This story doesn't relate to the VE, nor is it historically accurate concerning the New Imperium, but I felt the urge to write, and this is what came out. It'll take several posts to finish, but eventually I will. 
It still needs some work, but here's the first draft I'll go over it before writing more. --Am
...Six Months Ago, Vectur Construction Platform in orbit of the Planet Vectur, Varnus System...
"Captain Gaius"
"Yes sir." Gaius stood at attention. He recognized his friend and mentor, Fleet Admiral Dogar, commander of the Varnus Shipyards.
"At ease" The two shook hands, "Walk with me Gaius." The two started walking down the seemingly endless corridor. Dogar took a deep breath and spoke, "Gaius, I've been meaning to bring this up, and now seems as good a time as any. There are going to be some changes around here, very soon."
"Yes sir" Change wasn't always bad, but it wasn't always good either. Gaius had had his share of change in the last year, ever since he lost his ship. The
Lightning, a Victory-Class Star Destroyer, had been lost at the Battle of Erebria, seventeen months ago. It had been Gaius' first command, coinciding with his promotion to Captain. The Lightning had been part of a small task force sent to the Erebria System to facilitate the evacuation of the Imperial Embassy on Erebria Prime. Upon entering the system, they were ambushed by several Alliance heavy cruisers, a captured Imperial Interdictor, and a multitude of smaller frigates and cruisers. While the odds were against them, Gaius and his Imperial comrades had put up a good fight. They had bought enough time for seven of the eight shuttles transporting Imperial diplomats and personnel to get out of range of the Interdictor's artificial gravity well and enter hyperspace.
He could remember standing on the bridge of his ship, watching, horrified, as one by one, each of the Lightning's sister ships succumbed to the Alliance onslaught. The VSD
Enslaver was the first to go, followed by the
Repulsor, and the
Enrager. The battle had ended with the destruction of the VSD Lightning. Of the thousands of Imperial personnel on board, only seventy nine survived. Gaius, determined to fight to the end, had left in his personal shuttle, only moments before the Lightning's reactor went critical, but only because his Communications Officer had hit him over the head with a piece of conduit, and carried him to the hangar.
Upon his recovery, Gaius was assigned to the Vectur Shipyards as an Operations Manager. It was a major blow to his career, and his self esteem. While he had tried to perform his duties as best he could, he knew that his performance in the last few months had been less than exemplary, but he just couldn't muster the motivation to improve.
He had been in command of a starship, and he would never be satisfied until he was back in that position.
"Captain" Dogar's voice softened, "Gaius, at the end of the week, you're being relieved of your position and responsibilities as Operations Manager, and are being reassigned."
"Oh no... I'm being mothballed" Gaius thought, but kept his mouth shut, not trusting himself to speak. He had given the New Imperium to much of himself to be treated like this, but there was simply nothing he could do other than accept his fate.
"I'll need your final report a bit earlier than usually, as well as your security clearance card."
"Sir" Gaius spoke, determined to keep his voice steady. He pushed the sadness, and then the anger, out of his mind. "I just want to say I appreciate everything you've done for me over the past several years. I haven't taken your counsel, nor your help lightly. If this is to be the end of my career as an active and productive Imperial Officer, I would just like to say that is has been an honor serving with you, sir."
Dogar smiled, "Likewise my friend. Having you here the past year has been a big help to me."
Something was wrong. Dogar didn't seem the least bit saddened by the recent turn of events. His smile gave Gaius an uneasy feeling. "Thank you, sir."
"You'll report to the main hangar bay Friday morning at seven hundred hours for your transfer orders. Dismissed"
Gaius snapped to attention, did an about face, and headed on his way. The end of his career notwithstanding, he still had a job to do, and he could do it for the next two days.
"Something is badly wrong here" He thought.
"Dogar's not acting like himself. He'd never brush me off like that."
The next two days were a blur of activity. Gaius had cleaned out his office, said his farewells, and turned in his security card. Thursday night, he sat on the bed in his quarters, and looked around the room that had been his home for the last sixteen months. Just the day before, it had served as his vacation spot, his meditation chamber, and a showcase for his numerous medals and awards. Now all that remained were barren walls.
The next morning he had trouble getting out of bed, which was very unusual for him. He dreaded to discover what awaited him in the hangar bay. As he made his way through the installation toward the hangar bay, he stopped at a large view port facing the interior of the facility, referred to as the space dock. There sat a newly finished Imperial-Class Star Destroyer; one of the newest Mark III designs. For several minutes he stood there, taking in the magnificence of the ship.
"She'll be due for commissioning soon. The Officer who gets her will be one lucky man." He thought. After a moment he continued on his way.
