand Admiral Sloane herself," Randd stated with a stern tone of discipline which had been missing since the beginning. This was when the real thing began. "We are to defect to the Imperium during the Battle of Jakku with the Inflictor, to the Sartinaynian system."

Ciena stared at the man who sat before her, who had his hands clasped in front of him as he was hunched forward, leaning toward her. He spoke of defecting, he spoke of being ordered to defect. This was another escape from her Oath? An escape without Death?

"What's the Imperium?" Ree didn't understand why she was being ordered to defect. Not only that, but to unidentified interstellar government?

"You recall the Executor class Star Dreadnought known as the Guardian?" Randd asked as he knew she was present during the Battle of Endor. It was the Flagship of Tobias Rune, a Grand Moff birthed and educated on the planet Uyter.

In her mind that ship wasn't loyal to the Empire, it left before the Order was given. "...The Fleet that retreated before the Order was given?" She questioned with a frown across her lips.

"Yes, and the Grand Moff that commanded it freed your mother from her sentence of hard labour and moved them offworld. Even executed the planetary governor who framed your mother, live on the HoloNet, on his way out."

Blinking a few times hearing this, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tobias Rune killed a planetary governor and freed her mother? Though the potential of holding her family hostage to make sure she defected, was definitely something that came to her mind. "Am I being forced to do this by him, Sir?"

"You are being ordered to do this by Grand Admiral Sloane," Randd corrected her assumptions, "What he did was merely incentive. He's resettling them on the planet of Dantooine with a sizable estate."

Ciena didn't know whether or not to laugh or cry hearing the news that they were being settled on another planet. They went from one good for nothing planet, to an agricultural world with better resources and climate. Dantooine was a world where the climate was temperate, there were grasslands and savannas.

"I also have his orders once we rendezvous with the Grand Moff."

Ree's eyes snapped to attention as she heard him speak of already having orders from the Grand Moff. It appears that this Grand Moff outranked Randd, or at least they were in contact with one another. Her eyes then looked down towards the VIM, the beatle, which was on her bedside stand.

"Sir?" Ree looked back over to him as he waited for her to give him her attention once more.

"The Guardian is going to be made part of the New Imperium Defense Fleet, and he wants to make you its commanding officer." Her jaw almost dropped hearing this, Randd who barely ever smiled or laughed, smirked seeing her reaction.

Two promotions, one final escape without a permanent outcome. She had essentially been ordered to survive. The only thing that was itching at her, was that she was not given the reason why they were being ordered to do this.

"Sir, why are we being ordered to defect?" Ree was above curious, and he could see the change in her complexion. She was no longer pale, instead she had become vibrant. Her eyes had a spark which had been missing since he had laid eyes on her.

"For our own safety, we're on the list of expendables to the higher echelons. She wishes to see us spared and be of use to an ideal iteration of the Empire." He gave the explanation in which he was told to give. Now Randd could see why the Emperor of the Imperium wanted her, he knew she wanted to escape, that she was being suffocated by her Oath to this iteration of the Empire.

Ciena Ree now became a bit worried as a thought crossed her mind. "Sir, what about the men under your command?" He simply looked at her as she asked this. She could see the look in his eyes. He wasn't just going to abandon them.

"They've been transferred to the Inflictor, those who will follow us, that is." The Grand Moff nodded before looking out the window towards the Inflictor which was docked with Wrath Station.

Letting out a sharp sigh, he leaned back in the chair he had claimed before. "Your ceremony will be held soon. Then we will be off to Jakku."

"What about the Ravager, Sir? Why just take the Inflictor?" Ree immediately asked about the super star destroyer in which he was likely going to be left in command of during the Battle, since it was one of the few left.

"I've been ordered to detonate its reactor and send it crashing into the planet. According to Tobias, the ship won't escape the confrontation between the Empire and New Republic forces."

Hearing this foreknowledge, she pursed her lips slightly. "Oookay, Sir." Her eyes wandered over to the new olive green uniform which was pressed and ready to be worn. It was situated and folded on a nearby counter.

