The hatch opened and he climbed out, he stood up straight trying to stretch out his sore back. He felt a small hand brush the small of his back and he smiled. He turned around and looked down at Espah Neni. She stood there in a tight black flightsuit with long leather gloves and her flight helm tucked neatly in the crook of her elbow, her hand on her hip. She had a playful grin on her face. Awari leaned forward and placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. Her lips pursed together into a flat line, an expression of saddness, in having to be away for so long, yet one of understanding that Awari was doing his duty.
He was adjusting his command hat, as the TIE began to lift off again, making it's way into the atmosphere, he waved a goodbye and the TIE wiggled it's bent radiator panels, rolling left and right quickly. He watched as it grew smaller and smaller and disappeared into the night sky. An RA-7 "protocol" droid and walking out stiffly at a brisk pace. Awari straightened out his jacket and pulled at his gloves, making sure they were tight on his hands. He flexed his fingers feeling the leather bend and stretch over his fist, then released his grip.
"I am RA-3, I was sent by the admiral to show you to your quarters here in the palace", the droid said stoicly.
Awari was taken back a bit by the comment then said, "Here? I am to stay here in the Imperial Palace?"
It replied with the same emotionless, mechanical voice, "Yes, Commodore. You will be staying in one of the best suites in the palace. This way, sir."
As the droid turned and started to trundle towards the door, he noticed that it lacked a restraining bolt, which is odd as Imperial law states that all droids must be fitted with the device. Awari stepped up behind it and proceeded through the door. The doors slid shut sliently.
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The double doors of the suite slid open, RA-3 walked stiff-leggedly in with Awari close behind. Awari's jaw nearly dropped as he looked around at the extravagant room.
"What did I do to deserve this..." Awari thought, his mouth hanging slack in awe.
The droid said, "If you need anything, Sir, just use the comm panel near the door and a servent droid will come to your door."
Awari nodded as the doors slid shut behind the droid. He looked around the room again, taking it in. He gently grabbed onto the dark wood post of the canopy bed, and reached down gently touching the soft, deep red sheets, realizing that they are pure silk. He straightened back up and looked over at the matching wooden desk. On it sat a small computer display and a bottle of a very good vintage of Bespin Port. He set the bottle down after looking at it and decided it were best for him to goto bed.
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The door chime woke him from his daydreams as he sat at a small table eatting a light breakfast. He glanced over at the door and stood up and made his way over to it. The door slid open to reveal two men in the typical grey naval uniform.
He glanced at their ranks and said, "Hello Admiral," he saluted the one with greying hair and then nodded at the other, "Captain. Is there something you need of me, Sir?"
"It is time for your first briefing, Commodore, and we are here to show you to the correct conference room," the Captain said.
The Admiral motioned to Awari, started down the hall and Awari and the Captain took up pace at his side. He said, "Come with me, Awari, I am Admiral Kreegan. I used to be in the same place you are, a few years ago. I was in command of a regiment of Storm Commandoes, and that is why I am the one that is in charge of this briefing, and why I specifically asked for you to be here."
"Well the whole point of these next few days of briefings is to help familiarize new Commodores and Colonels with their positions. As you probably know at this point in your career, that the more rank you get the more classes you have to attend," He continued as they made there way into a lift, "But don't worry, just a few classes in the next two days, then your off to Carida for some training where you will be in command of a full regiment of troops. Not the small units you're probably used to in a Special Forces unit. But I am sure you will do fine."
The shot up the lift shaft in silence for what felt like a few minutes, but probably wasn't even that long. They stepped out and walked down a corridor into a room with a high ceiling and two lines of trees along the sides. Awari touched one of the trees as they passed, the Admiral continuing on singing his own praises of when he was in command of his unit. The tree's bark changed colors around his finger tips in a small rainbow, even through his gloves.
They continued down a few winding corridors until the reached a door with two shock troopers on either side. The Admiral walked through first with Awari right behind, and the Captain directly behind. There was a long conference table with a few random officers sitting around it, most looked at him, a few continued their quiet conversations, and one was busy pouring himself a glass of water.
The day continued on at a slow pace, a few boring classes about commanding troops that any second year cadet at Raithal would probably have already been subjected to. There were a few interspersed breaks and a lunch in the middle of the day. But it was just boring; Awari was kind of looking forward to the field exercises on Carida.
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"Your all dismissed, a Lambda shuttle will be here tomorrow to take you all to Carida," the Admiral said.
