Private Of Admirals and Ambition

[Marlon Sularen]

O F_A D M I R A L S_A N D_A M B I T I O N

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

The Imperial Navy. The Shield of the Confederation and the backbone of it's Armed Forces. It served as the Imperial Confederation's first line of defense against foreign invasion and it's primary offensive force when it came to launch invasions against hostile factions. It was an instrument, that when well-sharpened and well maintained could slice through the toughest of planetary defenses. However the Imperial Navy of the Imperial Confederation was dull and lacked proper orginization and maintenance, being currently comprised of makeshift task forces assembled from the naval forces of the Empire Reborn, the Imperial Sector Authority and the Risen Empire.

If the Confederation's Imperial Navy was to be sharpened into a tool that would efficiently eradicate those who would stand in it's way, then it would require proper leadership and orginization. That was where Sularen came in. Throughout his naval career within the Brotherhood of the Maw and the Dark Empire, Sularen had seen how the naval forces of the Maw and Dark Empire were often under-utilized and rarely functioned at their full potential.

However now, Sularen was the Supreme Commander of the Confederation's Armed Forces and also held the position of Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy, with absolute control and oversight over all Imperial naval assets. All that needed to be done was the transformation of the Imperial Navy into a force that could reckoned with throughout the galaxy, and that would require a dedicated cadre of naval officers with the skill and abilities to overcome any obstacles that would be thrown their way.

As such, Sularen had summoned a trio of veteran Imperial officers from both the Empire Reborn and the Imperial Sector Authority, hoping to get acquainted with them, learn more about their past service record and finally test their capabilities as naval commanders through some war games. These three officers would be the first of many who would soon serve under his command, and whom would play a key role in the upcoming campaigns that would be waged by the Imperial Navy.

Thus, the Supreme Commander would patiently wait for the trio of officers to join him within his office onboard his flagship above the Outer Rim world of Cholganna, eager to begin the process of sharpening the Imperial Navy.

Tags | Isabelle Zythor | Calin Rakel | Augustus Von Strauss ​

 

[Calin Rakel]

The stars warped and changed, cascading their light across the viewport as Unto The Breach transitioned back into real space. The Venator Class Star Destroyer glistened with weapons batteries, thick armor, and Calin's personal flair: color.

Instead of the gunmetal gray of most Imperial ships, Calin had taken the liberty to have his personal ship jet black like the void, with rusty orange accents speckled throughout the ship, most notably across the large dorsal hangar bay that ran the ship's length.

"Your ship is primed and ready to depart, sir," a voice crackled through his comms.

"Launch," Calin said flatly, standing behind the two pilots of his shuttle.

The Imperial shuttle glided from the Destroyer's hangar bays and began the quick journey to Marlon Sularen's ship. Calin's mind churned with the possibilities of what was to come once he boarded the Admiral's ship. Calin had not met Marlon face to face before, so this would be a test, but Calin was not entirely sure of what.

He continued to mull over the possibilities as his ship glided through the shields of the Admiral's ship and touched down on the hangar bay floor. Two matte gray in color stormtroopers stood up and flanked Calin on either shoulder as the ramp to the shuttle dropped. Calin exited the shuttle and brushed past the menials working in the hangar bay, walking purposefully to the Admiral's office.

It took some time, but after a few minutes, Calin stood before the door to the Admiral's office. His stormtroopers took their place across the hall, guarding the Admiral's office along with his own personal guard.

Calin took his ID chit and placed it on the door reader. The door reader chimed and slid open noiselessly, spilling light from the interior and granting Calin entrance.

His footfalls were strong as he strode into the room, walking to the Admiral and snapping a crisp salute before Marlon Sularen .

"Calin Rakel, as requested, Admiral, it is an honor to finally meet you in person."

 

[Augustus Von Strauss]

Augustus's eyes reflected the stars as they drifted past the Ragnarok's ellipsoidal bridge, the advanced holographic array wrapping his command podium in a dome of light and motion. For a moment, it felt like he was adrift, suspended alone in a sea of stars.

From the forward pit, a navigational officer raised her hand, voice crisp: "Twenty seconds till end of jump, sir."

He gave a silent nod, his gaze dropping back to the missive hovering before him, an encrypted missive from the Supreme Commander. It was brief, but unmistakable in tone: a summons to His Excellency's flagship, currently stationed in orbit above Cholganna.

Convenient. He was no longer buried at the far edge of the Instrop Sector. The Ragnarok had just completed resupply and weapons calibration in the Mon Cala system. Even for a vessel of her class, which was designed for speed, she moved faster still.