The VIM suddenly activated, projecting two individuals across the room as full life sized bodies. Grand Admiral Thrawn and Grand Moff Tobias Rune stood there, ironically blue in color.

Randd and Ciena Ree almost puked out blood seeing the Chiss was alive and kicking, and not only that, he was beside Tobias. "You're still alive?" Both of them gaped, staring at Thrawn.

"Hm... You weren't lying. They were surprised to see me," The Chiss sounded nonchalantly amused at the situation.

"Told you," Grand Moff Tobias scoffed as he looked over the Chiss as if he were his best friend, then looked over towards the two Imperial Officers before them. "Mission parameters are set. Now to inform you of the timeline you are following."

Ciena and Randd nodded hearing this and listened quietly.

"Once the Star Destroyer 'Punishment' commanded by Captain Groff rams into the New Republic vessel called the 'Amity,' Grand Moff Rand will transfer from the Ravager and onto the Inflictor. You have a high probability of being infiltrated by New Republic Officers. Once the Grand Moff reaches the bridge, announce your crew's defection shipwide and make a run for hyperspace." Tobias said with a light nod, assuring them of his plan. If they were to execute it just like this, the entire crew would be able to escape intact. Though their fighters would be left behind should they have launched.

"Understood, Sir." Ciena responded as she gave Randd a glance before slowly rising from the medical bed. She was wearing a hospital gown as she had been removed from her pilot gear when she had been unconscious.

Randd nodded lightly as the transmission ended, he walked over and picked the VIM off the bedside counter and made his way toward the door. He heard the fabric of the gown in the ground, but didn't look back. He walked out of the hospital room and let the pocket door slide closed.

...

[ Ten days later, The Battle of Jakku, one day after Tobias Rune's wedding. ]

The battle was raging on the ground, in the skies and above the planet. Grand Moff Randd was watching over the battle from the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer Ravager. The defenses set up by the Counselor of the Empire were holding.

However panic began to ascend through the ranks. The Empire was losing this battle. Not only were there too many enemy vessels, but his men had been worn down. It was just like he had worried prior when he was originally given the order to form up over the planet of Jakku.

This planet was going to be the death of the Empire. He knew this, he was told this. He glanced over towards the VIM which flew on over to his shoulder. It made a soft squeaking sound, a mechanical giggle.

Nodding to himself, the Grand Moff without a sound left the bridge. Many of the Officers ignored his exit. Everything was on a timer for this plan to be executed. The VIM was guiding him.

As he descended from the command structure and made his way toward the main hanger, Captain Groff was going in toward the Amity with a collision course. The amount of Officers and Troopers who were condemned to death because of its, was rather disheartening.

Just what Captain in their right mind would want to ram their ship into another? They had thousands of crewmen on board, why not just try to break away and escape? Apparently everything that Tobias had said was coming true.

He felt the explosion rock the exterior of the Super Star Destroyer, as it reverberated through the corridors. As he entered the main hangar, he watched as pilots were running for their fighters. His eyes locked onto a Lambda Shuttle which a ground of enlisted Officers were scurrying onto.

Walking towards them, he saw the panic in their faces. Yet, he didn't at all seem like he was about to discipline them for deserting amidst a battle.

"S-sir! It isn't what it loo–" A female officer was about to speak up, only to be shoved inside the Shuttle by the Grand Moff. The onlooking officers were shocked to see the man just waltz on board after ushering them inside.

He wasn't going to try and stop them? Was he deserting too?

"We're transferring to the Inflictor, it has orders to leave the system once we're on board. Any objections?" The stern man snapped as he stopped in front of the airlock belonging to the cockpit, glancing over his shoulder towards the men and women in uniform.

"No, Sir!" They all snapped to attention, learning that they were generally being given a free card to escape the massacre of Imperial Forces.

As the loading ramp closed the Shuttle would begin to rise from the hangar grounds. Suddenly the interior of the ship shook. The lights flickered.

"Ups-a-daisy," Uttered the co-pilot as she kept them steady. The vessel would break out of the main hangar as energy conduits within the massive vessel began to give way. The ship was being pulled down to the planet below by a tractor beam.

