Private Its apostasy then.

[Remus Kelbor]

Tyrant
Ferrata-class Planetary Assault Ship​

Major General Remus Kelbor, a once loyal servant of the Sith Empire had been saved short of being declared an "apostate" through no actions of his own; simply affiliation. Remus had donned an Imperial uniform and served the Sith Empire through several years of faithful, loyal service but his association with Lord General Irevic Tavlar, whom hed never personally met, was enough to earn him some questions of if he was being an apostate. Remus was holding a war council when the notification came that he had been asked as such. The Tyrant has been drifting in orbit above some non-notable Sith Empire planet when a communications officer had arrived with a pre-recorded messaged from members of the Sith Empire who remained "loyal". Remus and his cadre of senior officers watched the message. The message notified all individuals of the "major" players who had been declared apostates. Remus shook his head and a wicked smile crossed his face. "It's apostasy then." The cadre of officers chuckeled and Remus again shook his head.

"Dispatch the security platoons, effective immediately they're under my direct command." Remus had painstakingly worked to have his security officers and troopers be fiercely loyal to him, many of them were veterans of his early campaigns as an officer. Security platoons in the 23rd were trained, dedicated and were responsible for assisting and managing rear guard actions when in a combat zone. They'd now been tasked with new operations, many former officers who'd be assigned to ORDIS or Sith-Imperial Intelligence now pledged themselves to Remus as their leader forgoing their ties to the Sith Empire. Most did it out of personal loyalty to Remus and the Imperial cause, otehrs did it out of fear they'd be executed and tossed aside if they turn coated on their immediate leader. Remus turned his attention to Captain Jarik Sair, the Captain of the Tyrant and nodded to him. "Prepare to meet up with the Lord General. We'll take it from there." The naval officer nodded, clicked his heels and saluted with the common military salute of hand to right above the eyes, he turned and began to depart as Remus spoke out. "Routine local patrols while we are here, all squadrons and gunboats as well Captain." Remus understood that while he was in a heavily fortified vessel, they were still susceptible to attack.

Remus turned to one of his staff officers who was charged with the manufacturing on the ship. Imperial Army units were equipped with some manufacturing capabilities and the Tyrant permitted it due to its vast space and areas that were dedicated to it. Imperial Army units could manufacture their own uniforms, some replacement armor parts, some weaponry but it was mostly related to repair and maintenance work. Remus had gotten the attention of the officer and he blankly looked at him. "Perhaps we should start using some more traditional uniforms." Remus nodded to him, he understood what was meant. As Remus finished an intelligence officer entered into the General's command hub and looked puzzled. The war council had now all but broken down into individual groups with many of them stationed at hubs of staff officers and barking orders at enlisted. "What is it?" Remus looked at his intelligence officer. "General. This is peculiar we are receiving a distress signal from the fringes of Mandalorian space. It simply states: Gaa'tayl! which is, I believe, help or assistance in Mando'a." Remus paused for a moment and sighed. "Alert the Captain to hyperspace to that location and to immediately hyperspace out. The chaos will protect us."

OOC: Did some edits to better reflect narrative that Remus has not yet been declared an Apostate and thus remains cautiously loyal to the Sith Empire.

 

[Remus Kelbor]

Tyrant
Ferrata-class Planetary Assault Ship​

The Tyrant leapt from hyperspace into realspace on the outer fringes of the Mandalore system; the space debris was thick from battle and conflict from either the recent invasion or centuries of conflict and battle. As the Tyrant approached the area where the distress signal had come from, a lone vessel drifted. The vessel was sparking and parts of its hull were opened to the open space. It was very clear that it had been damaged to near catastrophic extent. Remus had arrived at the bridge upon the translation from hyperspace to realspace and as his gaze rested upon the vessel that had been a beacon to nearby vessels, Remus didn't hesitate. "Launch rescue teams now! Prepare the medical bay!" Remus did not know who was aboard that vessel or even what it was but ultimately, he knew that it was someone of Mandalorian descent. The message was in Mando'a and the conflict that had brought Mandalore to its knees was only a short while ago. Captain Sair assured the Major General that they were doing everything as the Major General paced back and forth, his hands behind his back and watching and waiting.

