Empire's End (1): Fallen Order [Imperials Open - Ask First]

[The Legate]

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[Mustafar Space - Aboard the Retribution Class SD - The Athanation]​

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Ripping itself from the rippling light of hyperspace, the long grey silhouette of an old Retribution Class Star Destroyer - the venerable first line of the First Order Empire - slipped into real space just near Mustafar. The star destroyer was old, but well kept, and almost had an air of a relic. In the early days of the First Order, under the supreme command of [member="Aram Kalast"], the Retribution was the front line ship of the fledgling imperial scion of the elder Galactic Empire. Now, like its order, it had fallen. But, the zeal of imperial might and will to enforce order still lingered in dim embers in parts of the outer rim and mid-rim worlds.

Such an ember had been quietly burning in the darkness of the outer rim. This remnant of a greater power, manifested as the masters of the Athanation - the Immortals as its name was translated - a symbol of the immortal imperial will. The master of the star destroyer had been a shadowy figure in the early days of the First Order's expansion, supporting it's industry and diplomatic missions from afar. Now, with the Order gone, it had revealed itself. The Athanation was one of the cluster of remnant warships under the command of the mysterious Lord Basileus and his steel faced representative and master of arms - The Legate.

On the bridge of the star destroyer, the Legate stood with her arms clutched behind her back and standing as quiet as death watching the burning ball of Mustafar edge closer and closer. She wore a black helmet, an imperial red tunic, and black cape. Approaching behind her across the main isle that towered over the sunken navigation equipment pit was the warship's captain, Vice-Admiral Ramabra Rahl.

"We have hailed the Master Ren as you commanded, Legate," he coolly announced, "And your transport is ready."

"Then we shall begin," replied the Legate, still keeping her helmet pointed at Mustafar. Her voice was modulated. It was deep and electronic but, yet still betrayed its original feminine tones.

"My Lord has instructed that we stay in the parameter and continue to broadcast the Imperial beacon while our negotiations are being conducted with Master [member="Kyrel Ren"]."

"As commanded it is being broadcasted," said Rahl. "But, Legate."

The Legate turned her head so that the edges of her red beaming visor meet his blue eyes. "Yes? Vice-Admiral?" she said.

Rahl took a breath and swallowed the hesitation caught in his throat. "Its an old beacon. From the dawn of the Order. It's just a coded rally point alarm. Who would even remember it?"

The Legate fully turned and took a step closer to Rahl. "Those who are worth our endeavors. Vice-Admiral. Keep that beacon on." she growled.

"Yes Legate," Rahl relented.

The red imperial then stepped aside and passed Rahl walking down the platform. "I will inform our Lord of our arrival. Have the fighters on patrol now."

Before Rahl could confirm the order, the Legate was already gone passing into a turbolift.

* * *​

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Deep in the bowls of the Athanation, was a hexagonal chamber walled with black durasteel and illuminated by strips of red lights embedded in at the points the walls would meet. At the center was a deep chasm with a single gangway that reached an elevated platform that sat on a fat pillar that rose from the depths.

Entering this chamber, the Legate marched down the gangway and stopped just before the central platform. She knelt and bowed her head. "We have arrived, my lord." she said.

As her greeting faded, a massive hologram bubbled from nothing and stood onto the platform. It towered over the Legate, appearing like a massive giant. It tilted it's head down and watched the Legate as rippling waves of static distorted its already shadowy image. From what of the ghostly visage was recognizable the, the towering lord wore an elaborate military tunic and a steel mask that occurred his face.

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"Good, my Legate," the hologram echoed. "It is key that this Master of the Ren be persuaded to enter an alliance with our organization."

"It will be done, my lord." the Legate said.

"No doubt you will succeed. Legate," he continued. "In order for a new Imperial realm to be forged the right assets and powers of the old order must be consolidated. Once the Ren have agreed to an alliance we will proceed with Phase 2 of our plans."

"I trust your offering to the Ren is ready?" he said.

"Yes my lord." Legate responded, "The data we acquired from the raid into the Pax Alpha System as been prepared for the Ren."

"Excellent," the hologram howled, "Then go my Legate. Make my will known. And let us begin the difficult work of reforging this shattered fallen order."

"As you command, my lord." the Legate said bowing even deeper.


[member="HK-42"]

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[HK-42]

Time: 1230
Location: Mustafar System
Current Task: Standard Planetary Defensive Formation

It had been a while since the Droid Army was first utilized on Vanquo and proven to be effective in a ground combat situation. Since then, Grievous had not heard of anything from the group of Droids he met on the planet, only meeting the Commando Droid that took part on Mustafar to give him a personal Gunboat before he left. With that, Grievous decided to return to Mustafar and have a basic Defensive Blockade around the planet, with his Battle Cruiser being the center piece of the Blockade.

For the General, He assumed most people did not know of the First Order Remnants still clinging on to the Galaxy, rebuilding their strength through a Droid Army. So it came to a bit of a surprise when an old Retribution-Class Star Destroyer had arrived out of hyperspace into the system, as Grievous wasn't even on the Bridge when it arrived. He had to be alerted by a TM-3P0 unit of its arrival, only for the General to then have to frantically make his way up to the bridge, where he would meet the additional TM-3P0 unit in charge of the Bridge while he was away.