There was no lurch as the destroyer exited hyperspace, just a subtle hum, a shift in lighting, and the sudden, silent presence of the galaxy around them. The Ragnarok's elegant, silver hull sliced through the darkness like a gossamer blade through silk. Ahead, the massive form of the Supreme Commander's flagship loomed. Near it floated a second warship, ominous in its silence, its hull a voidlike black marked with rust-orange specs. Another attendee, he presumed.

"Helm, hold us at a respectful offset. Maintain comms silence unless hailed," Augustus ordered. The helmsman acknowledged with a precise nod, his hands dancing over his console.

Without another word, Augustus turned from the command podium and stepped into the lift. Moments later, he emerged into the bustle of the main hangar. Engineers and flight techs scrambled to finalize systems checks, but his personal shuttle was already idling on the deck, its stabilizers engaged, boarding ramp lowered.

A personal KXU unit was already waiting at the base of the ramp, blue eyes flicking up from a datapad. A gift from his father upon hearing of his promotion to Commandant. It followed him into the shuttle. Behind him, a deck officer offered a sharp salute. Augustus returned it absently, his mind already aboard the flagship. He ascended the ramp without breaking stride.

The shuttle ride was swift and silent, cutting across the void between warships with all the precision one would expect of Augustus's personal transport. The moment they crossed into the hangar field of the flagship, Augustus felt the subtle shift of gravity as the shuttle's inertial dampeners synced with the flagship's artificial systems.

As he descended the boarding ramp, two officers stepped forward. The senior of the pair offered a crisp salute.
"Commandant Von Strauss. You're expected. This way, sir."

Augustus returned the salute. "Lead on."

They moved swiftly through the corridors. Augustus remained silent throughout, his boots echoing softly behind, while the KXU's steps followed with a piercing clank. At last, they reached a pair of towering blast doors. Without a word, Augustus stepped forward and placed his code cylinder into the door's access port. The doors hissed apart; his KXU unit stepped to the side of the door, its pale blue eyes watching the escort go wherever they were needed next.

Augustus stepped through the doors. As he approached the Supreme Commander and the other attendee, he halted with discipline and offered a sharp, formal salute.

"Commandant Augustus Von Strauss, reporting as ordered, Your Excellency."

 

[Isabelle Zythor]

Captain Isabelle Zythor and her trusty but heavily worn-down ship, an old Bulwark MK II Star Destroyer. The ship, known as "Gauntlet", had seen plenty of action since the fall of the Empire of the Lost and had seen an inversely relative number of shipyards for regular maintenance. She'd done her best to run off pirates and other scavengers who thought they could pick at the corpse of her former nation, and it had taken its toll. Already, her engineering staff was telling her that the ship would need months in dry dock and may not even be worth the credit a refit would require to bring the ship up to something that even came within a stone's throw of the original operational standards.

As Captain Zythor moved to her shuttle, she patted the metal of the corridor lovingly and spoke to the ship in her 'farm girl' accent, as if it were an old beloved pet. "Not much longer old girl, not much longer, and you'll get the rest you deserve."

As Isabelle rode her shuttle over to the Sularen's Revenge, escorted by two TIEs beaten almost as badly as the Gauntlet herself, she noted how well-maintained the larger ship looked, one of the benefits of sticking close to the remnants that had combined to form the Confederation.

A few minutes later, Captain Zythor's shuttle landed, and her TIEs flew back to land on the Gauntlet.

As she descended the ramp of her shuttle, an Ensign waiting for her spoke up. "Come with me Captain, Grand Admiral Sularen is waiting for you."

Not one to keep her higher-ups waiting, Captain Zythor moved quickly through the corridors and up several decks, her gut churning with nerves that she kept from showing on her face; she'd never been a favourite of the career officers back when she served in the EoTL so she was on edge.

Arriving at the hatch, the Ensign left her to enter the compartment. Saluting sharply, Isabelle said, "Captain Zythor reporting as ordered."

Tags: Marlon Sularen // Calin Rakel // Augustus Von Strauss

 

[Marlon Sularen]

O F_A D M I R A L S_A N D_A M B I T I O N

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

One by one, the Imperial naval officers Sularen had summoned enters his office, with Vice-Admiral Rakel being the first to step into the Supreme Commander's office, followed by Commandant von Strauss and finally Captain Zythor. Once the three officers took their seats, the door behind then closed as the a pair of SpecNav Commandos stood guard outside as usual. The three officers themselves were all veterans having fought in multiple battles against those who had sought to bring down either the Dark Empire or the Empire of the Lost. This past experience would be vital to Sularen's plans for the Imperial Navy as he required capable officers to effectively implement such plans.