Several hours passed by and Remus was informed that the vessels had returned and the survivors had been brought aboard the Tyrant and were in the intensive care unit of the Tyrant's medical bay. It would be several more days before the survivors could be properly interrogated and questioned regarding their presence at the fringes of the Mandalore system. Remus had informed the Chief Medical Officer to report back to him directly regarding the status of the dozen or so individuals that were picked up. Each of them wore Mandalorian armor of varying styles and colors; Remus concluded that they were either refugees from the fight or had attempted an escape and had not been successful in escaping the Sith-Imperial Navy from their chase. Regardless of the circumstance, Remus would render them aid and would go from there.

Remus returned to the command deck of the Tyrant and notified Captain Sair to begin making preparations to depart for Criton's Point in the Outer Rim. Criton's Point was the center of a library once controlled by several Imperial movements, notably the Imperial Remnant and the Pentastar Alignment. The library would provide Remus with some knowledge to launch further projects, be it for the Sith Empire or whatever succeeds the Sith Empire. Remus was far too intelligent and strong willed to be kept at bay during a time like this, he needed to act in order to protect himself and the Imperial way of life. Whatever that is these days. Remus returned to his command quarters and had a number of intelligence and security officers working around the clock to dig up old Imperial archives and projects.

Remus sat back with a dataslate in his hand relating to General Rohm Moc and a file entitled as the "Darktrooper Project". Remus pushed the keys on his desk as the door closed and the Tyrant launched into hyperspace once again.

 

[Remus Kelbor]

Remus had spent a better part of the trip to Criton's Point studying the writings of General Rom Mohc and the Dark Trooper project. While Remus currently lacked the capabilities to match General Mohc and the complete Dark Trooper project, he could match it in some respects. Phase 0 called for cybernetic enhancements to Imperial soldiers and that is precisely what Remus had the availability to do. Attached to the 23rd Sith-Imperial Army was a cadre of science officers, the leader of them being Major Amamekh Frelig, a close associate of Remus. "Can it be done Amam?" Remus asked blankly to the Major sitting across from him. Amam as he was commonly called, studied the dataslate closely. "Yes General it can, it would take some basic work to do nowadays where during this time period it might've been slightly more complicated." Amam noted. The Dark Trooper project was founded in the early days of Palpatine's Galactic Empire and provided the Galactic Empire with a notable set of essential cybernetically enhanced warriors. The Dark Trooper project would go on to expand vastly but for now he would use his wounded as the initial project test dummys.

"Begin at once. Instruct the factory unit to begin altering our basic designs to be more in line with what our current equipment allows." Remus knew that the improvements to the Sith-Imperial Legionnaire combat armor would provide a stable base to build on. "You know where to begin Amam. Begin with them. Soldiers should never die in a veterans home." Remus was referring to the wounded soldiers who would either be discharged from service or handled otherwise. These were his men and if he could find them a place to continue the fight, he would. Remus also had slightly more sinister plans, these "Phase Zero" new Dark Troopers would be far more loyal to him versus anyone else, he was giving them a second chance at doing their jobs and continuing to provide for their families or whatever purpose they desired to serve for.

As Remus parted ways with Major Frelig a chime rang over his desk intercom. A blue hologram of Captain Sair popped up. "Major General we have arrived in orbit above Criton's Point. What are your orders sir?" The Captain stood, hands behind his back, on the command deck of the Tyrant. Remus folded his hands together making a cathedral with his hands. "Enter the atmosphere and dispatch the perimeter teams as well as the remaining members of the Science Unit. We've got some basic information on library and archive access locations that we need to sweep and check. Report back when the teams have found those points." Remus flicked the switch and the hologram faded. Immediately as he did that the Chief Medical Officer aboard entered in. "Whats the status?" Remus asked, almost leaping from his chair. "We believe that the Mandalorian who sent the distress signal is partially conscious." The Doctor handed Remus a datapad with vitals, basic information. "Let us go then."