"What's the Situation, Captain?" Grievous spoke with a clearly upset tone, with the Captain in Question pointing to the Retribution Destroyer, only just arriving no more than five minutes ago. "The Retribution-Class Star Destroyer does not have its weapons charged for combat, nor do they have their Shields raised for Combat as well. They are also broadcasting an Old Imperial Beacon, the codes dating back from when the First Order's Records began. They have not made any attempt to contact us." "Hail them. I want to speak to their Commanding Officer Personally."

The Captain nodded to some droids at a communications control station on the Bridge, and as the transmission sent to the Star Destroyer began, Grievous let out a recording and acted with the same Cough the Original General Grievous was known for in the last remaining months of the Clone Wars. "This is General Grievous, General and Commanding Officer of the First Order Droid Army. State the name of your highest ranking personnel on the Bridge, your Ship Clearance Codes, and an explanation unto why you are daring to set foot in my System with an outdated First Order Beacon."

[member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="The Legate"]

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Kyrel was secluded on the fiery world. He had spent weeks if not months fortifying the world, from the Fleet that had fled Dosuun to the newly built Gahenn Droid Foundry. But truth be told even with the help of Grevious and Admiral Caine. He was alone the Empire that he had once served now all but reduced to a few remnants that remain scattered across the Outer Rim, the future did not bode well. He would need years if not decades to see such grand visions he had planned through. But now he had to admit to himself that he was lost. Stuck on a path to nowhere. Even with the tests he had been given news of were overall successful. Battle Droids and the power of the dark side was not enough, he needed resources, funding, and to rally people to his cause if he hoped to bring order to the Outer Rim, and most of all make all of his enemies pay. From Tanomas Graf's band of traitors in the Core to the Alliance in Exile.

But even than he was now a weapon that had no master, he spent all of his life serving one master.. Sieger Ren and now the Supreme Leader had all but vanished. He no longer had a Master he answered to, for now it was the servant boy who became the Master, and even with the power to shape his own destiny he felt lost, he remained secluded within Fortress Vader hardly coming out, deeply invested in his meditation into the dark side searching for an answer. If the Force would guide him unto a new path.

It was than that Admiral Caine contacted him, the elder red headed woman cleared her throat to address Kyrel breaking his meditation at the dark side nexus. "Yes Admiral what is it?" She looked at him with a cold stare before going on. "Lord Kyrel we have intercepted a lone Imperial Retribution emerging from the other side of the planet. It seems to be giving off an old Imperial beacon. Dating back decades to the beginnings of our great empire."

Before he spoke Kyrel was intrigued by the idea, he would rather speak to the new comers themselves, rather than go through that of a proxy. "Very good Admiral leave that to me, keep the fleet on the other side of the planet and I will deal with them myself." The Admiral bowed and her blue holographic form vanished, leaving Kyrel to send out his own transmission to that of the vessel that mysteriously appeared. He made the first move at contact, all the while wondering if this was the work of the Force itself.

[member="HK-42"]
[member="The Legate"]

 

[The Legate]

[member="Kyrel Ren"]
[member="HK-42"]

Rahl received the inquiring and wheezing questioning with his usual robust imperial attitudes. He stood by a communications officer down in the navigation array pits of the bride and loomed over the comm-controls.

"I am Vice-Admiral Ramabra Rahl of Lord Basileus," said Rahl. "We have traveled to your Master's world to discuss Imperial operations with him."

"I believe he is expecting us." he continued, "Lord Basileus' representative and Legate shall be arriving shortly."

"This vessel in the meantime will remain in neutral stand-by."

The communications officer turned to Rahl and pointed to a new signal. "Sir, it seems the Master Ren is hailing us."

"Very good," he replied, "Patch him to the Legate's quarters."

* * *​

The Legate had left Lord Basileus' hologram chamber and had retired to her own.

It was a wide square space with black durasteel walls and red tiled floor. A central disc shaped table was bolted to the chamber's center with a holoprojector mounted in it. At the far wall was a long panoramic monitor which displayed a live feed of the starry space outside and the burning red ball of Mustafar.

A ping from the holoprojector's communications echoed, directing the Legate to turn away from Mustafar and approach the table.

"Yes?" she said.

"It's the Master Ren, mam'." said the communications officer.

"Put him through," the Legate said.

"Yes mam."

A blue haze wobbled and flickered into life before her.

The Legate watched and waited for the voice that would come.

 

[HK-42]

"Lord Basileus? Are you Meatbags from the Sith Empire? Well, it does not matter. This "Legate"...If he thinks he is going to go straight to Kyrel Ren, then you are incorrect. He will be coming aboard this Vessel first for a proper inspection, as so then you or anyone else associated with you, "Vice-Admiral" do not attempt any hostile action. Failure to Comply will result in immediate termination of you, your "Legate" and everyone aboard that vessel."