"Thank you all for coming." Sularen began. "The reason why i summoned you all is because you all have the potential to play a key role in the future of the Imperial Navy moving forward." Sularen added. "The Imperial Confederation is young and there are a multitude of threats that will seek our premature destruction before we could properly establish ourselves on the galactic stage. As such the Imperial Navy requires proper orginization and capable leaders who will be able to safeguard the future of the Confederation from all who seek to undermine it."

"But before i dive deeper, i would first like to ask you all a simple question. Why do you serve the Empire?"

Tags | Isabelle Zythor | Calin Rakel | Augustus Von Strauss ​

 

[Calin Rakel]

​

"But before i dive deeper, i would first like to ask you all a simple question. Why do you serve the Empire?"

The question was simple, but loaded. Why do you serve the Empire? Some might say for riches, glory, power, to unleash their inner self in a way that the other factions vying for power in this galaxy would never allow. To the other members beside him, it could also be for wildly varying reasons, born into it, molded by it, and knowing nothing else. But, for Calin, it was much simpler.

Calin sat slightly forward as he replied, "Whereas the Alliance imprisoned me for my methods of warfare, the Empire saw a way to utilize me to keep their foes in check. Whereas the Alliance would have let me rot in a cell until death, the Empire gave me a viewport to watch my enemies burn with my own eyes. I fight for a simple reason," he said, lifting his hands with his palms facing up and stating, "A second chance."

"I would be nothing now were it not for the Empire. So, my second chance comes laden with loyalty for the Empire for the greatest gift they have given me: my life. And I will do whatever it takes to ensure I continue to have that gift, for without the Empire, I would be a dusty convict relegated to death," Calin made a sharp gesture downward with his hand as he said the last word.

"It is not a complicated reason, but it is ironclad," Calin said, closing his hand into a fist as he stared at Marlon Sularen .

Marlon Sularen Isabelle Zythor Augustus Von Strauss​

 

[Augustus Von Strauss]

"But before i dive deeper, i would first like to ask you all a simple question. Why do you serve the Empire?"

Augustus sat straight in his seat, listening to the Vice Admiral speak on why he served the Empire. It was a strong and honorable reason. He shifted forward in his seat slightly to show he was ready to talk next.

"Because I was born to." He said, letting the words sit for a moment before continuing.

"My earliest memories aren't of a homeworld, nor a cradle. It was steel underfoot and the pulse of reactor coils. My lullabies were naval drills, my tutors were officers of the line, my father, and my aunt. I was raised aboard my father's flagship, a ship he coveted after the fall of the First Order, to understand one truth: an Empire must be maintained, not imagined, not inherited, maintained. Through vigilance, discipline, and will."

He shifts in his seat, his voice measured but firm. "I serve because the alternative to the Empire is chaos, wearing a new mask every decade. The Confederation may be young, but it carries the old burden. I serve because order is not natural. It must be built, enforced, and made worth the sacrifice. I don't serve out of sentiment, Your Excellency. I serve because I believe in structure over decay. I believe that legacy demands proof, not pride. And I believe that in every generation, someone must choose to be the wall that weathers against the storm. I choose to be that."

After speaking, he leaned back in his seat. To some, his words might have seemed naive, but to him, they were nothing less than the truth. He would not be the man he was today without his father's guidance or the teachings of the Empire.

Tags: Marlon Sularen | Calin Rakel | Isabelle Zythor

 

[Isabelle Zythor]

Waiting until her turn came to speak, Isabelle listened to the others list their reasons for serving. She felt it was best to let her superiors talk first, worried that speaking before one might offend them and result in her being ejected from the meeting. None were like hers; they were impassioned and profound. Her reason, while not so deep, was just as genuine and important to her.

"I enlisted when the Emperor of The Lost controlled my homeworld of Galidraan, and all I wanted to do was protect that from the things that lurk in the dark. Doesn't matter if it was something like pirates, enemies of the state, or something far worse." She started. "I just want people, like my parents, to be able to work the dirt or do wherever they choose without having to worry about the horrors of the Galaxy swooping down on them.

Her reason was hardly the typical fare for officers, who, in her experience, tended to be a lot more politically motivated even if they weren't so open about it. In her experience, her mindset seemed to be more in line with the rank and file troops, joining for more selfless reasons or patriotism than some sort of personal gain. It had been a problem she'd run into back in the Empire of The Lost, one that slammed the brakes on her career despite the urging of the few friends she'd made urging her to get into the naval politics game.