Within minutes the shuttle was clear from the Ravager's hold and made its way towards the Inflictor which was cruising away from the Ravager as the massive warship was lost. Dodging starfighters, avoiding dog fights, the shuttle would be marked by scorch marks.

The upper fin of the vessel would have been blown straight off, but the Moff continued to pilot the ship with the help of the female officer beside him. "Almost there..." Randd growled as he increased the engine output.

Going along the bottom of the Inflictor, the shuttle would pull up into the hangar and skid across the floor as its landing gear malfunctioned. Initially trapped inside, he detached the cockpit and sent it climbing down onto the main deck of the hangar.

The Officers would then proceed to disembark. A group of officers at the same time would enter the hangar. "This way!" One of the men shouted, gesturing for the Grand Moff and the fellow enlisted officers to follow after them.

"The lockdown has been initiated, Rebel troops have entered the ship! We have a short perio to get to the bridge!" Another officer shouted as the group began running back into the corridors towards the main lift to get to the upper levels.

Each level was blocked off with blast doors to make it hard for the invading rebels to make it to the bridge. The entire ship had been retrofitted with traps to slow them down, and to block them off.

Within a half hour the Grand Moff entered the bridge with the Officers behind him. Ciena smiled seeing her superior enter. The ground shook beneath their feet as heavy weapons fire clashed with the vessel's shields.

"Attention All Hands! This is Captain Ciena Ree," She took out her communicator and spoke shipwide. This immediately caught the attention of the current invaders which consisted of her star-crossed lover, Thane Kyrell

Thane stared at the ceiling as he heard this over the loudspeaker. "Ciena?" He stopped as they were attempting to slice their way through a blast door.

"The Battle has been Lost. We've been ordered to defect to the Galactic Imperium." Ree was completely unaware that Thane himself was on board the vessel He was rendered speechless by her words.

Taking out his communicator, he called up Alliance High Command. "This is Thane Kyrell from the Boarding Party on board the Inflictor, the Engine subsystems had been bypassed. They knew we were coming... And the entire crew is defecting to the Imperium, they're leaving the system!"

"So the Ravager's systems overloading wasn't a fluke!" Gial Ackbar turned towards the hologram of Thane Kyrell as soon as he heard the word Imperium. "Our sensors indicate the Agents of the Imperium are readying for a series of Hyperspace Jumps. Clear the Destroyer if you can! May the force be with you!"

Thane stared at the communicator for a moment before looking towards he rest of the boarding party. "You heard him, get going!" He shouted at the other rebel members of the boarding party to leave.

"On it!" Some of them shouted and began running back towards the way they came in. The internal weapons systems seemed to ignore them this time around however as they needed to follow a new route as the old one was cut off.

Thane however remained behind, leaning against the wall and staring at the blast door in his way which stopped him from getting to the lift that lead to the bridge.

His Adjacent stood there staring at him, "Aren't you coming?"

"She's here..." Thane smiled weakly as he looked over at them. "And she's leaving the Empire."

The Rebel Officer dimly stared at the man for a few moments before drawing his pistol, "Are you coming?" They reiterated their question with a threatening tone and a promising trigger finger.

Thane's eyes dimmed seeing this. It was likely he would be court martialed since he had showed intent on staying which could be seen as the intent to defect. Tossing the holocommunicator at the officer, who instinctively want to catch it, Thane brought up his own rifle and fired several shots.

The first three shots missed at point blank, scorching the wall behind the Officer who had dodged out of the way, rolling to the side and returning fire.

Both of them were hit in the chest with their last few bolts and collapsed against the walls. Slowly sliding down, Thane grinned stupidly, laughing at himself. It wasn't a fatal wound for him, his chest had only been nicked by the bolt, but there was still the searing pain.

His former adjacent was dead, limp and slumped over.

His eyes darted over towards the end of the hall as he heard a creaking sound. A computerized voice sounding overhead. "Structural integrity of this corridor is below eight percent. All personnel, vacate to the next section." A morbid laugh left Thane's lips as his eyes rested on the trash compactor chute nearby. "This isn't going to be fun..."