The Ferrata-class Planetary Assault Ships were massive labyrinths but he had served aboard several in his time so he could make his way around. His arrival in the medical bay was fortuitous timing as the Mandalorian had been briefly conscious as he immersed in a bed of bacta and being tended to by medical technicians and medical droids. Remus stepped to the side of the bed as some of the bacta receded and the badly bloodied and bruised Mandalorians eyes scanned the room. His pulse and heart rate elevated. "Relax Mandalorian. I am not going to harm you. I am Major General Remus Kelbor, Sith-Imperial Legion, commanding officer of the 23rd Sith-Imperial Army. You are aboard the Tyrant a Sith-Imperial Navy vessel. We received your distress signal and we arrived to discover you and several dozen others, I assume Mandalorians, drifting in space." Remus paused and noted that the pulse and heart rate seemed to temporarily relax as he spoke and gave updates, the largest drop was when he mentioned that others had survived. "Doctor can he speak?" Remus turned to the CMO and pointed his eyes downward towards the Mandalorian. The Doctor nodded, he reached over and detached the breathing apparatus that had been attached when submersed in bacta.

The breathing apparatus hissed and the compression of air released as the mask formed a tight seal around the Mandalorians bruised, bloodied and wounded face. Remus stepped closer. "Do you have a name Mandalorian?" Remus was at the very edge of the hospital bed. The Mandalorian looked up at the Major General with his slate blue eyes and let out a heavy breath. "Kavar Lok."

 

[Remus Kelbor]

Remus had returned from the medical bay after the CMO's recommendations for leaving the damaged Mandalorian warrior be. Remus continued to delve into research and data that had been received and transmitted from Criton's Point. Sifting through the wealth of useless information were members of his intelligence unit and security unit that continued to operate at heightened status. Remus, while nostalgic, was not totally focused on rebuilding the Old Empire, but he did realize that the Imperials underneath the Sith Empire had been marginalized and had largely been sidelined. The Emperor had made recent efforts to fix this but it was too little, too late. Grand Moffs and Moffs were being appointed, governors the same and member of the Sith were being removed from positions of power governance wise and being placed where they belong. Several hours had passed and the experiments with the new Phase Zero Dark Troopers had begun in the depths of the Tyrant as Major Frelig worked to rebuild warriors that had once served Remus in battle but were badly injured and beyond simple augmentation with cybernetics.

Remus contemplated what he was going to do with the band of Mandalorian warriors that he had picked up on the outskirts of the Mandalore system. He could enlist them, that he could certainly use. Mandalorian warriors for all their defeats and triumphs were celebrated warriors without parallel. Their culture was one of honor, dedicated and virtue. While Mandalorians were an interspecies cultural movement, they were often celebrated as heroic warriors who stood against all odds in the face of defeat. Some Mandalorians continued to live the basic lifestyle while others took to mercenary work and bounty hunting as means of support. Some argued that the Mandalorians should be space-faring warriors and raiders whereas others called for a more directed, simplistic approach to the Mandalorian culture. Remus had studied the Mandalorians while attending the various Sith-Imperial military academies across the empire. What blend of Mandalorian was Kavar Lok and his cohort? Remus would eventually find out.

Remus had continued to reach out to officers and officials who he knew shared his beliefs throughout the Sith-Imperial military; he had made contact with several captains of vessels that were receptive to the potential of joining Remus in the event he needed to breakaway from the Sith Empire as a whole; some approached him about his efforts to reach out to Lord General Irevic Tavlar and to see what he could offer to them. Remus had been prominent in officer circles despite his seemingly low rank, he had been a veteran officer of several dozen battles and had earned a reputation as a capable field officer who would lead from the front. One notable engagement was when Remus, then a Colonel, lead a unit on a door to door search for a militia officer who had attacked several of Remus' supply columns. Remus used local intelligence to gain the rough location of the militia leader and went house to house in a moderate sized city.

The city was placed on lockdown and Remus lead several units to eventually discover the militia leader, a Twi'lek from Ryloth that had experience working in insurgency operations. Remus executed the leader and 1/3 of the population with who he suspected had ties to the militia movement; his efforts earned him praise and an eventual promotion. Despite the fact that Remus often portrays himself as a stable leader in comparison to the Sith that often go on wanton rampages and kill hundreds if not thousands, Remus understood that use of fear and the threat of aggression, something he picked up from the esteemed Wilhulf Tarkin and the Tarkin Doctrine. The application of fear and the threat of aggression was only good if from time to time you actually used it.