The Droid Communications Officer then ended the Transmission once Grievous started to move away from the screen the Transmission was being broadcast on. It is true that the Sith Empire does have a good standing with the First Order, but right now, Grievous was taking no chances. He knew that any one of the FO's former allies could easily come in and destroy everything that they wanted gone of the First Order if they had the chance, and he believed the Sith Empire was no Exception to this.

"Contact Kyrel Ren. Inform him that I request his Presence aboard the Qymaen. Also Inform him that I have ordered this "Legate" to come aboard this Vessel to meet myself and Kyrel Ren if he chooses to join me up here." The Communications Officer started getting the message ready, while Grievous walked out of the bridge, and spoke through a wrist communicator he had for Ship Wide Communications. "Attention All Hands. A vessel of unknown Affiliation will be boarding in one of the main Hangar Bays. I want Hangars 1 through 5 prepared for the Arrival of a "Legate", who will be Representing someone named Basileus. If these persons attempt any hostile actions...Shoot to Kill."

[member="The Legate"]
[member="Kyrel Ren"]

 

[FN-999]

FN-999's blood had been replaced by hatred.​

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Ever since he arrived in the flaming castle, all he could think of was his hatred. Towards the vile aliens who killed his squad and his Order, and snatched the Supreme Leader away. Towards the traitors who formed their own Empire, seeking to snatch the last bits the broken Order for their own agenda. Towards all the factions in the galaxy who praised the light as the bringer of harmony, only to let chaos loose within their borders. Even towards his own troops, for not being fast enough, strong enough, or competent enough. But most of all, FN-999 hated himself for letting the First Order down. Somewhere in a higher plane of existence achieved after death, the Supreme Leader and countless troopers glared down apon him.

FN-999 snapped out of his cruel fantasies as his new Ren overlord walked through the doors he and another trooper silently guarded. On cue, they entered formation with the Ren, as he had no other guard with him. Truthfully, it was more of logic than a protocol, defending the elite of the Order at all times.

[member="Kyrel Ren"]
[member="HK-42"]
[member="The Legate"]

 

[Kyrel Ren]

The Holographic form of Kyrel Ren appeared to the figure, from staring her down he discovered it looked to be a woman, if it was a woman covered in armor. Sith was it? He didn't know, Sith had some distinction to them but with this one, he couldn't tell or figure out what he was feeling, but hostile intent wasn't it. For a moment there was silence, than the Ren finally spoke to the masked mystery woman before him. "This is Territory of the Crimson Hand, I do not know who you are but I wonder who did you kill to get your hands on a Retribution Class Star Destroyer?" His tone courtious but made little effort to hide his venom at the outsider that encroached upon his keep.

With waiting for an answer, another had required his attention, with a red button blinking as Kyrel directed his gaze from the woman. Reaching down to press the button it was one of the droid's that had contacted him. No doubt the work of Grievous, when he was told to travel to his command ship. The Master of Ren sighed to himself, why should he divulge his time to meeting the outsider face to face, when it was perfectly logical to remain near the fortress with the legions of Stormtroopers, defenses even a hypervelocity gun to deal with his uninvited guest should he choose to.

He did not answer the droid, rather requiring an answer from the mysterious stranger first, his patience already running thin. Yet the Force could be trying to tell him something, which was half the reason he didn't fire his gun when he first heard word of it. Weather his curiosity would prove to be fruitful or the cause of his demise was left to the next words the stranger would utter from her mask.

@FN-999 @HK-42 @The Legate

 

[The Legate]

[member="Kyrel Ren"] @FN-999 @HK-42

The Legate watched the blue spectre of the Master Ren speak to her, accusing her and Lord Basileus of theft. She wrapped her hands behind her back and gripped them together. Slow mechanical wheezes of her breathing slithered from her mask.

"My Lord has no need for theft to achieve his aims, Master Ren." said the Legate. "You may not know of us, but, that is by our design. We have been with the First Order since its inception. Our assets and machinations aided Aram Kalast in establishing the Order. And once it rose to Imperial domination, we retreated back to our work in the shadows."

The Legate then began to pace around the hologram giving away nothing in her stride, her posture and tone. No gestures illustrated her points, and no tonal shifts emphasized her delivery. Entirely too diplomatic in her behavior.

"But, the Order is no more." said the Legate. "So my lord has commanded his fleet to return to known space from the dark. In order to rebuild and reform."

"I have a token of my Lord's appreciation to deliver to you personally."

The Legate stopped and pulled from a satchel in her built a personal holo-projector.

"On here is the location to a secret First Order military base that has long been forgotten. It was created by the First order during its infancy. It will be the base of our operations against the galaxy, and a boon to your ambtions."

"If you are willing to hear our proposal, Master Ren."

-----

Meanwhile, Vice-Admiral Rahl used every ounce of his imperial training to restrain himself from berating the rude droid. "Sith? Wha-- How dare you!"

"This is an Imperial Vessel, of the First Order! I am a Vice-Admiral of the Fleet of Lord Basileus a patron of the First Order!"

"I repeat we will stand-by until we receive word from your Master to land!"