Tags: Marlon Sularen // Calin Rakel // Augustus Von Strauss

 

[Marlon Sularen]

O F_A D M I R A L S_A N D_A M B I T I O N

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

Seeking a second chance, a strong belief in the Imperial system and desiring to protect those you care about. They were all valid motivations for serving the Confederation and it gave Sularen insight on the type of mentality his subordinates held. By knowing his subordinate's motivations, Sularen now knew how he could use those convictions to encourage loyalty and competence within the Imperial Navy and drive his subordinates to advancing the Imperial cause through any means necessary.

"All solid motivations for serving the Empire." Sularen simply responded. "However as Captain von Strauss pointed out, the Empire needs to be maintained through vigilance, discipline and conviction. Simple motivations aren't enough to prove your worth within the Imperial Navy, you must also understand the burdens that come with serving the Empire and be willing to endure through them and advance the Imperial cause through any means necessary no matter how cruel and violent our methods might be." he continued, making it clear to his subordinates what to expect through their service within the Imperial Navy.

"That being said. I want to ask you all a second question. What is the greatest threat to the Empire and Imperialism in general?"

Tags | Isabelle Zythor | Calin Rakel | Augustus Von Strauss ​

 

[Calin Rakel]

Calin listened to the others as they spoke. Augustus was born to it, molded by it. Isabelle did it to protect those around her. Both were honorable reasons unto themselves, but they were different from Calin.

"That being said. I want to ask you all a second question. What is the greatest threat to the Empire and Imperialism in general?"

Calin smirked as he leaned back into his chair and flippantly replied, "Ourselves."

"Look around," he said, motioning towards the bulkheads and the galaxy beyond it. "We rise, we fall. We rise again, we fall again. Infighting. Strife. Lack of purpose. Lack of direction. Lack of motivation. You name it, we got it. Some would say it's the Alliance, the Sith, or whatever new faction may arise in the galaxy that opposes us, but there is always one surefire thing to do to make an Empire fall apart: nothing. We'll tear ourselves apart on our own."

Calin sat even farther back in his chair, "We are our own greatest threat."

Marlon Sularen Isabelle Zythor Augustus Von Strauss

 

[Augustus Von Strauss]

Augustus listened to the Supreme Commander ask another deep question. And he listened as the Vice Admiral said something similar to his own idea. He sat forward again,

"Stagnation."

His tone was cool, measured, militaristic, but not rehearsed. "Empires do not fall because of enemies at the gates. They crumble when we forget why we built the gates in the first place. Complacency, corruption, and the rot of entitlement; they wear the face of tradition but hollow out its core, leaving only a husk. Imperialism is meant to be disciplined, adaptable, and meritocratic. When we allow fear of change to paralyze us, when we trade strength for comfort and complacency, everything built turns fragile."

He glanced around the officers here, his voice calm but firm.

"Our greatest threat is forgetting that order is earned and must keep being earned, never assumed. The moment we think ourselves untouchable, we've already begun to lose. In a sense, I agree with Vice Admiral Rakel, we can be our own worst threat."

Marlon Sularen | Calin Rakel | Isabelle Zythor

 

[Isabelle Zythor]

"I hate to sound like just another bantha in the herd, but both of them are right in my opinion, internal problems, factionalism, fighting over resources for personal projects, corruption," Isabelle said, not liking the fact that the three of them had come to the same conclusion, but worse, she didn't have a solution ready. "But Sir, I'm just a naval captain, these are jobs for security forces and intelligence services. The best way I know how to fight this is by giving my unwavering loyalty and dedication to the job."

She did not agree with the Commandant's assessment that enemies at the gate did not kill empires, swallowing her nerves, she spoke up again.

"I have to respectfully disagree with the Commandant, foreign enemies are still a threat, internal problems won't kill an empire alone, neither will external threats, both of them need to work in tandem to put the kind of pressures that tear an empire apart."


Tags: Marlon Sularen // Calin Rakel // Augustus Von Strauss

 

[Marlon Sularen]

O F_A D M I R A L S_A N D_A M B I T I O N

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
CHOLGANNA, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

Infighting, Stagnation and Superior Foes. Those were the threats that the three officers had identified and were all valid answers. Past Imperial Regimes had fallen due to either one or many of these factors and it was absolutely vital that Sularen's subordinates understood this. The Imperial Confederation was created to rise above the failures of past regimes, to create a permanent Imperial regime capable of standing tall as a major force of Imperialism in the galaxy that could stand toe-to-toe with the Jedi and the Sith. But in order for it's success to be guaranteed these weaknesses had to be pre-maturely cleansed.