 

[Remus Kelbor]

Kavar rolled from his side and sat up. The other Mandalorians in the room had recovered well, the Major General had promised that they would be cared for and not treated like prisoners. He was partial correct, the black and gold armored Stormtroopers outside of the door gave him a different impression but the Major General had cared for him and the dozen or so Mandalorian warriors that now occupied a rather large area of the Tyrant a Sith-Imperial vessel. Kavar looked over at his armor and sighed, he had done what he could to repair the armor and the artificers on board the Tyrant had lent their equipment to the Mandalorians to conduct their own business. Kavar was sure that they had screened the equipment and pulled from it what they could, they were Imperials after all.

Kavar looked around the room. He first identified he Clan brother, Caer Lok. A proficient warrior and a skilled slicer, the young man could handle any technology problem you threw at him. He looked to the three clan brothers sitting together Thaeck, Daj and Xigr Varad; the three of them alone could destroy a company of any soldiers. They were beyond skilled warriors and Kavar always envied them a little because they fought as such as cohesive unit. Khata Kelborn, a Kelborn clan sister and perhaps one of the greatest Mandalorian armorsmiths remaining in the galaxy. She stood with Firrari Chorn, a savy sniper who despite Kavar's best efforts he had grown quite a liking to the 30 something year old woman. The remaining were all of various clans and professions, Thaig Priest, Drad Bralor, Zunk Awaud, Kroegg Lone, Modark Ordo, Pots Fett, Wedii Sharratt. That is also who survived the escape from Mandalore and had been rescued by Remus and his vessels.

Kavar heard the chime of his holocommunicator going off and frantically searched his bunk for it; it was buried underneath some sheets. He grabbed it and tapped the answer button. An blue image flickered to life and the room went silent, all eyes went to Kavar. "Kavar. If you find the time, I'd appreciate if you shared dinner with me in my chambers." Remus had appeared before Kavar and invited him to dinner, a private dinner. Kavar peered around the room and sighed. "I'd be honored General." Kavar had called Remus by his title, he respected the man who saved them. He respected him but he also wanted to tear his head from his shoulders, those feelings were not mutually exclusive. "I'll send someone to retrieve you and we'll have a discussion in my chambers Kavar. I look forward to it." Remus nodded and the image faded away. The other Mandalorians looked to him and then immediately as the door slid open and a uniformed Imperial officer stood, his hands folded behind his back.

"Kavar." The officer nodded at him and motioned for him to follow him. Kavar looked at his fellow Mandalorians and they nodded at him. "I will return." Kavar knew better than to admit he was nervous to himself. Mandalorian's don't get nervous. Do they? It had been sometime since he felt fear but this was a different type of fear, this was a fear because he was subject to someone elses whims. Kavar stood and walked to the Imperial officer and followed him. A squad of new Novatroopers marched in two columns of 5 behind them. Kavar eyed the black faceless warriors. Kavar slowed his pace so he could keep up with the Novatroopers who he obviously slowed down. Kavar stepped to the side of them, none of them faced him they just keep their pace. The officer leading them oblivious to Kavar's shifting pace.

"Say officer...Lieutenant. Ensign. Whatever you're title is. You think I could take these guys?" Kavar motioned to the Novatroopers walking next to him. Before the officer had a chance to comment the Novatrooper who Kavar was standing next to turned his head to him, keeping his pace. "After dinner if you're not too tired I'll kick your ass in the hangar." The Novatrooper was Sergeant Nathaniel Marr, the personal bodyguard of the Major General and close confidant of the Major General. Kavar's face lit up and pointed to him; the officer in front smirked. "Hey I like this guy! You guys can talk! Holy shit! That's the first time I've ever heard a buckethead like you actually use words that weren't some form of stupid Sithy-Imperial bullshit." Kavar slapped the Novatrooper on the back of the armor with his hand and the Novatrooper didn't flinch. As they approached the private turbolift to the General's quarters he leaned over and whispered to the Sergeant. "I promise I won't break you over my knee." Kavar winked and chuckled. "You think I'm kidding Mandalorian. If not tonight, tomorrow. Hell, if thats the case we'll do a 10 versus 10." Marr removed his helmet, revealing an austere but strong face and a shaved head.

Kavar stepped onto the turbolift with the officer. "By Mandalore...if you didn't have that fetish armor on you might actually pass for a warrior." Kavar winked and the turbolift took off to the General's private quarters.