Awari stood up and picked his command cap up from the table. He nodded at a few of the fellow officers as he made his way to the door, as he stepped out one of the shock trooper stopped him.
"Commodore, we are to escort you to a meeting," the one left of the door said.
"Can you tell me where we are going, soldier?" Awari asked in reply.
The trooper said, "Confidential, sir. You will see when you arrive."
They set off down the hallway and entered a turbo lift, which shot them into the depths of the palace.
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The troopers stopped outside a set of double doors that seemed to be nearly 50 feet tall and took up positions on either side. One taped a button and they began to slowly open inward. Awari stepped forward into the cavernous room; he noticed the red gleaming armor out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head just enough to get a clear view of the Royal Guard as he continued marching forward. He made his way up to the raised dias and stopped right before the bottom step. He snapped to attention and gave a proper salute as the Emperor stood up from his chair and started to slowly make his way down the stairs.
"Hello, Commodore Wiri, it has been some time since you have been in my presence. You disappointed me back with the incident with the Rebels and the rogue Corsec. But you have since taken well to your duties and for that I congratulate you. Please, come with me, it is time for dinner. That is unless you have something more important to do..." the Emperor said in his deep, throaty voice.
"I would be honored, your highness," Awari said quickly.
The Royal Guards moved from their posts by the door and fell in in front of the Emperor, they moved towards a large side door and the Emperor followed closely behind, he motioned for Awari to come stand at his side.
"Your unit has been working spectacularly, from the reports I have received. I also heard that your executive officer is a woman named Espah Neni, an interesting choice to say the least. I think you would be wise to heed the advice that Lieutenant Commander Vichonov gives you."
Awari thought to himself, "Why does the Emperor seem so fond of Ivasaari...I will have to start to take a deeper look into it."
"But it is your unit, as long as you get the tasks I assign you completed then I will not interfere with you," he said as they passed through another set of doors into a room with a large dining table, "It looks as if you have a good unit though, keep up the good work."
The table was ringed by some of the highest ranking people he had ever seen. There were two Moffs down on the far end, there was a pair of Admirals talking quietly to each other, and even one of the twelve Grand Admirals. A few various officers and some politicians sat around the table having various conversations, all of which ended as the Emperor came in. The Emperor made his way down to the far end and took his seat as a servant droid showed Awari where to sit; they put him next to a quiet woman with red hair. She sat there in a dress quietly through out the night, not speaking too many.
The meal was probably the most eloquent one Awari had ever sat through and enjoyed it thoroughly, even though he remained mostly quiet, just watching and wondering why he was even there. As the dinner came to a close, Awari just wandered out with everyone else and made his way back to his room.
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Awari stepped up the ramp to the Lambda shuttle, behind one of the other Commodores and Colonels heading to Carida. He made his way into the main room and sat down in one of the chairs.
Admiral Kreegan stood up in front of everyone near the entrance to the cockpit, "I hope your all ready, as soon as we set down on Carida you will be escorted to your different units. Good luck, gentlemen and good training."
The Admiral sat down as the ship lifted off and shot into orbit. It quickly made its way to the jump point and made the jump to lightspeed.
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The blue of hyperspace broke down into white star lines as the ship decelerated back into normal space. The lines snapped back into recognizable stars and the ship's alarms started screaming as the ship began to rock. Awari sat up straight in his seat as he felt the G-forces tried to throw him from it. The ship rocked from shot after shot and suddenly it shuttered as a missile rammed into the side and exploded, a plasma conduit burst in the seating area and three of the officers heading to Carida melted nearly instantly. Awari shielded his face as he felt the heat radiating towards him. The ship rocked again and Awari unbuckled his restraints and stumbled his way into the cockpit. Admiral Kreegan lay dead on the floor and the pilot struggled to fly the ship but was clearly about to pass out from blood loss.
Awari jumped into the co-pilot seat and yelled back for someone to get the pilot and for someone to take his position in the pilot's chair. Awari glanced out the window and seen two Nebula-B Frigates escorted by a dozen or so Corellian Corvettes. The burning hulk of a Victory Class Star Destoryer floated away flaming, and an Imperial Class flanked by two Victories charged at the Rebel fleet in a V-Formation. He glanced down at the systems readout and noticed the engines were dying; shields were out as well as every weapon onboard. He turned the slow moving hulk of a ship towards Carida and hit the engines to their full speed, struggling to keep it on course and level, hoping to take it in for as soft a landing as possible. He snapped his restraints on in the co-pilot chair and clenched his teeth...
TO BE COMPLETED...