"Once more, you have given perfect answers." Sularen simply responded again. "I have seen many galactic powers collapse due to these very factors that you have mentioned, including Imperial powers throughout my life and in my capacity as Supreme Commander i intend to ensure that the Imperial Confederation does not suffer the same fate as those who came before it." Sularen further proclaimed. "However i cannot accomplish this task alone nor can i entrust it to anyone. But you three have shown that you have the determination and awareness needed to assist me with the task of ensuring the Confederation's longevity. All that remains to be seen is the level of your skill on the battlefield." the Supreme Commander added.

"That being said, from now on you are all going to be formally reassigned to my personal command, the 7th Sector Fleet codenamed Cerulean Spear Command. You will all take your orders directly from me and will answer directly to me, for the sake of advancing the Imperial cause." Sularen stated. The Supreme Commander then stood up and proceeded to walk towards the door. "If you would please all follow me, we will head towards the next phase of this orientation of ours." he proclaimed before stepping outside the office.

Tags | Isabelle Zythor | Calin Rakel | Augustus Von Strauss ​

 

[Calin Rakel]

Calin again listened to Augustus and Isabelle state their pieces, which mirrored what he had stated slightly but with their own flair. He did notice the subtle disagreement from Isabelle regarding both external and internal factors needing to be present for the collapse of an Empire. It was a thoughtful response that would require further evaluation at a later time.

As it were, the Supreme Commander was stating his piece to reassign all three of them to the 7th Sector Fleet: Cerulean Spear Command. Calin was slightly taken aback; he expected a new mission, perhaps a change in fleet doctrine, not to be reassigned directly to the Supreme Commander. It was an honor for him. Calin had been at the behest of the fleet for years now, going where he was needed and engaging in sometimes trifling issues he thought beneath him.

But now? Being assigned to the Supreme Commander himself was an extraordinary step up for him and one he would need to show he was worthy of.

​

"If you would please all follow me, we will head towards the next phase of this orientation of ours."

Calin's chair scraped slightly on the floor as he stood up and prepared to follow Sularen. His hands slid over his uniform, smoothing the wrinkles and creases from sitting. Once he was more presentable, his left arm extended outward toward the door as he said, "Please," motioning for Augustus Von Strauss and Isabelle Zythor to precede him.

 

[Augustus Von Strauss]

Augustus stood as the Sularen made his way to the door; the weight of the moment was not lost on him. The reassignment was more than a formality; it was a signal that the stakes had changed. He allowed himself a moment for a quiet breath, but only for a second, the moment settling in his chest. He was now under the direct command of the Supreme Commander, part of the Cerulean Spear Command, which was an immense honor.

He gave Admiral Rakel a courteous nod as he motioned for his two juniors to proceed before him. Falling in step behind Sularen, Augustus adjusted his gloves with a quiet, practiced motion as they left the room. His mind wandered briefly to where he had been only months ago: commanding a half-strength squadron at the edge of the Mon Calamari sector, scrambling to keep systems from falling apart as the remnants of the Empire of the Lost buckled under pressure. Supplies were low, and trust was even lower. He remembered the quiet doubts, the long hours spent writing reports that no one would read, and the gnawing question of whether he'd survive the collapse with purpose or be swept away like so many others. Now, he was stepping into an entirely different echelon of command, under the direct authority of the Supreme Commander himself.

He walked with purpose, boots silent against the polished floor, casting a glance at his new comrades. This wasn't just another assignment; this would be the crucible. Whatever came next, it would be earned, not given.

Calin Rakel | Marlon Sularen | Isabelle Zythor
Sorry, this wasn't longer. I just wanted to keep the thread moving

 

[Isabelle Zythor]

Isabelle was shocked, reassignment to Supreme Commander Sularen 7th fleet, it was the kind of transfer that she'd have done anything for back when she was still serving with the EoTL. Even if nothing changed in her day-to-day duties, it was the kind of career move that she could leverage into greater personal success in the future, so long as she could keep up with the pressures of keeping this new nation she was making her home from coming apart at the seams.

Unconsciously, she straightened her uniform jacket as if she needed to look sharper for the new position, and hoped that this would translate to her crew being taken care of. Mentally, Isabelle was already preparing to fill out the necessary forms to get them transferred from her current worn-down ship to a new one, something she could do the job of protecting her new government.

Getting up, Isabelle stepped to follow the others out of the Supreme Commander's office.

Saying "Thank you, Sir," and giving the Vice Admiral a polite nod of thanks for allowing her and the Commandant to go before him.

Tags: Marlon Sularen // Calin Rakel // Augustus Von Strauss