As he entered the cavernous hangar, he was taken aback at the sheer number of people it contained. There were perhaps a several thousand people in the hangar, all standing at attention. As Gaius made his way along the side wall toward the only shuttle he could see, he recognized some of them. Some wore the uniforms of maintenance personnel, others enlisted, and many were officers.
"To be shoved aside is bad enough, but to have this happen, today of all days..."
Gaius thoughts were interrupted by a booming voice over the comm system. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the commissioning ceremony for the newest warship in the fleet, the Imperial Star Destroyer
Stormwatch." He was now within fifty feet or so of the platform that contained a dozen or so dignitaries.
No one seemed to notice the lone officer, slowly walking toward the shuttle on the right side of the hangar. As he approached the shuttle, he was surprised to find that there was no one there to greet him, or give him his orders.
"They're probably watching the ceremony" He thought. He paid little attention as the speaker introduced the long list of dignitaries, recognized the various departments, and spoke at length about the capabilities of the ship. After a few moments, his mind began to drift back to his last few hours on board the Lightning. He remembered frustration he'd felt when he had realized that he was in a no-win situation. He even remembered the look on one of his bridge officer's face as he ordered a collision course with the nearest Alliance cruiser.
His trip back in time was cut short by a different voice coming over the comm system. He recognized it as Fleet Admiral Dogar. "And now, it gives me great pleasure to present the new commanding officer of the Stormwatch. Please welcome... Captain Alexin Gaius!"
Gaius had turned his head so sharply when he heard his name that he could feel a slight pain at the base of his neck. He stared in disbelief at Dogar, who was standing behind the podium smiling. As he made his way toward the platform on rubbery legs, he looked around at those gathered for the event. All eyes were on him. He didn't remember walking up the stares to the platform, but he suddenly found himself standing at attention, directly in front of Fleet Admiral Dogar.
"Captain Alexin Gaius, for your unwavering dedication and service to the New Imperium, I hereby promote you to the rank of Commodore, and transfer command of the Imperial Star Destroyer
Stormwatch to you. Congratulations, Commodore Gaius." With that, the entire assembly erupted into thunderous applause...
...The Present, Somewhere in the Outer Rim...
"Why is he here? This seems to be nothing more than a routine patrol. And why an Admiral?" Commodore Alexin Gaius wondered.
Although his curiosity had been piqued when he'd learned that an Admiral would be accompanying them on this mission, he had also felt great frustration at having to submit to a commanding officer on board his own ship. He was used to taking orders. He'd done it for years, but ever since his promotion to a command position six years prior, the orders had always come down the chain of command, and the details were left to him.
"Not this time." He thought.
"Admiral on the bridge." Immediately the entire bridge crew snapped to attention, as this was the Admiral's first visit to the bridge since arriving by shuttle two hours before.
"At ease." The main replied, making the long trip across the command level to where the Commodore and the executive officer stood.
Gaius studied the man as he approached. He had a stocky build, dark hair, and a tanned face. To Gaius he looked no older than thirty, but there was something about him that exuded experience and intelligence. The way he carried himself, his facial expressions, his eyes.
"Commodore Gaius. Xar Kerensky." The Admiral said, extending his hand.
"A pleasure to meet you sir. This is my executive officer, Commander Gene Rytor. Welcome to the Stormwatch." Gaius replied, shaking the man's hand.
"I'll get right to it Commodore", Kerensky said, ignoring the extended hand of the XO. "You have new orders. Set a new course for the Erebria system immediately."
"Yes sir." Replied Gaius, nodding to his XO, who moved toward the
crew pit. He could already hear his XO issuing the order.
"Helm, set course for the Erebria System, prepare for hyperspace jump..."
Gaius turned his attention back to Kerensky, "Admiral, if I may ask, what is our mission?"
"Search and rescue. We will be under communications blackout starting immediately. No transmissions of any kind. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir, perfectly. I'll take care of that now." Gaius couldn't figure the man out. Communications blackout on a search and rescue mission? He'd been an Imperial officer for many years, and in all that time, he'd never had a mission like this. He also knew that it had to be of an extremely sensitive nature. He knew that much just because of the Admiral's presence on ship. But a communications blackout made him nervous. Yet he would carry out his orders with the professionalism he had come to take pride in.
"And Commodore," Kerensky was now walking toward the exit to the rear of the bridge, "we will meet in your office at six hundred hours tomorrow morning for your mission briefing"
"Very good sir" Gaius said quietly. The more he thought about it, the tighter the knot in his stomach became.
To be continued...
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--Am
